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Documents from the Women's Liberation Movement
An On-line Archival Collection
Special Collections Library, Duke University


DAR II (Dyke for the Second American Revolution)

Minutes from February 16, 1975
(Page images are also available)


Feb. 16

Agenda- suggestions

Boston

Why Lorraine, Arlene & Pici didn't go to Boston

More black students wanted to go so space was made for them on the bus by eliminating those not black students since they had raised a lot of money.

Lorraine related the woman's reaction who came to the ALFA meeting from SWP to ask for support for Boston trip, etc.  She thought that it was a DARII meeting & expect a more political, serious response.

Decided to give our money for tickets ($30.00) to the student organization.  Will be followed up w/a note of explanation.  People who were to go will handle communication, preferably written.

I.W.D.

Reaffirmed that people will work with the subcom. from PLASP

Jo Ann Little

Margo wants to know if the group should take some kind of action in support of her.

Martha thinks money should be sent directly to her lawyers.

Margo -- if money has been raised, as someone pointed out, then perhaps the group should focus on education.

Contrast w/ Bird- Lorraine        Sally w/ Atl Voice

Publicize the issue in ALFA -- newsletter.  All write letters -- get address from Linda or Jeanne.  Petitions a possibility

Skit a IWD?  suitable?  wait & find out what other people are doing.

Tallahassee

Want ALFA to participate in the workshop on Lesbian Feminism.  Have given $60.00 to help w/ transportation.  

March 2-8 Int. Women's Week.  Lorraine, Jeanne, Phan & Pici want to go for the week.

Discussion of different nites to meet:

Lesbian Separatism

Group definitions & self definitions

Linda -- principle: necessary not to give support or energy to men or the patriarchal state.  But then there are varying degress as to how this is accomplished.  Involvement with straight women?

Lorraine -- sees the extreme separatists as unrealistic.  Thinks things should change radically but not to the elimination of men.  Thinks that she's a sep. by being in ALFA, but DARII is not, rather a lesbian feminist group.

Linda -- sees DARII as a sep. group.

Phan -- would like to talk about the controversy over living & struggling in the city or moving to the country in a women's collective.

Martha -- lesbian sep. is a strategy rather than a permanent thing.  Thinks its really imp. for lesbians to have a strong power base & the only way to do this is to turn our energies inward.  Then when this power base is accomplished (years) then can form coalitions w/ other radical groups.

Sally -- imp. that she has a positive identity as a lesbian.  In past her lesbianism judged as individualistic by leftist groups.  Imp. to have a strong feminist politics & the lesbians will be moving force in this.  Male directed movements are [??] by the history of male politics.

Mickey -- thinks the above is an autonomous movement.  She thinks that lesbian sep. is more extreme & long term rather than a strategy.

Margo -- agrees more w/ the earlier views.  That the levels presented are valid.

Sally -- if total, extreme rejection of men is a par of lesb. sep., the term wouldn't apply to her.

Sarah -- really "bumed"[?]? out by Diana's[?] line at the workshop.  Couldn't at this point espouse les. sep. as a political theory.  Yet her lifestyle depicts one of a separatist.

Lorraine -- sees what Sarah said as fitting Martha's concept of les. sep. as a tactic.

Jane -- has gotten something from hearing the people talk about it.

Donna -- concept of les. sep. is relatively new therefore not much to say except positive short putting energies w/[?] women.

Lesbian Feminism.

Sally -- changing the male power base is where she wants her politics to start.

Lorraine & Sally agree.

Lorraine -- wants to get Bird articles for group.  That reflect past stands by lesbian feminists in Atlanta.

Margo -- would like to know more about it because of bitter feeings toward people who have renounced their gay identity for political causes.

Donna -- good for perspective and to know how to react to feminist groups who have anit-gay stands.

Jeanne -- what does Bird reflect?

Lorraine -- shows who is one the staff as to gay coverage.

//////////////////////////////////////

Mickey -- discuss meeting plans.

Sally -- straight women's feminism.  More dev. of political aspects/ soci/fem. & les.fem.

Lorraine -- will bring Bird articles

Present diff. views -- Mickey.

Three Years of Struggle       Lesbian Nation     Women: the Longest Revolution     Sexual politics     Rita Mae Brown's article   Black women's views.

Begin considering what type of actions the group sees itself taking.

Criticism --

Donna -- people all bruned out

Mickey -- round of applause for coming

Lorraine -- good discussions in planning our future.

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