REAL-LIFE FASHION HORROR

GOLD COAST AUDITIONS: 15 minutes of p***|

GOOD THINGS 0X10 ABOUT BEING A LESBIAN Make-up that really 50 gets under your skin VI BRAT a goo db uy guide want me to put where? Baby you can We'll show yi "3+*K Ll! I'LL PUT MV ICBM N E WHERE I \>m 2"

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Teli us who this man is talking to and you could win a $10,000 holiday for two to Cuba. Here's a clue. Think '960s. Is it: a) Ivjikhail Gorbachev b) JFK or c) Saddam Hussein? Send your answer - a, b or c - as an SMS text message I lo 1562'to be in to win, Each entry costs just 22 cents, so enter as often as you like. Just make sure you enter before 14th September. If you'j:e.not already with Vodafone, what better reason to get connected? Cuba's waiting.

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FASHION 6 Semper tackles the suburban shopping mail and comes home crying - how to find a bargain in an alien world 20 Sweatshops in our backyard, get the facts

HEALTH AND BEAUTY 4 Body Beauty tips, find out how Semper got so stylish 12 Curl up with a good read and an excellent vibe - Nicola Hardy shows us how 28 What the fuck are you putting on your face??? 36 Intelligent skin

INTERVIEWS 18 Semper talks with Anna Gonzalez 22 Vulcana Women's Circus 30 Artsworker project - Seeds 50 Old Spice with Mc Tash 37 24

FEATURES

32 MUST READ 26 Proper summers, with Mariza 27 The fifty most excellent things about being a lesbian 39 Recipes (that you can't eat..) 42 Cartoons!!!! 43 Websites 46 Girl tunes 48 How to survive.

OTHER STUFF 2 Notes from the editors (real life people, you know??) 52-56 Union Pages - including Kristine's speech on transgendered women at this years nowsa editorial

The Women's officer has a rant.... teaching staff here at UQ), do far more unpaid work within The importance of having a women's Semper is often chal­ society, are beaten and sexually abused within their homes lenged and many argue that to have true equality we must and on the streets, harrassed at work and study and are also have a men's Semper which focusses on men's issues subject to everyday sexism within newspapers, through and gives men an autonomous space in which to express advertising and on TV. It may not be happening to you but themselves. This flawed argument is based on the often look around you and you'll see that these things affect used premise that we all start out on an equal footing in life women that you know every day. They might not tell you, and that we are all treated equally by life experiences. This but then again who would, its not pretty especially to a soci­ neo-liberalist idea places responsibility for an individual's life ety that tells us to be beautiful, thin, together and have experiences on themselves and negates any role for social every consumer item money can buy to paint up a masquer­ inequality Women, despite the arguments of many (usually ade that we are all absolutely and utterly happy and perfect. white, well-off men and women devoid of life experience), are That's bloody tough to live up to, and many people have still treated unequally by society. Society still operates along hidden lives that they dare not utter to even those closest to lines of power that are defined by wealthy white men, des­ them. Open your eyes. Anyway, this is all getting a bit perate to hang on to the systems that have done them so emotive and sounding a bit like a rant, but I'm fed up! And well so far. Women reach lower levels of education than angry! AGGGGHHHHHrrrrrr men (check out the statistics about our higher degrees and Jen Smith

The lUomen's issue Is put together collectiueiy in association with the Ulomen's Area. It has meant that a lot of cool people haue been inuolued, ail of luhom haue learnt a heap and contributed to the nightmare in some luau. Eueruone's input has been uaiuabie. Semper Ulomen's issue Is special, uihich means all the people who haue been inuolued haue been a bit special too: Editorial Team: Thorun Oddsson , Jen Smith, Nicola Hardy, Rachel O'Rieily, Melissa Armstrong, Sibhion Thakhur, carmen Seaby, Hoify Roberston Couer photo: Sheuuan Lee Stephens Photography; Soibhan, Rachel, Thor, Carmen, Rachel. Cartoons: Nicola Hardy '^ EKtra Special Thanks: nicola, rachel, liss, sibhion, carmen, holly, marizza, jen, sarah, sarah, Julianna, Jenny and ioseph sheuaun, arwen, susan, rachel, liz, sam, kylie, tash, elaine, sladja, naomi, anne, robin, matt and kristine, seja erin eueruone who helped and eueryone who stayed well away.... ' ' ^ semper Is pubHshed by the uniuersity of queensland union

on the ad with the swinging glass doors and the women wearing nurses uniforms is just a set in a T.V studio. Semper is stil investigating this one ^ ^ 13. No one EVER, when considering which dish washing detergent to purchase, asks . whether it's gentle to the skin. No 1. Your tits are not too small if they 7. Why would you get your haircut by ' one puts their left hand in ajar of are there. Not too big if when looking any ofthe five people in that salon the prospective brand and their at them you can see anything else in anyway, who collectively occupy the right hand in a bowl of 'the control' your peripheries. last five places in the worst /largest (your average brand)and invites a , /most unflattering/purplist/hardest to chemist into their kitchen to watch 2. W^hat you should really worry about style, haircuts of all time. over them for four hours, to are the shape of your ears. Unattached determine this. They miglat do this lobes may have been fine in the 8. The nicest belly I ever saw was a at the Pond's Institute, however. eighties but the catchword from the belly that existed. Parisian runways this year is 'Attached 14. You should walk as if you have dears, Attached'. 9. The woman who brings her twelve a book on your head, but only if years old daughter onto the midday you want to be a librarian and are 3. On the other hand, arses provide show as an advertisement/exhibition armless. nice sitting material (try growing of pain free lip-hair removal is just a yours if you findsittin g bitch. 15. Did you know your eyes don't uncomfortable). •all out if you use normal 10. 'Hair removal' and 'painfree' are moisturiser on them, or no 4. "Badaboom badaboom" is a nice two concepts which have never met moisturiser whatsoever? complimenting adjective each other, let alone know what the accommodating of all forms of bodies. other looks like, and don't intend to 16. To make 2 in 1 hairwash at get together in the near future. lome add shampoo to conditioner 5. No two twins have exactly the same and put it into one bottle! number and placement of pimples, or 11. Crossing your legs is fine to do, score the same number of girls/guys but really only handy when you need a 17. Perfume smells like rust and i.e. Clearasil might not be the reason higher balancing surface than the level gets up your nose and eveiyone . for one's dating success, the other your knees come to when your legs are around you. might just be a complete wanker/ uncrossed. wankess in comparison. 18. Many beauty products were 12. The Pond's Institute is not Austudy invented just to fill in spaces 6.Cutting your own hair costs nothing. approved. There is a rumour the place e.g. rouge. It's a novel idea to create your own self. Qucenslanii i9.Never take beauty advice from 23. Never take beauty V!S^^, is someone whose catchphrase is advice. People who "maintenance maintenance give it want more maintenance." 'them-looking' people, or alternatively want to 20. Waxing occasions pain. The create a tribe of epilady prolongs such pain over a five unfortunately hour period. fashioned people to walk beside.

21. A bath in mud is cheaper when you A YOIING WOMAN DEAD.. AN OeSKSEDAUTHOft CONFESSES, D.I.Y. (And more fun in company, 24. Mascara has THE MYSray KERNS. when you're semi-naked and never been knovm to intoxicated) go off, even if it did, it.^^'^' would you care ,\ .MURDERr MYSTERY! OBSESSION! 22. The only people able to rationalize anyway? The shit time spent on a thighmaster should be costs about a dollar CREIVIORNE THEATRE, QPAC JULY 31-SEPTEM,BER 2.20flft those who tests the thigh-poppability a millilitre. BOOK 011M136 24B WEBSITE qtc.tlieliiib.coiii.au: , of American Footballs. To my knowledge there's only three 'Playboy 25, No one cares Amazons' and Jour brands of American about tan marks. football inyoMBhere. People will point and laugh at your 27. To survive an expedition through sunburn though. the department store cosmetic coun­ ters, take an ambo's advice- 'Get do^vn 26. To cut e time spent on low and go, go, go' your beau n going to the bathroom ing my 28. Wearing a g-string may not make face' inst you feel sexier, though you will have my beau that "undies up your bum" your face sensation for quite a while till you get used to it. And the strap thing will smell (very un-sexy).

29. Ha\dng a shower on top of a yacht facing a film crew does not constitute "getting back to nature."

30. For a quick exfoliant rub your face on the beach. Kylie Purr / I Writes for Semper

OK, so you play music, or you want to play music. This entails gathering 'kit', buying stuff to make you rock righteously and going to stores to do so. It's no secret that most music stores are daunting experiences for a young lady, full of cocky young men determined to show you how much TI IHY know, and how LHTLE you know. This is quite daunting if you are new and just wanna rock out without all their posturing bullshit. But it doesn't have to be this way. Read on for instrument purchasing liberation (of sorts).

