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Support for Women's Liberation on the Left, New and Old

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

This chapter traces the help extended by the Left to weomen's liberation movements. The term “Old Left” is used for describing Marxist-inspired parties and individuals and the term “New Left” refers ... More

This chapter traces the help extended by the Left to weomen's liberation movements. The term “Old Left” is used for describing Marxist-inspired parties and individuals and the term “New Left” refers to the modernization of the group. The New Left gave much help and support to the Women's Liberation Movement. The women who commenced the Women's Liberation Movement were influenced by Old Left parties. The chapter brings together examples from lives of radical women and discusses how the Left parties affected their thought flow. The chapter also talks about the organizational help extended by the Old Left parties to the women's liberation movements. Next the chapter studies the presence of Women's Liberation pioneers in the New Left parties and the institutional help extended by the New Left to women liberation groups. Men on the Left front who extended their full support to women during the movement also get a mention in the chapter.Less

The Movement Is Established 1970

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

This concluding chapter joyfully traces the establishment of the Women's Liberation Movement in the year 1970. Black women collaborated with white women to give rise to the movement and even ... More

This concluding chapter joyfully traces the establishment of the Women's Liberation Movement in the year 1970. Black women collaborated with white women to give rise to the movement and even succeeded in doing so. The chapter describes the Women's Liberation movement as it turned to become a mass radical movement. Thanks to the efforts of women activists the Women's Liberation Movement became the liveliest conversational topic throughout the nation. Even the media was forced to turn in the favor of Women's Liberation and feminist literature flooded the markets. The Women's Liberation Movement gave rise to the view that women were a class in themselves and should not be just viewed as mere victims of capitalism, racism, and male chauvinism.Less

Introduction

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

This introductory chapter investigates how the pioneers of the Women's Liberation Movement gained the courage and consciousness to make a movement against male supremacy in the United States in the ... More

This introductory chapter investigates how the pioneers of the Women's Liberation Movement gained the courage and consciousness to make a movement against male supremacy in the United States in the 1960s. The Women's Liberation Movement (WLM) against male supremacy in the United States has been thought from time to time to be a result of frustrations at male chauvinism faced by women in past movements such as the Black Freedom Movement. In fact, the WLM was rather the consequence of experiences, ideas resources, and skills acquired by women activists during the movements prior to the existence of the WLM. The introductory chapter explains this fact quite thoroughly. The chapter also brings forth the sources instrumental to activists in such women's liberation movements. Feminist ideas and aspects responsible for the success of these movements are also an important part of this chapter.Less

The Influence of Black Power on the Rise of Women's Liberation

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

This chapter focuses on the strong influence of Black Power on the growth of women's liberation. “Black Power” refers to the winning of sufficient political power by poor black people. The chapter ... More

This chapter focuses on the strong influence of Black Power on the growth of women's liberation. “Black Power” refers to the winning of sufficient political power by poor black people. The chapter outlines the effect of Black Power on the liberation of black feminism. The chapter also tells about a different type of male chauvinism in the form of the black nationalist Left. The chapter states Black Power to be the basis for challenging male chauvinism. As stated in this chapter black feminism appears to have been produced by Black Power. Black Power also provided black women with training for organizing the Women's Liberation Movement. The chapter also discusses the effect of Black Power on white feminists.Less

The Movement Goes Nationwide 1968–1970

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

The chapter outlines the growth of the Women's Liberation Movement from being confined to one small room to nationwide and then international coverage. The lawmakers rushed to catch up with the ... More

The chapter outlines the growth of the Women's Liberation Movement from being confined to one small room to nationwide and then international coverage. The lawmakers rushed to catch up with the Women's Liberation and this led to many laws being formed in favor of women. Several unions were also formed for union women who demanded liberation for themselves. Zapping the Miss America Beauty Pageant was another achievement of the women's movement. The chapter also gives details about the first national conference which indicated the growth of the new women's movement. With the rise of the movement between 1968–1970 women all over the nation rose up and fought against male chauvinism with much passion and unity.Less

