Is Feminism Dead?

One of two titles in the I Am Woman series (the other is Voices of Power: African-American Women; series price: $159), Is Feminism Dead? is an absolutely first-rate production that asks whether feminism has gone out of style now that the women's movement of the 1960s and ‘70s has burst open doors of opportunity long barred. Combining interviews with such luminaries in the field as Ellen Goodman, bell hooks, Patricia Ireland and Phyllis Schlafly, together with archival footage, survey results, and even-handed narration, the program points out that the word "feminism" itself is encumbered with all sorts of cultural and political baggage, and that the women's movement is not only about gender, but also about class, race, economics, and marital status. The chief problem seems to be that while women's lives have changed dramatically because of the increased myriad of choices, society's expectations have not changed. Ergo, during the 1980s and ‘90s many women got equal work without equal pay, and were still expected to manage households and child-rearing. Even Ellen Goodman admits that the movement was successful at opening doors at entry level jobs, but has not been as effective at helping women rise above a certain corporate ranking. Still, even though feminism has not fully addressed the problems of quality day care or the inequity of established pay scales, and there is still antagonism between working and stay-at-home moms, Patricia Ireland encourages women to keep taking small steps for full equality, such as insisting on level playing fields (literally) for girls' and boys' soccer teams, or questioning the dry cleaner if he/she charges different rates for women's blouses vs. men's shirts. With its well-balanced viewpoint, succinct-yet-thorough presentation, and thought-provoking expertise, this program is an exceptional consideration for academic and public collections, updating earlier entries such as Mapping Feminism (VL-7/94) and complementing more recent titles such as My Feminism (VL-7/98). Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Glaser)