Struggling for Equality, Freedom, and Peace, 1966–1979

Abstract

The title of this chapter points to three objectives fought for in this period: equality, freedom, and peace. Among those seeking equality were women and those whose sexual identity was LGBTQ. As the Mexico City meeting showed, women were not of one mind about what issues they should focus on. Those seeking peace were the big “losers.” The 1970s was the context for three genocides. In 1971, the West Pakistan military put East Pakistanis under the gun. Killed by West Pakistani Muslims were 300,000 to 3 million East Pakistanis (many Hindus). The genocide’s basis was nationalism and religious violence. Those raped totaled 200,000 to 300,000. In an ethnic struggle in east-central Africa in 1972, the ethnic Tutsis killed 80,000 to 210,000 Hutus. Then in Cambodia (renamed Kampuchea) from 1975 to 1979, Cambodians slaughtered 2 million of their fellow Cambodians (25% of the population). The slaughtered had followed Western ways and culture before the revolution.