Moving beyond identity politics

The National Organization for Women is coming to New Orleans to join in the Saturday march to demand restoration of fair voting for Katrina victims. Though it is true that the voting issue affects many women, it is fundamentally a problem of the African American community. NOW sees itself as a civil rights organization as well as a feminist organization, which is a breath of fresh air in this world of rigid identity politics.

It seems to me, however, that it has always been the women's movement that has worked on behalf of the oppressed groups of which many of its members belong--the civil rights movement, the disability rights movement, the gay rights movement. But I usually don't see that kind of activism from other groups. Until people understand that if there is one oppressed group, we are all oppressed, nothing will change. And of course, I extend that to include members outside of my species.