MY FIRST GUITAR (or bass, or keyboard, or sequencer - whatever!) If you arc just starting out, having just caught the bug, or plucked up the courage to play, you don't necessarily go straight to the top. A good, basic and (one of my favc words when describing gear) sturdy instrument is what you want in the early stages, and there really is no need to go to a music store just yet. Your first instrument should not cost you an arm and a leg, as what you need is a basic set up. One place to get such a thing may be through a friend who might sell you their old guitar at a mate's price. They might even give you some tips. What if no one you know is remotely into what you are doing, and that option is a big, fat dead end? Other cheap, easy options include hockshops and Cash Converters, where guitars, keyboards and more are abandoned, yearning for a new, enthusiastic owner at a good price. I picked up my first guitar for Sjo at a C^ash Converters, and my first bass was S25 from a triend. Probably lucky stories, sure, but it's still gonna be cheap. Also, they will barter at these stores. I like to round down - my S50 guitar was jjriced at S60, so 1 rounded down, offered them S50 and walked out with it. Anyhow, these two options are the easiest. There are a couple of way of buying gear is via (real life) others, but it just means going out of your normal realm. The Trading auctions. If you scour the city papers in the classifieds, you will find the I^ost newspaper has a zillion ads for guitars and stuff, but I fmd it to be locations of auctions, some of which are exclusively musical instruments. full of Fenders and Gibsons (like the Fords and Holdens of guitars) and These are usually clearing houses for stores gone bust, overstocked hock shops, little of quirky interest - but you may well find a surprise in there. If you deceased estates and private sellers. Sometimes the prices are crazily low! You have internet access, online auctions arc also fun (and Trading Post is just have to be in the right place at the right time. This method is probably online and searchable), with cheap and interesting stuff. Try quite a fun one. www.sold.com.au or www.stuff.com.au - both are Australian and quite relevant. The next level up would have to be the second hand music SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! Ok, you know where to start your search, store. These arc often good for cheapish stuff, but we are back in the but what are you searching for?? If it's something other than a guitar/bass, I'd muso fuckwit realm. Recently online, I found an awesome 2nd hand simply try it (take your time) and see if I Uked the sounds that it made. If it's store, with a massive site (www.melmusic.com.au). I don't know if I'd electrical, you need to make sure all the ftinctions work - just press buttons. If buy anything online without trying it first, but it is a good site for nothing happens when you press a button, it might be broken. Try to avoid research, and getting familiar with what gear is around, how much it buying stuff that is broken, unless it's really cheap. It is your prerogative to try costs etc. (I am, however, a gear nerd and will probably buy the gear, so don't let them intimidate you, or hurry you up. It's your hard earned HotCake stomp box via mail-order. It just sounds so nice!) Another ftin cash, be resiUent. Alternatively, the gear may not be perfect but would serve the purpose of aUowing you to learn to play, and muckaround, at a good pace. If it's a guitar you are buying, you will definitely need to try it. The and those salespeople don't put it over me anymore. I don't care if you and I have salesperson should have a lead and plug the guitar into an amp for you. never met. Let's meet, have a coffee and shop for gear. My contact details are below. Dragging along a mate who knows something about guitars could help, but I'm nice, not scary and have a boring life, so lets shop for loud shit!! OK. it's not vital. Once it is ail set up, say thanks and say you'll just give it a go WHERETO GO! As far as stores go, most suck. They arc exclusively male domains where several pairs of eyes swoop to your appearance at the door, when you are a female prospective customer. With one exception, I've never seen a woman working in a music store on the sales floor. Instantly, they have you sized up and you feel small, as they assume you know shit. Once, a couple of years ago whilst living in the 'burbs, I went to a local guitar, er, let's say it was a "factory", as I'd come into some cash and wanted to sink it into some top qualit)' leads for once. Instantly I was alienated by poodleheadland and over the top mctal-guitar-music playing. I strode confidently over to the counter, observing the walls admiring the guitars that hung there. Once the salesman found I was after leads, he barraged me with prices and lengths - in FEET! So I was confiised as to what length I required in FEET, and nervously stated that lo FEET seemed a little long, to which the wanker responded with a surprised look that told me he thought I was a dill. None of this had to do with my ACTUA.L abilities and knowledge, only my post 1966 education, which was generally served in METRIC!!! He'd lost a sale. Well, he struck out and I will never return to that store, nor will I recommend that any of my friends attend the store. At another store I frequent (in order to collect my street pres,s), all four guys who work there turnaround and watch me enter, like a bunch of teens scared of the girls who have wandered into their D and D conference. My #1 store in Sydney is Pete's Musician's Market in Newtown, which is also the store where there was a girl in sales (though I haven't seen her there in a while). I've been going there for several years and have received a lot of information and assistance, and I never feel scrutinized - no matter how uninformed my queries! As a result I have bought all my gear (bar my hock shop vintage look amp and my Cash Converter's first guitar for S50) there, including my pink glitter Les Paul Epiphone. Iliey are just nice normal *" Mv I How vfouWe ahf(4nk! * folk who wanna help. I feel comfy, I return. So it's great if you can find a store in your city with a similar attitude. for a while. Hopefully they will leave you alone to fondle and fiddle with the guitar, if not, ignore them. I like to try guitars without the hot air of a Most local, suburban music (as opposed to exclusively selling guitars) stores are salesperson surrounding me. So, what should you look for? Well, take a friendly and 'down-home' in their approach. These stores probably don't sell second seat and strum it, put your fingers on it. Does it feel comfy? If you have hand gear, but when getting your basics Geads, picks or strings) they can be great. never played before, your guitar-knowin' mate could be handy about now, Forming a relationship with storcfolk means that they will easily help when you have just to be sure. Also, it should not be too heavy - some guitars are heavier queries, and you'll feel comfy asking. I once went to the Bass Player than others. A guitar bought from a music store should have been (a bass specialty store in Sydney), with the bass player from my band who wanted me serviced, with new strings and be 'set up'. 'Set up' refers to the 'action' and to help him buy a pedal, and I found the staff pleasant and nice, no over the top making the strings sit properly on the bridge and fret board. However, sales type pitch. Some stores seem to be staffed by bitter, has-been, would-be gui­ if you are buying from a private sale or hockshop, this will probably not tarists or just wankers. be the case, and you will simply have to try it and see how it feels. My tip? Don't let them put it over you and SHOP FOR LOUD SHIT!! Generally, most guitars will be 'set up' ready to go. Basically, try out the stuff you have an eye on, take your time and don't let the salesperson Kylie Purr. sweet talk you. If you are a bit inexperienced, take someone with you, po box 143 Newtown NSW 2042 even if they don't know anything, moral support can be great and [email protected] empowering. Or get in contact with me! I love to shop for musical gear,

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O Whe n I was 18 and in love, my boyfriend at the time the contrary, they are just trying to determine which would Qj presented me with a huge flesh-coloured vibrating penis as a gift. be the right product for you. CX Two weeks later he dumped me. I suppose the gift was timely and They have heard words like clitoris, orgasm and penetration E thoughtful, he really had my best interests at heart, it was some­ OJ before, so don't be afraid to use them in their presence. Ln thing to tide me over until I could go out and get another 'real live u partner'. The vibrator and I had lots of great times together and a long lasting relationship, more than I can say for the boy that gave Q it to me. >\ Look and Feel L, Feeling weird about using a vibrator? Creative, inspirational, self- Vibrators come in lots of shapes and sizes but the basics are help type author SARK makes some noteworthy points about vibra­ phallic (longer than it Is wide which can, but not necessarily tors in her must-read book, "Succulent Wild Woman" (Simon be, penis shaped) and vibrating eggs. Not everyone is look­ t3 Schuster, 1997). She writes about her first vibrator: "I continued ing for the magic penis and manufacturers are aware of this practicing so much... that I became rather pale and exhausted. so they also make a variety of vibrating 'wands' (for want of 8 I... confessed to having 50 - 60 orgasms a day! I've always been a better word), with little ornamentation. Vibrators are an extremist." And she also says: "Vibrators arc no better than, or available In a huge array of colours; pink, purple, sWwr, gold capable of replacing, lovers. Have no fear!.... The more we learn and even pink with silver glitter for the disco bunnies out ^ about our bodies and orgasms, the more empowered we'll be to there. Textures range from hard plastic like a Tupperware share sexual pleasures with a partner, and with ourselves. container to soft plastic to squishy 'life­ like' latex. You can also get plain vibra­ tors with a variety of 'sleeves'. These are WOMEN DESERVE SEXUAL PLEASUREf" latex sheaths in a variety of textures and (Succulent Wild Woman, pp. 80,81). Pleasure shapes that slide over the top of your activist and post-porn feminist, Annie Sprinkle plain vibrator to provide a different feel/ is also a big fan ofthe magical vibrating friend effect. Vibrators usually have variable and incorporates one into her on-stage speeds and are either controlled with a performance. dial at the base or a hand held eighties remote control looking device. Choose Vibrators are great, they can bring you to the one that suits you best. orgasm in seconds, if that's what you're after, and they are always up for it. You can use Vibrating eggs are awesome if penetra­ them by yourself or with a partner. But is a tion is not your thing or if the whole great big flesh coloured cock what a girl phallic Idea is off-putting. They are small and portable so yearns for? Some cry YES! others whimper no. you can keep It in your handbag for emergencies. They Take my hand ladies and let me be your per­ basically consist of a tiny vibrating motor encased in a sonal vibe consultant, I'll look after you.

