CHANGING VOICES and STRUGGLES of FEMINIST ACTIVISM by Nancy Worcester

Book Reviews

CHANGING VOICES AND STRUGGLES OF FEMINIST ACTIVISM by Nancy Worcester

Maryann Barakso, GOVERNING NOW: GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM IN THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2004. 192p. $18.95, ISBN 0-8014-8910-5.

Jennifer Baumgardner & Amy Richards, GRASSROOTS: A FIELD GUIDE FOR FEMINIST ACTIVISM. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. 306p. $14.00, ISBN 0-374-52865-9.

Diane Kravetz, TALES FROM THE TRENCHES: POLITICS AND PRACTICE IN FEMINIST SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. New York: University Press of America, 2004. 226p. $34.00, ISBN 0-7618-2773-0.

Vivien Labaton & Dawn Lundy Martin, eds., THE FIRE THIS TIME: YOUNG ACTIVISTS AND THE NEW FEMINISM. New York: Anchor Books, 2004. 346p. $14.95, ISBN 0-385-72102-1.

When you hear the words “fem- and audiences. Maryann Barakso’s tivists. Drawing on a wide range of inist activism,” what images come to Governing NOW: Grassroots Activism in data collection, questionnaires, and your mind? Who are the feminists? the National Organization for Women, intense interviews with key partici- What age are they/we? What are the a scholarly book, examines one na- pants in the founding of these organi- strategies of activism, and which issues tional organization from its founding zations, community contacts, and pro- are worthy of feminist activism? How in 1966 through 2003. Using more fessionals outside the organizations inclusive are the movements of femi- than three decades of NOW’s own ar- who worked closely with the organiza- nist activism, and how important is it chives, reading every relevant New tions, Kravetz’s volume works to en- to participants that their own identity York Times article published between sure that the role of 1970s radical fem- and/or their organizations be labeled 1966 and 2003, personally interview- inists and the tenets of radical as feminist or associated —or not — ing twenty people significant to NOW feminism that influenced the goals, with a specific kind of feminism? work at different levels and stages, and services, and structures of different Any discussion of women’s move- attending numerous national and re- kinds of service organizations are re- ments and organizing would put gional NOW conferences, Barakso membered and celebrated. something called “feminist activism” at writes the history of NOW. Barakso’s the core of that work, but how often goal is to demonstrate how NOW’s The Fire This Time: Young Activ- do we take the time to think about organizational structure fundamentally ists and the New Feminism is a book of how the term is used differently by shaped its ability to do its work and its eleven new cutting-edge essays edited various groups in different historical longterm viability, and how NOW by Dawn Martin and Vivien Labaton moments? An unexpected reward of was or was not able to provide leader- of the Third Wave Foundation, with a reviewing four new books on feminist ship on specific issues. foreword by Rebecca Walker and a activism was the reminder of how im- coda by Wilma Mankiller. The essays portant and even inspiring it is to ex- Diane Kravetz’s Tales from the (on hip-hop music, theater, alternative amine the changing meanings and Trenches: Politics and Practice in Femi- media, technology, workers’ rights, struggles of feminist activism and the nist Service Organizations explores the transgender rights, prisoners’ rights, changing voices and faces of feminist founding of five local feminist service immigration, reproduction, environ- activists. organizations in Madison, Wisconsin, mental issues, international activism, The four books reviewed here in the 1970s as symbolic of the long- and the future of feminism) showcase were written for different purposes lasting, radical impact of feminist ac- how today’s young feminists’ multira-

