From the civil rights movement (Black and the ending of slavery to the struggles that continue in the present day), to the feminist movement, to passive resistance (Ghandi), to the battle for Gay rights....to any other you can think of
What lesson can those who have triumphed against oppression share with each other?
Most especially what are the most valuable things the feminist movement has contributed to assist in the struggles of others, and learned from them?
What lesson can those who have triumphed against oppression share with each other?virus
To be aware that horizontal oppression, internalized oppression, hating the oppressor, and imitating the oppressor only keep us all stuck in systems of oppression. That freedom from oppression begins within our own hearts and minds. As Gandhi put it, to paraphrase or translate, ''We must be the change we seek.'' Freeing ourselves from internalized oppression is what enables us to be truly empowered from within and to work together (and play together) in true solidarity to find new ways to live together in shared power, peace, harmony, freedom, and joy. Yes, joy. To paraphrase Emma Goldman, ''I don't want any part of any revolution where I can't dance.''
One of the most valuable things we can learn from the feminist/womanist movement is that unless we broaden our scope we will lose support and lose our connections with ourselves as women across cultural, racial, and economic boundaries. Sadly, we will lose the good fight if we, once again, imitate the oppressor by being divisive. It's about integrity and solidarity--inc. with the men who stand with us and are willingly letting go of their sexism and socialized male ''privilege.'' As Betty, one of my favorite ''chick rock'' bands, puts it, ''We are in this together.''
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