Los Angeles Expose Sexist Profit Motive

LOS ANGELES, September 2—The Progressive Labor Party made an immediate coast to coast call to action when Stanford rapist Brock Turner was let out after a three-month jail sentence. Turner’s case is an example of the sexist culture and oppression that feeds on capitalism.
Who Benefits? The Moneybags
At our rally, a multiracial group of women and men exposed the sexist nature of capitalism in both Spanish and English. A common saying on the bullhorn was, “Who benefits from sexism?”
One comrade gave multiple examples of  how capitalism needs sexist ideology and how women are seen as disposable objects. He pointed at billboards surrounding the neighborhood.
One sign in particular had a huge logo of the Hustler Casino, owned by sexist filth Larry Flynt who is best known for his pornographic magazine. Hustler has a proud 42-year history of oppressing women and selling their bodies as commodities.
Wage Slavery
This sexist culture has an economic root—wage slavery. In 1921, Lenin wrote that “under capitalism the female half of the human race is doubly oppressed….not only are they exploited as members of the working class, they continue to be ‘household slaves,’ for they are overburdened with the drudgery of the most squalid, backbreaking and stultifying toil in the kitchen and family household” (in a Supplement to Pravda No. 51). Wage labor exists as long as unpaid labor exists. Abolishing the wage system is the essential step to smashing sexism.
Passersby stopped to talk about how they have not heard many people talking about sexism and immigration in the same sentence. This was coming from Latin women, who are very familiar with sexism. It shows that sexism is very much on worker’s minds.
When one speaker was trying to explain how women were paid less by the bosses, a group of passersby screamed, “20 percent less than men!” The wage gap is much higher for Black, Latin, Asian, and undocumented women.
Sexist State Violence
Referring to this wage slavery, comrades pointed to the surrounding neighborhood homes of garment workers. Sexism affects women all over the world. “Since coming to office in 2009, Obama’s government has deported more than 2.5 million people—up 23% from the George W. Bush years” (Fusion, 1/7/16). In addition, the Deporter-in-Chief’s latest targets are women and unaccompanied kids fleeing capitalist violence in Central America.
The main violence against working-class women is coming from capitalism and the government that serves it. This capitalist state violence aims to terrorize and weaken the whole working class.
Women and Men Unite!
There is no doubt that capitalism is not on the side of the workers. We can even see that in the current presidential campaigns (see page 8).  What progress has capitalist society made now that our daughters can run for president and fight shoulder to shoulder with men on the front lines for U.S. imperialism? Progress for the bosses, greater attacks on workers. So again we asked, “Who benefits from sexism?” Not working-class men, or women.
Women and men must struggle shoulder to shoulder on the front lines for communist revolution. That would be victory for the working class. Let’s fight!