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Re: ANTHRO-L Digest - 17 Mar ...
Michelle B. Golden (mgolden@EMORY.EDU)
Sun, 19 Mar 1995 14:30:10 -0500
On Sun, 19 Mar 1995, Thomas W. Rimkus wrote:
> I recently realized, after reading a posting from James Burton that some
> members of the list (particularly females) do not feel at ease to submit
> opinion or offer new topics. This is the area to focus on by those
> wanting to give voice to those with alternative views.
This is an interesting and potentially useful point, but *who* is supposed
to do the focusing here? Those who want to discuss feminist anthropology?
Well, that's one way to approach the problem, but asking us to do the
work is probably not the best strategy (I for one am very very TIRED
*always* being asked to teach colleagues about feminism.)
I suggest that Thomas and other male members of this list who are
concerned about making this forum a productive place to discuss feminist
anthropology take on some of the responsibility for making it so. Not
only will your (plural) posts calling for change likely be taken more
seriously than posts from women (James Burton's excellent post is a case
in point), but it will be a useful experience for you (plural), IMHO.
> The last thing we should do, IMHO, is to divide into non-communicating
> factions when it comes to dealing with the social issues that face us all.
> We need to pull together, learn to speak the same language, encourage
> each other, and seek understanding.
So what are you going to do about it? I really do believe that you
(Thomas) and other members of this list are capable of figuring this out
and making change. It would be heartening to see men grappling with this issue.
> It kind of reminds me of two people in a sinking rowboat fighting over
> who gets to use the bucket.
This is vast oversimplification verging on trivilization. But the point
that resisting sexism and male privilege is important to this list is
well-taken.
Michelle Golden (mgolden@emory.edu)
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