SCUM Manifesto

1. Society is inherently irrelevant to women.

Life in this society being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of society being at all relevant to women, there remains to civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females only to overthrow the government, eliminate the money system, institute complete automation and destroy the male sex.

Disconnect and disinterest. Solanas argues that contemporary society is fundamentally uninteresting and inapplicable to women's lives. This irrelevance stems from the male-centric values and structures that dominate every facet of existence, leaving women feeling alienated and unfulfilled. The manifesto suggests that women are inherently excluded from the power structures and cultural norms of society.

Radical solution. Given this perceived irrelevance, the manifesto proposes a radical solution: the complete dismantling of the existing social order. This includes overthrowing the government, abolishing the money system, implementing full automation, and, most controversially, eliminating the male sex. These drastic measures are presented as the only way for women to create a society that is truly relevant and beneficial to them.

Thrill-seeking females. The call to action is directed towards "civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females," suggesting that the revolution should be led by women who are not only aware of the problems but also motivated by a desire for excitement and change. This implies a rejection of traditional female roles and an embrace of radical action as a means of achieving liberation and creating a new, female-centric world.

2. Males are biologically and emotionally deficient.

The male is a biological accident: the Y (male) gene is an incomplete X (female) gene, that is, it has an incomplete set of chromosomes.

Biological inferiority. Solanas posits that males are biologically inferior to females, describing them as "biological accidents" and "incomplete females." This assertion is based on the idea that the Y chromosome is an incomplete version of the X chromosome, suggesting that maleness is a genetic deficiency. This biological argument forms the foundation for her broader critique of male nature.

Emotional limitations. Beyond biological deficiencies, the manifesto claims that males are also emotionally limited. They are described as egocentric, incapable of empathy, love, friendship, or tenderness. This emotional deficiency is seen as a fundamental flaw that prevents males from forming meaningful connections with others and contributing positively to society.

Walking abortion. The term "walking abortion" is used to describe males, emphasizing their perceived incompleteness and lack of potential. This provocative language is intended to shock and challenge traditional views of gender and to highlight the perceived inferiority of the male sex. This sets the stage for the manifesto's call for the elimination of males as a means of creating a more emotionally and biologically sound society.

3. Men are driven by a desperate need to prove their masculinity.

Since he’s attempting to prove an error, he must “prove” it again and again.

Insecurity and passivity. Solanas argues that men are fundamentally insecure about their masculinity and driven by a constant need to prove it. This insecurity stems from their perceived passivity and their underlying desire to be female. Men project their passivity onto women and then engage in compulsive behaviors to demonstrate their masculinity.

Screwing as validation. The act of "screwing" is presented as a primary means by which men attempt to prove their masculinity. This is described as a desperate and compulsive act, driven by the need to deny their passivity and their desire to be female. The manifesto suggests that men are never truly satisfied by these acts because they are based on a false premise.

Constant need for affirmation. Because men are attempting to prove something that is inherently untrue, they must constantly reaffirm their masculinity through repeated actions. This creates a cycle of insecurity and compulsive behavior, perpetuating the myth of male dominance and reinforcing the patriarchal structures of society. This cycle is seen as a key factor in the oppression of women.

4. Money and work are male constructs used for control.

There is no human reason for money or for anyone to work more than two or three hours a week at the very most.

Artificial constructs. Solanas argues that money and work are artificial constructs created by men to maintain control and power. She suggests that there is no inherent need for money or for people to work long hours, as automation could easily provide for everyone's needs. The money-work system is seen as a tool for male domination.

Reasons for maintaining the system:

• Pussy: Men use money to coerce women into their company.
• Delusion of usefulness: Work provides men with a false sense of purpose.
• Power and control: Money allows men to manipulate and control others.
• Love substitute: Men use money to compensate for their inability to give love.
• Goal: Money provides men with a never-ending goal to strive for.
• Fatherhood: Money provides the basis for male control through fatherhood.

