Robin Morgan, Editor of Sisterhood is Forever: The Women's Anthology for a New Millennium

Moderator: Welcome to today's chat with acclaimed feminist and former Ms. editor Robin Morgan! Robin will be fielding questions on her latest book, "Sisterhood is Forever: The Women's Anthology for a New Millennium," and her life as a feminist. Ms. will be giving away 10 signed copies of "Sisterhood is Forever" to 10 people who participate in today's chat - winners will be notified by email. Please make your questions short and sweet and do understand that Robin will not be able to answer every question. Thanks for joining us and a big thanks to Robin for taking the time to be here!

Robin Morgan: I'm really delighted to be here today in the Ms./FMF Chat Room . . . it feels
like coming home, among friends and sisters--and after two months on the
road, with Women's History Month talks on campuses, anti-war speeches at
rallies, and promotion for SISTERHOOD IS FOREVER; THE WOMEN'S ANTHOLOGY FOR A
NEW MILLENNIUM, coming "home" feels really good!

time posted: 13:43:00CST

Morgan Sheets: What do you feel is the greatest challenge to the feminist movement today? And how can we begin to meet that challenge?

Robin Morgan: As usual, there's not simple "one" focus, which is why every woman should
start from her own place of outrage: the peprsonal IS political. But in the
USA overall, I would say that the greatest challenge is rising to combat and
defeat the grave threat from the fanatic religious fundamentalist ultra-right
wing--which is not-so-gradually seizing control of our entire government.
That's why the new anthology devote so much time and space to ways and means
and tactics for that fight, among others.

time posted: 13:52:00CST

Cynthia: Do you think the ERA issue will ever resurface?

Robin Morgan: It has resurfaced, it never went away. It was reintroduced in the House within hours of its last defeat but its also true that with this right wing congress its not bloodly likely in the immediate future and won't be until we change that Congress.

time posted: 13:56:00CST

Meg: How has the glass ceiling affected you as a writer?

Robin Morgan: Life in this country is hard for all artists - male and female - and then of course doublely hard for women. When a man writes about his life its considered courageous and seering but when a women does its regarded as "confessional." I've been both fortunate and a workaholic so that "Sisterhood is Forever" is my 18th book and I'm now finishing an historic novel about who the witches really were in the Middle Ages. But it's been a difficult life of periodic poverty and the stress that goes with financial insecurity. And remember I'm one of the lucky ones!

time posted: 13:58:00CST

Halimat: Following is a quote from you. Assuming that you weren't misquoted, do you still feel this way? How are women to get ahead without collaberation from those who currently hold the majority of legislative power? "I haven't the faintest notion what possible revolutionary role white hetero- sexual men could fulfill, since they are the very embodiment of reactionary- vested-interest-power."

Robin Morgan: That quote is from the early 1970s and fortunately both the movement and I have matured in terms of developing a much more sophisticated range of tactics and strategies, due to our enormous numbers, than we ever could have imagined back in the late 60s and early 70s. While it is still true that "pale males" are at the top of the "food chain" - more men are changing every day. They're more involved with their children and families and on every level, from slowly learning to use Ms. through to adopting and adapting to anti-sexual harrassment workplace rules, men have been changing. It's not enough by far, but it is a start. And it's the power of the women's movement that has brought them even this far.

time posted: 14:03:00CST

diane: What women have you looked to as role models in your life?

Robin Morgan: Different women in different areas. Simone De Beauvoir was a friend and a literary mentor, and the late Bella Abzug was like a second mother and a political mentor.

time posted: 14:10:00CST

Trixie: What message do you hope to send to young feminists through your latest book?

Robin Morgan: The book itself. Plus, the message that feminists are here to stay (ie. the title) and that we ain't going under, crazy, down or away. That's another reason why there is such a large presence of young feminist voices in this anthology.

time posted: 14:12:00CST

Morgan Sheets: How can we address the fact that so many women who clearly believe in the values of feminism say "I'm not a feminist, but...?"

