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Classic Feminist Writings
This
section of the on-line archive contains classic feminist writings that
helped define Second Wave feminism.
A
Kind of Memo by Casey Hayden and Mary King (1965) This paper
about women in social movements was one of the first documents of the
emerging women's liberation movement.
NOW
Statement of Purpose Adopted at the organizing conference in
Washington,
D. C. ( October 29, 1966) The original mission statement of the National Organization
for Women.
Sexual
Politics by Kate Millett (1968) Circulated as a short pamphlet,
the ideas in this article were later incorporated into Chapter 2 of
Kate Millett's classic feminist book of the same name.
Toward
a Radical Movement by Heather Booth, Evie Goldfield,& Sue Munaker
(1968) This paper investigates the mythology of the liberated "New
Woman" as defined by the popular media of the day.
The
Women's Rights Movement in the U.S. : A New View by
Shulamith Firestone (1968) A radical interpretation of the feminist
movement in the USA— a history largely unknown at the time.
Voice
of the Women's Liberation Movement (1968-69) Issues of the first
national women's liberation newsletter.
The
Jeanette Rankin Brigade: Woman Power? by Shulamith Firestone
(1968) The Jeanette Rankin Brigade was a women's protest to end the
SE Asia War. This article is a radical feminist critique of that well
intentioned, but ultimately frustrating effort.
Funeral
Oration for the Burial of Traditional Womanhood by Kathie Amatniek
(1968) The Jeanette Rankin Brigade was a women's protest to end the
SE Asia War. Radical feminists staged a mock funeral for "Traditional
Womanhood" during protest. This was the funeral oration.
Black
Women in Poverty by Various authors (1968) An exploration of
the complexities of reproductive freedom in the context of America's
racial and gender nightmare.
No
More Miss America! (1968) The 1968 Miss America Pageant was
the scene of one of the first public protests by a women's liberation
group.
Double
Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female by Frances Beal (1969) An
indictment of racism and sexism by an activist in the Student Non-Violent
Coordinating
Committee.
The
Grand Coolie Damn by Marge Piercy (1969) An angry articulate
expose of the sexism prevalent in the American Left of the time.
Females
and Welfare by
Betsy Warrior (undated but probably early 1970's). A feminist analysis
of the welfare rights movement.
Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm by
Anne Koedt (1970). A classic article by the NY based feminist writer.
Widely read throughout the women's liberation movement at the time.
The
Politics of Housework by Pat Mainardi (1970). A widely read
article from a member of the NY Redstockings Group about the savage
inequalities in domestic family labor.
The
Woman Identified Woman by Radicalesbians (1970) This manifesto
was originally published in Notes for the Third Year and challenged
commonly held stereotypes about lesbians.
Poor
White Women by Roxanne Dunbar (1970?) A powerful account of
growing up poor, white, rural and female.
Rape
Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry by
Kay Potter (1971). An article first published in a pamphlet
issued by Women Against Rape.
The
Vagina on Trial by Kathleen Barry (1971). An article first
published in a pamphlet issued by Women Against Rape.
Lesbianism
and Feminism by Anne Koedt (1971). A theoretical paper exploring
this highly complex relationship.
Feminism
Old Wave and New Wave by Ellen DuBois (1971). A historical paper comparing
the experiences of women in the abolitionist movement with the experiences of
women in the New Left.
Why
I Want a Wife by Judy Syfers (1971) A wickedly humorous introduction
to the sex roles defined by conventional marriage.
.
The
Tyranny of Structurelessness by Jo Freeman (1971) An analysis
of leadership in the women's liberation movement by one of its earliest
members.
The
Women's Liberation Movement by Jo Freeman (1971) A history of
the feminist movement in America told from the point of a view of a
second wave feminist.
The
BITCH Manifesto by Jo Freeman (1972) An analysis of how strong
independent women are viewed in our society.
Covert
Sex Discrimination Against Women as Medical Patients by Carol
Downer (1972) Rampant sexism in the medical industry is exposed in
a speech to the American Psychological Association.
Consciousness-Raising
by the Women's Collective (early 1970's) Practical guidelines on how
to set up consciousness raising groups from Connecticut feminists.
Trashing:
The Dark Side of Sisterhood by Jo Freeman (1976) Women's
liberation was not all bread and roses. This article examines the
destructive phenomenon
of "trashing" personal attacks on other women in
the movement.
Is
the Women's Movement in Trouble by
Roberta Lynch (1976) An examination of
the state of women's liberation in 1976.
What
is Socialist Feminism? by
Barbara Ehrenreich (1976) An analysis of the difference between radical
and socialist feminism.
The
Rise and Demise of Women's Liberation by Marlene Dixon (1977)
A Marxist attempt to explain the decline of the women's liberation movement.
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