Seneca Falls

     When I think of women's movements, I think of "The Personal is the Political", the 3 waves of feminism, women uniting to raise their collective voices above the din of patriarchy and inequality. I hear my mother's voice, shouting at the television, "We fought hard for that!" in reference to abortion rights. I imagine my mother, aunts and innumerable women before me fighting for the freedoms I enjoy, and all of the energy, sacrifice and work that it took to be where we are as a society today. I also have an unsettled feeling in the center of my chest, knowing that a lot is yet to be done in terms of equal rights for all people, not just women. Above is a photo of 2 friends and I protesting in downtown Denver for equal marriage rights during the time Proposition 8 was undergoing appeal - that day is forever on my mind. I felt exhilarated, angry, powerful, powerless, joyful and proud to be a part of something greater than myself. My mother is a feminist, and grew up during second wave feminism as a part of the women's liberation movement. She had short hair, wore combat boots, swore she would never marry and was involved in grassroots political campaigns. Protesting for a few hours in front of the Wellington Webb building on Colfax gave me a sense of my heritage.
      In many ways, I identify with radical feminism. The movement began in the 1960's in a time of social revolution and awareness. In our text book, Wood says the radical feminists of the time were committed to "call attention to the oppression of women and to demand changes in women's place in society." My mother calls herself and others from that era "Women's Libbers" and every time she mentions it, she seems to stand a little taller, breathe a little faster and her eyes sparkle a bit more. Radical feminists in the 1960's unified, formed consciousness raising groups, were active in politics and publicly protested against oppression of women. The work of radical feminism is not finished. Current radical groups such as the Missile Dick Chicks, Guerrilla Girls and the Radical Cheerleaders employ many of the same strategies. They do public expositions and performances and raise awareness in a highly visible way.
     I am very drawn to ecofeminism and the idea that oppression of women and misuse of the Earth are related. On the website for EcoFem (it's a link!), I read about the connection between domination of the Earth and animals, racism, social inequalities and oppression. I am militant about recycling, have an ecofriendly car, try to limit my consumption and feel like I have a responsibility to do my part in taking care of our planet. I'm interested to learn more about ecofeminism, and it's sister movement, queer ecofeminism.
     The men's movement I most identify with is father's rights groups. This part of the men's movement is concerned with discrimination against men in custody battles and issues related to fatherhood. I have a couple of friends who are single fathers and know many more who wish they could share more of the custody of their children. Groups like Fathers 4 Justice use sit-ins, humor and dramatic stunts to raise awareness about inequality in parent rights. I am not a parent, however I hope to be one someday. I have fear that my partner or I would face similar problems as same-sex parents if we were to separate, and can identify with the struggle for seeking equal rights.
     As I am writing, I am finding myself returning to the issue of equal rights and injustice. I have joked that all queer-identified people should unite and stop paying taxes until we are afforded same-sex marriage/partnership rights. At times I feel like a second-class citizen and it's unsettling. I do not, however, feel victimized and take pride in doing things to be a part of the solution. Whether it be protesting, using my precious right to vote, or having conversations with my peers and loved ones about equal rights, I will continue to take action and try to empower others to do the same. One of my favorite musicians, Inda Eaton, often concludes stories with the phrase "And there's a song in that...". In her honor, please click the following link to a song called "Seneca Falls" by The Distillers. It is in reference to the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 organized by Lucretia Coffin Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, two pioneers of the women's rights movement. Lyrics to this song are copyrighted and can be found by clicking here. I hope you like punk rock.
"Seneca Falls" by the Distillers