Lisa Levenstein, an expert in feminist politics and women’s history, delves into the hidden forces behind social change that drive towards a more just world. In her latest work following her 2009 book A Movement without Marches, the historian from UNC Greensboro argues that the 1990s marked a transformational period for the women’s movement, becoming global, multiracial, and coalition-focused. She highlights a Time magazine cover story from 1998 questioning, “Is Feminism Dead?” Despite the consensus being “yes,” this only showcases how out of touch mainstream media can be. The notion that the popular image of 1960s white radicals continued to dominate the narrative demonstrates a disconnect from the evolving face of feminism, championed by women of color in the US and activists in the Global South during the nineties.
Fueling the activism of these groups was the belief that every social justice issue inherently involves feminist principles, portraying feminism as a diverse and inclusive movement. Levenstein notes a significant increase in US-based feminist groups from 1982 to 1995, growing from 75 to 140, addressing a wide array of concerns such as domestic violence, abortion rights, labor rights, disability rights, LGBTQ+ rights, healthcare, and economic disparity. This intersectional choir of voices drew inspiration from feminist scholars like bell hooks and Charlotte Bunch and expanded its reach through the emergence of the Internet and social media. By the late 1990s, feminism was accessible not just through marches or conferences but also via online platforms, revolutionizing how women could engage, organize, fundraise, and share alternative news coverage.
A pivotal aspect of this transformation was the rejection of tokenization by women of color, challenging the dominance of white-led organizations like the Ms. Foundation and the National Organization for Women that sought diverse perspectives. Activists of color, including Luz Alvarez Martinez, a champion for Latina health rights, declined invitations to predominantly white gatherings, forging their own paths. At the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, delegates from the Ms. Foundation redirected the agenda to highlight global feminist themes significant to women of color, emphasizing the need for an inclusive feminist movement that encompasses all perspectives.
Levenstein uses the 1995 conference to underscore how mainstream US media overlooked its role as a catalyst for grassroots activism on a global scale, focusing instead on then-First Lady Hillary Clinton’s involvement. The event attracted over eight thousand American attendees, with more than a thousand being women of color, fostering cross-cultural exchanges and collaborative efforts with 22,000 activists from around the world. These interactions led to the birth of new initiatives, objectives, and organizations such as the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, underscoring the valuable lessons American activists gleaned from their global counterparts.
By unearthing the stories of those who participated in the conference, Levenstein unveils a rich tapestry of activism that reshaped her understanding of the 1990s, shedding light on a historically overlooked period ripe for exploration. In her concluding chapter, Levenstein profiles three nonprofits founded by women of color and lesbians, namely INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, SisterSong: Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, and Southerners on New Ground (SONG), which operated on the fringes of mainstream feminist movements. These organizations highlighted a more interconnected view of social injustices, linking sexism with racism and economic inequities, leading to independent organizing efforts due to divergent priorities with traditional feminist groups.
Through her meticulous research and interviews, Levenstein showcases a vibrant yet often disregarded history that laid the groundwork for the current feminist resurgence. She emphasizes how the activism of the 1990s, championed by advocates across various social causes, set the stage for contemporary feminist movements. Ultimately, Levenstein underscores the profound impact that marginalized histories have had on shaping our cultural landscape, illustrating how empowering social movements can emerge from the most unexpected beginnings.
