What is feminist leadership?

Hello blogosphere!

The WoCo Leadership Committee had a really heated meeting last Thursday, during which we discussed our burgeoning leadership structure - what it is, where it's headed, and our vision(s) for what it should become. It got me thinkin' about what (radical) feminist leadership/organizing means, and I want to know how other people feel as well.

I want to share my thoughts to start things off, but I understand that they're equitable to one tiny amoeba in a whole ocean of ideas. I'm excited to get feedback and hear your challenges - whether it's in person or in the comments section. That said -

For me, truly collective, visionary, feminist leadership is necessarily non-hierarchical and transparent. When we organize ourselves hierarchically (even without meaning to), with unequal distributions of power and little discussion about what that means, we're simply mimicking the very patriarchal, capitalistic systems of organization that we purport to resist. I think that it is truly disingenuous and conflictual to claim radical feminist ethics and a grassroots approach and yet organize ourselves in the same bullshit bureaucratic way as the rest of the world. In fact, I think forming that way would ultimately make our larger goals impossible.

That doesn't mean that I think some people shouldn't have definitive positions, or that I'm delusional enough to believe that the power will be distributed evenly at all times. Instead, I think that we should make a conscious, consistent effort to spread the power as equitably as possible, which ultimately means realizing when we're doing (or simply receiving) too much, and when we're doing (or receiving) too little. We need to brave enough to both step up and step back (the latter is particularly difficult for me). This sort of horizontal organization is crucial because it's the only way each individual's talents and contributions can be realized, and it's the only way we can prevent a stagnant, traditionally bureaucratic organization from forming.

I don't think this is an easy task. It takes a group of truly committed, passionate, largely selfless people to achieve something like this. It also requires that each person is open to fair criticism - including personal criticism. We need to think critically about ourselves and our roles and constantly reevaluate our motivations. We also need to think carefully - and compassionately! - about our fellow organizers, and be brave enough to approach each other with legitimate concerns.

Here's a link to an excellent essay on anti-authoritarian organizing. I read it my freshman year of college and it really informed how I think and feel about leadership structure. Near the beginning of the essay, the author posits two questions I hope we're all working to answer:

How can leadership development help us build mass-based, multiracial, anti-racist, feminist, anti-capitalist movements with visible leadership from women, queers, transgendered people and working class people of all colors? How can we talk about leadership without creating the image of two or three people leading us, but the millions of people, in their communities, who are right now leading progressive social change around the world?

Thanks for reading! Lemme know what you think!
Love, Micah

Some Dates to Keep in Mind

Nov. 1 Planning Meeting about the Really Really Free Market 3:00 @ Chantelle's house, 4 Elmwood Ave.
Nov. 7 Women Only Meeting at Olivia's house 157 Wentworth St. upstairs 5:30
Nov. 9 Leadership Committee Meeting about opening a bank account at Caitlin's house 60 Radcliffe 5:00
Nov. 11 Leadership Committee meeting about Queerfest at Micah's house 322B Sumter St.
Nov. 15 Co-ed WoCo meeting @ 4 Elmwood Ave. 5:00, topic: "consent"

Nov. 2, 5, and 10 from 1:45-4:45 Self-Defense Teacher Training course. e-mail charlestonwomen@gmail.com if you're interested! Sponsorship possible.

Self Defense-Related Article

http://kateharding.net/2009/10/08/guest-blogger-starling-schrodinger%E2%80%99s-rapist-or-a-guy%E2%80%99s-guide-to-approaching-strange-women-without-being-maced/


This is quite nice, methinks. A good follow-up for anyone who took the self-defense workshop this weekend (which, by the way was amazing thanks everyone for turning out!)...enjoy!

Blume Tonight

Blume is finally here...I've been thinking towards this since that one night on my porch this summer when Liz and I had a co-revelation and decided to make it happen again, this time for the Women's Collective. There have been roadblocks, mainly one large unconscious white male one, but here we are and it's happening and I am so excited. Caroline and her dancing ladies have been woodshedding so hard...this house has been vibrating with music and choreography and talk of dance for what seems like months now, and so many people have put all heart and soul into the dance--it is so beautiful, so powerful, those ladies are gonna stomp and freak you to your very core. When we were hanging art on Tuesday (thanks to my dyke crew Tess and Becca!) the dance troop had practice, and I was trying not to watch but my curiosity finally got the best of me...needless to say I was blown away. Those girls brought such anazing energy into the Pantheon--Liz and Rachel and I had been in there all day and suddenly it seemed like the air was buzzing, everything was in higher focus, there was a palpable energy in the air--dare I pull a Mary Daly and call it gynergy?
I am also super excited about all the work Caitlin and Brittany have put into the team of bodypainters/paintees. Caitlin is a Blume veteran and this time she has really pulled all the stops out and formed a truly awesome team from Women's Collective members and close friends alike...we've even got one of our newest and youngest Collective members Ashley putting herself out there tonight and I'm so proud! She is so brave and I'm excited to see what she and Kayla, her painter, are going to create together. This group has been doing some real concept-work and is creating a method that goes far beyond getting painted and waltzing around on a bar--they've done a lot thinking and planning, and I can't WAIT to see what they have up their sleeves!
And, of course, as usual Liz and Rachel have put so much organizing and time into this and because of them Blume shall again be the best party you've been to all year...see ya'll there!

Pepsi Releases iPhone App To Help Men "Score" With Women And Brag About It On Twitter

iiiii haaaaaaaaaaaatteeeee this shit

Na New New Month, and a new calendar!

Stuff your planners for the end of the month, there's a lot going on!

and make sure you sign up for the self defense course on the 25th!

Pssst. : weblove shout-out goes out to Jodie, who mailed me the image of the farmin' folk that make up the day blocks.

keep october 21st open for charleston cycle chic ride!

http://charlestoncyclechic.com/2009/10/02/next-ride-october-21st-stay-tuned/