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FIRE THIS TIME: Young Activists and the New Feminism |
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Authors:
Vivien Labaton, Dawn Lundy Martin
Foreword by: Rebecca Walker
Binding: Paperback, 384 pages
Publisher: Anchor Books
Published Date: May 11, 2004
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REVIEWS
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Publishers Weekly Review
In
the '90s, the question on cultural critics' minds, not to
mention the cover of Time, was "is feminism dead?"
But before any reporter considers writing an obituary, he
or she should consult Labaton and Lundy Martin's inspiring
book. It proves that the movement's invisibility to mainstream
media is a sign not of demise but of strength. The "third
wave" (i.e., this younger, more colorful incarnation
of feminism) is operating on a level that doesn't fit nicely
into sound bites and commercial pop songs. Labaton and Lundy
Martin's eloquent and powerful collection of writings from
third wavers demonstrates that, above all, the new feminism
is multi-issue. This generation isn't content with seeking
reproductive freedom or workplace equality; its members want
to tear down the prison-industrial complex, heal the wounds
of Puerto Ricans in Vieques and take on misogynist rappers.
And that's just the beginning. These contributors use personal
stories—like Jennifer Bleyer's account of pining for
girl zines in suburban isolation—without dissolving into
self-obsession. Seasoned writers and hopeful activists dexterously
handle such cultural and political issues as the new hip-hop
theater, technology, globalization and the law. And where
the text gets thick, it is a legitimate heft; these issues
are heavy and too often neglected. Labaton and Lundy Martin
don't claim omnipotence: "instead of presenting our readers
with our singular vision of what we think the future of feminism
is, we present multiple (and sometimes opposing) voices that
together constitute a new feminist possibility." This
hopeful, fresh collection proves that feminism is very much
alive and kicking.
Copyright © Reed Business
Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist
Review
Editors
Labaton and Martin were involved in the creation of the Third
Wave Foundation, a national group of young women activists
that eschewed the old feminist politics in favor of "global
humanism." This collection of essays posits a vibrant
and diversified look at a burgeoning new movement characterized
as "young women's empowerment" rather than feminism.
The first section focuses on media and culture and explores
the images of women in hip-hop music, the girl zines, theater,
and technology. The second section emphasizes global issues,
including the impact of technology and the globalization of
hypercapitalism on the type of work women do, and the growing
incarceration of women and their use as nonpaid workers. Without
overlooking the issues traditionally defined by feminism--reproductive
rights, domestic violence, and equal pay for equal work--
these essays emphasize a broader perspective on social justice
and power imbalances centered on race, gender, and globalization.
By Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights
reserved
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PRAISE
FOR FIRE THIS TIME |
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“The
Fire This Time will give younger readers company on the road
to revolution, older readers the confidence there still is
one, and all readers the reward of saying, ‘I didn’t
know that!’ This landmark anthology belongs on every
twenty-first century bookshelf.”
–Gloria Steinem
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“These
essays don’t simply tell us about third wave feminism,
they show us its breadth and impact. By the end of The Fire
This Time you will have a better understanding of the activism
that’s required to change the world.” –Jennifer
Baumgardner & Amy Richards, coauthors, Manifesta: Young
Women, Feminism and The Future |
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“This
first-rate collection of writings by young activists represents
the new wave of gender, race and class analysis for the twenty-first
century.”
–Manning Marable, Director, Center for Contemporary
Black History, Columbia University
“These feminists rock.”
–Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation
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“These
voices give us hope that the new wave of activists are not
just invigorating the movement for future generations, but
making significant gains in social justice at the same time.
The Fire This Time is strong and optimistic; a powerful organizing
tool that I’ll keep on my desk for years to come."
–Sunita Mehta, editor, Women for Afghan Women |
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“This
collection, by an extraordinary bunch of young people—mostly
women, a few men—will awaken you and excite you. What
they are writing and doing gives new life to the word “feminist.”
If their ideas and actions take hold, we could have a different
world.”
–Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of
The United States |
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“A
feast of original insights and radical acts by some of our
generation’s sharpest writers and doers.”
–William Upski Wimsatt, co-editor, How to Get Stupid
White Men Out of Office |
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