“A part of living feminism": intergenerational feminism in a working class area

In recent years young women’s feminist activism has often been ignored or criticised for not conforming to older women’s expectations regarding the style and content of their praxis. Similarly, the political struggles of working class women have often been overlooked due to the sometimes hidden nature of their resistance to oppression and marginalisation. This article presents a case study of young, working class women who are active in their community on the south western outskirts of Sydney, through an exploration of the group’s processes of collective identity. The Young Women Who Are Parents Programme is based in a women’s health centre, and provides a unique program of structured, intergenerational support for the young women as they are trained to become advocates for other young women who are parents in the area. The fact that this inclusive model of feminist praxis exists and is thriving in one of the more disadvantaged areas of Sydney suggests that the women’s movement as a whole is capable of learning lessons about being more inclusive. Further, the fact that feminist organisations such as this one are actively engaging young women in feminist processes of collective identity may prove to have a significant impact on any future wave of feminist activism in Australia.