Activist Wednesday: Feminism, Non-Violence, and Occupy Wall Street
Posted on: June 13, 2012
- In: Feminism | Middle East | Morning Widdershins | Open Thread | Patriarchy | Sexism | War | Women | Womens' Rights
- 27 Comments
MB Has Big Plans!
I think people would agree that I am a passionate feminist, but not a particularly intellectual one. That does not mean, however, that I don’t appreciate a vigorous discussion of the women’s rights movement, feminism, non-violent activism and Occupy Wall Street; so let me share it with you. I’m sure you’ll appreciate it too.
I found the article, entitled “Waging Feminism – the Other Side of Non-Violent Struggle” on the site NationofChange.org. (So far I have found very little to dislike on the site, by the way – despite its name, it is not affiliated with the ObamaNation.) In any case, the writer is investigating Occupy Wall Street and its implications, if any, for feminism. The catalyst? On May 17th of this year, the first Feminist General Assembly for Women of Occupy Wall Street was held. I knew nothing about it, but then again, I’m hardly ears to the ground these days. (Sigh.) As you can see if you go to the website, the “WOW” movement is affiliated with Code Pink. I have many problems with Code Pink – they are pretty far out and not friendly to Israel at all – but they are definitely non-violent, which is one of the ways in which their agenda intersects with that of Occupy Wall Street.
Stephanie Van Hook, author of the article in “Nation of Change,” quoted one of the attendees of this year’s GA thus:
My impression is that there is still some way to go before reaching the possibility that OWS would align with feminism. The fact that sexual violence occurred with the encampment attests to the depth of the problem. There is still insufficient understanding of the depth of both the psycho-social and structural holds that patriarchy has on our culture and politics. Nonetheless, this feminist initiative is a very positive development, and I hope it goes forward.
Van Hook muses on the nature of feminism and wonders if it truly can be separated from non-violence – and what the consequences for women are, when activism, even such activism lauded by so many of our friends of all political stripes, is based on violence.
…There is generally thought to be a split between approaches to nonviolence that have been (poorly) labeled as “principled” and “strategic.” The strategic side does not want to touch emotions or ideals because they want to show that nonviolence is forceful and threatening to those in power — essentially, masculine and strong. Advocates of the strategic approach make advocates of principled nonviolence out to be emotional, impractical, unrealistic, somewhat irrational and preoccupied with human well-being — effeminate and passive.
It is a gendered debate, and it has consequences that fall along gendered lines. The movement in Egypt took a “strategic” route in the Arab Spring, for example, but although it encouraged women’s participation for a strategic purpose, it did little to undermine patriarchy and militarism, and the “revolution” was immediately followed by abuses against women and by military rule.
I told you I am a gut-level feminist, and this article was quite eye-opening for me. It elucidates why I felt uncomfortable with the unqualified excitement and support of the Arab Spring that I saw all around the blogosphere. Even now there are so many leftie blogs and papers that talk about how that movement should be emulated to promote various worthy causes. I keep thinking, “But this movement left women behind in a very nasty way…and the result is that an extremely violent terrorist group, one which triumphantly asserts it will make Jerusalem the capital of the Arab world, will most likely take charge of Egypt. What exactly is there to emulate?” Ironically, Occupy Wall Street itself was “inspired” by the Arab Spring’s concept of a leaderless movement. Perhaps Occupy’s good intentions can be turned to support peace and justice for women of all countries.
The article concludes with this thought-provoking paragraph:
I used to call myself a “radical feminist.” In many ways, nonviolence has made me more so. While radical feminism wants to get to the “root” of oppression, nonviolence is the seed we want to sow when we get there.
If you consider the definition of violence as the assertion of domination, human beings over other human beings, then non-violence would equate to the dissolution of the domination of women by men, i.e., the dissolution of the patriarchy.
So, are non-violence and feminism inextricably linked?
My feeling is yes.
This is an open thread.
27 Responses to "Activist Wednesday: Feminism, Non-Violence, and Occupy Wall Street"
June 13, 2012 at 9:33 am
Yes, Pat, and although we are painfully aware of how religion oppresses women and reinforces the patriarchy, the way women in the military are treated is not often brought to light. Thank you for mentioning that.
The article also refers to how some believe that ability of women to serve in the military is a leap for feminism. I have to say I am glad that we have the right to do so if we want to, but I don’t see being in the military as a natural fit for a feminist. I’m sure some would disagree with that statement.
