Staking out the personal as political

Women’s Liberation groups arose in Wellington (1970) and Auckland (1971), spreading to Dunedin, Christchurch and provincial centres before long. Women in small, non-hierarchical groups throughout New Zealand were soon focusing their energies on personal change and commitment to active feminism. More traditionally structured membership groups, such as the National Organisation for Women focused on women’s political and economic rights. These two different approaches were sometimes dubbed ‘radical’ and ‘liberal’ feminism.