Graduation Date
1997
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Other
Committee Chair Name
Dr. Judith Little
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Elizabeth Watson
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Carol A. Whitehurst
Fourth Committee Member Name
Dr. Linda A. Parker
Keywords
Art
Abstract
This thesis explores current and historical definitions for both feminism and lesbianism. Throughout the “Second Wave” of feminism, lesbianism was viewed as the ultimate form of female empowerment. Today, fewer women are choosing to label themselves feminists, while there may be more lesbians “out” than ever before. Since the connection between lesbianism and feminism seems weaker today, I compared a wide age range of lesbians in terms of their feminist identification in a rural college town in Northern California (granted exempt status from Humboldt State University’s Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research) . According to my research on lesbians and bisexual women in Humboldt County, younger lesbians hold weaker feminist identification, are less consciously separatist, and have more faith in the American political system and leaders than older lesbians. The oldest age group (44-60 years old) participated more in lesbian community activism. I conclude with recommendations for building alliances across generations to continue the important social change put forward by the second wave.
Recommended Citation
Coddington, Melanie J., "How Far Have We Come? Involvement in Feminism as a Function of Age in the Lesbian Community" (1997). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2468.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2468