Toward a Female Liberation Movement

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

Male domination in the early 1960s limited women's participation in important spheres of life. Few women were even aware of the fact that they were being oppressed in any way. Then by the close of ... More

Male domination in the early 1960s limited women's participation in important spheres of life. Few women were even aware of the fact that they were being oppressed in any way. Then by the close of the decade, a movement was initiated, challenging male chauvinism in every field. This chapter pays attention to the emergence of the feminist movement for fighting against injustice committed against women by their counterparts. The chapter throws light on the oppressive conditions of women from which they were entirely unconscious. Then slowly conditions changed the Women's Liberation Movements which started in the 1960s. The chapter views the changes that were brought about by the liberation movement. Further, the chapter charts the journey of women activists involved in women's liberation movements.Less

“After that paper, there would be no turning back”

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

The chapter brings forth the debate which was initiated in black Women's Liberation groups as well as white groups over men being regarded as being the oppressors of women. Groups were formed among ... More

The chapter brings forth the debate which was initiated in black Women's Liberation groups as well as white groups over men being regarded as being the oppressors of women. Groups were formed among radical women over the reasons responsible for the oppression of women. Some declared capitalism to be the sole oppressor of women while others held the culpability of men to be responsible. These debates among radical women helped to give rise to ideas upon which the Women's Liberation Movement was built. The chapter also traces the formation of the Women's Liberation Movement which demanded women's representation in every walk of life be it in education or employment.Less

Making the Women's Liberation Movement

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

The chapter traces the journey of the formation of the Women's Liberation Movement. When the movement was initiated many questions arose such as whether men should be included in the revolt or ... More

The chapter traces the journey of the formation of the Women's Liberation Movement. When the movement was initiated many questions arose such as whether men should be included in the revolt or whether they should be categorized as women's oppressors. “Sisterhood is Powerful” and “Consciousness-Raising” were some of the major ideas influencing the movement. The debate over the need for a political program for the movement gave rise to the program for feminist consciousness-raising. Consciousness-raising and black women's liberation are closely knitted together. The ideas of “Sisterhood is Powerful” and “Consciousness-Raising” found many favorable social conditions for stirring and organizing a Women's Liberation Movement.Less

Catalysts for Change, 1960–75

Frances C. Galt

in Women's Activism Behind the Screens: Trade Unions and Gender Inequality in the British Film and Television Industries

This chapter analyses the relationship between women and the Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians (ACTT) between 1960 and 1975 to identify the catalysts for the ... More

This chapter analyses the relationship between women and the Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians (ACTT) between 1960 and 1975 to identify the catalysts for the establishment of the Committee on Equality (COE) in 1973 and the demand for an investigation into gender discrimination in the film and television industries, which culminated in the publication of the Patterns of Discrimination Against Women in the Film and Television Industries report in 1975. Firstly, this chapter considers whether the ‘roots’ of women’s militancy evident in the labour movement during the 1960s (Boston, 2015) can be identified within the ACTT between 1960 and 1968. Secondly, this chapter argues that the emergence of the New Left and women’s liberation movement and industrial militancy in Britain between 1968 and 1973 encouraged women to challenge the gendered union structure of the ACTT. This section particularly highlights the significance of the London Women’s Film Group to women’s activity within the ACTT. Finally, this chapter investigates the activity of the COE between 1973 and 1975, considering: the demands advanced by women activists at the ACTT’s 1973 Annual Conference, the logistics of the investigation, the obstacles to women’s activity, and the function of women’s separate self-organisation.Less

Riding the Second Wave: The American Face of Women's Liberation in Britain

in Special Relations: The Americanization of Britain?

