Socialist Feminists - Statement of Policy

Socialist feminists are people who reject capitalist social order and governance and demand a humane system built on the ideology of socialism, guided by human rights, human dignity, equality, and sisterhood. Capitalism, or the plutocratic system we live under today, where the profits from property and means of production, real estate and capital, and even our resources flow to a select few, leading to growing inequality on all fronts, is unacceptable.

We refuse to be marginalized on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, skin color, ability, physical or mental aptitude, body size, language proficiency, education, nationality, religion, origin, culture, or other characteristics that create our uniqueness within human society, and we refuse to be pitted against each other. We want the freedom to celebrate these characteristics without them being used as a reason to diminish our human rights or general quality of life.

• We demand that all people live with economic security and justice.
• We demand the abolition of low-wage policies and that the valuation of societal jobs be re-evaluated so that traditional women's jobs and invisible labor provide an adequate livelihood on par with other jobs.
• We demand that all people live with housing security.
• We demand that no person should suffer from a lack of healthy food or drinking water.
• We demand that all people live in peace and equality and that no person should have to endure violence or persecution.
• We demand that all people have real access to robust welfare services where solutions are tailored to their needs.
• We demand that all people can live with physical and mental health and have real access to healthcare services.
• We demand that all people have real access to education and that all discrimination in education be abolished at all levels of study.
• We demand that the voices of marginalized groups in society are heard and listened to.
• We demand that all people have the opportunity to actively participate in society and receive appropriate assistance to make that participation possible.
• We demand that people's self-determination over their own bodies be respected, that people have an unrestricted right to abortion, control over their fertility, and full autonomy over their sexual freedom.
• We demand that no person be forced to sell access to their body to survive and that no person can exploit another's distress for their own advancement.
• We demand that the rights of children are truly respected regardless of their parents' status and family structure.
• We demand that the fight against human trafficking and slavery is taken seriously and that victims of such crimes receive special protection and adequate assistance in this country.
• We demand that Iceland adopts a socialist governance and ceases its participation in capitalist institutions and warfare.
• We demand systematic work towards nature conservation and against the destruction and climate catastrophes that capitalism and neoliberalism entail.
• We demand that nations work together on solutions for peace and climate issues and that discrimination based on nationality be abolished.
• We demand that people are not punished or discriminated against for not fitting into predefined frameworks of the system and society. It is important that the diverse identities of all people can flourish, such as the identities of trans women as well as all trans and queer people. Furthermore, people should not be punished for not wanting to have children or live in a traditional partnership, or for choosing to be single with or without children.
• We demand that parental leave be defined as a child's right and not linked to parents' acquired rights in the labor market. The amount shall be based on an adequate livelihood for the family and ensure that a child does not have to start their life in poverty.
• We demand that all information obligations are fulfilled as required, for example, in the form of translations and in easy-to-read language for those who need it, so that no one is unnecessarily deprived of their rights.
• We demand bread AND roses for all people!

We want a society built on cooperation and reject being assigned the role of competing with each other for the crumbs from the table of the plutocracy. Our siblings in the struggle are people all over the world who share the experience of economic and social injustice; people who belong to the lower classes of the society they live in, people who belong to marginalized groups, people who are ostracized and/or persecuted, people who suffer systemic injustice, people who live with disabilities, poverty, and lack of necessities, people who receive an unfair share of unequally distributed goods. Proletarians of all countries who want to unite for an adequate quality of life for all people on Earth.

Women fought for care work to be moved out of homes so they could choose to educate themselves and enjoy comparable opportunities and independence to men. They did not foresee the imbalance and inequality that would arise between skilled and unskilled workers on the one hand, and on the other hand, how certain professions lost their value by becoming so-called "women's professions." Previously, one breadwinner was enough for households, but in today's competitive society, such is impossible, along with the choice for parents for one partner to work at home caring for children and the household. Thus, it can be said that the emphasis within the women's movement followed neoliberalism and individualism, with the consequence that entire women's professions were left poorly paid and exhausted on the battlefield. Thus, poor women have only become poorer, and women's education is even losing its value. Care work, which has a deeply rooted tradition of being performed by poor women in lower classes, enjoys limited respect and has been hit by low-wage policies often led by the public sector. These jobs literally support society, and we believe it is time they are respected and recognized, and that the people who perform them can live off them to support their families. The disrespect shown to these jobs is a legacy of the profound misogyny of the capitalist economy and now affects everyone who performs them.