Liberation through elimination. The manifesto proposes that the total elimination of the money-work system is necessary to liberate women from male control. This would free women from the need to rely on men for economic support and allow them to pursue their own interests and desires. This is a key step towards creating a female-centric society.

5. Fatherhood perpetuates mental illness and societal decay.

Mother wants what’s best for her kids; Daddy only wants what’s best for Daddy, that is peace and quiet, pandering to his delusion of dignity (“respect”), a good reflection on himself (status) and the opportunity to control and manipulate, or, if he’s an “enlightened” father, to “give guidance.”

Selfish motives. Solanas argues that fathers are primarily motivated by selfish desires, such as peace and quiet, respect, and control. Unlike mothers, who genuinely want what is best for their children, fathers are more concerned with their own needs and ego. This creates a dysfunctional family dynamic that harms children.

Suppression of individuality. Fathers suppress their children's individuality and independence, forcing them to conform to societal norms and expectations. This leads to a lack of self-confidence and a passive acceptance of the status quo. The manifesto suggests that fatherhood is a major cause of mental illness and societal decay.

Corrosion of the world. The effect of fathers has been to corrode the world with maleness. The male has a negative Midas touch – everything he touches turns to shit. The increase of fatherhood, resulting from the increased and more widespread affluence that fatherhood needs in order to thrive, that has caused the general increase of mindlessness and the decline of women in the United States since the 1920s.

6. Men suppress individuality and promote animalistic behavior.

The male is just a bunch of conditioned reflexes, incapable of a mentally free response; he is tied to the earliest conditioning, determined completely by his past experiences.

Conditioned reflexes. Solanas claims that men are simply a collection of conditioned reflexes, incapable of independent thought or action. They are tied to their earliest experiences with their mothers and lack a deep-seated individuality. This lack of individuality makes them interchangeable and easily manipulated.

Reduction to animalism. Men reduce women to animals, to Mama, to a male, is necessary for psychological as well as practical reasons: the male is a mere member of the species, interchangeable with every other male. He has no deep-seated individuality, which stems from what intrigues you, what outside yourself absorbs you, what you’re in relation to. Completely self-absorbed, capable of being in relation only to their bodies and physical sensations, males differ from each other only to the degree and in the ways they attempt to defend against their passivity and against their desire to be female.

Suppression of female individuality. Men suppress female individuality out of fear and envy. They define everyone in terms of their function or use, assigning themselves the most important roles and relegating women to subservient positions. This prevents women from realizing their full potential and perpetuates male dominance.

7. Men prevent privacy and community to maintain control.

Although the male, being ashamed of what he is and almost of everything he does, insists on privacy and secrecy in all aspects of his life, he has no real regard for privacy.

Hypocrisy of privacy. Solanas argues that men are hypocritical about privacy. While they demand privacy for themselves, they have no respect for the privacy of women. This is because they are empty and need to be constantly in female company to feel complete.

Isolation and suburbs. Men isolate women from other men and from civilization by moving them to the suburbs. This allows them to maintain their pretense of being individuals and to control their women more easily. The manifesto suggests that this isolation is a key factor in the oppression of women.

Prevention of community. Our society is not a community but merely a collection of isolated family units. Desperately insecure, fearing his woman will leave him if she is exposed to other men or to anything remotely resembling life, the male seeks to isolate her from other men and from what little civilization there is, so he moves her out to the suburbs, a collection of self-absorbed couples and their kids.

8. Male-dominated society is characterized by ugliness and violence.

Being totally sexual, incapable of cerebral or aesthetic responses, totally materialistic and greedy, the male, besides inflicting on the world “Great Art,” has decorated his unlandscaped cities with ugly buildings (both inside and out), ugly decors, billboards, highways, cars, garbage trucks, and, most notably, his own putrid self.

