Thanks so much, several women have said that to me and I am glad to hear
it! We've got work to do, so much to organize against/for. Do we really
have the time to defend our selves? This whole argument really sharpens my
feelings about how distracted we can get when people begin the backlash.
It works, doesn't it? When we start to point the finger at a class of
people--men (not every damn one of them, no one ever said that!)--who are
responsible for quite a bit of oppression, and those same privileged people
distract us from our work by making us feel guilty or questioning
ourselves.
It would be like First world organizers who say they want to work for the
freedom of Third World people attacking people from the South for just
bringing up the idea that a space for non-first world people was
imperialist. How can the colonized be imperialist? How can feminists,
whose interest is in challenging male supremacy and
capitalism/environmental degradation (if that is what most of us want), be
sexist? I don't even have time to give that argument validity. But I
guess I have given it validity by responding on the list and all this
thought/time I put into it...
anyway, we've got a lot to do and I hope it is time for the backlash to
stop on this listserve so we can exchange experience from our work, lives,
whatever and work in solidarity as allies.
'til liberation is won,
Candi Churchill
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 1998 3:45 PM
To: Churchill, Candi
Subject: RE: women only
Thank you, Candi. I find that I just don't have the energy right now
to take this on on-list (am in fact thinking I will probably leave this
list soon enough because it's not feeling like what I personally was
looking for), so I truly appreciate those few who are speaking up
with the perspective you've put forth here.
Best wishes, Phoenix
