Reclaim the Night demonstrations have historically been a point of contention within the womenâs movement. Such marches are often anti-sex work and pro-bourgeois feminism; it has been the job of socialist feminists to fight for class-based, internationalist feminism against a sometimes hostile backdrop.
Cambridgeâs second Reclaim the Night march since its re-launch last year was different. The demonstration consisted of a self-defining womenâs demonstration, a vigil open to all genders and a series of talks and music in Kingâs College chapel.
Cambridge University Studentâs Union womenâs officer Natalie Szarek kicked off the womenâs demonstration with a speech about the necessity of anger to the womenâs movement, something often side-lined by the apologetic nature of post-feminism, keen to deny the radical feminist identity of 1980s feminism.
She commented on the need for womenâs organisation in the workersâ movement, and the problematic question of the Policing and Crime Bill, that outlawed the purchase of sex in many situations form the first of April this year.
The demonstration was 300 strong, with a noisy, assertive demonstration shouting âsexist, racist, anti-gay, you canât take my night awayâ and âWomen, unite! Reclaim the night!â, and a menâs vigil under the auspices of the White Ribbon campaign which highlights menâs role in ending violence against women.
Speakers included one of the White Ribbon campaignerâs full-timers, a representative of Rape Crisis Uk and UK Feministaâs Kat Banyard â who gave an enlightening talk about the personal experience of those who suffer violence against women, as well as outlining her more problematic position on sex work. She was followed by Feminist Fightback and Workersâ Liberty activist Cathy Nugent, who, outlining an anti-capitalist vision, reminded us of the importance of womenâs resource centres and inter-struggle solidarity.
The show was stolen by socialist-feminist Faith Taylorâs performance of American folk song âCaleb Meyerâ, about a woman who fights off her attacker and holds him to justice. The event was passionate and truly empowering, and highlighted the potential for socialist ideas to take hold in the womenâs movement as a whole.