Robin Morgan: Actually the latest Ms. poll shows that "feminism" is a more popular and acceptable word now than the words "democrat" or "liberal." But for those who don't want or are afraid of the label, I say don't waste time on it. Labels are less important than where a woman is going. So if she wants to call herself "squirrel" I don't care as long as she's fighting for herself and other women.

time posted: 14:16:00CST

Anne Jalakas: What can journalists (specially in former Soviet Union) do in order to make news media gender conscious?

Robin Morgan: The same kind of things that we've done for years here: Form women's caucuses at newspapers, magazines and TV/radio stations; pressure by writing letters and if necessary set up picket lines if coverage is blatantly sexist. It takes time but it does change.

time posted: 14:17:00CST

Monica Lanfranco: About the issue of the presence of many women (and also very joung women) in the antiglobalization mouvment what do you feel about nonviolent thinking and feminism?

Robin Morgan: The presence you mention is indeed large and that's why there is a special piece on globalization and the international women's movement in the anthology. As for nonviolence and feminism, nonviolence seems to be more of a "women's strategy" cross culturally, so obviously there is some strong connection between feminism and attempts to problemsolve and resolve conflict nonviolently. Feminists fought for and won Resolution 1325 from the UN Security Council which mandates the presence of women in UN sponsored peacemaking and peacekeeping efforts.

time posted: 14:19:00CST

Leigh Anne Wilson: How has mothering a son affected your feminism, and what advice do you have for feminist mothers raising boys?

Robin Morgan: I write about that at length in my book "Saturday's Child: A Memoir." I'm afraid it's too long and complex to go into here but maybe some of the exploration of it in that book would be of help.

time posted: 14:22:00CST

Allison: Any thought on the medicalization of women in the United States and across the globe? By "medicalization" I am referring to the predominatly male field of medicine and their treatment/mistreatment of women as patients. How do you connect maedicalization to gender inequality? Hope to hear back from you!

Robin Morgan: Obviously patriarichal medicalization is easily connected to women's oppression. That's why the anthology has pieces by and on nursing, women physicians, and health activism - this last by the Our Bodies Ourselves collective.

time posted: 14:23:00CST

Kate Merena: How has Ms. changed over the past ten years? What challenges has the magazine faced with addressing the newest generation of feminists? How has the merger with FMF changed the mission of the magazine?

Robin Morgan: Personally, I'm delighted about the merger but then that's because I suggested it. I think that the newly reemerging Ms., in its new relationship with FMF will be again more feminist, more activist, more international and just plain more lively than it has been in recent years - especially during the late 90s when it felt a bit tired to some readers. The new editor-in-chief Elaine Lafferty is terrific and dedicated to first-rate writing, hard investigative journalism and news, and really visionary pieces. This is now going to be a magazine for the 21st century.

time posted: 14:25:00CST

Gerry Capone: What is your read on the absence of the culture of women's resistance that prevailed in the 1968-79 period; or, put another way, does the absence of street actions over the past few decades mean the loss of anti-sexism as a cultural force?

Robin Morgan: Absolutely not. Different times require different tactics and we now have a whole repertory of strategies ranging from being in the streets to being in the legislatures.

time posted: 14:28:00CST

Janice Lopez: I keep gettign discouraged about the image of women in advertising. What can I do as one person? thanks.

Robin Morgan: The power of boycott is not a small power. Start with a few friends and make up a petition. Either online or offline. Also, keep a stack of prestamped postcards near the TV and pop one off to the network whenever you see something offensive - it really does make a difference.

time posted: 14:29:00CST

mary: Ever get despairing, with warmongers in power,& seemingly ignorant(re:feminism) young women--our "future"?

