User:NervousGnome/sandbox
Aint I A Woman? (Iowa City, IA, United States) 1970-1974
Where was it advertised? (Gale Alberta has manuscripts/artifacts)
Archive: "Oin't Jawoman?" Aint I A Woman?, 26 June 1970, p. [1]. Archives of Sexuality and Gender, link-gale-com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/apps/doc/LGVJXE308010697/AHSI?u=edmo69826&sid=bookmark-AHSI&xid=2c0dea8f. Accessed 22 July 2024.
Ain't I A Woman? (Newspaper)
[edit]First published in 1970 in Iowa City, the newspaper - named after the famous 1850 speech by Sojourner Truth "Ain't I a Woman?" - was published twice a month by a small collective of anonymous women. The paper was published by the Publications Collective of the Iowa City Women's Liberation Front.
Stance and Mandate
[edit]Citing "[...] no underground or peoples papers in Iowa City," the collective sought to inform of and contribute to the second-wave women's movement. In an attempt to decentralize the regions conventional literary canon, Ain't I a Woman, was charged with publishing writing for women and people of color, demographics which were largely unrepresented in periodical literature at the time. Additionally, the collective recognized the growing feminist communications networks and aimed to contribute to that ecology by positioning themselves as representatives for Mid-West women and creating a forum for the ideas and actions of the feminist movement.
The newspaper was unique in the way that it enacted radical feminist and socialist theory in addition to its salacious and often explicit diction. Without hierarchy, the editorial team found themselves with shared responsibilities in producing literature that was intended to develop the skills necessary in women to confront convention and take an aggressive approach to feminist activism.
Political Philosophy
[edit]The collective believed that mainstream press was a tool for elite classes to use and control information which serves to oppress marginalized groups in North America. Thus, women were charged with combatting what they viewed as oppressive societal structures in order to replace them with new, inclusive, and beneficent ones.
Activism
[edit]Ain't I a Woman dedicated much of its time coordinating resources and organizations in order to meet shared goals within the Iowa women's movement. From seeking to grow the confidence of women in their daily lives to raising funds for women struggling to access abortion services, the collective mobilized as many people and resources as possible.
- Gay Womanhood
- Abortion Rights
- Anti-Sexism Activism
- Anti-War Activism
- Anti-Racism Activism
- Anti-Police Brutality
- Protester Amnesty'
- Anti-censorship
- Strike
- ROTC Abolition
Dum Dum Day Care (title chosen by the children)
[edit]Iowa City Child Care Collective