Never Burned a Bra

[Feminist Chronicles] I grew up a feminist, raised by a feminist, who was raised by a feminist. I spent much of the first half of my life hearing early feminists called "women's libbers" and "bra burners."

But no one has ever been able to provide me with a shred of evidence that women marching for equal rights burned a bra in the process. Today, National Public Radio's Morning Edition featured a terrific piece that shatters the ol' bra burning myth. The feature looks back at the 1968 Miss America Pageant, and the small but vocal group that protested the beauty contest for the first time. Three of the protesters and Miss America 1968 are interviewed. Fascinating stuff.

In truth, the protesters had a a large garbage bin in which they threw "instruments of female torture"--pots and pans, copies of Playboy magazine, hair curlers, bras and girdles. As one of the protesters now recalls:

"The media picked up on the bra part. I often say that if they had called us 'girdle burners,' every woman in America would have run to join us."

And if anyone out there can prove bras got burned in the past 40 years in the name of feminism, I'd love to hear from you. (Holly Mullen)

Bitch Recap

Last night, Bitch magazine publisher Debbie Rasmussen stopped by Sam Weller's to hold a participatory discussion on feminism, what it means to individuals in attendance and how we might get more active and put our passions to good use. Several members of the media represented, including event sponsor SLUG's Angela Brown, Meghann Griggs and Jeanette Moses, Salt Lake magazine's Erin Bean, CW editor Holly Mullen, myself and Salt Lake Tribune's Sean Means. It was nice to see such a great interest generated by those who have an ability to spread the word and hopefully motivate a few more people to join the movement.

The night kicked off with attendees introducing themselves and explaining how they came to consider themselves as feminists. Each response varied, though certain themes surfaced including: the word feminism as a charged term with largely negative connotations; men as feminists and gender equality; feminism and its relationship to the LDS Church and religion in general ... Rasmussen also tossed out the potential problematic relationship between drinking and activism. She said that on her cross-country tour nearly every city she's visited has basically provided one location for Bitch's fund-raising efforts: The bar.

This idea resonated with many in attendance and brought up an interesting question: do you need to be completely sober to effect change? I don't know that answer to that one.

Another interesting revelation: there is about one official community-based feminist group in town. It's called Feminist Empowerment Movement, or FEM. Its founders are "just a bunch of kids" and one mother who are fed up with sexual harrassment, rape, general misogyny, etc. who started a grassroots movement in March. They have plans to organize a Take Back the Night event at the University of Utah later this year. If you're interested in participating, the group meets every Monday night at the Coffee Connection (1588 S. State) from 7 to 9 p.m.
Check out their website.


Much thanks to Davina Pallone, SLUG and Sam Weller's for putting together such an informative and invigorating evening. Since graduating from the U, I haven't been as active in the feminist--or as some prefer, gender equality--movement. There were a lot of issues we didn't get around to exploring--class divides, race, pro vs. anti porn feminism, career choices. I'd love to get the conversation going right here in SLC.


If you're interested in learning more about what's up with feminism today, here are a couple of cool starting points:


Bust


Bitch


Feministing.com

(Jamie Gadette)

Less(ing) is More

[Nobel Winner] Joy! Early today, brilliant British novelist Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize for Literature. As with most of these announcements, you just want to jump up and down, whistle, cheer and then add: "What took those stuffy Swedes so long?"

Lessing is 87, still writes nearly every day. She wakes up at 5, feeds hundreds of birds near her North London home and gets to her desk by 9 a.m. Don't you love it?

Like millions of her fans, I read her signature work, The Golden Notebook, in college. It was required reading in my University of Utah women's lit. course. We read Austen, the Brontes, Didion and Lessing. The author has often talked about how feminism, communism -- all the "isms" that shaped so many lives in the '50s and '60s became the core of that incredible novel.

Here in Salt Lake City, my favorite bookstores are already ordering more Lessing to keep up with the extra demand that always follows a Nobel announcement.

At downtown's Sam Weller's Bookstore, new book buyer Catherine Weller says she was thrilled when she heard Lessing's name announced in Stockholm. The bookies who make odds on these things hadn't even considered Lessing's name in the mix. Weller is a big fan. "The depth of [Lessing's] treatment of her subjects, and the way she's explored important issues and women's roles has been just revolutionary."

At The King's English in Sugar House, book seller Kelly Wells says she hopes a whole new generation might now get acquainted with Lessing's work. "There is definitely some ignorance about feminism and its historical roots, especially with younger generations. And Lessing has always had a refreshing view, a more intelligible view than a lot of other feminist authors. Virginia Wool's writing just resonates in her, and the way she explores gender in society and relationships," Wells says.

So run, don't walk, to your nearest bookshop and buy something -- anything -- by Lessing. I'm going to re-read The Golden Notebook now to see if it hits me any differently 30 years after my first reading.

The image on the left of this blog post is Lessing in 1962; on the right is an undated, but much more recent photo.

For a look into Lessing's work and life, go here. (Holly Mullen)