But is-a great big flesli coloured cock Entering the Adult Store what a gir) yearns for? Some cry YES! oth­ ers whimper no. C'mon, don't be scared. Go with a friend if you must and keep in mind that the staff are there to help you. Their seemingly Take my.hand ladies and let me be your intimate questions about your sexual needs are not research for persona! vibe consultant, I'll look after you. their short film entitled "Confessions of a Sex Shop Pervert". On I VIIBimAiTlldlllS I plastic or latex egg. Many people are attracted to the versatility and providing g-spot stimulation like you wouldn't discreet nature of the vibrating egg. For example, at dinner with your believe! Meanwhile the little animal with its flexible grandparents you can say "I had a great time with my egg last night" but pointy nose is vibrating like crazy right on your cli­ you probably couldn't say "my 12 inch vibrating purple glitter love pole toris! The pearl vibrator is really site specific which is and I really got it on". Just try not to put all your eggs in one basket, or one of the reasons it is so good. Also the quality of disaster may strike. the product is excellent, not prone to breakdowns and the texture is real feel latex that's not too hard, not What the Hell is That? too soft but just right! Okay, I have to explain the awesome little animal- shaped friends that you may come across at the adult store. These are vibrators that specifically target cli- Many people are,attracted to the toral stimulation and as an added bonus they can be versatility, and discreet nature ofthe worn under clothing if so desired due to their compact vibrating egg. For exaniple, at dinner design and the addition of thin elastic straps! The shapes they come in include lady bug, sting ray (with with your grandparents you can say'^' anal stimulating tail) and lightning bug. They are silent had a great time with my egg last and controlled with a hand-held controller. Perfect for night" but you probably couldn't say those really boring lectures or mid-exam stress relief. "my 12 inch vibrating purple glitter love pole and I really got it on". The Pearl Finally I must introduce you to the piece de resistance of vibrators, the kind you could have a long term relationship with, the Pearl vibrator. A Few Minor Points Japanese made, these are designed specifically to stimulate the clitoris Always make sure you have spare batteries at home and g-spot simultaneously. They are shaped like a lady with a bob hair­ for back up, you don't want to be relying on the cut with an animal on her back. You thought I made that bit up, didn't you but it is, in fact, true. I'm sure there is a story behind it but I don't dodgy ones from your walkman, or you will be disap­ know what it is exactly so I made up my own. According to an ancient pointed when they die half way through- Japanese legend, a young girl was sent away from her village to find Make sure to test the vibe In your hand in the store. promised riches and save her people from poverty and starvation. You want to know exactly how it feels and what its capabilities are before you buy it you as there is a no She put down the pearls and the penguin and touched herself, as it was return policy after use (obviously)! her favourite way to relax. Meanwhile, the penguin ran off, knocking the basket of pearls over on his way, causing them to roll down the mountain Always use a lubricant. and be lost forever. The girl could not return to her village empty handed so she decided to live in exile for the rest of her life. In honour of her Always wash your vibrator after use. courage and because of her fondness for orgasms, a vibra­ tor was made in her image. The pearls are carried inside her stomach and the penguin is firmly attached to her back so that she will never lose them again. She is now worshipped by women the whole world over. Hey, I think f it's a pretty feasible story. Anyway, the head swirls and Have fun 1 twirls while the pearls spin around in an orderly fashion CAUING Ml CAR CHta^. Rachel O'Reilly To be a chick lulth a car is a grand thing. To be a chick u/ith a bike is euen grander. But, admittedly, on some occasions bike or public transport are impossible (or the Monaro-buz hits and lue must release the scarf from our golden flailing locks and scorch Rutomobllic rubber). Rfter all, there is only so much matching luggage you can fit in a cane handle-bar bike basket without ouerbalancing.

Rnymay, to be sole car-ish nauigator of a piece of 6Q-1B0km/hr metal uiith a gazillion mouing parts is quite a larger bundle of responsibility. Once you'ue decided to jump in and churn up the world uiith toKic crap emissions, there are further issues of maintainence and safety to be adressed.

If you are one of those wild things who loue driuing alone by the light of a full moon and not telling anyone where you are going, what you are doing and when you'll be back, then...well, good one. I loue you and I want you to stay aliue and happy and keep doing that thing you do. In that case we must be chicks with stickshifts that know their shit and keep spreading that shit around so all our stick-shifted breasted buddies are as safe and comfortable with the iocomotlonal eKperience as we are. If you know absolutely anything about car maintenence why don't you swap stories..ie more power to ya honey. It would certainly reduce the amount of unnecesary ulsits to those garages where Mechanic Dodge-boy is always conueniently flat-backed on one of those Greased Lightning under-the-car-skate-boarding-trolley things and just rolls ouer to greet your ankles and undies without bothering to get up. "So you'ue got gasket troubles you reckon?'

Care for your Betsy Beetle or Mazzie Star 626 and it will steer away from Mechanic Dodge Boy at least for the period between seruices. Df course female mechanics eKist in many numbers and if I'd done my research i may haue been able to glue you the contacts but of course I didn't and whose to say they won't rip you off either, really. (Note: there are also many top blokes who are mechanics too, but nice blokes are not funny and not able to be referred to for the purposes of this article) So then Rlways make sure your oil and water/ Bastardish mobile phones are coolant are filled to maKlmum leuels OKCusable if bought for the (neuer ouer this, or kaboom to you too) purposes of safety on (onely-road and your oil tank is emptied, cleared trips. (Lonely referring to the road, out and refilled regularly. (Remember not you, you happily independant there are two containers for water, aduenturess) Keep attached a copy one for your engine and one for your of your RflCq rego and their phone squirters on your windscreen wipers. number, or at least the number of Detergent does not go well in the Telstra-connect or something former container. (H friend of mine similar for mobile mechanics etc. can giue testimony for this) To check your battery, unscrew each of the little caps and make sure the water leuel is aboue and unbroken by the little metally things. (I think these are the 'cells') If they are protruding couer them up with distilled water.

Check your tires. R bald tire is less desireable than a bald man, (I'm biased though, I don't mind the odd bald man.) Rnd a lot more threatening to the safety of your swerue and curue manouueurs. It is usually written on the tire near the rim the leuel of pressure they need to be filled at. My Mazzie takes 35 PSl, but this can uary. Rlso, tire treads are made for all different purposes. Know how yours are supposed to perform in wet and dry conditions before the doughnut Friday night sesh. No one likes an incomplete doughnut. Rlso, no one like Shazza when she's dead in a blood red flanny. No one likes washing flannys. Vou can tell by that strange lilting pilchard aroma they seem to imbue wearer with.

Know how to change a spare tyre. Once you actually locate it, and shit it seems in good nick too, you can crack open a stub cos you're three quarters there. Its chick-brawn and common sense.

1) Remoue your custom-sprayed purple metallic mags with the flat end of the lug wrench and loosen each lug nut two full turns before raising the car.

2) Follouj the jack instructions in the manual (they uary) to raise the car 6-8 centimetres from the ground. Keep absolutely euerything (especially bodyparts) from threat of 5) Holding outer sides of crushing under car in case of Jack malfunction. tyre (not bottom or centre of rim), place 3) Remoue all the lug spare onto the hub. nuts, placing them inside your purple mags. 6) Replace lug nuts Vou will not lose them snuggly, not tight yet. there. That is the purpose of purple mags. 7) Lower car to ground and tighten nuts using alternate Try spraying liJD-40 on criss-cross pattern to ensure the rim is proplerly aligned to difficult lugs. the hub.

4) Remoue crap wheel, 8) Put all the shit and tools now spread out all ouer the road a painful left toe kick back in the car in approKimately the same places you found should co-ordinate with them. a uocal calculation of how many trauel- 9) Look at your greasy hands, transfer this blackness to minutes you'ue lost plus your left cheek for authenticity and full bodily markation of how stupid and hard a the strangely satisfying (if sadly masculinely ualued) supposed to be flat tyre manual task you haue just performed. actually is to kick. Sprain-kick your other IB) Haue a mechanic recheck the lugs, replace purple mag, toe in further anger and and fiK spare as soon as possible. for bodily symmetry. Some Tips on Jump Starting UJhen you leaue the lights on at Dierdre's Fish Cafe at Apple Tree Creek, knowledge of jump starting will preuent a night of frost-bite and deep-fry, sleeping sitting up with your feet out both windows.

1) Own Jumper cables. If you don't euery man and his dog will want to hang out and jump start your car with you and the jump start process may too-often in such cases be conueniently unsuccessful, and they'll always liue conueniently close by with the e^act number of spare beds as the number of chicks in your car.

2) Two cars are necessary.

3) They must not be touching each other.

4) nil accessories on both cars should be turned off. e.g. headlights, radios, and all battery related doouy-lackers. 11) Remoue all booster clamps in reuerse order of 5) Handbrakes darl's, handbrakes. appplication.

6) Place one of the red cable clamps on the positiue(+) post Giue all participants a high fiue. Vou are Boette and Jessie of the dead battery and the other red clamp on the (+) of the Dukes of Hazard as you always suspected and the road is good battery. life and you know time.

7) Connect one of the black jumper clamps to the (-) of the P.S. Sorry for the references to male-changed-to-female good battery, and the other to the engine of the stalled car. road heroes but that funky Superfreak Barina girl, as well This is the 'ground' and should be as far away from the as Thelma and Louise giue me the shits. The latters still battery as possible with none of the cables in the way of any needing a good chug by Brad Pitt and a bit of gun toting at mouing engine parts. stupid fat truck driuers to claim any self-worth. UJhere's the glory in killing yourself anyway? Oh yes you showed 8) Start the engine of the good car. Reu for a few seconds. them, dears, going ouer that cliff holding hands, you Cross fingers. showed them. Tank girl I suppose Is slightly more appropriate. Or maybe Sigourney LLIeauer from those Rlien 9) Perhaps pray to whicheuer diuinity you so choose. mouies combining strength with nurturing qualities. But she didn't driue an earthly uehicle though did she? Kylie when 18) Start dodge engine. she was that mechanic is Neighbours was kinda cool, although she was pretty dodgy when it came to Jason. Vou are Tank Girl then. Vou are all Tank Girls darlings. Tank Girls on bikes hopefully, but failing that, Tank Girls in safe, and well-maintained cars.

