The Militant (logo) 
Vol.64/No.6      February 14, 2000 
 
 
Los Angeles events discuss women's liberation  
{Young Socialists around the World column} 
 
 
This column is written and edited by the Young Socialists (YS), an inter--national organization of young workers, students, and other youth fighting for socialism. For more information about the YS write to: Young Socialists, 3284 23rd St., San Francisco, CA 94110. Tel: (415) 824-1429. Email: 105162.605@compuserve.com 
 
 
BY SHEM MORTON  
LOS ANGELES—Over the weekend of January 14–15, the Young Socialists in Los Angeles took part in a Militant Labor Forum on the origins of women's oppression, a "Meet the Young Socialists" event, and a class on the fight for women's liberation.

The forum was given by Samantha Kern, a Young Socialists leader from San Francisco. Thirty-two people attended Kern's presentation, which opened up an interesting discussion. One participant asked the speaker whether a solution to the exploitation of a woman's body was to equally exploit the male body in advertising and posters.

Most participants did not agree that "equal gender" exploitation resolved the problem of women's exploitation. Other participants stressed that women's liberation and equality can only be won through revolutionary struggle led in part by women workers and farmers.

Another interesting question was whether it is progressive to pay "housewives" a wage. The speaker and other participants explained that this is a tactic used by right-wing forces such as Patrick Buchanan to drive women back into the home and out of the work force.

The second day of the weekend the Los Angeles Young Socialists hosted a meeting to explain the purpose, strategies, and goals of the Young Socialists. Three new young people took part in this meeting. Some of the main topics of discussion were how Young Socialists at the meeting first became open to revolutionary politics; the upcoming activities of the YS, including a team of YS members going to the Martin Luther King Day demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia, and the King Day events in Oxnard and Los Angeles; and organizing support for Omari Musa's Socialist Workers campaign for Oakland City Council.

Later that day Samantha Kern kicked off a class on the origins of the oppression of women. The class was a continuation of the discussion period from the forum the previous night. Twelve people attended, including two new youth, and there was further discussion on the topic of the presentation of male bodies in advertising and elsewhere as a means to combat oppression of women.

The role of the communist movement in presenting a scientific explanation of the origins of women's oppression in class society, and in championing the struggle for the liberation of women was also discussed. By the end of the weekend the Young Socialists in Los Angeles were able to establish a chapter. The weekend was a great success and better equipped YS members for the battles to come.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home