Saint Joan Jett: Feminist Icon of the Kerista Commune

The Kerista Commune of San Francisco, California (1971-1991) was a communal experiment headed by Bro Jud in the Haight-Ashbury district. This utopian movement was relatively small as far as intentional communities go, as it never exceeded 30 members at any time, but it was a group that was attracted to innovative ideas and marketing techniques. Rules and standards in the commune changed over time, but throughout its existence this group promoted its understanding of feminism and equality. Kerista utilized several forms of media for recruiting, such as magazines, journals, flyers, public access television, and comics. They also created their own religion and decided to utilize new symbols and icons that best represented their worldview. One of their adoptions was Joan Jett, the famous rock singer, as their “matron saint.” This paper explores the role Joan Jett filled for this utopia.