%:::::>- CriEEKY GODDESSES

Institute of Mo

mother's birthday present We spoke to Anna about iier amazing life, friends that were tortured or killed and I had members creative pursuits and the relief from the eyes of my family imprisoned as political prisoners and all this of men that accompanies maturity. sentiment was in me. My paintings came out in a very expressionistic style, but very strong. "I always liked art, because my mother was a hobby artist and I always thought she was wonderful. I always "I remember I had an exhibition once in Brisbane and suppressed my creativity, I think, because she was so people thought I was the person who was looking after good (although) she always encouraged me. I decided the paintings because these paintings had to be painted to become an artist when I came to Australia. I didn't by a man they were so strong! For me it was very want to learn English from people from overseas; it was interesting and I played the game! very basic. I wanted something challenging so I decided to go to uni. I went to QCA and I didn't have a folio so "People said 'I wouldn't put this in my lounge room' and the man said 'you have a month to prepare and then ! agreed with them. Once I painted a painting that was we'll give you a proper interview'. I went crazy, drawing almost 2 meters high; red with a young girl that was my cat, my husband, everything. Obviously when I had attacked by vultures. A few people responded; they the interview they saw a lot of colour in the way I was felt threatened in a way and also because, thinking presenting my drawings. I looked back at some of that a woman couldn't do these sort of things, them, they are very naive, very child-like. It had to be a man, you know, a twisted mind to do something like that. They probably didn't know that "When I started painting my first work was very women could have twisted minds too! For myself it disturbing. At the time it just came out. It was like was good. It was like a release of energy and 1 had to therapy. I was thinking all the time (about when) I was get rid of it. It was a very striking response (and) I pre­ living in Spain under Franco's regime. 1 have seen fer to have a response, even if it is negative, than to CriEEKY GODDESSES not have anything at all. temperament in women is very freedom that I feel \s good for women. strong... in Spain now women are very "Depending on the medium I use, 1 strong independent business women. "This year 1 have been quite busy, show women in different ways. For teaching. I want to take some time for example, in paintings I try to use my "1 am not the same person 1 was when myself. I don't like to sell myself, I paint spiritual feelings, my inner self, and I started painting because it has been because I want and it's myself - it is for me painting is very serious. In a development throughout the years like opening a book, and sometimes I painting is my soul and it is myself as and I am mature in myself, my kids don't like showing what I am thinking or a woman. I like my women to have grown up and I have a more what I am saying. But I am not rushing, have big hands, powerful, but calm life now and 1 think it is reflected 1 am enjoying what I am doing, not to also to be calm, serene and to please other people. be able to see the world like a goddess. The goddess, mother "I think if I had to define myself I would earth, is the way I see women in my say that 1 am a happy person in the paintings. But in my prints...I let my way that I am balancing what 1 want: hair down! That is when I explore my teaching, my social life because sexuality and to me sexuality is teaching for me is part of social life as important as a woman. But it is a lot well. I think 1 have everything, 1 of fun and 1 explore that also with the consider myself very fortunate,! have a cheeky women having fun and using great family too - no don't put that! " the men.

"Every print has the same female character. It is unconsciously based walking bubulina on myself. 1 had a religious upbringing without my parents being religious, in my paintings in a way and my prints because Franco was in power. and I don't have any inhibitions. Everyone had to be Catholic; children had to go to church...all the religious "It is great to go out and men don't dogma. To me (the prints) are a bit say anything to you - that's good! of a laugh at the absurdities they The way men look at young women is were telling us. For women in my different to the way men look at a time in Spain, you had to be straight woman in her fifties, it is totally in every way, you had to be a good different. Well, when it stops It girl, you had to have one boyfriend means your tits aren't high enough - and marry that man. Now the Spanish but it's great! This is the kind of lun in fun out eve's bite fi.roholl«id.>nz4*'-^ What is the real price of fashion? -jenSmttit head|.Jike electricity, families that ha^-nj^i| "I work 14^our^S..i»„,,,»^ .'FainA^eaf IS a group oryaSiseS!t0

"I haufi 111 formed opinion and am uery ""^^" Vl^^^M^^ but from what I'ue beard • and exfflMlBffl tflk this, and Tm hoping not WOM'Eti bu R. Kaye to get slllm in flames for It by the next speaker". Sitting in the first ROUISfl discussion ^S session, I realised that 1, Indeed, had no analysis.

I made a few friends while phobically positioned under the coffee um counter, (It's surprising how many people were hiding under there!) then ventured out to sample the workshops on offer. These couered many diuerse topics, ranging from belly dancing to queer rights. It was a mind expanding experience, and one that I would heartily recommend. I would also recommend our passiue-aggressiue terrorist actiuity on the ndeladian buses to anyone who has a gripe with the Brisbane City Council. I haue recently returned from louety (bloody freezing] Adelaide, and a On one euening ofthe conference, thirty nouiSR delegates boarded a week at nouisn, the network of Ulomen Students in Dustralia. Aside bus and proceeded to sing and strum their guitar for the entire thirty from adapting to a house uulth no heating and no hot uiater in the minute driue to the city. The bus driver was getting more than a little middle of minter, perfecting the art of sleeping upright on the forty- edgy by the end ofthe trip, not to mention the other passengers who six hour train journey there and back, I haue learnt an auiful lot about had the temerity to attempt to board the bus and couldn't figure out feminism [and uncomfortable seating surfaces]. what they were in the middle of. During the course of the journey they were swiftly conuerted to far left Labour politics, and/or I would encourage any women interested to get in early next year and socialism, to saue their own skins andjaclfy the ominous rumblings of go along and see for themselues exactly what it is like. How, for all of the nouisn mob. us who won't be going, because we are: not motiuated to, unable to go, not interested, or [God forbid!] male, here is my edited uersion of fl march down one ofthe in streetslylM^istoppIng traffic for euents. quite some time] was org ed to increase awareness of Rboriginal Land Rights and native Ti^ Issues with regard to uranium mining, noUISfl this year was a talkfest with groups of speakers from uarious This march then turned In^ march of protest against the treatment and diuerse perspectlues gluing their uiews and sharing their ofSydneysidersasaresuli e Olympics, and then back to an experiences in relation to feminism, f) lot of these speakers had a lot of flboriginal Land Rights Rlai gain. It was a little confusing, but we sad things to say about the rampant injustice that is still at large in euentually got our chants uni led. Uie also laid flowers at Genocide the world. R lot ofthe speakers also had uery empowering things to Corner In Rdelaide, and waue ew placards. The march covered a say, and that Is what it was all about. lot of ground and convinced o ers that they should a) do something about it flSfiP and b)l^ mohawk In sympathy. nt the end of each group of speakers there is a discussion time, which [I know I will.) is where the fun begins, nfler the first session, I found myself urgently in search of spiky body adornments to wear about my person. nOUISn also taught me a lot of new alR^grestlng words. These are: Ulhat I hadn't realised about piercings was that they keep certain aggressiue separatists from collecting blood from your jugular with Fascist!: Ulorks particularly well when sal'^Jourette's-like their teeth when you profess to hauing an actual opinion, nnd if you frequency in major department store queues, pimin formal evening just happen to be wearing a spiky dog collar to accessorize your outfit, wear will edge away, you will get served quicker: then so much the better. Capitalist pig!: Rnyone who partidpates in the departmenT Rot that discussion is a bad thing, you just haue to preface anything system, or supports ft by being in the queue. you say with the term "i haue no analysis". This translates into - The word can be combined with the word aboue, and. . my fragile psyche has been to help me realise just how amusing an interesting response In Commonwealth Bank employeli; our society is. It has given me a different perspective on life and mainstream culture. It has given me an opportunity to exercise Dichotomy: nn 'us or them' situation, black or white. lUl|t occurs my sense of humour when the boy in front of me in a line barges when you start saying the aboue words in the departmelitore cue or in front of me, or when a business man makes me uncomfortable a bank. IS by mentally undressing me with his eyes. It gives me a giggle m m m when I hear fellow women complain about how their boyfriends Th|l|triarchy: a group of amorphous men controlling soSty^ treat them, or how they are responsible for other's actions. These tiililtes into a system of oppression inuoluing the famj^unit to are also sad indictments ofthe qualities lacking from our culture, oppress women and some men. Thought by many feminiMo be the (such as true equality] but I realise that I don't have to root oif all euiL ^?| participate or allow this kind of behaviour. Rs the first speaker ofthe conference said, a venerable women in her fifties, the Capitalism: a system of work for profit, where the many work to feminist movement has lost the use ofthe term "women's provide profits for the few elite 'bosses'. Thought by other feminists liberation". ROUISR has been a liberating experience in every to be the roots of oppression, as opposed to patriarchy. For an sense of the word. interesting after dinner discussion, try saying: "I don't believe that capitalism is the root of the oppression of women, I believe that It ft friend of mine summed it up for me on the second day of the stems from patriarchy." [Or uicej^a.) Vou will soon find yourself conference. Rt the end ofthe day feminism is about respect. embr(|ied in an interesting, if t^^ted discussion between thfUcialist Healing, humanism, and love of self and others. Refusing to feminfts and the radical feii^sts in the room. oppress others or to be oppressed. Standing up for ourselves and f others who are unable to help themselves. Fundamentally, Post structuralism: fl s^ol of thought that points out the exlj respect begins with yourself. Respect yourself, respect others, structure in society, \M a dichotomy, and moves beyond that si and together we can make the world a better place. (Or at least within themselves, as somewhere along a And it heartily amusing!) in their rfftight, Ulithout having to belong to] lie setoniually, 1 don't think dichofomic is fdenoihe post structuralist sailin the m RESEARCH YOUR FUTURE IN THE WEST ,;the beauty of Pq^tmgpUsmfclln the|p 111 sor^i^M^Pir and just sMI'lsm' me Centre for Water Research Travel Scholarships

' it a Md statement!) m Are you considering postgraduate study in water and the m environment and want to explore your own future? (fltfl^ni?: I have used the principles of postructural languagffn Are you studying engineering, science, or mathematics Tin UNiviRsriY 1)1 transcending the herteronormative and ethnocentric confines of tK Wf.VIIRN AUMRAllA and hope to complete your degree in the next 1-2 years?

