Tracy McMillain is so brilliant I'm cutting and pasting her words here so maybe we can get some chicks a'talking....
A few of the Object-starting ladies have been having conversations in emails... if we were to rebrand feminism, what would it look like? I think the reason OBJECT happened upon the idea of a somewhat sexuality-focussed conversation is because that's always where feminism seems to slow down-- this side-choosing business about the young n the old, the Paris n the not, the 20 vs. 40, the OBJECT vs. NOW...
She wrote so eloquently about some stuff we might wish to mix into the language of this site... we'd love your feedback, plus your feedbackof the language used anywhere else on tis siteor on myspace.... hence the title, FEEDBACK!
Tracy's brilliant lovely words:
"I'd like to see OBJECT and THE CONVERSATION as a place where we can come together as women - with any set of political beliefs, backgrounds, skin colors, etc. - and connect in a way that affirms the particular power of being female. To me that power is more internal
than external, it is non-competitive, non-hierarchical, cooperative, personal, intimate, truthful, heart-centered, and spiritual - based more on the unseen than the seen.
What the world needs now is women grounded in their own feminine wisdom and values. To me, if women couldn't be cajoled, seduced, talked out, lured out, or put out of their inner truth, you wouldn't HAVE 'Girls Gone Wild', the rape of planet, unwinnable wars or painfully-mothered boys turning into fearful and misogynistic men.
I'm less in interested in becoming a political group per se... than a personal group which supports women in becoming more of who they really are - without all the cultural, racial, economic, and political static. This will necessarily lead to political change.
There are many groups already that focus on specific political issues. And unless we all have exactly the same politics, (or nearly exactly), I think a political focus ultimately excludes more than it includes.
What I really want to be a part of is a community of women who gather for the purpose of transforming what it means to be feminist: From
(blank) to (blank). And each woman gets to fill in the blanks for
herself.
I'd hate to see Republican women, for instance, or women who don't
believe in abortion feel like OBJECT is "not for them", because we've
decided to take an official stand on this or that issue. Every town in
America would benefit from an OBJECT group!!
What would really blow people's minds and move this whole country
forward, is if we could start a movement dedicated to finding and
holding unity among all women. A loose, non-political organization of
this kind would foment all kinds of art, business, scholarship, media,
friendship, parenting, creativity, music... sky's the limit.
2 comments:
I really agree with this notion. To me feminism is about empowering women to make choices for themselves, whatever those choices may be. I am pro choice, but I believe you can be pro life and still care about womens issues and support eachother.
I think thats where a lot of the stereotypes of feminists gain power. When its said that, "well, you cant be a feminist and shave your legs", "you cant be a feminists and love your husband and children", "you cant be a feminists and stay at home instead of work". OR, when political issues are tapped into like, "well if your a feminists how can you not support hillary clinton?".
Its that sort of exclusion that weakens us rather than makes us stronger. Sure, share your personal views, educate people about your own experience and causes. but be ready to smile and say, "hey, thats cool" when another woman doesnt have the same ideas as you. And empower her to have that right.
I agree! I think inclusion is important.
amykins, I think empowering women to make choices has to come along with lots and lots of information that helps us make "informed choices."
A HUGE problem with the state of women in the US is that we think being able to make a choice and respecting our choices makes everything ok. I think if we all have options but no information, our choice almost means nothing because we will automatically choose what we have been programmed to choose:) so I'd like to add a little spice of information to our big soup of choice. (and of course we must always have respect)
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