June 13, 2012 at 10:07 am
A coupla things: I was just talking to friend about how it is often women who seem to be the enforcers of laws and whistle blowers (eg the federal judge on HedgesEtAl v NDAA, Karen Silkwood) possibly partially because they don’t fit into the old boys’ clubs so are more independent minded. Also it seems criminality and corruption are rampant in the halls of power worldwide….and who is there? The boys. And the boys cover up for each other.
I am totally generalizing…after all, some of my best friends are male.
June 13, 2012 at 10:31 am
The irony of these demonstrations is that most of the women in these hard pressed countries do not enjoy the benefits of the educations that the women of the US have at their disposal.
Women in the US, too “busy” to pay attention to the assaults on their human rights, will eventually “wake up” when it is their turn to be denied whatever medical access they seek when needed but not until then.
I have spoken to women within my own circle who are paying little attention to, or have any interest in, what is going on state by state with laws being enacted that usurps their rights. Only when it hits home, and it will eventually, will the anger take hold.
The generational divide is no more evident than now when the youth of this nation show their unconcern for the need for accessible healthcare or the attacks on social security because it does not affect them at this stage of their lives.
Few can envision growing old or getting sick. They live in the “now”. Not many of them read regardless of the amount of technology at their disposal to always “be in touch”.
Women of a certain age believe that contraception and medical access will always be there because the way has been paved for them. They pay no attention to the pervasiveness that has taken hold across the nation to deny them of those successes.
We are dealing with a generation that never had to face the draft, have taken advantage of the policies that were crafted on their behalf, and have been treated as “special” in ways other generations have not.
That MA college professor who pointed this out to them, telling them that they are “not so special after all”, led to an outcry of disbelief. But unless one takes an active part in maintaining the system that has led to their advancements, that thought holds true.
We have raised a generation of coddled, self interested and self involved youths who have never been asked or expected to do anything beyond earning money.
Civic duty? Not so much.
June 13, 2012 at 2:57 pm
The oligarchy/patriarchy has been very good at cutting education that involves any kind of creative thinking or any skills other than utilizing an education to make money. The arts, civics, the Socratic method – all disappearing (or gone) from our public school system.
Our young people are educated, but as Dubya asked famously, “Is they learning?”
I have one friend who is an amazing teacher. She is appalled by what she sees now as opposed to what was going on in the public schools ten years ago. Sure, there is more homework, but it’s all busywork and memorization.
June 13, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Prolix: You have email.
I’m reading the post now but wanted to get that in.
June 13, 2012 at 4:39 pm
MB, I apologize for using your blog to advertise an event, but if there are any Virginia residents out there who want to attend a silent protest on Friday morning, Planned Parenthood of VA is organizing an event at the Board of Health to have people line the sidewalk in protest of the TRAP regulations being imposed on VA abortion clinics. We’re hoping to get 200 people or more there, so far we have 168.
http://www.facebook.com/events/318529494895262/
I hope the link works. It would be great to have a big showing.
June 13, 2012 at 4:44 pm
The “Arab Spring” turned out to be *for men only*. There have been numerous reports of women who were assaulted during that. Uppity had a good number of posts on it because that’s an issue that “got her goat” so to speak.
June 13, 2012 at 5:53 pm
Yes, it’s true, “Arab Spring” used women and then cast them aside to make more room for men. And what the long-term repercussions are in a country like Egypt remains to be seen. Did they trade one dictatorship for a dictatorship of their own choosing? It sure seems that way.
June 13, 2012 at 6:23 pm
DYB@:9 Oh yes. The Muslin Brotherhood or whatever will be no better than what they had before.
June 13, 2012 at 6:40 pm
“We have raised a generation of coddled, self interested and self involved youths who have never been asked or expected to do anything beyond earning money. Civic duty? Not so much.”
This reminds me of those people who still consider themselves middle class, who still have jobs or are retired. They “have blinders on” according to one commenter at firedoglake, things are ok for them so no worries. The propaganda that if one is unemployed, underemployed, starving, homeless, it’s his/her own damned fault for being lazy etc. Those people will go vote and that’ll be the extent of their civic duty….well, until their job, social security, pension are slashed…which is coming soon and no amount of “Dancing with the Stars” will distract at that point.