The Centre for Water Research at The University of Western Australia offers you an exciting opportunity to travel to Perth, meet with staff and students and participate in greatest impact of nouisn has been as activities which expose you to options for research in the areas of: biological particle dynannics, coastal oceanography, contaminant dynamics, ecological modelling, mpe. I no longer feel as if I have^ow to environmental fluid dynamics, geophysical fluid dynamics, surface hydrology, sub-surface qulm^tep forward for someone r^p in a hydrology, hydrogeology and hydrobiology. d world, whi^ uiomen compete with eadWher for Successful candidates will receive full return airfare to Perth, accommodation and a living I no longer feel that my role in life is to^ mother, allowance for 1 week. Vacation employment is also an option. r to wear short skirts. Rfler a weekwtiberated, To apply send cv, with the name and address of your Head of Department as a referee, inment, it has been quite a dlscon^^ experience to certified academic transcript, and letter outlining your research interests. Australian or New come bock to Bri^ne where there are actu^tts who behave in a Zealand citizenship required. Iqdlftusl&ssyWoner, and lots of fema0lno simper up to this Head of Department, Centre for Water Research behavjourlid allMhem to get awa^^ml. It doesn't have to be The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6907 _ this fay, people! Fax(08)9380 1015 ^ For further information, contacl: Professor Sivapatan (08) 9380 2320 I, the major effect of ROUISR upon email: [email protected] websltD: vMW.cwr.uwa.edu.au Life begins a|l over again in the summer. I fervently believe that. I also haven't seer\ a summer, a proper summer, for a couple of years and I don't know when I'll see one ogain. Does that sound cryptic? I don't mean it to. I love spring too. When I think of spring I think of wpking up early in the morning, early lik%6am, and seemg^^br^ht sunlight outside and suddenly having a f^^^(^^^M^9^ holida>|s are^oiftiing. Eyen^^fei^er leaving school, tftat feelingjj ' " ^ #nthe;e^|?hour^« of spring mornifigs. Spring makes mel e windowrtifai*'^^Br^!^t^j5!uest, thft^Mai^ees^ my Monkees Session] pring makes flower blossoms, if e is assot Ummer. AAy

Ihq j^^^A||p central preo^^on. Tfe sens| m over itomSIs male to 'jif':^' much,|he Kn^wi^T see waniea, wnai sne^Den^/r^q^paiieisai^rrf^mj^ormT^ Sunday«pR|iin9v^hi|iiw iier pmk hair frQ.P'he^M#«)f WlWli|^^^% plotted the girl revolUti^ft|fMake over the ivohld. C^#;least'thi|li|i*evolffl»5y;o takeover New

revolution, •hat4uSin^^ off again. An ^::;^dmmers agt I want^^*^^^^'--"'^'*'^^ ' -^them out^fn front of iwiike a desk of cards fant %cryj^ what's been lost dilktfen, suddenly c^al/hodfl^ 5PiE?y'*^^^^s at the progre^siof^^t have been nia^ T>ie:^^^p^ je potential that Igcarf^ jee fn ray, keep breathir^^spi ^ Uf e bcgihsM ovjBr again jri the summemB^^ il|^l to wait fol^the summer If I don't wantw ^ ...ihaii'Qimthepink cardigafeares meditatively at her cwPlitj^SI iTing her M^rtiuture.

wiSiiJ^* "^' ^^m^twss-'^ - MarlzzG O'Keefe GOOD TKNGS ABOUT eCNG A LESBIAN soTh e following Is a party compilation intended as humorous repartee - any offense taken, for reasons political, religious, moral or other, will be ignored. I) your girlfriend 14) the toilet seat stays down 24) "when night is falling" 2) breasts (hers and >0urs) (& women don't usually miss) 25) women's only yogc 3) you know you're bloody great 15) soft necks to kiss - no 26) other women don't blame 4) you instantly double your stubble rash everything on 'your liomorjes' wardrobe 16) andrea dworkin 27) carol j. adams (author of "sexual politics of 5) the cute waitress at the meat" - if you haven't read it, you should!) coffee shop 28) isis 6) buying underwear together 17) the sex 29) nipple piercings 7) kd long - it had to be said 30) shaved heads 8) multiple Orgasms 18) lesbian separatists 31) lesbianism is not a crime at any age* 9) other lesbians 19) playing pool 32) double newstart* 10) listening to 'dykes on 20) synchronised periods 33) your girlfriend won't 'know better' and try to mics' (and PMT'O take over when you are fixing the plumbing II) go fish 21) sista funk 34) xena the warrior princess - love her or hate her 12) genevieve turner 22) sister hood 35) surf camp 13) ferrmo nazis 23) dykes on bikes 36) knowing what a cTitoris is 37) knowing what to do with it 38) ruby fruit jungle 39) most women think you are more important than the rugby — Malcolm McCouat, Ph.D. — Annerley Counselling Centre 40) you can wear funny t-shirts with slogans on Roadblocks to Successful Completion of a Ph.D.? Tho PhD. or Masters research process can (cc! worrying, lonely or dilficiilt. them like 'i'm not a lesbian but my girlfriend is' ham beginning to end. Some common obslades could be- and 'nobody knows i'm a lesbian' 1- You may feel cril cised. expto'led. or neglocled by your supeivisor(s). or cJopim.niont. or other aspects ol Iheso re!a(.onships may be a problem 41) the first girl you ever kissed 2 Tho'C may be a particularly troublesome issue or process in Itio research ivhich is Imrd lo 42) women reach their sexual peak later grasp clearly

3 Your purposes and motivation rjiay have shifted or changed. 43) women on average live longer A. Anxieties and doubts aboul your own capacity and abilities can surface. 44) ani di franco 5. Son:e aspect of the research may touch feelings and personal issues which need to lie expbred. but this may be hard to clarify and/or to do. 45) you can both admire the lead women role in a 6. The finishing process, though great, may produce difficut and uoexpccted bloCKs ond anxeles. movi e/play/musi cal 7. Issues in your personal Iile may affect your work. 46) you can both play at being the lead women role in I spent 30 yea's until 1998, 27 of them at University ol Oueenslairt. as n Social Work acadom-r I have also worked as a ccunsellor in private practice lor over 15 years I am very experienced as a postgraduate research a movie/play/musical supervisor and in ttio administrative and organisational context ol postgraduate research. I think I'm also an expert in Ihe process required lo foster a studcnl's own creativity and lo remove obstacles to its expression in a researcli 47) the sex - did we already mention that? context. I'm ol'oring a lee for service consultatkjn lo sludents who are striking some hurdles in the..' work al whatever staQo and who think i; may bo useful to talk with someone independent ofthe University conlexl. yet a;so familiar w.lh,{. 48) gii^s can be really nice friends (When they are not patriarchal c^ppressDrs) Malcoln rvtcCouat, Ph.D. Telephone: (07) 3397 1739 49) fruit Annerley Counselling Centre Fax: (07) 3847 8966 515 Logan Road. e-ma:l: 50) lesbianism! StonesCorner, Qld, 4120 cmmccoual®elsa.nel,au

* the only good things about being invisible under the low TO^ic Siobhan Thakur The word 'cosmetic' derives from the Chemicals Greek kosmos meaning 'adornment', 'order' Okay, so here arc some of the chemicals or 'universe - the Greeks believed that the that may be m your makeup and their side universe is an ordered place md therefore effects. Remember* always read the label.'! beautiful. However, they also believed that 'beauty is terror' (at least the dionysiocs ISodium Laurel Sulfate did); couple this with chaos theory and -used In neory all detergents both cosmetics and the universe reveal o -has be^n known to cause skin rashes, eye few black holes... irritations and loss of hair (that's great, because it's in most shampoos). * 10% of the total cost of the average toiletry/cosmetic goes to raw materals; 2 Triethanotamine YTEA) chemical dyes, detergents, perfumes, sol­ -often used in cosmetics to adjust the pH vents, etc. The rest goes to research, -can cause allergic reactions including eye packaging, advertising, labour and profit problems, dryness of hair and skin and may be toxic over a long period * The Allergy, Sensitivity and -TEA is related to Diethanolamine (DEA) Environmental Health Assodation of Qld which has been linked to cancer in lab believes that chronic;(leJow;dose^ wer an Sflidies; No^oiiclusive evidence is yet extended period of time) jnhdtdtidh of per­ available to sHow that it causes cancer in fumes can lead to sensitisatlon in people, humans (this Js akin to the use of rendering them with systemic symptoms as sqpchqrihe in artificial sweeteners, which a result of constant exposure. has beert proved to cause cancer in lab rats) g|v and many DEA-related products are used * studies by the Anderson laboratories In §51; ,'" cosmetics, constituting 1-5% of a Vermont showed chronic exposure to product's formulation. DEA-related colognes and other perfumes (air l^rpducts Include cocamide DEA, cocamide freshener, fabric softener, etc) resulted iME^, TEA - Lauryl sulfate, and TEA. in respiratory (asthma-like reactions, eye, nose and/or throat Irritation) and CNS 3. Alpha - hydroyy Acids (A^As) (dizziness, confusion, fdtigue, -used Ihyso-called 'skin peelers' incoordination) symptoms -the FDA has received complaints regarding ^.r allergic reactions and skin irritations after * a cosmetic manufacturer may. use I '4 ;:using products cointaining AHAs virtually any raw moterial;(pthcr than a

