Southern Feminist Organizing

Southern States Are The Frontlines, Not Disposable

People in the South deal with extreme inequalities and threats to their communities on a daily basis. From attacks on reproductive rights, education, immigration, LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC communities, to disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Helene, Southern communities are constantly responding to crises while facing long-term systemic oppression.

The South is home to more than half of the entire Black population in the United States. Marginalized groups, including Black, Indigenous, Latinx, working-class, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities, have historically been the first targets of repression, whether through voter suppression, poverty, mass incarceration, or the use of detention camps. These communities have long been at the forefront of resistance, culture, and community care, shaping local and national movements.

Our communities have developed knowledge and networks of support that combine mutual aid, advocacy, and grassroots organizing. People have fought for reproductive rights, housing justice, workers’ rights, voting rights, BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ protections, often under direct threats from extremist groups or hostile policies. The South is often where the impacts of extremism and oppression happen first, and where solidarity, survival, resistance, and care are often most urgently needed, and overlooked.

The struggles of communities in the U.S. South are not isolated, they are connected to systemic oppression worldwide. Just as Southern communities contend with disasters, pollution, economic exploitation, and attacks on our rights, communities across the Global South face the ongoing impacts of imperialism, extractive industries, and neocolonial policies. Southern organizers recognize these connections and practice solidarity by supporting transnational movements for liberation, while learning from the strategies and resistance of communities in the Global South. Learn more about the Global South feminist struggle here.

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Southern State NOW chapters play a crucial role in defending and advancing rights across the region. These state collectives provide organizing infrastructure, coordinate campaigns, and build networks of solidarity for reproductive justice, gender equity, racial justice, environmentalism, and LGBTQ+ rights. Their work amplifies important struggles, informs national advocacy, and ensures that Southern voices are not overlooked in broader feminist movements.

By connecting communities, sharing resources, and supporting direct action, Southern NOW chapters help sustain resistance in the face of systemic oppression. Their experiences highlight that the South is not disposable; it is a site of resilience, innovation, and leadership in social justice work.

Southern State NOW Chapters