This project attempts to further understand the Second Wave Feminist Movement’s approach to fighting rape culture. Feminists writing in the many periodicals of the period approached the issue from multiple perspectives–in poetry, stories, essays, editorials, research guides, and more. Robin Morgan’s “Arraignment” and June Jordan’s “Poem About My Rights,” using different approaches, work towards the same end of refusing to accept female silence and victim-blaming. The Feminist Alliance Against Rape Newsletter highlights the negative implications of an alliance with the criminal justice system and provides alternative resources for women. Finally, Melanie Kaye’s “Women and Violence” empowers women to fight back against men directly and systematically, emphasizing the power of the individual. This curation will delve into each work in order to highlight both their individual attempts to combat rape culture and how they relate to the larger movement fighting violence against women.
-Lauren Ryan