few prohibited compounds) and uselt |;);''^|J^§'•<''••'".•\~ • >^if|i''"'^''4rVitamins \ M •?^^K- ^X-i js^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ forfbu if you eat them, '^^S^^&i^'t ^las never bein proven that skin can nourished by applying a vitamin to its a preservative under'icei*tdtri conditions,- pface. However, it is .widely accepted ..^ that sufficient Vitamin E (listed on -The FDA says there ts no evidence to ingredients as Tocopherol) will preserve show that collagen can penetrate skin and the fatty components in cosmetic have an effect below the surface. creams and prevent them from going 8. Cerebrosides/ceramides - (from cattle, off-colour and smelling bad. So perhaps oxen or swine brain cells) vitamins can at least make your makeup -cerebrosides are a type of glycolipid look good. Vitamin E has also been impli­ cated in producing a delayed allergic con­ produced in the deepest layer of the tact dermatitis and allergic hives. Viimmy! skin. They form a protective coating and as skin cells move up towards the 5. Human Placenta (no joke.) surface layers they change to -Placental materials were first used in ceramides, a membrane network cosmetics in the 1940s. They were between cells that provides moisture supposed to provide beneficial hormonal and suppleness effects eg stimulating tissue growth and removing wrinkles. (No one seemed to have -Industry cosmetic scientists (now there's pointed out to those prodigies at the an aspiration for you) claim that produced pond's institute thai; boibies emerge with In the deepest layer of the skin. They wrinkled skin....) Thesef iclalms wpiild have form Q protective coating and as skin cells made the products contairiihg them drugs, move up towards the surface layers they and not cosmetics. So tfe companies change to ceramides, a mem been provided involved then claimed to'have^extracted to back these swine-killing claims up. the hormones from their placental ingredients and that the rernaining placenta raw material was merely a protein If that's not enough to make you think source. Mmmm, placenta and three veg.... before you dive into the coloured goo, take note that after opening (and often before) ft Amniotic Fluid (from a cow or ox) cosmetics ore breeding grounds for -Promoted for benefits similar to those of moulds, fungi, and pathogenic organisms. placent -has limited use in moisturisers, But if you want your 'skin deep' to be hair lotions, scalp treatments and pancake delicious, go forth and slather... shampoos. References: 7. Collagen rfrom youn^ cows) *Snydan, C. The Extraordinarty Chemistry -collagen is the protein substance found in of Ordinary Things (1995) connective tissue, In cosmetics it has a John Wiley and Sons inc. USA moisturising effect; it is not water soluble, *http://www.aseqid.org.au/chemical/tnjury but it holds water. _issues_paper.htiT^ *http://www.ijc.org/boards/sab/policy. 'html * http://www.aubreyorganics.com *^^ *http'.//www.rm.cf san.fda.gov/~dms/cos_t ac.html SWJ-^^^ •££0 INTERVIEW WITH PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR CLARE APELT • SEMPER STAR REPORTER MARIZZA 0 KEEFE

"Seeds - Self Employment Enterprise Development the participants being there and working through problems Scheme is a project that Connect Youth Action developed. together as a group - there's lots of focus on group work. It first ran in 1997. At that time, people in the youth sector They learn a lot about business and writing and presenting were grasping for solutions for youth unemployment and their business plan, but in ways that are relevant to them. meaningful employment for young people, especially Because they're young artists the form of them presenting artistic young people. Because I suppose the federal their business plan will be through a showcase arts fair at government was getting harder both on giving young the Powerhouse in September, hopefully. The idea is to people unemployment benefits and the conditions under have each person present their product or idea in a way that which they would give it. So youth workers people were they can invite their prospective employers or clients to trying to fmd innovative ways of creating some real come view it. That's the culminating event at the end. opportunities for young people. "Projects like Seeds are important. Important because "The whole idea about Seeds is for young people to be young artists in this society are already marginalised and trained in skills relating to creating their own employment. their training is very patchy..an accountant is very well Seeds 97 was more general, the current Seeds is arts trained... it's very clear how an accounting student will go focused and the idea for it was developed further after the from their course into work. In the arts industry, training is experience ofthe first Seeds. Connect got money to run very loose, this course has the potential to offer some really Seeds again, and they were talking to Helen Schwenke concrete skills in how to take your idea of being an artist in who runs the Inner Brisbane Community Learning this society and making it work financially. And also taking Association, which is a registered training organisation. it seriously in terms of those business concepts in relation They decided to collaborate. Helen's organisation would to your art, how to write a business plan and how to look at supply a curriculum and Connect's responsibility was co­ finances and marketing. ordination, and the support structure that was successful in the previous Seeds. So the participants are spending two "The federal government has set up the New Enterprise days a week doing the course and half a day with me. Initiative Scheme (NEIS). If you have an idea for creating What we've been doing in our time is writing a grant a new business or enterprise, you can go to Centrelink, say application, workshops on tax and GST, and self empower­ "I want to create my own business, I want to apply for ment and positive self development stuff. NEIS" and you get referred to a NEIS provider. And then you have an interview and if they think it's a viable idea, "The course that the participants of the current Seeds are they then allow you into the course. You do a six week full doing is a Certificate 3 in Business New Enterprise time course developing your business plans, really hard­ Formation and it has 5 modules. It's oflTicially a 26 week core, fast paced, and it's very dry, it's very very formal long course and it's an action learning process, which about the business. Then at the end of that six weeks you means that the facilitators are not there to spoon-feed the hand that business plan into a really high powered business participants. A lot of the assessment is made on process - panel and they say viable or not viable. If it's viable you El'o JNTERyiEW WITH PROJECT.CO-ORDINATOR CLARE APELT • SEMP^ STAR REPORTER MARIZZA 0:'KEEFE ,

then have 12 months supported time to set it up - you still admire such and such in the field, I'm going to get into get your benefit and you're encouraged to make money on contact with that person and see if I can develop a mentor top of that. So the government's paying you your wage relationship with them. And the government at the basically while you set up a business. So it's their way of moment is sort of acknowledging that need, they've fund­ nurturing small business. ed a mentor program through Youth Arts Queensland, but it's a once a year thing and there's not much money really "But often young artists, or artists with whatever medium in it. It's great that they're doing it, but in terms ofthe they're working in who have a business idea, don't general­ number of young people out there, there's just so little. ly fit into that structure. Their ideas aren't seen as viable necessarily, unless you're doing something like web page "Connect has always been a very amazing group of proac­ design or a more commercial orientation of art. So I think tive young people. It's really grassroots. Connect Youth the potential of this course is that it could one day become a Action and Flamingo House and Nature's Children and formally accepted course, so that young artists or artistical­ Reverse Garbage are all part ofthe same really sort of ly orientated people can go to Centrelink and say "I want to hardcore grassroots community in West End. People could start my own business, I want to be self employed" and argue that differently, but just from living in West End and they go alright, do you want to go to NEIS or do you want seeing how Flamingo House to go to Seeds. Or Seeds could be the step before NEIS. was a hub of proactive The Seeds course is much more developmental, it's six community development - SHAPSTON months semi-fulltime, you can condense it to a three skill sharing, taking action, SERVICE months fulltime thing, there's more time for teasing out learning ways of solving your idea - researching, so that you could then take what problems from skills that CENtRE you've created and then go into the NEIS scheme and then you have and the community Quality Service have that 12 months support. So that's the real importance that you're in, instead of in terms ofthe industry perspective. depending on the government ^nB Repairs. system. That's why it's really All makes and models "In more of a philosophical importance, there is a real exciting that Connect are still ENGINE & GEARBOX • importance because society doesn't accept art as a viable going." OVERHAULS, FRONT & REAR SUSPENSION AND CLUTCH, sort of career, there's a lot of low self esteem that young .^BRAkE AND^TEERING people generally, and young artists particularly, suiTer from. Pejwnal Attention and And this is a way of encouraging proactive skill sharing and networking and support. Because the other part of Seeds is Satisfaction Assured setting a support network - a weekly group meeting to talk CNR BURKE & ELLIOTT ST about their experiences and connecting with other things, WOOLLOONGAB^BA Q. 4102 and also set themselves up with a mentor, encouraging them PH:3391 4324 to say this is my idea, this is a good idea, well 1 really FAX: 3391 4412 From here to CelebrJtU

8pm "The Gold coast" The words sent an electric Mexican wave down my spine. The voice coming down the line continued: "It's ridicu­ lous. They're having them in Mildura and Wagga Wagga, but not Brisbane." So the accessibility of cable TV ends when the Foxtel man avon-ladies your doorstep. Fine.

"What time's your exam?"

"One -thirty. They start at nine. We leave at six and get out of there by eleven."

Our Semper Poster Girl (aka bubblegirl) was finally putting her abilities to the test. Ine foundation stones of break- dancing, knife-selling and a short film role as an Italian lesbian sex goddess shouldced a cairn whose shape spelled its destination: V. It took about ten minutes* to call Storme Hathaway at her ranch and relay our mission: provide company, cigarettes and an atmospheric IQ of over 100 to our auditioning amigo. It seemed like a simple task. 8am 13/6/00 Two hours sleep doesn't fee! like enough to warrant proper brain function but somehow Bubblegirl is navigat­ ing our way towards the pink towers and plastic promenades, two hours late but looking awfully stylish. Storme has gotten in earlier and is waiting for us ("Hurry," she had called down the phone," I'm scared") at the ominously-named Playroom.

9ll5aifl' After being lost in all the worst possible places (think Gold Coast shopping centre with escala­ tors that only go upwards), we arrive, breathless, at V headquarters. Storme's in a dark corner, only her silver sparkles giving her away as she huddles clutching an "admit one" ticket I see the fear in her eyes as we approach; she catches sight of us and instantly her demeanour changes - "Robin!! Thank fuck you're here - this placc.it's..."

