Feminism Practices What Anarchism Preaches

Feminism Practices What Anarchism Preaches

From Empty Hands History

“Feminism Practices What Anarchism Preaches”: Anarcha-Feminism in the 20th Century (Panel Recording)

I recently organized an online panel at the Boston Anarchist Bookfair on November 14th (2021), which was recorded and uploaded to Youtube. My own talk, which begins around 41:20, is titled “‘We’re Pro-Choice and We Riot’: Anarcha-Feminism in Love and Rage (1989-98).” It is based on research and interviews that I have been conducting for my dissertation on North American anarchism in the late 20th century.

My talk explores the theorization and practice of revolutionary intersectional anarcha-feminism, with a major focus on abortion and reproductive freedom but also addressing queer and trans liberation, debates around pornography, CUNY student struggles, and the fight against patriarchy within Love and Rage itself. You can watch it here:

YouTube link here: https://youtu.be/0DYjbODh350

As I say in my presentation, if you were involved with any of what I discuss I would love to talk to you about it! Check out more about the anarchist oral history project I’m involved in here.

There are 2 Comments

catchy title, provocative, but only partially true at best. is the implication that feminism congratulates itself for acquiescing to an exterior dictum? or that it does anarchy better than anarchists, and therefore it’s superior to it, by beating it at its own game? if it’s the latter, wouldn’t that make them anarchists, even more so than those they refer to as anarchists?

in the body of the post it does say that it’s a panel and dissertation about revolutionary anarcha-feminism. so the implication is that not all anarchisms are feminist, but that those that are, are more anarchic by actually practicing what the other ones merely preach.

if there were an inverted title “anarchism practices what feminism preaches” the same could be questioned. perhaps this formula is inadequate to present a discourse that claims to be both anarchist and feminist. but the implicit conflict and jab and polarization between two groups pitted against each other makes it catchier.

anarchists are supposed to be against bossing and obeying, some would include preaching into that, but clearly many don’t. an anarchism that isn’t feminist in the best of ways the term could be read, isn’t worth much, but it isn’t true that feminisms have been or are inherently anarchic or even more so by default. it seems the panel discusses ways in which anarchists were found lacking in the feminist aspect of things.

anyways, great clickbait title

sent this dude an email offering to chat about stuff from the 80s and he's ignored it. we can try to blame the technology of email or something, but at this point i'm just annoyed that he's a big talker and hasn't followed up with any action... whatevs, bro

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