Page 6 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

cial, multi-issue, and multicultural Violence against Women interviewed the founders and early work and thinking represent “a new Although violence issues could workers at a battered women’s shelter, movement whose conversation is race, hardly be said to be crucial to Barak- a rape crisis center, and a rape-preven- gender, and globalization” (p.xxix). In so’s history of NOW, this topic did tion ride service, finding that these describing their intention both to illustrate how an issue very important women “viewed their work as part of demonstrate an increasingly sophisti- to feminists proved to be controversial the diverse efforts of feminists to radi- cated understanding of “the complex for the organization. Barakso men- cally change the power differences be- network of gendered injustices” tions NOW’s work for both the 1994 tween women and men, differences (p.xxix) and to acknowledge contra- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that were supported and maintained dictions in a feminist future that is not and its 2000 reauthorization and full by male violence against women. “either this or that” but “this and funding as examples of the group’s im- Eliminating the problems of rape and that,” Labaton and Martin say, “In- portant national legislative work. battering required no less than a radi- stead of presenting our readers with a However, she also notes that NOW’s cal transformation of society; helping singular vision of what we think the national visibility on violence issues, women who were victims of male vio- future of feminism is, we present mul- particularly related to sexual harass- lence was one essential aspect of a tiple (and sometimes opposing) voices ment, was often controversial both much broader agenda” (p.27). The that together constitute a feminist pos- within the membership and outside. violence-against-women organizations sibility” (p.xxxiv). In describing Patricia Ireland, NOW’s she describes were typical of the many acting president, as “the first leader of thousands of battered women’s shel- Grassroots: A Field Guide for a civil rights organization to oppose ters, rape crisis centers, and projects Feminist Activism is a feminist “advice President Bush’s (1991) nomination of like the “Take Back the Night” march- book” on how to be an activist, by Judge Clarence Thomas” (who was es that were organized throughout the Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Rich- being accused of sexual harassment by U.S. and around the world in the next ards, the authors of the popular “third Anita Hill), Barakso acknowledges decades, giving much visibility to vio- wave” book Manifesta: Young Women, that “[o]ther civil rights groups found lence issues and providing many femi- Feminism, and The Future. Growing it difficult to rally against Thomas... nists with their first important steps as out of the authors’ extensive touring because they wanted to support an activists. related to Manifesta and their subse- African American on the court” quent very visible roles as spokeswom- (p.112). Similarly, Barakso tries to In order to appeal to young en to and for young feminists, Grass- capture the tightrope NOW walked in women and present activism as some- roots is designed to be accessible, trying to be in the vanguard of the thing quite new and different for this inspiring, and full of practical ideas, women’s movement, being account- generation, both The Fire This Time demystifying activism for all the femi- able to a grassroots membership, and and Grassroots seem to have initially nists who know they want to be activ- maintaining political independence distanced themselves from anti-vio- ists but are not sure how. from governmental institutions when lence activism, suggesting it was “old Precisely because these four books she describes NOW’s very measured hat,” before they could move on to were written for such different purpos- responses to Clinton’s alleged sexual including it in examples of powerful es and audiences and reflect different harassments. new forms of young feminists’ activ- stages of women’s movements, I found In contrast to Barakso’s brief men- ism. In her foreword to The Fire This it intriguing to explore what they help tion of violence against women as an Time, Rebecca Walker uses “Take Back us understand about key recurring issue for NOW, Kravetz makes this the Night” as a specific example of feminist questions. I have compared issue core to her exploration of the Feminist organizing that never cap- the books’ perspectives on violence founding of feminist service organiza- tured her imagination. In Grassroots, against women (as an example of one tions in the 1970s. Three of her five in helping young women identify their specific issue different generations of in-depth case studies showcase vio- goals for their feminist organizing and women have worked on), definitions lence-against-women organizing as a see that the widest range of campaigns and meanings of feminism, and ways way many 1970s feminists believed can be feminist, Baumgardner and Ri- to more successfully create multiracial, they could change the world. Kravetz chards say, multigenerational movements.