June 13, 2012 at 7:01 pm
sharon@11: I don’t know how much I go along with that. Most of them saw their biggest asset, their homes, take a nosedive in value. If they have or had 401ks or portfolios, those took a hit too. Perhaps they have savings, but if so, they might have had to tap into them. Sounds to me like it’s just a “blame the boomers” comment.
June 13, 2012 at 8:09 pm
Fredster@12: I’m nearly 50, and back in school after a career in auto design went bellyup and I’ve experienced the lack of compassion by those who ought to be able to see it’s not my fault I’m not gainfully employed. After I posted that last, I was going to mention the retired folks at the coffeeshop who aren’t particularly comfortable with their finances…yet still some offer the same tired employment advice to an extent that it made me stop joining them. So it’s not me blaming the boomers, and goddess knows, I could never get them to come with me to any protests at our capital building 5 miles away. And I also couldn’t express my disgust with Obama or the dems with them either.
June 13, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Sharon, I hesitated to comment because it might be construed by you as a negative, however for me it needs to be said or typed if you will. The problem is not with the people that you think are your peers and should be rallying to your cause. The problem is with the people that decided to “downsize” for profits. I am 63 years old – was downsized when I was 55 years old. It was not because I had nothing to offer, or I was out of date with new technology or because I was a problem. It was because the bean counters decided that they needed to downsize. It had nothing to do with the people I worked with – they were appalled, however having seen what happened to me and others like me, they were scared shitless about their own jobs and what it would do to their families should they be treated the same. That was in 2005. It’s not to the people who are powerless that you should be focusing your anchor. I agree that most people are sheep and few will step up and support another if their own livelihood is in danger, however that’s what unions were and supposedly still are about and how many people have supported unions over the years? Did you? I was management for 35 years, yet throughout that time I still supported unions because as a management person I knew what would happen if unions were sidelined. The folks you are looking to for support have just watched as their pensions and medical care are under attack. They are at an age when they just want everything to continue to work and problems to go away. Can you blame them?
June 13, 2012 at 9:12 pm
My home went from $235,000 down to 89,000. It has just crept up to a bit past $90,000. Any stocks that I had are gone, but I fortuantely have a fixed pension. I can live, but this certainly isn;t what I worked and saved for.
June 13, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Excellent comments, everyone. Unfortunately a lot of the generational generalizations can hit rather close to the mark. Still, when I was doing more feet-on-the-street activism, I saw people of all ages participating. There were a lot of young people at the last Planned Parenthood event I went to.
Speaking of which, Janicen, I love that you posted that link here. I hope the women of Virginia are paying attention to these acts of aggression against their human rights!!
June 13, 2012 at 9:28 pm
I was taking issue with the notion that it is only young people who would rather not “rock the boat” as it were since their own lives are going well enough.
My grandpa was a union man, and I’ve always felt very strongly that united we stand, divided we fall.
June 13, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Chat – I had stock – Nortel. Hmmm, lost my shirt and then some. Roth, the guy who tanked (at that time) the most successful company in the world in telecom and data network backbone provisioning walked away in his last year with hundreds of millions of dollars. He destroyed a company that employed many tens of thousands of people throughout the world, a company that had a long history of innovation and he walked away a happy camper. I believe there is still a class action suit in the courts. I was sent a request to sign on – 10 years ago – it’s still not been settled and oh, guess what, Nortels defunct, there are no assets.
Insofar as property values are concerned, that is another area where I’m very leery about the so called experts. It’s another area where people with a vested interest are not only manipulating real estate brokers, but the banks as well.
I have a condo townhouse. It’s nothing special to anyone but me. The floors are a disgrace (I have four legged companions and no I am not a cat lady – Milly the Wonderdog does most of the damage), and other than the furnace, hot water heater, multiple toilet mechanism changes and roof replacements and whatever, there have been no upgrades for the 37 years I have lived here.Yet, my son advised me that according to this fellow he know, who is reputable, my home (all 1200 square feet 40 years old with old windows and old floors and original everything else) is worth over 300K. Now that is ridiculous.
June 13, 2012 at 10:01 pm
Sharon, I agree one hundred percent, but consider what people have had to endure. Definitely, United we stand, divided we fall, that is what unions were all about (I hope they will still be that). I support you and your issues, I just want you to be realistic. You will not get support from older people who are so worried about health care and their pension. You need to focus on younger people who are just realizing that what their parents fought for and won has been bartered away by the politicians of the day. The younger people never thought about the issues that we are discussing, because they thought it was intrinsic – it was just there. Now they are realizing that their future is being bartered away by Politicians and lobbyists for the major corporations who control the political discourse not only in the U.S. but in my other countries as well. Funny thing about those lobbyists – they are all very richly remunerated.
