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The second part of dealing with the process is to assist each woman and the group to move forward, from the position of feeling oppressed -- which is at the source of her anger and pain -- to transforming her own oppression into an ability to take leadership and power, and act on those abilities rather than on feelings of victimization. After listening supportively to the expression of the feelings that come up, and after introducing the consciousness of women's oppression by others as well as by each other, we make demands for growth. We make demands on each woman to take full responsibility for her feelings of immobilization and powerlessness, granted the recognition of oppression of women in society. We make a demand on each woman to move from a position of blaming another (society, parent, teacher/leader, stronger peer, etc.) to a recognition that only she herself can ultimately change that for herself. We are there to support that growth and change, as well as to demand the transition from "mutual oppression to mutual support" (as Arlene Raven termed this process). The realization of the effect of oppression on women, the creation of a supportive environment to express the feelings that surface as a result of that recognition, and the demand to move beyond the trap of remaining in a state of anger, blame, pain, helplessness and ultimately taking charge of one's own power, all these are steps in the process that we call feminist education.

Throughout this process women experience anger, and blame is directed at whoever is the authority figure in the situation. Most women tend to get stuck, even if temporarily at the anger stage, out of fear of moving forward in a direction so utterly