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 7 Book Reviews

Determining what makes an Vagina Monologues have raised more Diverse Meanings of Feminism issue feminist is a central di- than $25 million toward violence- among Feminists lemma for budding women’s against-women projects through the The history of NOW is the story groups...When people insist V-Day College Campaign, which in- of an organization continually debat- on “purely” feminist issues, spires and supports college students to ing — often with very deep divisions they usually get down to just do their own productions and donate — and redefining its self-proclaimed two topics to focus on: rape proceeds to local antiviolence groups role of being in the vanguard of the or abortion. (Or in the par- and initiatives. A German woman’s women’s movement. As someone who lance of the women’s move- success in getting thirty bakeries to has too easily labeled NOW a “main- ment, violence against wom- distribute 330,000 bakery bags saying stream organization,” I found it fasci- en and choice.) Some “Rape is Totally Unacceptable” (and nating to read Barakso’s accounts of students feel almost obligated giving hotline and anti-violence infor- how much it has always been an issue to take on these issues. (p.63) mation) is given as an example of a for NOW to be in versus outside elec- project that, already replicated in sev- toral politics and other avenues of the Having thus distanced themselves eral communities and countries, has “decision-making mainstream of from these “expected” forms of orga- the potential to be adapted almost American political, economic, and so- nizing, the authors of both books then anywhere. cial life.” In noting that one of NOW’s give examples of vibrant multiracial, earliest founding documents empha- multi-issue, anti-violence activism. In Baumgardner and Richards de- sized the importance of women being The Fire This Time we learn of femi- vote a number of pages (pp.65–72) to represented in Congress, party leader- nists organizing against violence: as specific details on improving sexual ship, and other mainstream institu- women defying the prison-industrial assault policies on college campuses. tions, Barakso remarks, “For these complex and the staggering increase in In this instance, they very positively feminists, at this moment in history the number of girls and women frame present-day activism as some- [1966], joining the ‘mainstream’ was a caught up in the criminal justice sys- thing that can build on and comple- radical notion” (p.24). Then, in 1974, tem; in relation to organizing domes- ment the work of earlier feminists: a time of internal divisions in NOW, tic workers who suffer high rates of Karen DeCrow was elected president, emotional and physical abuse; in rela- Sexual assault is a central with the slogan “Out of the Main- tion to protesting corporate globaliza- theme for college students stream Into the Revolution” supposed- tion; and even by making violence both because many young ly demonstrating her “caucus’s belief against women a topic for hip-hop people have first hand experi- that mainstream political tactics could theater. In her essay “Can You Rock It ence with rape and because of be effectively employed in the pursuit Like This? Theater for a New Centu- a long legacy of feminist stu- of radical social, economic, and politi- ry,” Holly Bass describes how Sarah dents organizing around the cal goals.” DeCrow emphasized, “I Jones is shifting the boundaries of hip- issue. We are fortunate to stated, very clearly, all along, that what hop theater in her solo hip-hop per- have vocabulary for things I wanted to do was not enter the formance piece, “Women Can’t Wait,” like date rape and a body of mainstream in full partnership with in which Jones depicts eight women feminist legal theory about men, but to change the mainstream” from around the world coming to- consent... The language, hot- (p.61). gether to address the UN on violence lines, and support for victims Barakso summarizes NOW’s on- (and sexually discriminatory laws) in are all the legacy of a success- going struggle to define its role as a their countries. ful Second Wave of feminism vanguard feminist organization: In Grassroots, Baumgardner and that transformed campuses Richards give detailed descriptions of from places where girls were The National Organization innovative ways young feminists are actively preyed upon, limited, for Women continues to be a now organizing against violence. and discriminated against to lightning rod for critics of the Many productions of Eve Ensler’s The places where equality might feminist movement. It earns reign. (p.65) the wrath of those who feel the group is too radical, too

Page 8 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

uncompromising in its focus tunities for women...To achieve their anti-war and student move- on abortion rights “on de- goals, they pursued incremental ments of the 1960s and trans- mand” and on the rights of changes and exerted traditional forms ferred their community-based lesbian and gays, to the exclu- of influence” (p.5). In contrast, political activism to issues of sion of the concerns of the Kravetz highlights the women’s libera- particular concern to women. “average” wom[a]n, such as tion branch of the women’s move- (p.7) pay equity, family and child- ment, which included smaller, decen- care issues, and employment tralized, nonhierarchical grassroots Kravetz found in her interviews with discrimination. At the same groups with goals to radical feminists that the term “radi- time, the organization is de- cal” was most often used for feminists nounced in other quarters for radically alter beliefs about who were working for changes in soci- not investing enough in issues women, to eliminate the op- etal structures as compared to those other than those concerning pression of women, and to working toward equality for women in white, middle-class, middle- transform personal relation- existing systems. Being “radical” re- aged professional women. ships and social institutions ferred to members being explicit about (p.121) to reflect feminist values. their feminist beliefs and publically Many of the women involved confronting patriarchal policies and Since Tales from the Trenches is in this movement were left- practices. Being “not radical” referred dedicated to making certain that the wing activists who had been to choosing to be less vocal about work and accomplishments of 1970s involved in the civil rights, one’s feminist beliefs and having a radical feminism are not for- willingness to adopt more con- gotten, it of course emphasiz- ventional strategies, while sharing es the significance of that many of the beliefs and goals of feminist activism. In identify- those who were “radical.” (p.19) ing different branches of fem- Kravetz concludes that “being inism and “diverse meanings feminist” was not a static state. of feminism among femi- People’s definitions of what it nists” (p.18), Kravetz reminds meant to be feminist and how it us of a time when it was im- applied to their work changed portant not only to call our- and grew in the intense interac- selves feminist, but also to tion of ideology and lived experi- label which kind of feminist ences. we were. She describes two quite distinct branches of ear- The authors of Grassroots ly-to-mid-1960s feminism. contend that young women are Large organizations like the group most likely today to be NOW, with elected officers, questioned about their comfort formal memberships, and with calling themselves feminists, local chapters, are character- even though public opinion polls ized as the women’s rights show women in this age group organizations that “focused (ages 18–24) to be more likely on improving the status of than older women to feel positive women through reforms in about the label. The authors ex- legislation and governmental plain how “Third Wave” femi- policies,...to eliminate dis- nism differs from previous femi- criminations based on sex in nism: “The First Wave was about education, employment, and women’s rights to citizenship, the electoral politics and to pro- Second Wave concerned women’s mote equal rights and oppor- equality, and the Third Wave

