Liberal & Progressive Women: tune in for a moment

[CornField]

Throughout our nation's history, every single major social change has been brought about by a determined group of women. Women were instrumental in the ending of slavery -- instrumental in everyone (in lieu of just property owners) being allowed to vote -- instrumental in the growth of public libraries -- and much more.

As we begin to analyze the structure of today's Democratic Party, we don't have to look long to find out what's missing: women's groups. In the past, women were brought together by local churches and local interests. Reading groups were the prominent feature which led to the construction of so many public libraries in our nation, but they were also places of discussion for women who often had no other venues for views.

The past 20-30 years have brought many changes for women in the US. We now hold many public offices. Most work outside of the home (some by choice and some by necessity). Our opportunities for employment have increased, even if the pay structure between men and women in the same fields has not. As we move forward, however, we must not allow ourselves to forget our past and the endeavors which brought about the social change we wanted.

Today's Republican Party is successful for the most part because it has managed to mesh it's own beliefs with the beliefs held by the scraps of women's groups that remain active. I doubt there is any town in America which does not have a Christian Women's group which meets for lunch or dinner once a week. (My town of 26,000 has two.) While some groups are proprietary to a certain denomination or congregration, most of these groups span the entire protestant relgious community. You'll find Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran and other women of faith are involved. The women come together to discuss the issues which are important to them and to discuss what they, as people within the community, can do to overcome the challenges before the agendas they have set.

While it might be true that many Democratic women belong to such groups, it is also true that such women are a definite minority. It is also true that most women who do not adhere to being labeled as "Christian" and subscribe to other faiths are a part of the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party has affiliated itself with women's groups. Typically those are groups which have a specific mission in mind. Typically these are also groups which do not appeal -- for one reason or another -- to the average American housewife, Democratic or Republican Party. I believe that if we, as women who are a part of the Democratic Party, want to once again become a force within society, we will need to return to the grassroots networking system which has served us so well for so many years and through so many struggles.

[JerseygirlCT]

1. So long as "feminist" is seen as a pejorative

we're going to have a tough time with this. (Not that I disagree with you in the least).

[donsu]

2. as long as we are women we will have to struggle against the

patriarchy.

we have the power if we would just use it.