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“WY 100-164665 t we” lane -_ t v4 “There are the Redstockings, an interesting group that seems to have evolved from direct action into what they eall 'consciousness-raising.' That means, essentially, that they get together in a kind of group therapy session and the - women reveal their experiences and feelings to each other in. an attempt to analyze the femaleness of their psychology and ee their circumstances, thereby increasing the invaluable weapon of self-understanding. "And finally, there are the Feminists, without a doubt the most fiercely radical and-intellectually impressive of all of the groups. This organization was begun & year ago by a group of defectors from NOW and various other feminist groups in rebellion against the repetition of the hierarchical structure - of power in these other groups. Their contention was: women have always been ‘led'; if they join the rank and file of a- feminist organization they are simply being led again. It will still be someone else, even if only the officers of their own interesting group, making the decisions, doing the planning, the executing, and so on. They determined to develop a leader- less society whose guiding principle was participation by lot. tt And that is precisely what they have done. The organization has mo officers, every woman sooner or later performs every single task necessary to the life and aims of the organization, and the organization is willing to temporarily sacrifice efficiency in order that each woman may fully develop all the skills necessary to autonomous functioning. This working individualism is guarded fiercely by a set of rigid rules regarding attendance, behavior, duties, and lcyalties. "The Feminists encourage extensive theorizing on the nature and function of a leaderless society, and this has led the organization to a bold and radical view of the future they wish to work for. The group never loses sight of-the fact .-. that its primary enemy is the male-female role system which has ended in women being the oppressed and men being the oppressors. It looks forward to a time when this, system will be completely eradicated:- To prepare for this coming, it now -37-