Girl Power! Sisters of the Desert Sun Read Gloria Steinem

When we heard that Gloria Steinem was coming to town we knew that her memoir, "My Life on the Road" was going to be the September 2016 pick for Sisters of the Desert Sun.  Having been to Phoenix's Orpheum Theater before, I knew that I had to pick up my tickets from will-call and get on another line to enter.  When I arrived I was surprised to see that the line was rather short.  "What luck!" I thought, until I turned around to see a line that snaked around the Phoenix Civic Plaza and so far down the block I couldn't see the end.

This hot September evening did not deter the scores of Steinem fans anxiously waiting to hear from this renowned icon of women's rights and the 70's feminist agenda.  I stood on line and listened to passing conversations about work, parenting, Phoenix heat and, of course, the upcoming election.  With both conventions out of the way, energy was high, people were excited.  I was startled by a row near the theater entrance where an attendee demanded to be let in and led those closest to her in line in a chorus of chanting.  Steinem was here, alright, and her mere presence evoked the power of resistance

Once the doors were opened, the theater filled quickly and the room was electric with excitement and anticipation.  Steinem ignited the audience's energy as she shared contents of her memoir.  From Baby Boomers to Millennials, Steinem's message of empowerment was well received.  She reminded us of the risks that women of her era took to expose exploitation and unfairness.  She encouraged involvement in order to elicit change.

Whether you agree with Steinem's politics or agenda or not, agree with the new feminist agenda or not, "My Life on the Road" is worth the read.  It certainly sparked spirited conversation with members of Sisters of the Desert Sun regarding women of color and their role in the feminist movement of the 60's and 70's.  Our discussions included equity in feminism, privilege and feminism, and the exclusion of relative cultural domains in feminism and, of course, racism in feminism.  Our discourse challenged Steinem, her contemporaries, and prominent, feminist women of color.  Sisters of the Desert Sun can't do it any other way.

-Karen Rowe Gilliland