(3 of 6)
On its most radical level, the New Feminism at times seems to constitute an assault—sometimes thoughtful, sometimes emotional and foolish—not just on society but on the limitations of biology. Some argue that through the science of eugenics, the genetic code could be altered to produce a different kind of man and woman. Short of that, the extremists demand a complete withdrawal from dependence on men, including sexual ties. Village Voice Columnist Jill Johnston, for example, insists that "feminism is lesbianism" and that it is only when women do not rely upon men to fulfill their sexual needs that they are finally free of masculine control. On this plane, the reproductive imperative of sexuality is defied; to refuse all association with men is to allow dogma to obstruct any possibility of pragmatic reform.
DIFFICULTIES. For all its obvious gains and growth, the movement has its troubles. In part the problems are caused by the extreme positions that are taken by only a few feminists but which are often used against the movement as a whole. The issue of lesbianism, for example, has hurt the movement. Says one N.O.W. official: "I have heard a woman called Communist, radical, bitchy, everything—and she can take it. But if anyone so much as breathes the word lesbian at her, she goes to pieces." During the 1970 Women's Strike for Equality that marked the 50th anniversary of women's suffrage, the issue of lesbianism burst into the open. Some feminist leaders, warned that the participation of lesbians would overshadow other issues, tried to downplay the controversial subject during the marches and rallies. A quiet, often bitter debate followed; the result was a declaration from N.O.W. and tacit agreement by local groups that freedom of sexual orientation was a humanist concern and therefore could not be ignored by Women's Liberation. Nonetheless, lesbianism has been called the lavender herring of Women's Liberation.
Then there is the hostility of men, often veiled, on occasion brutally frank. Says one Los Angeles feminist: "For some women, getting involved in the movement may be an irreversible process. There is no turning back for many of them, and if their marriages are bad to begin with, they sometimes crack up. I feel like warning women their lives are going to change and there may be prices to pay."
Another problem is the hostility of women. Secure and happy in their traditional roles, many reject any drastic change in their status. They also resent what they regard as a kind of propaganda designed to either force them into more active lives or make them feel guilty about staying home. But the organized female resistance to the movement has been largely frivolous: MOM (for Men Our Masters), started by a Manhattan secretary, and its men's auxiliary WOW (for Women Our Wonders); and the Pussycat League, with its slogan "The lamb chop is mightier than the karate chop." More serious criticism has come from Ti-Grace Atkinson, an early theorist of the New Feminism who withdrew from the movement more than a year ago. Says Atkinson: "There is no movement. Movement means going some place, and the movement is not going anywhere. It hasn't accomplished anything."