y for all women” (DuPlessis and Snitow, 8). Animosity and division betweenwomen increased as the groups multiplied. One of the first divisions within the group occurred between the “politicos” and thefeminists (Freeman, 184). The “politicos,” an arm of the new left wing, perceived capitalism asthe source of women’s oppression. Seeking revolution rather than reform, their goal was toeradicate capitalism. The feminists, on the other hand, blamed male supremacy for women’ssituation. The feminist solution rested in the change of attitudes, personal relationships and maledominated institutions (Freeman, 191). According to feminists, “ ‘women’ was a constructed andconventional role, created by men for their convenience and satisfaction” (Densmore, 81). Discord of this kind resulted in ‘trashing”- women who disagreed with each other’s ideologyopenly were personally attacked by women with contrasting convictions and given the coldshoulder by those in the majority (Freeman, 191). Many who were trashed “dubbed themselves‘feminist refugees’ and summed up their feelings: ‘sisterhood is powerful,’ it kills sisters”(Freeman, 192). “Sisterhood,” a proposition of solidarity among women, became a means to limitdissent and began to divide more than to unite. Long (1998) pointed out “there were noguarantees against competitive hostility, against confidences betrayed. Indeed our very concept ofsisterhood was rather idealized, as if among real sisters competition does not exist along with loveand attachment” (330).An equally incompatible area of conflict focused around the lines of gender and sex. Lovewas regarded as an institution, and marriage and motherhood denoted intimate relationships withmen. “Sisterhood” was to serve as a justification for separation and isolation from men. According to...
