Challenging sexism

Submitted by Anon on 10 September, 2006 - 12:27

AWL women are supporting Feminist Fightback, an activist conference for women’s liberation that will take place on Saturday 21 October in London.

There is a widespread revival interest in women’s liberation, particularly among young women, but the combined efforts of liberal and radical feminists over the last twenty years have made too many people feel that feminism doesn’t speak to them. As the Fightback launch statement puts it:

“Too many people think that feminism is about being made to feel guilty for what we do with our bodies or how we express our sexuality; about a group of “experts” telling other women how to live; or about a handful of rich and powerful women getting to “the top”.

“We think feminism is about ordinary women coming together to challenge sexism in their own lives, and to support women around the world demanding their rights.

“We want a feminism that fights. A women’s movement that is about activism, not just talk; about grassroots campaigning, not just lobbying; about politics, not just about lifestyle choices; and about liberation for all, not just equality for a privileged few.”

Workers’ Liberty is supporting the conference because we believe that it is precisely a renewed socialist feminism that can speak to the thousands of women who want to rebuild a movement for this kind of liberation.

Feminist Fightback is open to all, including men, with a particular focus on women from the trade union and student movements. Sessions will include “pornography, objectification and free speech”; “equal pay, low pay and class struggle”, “prostitutes: workers or victims?” and “Iranian women fight back”, as well as a women-only session to plan abortion rights and other campaigning for the coming year.

• More information: www. fightback.org.uk

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