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Building and Maintaining Feminist Institutions in Gainesville during the 1970s:

Building and Maintaining Feminist Institutions in Gainesville during the 1970s:. An Historical Analysis. Leila Adams Ronald E. McNair Scholar. Outline. Methodology Study Significance Terms/Existing Scholarship Conclusions New Research Questions. Methodology.

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Building and Maintaining Feminist Institutions in Gainesville during the 1970s:

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  1. Building and Maintaining Feminist Institutions in Gainesville during the 1970s: An Historical Analysis Leila Adams Ronald E. McNair Scholar

  2. Outline • Methodology • Study • Significance • Terms/Existing Scholarship • Conclusions • New Research Questions

  3. Methodology • 7 oral histories from movement participants • 20 issues of WomaNews • Other archives: • The Iguana • The Independent Florida Alligator • The Gainesville Sun

  4. Feminist Institutions in Gainesville • 1974 – Rape Information Crisis Service • 1974 – Gainesville Women’s Health Center • 1975 – Women’s Center • Womanstore • WomaNews • Breakthrough

  5. Significance • First five cities to develop a Women’s Liberation Group between 1967 and 1968 • Under-studied – Giardina 1967-1970 • Contribute to social movement and feminist theory • Better understand the nature of feminist institutions

  6. Defining “Feminist Institution” • Estelle Freeman: “a separatist political strategy” • Grassroots organization founded and operated by women for the purpose of serving women’s political interests • Operates independently from men and resources provided by men to ensure “complete woman control”

  7. Criticism of the Term “Feminist Institution” • Patricia Yancey Martin – • “an ideal type that is largely unattainable”

  8. Broadening the term “Feminist Institution” • Steven Buechler – continuum Collectivist Ex: Redstockings Rape Information Crisis Service Gainesville Women’s Health Center Women’s Center Bureaucratic Ex: NOW Peaceful Paths

  9. Conclusions • Feminist Institutions are not “largely unattainable” but are difficult to maintain. As a result, they tend to move towards bureaucracy, while rarely moving towards collectivism. • Closing as Strategy not Failure: Feminist Institutions close to preserve themselves and reopen at more favorable times. • Womanstore/Amelia’s/Wild Iris • Feminist Institutions can receive outside funding and still maintain woman control. • Women’s Center/WomaNews/Wild Iris

  10. Future Research • 1970 – 1973 and 1983 – present • Investigate cross-racial alliances in the movement: Collaboration or Conflict? • Investigate the economic difficulties lesbian couples faced as business partners in founding institutions.

  11. Special Thanks • Ronald E. McNair Undergraduate Research Program. • Dr. Trysh Travis, UF Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research. • Radical women still living in or near Gainesville, Florida.

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