C.R and Support Groups

In coming out and saying "Yes, I'm a feminist," I am often confronted with "Ah, but do you really think you are oppressed?" Shit, I think, here I am in a privileged position, with no commitments such as children, at university and feeling more and more adequate about confronting sexism in my personal interactions with others. How am I oppressed?

Well, for me as an individual, personal oppression is no longer the reason I identify myself as a feminist. I am a feminist for two reasons. Firstly because I am continually aware of others' sexism, in my interaction with people in the day to day world, and as it is imposed through the political structure. Secondly, I am a feminist because through consciousness raising and support groups I have moved from a position of being defined and accepting the definition of women that society imposes through its institutions and the media.

I believe that many women have been able to re-define themselves through support groups, so they are no longer internally oppressed. But I think it is also crucial to realise every day, and on a long term basis that people confront sexism which is both limiting and restrictive, preventing people from developing their full potential. Changing one's own self-definition is not enough in isolation, consciousness raising is, and should be, a politicising process.

It is my own view that consciousness raising groups are an important part of the feminist movement because they allow women a chance to re-define themselves, as women identified women, and identify their oppression as a result of living in a sexist society. This oppression may be identified as male, capitalist, and/or consumer orientated, depending on one's overall political perspective.

My interest in support groups has grown out of being involved with two groups at various times, and being interested with the whole concept of change, both personal and political, through consciousness raising and personal growth. Ideally support groups provide women with a safe environment to examine their internalised oppression in a trusting situation. Where there is on-going group commitment, women are free to examine how they feel about themselves and other women and men. From here common experience allows us to think of ways of seeing and dealing with the problems that we face as women.

I believe it is crucial that the support group makes the connection between an individual's problems and the political implication of the problem. For example women who feel ineffective because they have assumed a passive, unassertive role need to do more than change that role for themselves. It is essential that they realise that since most other women have been taught to be passive and unassertive, women's views on a number of levels simply have not been voiced. In this way personal oppression has been a powerful tool in keeping woman politically oppressed.

A further function of the support group is that it is a good situation in which we, as women, can give each other feedback and validation. This is contrary to the way we have been taught to relate to others in a society where competition and success are the motivation for much of our behaviour. Giving other women support for their strengths is important to the feminist movement, because it encourages women to be self-activating, and it removes the need for male approval. With the support of other women we can evolve a new definition of ourselves.

Lastly, and very importantly, the support group acts to keep women in touch with ideas, skills and information which are feminist related. In this way the support group is a valuable 'mini' resource centre.

Part of the reason that I am writing this article is to encourage other women and men to form their own consciousness raising and support groups, for I think it is a valuable experience, personally and politically, and because it allows you to establish close, on-going relationships with individuals and as a group.

Ann Elborn