First Published: In Struggle! No. 288, June 22, 1982
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Malcolm and Paul Saba
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During the past few months, some women from IN STRUGGLE! have come to the conclusion that they no longer want to be active in a mixed political organization on the battlefield of the women’s struggle. The experience in the organization, the contact they have had with women from the feminist movement, the organizational functioning of IN STRUGGLE! and unions, the participation in collectives and women’s caucuses of IN STRUGGLE! have brought them to the realisation that it is mainly between women, in autonomous women’s groups that women’s struggles have the best chance to develop.
We have decided to call on women from IN STRUGGLE! to create a women’s collective. This is the result of two meetings. The collective will be completely independent from IN STRUGGLE!.
At these two meetings it became apparent that many want to be active on the ground of the women’s struggle outside mixed political organizations. Others didn’t want to find themselves isolated in their corner after IN STRUGGLE!’s congress. We are all interested in politics and we have many questions to ask about socialism and Marxism-Leninism.
The collective will begin in the autumn and will not have one common practice for all women. All who agree with one of the following objectives can join:
1. To sum up our experience in a Marxist-Leninist political organisation.
2. To get to know, understand and analyse better the women’s movement in Quebec, Canada and in the world.
3. Develop a way of thinking based on our concrete practice in struggle towards women’s liberation on different fields according to our interests: daycare, abortion, women’s situation committees in unions, neighbourhood women’s committees.
4. Get to know and’understand what is written about feminist practice.
5. Contact and debate with other autonomous feminist groups and with feminists from mixed organisations.
6. Discuss the society and revolution women want.
This call is mainly to women in Quebec. This does not mean we don’t want to meet, contact and exchange with women and feminist organisations in other provinces in Canada. Nor does I this mean that we have a clear position on the Quebec national question.
The collective will not be limited to women from IN STRUGGLE!. On the contrary, we hope that other women will participate in this process when we have clarified further our objectives. As to how we will function, we will specify this in the autumn.
All those who are interested in participating in the collective, contact one of those who have signed.