This chapter reviews the transatlantic nature of both the ideology and the practice of feminism in a period that needs to be re-assessed as a special moment rather than a prelude to failure. The ... More

This chapter reviews the transatlantic nature of both the ideology and the practice of feminism in a period that needs to be re-assessed as a special moment rather than a prelude to failure. The “electric shock” of self-awareness that galvanized renascent feminism into a Women's Liberation Movement rested on much of its rhetoric and something of its practice to American Black Power. As in the United States, Women's Lib in Britain is often mocked as an anomaly whereby angry white mostly middle-class young women used a rhetoric of exploitation somewhat at odds with their privileged social condition. American feminism may have contributed on the personal and fanatical separatism that was unappealing to many British activist women. The women's press had closely adopted formulas and material from the United States. Furthermore, lesbian feminism was simply a minority fringe of the Anglo-American woman's movement.Less

I Was the Force of Them: Leading the Women’s Liberation Movement, 1968–1969

Sherie M. Randolph

in Florynce "Flo" Kennedy: The Life of a Black Feminist Radical

This chapter looks at Flo Kennedy’s activities as a leader of the burgeoning women’s liberation movement. Her actions as a lawyer, fundraiser, and organizer in the Black Power movement enhanced her ... More

This chapter looks at Flo Kennedy’s activities as a leader of the burgeoning women’s liberation movement. Her actions as a lawyer, fundraiser, and organizer in the Black Power movement enhanced her contribution to the feminist movement. Kennedy’s work not only drew on the parallels she saw between Black Power and feminism but was aimed at creating an expansive radical coalition to challenge the intersections of oppression. Kennedy’s inspiration and organizing skills were central to the important early demonstrations, such as the Miss America protest in Atlantic City, which drew new participants to the women’s movement. Kennedy was a media savant who critiqued both sexism and racism in the press and on TV, particularly concerning how media outlets inculcated sexism and political passivity. She understood how press coverage might broaden a movement’s reach and attract more members. As Kennedy later told an interviewer, she was “the force of them.” The force that was Flo galvanized protest actions and inspired participation. She expanded the movement’s base, found supportive movement allies, and carried out actions that gained traction in the media.Less

The “Borning” Movement: “The idea of doing something about it”

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

The Civil Rights Movement, especially the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was renowned for being a breeding ground for feminists. The chapter looks closely at the SNCC and its ... More

The Civil Rights Movement, especially the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), was renowned for being a breeding ground for feminists. The chapter looks closely at the SNCC and its influence on the Women's Liberation Movement (WLM). The positive ideas emerging out of the Civil Rights Movement were the major influencing factors of rise of the WLM. The Civil Rights Movement gave the WLM the experience of a new leadership. This chapter begins with discussing the controversial topics of black gender conventions and white gender conventions. The chapter also brings into the picture different female leaders who fought hard for women's liberation. Ella Baker, Diane Nash, and Ruby Doris Robinson get a special mention in the chapter for their leadership roles in the SNCC. Finally, the chapter talks about the transformation of women's liberation pioneers.Less

“Something had to be there already”

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

The feminism of women activists working with women's liberation movements has been framed by powerful forces. All these feminist activists shared common life experiences. This chapter aims to give ... More

The feminism of women activists working with women's liberation movements has been framed by powerful forces. All these feminist activists shared common life experiences. This chapter aims to give insight on these common features prevalent in the lives of women activists. The common feature was the presence of an Old Left family background for these feminists. The chapter provides an account of the presence of radical feminism in the lives of major activists. The activists talked about in the chapter include Judith Brown, Pam Allen, Pauli Murray, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ella Baker, and Patricia Robinson. These women activists had an idea about the woman question much before they became Women's Liberation pioneers. This can be attributed to their radical feminist families.Less

Introduction

Christina Simmons

in Making Marriage Modern: Women's Sexuality from the Progressive Era to World War II

The Introduction discusses the purpose of the book, which is to explain the fierce debates among whites and African Americans about American women's sexuality in the early 20th century that set an ... More

The Introduction discusses the purpose of the book, which is to explain the fierce debates among whites and African Americans about American women's sexuality in the early 20th century that set an older motherhood-centered ideal against a modern female style and produced a new conception of marriage that prevailed until the challenges of the Women's Liberation Movement. The Introduction also summarizes the chapters that follow.Less

