ON THE FRONT LINES OF FEMINISM
Eleanor Pam
3.4.2013
Eleanor Pam, Marilyn Fitterman, Syd
Beiner, Sandy Rapp singing"Remember Rose: A Song For
Choice."
The reviews are in and the accolades keep coming! Our VFA sponsored
panel discussion, ON THE FRONT LINES OF FEMINISM was a smash hit!
The event either provoked or satisfied some hunger for programs like this
because there was an instantaneous clamor for more of the same.
The rain that had been coming down all day and evening on February
27, 2013 in Ft Lauderdale seemed not to have dampened the spirits or
depressed the attendance of this South Florida audience. Most heard about
the panel by virtue of membership in one or more of the seven other
sponsoring local women's organizations--activist groups that included
Broward County NOW, Planned Parenthood, Palm Beach County NOW. They
crowded into the room, eager to hear four Veterans speak about their
experiences as pioneer feminists in the early Women's Movement. There was
no charge for the event and refreshments were served.
The panelists
were Eleanor Pam, VFA Vice President for Media Relations (who organized
and facilitated the event), Mary Vasiliades, Syd Beiner, and Marilyn
Fitterman. All are members of VFA and biographees in
FEMINISTS WHO
CHANGED AMERICA. Each spoke in
chronological order--starting with Pam who was the earliest among them to
join the feminist movement and ending with Fitterman who was the last.
This provided an interesting and valuable timeline for early feminism and
its important foremothers. The panel regaled the audience with some
fascinating stories of early actions they planned and/or took part in.
Each described the reasons and personal circumstances that precipitated
and inspired their respective activism.
These
presentations were warmly received by the audience who sat in respectful
silence throughout the two hour event that also included two videos--Al
Sutton's EQUALITY and VFA Board Member Martha Wheelock's ONE
FINE DAY--as well as musical performances by singer/songwriter Sandy
Rapp. At one point, three of the panelists joined Rapp and sang back-up
for the final piece, "Remember Rose: A
Song For Choice.".
Eventually, the audience joined in too. Mary Vasiliades
and Eleanor Pam
All five presenters wore their VFA Medals Of Honor
which set the stage for the Medaling ceremony. Ample time was left for a
Q&A and the audience participation was robust and comprehensive.
Although the panelists had talked extensively about historical events that
took place decades ago, none of the questions probed this past. Instead
every query or comment was prospective--looking forward at future
possibilities, focusing on the next generations of females, worrying about
the prognosis for the ERA.
At the conclusion of the event, the audience rose spontaneously and applauded the panelists. It was a very long and enthusiastic standing ovation. Later, there were many private expressions of gratitude and pride.
Stimulated and palpably reluctant to leave right away, most in the
audience lingered, talking excitedly to each other and to the panelists.
Security finally arrived to turn out the lights and suddenly, it was over.
Comments: Eleanor Pam eleanorpam@aol.com