Summary
What is anarcha-feminism, and what contribution has it made to both feminism and anarchism? In this episode we kick off a series exploring anarcha-feminism in the past and present. After framing the issue and dealing with some thorny questions around definitions of feminism and gender, we take a whirlwind tour through the history—or herstory, if you like—of anarchist women from the barricades of the Paris Commune to the front lines of the Spanish Civil War. In addition to Louise Michel, Lucy Parsons, Emma Goldman, and a few other big names, we’ll share stories of Russian nihilists, Puerto Rican tobacco workers, Japanese journalists, Mexican guerrillas, and many other unsung heroines of late 19th and early 20th century anarchist struggles. The anthology Quiet Rumors: An Anarcha-Feminist Reader appears on the Chopping Block, and a member of the Revolutionary Anarcha-Feminist Group from Dublin, Ireland joins us for an interview. Clara and Alanis even take issue with a term from the Contradictionary, along with a packed calendar of upcoming events, news, and more. {August 6, 2014}
Summary
In Episode 26, we shared a panorama of dramatic stories from the lives and struggles of 19th and early 20th century anarchist women... but we didn't focus much on their ideas. In the second episode of our three-part series on anarcha-feminism, the Ex-Worker returns to the first generations of rebels who brought together anarchist and feminist currents, this time to explore their distinctive revolutionary visions. We survey the context of early revolutionary and feminist ideas, and the distinct perspectives of early anarcha-feminists on marriage, sexuality, economic and bodily autonomy, suffrage, revolutionary sexism, and strategies for women's emancipation. The Chopping Block discusses Free Women of Spain, the classic study of the Spanish anarcha-feminist group Mujeres Libres. Listeners weigh in on sports, a special guest contributor offers a correction about indigenous resistance to fracking, and we begin a fascinating conversation on solidarity actions and anonymity amidst the news, event announcements, statements from political prisoners, and more.
{September 14th, 2014}
