Out of The Shadows: Women, Resistance and Politics in South America

by Jo Fisher

Since the early 1970s the lives of South America's women have been transformed by military rule. In Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, women were at the forefront of the opposition to dictators such as Chile's General Pinochet and Paraguay's Alfredo Stroessner. New "social movements" of shanty town and peasant women set up their own organizations, expanding into the vacuum left by the military's destruction of the old, male-dominated left. Built around traditional female concerns such as keeping their families fed and healthy, the new women's movements nevertheless has a seismic impact on gender consciousness throughout the region. Coming together in communal kitchens, trade unions, groups of relatives of the disappeared, or as landless peasants, women ended the isolation of home life. Along the way, many became conscious of discrimination against women, at the hands of both the state and their partners and husbands. They developed a form of grassroots feminism far removed from the middle-class feminism of the city centers. Since the downfall of the military regimes, the women's movement has had difficulty adjusting to the shifting sands and deceptions of civilian politics. Yet it remains a source of hope and new ideas in the effort to build a new, democratic left in South America. This work presents their story, told by the women themselves.

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[K.L. Loveley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate to have this passed to me recently, from one of my patients at the surgery where I work. The person in question is related to the author and was very proud ( quite rightly so ) to loan me her personnel hard back copy.
In the past as part of my degree studies, I read a number of books and journals covering the subject of Social History. It is quite some time since I have read a book of this genre and I was not disappointed.
"Out of the Shadows" written by Jo Fisher and first published by 'The Latin-American Bureau. is a very well written book about the lives of South American women and how their lives were drastically transformed from the seventies onwards. The actions of Military rulers in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay reinforced the extreme discrimination against women.
This book documents how the women of these countries, led the opposition to dictators such as: Chile's General Pinochet and Paraguay's General Strossner.
This is an inspiring story told by the women themselves, documenting the courage and strength with which thousands of working class women, faced the violence on poverty inflicted upon them by military rule.
kudos to Jo Fisher for being brave enough in 1993 to publish her work on the account of Women, resistance and politics.