Kate Millett

“The process of socialization is one of coercion.”

“It is interesting that many women do not recognize themselves as discriminated against; no better proof could be found of the totality of their conditioning.”

“Much of the literary tradition, if it is not overtly misogynist, is at least condescending and paternalistic toward women.”

“Perhaps the most potent instrument of socialization is literature.”

“The great mass of women are directly accounted for by the social values of a patriarchy.”

“Because of our social circumstances, male and female are really two cultures and their life experiences are utterly different.”

“The military, of course, is the purest form of patriarchy.”

“Sex is a status category with political implications.”

“The personal is political.”

“The concept of romantic love affords a means of emotional manipulation which the male is free to exploit, since love is the only circumstance in which the female is (ideologically) pardoned for sexual activity.”

“Love has been the opium of women. While we loved, men ruled.”

“Patriarchy's chief institution is the family.”

“Psychology has nothing to say about what women are really like, what they need and what they want, for the simple reason that psychology does not know.”

“For in every vent of our lives, be it political, religious, academic, or institutional, we are presented with a patriarchal structure.”

“Whatever the 'real' differences between the sexes may be, we are not likely to know them until the sexes are treated differently, that is alike.”