The Mothers Movement Online
www.mothersmovement.org

< back

Pick one

You can’t wring your hands and roll up your shirtsleeves at the same time

Sisterhood is Powerful
Robin Morgan, editor
Vintage Press, 1970

Sisterhood is Forever
Robin Morgan, editor
Washington Square Press, 2003

Review by Serene Williams

December 2005

Sisterhood is Powerful, edited by Robin Morgan, was the first major anthology to emerge out of feminism’s second wave. First published in 1970, Morgan's collection helped launch to prominence many then-unknown feminist thinkers, including Kate Millet, as well as members of influential women’s liberation groups such as the Daughters of Bilitis and Redstockings. Until the 2003 release of Morgan’s subsequent anthology, Sisterhood is Forever, Sisterhood is Powerful was unmatched as a nearly comprehensive overview of modern feminism. (A third anthology, Sisterhood is Global, also edited by Morgan, while enthusiastically recommended, is not included in this review due to its close similarities to Sisterhood is Powerful). Reading Sisterhood is Powerful is the best way to familiarize oneself with the history of the modern day women’s movement, while reading Sisterhood is Forever is the best way to familiarize oneself with the state of the women’s movement today. Taken separately or together, Morgan's two anthologies educate us in feminist history, and compel us to take immediate action by becoming involved in the women’s movement.

Sisterhood is Powerful is more than a collection of articles and essays; it is an all-inclusive guide to then-contemporary women’s movement. In addition to groundbreaking essays and social analyses, the book, which is now unfortunately out of print included a contact list for women’s liberation groups and recommended resources. Reading these reference guides today is captivating -- it's easy to forget how difficult it must have been for feminist women outside of major cities to find each other in 1970. Where such groups did exist, they often consisted of radical cells operating far outside the mainstream of American life. Sisterhood is Powerful makes reference to the fact that before the book was published, many women tried look feminism or women’s groups up in the phone book, often only to find none were listed.

While the two anthologies are similar in structure, Sisterhood is Powerful is a much more radical book than its counterpart, largely because women fighting for liberation in the late 60s and early 70s were viewed -- and often viewed themselves -- as extremists and radicals. Sisterhood is Powerful was written at a time when women were still defined by their relation to a man and by motherhood, and before they had control over their reproductive options.

To put the radicalism of Sisterhood is Powerful into context, readers may recall that by 1970, a major rift had formed between feminist women and the men of the New Left. As the "Know Your Enemy" list offered by Morgan in Sisterhood is Powerful notes, Abbie Hoffman, a leader of the New Left, once declared, "The only alliance I would make with the Women’s Liberation Movement is in bed." Today, it's disturbing to read a quote like this from a leftist, but before women in the liberation movement called attention to sexism within the left, it was not at all uncommon. The essays in Sisterhood is Powerful articulately defined the problems women had while working in the New Left movement of the late 1960s, and why they ultimately had no choice but to splinter off and form their own social revolution.

Since feminism was largely new during this time period, it also went through a painful period of division between the two major forces: radical and liberal feminism. Sisterhood is Powerful was clearly a product of the former, while mainstream women’s organizations, such as NOW, represented the latter. Morgan addresses this split when she wrote of the need for radical feminism in her introduction:

I fear for the women’s movement’s falling into precisely the same trap as did our foremothers, the suffragists: creating a bourgeois feminist movement that never quite dared enough, never questioned enough, never really reached out beyond its own class and race. The only hope of a new feminist movement is some kind of only now barely emerging politics of revolutionary feminism, which some people are trying to explore in this anthology.

Morgan called for a radical feminist revolution, and Sisterhood is Powerful, which explained and ultimately came to represent radical feminism, and was not written to be beloved by a mainstream audience. The writers openly and aggressively challenged the fundamental structures of mid-twentieth century society, including workplace norms, relationships and family formation. As with other radical feminist works published in 1970, such as Shulamith Firestone’s The Dialectic of Sex, many women in this anthology are calling for an abolition of the nuclear family and a complete overhaul of patriarchal society.

Radical feminism was a direct response to the overt sexism which permeated nearly every aspect of American life. One of the experiences Lindsy Van Gelder shares in her essay, "The Trials of Lois Lane: Women in Journalism" shows what women were dealing with at the time Sisterhood is Powerful was published: "…[M]y favorite adventure was at the New York Daily News, which operates an internship program for college graduates. I remember the editor in charge beaming over my resume….then he noticed that I was married….I told the editor I was on the Pill and planned to stay that way for some time to come. Anyway, my husband and I both believed in working motherhood. 'Honey.' The editor said cavalierly, 'that’s no way to talk. A pretty little thing like you ought to be home having a baby every year!' It was only due to the efforts of second wave activists that it is now illegal for a potential employer to ask a woman if she has children or ever plans to have them.

Sisterhood is Powerful has obviously left an imprint on feminism and our society as a whole. For those who are familiar with some of the most outspoken feminists of today, it is clear the women anthologized in Sisterhood is Powerful paved a way for their present day counterparts. For example, Nomy Lamm, the writer who discusses her disability and plus size body in many funny and radical essays, clearly has these women to thank for their style of the "in your face feminism" she has embraced.

