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Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: Is there a definition of Feminism?
Message-ID: <9010020342.AA06901@uunet.uu.net>
Date: 2 Oct 90 05:20:20 GMT
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"Stand still so I can hit you!"

Well, there must be some reason for this cry for consistency.

What are often called liberation movements originate in the
perception by a category of people that they are under some
kind of social pressure as a group.  Usually that pressure is
to stay back or lie down.  Such movements have arisen among
industrial workers, colonized peoples, Americans of African
descent, women, and homosexuals (among others).  That they at
first show community and subsequently diversity is only to be
expected.  The fact of awakening to The Problem creates
community; the process of trying to figure out what to do
about it creates diversity.

Often, three kinds of response are observed: reformism,
radicalism, and separatism.  These have been observed in
most of the categories I mentioned above, and the women's
movement is no exception.  To me, it's odd that people are so
offended by this diversity, but as the saying goes, any
stigma will do to beat a dogma.  "Moderate" black leaders are
constantly taxed with Sharpton and Farrakhan; reformist
feminists are taxed with lesbian separatism, socialism, and
the burning of underwear.  And God forbid they should change
their minds from one decade to the next.

"Stand still..."