Comments on: Future of feminism an issue in NOW leadership vote

By: drewski

drewski — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:08:03 +0000

We (gay men I’m talking to/about) need to support women. Need to support NOW. I remember my mum being a NOW member back in the day (70s). Fellas, think about it–why the hell isn’t there a Federal law requiring women be treated comparably in the workplace? All kinds of other countries have it, including almost all of the EU, and I don’t see them suffering from a competitive position.

A confident, secure man is supportive of women, of their achievement, of their legally-recognized equality. Truth is that much of the under-35 crowd is already good at that, but that doesn’t eliminate the need for a law. A Federal law. When I was a kid, it was called the Equal Rights Amendment. ERA died in the Illinois legislature.

What’s done to women will be done to blacks; what’s done to blacks will be done to gays; what’s done to gays will be done to women. You can mix this up any way you want, but it’s still there. Equality has to be for all.

I hope NOW elects the best woman to the position. I hope that woman makes NOW’s message resonate in a larger population. We all benefit.

By: Violet Socks

Violet Socks — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:03:17 +0000

Actually, Latifa represents the status quo: she is the hand-picked choice of Kim Gandy and the team that has run NOW into the ground. Look around — you’ll see that a lot of NOW local leaders and members are supporting Terry O’Neill precisely because they DO want change, and that’s what Terry represents.

By: lynette

lynette — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:59:37 +0000

Latifa is the current Vice President of Membership. During the last four years under her tenure, membership has dropped apporoximately 10% a year. She has not been able to recruit new members or sustain current members. Not a record I would want to run on.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:28:54 +0000

“’But even with a friend in the White House and a lot of friends in the Congress, it’s going to take well-organized, grass-roots movement to advance our agenda,’ O’Neill said.”

This is a very telling phrase. As Harvey Milk said, “The liberation of homosexuals is the work of homosexuals themselves.” Terry O’Neill has identified a key to success with the current President and congress. We need to get ourselves organized and advance the cause of our equality and rights. If we do so, then we can gain the allies we need for success and get political leaders to act on our issues.

And, If LGBT people want allies, then we must be allies for others seeking liberation and equality– and that includes our feminist sisters. We also need to understand this struggle is not just one here in America (Canada and the United States), but around the world.

“Until we all have made it, none of us have made it.” — The Late Rosemary Brown, Canadian Feminist.

By: Jennifer Becker

Jennifer Becker — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:10:05 +0000

go Latifa!