"Bitches" Liberation? Whatever Happened To "Women's" Liberation?

[Itsthetruth]

CounterPunch
Weekend Edition
April 16 / 17, 2005

"Bitches'" Liberation?
Whatever Happened to the Struggle for Women's Liberation?
By SHERRY WOLF

"BITCH" HAS gone from a sexist epithet to the name of a popular feminist magazine. Liberal newspapers like the New York Times have declared that the latest women's "revolution" is to opt out of the paid workforce and embrace full-time motherhood. The Nation's feminist columnist Katha Pollit defends the war on Afghanistan for delivering "liberation" to Afghan women. And now Democrats like Hillary Clinton call for finding "common ground" with opponents of abortion rights. What the hell happened to the struggle for women's liberation?!

Socialist Worker columnist and frequent CounterPunch contributor Sharon Smith doesn't just go after the low-hanging fruit of the right wing to account for the miserable state of working-class women in the U.S., she handily dissects the failings and limitations of the politics of liberalism in Women and Socialism: Essays on Women's Liberation (Haymarket Books, http://www.haymarketbooks.org). In a sharp departure from most current writings on women and sexism, Smith refuses to shy away from political theorizing and takes on debates in anthropology and foreign affairs with a journalistic style that is engaging, fact-filled, and often witty.

Has feminism changed--or are feminists of the 1990s betraying modern feminism's founding principles? Occasional lip service aside, mainstream feminism has never sought to represent any other class of women than the upper-middle class. Feminism has merely evolved to reflect the changing circumstances of this class of women.

In addition to the persistent economic gap between men and women and the horrible impact of Bill Clinton's welfare repeal on poor women, in particular, there is a political toll that has been exacted by the collapse of the women's movement organizationally and ideologically. Sexist language and images once again pervade popular culture and even among some young feminists it is considered ironic to embrace your "inner cunt." But there is nothing ironic about the soaring poverty of working women and the inequality women continue to face on the job, as class-action sexism suits against companies like Wal-Mart attest. These tragedies are compounded by the lack of any coherent left-wing analysis of the lessons of the past women's movements and how to build anew. Smith's book should be devoured by every student of struggle--and then acted on at once.

http://www.counterpunch.org/wolf04162005.html

[TahitiNut]

1. Exactly.

"... mainstream feminism has never sought to represent any other class of women than the upper-middle class. Feminism has merely evolved to reflect the changing circumstances of this class of women."

But there's always Virginia Slims! :puke: :puke: :puke:

[TalkingDog]

2. The women's movement and the "hippie" movement

both products of middle class and upper middle class "discontent".

Poor women get slapped from both sides....

1) You can't be a good mother if you work. Most poor women HAVE to work.

2) If you are poor and choose to go on public assistance in order to be a stay at home mother, you are labeled a welfare queen.


If they just keep us unhappy enough with who we are, we won't have the presence of mind to question their authority.

[TahitiNut]

3. "catholic guilt" is a potent political weapon

It's a large part of the overcompensating "base" on the right.

[GoldenOldie]

4. Just another way to divide and conquer

Having been a working mother who had to work to supplement my spouse's income and having been a women's activist for equal pay for equal work, they have always tried to use one against the other. I now have one-daughter who was a single working mom/now a married working mom and another married daughter who was fortunate enought to choose between staying home, continuing her education or working. She chose to stay home with her 3-children.

I could not be prouder of the both of them. They are outstanding parents and whatever they chose/choose, their children have benefited greatly.

Young Mothers, must decide what is best for them and their families and each person and family is unique unto themselves. It makes it a whole lot easier if others try to support their decisions rather than laying on more guilt.

[kineneb]

5. feminism is about equal oppertunity

I just want the oppertunity to be paid the same amount as a man doing the same job. And with the whackos, we can do nothing right...blame the woman. So I say, do what you think is right and tell the people (usually men) to go do something rude to themselves with a plumber's helper.

Never take "no" or "you shouldn't do that" for an answer.
Cranky German with attitude.