freedom is something you assume and then you wait for someone to take it away. The Ladies Anarchist Solidarity Society (LASS) aims to provide solidarity to all those who are fighting oppression and authority. We recognise that there are a number of corruptive institutions which directly or indirectly trample the rights of our fellow humans. Using the tools that traditionally have been forced on w
omen as a means to devalue and marginalize them, as well as those that have been denied to us as a result of our perceived or real genders, we commit to not only calling out these systems but to actively work towards dismantling them. LASS is not limited to women because we recognise that in order to overthrow the system everyone must work together. LASS also recognizes that devaluing and marginalizing all things feminine within patriarchal and heteros*xist systems affect ALL oppressed communities. Working across gendered lines helps us ALL achieve liberation. We acknowledge that eradicating these systems is not an easy task, and no one is able to fight against them in their entirety, but we are committed to lending support and true solidarity by any means we are able to within our own individual and collective contexts. We understand that as a result of these systems not everyone's participation will look the same and that there are a number of ways in which people participate in the movement. These include, but are not limited to; street theatre, theatre of the oppressed, black/pink blocs, s*x work, direct action, writing, crafting, alternative care arrangements, politics of care, freeskools, homeschooling, spiritual support, gardening, book fairs, midwifery, cooking for others, and political actions. We don’t expect anyone to participate in all, or any, of these actions but we acknowledge that in order to remain a movement that is not splintered, we must remain in solidarity with each other. LASS engages in and directly supports a diversity of tactics. We believe that all humans should be able to live free from the threat of violence - be it physical, emotional, institutional, epistemological, or otherwise. When we use the word violence, we are not only referring to bodily harm such as assault and r**e, but we are also recognising oppression, poverty and state authority as forms of violence. We distinguish a difference between violence against people and violence against property. We do not condone violence against our oppressors because we refuse to use their tactics. We conscientiously object to participation in any actions that will harm another and instead we choose to model an alternative form of interaction and reconciliation. We will actively work as participants in our society to resist all forms of oppression including (but not limited to): s*xism, homophobia, heteros*xism, ciss*xism and transphobia, sizeism and fatphobia, ableism, racism, classism, religious intolerance, ageism, slut-shaming, s*x-negativity, and any other belief that enslaves us. At the same time we acknowledge that these issues will come up, and we are committed to addressing them, creating safe(r) space for discussion and support in working towards eliminating these manifestations of oppression. Within all of our events and actions we will aim to make them as accessible and as child-friendly as possible within our means, and we will seek out ways to improve based on our and our community’s experiences. We are also survivor-centric and survivor-oriented. This means that if a decision needs to be made, we will give the benefit of the doubt to a survivor over a perpetrator. Above all else, we acknowledge that each of us are imperfect and that we have all been victimised at some time in our lives. In order to maintain a safe(r) space for all, we are committed to calling each other out on oppressive actions, language, and thoughts, as well as providing solidarity to those people who are striving to better our world. Being a lass is more than an attitude: it’s a way of life. In solidarity sisters, brothers, and genderqueers,
The Ladies Anarchist Solidarity Society (LASS)
