Reading Circle takes place every Monday at 4pm PST/7pm EST/12am UTC.

Reading Circle is a space for women to explore feminist literature as a group. Every week, we will read a short essay or excerpt of writing about feminist theory or women’s herstory, then discuss. Please read or listen to the text before each session, so we can come together for a thoughtful discussion!

About The Author

Joanna Russ was a feminist author and professor who is recognized for both her fiction and non-fiction writing. Her first book The Female Man (1975) is a prime example of feminist science fiction or feminist utopian writing from that time. She also published several books and essays of feminist literary criticism, applying feminist analysis to literature. Her 1983 book, How to Suppress Women's Writing is still widely referenced today.

This essay first appeared in Women's Studies Quarterly in spring of 1982. It's much more commonly recognized as part of Russ's 1985 book entitled, Magic Mommas, Trembling Sisters, Puritans & Perverts: Feminist Essays.

Recording

You can listen to a recording of this week's reading here.

Text

You can read this weeks text by following this link.

You can also download a PDF version here:

Joanna Russ (1982)
Power and Helplessness in the Women's Movement by Joanna Russ (1982)
Joanna Russ (1982).pdf
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Key Concepts

These definitions come from the piece we are reading this week. There is a short summary which is followed by longer quotes from the text.

Feminine Imperative

Women are required to serve. When there are no men to serve, they serve each other.

Women are supposed to make other people feel good, to fill others' needs without having any of our own; we are allowed no self-help at all.

Masculine Imperative

Men are required to dominate. When there are no women around to dominate, they dominate each other.

Men avoid the threat of failure, inadequacy, and powerlessness omnipresent in a society built on competition and private property by existing against others.

Magic Mommas

The self-sacrificing, feminist super hero, always serving women and/or the feminist movement.

Election to the status of Magic Momma requires some real, visible achievement, which, in a male dominated society, is rare. Nonetheless, every feminist group contains at least one Magic Momma; success being entirely relative, somebody can always be elevated to MM status.

MMs give to others eternally.
MMs are totally unselfish.
MMs have infinite time and energy.
MMs love all other women, always.
MMs never get angry at other women.
MMs don't sleep.
MMs never get sick.

If MMs don't fulfill the above conditions, they feel horribly, horribly guilty. MMs know that they can never do enough. Like the Victorian mother, the Magic Momma pays for her effectiveness by renouncing her own needs.

Trembling Sisters

The ever dependent feminist. She needs to constantly be served by feminists and/or the feminist movement.

Trembling Sisters are common. She has plenty to be enraged about, too. Having avoided the guilt of being effective, she's allowed to feel and express her own needs, but she pays for these "advantages" by an enforced helplessness which requires that somebody fill her needs for her, since she's not allowed to do so herself.

The trouble is that nobody can.

No matter how much being taken care of the TS manages to wangle out of others, it is never enough. For being taken care of is exactly what she does not need. It reinforces her helplessness, while what she really needs is access to her own effectiveness- and that is something no one can give to another person.

Trashing

A maintenance mechanism that kicks in when women or a group of women, step too far outside the feminine imperative.

Trashing in the feminist movement has always proceeded from "below" "upwards," directed by the Trembling Sister (that is, those who've adopted the TS position) at the self-elected (or merely supposed) MM. The hidden agenda of trashing is to remain helpless and to fail, whatever the ostensible motivation.

Reading Questions

  • Do you agree with the author, that socially imposed behaviour and value that women experience with regard to serving others via self-sacrifice are present in the feminist spaces? Can you think of an example?
  • The author describes the imperative to self-sacrifice as an abdication of the self for women; that since effectiveness in self-service is demonized, women are not able to self-actualize through service to others. Do you agree or disagree with this position?
  • Does the Magic Momma/Trembling Sister dichotomy seem like a direct reflection of the Feminine Imperative/Masculine Imperative? (The one who serves/the one who is served.) Explain why the parallel does or doesn't fit for you.
  • Do you know women who are constantly cast in the powerful caretaker role? Do you think it's important for her to step out of that role sometimes? How do you think she can do that?
  • Do you know women who are constantly cast in the helpless, care-needing role? Do you think it's important for her to step out of that role sometimes? How do you think she can do that?
  • The author evokes motherhood and the inherent guilt of having your own needs, when you've been cast in the role of a servant and nothing else. Do you think there are women who exhibit motherly dedication and guilt in their behaviour within the feminist movement?
  • This text describes women's inability to escape recreating the power dynamics and social roles that we've been socialized into. Can you think of any strategies or tools feminists can use to avoid this self-destructive pattern?
  • In her "revolutionary proposals" the author advises that feminist steer away from: self-sacrifice, martyrdom cults, uncritical support, etc. Can you think of any other behaviours or sentiments that contribute to the destructive powerful/helpless dynamic, that we could avoid?
  • Trashing is a self-regulation mechanism where feminists shoot ourselves in the foot, in an effort to neuter ourselves in the eyes of patriarchy. What impact do you think this has on the perception of feminism by society? What impact do you think this has on those women who are watching from outside, considering getting involved in feminism?
  • The author ends the essay by applauding the women who "risk winning" even though the most "successful" feminist fear what truly winning will mean. Given your understanding of this entire essay, how did you interpret this?

References

Russ, J. (1982). Power and helplessness in the women's movement. Women’s Studies Quarterly, 10(1), 7–10. The Feminist Press at the City University of New York.

Code of Participation

If you have questions, please read and review our Feminist Code Of Participation.