The conversation about intergenerational feminism has been filling my writing time, activist time, most of my time for over 5 years. It makes me stop and wonder about to the two parallel movements in all social justice campaigns; the one inside and the one outside.
In the LGBT movement, we work to change the minds of greater society through policy and cultural understanding while running an internal parallel movement of working on youth safety, AIDS, safeguarding those who are threatened with violence and often harmed. It all has to occur simultaneously; within the community and radiating out from the community seeping into the general culture and laws.
This is obvious in the women’s movement, for example in the issue of violence, we have to both work on the expanding laws while protecting women and girls. However, I am so frustrated with the presentation of intergenerational conflict as if it was a great harm to be solved. Yes, it is a big source of pain but is it bleeding into our movement, seeking a resolution, impeding progress, even stopping some well-oiled machines in the movement when it needs to be identified and put to rest.
The older generation is freaking out over 1 )wanting the younger to value them, 2) anger that their ways are now obsolete 3) they don’t like the new ways of making change 4) age – come on – old age ain’t for sissies but being mad at tools of 2012 isn’t going to change anything. The current day's Womens Movment is busy; there is a lot on the agenda. Third wave feminists have inherited all of the outstanding advances of the second wave but can’t they just write one big thank you note and get on with the complex problems of 2012 with the tools of 2012 and stop spending time telling the older ones that they are grateful and see the fabulous paved path.
To me this entire thing is objective and visible. Fundamentally, the patriarchy is still the main structure and has got to be dismantled and replaced with another structure. The tools of 2012 are the ones in use. They have replaced snail mail, cr, long distance travel, clip boards, phone trees, etc. Anyone who wants to work with the tools of 2012 – get over here and get going. It doesn’t matter what color you are, how old you are, how much money you have, what you look like, your sexual orientation or gender identity. WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK.
Years ago I heard Gloria Steinem open a panel at Barnard, with saying to the Veteran Feminists of America, “you have got to get over the ink, the piercing, the skimpy clothes, just get over it.” Don’t mind saying Gloria is older than me and she isn’t threatened by women half her age at the helm. I ask myself often why I have no trouble with all of this big mishigas. If I had to name one thing, it is that I went to a professional computer school in 1986, I got my first email address the day msn.com went live, I love the current tools. Maybe my older sisters just need to get a really nice big tattoo and then, pull up a chair and get to work, there is lots to do.
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