Morgan’s later anthology, Sisterhood is Forever (2003), surveys feminism in a very different era. Women today not only have the internet to help them find like-minded activists, but there are also active chapters of feminist groups such as NOW and Feminist Majority in nearly every major U.S. city. It would seem in our increasingly interconnected world, a follow-up anthology to Sisterhood is Powerful is irrelevant. However, Sisterhood is Forever stands up to the most pointed criticism: not only is Morgan's message still relevant, her recent anthology is arguably a more important feminist book than Sisterhood is Powerful. So why has the book received such a lackluster reception compared to Sisterhood is Powerful? Possibly because the original was written during a time of excitement about promise of feminism, and feminist activism was energized by a political and cultural climate fiercely opposed to its aims. Sisterhood is Forever, on the other hand, was published at a time when many women, especially young women, feel the feminist fight was won by their mothers and an ongoing feminist struggle is no longer necessary. Published at a time when many younger women proudly announce, "I’m not a feminist, but I support equal rights for women," Sisterhood is Forever was lost in a chorus of many other books targeted to women, most of which were not feminist. In addition, while the internet has done wonders in helping feminists create support networks, it has also diminished the demand for printed publications which aim to connect feminists.

Like Morgan's earlier anthology, Sisterhood is Forever includes articles by a veritable who’s who of leaders of the present day women’s movement, including Eve Ensler on the theatre, the Guerrilla Girls on women in art, Catherine A. Mackinnon on the law, Helen Zia on Asian feminists, Andrea Dworkin on violence against women, Karla Jay, a second wave member of the "lavender menace" on lesbian feminism, feminist internet pioneer Amy Richards of feminist.com’s "Ask Amy" column, the women behind Our Bodies, Our Selves, and Anita Hill on sexual harassment. The prominence of these women and the brilliance of their words makes this book a must read for any feminist, and anyone interested in learning about today’s feminism.

Without question, the writers in this anthology are the absolute experts in their field. One of the most persuasive essays is written former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder’s article, "Running for Our Lives: Electoral Politics." Her essay, which chronicles her struggle and ultimate triumph in her campaigns for congress, begins with this provocative sentence. "When are you running for public office? I’m serious" A few sentences later, her brilliance continues, when she writes, "You can’t wring your hands and roll up your shirtsleeves at the same time. Pick one." These are passionate words from a woman who knows her field well. For anyone interested in politics, her article could change their life.

While all the essays in Sisterhood is Forever are interesting to read, the anthology closes with two especially captivating essays written by Robin Morgan herself. The first, "To Vintage Feminists" is written to Morgan’s fellow second wavers who paved the way for the modern women’s movement. While Morgan was one of the most visible leaders of this movement, she pays homage to her fellow sisters in recognizing both the obstacles they faced and their many accomplishments. As a third wave feminist, I found her article most interesting in its discussion of the advantages of being a "vintage feminist." She quotes Ursula K. LeGuin in saying, "Old women are different from everybody else, they say what they think." She makes me look forward to my "vintage" years when my inhibitions will be more stripped away.

For her final piece, Morgan addresses an article "To Younger Women." She makes the compelling statement in this piece, "…please don’t put us on a pedestal, since then you can’t look us in the eye." Much has been written about the schism between second and third wave feminists, yet little has been done to solve it. Both generations of feminists would benefit from reflecting on Morgan’s point of view.

Both anthologies include must read articles for women about motherhood and parenting. The beloved essay "The Politics of Housework" by Pat Mainardi is included in Sisterhood is Powerful. In this piece, Mainardi includes a section on how to encourage participatory democracy at home, and includes the very memorable lines, "He is feeling it more than you. He’s losing some leisure and you’re gaining it. The measure of your oppression is his resistance." These words gave credence to women feeling overburdened with domestic responsibilities at home.

In Sisterhood is Forever, Susanne Braun Levine, the former editor in chief of Ms. Magazine, includes an essay about feminist parenting, entitled, "Parenting: A New Social Contract." Levine makes a number of arguments about why and how parenting is not supported in our society. Most compelling is her argument that parenting should be considered a public good. She points out that parents help foster our society and should be respected and supported in doing so. It is hard to disagree with her pragmatic logic.

Also interesting to parents is the article, "Just a Housewife?!" by Helen Drusine. While much has been written about this topic, what makes Drusine's entry especially intriguing is her argument that the low social status of housewives has been perpetuated by women themselves. She writes, "That myth of 'housewife worthlessness' gets internalized by a lot of women -- though probably less so now, after more than four decades of the contemporary Women’s Movement raising these issues. For me it was a constant conflict. I thought I had to prove (more to myself than those around me) that I was doing something 'meaningful'." Nearly any parent who has cut back on paid work to prioritize caregiving can sympathize with these words. While it is rewarding to focus on the needs of your child or significant other full time, it can also give you a feeling of worthlessness that is hard to shake. It certainly does not help when women do not support each other in this work, and as Drusine argues, it puts a burden not only on the women themselves, but upon their children and our future. It is not often a general feminist anthology includes articles about full time hands on parenting; Levine's and Drusine's are excellent and ought to be widely read.

Despite the quality and intelligence of its many articles, Sisterhood is Forever has yet to receive the attention it deserves. While shopping at my local bookstore recently, I was disappointed to discover several copies of Sisterhood is Forever on the clearance rack, priced for quick sale. What a shame! With Sisterhood is Powerful out of print, we've lost part of the legacy of the women’s liberation movement. It would be doubly unfortunate if Sisterhood is Forever meets the same fate. If you haven't read it, find the time. Do not let the amazing words and dreams of our fellow feminists die out. We must continue to show the world that we are not content to live in the age of "post-feminism," and that feminism has a future.

mmo : december 2005

Serene Williams has a Masters degree in political science and prior to her daughter's birth was head of the history department at Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco. She lives in San Mateo, California with her husband and one year old daughter.

< back

Copyright 2003-2008 The Mothers Movement Online. All rights reserved. Permissions: editor@mothersmovement.org