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From: larryc@poe.jpl.nasa.gov (Larry Carroll)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: Feminism:separate but equal?
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Date: 19 Oct 90 19:08:45 GMT
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One thing that I and many others have noticed and commented on about feminist
activists: most of us are white.  Even in LA, which has a large black, Latin,
& Oriental population, during my most recent period as a feminist activist
(mid-88 - end-89) there were very few non-white activist in our LA chapter of
NOW.  Part of this I think was due to racism (on the part of the whites who
are in AND those non-whites who were out of the organization).

However, I believe it has more to do with class differences.  All the
activists are people who have enough money & time to devote to volunteer
activities.  This includes unmarried people, married ones being supported by
their spouses, childless people or ones whose kids are on their one, gays, 
the affluent, & students.

Of course feminism is a larger movement that includes more people than those
who are staunch activists.  Not even a fanatic like myself is going to spend
all hi/r time as an activist.  Many feminists only respond when they are
called on to demonstrate.  Many more contribute money but no time, even for
the occasional demonstration.  Even more subscribe to feminist journals or
belong to feminist organizations but are never active in an organization.
And the largest group are those who have no organizational links but who
consider themselves feminists.  (Or maybe the largest group are the ones who
say "I'm no feminist, but ...."!)  To what extent those people are racist I
have no way of knowing.  I DO know that "feminist" does not equate to
"angelic" or even to "liberal."
				Larry Carroll
				"Takes-us" (correct pronunciation of Texas)
				Dancin' Fool