Anyway, Sharon, I did not mean to make you feel bad. I would feel very ugly if I had done that.
Fredster — kill me now,
June 13, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Good luck Janicen! You go show those vag1naphobes that they can’t mess with you!
Are we really having a conversation about who is more selfish in America? Seems to me our country is full of clueless people who have no idea that there but for the grace of goddess go they.
June 13, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Sorry Madama, It’s my fault – I got caught up. Please forgive me – I’m a little old cat lady, with Milly the Wonder dog driving me crazy. Put it down to that crazy old cat lady who used to be an activist who tries to keep out of stuff, but sometimes lets her inner ninja get the best of her.
June 13, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Sharon, I could have misconstrued what you were saying then but the comments were about the commenter at FDL.
you said: yet still some offer the same tired employment advice
Perhaps it’s all they know to do. Some people will get the idea of “hunker down till it blows over” attitude. However that won’t work and some of us know it. But what type of activism *will* work? Personally, I’m all in favor of boycotts when you can get enough people to participate that will make a difference. I put up a link to a pdf that had a list of products by GA Pacific which the Koch Bros. own and which folks can refuse to buy. I had been buying a couple of products on the list but it was easy enough to find an alternate.
June 13, 2012 at 11:22 pm
Me above: I’ll put it the link here.
http://thewiddershins2.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/koch-bros-boycott.pdf
June 13, 2012 at 11:52 pm
No worries HT. We blobs because we are passionate.
Fredster, boycotts are good. Thanks for the list.
June 14, 2012 at 8:47 am
A coupla things:
I’ve read that historically it’s workers strikes that get it done…and that was what was occurring in WI until the dems and the unions starting going around with their clipboards to funnel the energy into a recall, in essence telling people that the electoral process will get the job done, but alas, it’s same ole, same ole. Remember the teachers’ union telling their workers to go back to work? Wind out of the sails.
When I said “tired old employment advice” I was referring to the a couple of people (one’s retired, one’s still working) who could not seem to contain themselves, to the point of harassment. I really didn’t look at them for support (my comment of no one going with me to protest was just snark since I believe in “live and let live” but I wish they could respect me and not harass me as if my situation is my own damned fault – I didn’t harass them to come with me I think I was meaning).
HT- if someone tells you your home is worth lots, sell it to them for cash if they’ll buy it (if you want), but do not take out a big loan against it…..that’s how many folks got into trouble.
Comments are closed.
June 13, 2012 at 9:25 am
Let’s consider the weight of the “patriarchy” from just this week alone:
Jerry Sandusky is on trial for sexually abusing vulnerable youngsters from broken homes over a period of years and no one did anything about it. There is now evidence of a “secret file” kept by the university that detailed the complaints regarding his conduct and nothing was done to address this monster’s conduct because of the sacredness attached to “football”.
It appears that a host of men, from the revered coach on up to the university president, were well aware of Sandusky’s problems and kept quiet in order to “protect” the reputation of a school more devoted to its sports program than to the nightmare of children who crossed paths with this pig.
Then the hierarchy of the Catholic Church send an admonishing letter to their nuns regarding their behavior and their involvement for active service on behalf of the poor which includes women’s healthcare issues and access to medical services.
In a letter that sought to undermine the efforts of Sister Farley who wrote a book over 6 years that speaks of “sexuality” in positive terms, the Holy See (and I write this description with tongue in cheek) pushed back on her assertions that masturbation, homosexuality, and divorce are acceptable ways of life and should not be “punishable” as has been by manmade church doctrine.
I give the nuns credit: they refused to back down, shedding more light on the subject than the Church had anticipated.
In Philadelphia there are two priests on trial: one for commiting the acts, the other for helping in the cover up. This is the patriarchy on full display. Better to look the other way than allow an institution to bear the brunt of its failures to intercede.
In the military, women soldiers who have reported rape against their attackers are hung out to dry. Few men are held accountable and the higher ups seem to put a stop toward any investigations that may bring attention to military practices that hold women to a different standard.
The patriarchy can be found in almost every country and America, the supposed land of enlightenment and forward thinking, is no different.
This “plague” is enjoying a new rebirth with the laws that have been enacted to hold women back from their rightful place as equals and is seeing a surge of that belief in the year 2012.