Robin Morgan: Certainly I have my moments of despair, in particular about the directions this country is taking under Bush II. But that just means that we have to bend all our energies to getting him and his crew - the US Republican Guard - OUT of office next year. I've seen and talked with too many women who manage to fight courageously even in the most dire circumstances like slums and refugee camps to dare let myself despair for more than 15 minutes at a time.

time posted: 14:31:00CST

Danica Borkovich Anderson: I am a forensic psychotherapist who works with Bosnian Muslim refugees in Novi Travnik, Bosnia. In addition, I was recently in Sri Lanka for UNICEF to do my 'kolo' trauma treatment program. My question comes from life experiences with women on the frontline- the martyrism coupled with an unconsciousness of their female humanities and humanity is very apparent--- how can this be bridged?

Robin Morgan: First, we must never blame the victim. Women in so many parts of the world are suffering such atrocities with so little or no support that their sense of "martyrdom" is not surprising. But I have found in 35 years of activism that with the smallest sense of raised expectations women take off and fly.

time posted: 14:34:00CST

Debra Knox Deiermann: What do you make of the numbers coming out now that indicate young people are becoming "pro-life"? There was a recent article in The New York Times, "Surprise,Mom, I'm Anti-Abortion" that highlighted this trend. Your comments? Thank you.

Robin Morgan: Well, just because it's in the NY Times doesn't make it true. Actually, ALL
the articles by younger women in SISTERHOOD IS FOREVER--Gen Xers and Gen Yers
and even vioices from The Girls' Movement--ALL pledge their devotion to
keeping reproductive rights legal and making them stronger. And that mirrors
what I'm hearing from young women across the country--and what many polls are
sayhing, too. The "anti's" get, as always, disproportionate attention--which
makes for a more salable media "story."

time posted: 14:37:00CST

Jen: Dear Ms. Morgan, What do you think are some ways to encourage sisterhood and dialogue between Third Wave feminists? It seems as if we are not a collective group. I feel as if we are scattered over which issues should come to the forefront.

Robin Morgan: The irony is that younger feminists have more of a sense of individual battle than older feminists did. While that sense of entitlement is very good, it also does have problems that you mention. It's very, very rare that one individual alone can change a society. It takes a movement. And I think that at some point younger feminists will have to organize themselves and/or join with existing organizations to be more effective (Also if you fight alone, eventually you go bananas).

time posted: 14:38:00CST

Kelly Crockett: What is the latest in the anti-pornography movement?

Robin Morgan: "Sisterhood is Forever" includes a supurb piece answering your question indepth by Gail Dines. In short, the latest are campaigns against the veritable explosion of online pornography. But its vulnerable because it is secretly owned by such major corporations as AOL Time Warner and General Motors who are terrified of the threat of boycott.

time posted: 14:41:00CST

Rebecca Reis: Because the feminist movement is not so specific anymore, being that there are many more women's issues to deal with. What idea should women or feminists be more concerned with, sisterhood or the feminist movement?

Robin Morgan: Both. Unlike Jerry Ford we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Sisterhood is the attitude and practice of supporting each other. The feminist movement is the great engine of activism on a wide range of specific issues. You need the former to give you the energy and endurance to fight for the latter.

time posted: 14:44:00CST

siu : what is cyber feminism?

Robin Morgan: Feminism in cyberspace of course. We're practicing cyber feminism right now and its potential for organizing and for transforming women's lives is enormous. Amy Richards and Marianne Schnall co-authored the cyber feminism article for "Sisterhood is Forever" - and if you think you know already the political power of the Internet, read that piece and you will still be blown away.

time posted: 14:46:00CST

Monica Lanfranco: What words do we have to use to try to give to young people(both male and female) the important of feminism? sorry for my english, i'm italian, pleseant to can speak to you, one of my favorite feminist writers.

Robin Morgan: The importance of feminism for people of any age is really the same I think. After all it is about the freedom and power of more than half the human species and the "humanizing" of the other (male) half. Since all issues are "women's issues" there are a million roads to feminist activism. But clearly we can none of us solve the world's problems from war to environmental disaster while refusing to hear the voices of more than half of humanity.

time posted: 14:48:00CST

Kelley: What do you think of President Bush's recent attempts to stack the courts with far-right nominees? Are their any activist tactics we can employ to help stop this practice besides e-mailing our representatives?

