Cell 16
Encyclopedia
Cell 16 was a militant feminist organization known for its program of celibacy
, separation from men and self-defense training (specifically Karate
). Considered too extreme by many mainstream feminists, the organization acted as a sort of hard left
vanguard
.
. Cultural Historian Alice Echols
cites Cell 16 as an example of feminist heterosexual separatism, as the group never advocated lesbianism as a political strategy. Echols credits Cell 16's work for "helping establishing the theoretical foundation for lesbian separatism. In No More Fun and Games, the organization's radical feminist periodical, Cell Members Roxanne Dunbar and Lisa Leghorn advised women to "separate from men who are not consciously working for female liberation", but advised periods of celibacy, rather than lesbian relationships, which they considered to be "nothing more than a personal solution."
Massachusetts
underground newspaper calling for a "Female Liberation Front." The original membership also included Dana Densmore, the daughter of Donna Allen, Lisa Leghorn, Betsy Warrior, and Abby Rockefeller
. The group's name was meant "to emphasize that they were only one cell of an organic movement" and referenced the address of their meetings - 16 Lexington Avenue.
No More Fun and Games ceased publication in 1973. Cell 16 disbanded in 1973 as well.
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
, separation from men and self-defense training (specifically Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
). Considered too extreme by many mainstream feminists, the organization acted as a sort of hard left
Hard left
Hard left is a name often given to an internal tendency within the British Labour Party. Similar terminology is used also in the context of the Australian Labor Party....
vanguard
Vanguardism
In the context of revolutionary struggle, vanguardism is a strategy whereby an organization attempts to place itself at the center of the movement, and steer it in a direction consistent with its ideology....
.
Ideology
Founded in 1968 by Roxanne Dunbar, Cell 16 has been cited as the first organization to advance the concept of separatist feminismSeparatist feminism
Separatist feminism is a form of radical feminism that holds that opposition to patriarchy is best done through focusing exclusively on women and girls...
. Cultural Historian Alice Echols
Alice Echols
Alice Echols is a cultural critic and historian. A specialist of the 1960s, Echols is Professor of English, Gender Studies and History at the University of Southern California.-Education:Echols received her Bachelor's degree from Macalester College in 1973...
cites Cell 16 as an example of feminist heterosexual separatism, as the group never advocated lesbianism as a political strategy. Echols credits Cell 16's work for "helping establishing the theoretical foundation for lesbian separatism. In No More Fun and Games, the organization's radical feminist periodical, Cell Members Roxanne Dunbar and Lisa Leghorn advised women to "separate from men who are not consciously working for female liberation", but advised periods of celibacy, rather than lesbian relationships, which they considered to be "nothing more than a personal solution."
History
In the Summer of 1968, Dunbar placed an ad in a BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
underground newspaper calling for a "Female Liberation Front." The original membership also included Dana Densmore, the daughter of Donna Allen, Lisa Leghorn, Betsy Warrior, and Abby Rockefeller
Abby Rockefeller
Abby Rockefeller, born 1943, is a member of the Rockefeller family.- Biography :Abby Rockefeller is the eldest and most rebellious daughter of David Rockefeller, Sr.. She was drawn to Marxism and was an ardent admirer of Fidel Castro and a late 1960s/early '70s radical feminist who belonged to the...
. The group's name was meant "to emphasize that they were only one cell of an organic movement" and referenced the address of their meetings - 16 Lexington Avenue.
No More Fun and Games ceased publication in 1973. Cell 16 disbanded in 1973 as well.
External links
- Pearson, Kyra. Mapping rhetorical interventions in "national" feminist histories: Second wave feminism and Ain't I a Woman. (1999) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3669/is_199907/ai_n8828807/pg_1
- Duke University has digitized some issues of the journal "No More Fun and Games" http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/wlm/fun-games1/