Global Feminisms Global Feminisms ProjectProject

United StatesUnited StatesFeminist Activism at the Feminist Activism at the

IntersectionsIntersections

Elizabeth R. Cole, University of Elizabeth R. Cole, University of MichiganMichigan

Global Feminisms ConferenceGlobal Feminisms Conference

September14-15, 2006September14-15, 2006

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

• Global Feminisms US Site Team and Global Feminisms US Site Team and Nadine Naber, Andy Smith, Nadine Naber, Andy Smith, Elizabeth Wingrove, Maria Cotera, Elizabeth Wingrove, Maria Cotera, Anna Kirkland, Emily Lawsin, Anna Kirkland, Emily Lawsin, Miriam Asnes, Jennifer Lyle, Miriam Asnes, Jennifer Lyle, Jayati Lal, and many others Jayati Lal, and many others

• Leslie Marsh and Helen Ho, Leslie Marsh and Helen Ho, technical internstechnical interns

• Shana Schoem, research assistantShana Schoem, research assistant

Hegemonic US feminismHegemonic US feminism

The dominance of western, “north” The dominance of western, “north” or “first world” assumptions about or “first world” assumptions about what it means to be a feminist and what it means to be a feminist and what women need to be liberated.what women need to be liberated.– wave model wave model – considers sexism the ultimate considers sexism the ultimate oppression, de-emphasizes race and oppression, de-emphasizes race and classclass

– rights based, rather than justice rights based, rather than justice based vision of social changebased vision of social change

– focus on the USfocus on the US

Major themesMajor themes

• We wanted to tell a different We wanted to tell a different history of US feminism.history of US feminism.

• We choose activists whose work We choose activists whose work on behalf of women intersects on behalf of women intersects with other social movements. with other social movements.

• These interviews illustrate These interviews illustrate intersectionality in practice.intersectionality in practice.

Our strategyOur strategy Chose activists who have had less public Chose activists who have had less public voice.voice.

Helps us learn about an important “fault Helps us learn about an important “fault line” within the women’s movement in the US.line” within the women’s movement in the US.

Sheds light on the relationship between Sheds light on the relationship between feminism and other social movements in the feminism and other social movements in the US.US.Ensured that we have a diverse sample of Ensured that we have a diverse sample of activists with respect to these other activists with respect to these other identities.identities.

Helps us theorize the meaning(s) of Helps us theorize the meaning(s) of intersectionality based on the praxis of intersectionality based on the praxis of these activists’ work.these activists’ work.

MethodMethod• Interviewees were 10 scholar-activists whose Interviewees were 10 scholar-activists whose work addresses sites of intersection between work addresses sites of intersection between feminism and other forms of oppression (e.g. feminism and other forms of oppression (e.g. race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, social race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class, disability, etc.).class, disability, etc.).

• Often their scholarship took unconventional Often their scholarship took unconventional forms.forms.

• Interviewees came to Ann ArborInterviewees came to Ann Arbor• Television studio with Audience participationTelevision studio with Audience participation

• Interviewer worked with site team and Interviewer worked with site team and interviewee to develop questions.interviewee to develop questions.

• Tried to get coverage across generations, Tried to get coverage across generations, issues and modalities.issues and modalities.

• Made introductory montages for each videoMade introductory montages for each video

Grace Lee BoggsGrace Lee Boggs Daughter of Chinese immigrants, Daughter of Chinese immigrants, Boggs was born in 1915 in Boggs was born in 1915 in Providence, R.I.Providence, R.I.

In 1953 she came to Detroit where In 1953 she came to Detroit where she married labor activist James she married labor activist James Boggs. Working together in Boggs. Working together in grassroots groups they were grassroots groups they were partners for 40+ years until partners for 40+ years until James’ death. James’ death.

Her 60 years of political Her 60 years of political involvement encompass the major involvement encompass the major U.S. social movements of the last U.S. social movements of the last century century

Cofounder of Detroit SummerCofounder of Detroit Summer

Marian Kramer & Maureen Taylor

Longtime friends and Longtime friends and welfare rights activists welfare rights activists

““Baby boomer” generationBaby boomer” generation Based in Detroit areaBased in Detroit area Maureen holds a graduate Maureen holds a graduate degree in social work. degree in social work.

