The Heirs of Aradia, Daughters of Diana

Abstract

SUMMARY What happens when young third wave feminists learn from second wave feminists what living in community means? This article gives an account of engagement between generations of second and third wave feminists as the younger women began documenting the herstory of Aradia, a radical, separatist and mostly lesbian community and non-profit organization in conservative West Michigan in the 1970s and 1980s. The younger women learned the importance of non-hierarchical political organizing to counter differences of experience and power. They learned that divisions of work and play prevent the development of community and that “high play” is critically important for creative energy and insight. And they learned that mythmaking is more than fantasy; it creates reality. The older women learned that for the third wave identity and sexuality are more fluid. They learned that the younger feminists recognized and valued their contributions, and sought to carry feminist goals forward. Both generations were empowered by the encounter and learned the radical effects of women speaking across generations.