Issue and opponent: Tribal Iroquois women decided on a Lysistratic non-action (boycotting sex and childbearing) to stop unregulated warfare and to gain more decision-making powers related to war and peace. The Tribal Iroquois women targeted the Iroquois men to gain more power. The Iroquois Indian Nations was a group of several indigenous tribes in North America.
Dilemma Action: In the 1600’s the Iroquois Indian Nations were constantly engaging in warfare with other tribes. For years, the men of the tribe controlled when the tribe went to war and against whom. The Iroquois women did not like that they had no control and only men were allowed to decide to go to war. The women began a Lysistrata non-action boycotting sex and childbearing. This was a powerful tactic because Iroquois men believed that women knew the secret of birth. After this, the women restricted the warriors’ access to supplies. Women traditionally held control over the supplies because they were responsible for planting and cultivating crops.
Outcome: Iroquois men gave the Iroquois women the power to veto the decision to go to war and to stop wars altogether.