A definition (as it relates to women) from the Community Resource Centre of Goulbourn, Kanata & West Carleton, 1995:
“Social Action is any planned and public activity that creates an opportunity to change beliefs and practices of individuals and institutions in order to improve women’s political, economic and social position in society.”
It is important to do social action because women still have a long way to go. The reality for women is that:
- most poor people are women and children
- women still earn less than men
- women are still primarily responsible for childcare
- women continue to be victims of sexual harassment and violence
- women are under –represented in government and in positions of authority
Examples of social action are:
- education (e.g. lectures, workshops, displays, fundraisers)
- developing coalitions (e.g. petitions, letter writing, lobbying, pamphlets, voter actions)
- organizing people as consumers (e.g. group lobbying, boycott, court actions)
- organizing people as workers (e.g. vigils, blockades, sit ins, marches)
- mass movements of people (e.g. mass rallies, vigils, demonstrations, marches, walks)
- forming alternative structures (e.g. withdrawal from social institutions, alternative research, setting up co-ops)
It is important to take a good look at words and to choose our words carefully. Language is a powerful tool. Language shapes our beliefs and culture. Words can be used to make us feel accepted or excluded; to share about ourselves or to mask our experience; to help us be understood or to turn others against us. Words can have different meanings for different women, so it is important to commonly define the words we use (like feminism or social action) in our discussions so that we understand each other and so that we do not make assumptions that may cause harm.
When participating in social action, it is important to always be aware of SAFETY. Some safe social action guidelines include always working in pairs or groups and using police protection at marches and demonstrations. It is also wise to consider safety when choosing battles – when deciding whether or not to challenge or confront individuals or institutions.
