The Furies Collective house is a row house that is a two-story early 20th century brick dwelling which addressed at 219 11th St SE in Washington, D.C., and was, along with the Gay Liberation House and the Skyline Collective, among Washington, D.C.'s best known communal living groups in the early 1970s. They were an example of
lesbian feminism which emerged during the women's movement of the late 1960s and 1970s. The collective's decision to separate from the broader feminist movement (which they felt was dominated by white, heterosexual women) was partly motivated by a desire for a more revolutionary, non-compromising stance on issues of women’s liberation, which would resonate well with the collective’s specific aims.The twelve women in the collective were aged eighteen to twenty-eight, all feminists, lesbian, and white with three children among them. They shared chores and clothes, held some of their money in common, and slept on mattresses on a common floor. All of the founding members had extensive organizing and activist experience before they started The Furies. In particular, many were members of the women's movement, specifically the DCWLM (D.C. Women's Liberation Movement). The group was modeled after other revolutionary movements such as the
Black Panther Party and
the Weathermen. In this sense, they aimed to promote a global revolution through the establishment of small radical groups. They wanted to abolish
patriarchy,
white supremacy, and
imperialism. They were particularly devoted to developing and exploring
feminist theory, especially the way in which sexual identity is socially constructed. As part of their mission, they started a school to teach women auto and home repair so they would not be dependent on men. Members called for other feminists to create more communes wherein women could nurture their relationships with one another away from
male chauvinism. Men as well as heterosexual woman were seen as impediments to progress. Most of the members of the collective wrote for their newspaper,
The Furies. From January 1972 until mid-1973, the paper was published and distributed nationally. In the first issue in January 1972, contributor
Ginny Berson stated her view that: "... Sexism is the root of all other oppressions, and Lesbian and woman oppression will not end by smashing capitalism, racism, and imperialism. Lesbianism is not a matter of sexual preference, but rather one of political choice which every woman must make if she is to become woman-identified and thereby end male supremacy."
The Furies received criticism from other feminist publications for using elitist, male-determined standards of language and theory. The criticism included focusing on theory because it was a tool used and created by men which ultimately perpetuates male power. Additionally, critics argued that
The Furies publishing the names of authors undermines the collective nature of knowledge in the movement and upholds hierarchical power structures that parallel those in society. The members of the collective included little coverage of this criticism in their publication. This resistance to criticism and devotion to theory above personal experience alienated many women and hindered the Furies' ability to expand their membership in order to achieve their mass movement goals. The group promoted a model of lesbianism for all members of the women's movement, an alternative identity which combined
sexual orientation,
gender identity, and
radical philosophy. ==Members==