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The
F Word
The word "feminist" still raises hackles. Is
claiming this word all about age, race, and class? |
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MS.CELLANEOUS:
-What?
-Just
The Facts
-Word: Impossible
-Women to Watch
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Zero
Balance
Those entering middle age are discovering--sometimes too
late--that women get the short end of the stick when it
comes to retirement benefits. |
YOUR
HEALTH:
-Healthnotes
-Women's Bodies are Finally Being Studied |
The
Abortion Pill
Making mifepristone available in this country took decades
of struggle and remains fraught with controversy. |
-Editor's
Page
-Letters
-The Guerilla Girls
-No Comment
-Poetry
-News
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Portfolio:
Romaine Brooks
Lesbian society in Paris at the turn of the 20th century
is captured by this groundbreaking portraitist. |
| Uppity
Women: Rosario Robles' Bold Agenda |
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Books:
-The
Serpent Slayer by Katrin Tchana, Illustrated
by Trina Schart Hyman
-Desirada,
Maryse Conde
-Glory
Goes And Gets Some, Emily Carter
-The
Moon Pearl, Ruthanne Lum McCunn
-Kiss
My Tiara, Susan Jane Gilman
-Motiba's
Tattoos, Mira Kamdar
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-First
Person: By Any Other Name
-Columns: Daisy Hernandez, Patricia Smith and Gloria
Steinem |
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| We
are a collective of young women of color. We have freedom
schools for young women of color, focusing on creating
a spiritual and activist community. We don't label ourselves
in terms of gender, because our politics are on issues
of sexism, racism, classism, and ageism. We feel that
many previous liberation movements failed because they
didn't integrate race and gender. In this country, what
has become mainstream feminism--the struggle for social,
political, and economic equality for women--hasn't been
women struggling for all women. It lacks a class and race
analysis. It's important for all of us to call ourselves
out. I went to college, on scholarship, but I went. And
that privilege I have can silence other people. |
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| I'm
not saying that people are evil because of their privileges,
but acknowledging that white women have privileges in
this society is important. It isn't just about the discourse,
it's about what issues you work on. I don't see major
welfare rights or major anti-sweatshop or women worker
movements on the feminist agenda. Until feminists are
adamantly and passionately fighting against these issues
that affect women of color and poor women, who are most
disenfranchised in this system, we can't call ourselves
feminists. If you start from self-determination, it makes
sense that feminism has gone where it's gone. Though I'm
learning that there were always women of color involved,
they didn't hold positions of power. Mainstream feminists
wouldn't have men taking on leadership roles, or being
the spokespeople. But you would want to work with them
and have them be supportive. It's the same for us: we
want white women supporting our struggle as allies. |
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INTERVIEW>> |
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photograph
by henry leutwyler
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