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 9 Book Reviews

stresses the power and the responsibili- front of the term feminism, ty of the individual” (p.21). for them, is a reclamation — When we do not know a way to be feminist with a about the important work The Fire This Time makes room notable difference. (p.xxv) women of color and white for many different definitions and identities of feminism, though always Multiracial, Multigenerational antiracists have done, we emphasizing the interconnectedness of Movements cannot be inspired by or issues and the need for multiracial, One of the most powerful things build on it. multi-issue, and multi-cultural work. about reading these books together is In describing why they felt the need to seeing the recurring theme of feminists create the Third Wave Foundation, identifying the importance of multira- as feminists. To successfully Labaton and Martin explain, cial, multigenerational movements. work on behalf of women as a Both The Fire This Time and Grassroots group required that members We didn’t have any compli- aim to create and reflect more inclu- represent women in their di- cated theories about how sive feminist movements in which versities and address signifi- third wave differed from pre- young women’s voices are heard and cant differences among wom- vious feminist uprising. Yet the activism is relevant. Figuring out en. (p.88) we were aware of the impact how to do this and to really have a we might have on reinventing “movement whose conversation is race, In discussing the lack of success feminism for future genera- gender, and globalization” (Fire, in building multiracial movements, tions of young people, who p.xxix) feels even more urgent as both Kravetz concludes that the 1970s fem- like us, had at times been Barakso and Kravetz remind us that inist organizations she studied were burdened by popular miscon- building more diverse movements has more effective in handling homopho- ceptions about the feminist always been an issue for NOW and for bia than racism, and that lesbians were movement. (p.xxiii) the 1970s radical feminist grassroots better represented in the women’s organizations, even if they weren’t ever movements than were women of color. Third Wave Feminism has as inclusive as they wanted to be. Bar- Because this chapter examines a num- been articulated as a genera- akso admits that there was always a ber of reasons why 1970s women’s or- tional difference — a reaction tension in NOW “between claims to ganizations were not successful in against perceptions about speak for all women and the limited building more inclusive movements, feminists that have permeated success achieved in trying to recruit a this historical analysis raises important society, not the movement more diverse membership, to partici- questions for today. itself. Many young women’s pate in diverse coalitions, and to put One problem with emphasizing reservations about belonging issues of importance to women of col- the lack of inclusiveness in women’s to the feminist movement are or, lesbians, and working-class women movements and the crucial need for not due to ideological differ- on the policy agenda” (p.91), but she more antiracist work is that most cri- ences but to misconceptions also emphasizes that NOW’s member- tiques make invisible the roles both of about feminists...Young femi- ship and goals were more diverse than women of color and of white antira- nists have shed the media- they are usually given credit for. cists. (In different ways, both Barakso espoused propaganda about Kravetz’s Tales from the Trenches in- and Kravetz have tried to make wom- feminists but have taken to cludes a thought-provoking chapter, en of color visible in their accounts.) heart the criticism from “Building a Sisterhood Based on Dif- When we do not know about the im- women of color that the sec- ference,” that clearly identifies the portant work women of color and ond wave was not racially or 1970s commitment to diversity: white antiracists have done, we cannot sexually inclusive enough. be inspired by or build on it. Two The addition of third wave in Being inclusive was an expec- books crucial for teaching this history tation they held of themselves deserve mention: (1) Becky Thomp- son’s powerful A Promise and A Way of

