Kamala Lopez recently made virtual introductions stating, “you have to meet Zoe!” Kamala told me that Zoe is inspirational, dedicated and freakin rad. After I read her bio at About.com, I had to agree.
Zoe Nicholson is rad and I have a mad crush.
Who says there aren’t any feminist icons, heroic female role models and committed sheroes in our midst? She’s right here. And here. Oh, and here. She’s also featured in the documentary, March On, and her book, The Hungry Heart: A Woman’s Fast for Justice, is available for anyone and everyone to read about her courageous fight for the ERA and her 37-day fast along with 6 other women in 1982.
The legislation seems simple enough and on face value it would appear that its passage would not be too difficult. However, such was not the case, and it was not until 1972, when the Congress of the USA finally passed it. However, it needed ratification endorsement by at least 38 states before it would become the law of the land. Furthermore, a deadline was placed on its ratification, June 30, 1982. There were thirty- five states that had ratified the legislation, leaving 3 states short of the required 38. One of these states was Illinois, where Nicholson’s story and her titanic struggle transpired.
Nicholson was one of seven women, who assembled in the rotunda of the Illinois Statehouse in Springfield in May and June of 1982, and fasted only on water for 37 days. Their objective was to persuade the legislators and Americans that the equal-rights amendment must become part of the Constitution. Illinois was chosen because this state required a 3/5, rather than a majority for ratification.
In the words of the author, she was a “satyagrahi.” or an advocate of the philosophy of non-violence resistance, as practiced by Mahatma Gandhi, who had forced an end to the British Rule. When asked by reporters why was she fasting, Nicholson explained that this is the first time where she was putting her body and heart in the same place with the same intensity, and where she was not doing something useless or meaningless.
Social media has allowed contemporary feminism to flourish. It is through social media that I have created a more expansive community of feminists, activists and those seeking human rights for all people.
It is through my collaborative relationship with Kamala that I met Zoe, an inspirational beacon of light ready to share wisdom, experience and love.
To the Second Wave, who have not made the transition to the Third Wave’s ways, let me say the US Women’s Movement is alive and well. You only have to grab your board and get online, google feminist, join facebook and search for NOW or ERA. Spend a couple of hours at RHRealitycheck.org, Change.org, Feministing.com, SheWrites.com, care.org, feministblogs.org and you will know EXACTLY where the women’s movement is. There is plenty of room, jump in, the water is rad.
If I get to splash around with women like Zoe, women that have served, sacrificed, challenged, agitated and promoted change, I am in!
I’ll be meeting Zoe Nicholson soon in class and if she is “rad” then I cannot wait to meeet her. The fact that she fasted for 37 days is unbelievable. I can tell how serious she is about getting equal rights when she “wanted to but her body through the same intensity as her heart.” I am excited to meet her and ask so many questions.