Di Prima and Feminism

            Often described as a great feminist poet, Diane di Prima has received much of her fame due to her association with the Beat Generation. The exclusive Beats men carried trends in their praising of women, sometimes almost in a traditional or romantic sense (many writers did marry), only to eventually dispose of them, at least in that time period. Despite that the association di Prima has with the Beat writers may, in some cases, defeat feminism, I agree that di Prima can be considered a feminist.

            Many of the women victimized by the Beat men set themselves up for the inevitable disappointment that they received by holding conventional expectations of the men. As the Beat Generation stood largely for freedom and the rejection of tradition, the fate of their relations should have been anticipated by the women. However, di Prima was different in that she did not maintain these expectations for the Beat men. She was very conscious of her decision to be independent, and very much in opposition to filling a housewife role. (This is not to say that she was the only woman who did not act out of naivety toward the men).

            In di Prima's "What I Ate and Where" segment of Dinners and Nightmares, she has dinner with her parents, who are clearly attempting to impose a conventional lifestyle upon her. She hopes to raise a child out of wedlock. When di Prima leaves the table, it is evident that she is rejecting her parents' ideals. Di Prima has chosen, like others involved with the Beat Generation, to live by her own standards in such a way that is independent, selfish, and untraditional.

            While di Prima did not become a radical feminist and reject men altogether, the rejection of mainstream values paralleled the empowerment of herself as a woman during that period. According to a dictionary source, feminism means "the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men" (dictionary.com). Therefore, feminism does not indicate power over men, indifference towards men, or any other misconception. Whether or not di Prima became a radical female rights activist, she represented herself as an equal to men and treated them similarly to the manner in which they treated her. Di Prima is a feminist because she disregards the boundaries that mainstream America had set for women.