Page 10 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

1 Life: White Antiracist Activism offers their own frustrations with other left- nizations for references to much schol- readers two unique much needed per- ist civil rights and student groups that arship on feminist movements. These spectives: the “multiracial feminism” refused to address issues of women’s early chapters self-consciously try to chapter (and other parts of the book) rights. The value, practices, and strate- counter the widely accepted argument highlights the “emergence of the mul- gies these younger members brought that NOW was founded by and only tiracial feminist movement, founded with them also left a lasting impres- interested in white, middle-class, het- upon the creation of autonomous sion on NOW” (p.14). As a present- erosexual women and their issues. women-of-color organizations,” and day “older feminist” who has often the entire book makes visible the his- wanted to remind younger feminists In an era when “the increasingly tory and strategies of white people ac- that I used to be their age, I look for- pervasive backlash against feminism tively trying to work against racism ward to movements that emphasize has effectively erased the public’s un- and other forms of oppression. (2) intergenerational collaboration on the derstanding of the conditions of wom- Undivided Rights: Women of Color Or- widest range of feminist issues en’s lives prior to feminist change ef- 2 ganize for Reproductive Justice gives throughout the life cycle. As Baum- forts” and “too many women are voice to the many African American, gardner and Richards described the surprised to learn that the activism of Native American, Asian American, importance of having younger interns, radical feminists provided the roots for and Latina women who have long I thought they might be starting to see many of the attitudes, opportunities, been involved in struggles for repro- the dilemma of age-specific feminism: and services they take for granted” ductive freedom. (p.viii), Tales from the Trenches is espe- We get the perspective of cially important. The book’s use of While both The Fire This Time women who on average are well-chosen articulate, politically and Grassroots appear to be calling for ten years our junior, which is thoughtful, passionate quotes by feminisms more inclusive of young increasingly crucial since even 1970s activists can show students how women, I think the actual challenge is as we get older we are still 1970s feminism built the foundation to build more multigenerational considered generational for work they are trying to do today. movements and develop a deeper un- spokeswomen and frequently The combined richness of the derstanding of the interconnections of asked what’s on the minds of powerful quotes, the theoretical issues identified as crucial by women young women. (p.82) framework, and the discussion of spe- of different ages and at different his- cific issues and questions related to torical moments. None of these books Understanding and Promoting organizing makes Tales from the addressed this. All four books do dem- Feminist Activism onstrate the power of young feminists’ On our bookshelves, in our con- voices and action. While The Fire This versations, or in our classrooms, these I think the actual challenge Time and Grassroots are designed to books have very different roles to play is to build more multigener- represent critical thinking and many in our understanding and promotion forms of activism by young women of feminist activism. ational movements and de- today, Tales from the Trenches, in not- Governing NOW is not the kind of velop a deeper understanding the ages of the activists in different book many people will sit down to ing of the interconnections organizations, demonstrates that al- read from cover to cover, but it will of issues identified as crucial most all of the work described was serve as a useful reference. As a whole, done by that era’s young feminists. it will be of most interest to scholars by women of different ages Ironically, the issue of young women’s of organizational structures and orga- and at different historical role in feminist movements seems to nizers thinking through the benefits moments. None of these be as old as the movements, as Barakso and challenges of national organiza- books addressed this. writes that one year after its founding, tions compared to more local forms. I “NOW began coping [my emphasis] recommend the first chapters and with an influx of younger members their excellent notes to the more gen- who were attracted by the group’s po- eral reader interested in women’s orga- sition on reproductive rights and by

