Pat Taub
Having just seen the excellent new film, “Suffragette,” I found myself wondering what some of the early Suffragettes leaders, like Emmeline Pankhurst of Britain and Susan B. Anthony of the US might have to say about the contemporary feminist movement.
I suspected they wouldn’t be too happy with us, and thought I could profit from their insights. So, I decided to channel them. I made myself a cup of strong English tea and pulled Gerde Lerner’s The Creation of Feminist Consciousness from my bookcase, hoping these props would make Emmeline and Susan feel welcome.
It didn’t take long for them to appear. I suspect they’d been waiting in the wings for decades, eager to be consulted. Emmeline arrived with a huge flapping noise. She rattled my teacup, apparently so I could distinguish her from Susan, whose spirit wasn’t any quieter. Susan took a seat in my antique cane rocker. Of course, I couldn’t see her, but the rocker’s movements signaled her presence.
Emmeline Pankhurst being taken away from a Suffragette protest in London, 1914
I jumped right in: “Thank you both for being here. I’d like to ask you what you think of today’s women’s movement in the States.”
Emmeline: “Pathetic.”
Susan: “Laughable.”
Me: (Somewhat sarcastically) “I’m glad you haven’t held back. Why are you so hard on us?”
Emmeline: Your so-called ‘Second Wave’ had some creditable moments and achievements, but now American feminists have largely sold out. They’re more interested in helping privileged women rise to the top of what-you-call the ‘corporate ladder.’
In Britain our movement reached out to poor women, recognizing that if they got the right to vote, they could then vote for higher wages and better working conditions and lead decent lives. Feminists largely neglect poor women in your country.
Susan: I agree. I think Pat and her friends are self-centered wimps. They lack courage.
Susan B. Anthony in her usual formidable pose.
Me: Because I haven’t chained myself to the White House fence?
Susan: Something like that, but largely because I’m not seeing a compassionate nature in action. You’re not out there organizing poor women who don’t receive a good wage, health care, childcare, nutritional supplements. Every inch of their lives is desperate and greatly in need of social supports.
Emmeline: From my vantage point, American feminists think they’re doing good work because, like Pat, they’re part of the progressive online community, where they send out articles and even write them. This is no substitute for organizing and direct action!
Susan: “Cautious, careful women . . . can never expect to see reform.”
Your society is going to hell in a hand basket. It’s about time you were all more daring.
In the era before social media, Suffragettes carried signs to recruit followers for a protest at the White House.
Emmeline: You have to believe strongly in the rights of all women and use your privileged position to join with poor women, immigrant women, women of color and young women radicals.
Susan: How can you not be on fire?
Me: Wait a minute, plenty of us are on fire; we care deeply about disadvantaged women, but there’s not always an organization in place. Speaking for myself, I don’t always know where to start.
Emmeline: Get off your derriere. Go to those in need. Attend neighborhood meetings; ask around. Get involved with your local labor groups and make sure women are included in their platforms.
Susan: What I said decades ago, I still believe, “Failure is impossible.”
Emmeline: (With her voice fading as she speaks) Let’s move on, Susan, I think Pat understands now. By the way, didn’t Meryl Streep do a wonderful job of portraying me in “Suffragette?”
What’s your take on the current status of Feminism?
