It’s All the Rage! – Aging, Activism, and Intergenerational Community Care

We invite you to look to the future that the Grannies of Madison are helping to build through performance activism. The Raging Grannies ask us to remember that voting access, reproductive rights, or control over one’s own finances has been denied to many in the past and is not guaranteed in the future. They believe we need to pay attention, remember the sacrifices made by those before us, and work diligently to create new opportunities for solidarity and justice. 

The Raging Grannies hope to inspire older people to continue speaking out about pressing issues. As one Madison Raging Granny stated, “We are not retiring to our rocking chairs.” They seek to form connections with young activists, talk about the problems at hand, and learn together. And they hope to form new relationships with people who want to begin Raging Grannies groups in their communities. In the process, they have formed a sisterhood and also care for each other as they age.

Friendship Rock

Developing close relationships – a sisterhood – is an important aspect of participating in the Raging Grannies. This is one of the things all the grannies can agree upon! As Marie Martini noted in Listen to Your Grandmothers, “I thrive on my network of strong women, which evolved over the decades to include those who fought for the failed Equal Rights Amendment, began a chapter of NOW, taught high school English, discussed books on a monthly basis, shared my adult joys and sorrows, and now, make significant contributions to the quality of my life. These relationships give me joy, encouragement, and endless entertainment.” These women care for one another, as they care for their communities, and that is part of what makes the Raging Grannies not just special but a powerful resource for social change and healthy aging.