The Influence of Simone de Beauvoir

Carol Giardina

in Freedom for Women: Forging the Women's Liberation Movement, 1953-1970

Simone de Beauvoir has played a major role in raising Women's Liberation founders' understanding that male ascendancy has imposed limitations on women's achievement of human potential. Many leading ... More

Simone de Beauvoir has played a major role in raising Women's Liberation founders' understanding that male ascendancy has imposed limitations on women's achievement of human potential. Many leading Women's Liberation organizers have adopted feminist consciousness, ideology, and an example from Beauvoir. The chapter brings into light the influences of Simone de Beauvoir on different women activists and their thinking patterns. “The Second Sex”, written by Beauvoir, managed to manipulate many women's thinking and raised their consciousness towards a need for a women's liberation movement. The chapter provides an accounts of different activists and how they were affected by reading Beauvoir's views in her book.Less

Memory and Modernity

Julie Stephens

in Confronting Postmaternal Thinking: Feminism, Memory, and Care

In contrast to the previous chapter’s concern with the collective forgetting of the “nurturing mother” in reminiscences of feminists about their own mothers, this chapter focuses on questions of ... More

In contrast to the previous chapter’s concern with the collective forgetting of the “nurturing mother” in reminiscences of feminists about their own mothers, this chapter focuses on questions of individual memory and whether a forgotten maternalist ethos can be detected in the early women’s liberation movement. It examines a series of recorded oral testimonies that look retrospectively at mid-twentieth-century feminism. It suggests that interpretative approaches from oral history and memory studies can work against fixed versions of feminism’s history and allow more ambivalent dialogues to emerge. These dialogues challenge some of the dominant public memories of second-wave feminism and reveal a maternalist ethos that has been overlooked in the way much of feminism has been remembered.Less

Introduction: Outrageous, Dangerous, and Unassimilable: Writing the Women’s Movement

Jaime Harker and Cecilia Konchar Farr

in This Book Is an Action: Feminist Print Culture and Activist Aesthetics

This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to frame and investigate the distinctive feminist culture of letters that emerged with the reawakened women's movement in the late ... More

This introductory chapter sets out the book's purpose, which is to frame and investigate the distinctive feminist culture of letters that emerged with the reawakened women's movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Chapters reflect on the conditions of that culture, its “particularized mechanisms,” and on its specific literary artifacts—a sampling of the diverse range of feminist literary production. Together, the chapters make a case for the importance of the writings of the women's movement, not just as political and cultural artifacts but also as the texts of an influential and inventive American literary renaissance. The remainder of the chapter discusses the literary roots of Women's Liberation, the explosion of feminist print culture, and activist aesthetics. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.Less

Rape Is a Political Crime against Women: An Emerging Feminist Analysis of Rape

Catherine O. Jacquet

in The Injustices of Rape: How Activists Responded to Sexual Violence, 1950-1980

This chapter introduces early 1970s feminist antirape theorizing and organizing. The feminist antirape movement emerged within the context of the larger women’s liberation movement, sometimes also ... More

This chapter introduces early 1970s feminist antirape theorizing and organizing. The feminist antirape movement emerged within the context of the larger women’s liberation movement, sometimes also referred to as second wave feminism. Feminist antirape activists critiqued the failings of the law, medicine, and society at large in responding to rape. Initially a mostly white group, feminist antirape activists pursued a variety of organizing strategies—from demonstrations and speak-outs to creating rape crisis centers and hotlines to support victims. Over the course of the decade the movement diversified and black feminists pushed the broader movement to incorporate an intersectional analysis into their antirape agenda. Feminists of all racial and ethnic backgrounds held particular contempt for the legal system which, from local police to the state courts, dramatically failed to meet the needs of rape victims. In law journals nationwide, feminist legal scholars exposed the inadequacies of rape law, argued that the legal system was totally ineffectual in stopping rape, and advocated for significant law reform.Less