"...desperate - sorry"

"I'm fine, I brough: Juno with me, but I lost her at the hairdressers tent..." Juno Keystrokes - style woman number one and aJ round nice girl - Storme's offsider and partner in all things debaucherous. Thank god she's here,

"It'll be ok, we can still get her back." We rush to the back of the Playroom, narrowly rescuing Juno from the hands of a bald guy with a can of hair spray on an obvious mission to "go forth and tease". Once we regroup the vote is unanimous: we're c early the most stylish people here, and somehow - although it may not actually mean that much - this realisation reassures us all. 9'30Cllfl' A tragically teased blonde leaps from the hairdressers queue. Apparently 'actual time took much longer ecstatic to be "reunited" with the occupants of Storme's VeeDub - "Hey!!!!" she screams in our faces "I knew that you funky girls were coming here too! I'm that car you crashed into out the front!!! Great to see you! You know you made my day!!" Thalia becomes our new buddy. Despite our constant queries about where to get some speed, she insists that her S0 |WS7s75 Tz/yfT im VD/^aouSKJEiS vivaciousness is simply a personality trait. l5 Sl^CLV l\ fefswf^LiTi TK/i^rr. y,33am. We've got our ticket, number 176, it's early in the day and already I feel weary. Looking around I guess that there is maybe five-hundred people here, the line outside had stretched all the way down the street and into the undercover carpark. People have been here since five this morning. There are a heap of kids in vinyl anc a petting zoois worth of fake fur. Every twenty minutes a group of ten Is called upstairs to the interview room, clutching their cds and promo shots. It reminds me of a 'young talent time' instore.

There are people walking around in Channel V tee-shirts, nciting the kids to be "out there" - makes me wonder how much this job really does pay, A camera crew is randomly pulling auditioners from the crowd and making them do whacky shit. Careful not to make eye-contact with anyone, we slink down the stairs - this is the Gold Coast, surely we can find susni this early in the morning.

y.jUam. Regaled by wasabi and tofu, we head back inside. It's dark, and we feci desperate. Bubblegirl, as our pre­ cious charge, is deposited in a safe corner with Juno to protect her. Our main priority Is to keep her sare - regardless of what happens to the rest o* us. She Is lamenting the fact the Semper budget doesn't cover off-campus "recreational" relief - for her nerves, you know...

Storme and I stumble into the strobed wilderness. It's like slow motion, she holds my gaze for just half a second, and for that Instant I know. We mouth in unison: "POPSTARS" more than ever I realise that at the heart of tragically hip lies tragic, and in the middle of V there is a depression. There Is no escape in this place. I look around hastily, all the cubicles arc out of toilet paper (forgivable in a crowded nightclub, inexcusable In this place), I am beginning :o panic. Glance at my watch. The exam back in Brisbane has already begun, we made our choice and now 1 have to stick it out. There has got to be a way, there has got to be reason, there has got to be something here that isn't surreal.

Zpmi We find Cute Boy. All day Storme and I have been randomly selecting people from the crowd and hammering them - trying to make sense of this place. We flash our press passes, my fearless mistress of the word pulls out her pad and pen with a glint of mockery In her eyes, I casually place my hand on my camera, shifting my left shoulder and glancing to the side. If you say Semper Floreat Magazine really really fast and don't mention UQ and don't mention student, you can get away with it. By the time the afternoon sets In and the vodka settles in our bellies, we have spoken to roughly half the room. Most of those being female, most of those reviewing Macy, and most of those being a little suspicious of us. The boys are bor­ ing. Either rock-wannabe's reviewing their own demo cd, grungy hippie feral types who seem a little dazzled by the array of lights and smoke machines or super-cool brainless bores.

Then, as I said, we find Cute Boy.

He walks by, shaggy hairdo, sneakers, cheeky grin. Storme and Juno collapse in giggles. He approaches. I know I have to remain calm - if this day is going to be fucked at least I can console myself with a little mindless flirtation. "I wanna give him a lift back to Brisbane!!!" Storme cries "I don't care is he doesn't fuckin' live there - he can come and stay at my place, then I'll drive him any place he wants!" Juno's cheeks are getting flushed and she can't manage a single sylla­ ble expect "urmoph!!!!". Bubblegirl is oblivious to it all -1 think she has reached a deeply mediative state, either that or her brain's fogged over. I can't help myself - we collapse Into a mess of shrieks. Cute Boy walks away in disgust and we are left heart-broken. "Well, he was wearing a Ripcurl shirt - he can't have been that specsh" "Maybe it was the first thing he found on his floor" "More than likely he waiting for his girlfriend - you know that tall sexy blonde chic who's going to end up with the V job" 'That sux" "I still wanna take him home!" "Well. If you weren't such a twittering mess you could have" "Yeah, how come you can talk t:o losers but not uber cool dudes you're sure you'll actually like" "But I do lUam' A nightclub full of kids with an average age of 21, nothing to drink but Red Bull and only The Prodigy playing over the loudspeakers. Two guys start to "stool surf.

lU*x5atfl^ I have summoned the courage to go and talk to the amazing girl with the long black dreadlocks and the african eyes. I'm sure she has seen us looking at her and wondered at our interest and camera flashes. On our way over we are captivated by some bright lights and pretty colours; dazzled, we walk right Into a girl who has attached about fifty cds to her dress. People around her are murmuring things like 'look, britney's on her bum'. We ask her what cd she's reviewing, Macy Gray, We move on.

lU.jUCllfll The black girl with the african eyes is also doing Macy Gray. We move on.

llCtm* Sentimentality overcomes us in this oh-so-foreign place as we contin­ il ue to bump Into people from "back home" ("what the fuck are you doing here????!") Juno brings us rapidly back to reality by pointing out that we live only fl an hour away. The shock propels us back down the stairs and in search of a beer.

ll,30Qmi Call back to Semper HQ; we've found Vodka.

IZami Frenzied debate ensues as to whether glitter can be overdone, whatev­ er did happen to Docs and if a 40% exam which the assignment hadn't been done for is worth going back to Brisbane for. Juno is undecided, Storme's affirmative on all counts and I only care about whether 1 should go to the autobank NOW or after another vodica. We decide to stay. I mean we've already spent fm hours in this god-forsaken place. If the neon hasn't gotten to us already, maybe we're immune. Storme clinches it: "Dammit girls, we don't give up! We haven't given up smoking and we're not going to quit this!" She then begins to loudly search for the toilet, crumples Into tears and passionately declares her fondness for us all. Fuck, can't take her anywhere. Bubblegirl pulls out the latest copy of FHM: tears disperse as we mindfessly giggle over penlses. A surefire cure for an attack ofthe sobs.

Ipm' Somehow we have to get back up to Channel V. Apart from Juno's knee graze, we arrive unscathed. Still hours to go. With a bellyful of vodka Bubblegirl was confident about her decision to stick it out, however her first step down the hair-product infused corridor brings back her fears. She breaks into a sweat (We tell her we'll write delicate perspiration) We head for the toilets - always a refuge for the weary. Arrghhh: chyx - more hairspray - pouting and practising their poses in front of the mirror. Now ditz sooo well..." "You guys made me pee my pants!" "Fuckin' what??" "I can't hack you girlie girls" "FUCKEN' GIRL POWER!!!" "yeah " It went on and on, until Cute Boy finally left altogether and we WAY lost our chance. Damn, Apparently Storme circled the block three times before she made it to the highway, forlornly calling his name and stopping every 200 metres to give him the chance to emerge from his hiding place. 3,05pmi After venturing out to speak with the freaks, Bubblegirl is more and more IF yoo SPtY ^m95^ confident of how she fits in to it all (or ratner, how she doesn't fit in). Chatting to a girl in skin tight fake snakeskin, she realises just how serious some of these people are. Scary seri­ ous. "I'm in a boy band and I'm a musician" serious. Swapping spiels is apparently not cool; while Bubblegirl may have been more than happy to divulge the secrets of her audition plan, others were not open to it at all. Like the girl In the knee-high yellow socks who refused to share any of her (no doubt profound) thoughts on Whitney Houston with us. Then she found the girl who was really into "local Brisbane"music: she'd never heard of 4ZZZ.

But once she rr\tt the girl dressed h ar) afro wig (it could've been cool until she said "yeah, ^u05\^T, Voo CAM just like Macy") who was number 340 because she'd stayed home that morning to practise, Bubblegirl was sure in herself. Not so sure what Channel V was really after in its talent search, but sure that if it wasn't her she would not be disappointed 'cause it would mean one of "them".

T''30pm'Our number is finally called. Our pin-up girl takes a deep breath, manages to look se^ne and hyped at the same time, and disappears up the stairs. It was worth the wait - Bubblegirl is In the last group to be called. The sparkle In her eye is enough to fill the whole room, I'm the only one who notices though. I lose myself for fifteen minutes dreaming about the girl whose presence has complimented my lifestyle In the same way racing stripes compli­ ment tracksult tops. Ahh. Come back to reality as the kids around us start to riot We have been here for nearly eight hours, along witn a heap of other kids who are now furious that auditions have closed. Now come the tears, the stamping of spice-girl-heeled feet and the serious pout­ ing looks, and with them the last minute frenzy of photo-ops. Beck comes on over the loud­ speakers - Juno looks lovesick and we start to talk about dating boys with cute accents. The pressure is off, 1 light my 50th cigarette for the day and lean back on my stool. Despite the mayhem around us, I feel more stylish and more with It than I have before. It's like I have been through a life changing experience and learnt new lessons, new skills and new attitudes. This Is complete shit, 'cause nothing has been gained except a bottle of Channel V bubbles. Spending the day with my chic posse in a not too pleasant situation has empowered me more than a cheap store full of two dollar glitter pots.