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 11 Book Reviews

3 Trenches excellent for teaching the theory courses. Some essays have al- to hear Baumgardner and Richards 4 “Women’s Organizations/Organizing ready been reprinted in anthologies, speak, and made the need for the book on Women’s Issues” unit for my In- and several have the qualities to be- obvious whenever they asked, “What ternship in Women’s Studies course. It come classic feminist references. can I do? And how do I do it?” The answers such important questions as Field Guide worked really well as a these: What did early “women’s orga- I would love to see Kathryn Tem- way to teach basic introductory ser- nizations” organizers create in terms of ple’s brilliant “Exporting Violence: vice-learning issues in my internship both feminist service organizations The School of the Americas, U.S. In- course, because it is full of accessible, and women’s culture? What did early tervention in Latin America, and Re- fun, explicitly feminist examples of feminist organizers leave in place for sistance” reach a wide audience. This activism. I was able to help my stu- today? How have the principles of essay builds on the feminist analysis of dents pull out the “gems” of general feminist organizing/women’s organiza- domestic violence as power and con- principles about organizing and activ- tions influenced a much wider range trol to develop an understanding of ism scattered throughout the book. of organizations and jobs? What U.S. foreign policy and globalization Students love the stimulating, non- “women’s organizing” has been institu- through the creation of a “Corporate judgmental encouragement Baum- tionalized and what has been coopted? Globalization Power and Control gardner and Richards give them to feel How have feminists done their work Wheel” and a discussion of the tactics good about the little or big ways they both within the system and to change of global abusers. “Exporting Vio- are living their feminism: the system? lence” was the key transition piece for Kravetz’s book also paves the way shifting my “Women and Violence” Being an activist in the world for students to think through the com- course to complex discussions of how doesn’t have to be complicat- plexities of building on earlier work to use a feminist analysis of violence ed and full of sacrifice; it can and adapting the principles to be more against women to develop gendered be as simple as influencing relevant for today’s activism. For ex- analyses of societal violence, war, mili- conversations around you. ample, Kravetz identified the principle tarism, and globalization. Temple’s (p.186) of “women helping women” as core to essay is a model of how to integrate how 1970s feminists identified their theory and practice as she writes of her An activist is anyone who ac- organizations as feminist. In an era own politicization and activism. cesses the resources that he or when we are more careful to empha- Feminists of all ages will be in- she has as an individual for size gender fluidity and a continuum spired by this and other essays that the benefit of the common of genders, articulate students are ea- show young activists finding and good. (p.ix) ger to debate the relevance of “women building extraordinary ways to shape a helping women.” better world. I urge every reader to see This book is full of very practical how the issues they care about are rep- ideas for “making a difference” in the The Fire This Time will undoubt- resented in The Fire This Time. These widest range of ways and places. It is edly be the book that finds its way essays and the excellent chapter of rec- at its best when the authors clarify into the most women’s studies and ommended organizations can energize complex issues such as how social jus- feminist classrooms, because of the us and give us new insights and con- tice organizations “can become them- urgency and freshness of what it has to tacts for the widest range of struggles selves promoters of the status quo — say, the high quality of many of the that are considered worthy of feminist because they have to sustain their own essays, and the fact that the topics lend action today. reason for being” (p.105). However, it themselves to the widest range of is the many specific moving activism courses. Colleagues have successfully Grassroots: A Field Guide for stories that will be the most inspiring used individual essays or the complete Feminist Activism is designed to appeal and useful to most readers. Addition- text for introductory freshman semi- to a wide readership, but its most un- ally, the up-to-date resource guide, nars and upper-level women’s studies mistakable audience is the young which is exactly what many of us need women who loved Manifesta, flocked within reaching distance, is an important selling point for Grassroots, much

