Tjejgrupp - stärkande eller problematiskt kollektiv? : En analys av erfarenheter och minnen från feministiska tjejgrupper

This essay investigates the results of participation by teenage girls in feminist groups, the so called girl groups. These groups are descendants of the awareness-raising groups of the 1970’s feminist movement. The essay assumes the relevance of theories of heteronormativity and performativity, as well as theories surrounding two different ways to organize girl groups. It is done either through the Pippi-feminism, named after strong independent book character Pippi Longstocking, or through the collective empowerment feminism. The aim of this essay is to examine the outcome of these groups – that is, what previous participants remember and have taken to heart of what was discussed at the girl groups. Through using interviewing methods influenced by the methodology of feminist oral history, memories and experiences by these former participants concerning their involvement with the girl groups have been recorded. The informants give mostly positive accounts of their time in the girl group, emphasizing the importance of the discussions which the group brought up concerning feminism and sexuality. Another important aspect of the group was the role playing, which allowed the girls to explore new performative utterances. One important conclusion is that considering the effectiveness and importance of these girl groups, there is a need to find ways to organize similar groups for boys, so that the responsibility for a gender equal society is distributed equally between the sexes. This essay investigates the results of participation by teenage girls in feminist groups, the so called girl groups. These groups are descendants of the awareness-raising groups of the 1970’s feminist movement. The essay assumes the relevance of theories of heteronormativity and performativity, as well as theories surrounding two different ways to organize girl groups. It is done either through the Pippi-feminism, named after strong independent book character Pippi Longstocking, or through the collective empowerment feminism. The aim of this essay is to examine the outcome of these groups – that is, what previous participants remember and have taken to heart of what was discussed at the girl groups. Through using interviewing methods influenced by the methodology of feminist oral history, memories and experiences by these former participants concerning their involvement with the girl groups have been recorded. The informants give mostly positive accounts of their time in the girl group, emphasizing the importance of the discussions which the group brought up concerning feminism and sexuality. Another important aspect of the group was the role playing, which allowed the girls to explore new performative utterances. One important conclusion is that considering the effectiveness and importance of these girl groups, there is a need to find ways to organize similar groups for boys, so that the responsibility for a gender equal society is distributed equally between the sexes