VS
Valerie Solanas
34quotes
Valerie Solanas: A Revolutionary Feminist and Artist
Full Name and Common Aliases
Valerie Solanas was born on April 26, 1936, in San Diego, California. She is often referred to as Vale or Sylvia, the latter being her given name.
Birth and Death Dates
April 26, 1936 - June 25, 1988
Nationality and Profession(s)
American playwright, artist, and feminist activist
Early Life and Background
Valerie Solanas was born to a troubled home. Her mother, Mary Jane, suffered from mental health issues, and her father, Vernon, abandoned the family when Valerie was just three years old. As a result, Valerie spent much of her childhood in foster care or with various relatives. She began writing at an early age, finding solace in creative expression.
Major Accomplishments
Solanas' most notable work is arguably "SCUM Manifesto," a scathing critique of societal norms and expectations placed on women. The manifesto, published in 1967, called for the destruction of patriarchal institutions and advocated for radical feminist principles. While her ideas were considered extreme by many at the time, they paved the way for future feminist movements.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to "SCUM Manifesto," Solanas wrote several plays, including "Up Your Ass," a satirical work that tackled themes of sex, power, and social inequality. She also founded the Society for Cutting Up Men (SCUM), an organization dedicated to promoting feminist values and challenging patriarchal norms.
Impact and Legacy
Valerie Solanas' impact on the feminist movement cannot be overstated. Her unapologetic critique of societal expectations and her call to action inspired countless women to reexamine their roles within society. While her ideas were often at odds with mainstream feminism, they played a significant role in shaping the radical feminist agenda.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Valerie Solanas is widely quoted and remembered due to her unwavering commitment to feminist principles. Her unapologetic critique of societal norms and expectations continues to resonate with readers today. Additionally, her personal story – marked by struggle, resilience, and creative expression – serves as a testament to the power of individuality and self-advocacy.
In 1968, Solanas attempted to assassinate artist Andy Warhol, shooting him in the chest at his Factory studio. This event, though tragic, has become an integral part of her legacy. Many see it as a manifestation of the societal pressures and expectations that she so vocally critiqued.
Despite facing numerous challenges throughout her life, Valerie Solanas remained committed to her artistic vision and her feminist ideals. Her work continues to inspire readers around the world, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of individuality, creativity, and social activism.
Quotes by Valerie Solanas
Valerie Solanas's insights on:
"
If SCUM ever marches, it will be over the President’s stupid, sickening face; if SCUM ever strikes, it will be in the dark with a six-inch blade.
"
The male claim that females find fulfillment through motherhood and sexuality reflects what males think they’d find fulfilling if they were female.
"
What will liberate women, therefore, from male control is the total elimination of the money-work system, not the attainment of economic equality with men within it.
"
There’s no reason why a society consisting of rational beings capable of empathizing with each other, complete and having no natural reason to compete, should have a government, laws, or leaders.
"
Why produce even females? Why should there be future generations? What is their purpose? When aging and death are eliminated, why continue to reproduce? Why should we care what happens when we’re dead? Why should we care that there is no younger generation to succeed us?
"
Happiness lies outside yourself, is achieved through interacting with others. Self-forgetfulness should be one’s goal, not self-absorption. The male, capable of only the latter, makes a virtue of an irremediable fault and sets up self-absorption, not only as a good but as a Philosophical Good.
"
Incapable of enjoying the moment, the male needs something to look forward to, and money provides him with an eternal, never-ending goal: Just think of what you could do with 80 trillion dollars – invest it! And in three years time you’d have 300 trillion dollars!!!
"
In actual fact, the female function is to explore, discover, invent, solve problems crack jokes, make music – all with love. In other words, create a magic world.
"
The male is a biological accident: the Y (male) gene is an incomplete X (female) gene, that has an incomplete set of chromosomes...
"
To be sure he's a Man, the male must see to it that the female be clearly a Woman, the opposite of a Man, that is, the female must act like a faggot.
Showing 1 to 10 of 34 results