Prof Cynthia Enloe's lecture at Haskoli Islands

A full Aula at the University of Iceland listened to an encouraging and uplifting lecture of Prof. Cynthia Enloe earlier this week, when discussing her latest book “The Big Push: Exposing and Challenging the Persistence of Patriarchy” in context to the #metoo movement in Iceland. Cynthia was joined by panellists, Annadís Gréta Rúdólfsdóttir and Lilja Hjartardóttir, who shared their insights into the Icelandic context. Prof Enloe provided a lecture full of insights and among other things emphasized the importance of being able to identify the web of connections and causes of various patriarchal actions and the way they persist. Cynthia´s point is that “patriarchy depends on us (aka feminists) to get tired”. Its culture and power structure are already providing push backs against the #metoo movement, facilitating an enabling environment to patriarchal situations such as constantly having to make distinction between the severity of sexual harassment and violence. One way to survive the push back and attempts at distraction is to develop and apply “feminist curiosity”, as Enloe labels it, and have the feminist torchlights carried forward by many.