Page 12 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

as the excellent resource guide of Man- have definitely carved out a unique nizing) process of being an activist and ifesta contributed to its popularity and niche in the young feminist world. A learning to identify how the small acts impact. recurring theme of the book is to reas- we can accomplish today relate to the sure the reader that it is O.K. to be a “bigger picture” and longer term Winona LaDuke’s powerful in- feminist and an activist even if one struggles. Precisely because it will be troduction to Grassroots sets the inspir- doesn’t have all the answers and hasn’t the book that introduces many young ing, realistic tone for the book when reached “moral perfection”: women to activism, and because it she shares, “My activism is simply in successfully raises the issue of contra- my life — it has to be, or it couldn’t We realized that one of the dictions, Grassroots can, ideally, also get done.” After describing her activist main barriers to seeing one- stimulate discussions about curiosity life, in which she writes her books at self as someone who could rather than complacency in relation to the same kitchen table where she feeds truly make change in the contradictions. For that purpose, I her five children and many Native world is that we feel trapped plan to complement Grassroots with community leaders, takes orders for in our own contradictions. (p. the “Be Curious!” theme I introduce alternative coffee, makes rawhide or- xxii) in Women’s Studies classes from Cyn- naments to support the White Earth thia Enloe’s “Being Curious About 6 Land Recovery Project she founded, Of course, it is imperative to as- Our Lack of Feminist Curiosity” : and does maple syruping, LaDuke sume and acknowledge that we all concludes, have contradictions, but I was some- The moment when one be- times left unsettled rather than in- comes newly curious about You don’t have to be Super- spired by what Baumgardner and Ri- something is also a good time woman to change the world. chards did with their discussions of to think about what created You just have to take respon- contradictions. It is important that one’s previous lack of curiosi- sibility for your life and your this guide includes examples of activ- ty. So many power structures community — and realize ism in conjunction with corporate- — inside households, within that you have the power to do chain America and from within big institutions, in societies, in so, even from your own sticky business, because this is how many international affairs — are kitchen table. (p.xv) people will do crucial activism. How- dependent upon our continu- ever, in too many places, Grassroots ing lack of curiosity...I’ve Paradoxically, a strength of missed opportunities to use the con- come to think that making Grassroots also turns out to be its tradictions inherent in our activist and keeping us uncurious weakness. In working so hard to make lives to encourage critical thinking and must serve somebody’s politi- activism feel easy and non-threaten- to model this critical thinking as core cal purpose. I have also being, Baumgardner and Richards have to feminist activism. come convinced that I am missed many opportunities to demon- deeply complicit in my own strate the joys of critical thinking. The My vision for feminist activism lack of curiosity. (pp. 2–3) authors have successfully written a is that we learn to be intrigued by our book “demystifying activism for those contradictions and use them to dig The Fire This Time demonstrates eager to be involved but confused and deeper for more sophisticated under- impressive ways today’s young women possibly intimidated by what that standings of the systemic structures and men are doing “social justice work might entail” (p.xviii) and “challeng- that perpetuate the status quo and while using a gender lens” (p.xxiii) and ing the notion that there is one type of constantly affect us, our daily lives, providing a “framework for looking at person who is an activist — someone and our activism. My years of living various tendencies toward domination, serious, rebellious, privileged, and un- and teaching activism have taught me (where) feminism offers a central be- realistically heroic” (p.xix). With their that learning to ask the hard questions lief system that helps interpret how keynotes assuring young women that (knowing there will seldom be easy or power imbalances affect our lives” “You Can Be a Feminist and Still Wear clear answers) is part of the (fun, ago- 5 a Thong,” Baumgardner and Richards

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 13 Book Reviews

(p.xxvi). Similarly, I hope people in- [Nancy Worcester is a professor of wom- 4. “Claiming Jezabel: Black Female troduced to feminist activism through en’s studies and continuing studies at the Subjectivity and Sexual Expressions in Grassroots will see Baumgardner’s and University of Wisconsin–Madison. She Hip-Hop,” by Ayana Byrd, and “The Richards’ words — that activism “is has been an activist for nearly forty New Girls Network: Women, Tech- challenging because you begin to ques- years, in England and the U.S., working nology, and Feminism,” by Sharon tion every decision” (p.188) — as a particularly on issues of women’s health, Lee, are included in Estelle Disch, Re- promise of a stimulating and reward- violence against women, and the inter- constructing Gender: A Multicultural ing life where critical thinking and connectedness of all social justice issues.] Anthology, 4th ed. (Boston: McGraw being curious are core to everything Hill, 2006) pp.239–247 and 248– one does. Notes 251.

All four of these books provide 1. Becky Thompson, A Promise and a 5. “Feminism and Femininity, or How Women’s Studies scholars, teachers, Way of Life: White Antiracist Activism We Stopped Worrying and Learned to and students with new information (Minneapolis: University of Minneso- Love the Thong” was the title of the and questions for appreciating, study- ta Press, 2001). keynote speech Jennifer Baumgardner ing, teaching, or inspiring feminist and Amy Richards gave at the Univer- activism. Reading them together can 2. Jael Silliman, Marlene Gerber Fried, sity of Wisconsin System Women’s remind one of the value of asking and Loretta Ross, & Elena R. Gutiérrez, Studies Conference at UW-Stout, Oc- answering questions about feminist eds., Undivided Rights: Women of Color tober 24, 2003. activism from very different perspec- Organize for Reproductive Justice (Cam- tives, so that the changing voices and bridge, MA: South End Press, 2004). 6. Cynthia Enloe, The Curious Femi- struggles of feminist activism remind nist: Searching for Women in the New us of both the important work that 3. Personal communication with Es- Age of Empire (Berkeley: University of has been done and the work that still telle Disch, Professor of Sociology at California Press, 2004) pp.1–10. must be done. the University of Massachusetts, Bos- ton, and Nancy Kaiser, Professor of German and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Page 14 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006)