Robin Morgan: Bush's remaking of the judiciary in this country is geniunely terrifying. Furthermore, most people don't even notice it unless it involves the Supreme Court. In addition to emailing our representatives which you mention, we should all be flooding the editorial pages of newspapers with letters, calling into talkshows, and taking this issue to any forum in which we are involved -from the PTA to women's reading circles. We should also involve men of principle in this because obviously the judicial system affects us all. Last, when representatives do filibuster (as they are currently doing against Estrada) we should support them by the same above mentioned means - in other words praise as well as criticize.

time posted: 15:02:00CST

Elizabeth: Hi Robin; with the media satrating many aspects of our lives, how would you, as an articulate feminist, counter the ever-increasing number of women who are anti-feminist pundits in the various media? I so rarely see women speaking a point of view which I support, and I know that there are more of us than the media tends to let speak for us.

Robin Morgan: Media presence is crucial. Gloria Steinem wrote a terrific piece called “The Media and the Movement: A User’s Guide” for “Sisterhood is Forever.” In it both she and Eleanor Smeal (in her article on “Building Feminist Institutions to Last”) call for a strong media component in every feminist group. The right wing is very organized on the media front and we have to do as well or better.

time posted: 15:03:00CST

Leah Raddish: How do you narrow dwon the selections for your anthologies and where do find some of the writings?

Robin Morgan: I look at the vast terrain of issues and constituencies, and try to forge
something that will be representative, while admitting the impossibility of
ever being exhaustive. And I don't "find" the writings: I commission and
assign them from writers I choose, then nurture and edit the copy--so that
the essays are brand-new, never before read work.

time posted: 15:04:00CST

Khara: As a young feminist, how and/or where would I go to here from other feminist and there views? I have a voice and I would like to get into a group and make a difference. How? Thank you!

Robin Morgan: You've made a damned good start by finding FMF and Ms.! Also check out
www.feminist.com and www.SIGI.org and www.EqualityNow.org and all their many hyperlinks . . . then get active on an issue especially close to your own heart and
passion. Since ALL issues are "women's issues" (because women are the numerical majority of the human species!), there are plenty to choose from!

time posted: 15:05:00CST

Jillian Dixon: I saw you speak at the University of Michigan last year. You discussed "Demon Lover" and the wake of 9/11. How do you think your book now applies to the crisis in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East? Thanks!

Robin Morgan: Unfortunately, my THE DEMON LOVER: THE ROOTS OF TERRORISM is all the more
timely now--though I wish it weren't. It's still the only feminist analysis
of terrorism, and one of the miniscule few writen by a woman at all. The orgy
of "manhood" politics always is front and center in war (and war's
aftermath): the eroticizing of violence and the romanticizing of death that
make "manhood" the real hidden agenda behind all wars . . .

time posted: 15:07:00CST

Mary Latela: My life changed after reading the newly published, The Feminine Mystique, but how do I inform the young college students I now teach that women's rights are not to be taken for granted?

Robin Morgan: A number of contributors to Sisterhood address that exact question,
strategically. If it's any comfort to you, I'm already hearing the same
thing--"This book has changed my life"--about the new Sisterhood is Forever
anthology that for years I've been hearing about my first one, Sisterhood IS
POWERFUL--but this time, the words are coming FROM students!! And it's why I
added two special Personal Postscripts at the book's end--one To Vintage
Feminists and one To Younger Women.

time posted: 15:10:00CST

Moderator: Robin, thank you very much for talking the time to talk with us today! And thank you everyone who joined the chat. Winners of the signed copies of "Sisterhood" will be notified by email today. If you haven't already, don't forget to join the Ms. community!

Robin Morgan: Thank you, it was great to be here!

time posted: 15:13:00CST