Neil Gaiman and the political economy of rape

Abstract

In this article, I argue that the allegations of sexual abuse raised by a number of women against the author Neil Gaiman illustrate elements of Marxist feminist political economy. Using Lise Vogel's Marxism and the Oppression of Women, I argue that women have been made to perform domestic reproductive labour that makes us vulnerable to sexual violence. This is not arbitrary, but a deliberate element of capitalist political economy, which works to depress wages and reduce social spending. I point to New Zealand's state housing and welfare policies, which contributed to the decision of at least one of Gaiman's accusers to continue living in Gaiman's home.