Societal institutions and all services for people are of little use if they are not accessible to the people in the country. Economic disparity causes exclusion and marginalization and hinders people's access to all kinds of services they need. All fees in the healthcare, education, and welfare systems can literally cost people their lives and are therefore unacceptable. Socialist feminists therefore demand free services in all systems.

Children are the most vulnerable group in society, yet also the most important. In addition to being our moral duty, it is also in our future interest to provide well for children and ensure their welfare in every respect. To create the best possible future for children, it is important to thoroughly review the education system. We need solution-oriented learning where children can flourish on their own terms in cooperation with each other. Education and curriculum must reflect the society we want to live in and prepare children for the life ahead, no less than for further studies. The school must also be truly classless and inclusive, where services for children are accessible and on their terms, not the terms of the economy. Children must be guaranteed a voice in society and that they are listened to. It is also unacceptable for them to live in poverty and powerlessness, violence, or neglect. Therefore, it must be ensured that families with children live in adequate financial circumstances. Our welfare, healthcare, care, and school systems must provide proper protection against sexual violence and all forms of child neglect.

We want to live in harmony with nature and the Earth's ecosystems, as such harmony and respect for our environment are key to a viable future for coming generations. Capitalism and neoliberalism are the culprits of the environmental threats we face today, and capitalist production methods are responsible for the catastrophic warming currently taking place. We protest against the responsibility for atrocities against nature being placed on individuals while large corporations absolve themselves of responsibility. The globalization of capitalism has moved its production to areas where wages are low, people are abused, especially women and children, labor unions are banned, regulations on occupational safety and environmental protection are weak, and entire ethnic groups are exploited and defrauded. Environmental protection and eco-friendly lifestyles are therefore an inseparable part of our struggle.

Peace is key to all people enjoying human rights, and any military adventurism is a direct violation of them. Wars cause suffering for innocent people and often affect women and children, while the gains are only for those who fuel the violence and the blood-stained pockets of the plutocracy. Warfare forces people to leave their homes and is one of the biggest culprits in the so-called "refugee crisis," along with the destruction of nature and the plutocracy's takeover of natural resources. Our participation in military alliances and global capitalism makes us complicit. If the plutocracy and its armies do not respect borders, poor people cannot be expected to abide by their limitations. We are all responsible for welcoming people who need to leave their homes to ensure their own safety and a future for their families.

Socialist feminists reject all attempts by neoliberalism to appropriate the women's struggle under the guise of individualism. However, we allow ourselves to celebrate the victories of individuals from minority groups who achieve success within capitalism. These victories are inevitably linked to the class struggle as we define it, considering all its internal factors such as gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, skin color, ability, physical or mental aptitude, education, religion, origin, and other previously listed factors. However, these victories have had limited significance for the systemic changes we seek, because a victory on the terms of capitalism, which is inherently an oppressive system, is not a complete victory in our eyes, but merely an encouragement to continue our struggle for its end. Equality cannot be achieved within a capitalist system, and all compromises are insufficient.

A power structure that promotes violence against women has, over the years, become a direct war against them. Far too large a proportion of women have experienced violence and even fallen in that war. Certain social groups also face real threats, suffer violence, threats, and hate speech, and receive less fair treatment in society within law enforcement and justice systems worldwide. Within our ranks, and with solidarity, the human rights and class struggle of all these groups are accommodated. This includes, for example, trans people, queer and LGBTQ+ people, people of foreign origin, people of color, disabled people, Muslims, people in poverty, and other marginalized groups. Such a threat is intolerable in all its forms, and it is our unequivocal demand that all people have the right to live free from violence. Furthermore, no one shall be subjected to persecution or hate speech, racism, or misogyny of any kind. No person should have to live with violence in their own home, and housing security, along with social and financial independence, is key to this. No person should have to accept being dependent on another person for necessities or care. Socialist feminists also condemn violence by the state and institutions against people who need help.

The class struggle must encompass multifaceted discrimination and be waged on a broad basis where diverse groups of people join hands. Socialist feminism is a struggle for all groups in society who have been subordinated in the capitalist social order where the strong and aggressive have the upper hand. A society that praises the strong but shames the weak can never be a good society. All people are important and should have space, a voice, and purpose in society.