Marian is currently Marian is currently leading a struggle leading a struggle against the utility shut against the utility shut offs of water to offs of water to thousands of Detroit thousands of Detroit residents who cannot pay residents who cannot pay for their wat for their wat

Marian: And therefore, you know, ah, that’s why we participate in all these struggles....you know, the right to choice and stuff like that, we make people understand, in order for the women that we represent to even have choice, they got to have some economic freedom too, you know. You can’t have a choice unless you have the basis economically...

Maureen: To make a choice. Um-hum.

Marian: ...under this country to be able to have that choice. They don’t even have health care, less more than anything else. So, yes. We are feminists. But at the same time, we will turn around and kick some of those feminists’ butts too, because they just as reactionary to what we are about, because they don’t even touch poor people.

Maureen: Uh-uh.

Marian: Our thing is that we want a world where we can thrive and not barely survive.

Cathy CohenCathy Cohen

Grew up in Toledo, OH, Grew up in Toledo, OH, attended UM for Ph.D. in attended UM for Ph.D. in political science.political science.

Now in her 40s.Now in her 40s. Director of the Center for Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics the Study of Race, Politics & Culture at the University & Culture at the University of Chicago. of Chicago.

Author of: Author of: The Boundaries The Boundaries of Blackness: AIDS and the of Blackness: AIDS and the Breakdown of Black PoliticsBreakdown of Black Politics

……the moment of intersection is the moment of intersection is really the moment of building really the moment of building a broader movement…. If you a broader movement…. If you can find those places where can find those places where people may not agree…. but people may not agree…. but where they in fact suffer from where they in fact suffer from state regulation or some state regulation or some “system of oppression,” where “system of oppression,” where they share that experience…. they share that experience…. those are also the spaces for those are also the spaces for shared mobilization.shared mobilization.

Sista II SistaSista II Sista Community based organization Community based organization from Brooklyn NY from Brooklyn NY

Collective of working-class Collective of working-class young and adult Black women young and adult Black women and Latinas. and Latinas.

Dedicated to working with Dedicated to working with young women to develop young women to develop personal, collective and personal, collective and spiritual power.spiritual power.

Committed to fighting for Committed to fighting for justice and making justice and making alternatives to the systems alternatives to the systems we live in by creating we live in by creating social, cultural and social, cultural and political change.political change.

These examples challenge hegemonic US feminism:• Wave model suggests Wave model suggests

women of color don’t women of color don’t care about feminismcare about feminism

• Considers sexism the Considers sexism the ultimate oppression, ultimate oppression, de-emphasizes race and de-emphasizes race and classclass

• Rights based, rather Rights based, rather than justice based than justice based vision of social vision of social changechange

• Focuses on the USFocuses on the US

• WOC do feminist work, WOC do feminist work, even outside feminist even outside feminist orgs.orgs.

• All emphasize All emphasize intersections, with intersections, with race, class, disability, race, class, disability, etc.etc.

• Kramer & Taylor recast Kramer & Taylor recast other choices as first other choices as first requiring economic requiring economic choice.choice.

• All of these interviews All of these interviews talked about how they talked about how they see their own work in see their own work in transnational transnational perspective.perspective.

• Generational perspectiveGenerational perspective

Activists InterviewedActivists Interviewed– Rabab Abdulhadi, Union of Palestinian Women’s Rabab Abdulhadi, Union of Palestinian Women’s Associations in North America Associations in North America

– Adrienne Asch, bioethics, rights of the disabledAdrienne Asch, bioethics, rights of the disabled– Grace Lee Boggs, civil rights, urban youth, Detroit Grace Lee Boggs, civil rights, urban youth, Detroit Summer Summer

– Cathy Cohen, sexuality, HIV and black communitiesCathy Cohen, sexuality, HIV and black communities– Holly Hughes, performance artist, sexuality, Holly Hughes, performance artist, sexuality, censorshipcensorship

– Marian Kramer and Maureen Taylor, National Welfare Marian Kramer and Maureen Taylor, National Welfare Rights OrganizationRights Organization

– Loira Limbal and Veronica Gimenez, Sista II Sista, Loira Limbal and Veronica Gimenez, Sista II Sista, young women of color young women of color

– Martha Ojeda, labor, Tri-National Coalition for Martha Ojeda, labor, Tri-National Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras Justice in the Maquiladoras

– Loretta Ross, reproductive justice, human rightsLoretta Ross, reproductive justice, human rights– Andrea Smith, Native women, INCITE, anti-violenceAndrea Smith, Native women, INCITE, anti-violence