At 01:57 AM 01/13/2000 GMT, you wrote:
>In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Emily Cartier
wrote:
>
>I'd actually point towards reading lots as the determining factor.
>The encouragement of intellectualism and access to a decent library
>(public or school library, whatever) seems to make people think for
>themselves about this kind of thing. There's a correlation between
>income and good schooling, hence good libraries and better reading
>patterns, so I guess there is a tendency for lower-income women to be
>less feminist in their attitudes.
>
>But I'm probably opening myself up for a flaming here...
>
That tag suggests that you are aware that that is a class, which, imho, it
is.
Growing up on a poor (Canadian) neighhbourhood without a lot of access to
books does not mean a girl/woman cannot think for herself. Nor are any of
the women I grew up with "less feminist" in their attitudes than the women
I meet in the wealthier classes I now live among, unless you define
feminist as an intellectual endeavour. Rather, their issues have a
different emphasis.
For a start, most of my school chums display more awareness of, and concern
about, violence against women, and the problems of the (imho essentially
middle-class) legal system introduced to deal with it. Then, there is the
issue of pay equity and equal pay for work of equal value, as it is called.
A number of my old friends are in "traditionally female" occupations, and
some are lucky enough to be in unions -- pay issues are urgent to them,
since many work at backbreaking labour for close to minimum wage. And, for
those in unions, progress *is* being made.
They tend, also, to be more politically active/aware, in a general way,
because the present mess in the education and medical systems here hurts
the poor most, and most among them, single mothers and lower-income
families without alternatives. Thus, a lot of their energies are directed
at political activity of a more general sort *because* it will benefit
poorer women to achieve certain political goals. (For those on the list
who are Canadians, did you see the news story about the Montreal think tank
attacking Quebec's universal daycare, because it resulted in the wealthier
classes subsdising the poorest 28%? Like this is the end of the world?)
So, while access to books, and even an intellectual bent, might be
important to some, it is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for
inspiring feminism in a woman/girl. If that were true, I would expect to
find more of the professional women and spouses around me now more active
in their feminism. At least around here, it ain't so. As far as my
(limited) experience of the professional and middle classes goes, much
complaining, little action.....
Janus
who has her own class prejudices, and is not sure she is prepared, on
experience, to modify them.....
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