Feminism

Activist Dick Gregory recently gave a speech for the Ford Hall Forum that was recorded by NPR. Today, Fresh Air will play an excerpt of that speech, on the subject "Are Minorities Really Powerless?" The topics addressed in the excerpt are the 1980 presidential election, Gregory's distaste for the concept of "voting for the lessor of two evils," and the "choicelessness" the common voter feels. The speech was given prior to the election.

Holly Near is a folk musician, actress, and activist. He joins the show to discuss her life career, and politics.

Author Elizabeth Janeway explores how power structures create social divisions between the men and women both in U.S. and abroad. She considers what cultural and legal changes can be made to elevate the status of women from all backgrounds.

Fresh Air broadcasts a lecture by sociologist Ann Beuf, who looks at how patriarchal traditions have led to a strict division of gender roles within marriage and the family, the legal disenfranchisement of married women, and men's sometimes violent displays of power.

Actress Linda Lovelace discusses her terrifying history of sexual abuse, assault and exploitation--often at the hands of her ex-husband Chuck Traynor--which led to her to star in pornographic films like the iconic Deep Throat. Her new memoir is called Ordeal.

Part two of the Fresh Air interview with Selma James and Wilmette Brown. They argue that women who perform housework need to be paid a fair wage to achieve economic independence from men.

The United Way's Southeastern Pennsylvania branch recently rejected Women's Way petition for membership because of the latter's support for abortion rights and services. In light of this development, representatives of the three philanthropic organizations explain to host Terry Gross and Fresh Air callers different models of fundraising for charities and other groups working for social change.

Selma James and Wilmette Brown are members of the group Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics (COYOTE), which advocates for the decriminalization of prostitution and protections of sex workers. This is part one of their interview.

Poet and playwright Sonia Sanchez discusses teaching young writers, her experiences as an African American woman, and her appreciation and critique of white feminist movements.

Deirdre English is an investigative journalist for Mother Jones magazine. She discusses her problems with the film Apocalypse Now, violence against women, pornography and the cultural impact of feminism.