Why a Socialist Omens Committee?

Anne Black, Nottingham Socialist Womens Committee 1966 proved a year in which the fight for women's rights received a mch-needed shot in the arm. if we accept the challenge with militancy, 1969 should be a year of tremendous advance, It is vital that the working class movement in Britain accept the question of women's status as a very real political issue and that it be acted upon with the same seriousness as any other aspect of the struggle. ‘omen mst organise themselves to develop a programme aimed at raising the consciousness of women and activating them to make concrete demands forcine the Left to assimilate them into its programme for the establishment of a just society based on the full utilisation of the abilities, telents and intelligence of both sexes. This is a time of intense frustration for many women whose status has not changed since the suffragettes, for women are doubly oppressed, both on account of their sex and as workers, The oppressive nature of our society-stems from the establishment of private property and the consequent development of the paternal, monogamous family. Previously, women had been equal partners in the responsibilities of commnity life, but with the development of capitalism were relegated to a means of productinn owned and controlled to one decree or another, by the male. They provide a larce captive group easily exploitable in terms of workine conditions, types of jobs and wares. The combination of running a home and working brinzs home to married women the full extent of their exploitation, and the widespread inequalities in employment, in terms of opportunity, training and wares are burdens that rest ecually heavily on the single woman, not to mention the single mother. “omen mist organise to remove the intellectual dominance of the male. To enter the world of political man without an identity results in an atmosphere of tolerance snd patronage which does not advance our individuality and swamps our particuler problems and demands. we mist demand: complete rights over our own biological functions i.e. free access to birth control information and devices, abortion and a completély new attitude tr marriage with a view to ending enforced cohabitation. We stress that the "family" is only meaning?il if based on mutual consent, love and respect. Children mst be the responsibility of the community which should provdéde free creches and murseries, and legsl paternity abolished, We must destroy the image of marriage as a career, petty domestic routine and constant preoccupation with small children are not fulfilling activities for amy adult human being, We must demand full legal rights, such as the right to separate income tex returns, and we must demand equal y for work of equal value. “hile women represent 1/3 of the labour force ....._