Emma Goldman aus aktueller feministischer Perspektive

Die Aktualität Emma Goldmans ist ungebrochen. Allzu oft wird sie allerdings leider nur als "Vorzeigefrau" der anarchistischen Bewegung vorgeschoben, während viele andere Frauen, die in der Bewegung aktiv waren (und sind) vergessen werden. Erfrischend scheint mir hingegen der Vortrag "Sexual Politics and Revolution: Emma Goldman's Passion" von Clare Hemmings, der sie stärker aus aktueller feministischer Sicht behandelt. Durch diesen Zugang ergibt sich meines Erachtens ein inspirierendes Bild.

This paper charts the significance of Emma Goldman's revolutionary thought for a contemporary analysis of sexuality, gender and revolt. Throughout her life (1869-1940) and work Goldman centred sexuality as both key to how capitalism functions (particularly for women) and as a privileged site for political transformation. Connecting sexuality to labour, Goldman's analyses of reproduction, prostitution, homosexuality and free love provide a helpful challenge to contemporary feminist investments in materialist and cultural analyses as opposed, and open up the possibility of an alternative feminist history with sexual materialism at its heart. But in claiming Goldman's thinking for a post-Marxist queer and feminist politics, what do we need to ignore in her thought? What does serious consideration of the sexual (but not gendered) essentialism that grounds Goldman's thought do to a contemporary vision of feminist transformation? Drawing on primary materials and a creative re-reading of archival fragments, I suggest that Goldman's sexual politics allows for a reinvigorated feminist method (as well as politics) with a real connection to others at its heart.