Cohousing-L Mailing List: Cohousing and Roe:Organizing at Madison National Conference in August

[Raines Cohen (rc3-coho-L]

I'll start right off by saying: this is a political post. It takes a stand
on an issue of concern to me and to many cohousers. In community, be it the
neighborhoods we live in or the virtual community that brings us together
here, there's strong conventions of staying away from controversial topics
or ones that bring attention to known differences. That's not possible
here. So if that's what's most important to you, please close this message
(and I hope the thread that follows it) and move on. I'm speaking only for
myself, as I currently hold no formal office with the national association.

Over my quarter century of involvement in the US cohousing movement, I've
come to appreciate its origins and how we live it as fundamentally
feminist. It adds choices to our lives, makes gender roles more balanced,
makes it easier to raise a family and have a career. Living in community,
we support and learn from one another throughout life. We live rich lives
through sharing while spending less on private space and possessions,
making up for the historically lower wages women earn. Learning from each
others' lives, struggles, and celebrations. Finding the right balance of
privacy and community, supporting all of our independence and autonomy.

And yet, here we are, facing a radical erosion of our privacy in the wake
of yesterday's Supreme Court decision. One with immediate effects in many
states, automatic triggering of laws that go after not just people who need
a particular kind of medical care, but those who would dare to provide it,
as well as those who help others seek it. Often in broad-brush fashion that
affects lots of routine care for women, reducing options and forcing
providers out of business. In ways that are quite clearly moving towards
limiting the rights and choices of my LGBTQ neighbors and others who are
"different" in some way.

As someone who has long thrived on unconventionality (I'm the guy with the
top hat), and who feels this is a threat both personally and to many of my
friends and neighbors, I see this as a call to action.

Of course, in community we can do much to close the gaps this creates. To
provide safe respite for people who need to leave their states, in our
guest rooms. To connect between communities and arrange house-trades and
mutual-support networks. To do our part to preserve life and liberty by
making sure everyone has access to the options they need, and funding to
get to where they can get access to them.

We can each have the greatest direct impact starting our organizing at
home, in our long-term relationships with our neighbors and the larger
community around our cohousing, making sure that politicians understand our
feelings and the importance of this topic. We can support each other in
amplifying our activism and financial support and outreach.

But we have a unique opportunity this Summer: The National Cohousing
Conference will be held in Madison, Wisconsin in late August. A swing state
that is in play in upcoming elections. Literally next door to the Wisconsin
State Capitol building. In a town with many cohousing communities, some
with experience in activism and supporting activists during previous
initiatives, like the recall of state judges.

Looking in the mirror (and at my travel calendar, spending much of the next
two months visiting some of the original cohousing in Denmark where it all
began), I acknowledge that I'm not the one to lead this campaign. But I'm
prepared to support and advocate for and follow those who are -- could you
be a part of it? From previous experience, some things we could do that
could have far-reaching effects include:

* Book extra days to visit before or after the National Cohousing
Conference to do outreach, door-knocking, administrative support or care
for those who are. Imagine a team of experienced cohousers coming to cook a
common meal at a local community, freeing up residents to do calling or
other get-out-the-vote work.

* Schedule conversations and information-sharing on this topic at the
conference itself, helping people bring back resources and inspiration to
their home communities.

* Fundraise: Support scholarships and carpooling / room sharing / camping
to send passionate activists from your community to the conference and to
do this kind of work.

* What else? This is just the beginning of a list of brainstorms.

Remember, Wisconsin has the same representation in the Senate as any other
state... but one sixth as many residents as mine. Similar things can be
said of neighboring states, likely to attract many conference participants.
A little effort here, if many of us work together, can go a long way to
making a difference in the long run.

My cohousing neighbor, Judy Gumbo Albert, just published her memoir, Yippie
Girl (highly recommended, BTW). She was a key part of the activism in
Chicago in the 1970s, organizing around the Democratic National Convention
there, and widow of an unindicted co-conspirator of the Chicago 7. Doing
much that was uncredited because of her gender. Trailed and tapped by the
FBI, simply for standing up for our rights. She went on to work for Planned
Parenthood, making sure the funds were there to ensure access to care for
all. Can we live up to her legacy, and add choices and inspiration for the
next generation of cohousers? That's up to you.

Raines
 living at Berkeley (CA) Cohousing
 currently visiting my first (and the first) UK Cohousing neighborhood,
Spring Hill in Stroud