Women's Liberation Movement - The 1980s

The 1980s

The WLM ran into problems in the 1980s, both with a political backlash more generally, and questions about which women it was speaking for. It had always had extremely vociferous critics, from the tabloid press to Marxist groups; and, generally, not a happy relationship with the so-called 'stars' of feminism such as Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem or Germaine Greer. The WLM didn't much agree with 'stars' or leaders (although Simone de Beauvoir was certainly honoured by many within it). After years of being defined as loony women's libbers, it found itself attacked as elitist and racist.