Aesthetic deficiencies. Solanas claims that men are incapable of aesthetic responses and have created an ugly world filled with ugly buildings, decorations, and objects. This ugliness is a reflection of their inner emptiness and lack of creativity. The manifesto suggests that a female-dominated society would be much more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing.

Hatred and violence. The male is eaten up with tension, with frustration at not being female, at not being capable of ever achieving satisfaction or pleasure of any kind; eaten up with hate – not rational hate that is directed at those who abuse or insult you – but irrational, indiscriminate hate … hatred, at bottom, of his own worthless self. Gratuitous violence, besides “proving” he’s a “Man,” serves as an outlet for his hate and, in addition – the male being capable only of sexual responses and needing very strong stimuli to stimulate his half-dead self – provides him with a little sexual thrill.

Disease and death. All diseases are curable, and the aging process and death are due to disease; it is possible, therefore, never to age and to live forever. In fact the problems of aging and death could be solved within a few years, if an all-out, massive scientific assault were made upon the problem. This, however, will not occur with the male establishment.

9. Men prevent the cure for disease and the elimination of death.

The male likes death – it excites him sexually and, already dead inside, he wants to die.

Bias against biological research. Solanas argues that male scientists shy away from biological research because they fear the discovery that males are females. They show a marked preference for war and death programs, which perpetuate disease and death. This bias prevents the development of cures for diseases and the elimination of aging.

Money system's influence. The money system's insatiable need for new products also prevents the cure for disease and the elimination of death. Most scientists are tied up doing research for corporations, rather than focusing on these important issues. The manifesto suggests that a female-dominated society would prioritize health and longevity.

Male's desire for death. The male likes death – it excites him sexually and, already dead inside, he wants to die. The bias of the money system for the least creative scientists. Most scientists come from at least relatively affluent families where Daddy reigns supreme.

10. SCUM advocates for the overthrow of male-dominated society.

The conflict, therefore, is not between females and males, but between SCUM – dominant, secure, self-confident, nasty, violent, selfish, independent, proud, thrill-seeking, free-wheeling, arrogant females, who consider themselves fit to rule the universe, who have free-wheeled to the limits of this “society” and are ready to wheel on to something far beyond what it has to offer – and nice, passive, accepting “cultivated,” polite, dignified, subdued, dependent, scared, mindless, insecure, approval-seeking Daddy’s Girls, who can’t cope with the unknown, who want to hang back with the apes, who feel secure only with Big Daddy standing by, with a big strong man to lean on and with a fat, hairy face in the White House, who are too cowardly to face up to the hideous reality of what a man is, what Daddy is, who have cast their lot with the swine, who have adapted themselves to animalism, feel superficially comfortable with it and know no other way of “life,” who have reduced their minds, thoughts and sights to the male level, who, lacking sense, imagination and wit can have value only in a male “society,” who can have a place in the sun, or, rather, in the slime, only as soothers, ego boosters, relaxers and breeders, who are dismissed as inconsequents by other females, who project their deficiencies, their maleness, onto all females and see the female as worm.

SCUM's characteristics. Solanas defines SCUM as dominant, secure, self-confident, nasty, violent, selfish, independent, proud, thrill-seeking, free-wheeling, arrogant females who consider themselves fit to rule the universe. These women are ready to overthrow male-dominated society and create a new, female-centric world. The manifesto suggests that SCUM is the only hope for the future.

Tactics for overthrow. SCUM will become members of the unwork force, the fuck-up force; they will get jobs of various kinds and unwork. For example, SCUM salesgirls will not charge for merchandise; SCUM telephone operators will not charge for calls; SCUM office and factory workers, in addition to fucking up their work, will secretly destroy equipment. SCUM will unwork at a job until fired, then get a new job to unwork at.

Ultimate goal. Eventually the natural course of events, of social evolution, will lead to total female control of the world and, subsequently, to the cessation of the production of males and, ultimately, to the cessation of the production of females.

Last updated: February 25, 2025