Class Issues: The Bottom Line For Feminist Change?

Off Our Backs, Jan/Feb 2005 by Mantilla, Karla

One example that has worked is single mothers' house sharing ( see www.co-abode.com), where single mothers team up to share housing, trade childcare, provide support and help each other in a variety of ways on a daily basis. The co-abode website features a profile to fill out so women of similar interests and lifestyles can find each other. Perhaps we could create something similar for lesbians who are not partnered or for older women.

There is much lore about lesbian retirement homes, the idea of which seems to strike a chord because it reflects the legitimate concern lesbians have about being taken care of in their old age. Perhaps we could work toward building institutions within our own communities to take care of each other.

Another way to help each other might be to form networks to help women who are sick or disabled. A good example of this is the Mautner Project in Washington, D.C., which raises funds and provides assistance to lesbians with cancer.

Finally, we could contribute to developing financial solidarity by keeping women's funds in the women's community. Focusing on leaving money to individual women or to women's projects in our wills assures that the finances unmarried women do have stay in the hands of women.

Meanwhile, we should continue to vote our interests-the interests of women-and support public policies that improve the lives of the women who need help the most.

The social services budgets that the current president has or will cut (like social security) further jeopardize the already precarious financial positions of women and mothers who are not married to men. As Bush and company make it harder and harder to get by, we need to take the financial constraints unmarried women face seriously, make financial solidarity among ourselves a priority, and come up with community solutions that work.

Source of data: "Economie Status in Later Life among Women Who Raised Children Outside of Marriage," February 2004, The Urban Institute.

Thanks to Amina Hafiz and Jennie Ruby for their contributions to this article.

* Total financial assets minus debts.

** Net worth without including future retirement benefits or equity in homes.