AS MELANIE PHILLIPS pointed out in an article in The Guardian the day before the general election, the women's movement has always found Mrs Thatcher rather difficult to handle.
underlies the difficulty is that the women's moveissues.
This was always difficult although unity can be achieved among women around the struggles demands - abortion, contraception, equal pay and education and so more more women have been forced to link these to the broader question of what kind of economic social strategy will achieve them.
So we have seen women joining, parties of the left, particularly the Labour Party has recently had a big influx of feminist women into its ranks.
Outwrite, unequivocal as usual, came out with a • Recause thought of another Thatcner governmenl fills with absolute horror, those of us who can will be voting Labour on Polling Day'• They then listed their reasons. Tory attitudes on racism, health care, law and order, unemployment. the 'family', education 41u homelessness all being reasons to vote against the Tories and for Labour.
The Rights of Women (ROW) collective, press conference called to discuss women's issues in the election, took a dif ferent view.
pamphlet Women Fight the Tories carried detailed information specifying what four years of Tory rule had meant for women, laying this information our m the context of the seven demands.
'Another five years prove 'They are putalcalace ting us out of paid jobs, cutting the welfare services and threatening to restrict "our place"
us 10 home. The women as a nation of housekeeners.' But Jenny Earl, speaking for the ROW collective, said they couldn't agree on calling for a Labour vote. She suggested that should vote against the Tories but that each candidate should be judged locally on women's issues neither of the Decise other groupings had brilliant record on women.
The press conference turned into a lively forum for debate at this point. One of the women from Channel 4'S Broadside suggested that the Labour Party had far more to say it's manifesto women calling for increases in child benefits, Dosilive prog rammes, the establishment of Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value than any of the other parties.
It was pointed out that there were women standing from both the SDP and the Labour Party who legitimately claim the title feminist and that this was a crucial decision for women because their votes could make the difference between a coalition or a Labour government.
Shirley Williams, some added in, anti-abortion. But still the representatives were not to be budged, one or two said they would Wolel personally be Labour but they felt that it was to women to decide.
Asked about the Tory manifesto commitment to ban videos the issue was left aside because no woman Women Against Violence Against Women was present.
Spare Rib played it much safer than this and sothing about a gover- absolutely nollllls• ment being remanied power that will create more poverty, unempios• ment and unhappiness for women than we have experienced for decades.
It's about time the feminist press became more political and stuck its neck out against both blue and pink Tories. It'Il have to if Maggie stays in power for another five years.
United action around issues shouldn't mean the smothering of views within the women's movement. Abstaining. on your opinion nowadays is an invitation to tactical voting.
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Images of the 'Iron Maiden' apart, what really ment over the last ten years has tried to steer clear of 'male polities' and concentrate instead on women's