|
on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 at 06:57:57, Lindiwe Jenness wrote: The Failure of Feminism
Do you believe that the American feminist movement bypassed you because of your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or class? Do you find yourself struggling to simulateously keep food on the table anD pay for daycare expenses? Have you ever been battered and felt that you had to stay for economic reasons or found that the court did not take you seriously? Have you ever felt that systems set up to help women-WIC, family shelters and TAFDC-treated you as a)stupid, b)criminal, c)all of the above? Have you ever reported a rape and were treated like you caused your own rape? Do you believe that the fact that you are female effected your education?
We are holding a workshop and performance opportunity for women who have had these or similar experiences. Women who simply wish to participate in the dialogue regardless of experience are welcome as well.
Date: Saturday February 24th, 2007
Time: 1 to 3 pm
Place: The Amherst Room at the Jones Library in Amherst, Massachusetts
Agenda
* A brief history of the American feminist movement.
* Dialogue, problem solving and strategies for change.
* Performance, poetry, stories, guerilla theater and FUN!
For those who choose to remain anonymous but would like to be present, other women will act out or tell your stories wearing masks to emphasize the sense of oppression and fear that American women still live under.
If you wish to participate in the making of your own mask let us know ahead of time. Paper plates are great for this!
The Red Stocking definition of radicalizing is "Engaging with basic truth".
Men are welcome.
Lindiwe Priscilla Jenness at lindiwejenness@hotmail.com.
In room daycare provided. If people need to leave early to pick up children they can do their performance early.
Though this posting is after the fact, I came across the invitation for strippers to attend a feminist event and couldn't help but feel outraged. I have been dancing for four years and am very well acquainted with the range of women who choose to work in the industry. Please believe me, your assumptions about the intelligence and circumstance of strippers is off the mark. We are not a group of ignorant battered and beaten drug addicted single moms unaware of how to help ourselves yearning for a group of females to enlighten us. We are in no need of education by the hands of feminists who choose to view dancing in such a limited fashion. This is not the first time I've come across a religious or political group that targets strippers and assumes they need to educated and helped. Most of the dancers I work with are educated and have professional jobs outside of the industry. And the girls who do conform to the stereotype of what a dancer is have no need of education. They are working the system far better than a feminist group ever could. There is a need for education here but it is not the dancers who need it. |