Storme has a killer hangover.

5pmi Back from her dazzling TV experience (where she was somehow expected to impress that fuckwit Maynai-d F# Crabbes) Bubblegirl is eager to get the fuck out of this town. We leap down the stairs into the Gold Coast playground. We are exhausted. Juno and Storme have gone beyond speech - they desperately cling to each other and can only com­ municate through a series of hugging motions and waning smiles. We leave them to sigh over their parking ticket and try to find the highway. I slump into the passenger seat The cit/ is lighting up, we leave the women in white capri's and gold shoes, crank up the stereo and roll another cigarette for the road.

I wind down my windows and open my mouth to the rushing cold air. Bubblegirl glances over - a smirk on her face. "We're fucked" "Yeah" I nod "But we're not that fucked". I grin at the exit signs whizzing past, slip the chemial brothers' into the cd player and relax as the bass swirls, singing the only words that have made sense all day: "it doesn't mat - ter" To be a being In the world is to have some sort of We do need to be able to critically identify the body. Both action and thought require the reasons for moments of psychic discomfort within existence of a physical being, whatever the physical space that we occupy, and have minimallstic shapes, forms or functions it takes. In benefited by the scholarly contributions and this way, our experience of being in the world political activism of feminists across all disciplines. involves a grand and unique juxtaposition of But many of us have also learnt practical subjectivity with objectivity of self. body-esteem skills from those blissed-up in their own life experiences - those friends and public Reductlonistic approaches to the question of faces happy to rant on about sex and deep-fry and 'being* have simplistically approached the nature cool water on the skin while miraculously doing so ofthe relationship of mind with body by within the little Imperfect idiosyncratic vessels of presuming a perfect separation of one from the incomplete knowledge and imperfect skin that other - of Intention from action. Such theories they are. The chickie on the dancefloor flailing her locate sensibility and rationality in the soul or mind arms freely in her own little space never needed and temporality, irrationality, chaos and Heiddeger to tell her the philosophical value of a Imperfection at the sight ofthe body. But this good boogie. Yourlittle sister never needed imaginary boundary Is just that, imaginary, and Naomi Wolf to eat cake successfully. convenient only for purposes of false simplification. Moreover, such a divide has tended to create a It is obvious that extensive feminist cultural culture which devalues the essential roles of our criticism has granted many women the power to bodies In our intelligent interpretation of be satisfied witri|iieir perfectly different physical existence and experience. selves. However, the final step intit) a less transient mood of boch|satisfaction|5 made with the Greater difficulties must be surmounted by women recognition t|iat our own||plness is essentially in order to revive this healthy relationship of mind embodied. Fiiill acceptanp ofibur physicality to body. Even in our current environment of comes, then, from acceSs to our senses. A significant sexual and political freedoms, our realisation ofthe degree our subject-selves are capitalist consumerist culture more readily Inescapably attached to ^Ur surroundings. We objectifies and devalues women's bodies for the discover we love pumpkin. Or marshmallows. Love purposes of profit This culture aides the further rollerblading, or not Or massages. Or silence. Or destruction of a woman's relationship to her body, half-shaven legs. Or unburnt skin. Or a viil^S^ and indeed constructs in the first ptac^%e body' base note through the rlt^ag^here is'nP»^ • as s0me distincf and separate dtmensioh^f being. ^rugglejnvolvecljij, bodl|ma|#br theM:^ ^m- which nriuit either be accepteiiorlljected, cbnsciouslyleml^^ suiect-lpcause «iliesn't Apili^llllng ti||rrili|iJfrbod>r dialecttiin a healthy^ •'•ii Just accept herij^alltyvsh^epend^^fbr waylilieenmrn d not s invdl^^a call to arms citlijlll^ all tlj^e things,iJiisi3r^^| valid^tonlSl of lismsofauthoriti^ the 5lkin that slie Is.

Pk.'^'y, M'' -^ :0A

•»:. W' v:.t-,f^'^3^;H^,i^^ n our world of magazines - our clothes live on the same rack? They why are FAT women automatically seen world of styled bodies, painted are all made in the same Asian sweat­ as a "dressed up bessie out for a root". faces and glossy images, where shop for the same multinational!. Why is it always assumed that they are it is cool, almost fashionable, the tag along to their skinnier friends? to be gay, bfack, pregnant, tattooed, Success is another area which divides Why is it that they are assumed to be pierced, even vegetarian, one last up women and discriminates one group sexually "easy" or inept! Why is it that taboo still remains entrenched. It is from another. Fat women are women who identify as being straight the taboo of being FAT. constantly being told that because are four times more likely to have (or they can't handle their weight, they had) an eating issue/disorder than If you jiggle, wobble or squish in the are unsuccessful and all the other those women who identify as lesbian!!! wrong way you will be scorned. If you achievements they have had in their happen to be a face m the media who lives are lost by the wayside. If people now are so embarrassed when does this you will be publicly told how Whereas, skinny women are told that someone makes a racist slur, why do crap you look and that you really suck they are beautiful and that in itself is they laugh when someone yells, "get as a person for looking like you do. a success. Weightloss junkies, who outta the way FATSO" when you cross have "shed the kilos" thanks to Jenny the street? Why do guys still buy Women who have thighs and hips are Craig teaching them successfully how stickers for their cars that say (my banned from wearing certain types of to deprive their bodies and starve favourite) "NO FAT CHICKS clothes. They are told by men AHb themselves, are always advertised as ALLOWED", and drive around with other women that "honey, a big girl like the success story - what bullshit! other guys laughing at it? Why, if we you shouldn't really wear that". Fashion are so supportive of having diversity in stores discriminate against women by If it is so unhealthy for women to gain the arts did Camryn Manheim (a fat not making the sizes big enough, in weight, then why doesn't the sports activist and actor) have to dedicate effect telling women that if they industry support inclusive environments her golden globe "to all the fat girls aren't a certain size they really for women to participate in, instead of out there"? shouldn't be buying these clothes. feeling inadequate and once again a Magazines only ever include women failure. If gyms are meant to be size Our world blatantly and continually over a size 12 when they are being friendly then why don't they focus on discriminates against fat people and INCLUSIVE and having a special people feeling healthier as opposed to fat women especially, and we con­ edition for fatties. Because fat women people counting kilos. Why don't they stantly sit by and let it happen. I are different, not normal, they have sell gym clothes in a wider variety of will not let it happen any longer., sanitised magazines, and sanitised sizes? bo you now how hard it is to buy you will accept me, all of me. Stand areas in which to buy clothes. Have you a leotard in size 22? I guess this is up and speak out against this! ever noticed that you have to cross to another way of ensuring that FAT the F/\T section of Myer or Target, people don't get to participate in And for the man in the bar who said which they \ove fo call names like fitness, and that they will always stay "I'd rather fuck a fat chick than a "options" and "versatile" - Like the fat fat so we can continue to tell them how skinny one, because she wouldn't get it clothes have to be ir\ a separate unsuccessful they areW Thanks UQ as much and would put in more effort section so they don't contaminate the Sport! to please me". I say FUCK YOU MATE skinny people's clothes. Why can't fat In dating, dance parties and clubs. and I'm glad I threw my drink at you!!. Ageism in the Lesbian Community

Most women would like to think that other women are perfect, This is to be arrested and charged for corrupting a minor if you provide especially true in the lesbian community. However, the lesbian com­ information of any kind about same-sex relationships to people who munity faces a major discrimination problem - ageism. When most are underage. people hear the word "ageism", they think of elderly people. That's fair enough. Ageism does apply to the old. What most people don't Many queer organisations are reluctant, for this reason, to get realise is that age-based discrimination can also apply to the young involved with young people. However, heroin use is also illegal, yet (just look at youth wages for a prime example). It is this sort of there are several government-funded organisations in the commu­ ageism that is rife in the lesbian community. nity which provide support to heroin users. Hiding behind an unjust law is no excuse for ageism. The most prominent form of ageism in the lesbian community is dis­ crimination against young women who are not yet 18. This discrimina­ The third and most hidden problem is internalised homophobia. tion may take the form of exclusion (from community events which are Many older women will refuse to have a relationship (or even a held in licensed premises), denial of access to services (for example, friendship) with a younger woman because they either fear not being allowed to join a coming out group while underage), or even labelling as a paedophile, or fear that they are corrupting an inno­ simple personal discrimination (when an older person ignores or cent young straight person (who might later revert to being refuses to interact with a younger one). This causes young lesbians to straight). It is actually shown that the incidence of paedophilia in be isolated from their community. Many will be in the process of com­ the queer community is statistically smaller than in the straight ing out or searching for answers about themselves at this time, and community, and in the straight community, a 20-year old man with denying them access to the information that many desperately need is a 16-year old woman is not an uncommon sight. Why should it be not particularly helpful. demonised among lesbians? It's also commonly believed that sexual orientation is determined at or near birth, so it's impossible to Ageism can cause poor self-esteem, and the isolation it causes may con­ "convert" someone straight to being a lesbian. tribute to loneliness, confusion and the high suicide rate of queer youth. Why, then, does it occur? There are three main causes. The issues surrounding ageism in the lesbian community are large, but not insurmountable. I believe that education is the key to The first is the perception that there aren't many underage lesbians change. The unjust laws, which prevent young women from being around. This is actually untrue. Due to more positive representations educated about their sexuality, should be changed to prevent the of queer people in the media, and access to information on the Internet, escalation of the current tragic situation. It's time to stop hiding lesbians are coming out at progressively younger ages. behind the law and your own fears, and open the doors to young I myself only recently turned 18, and I know at least twenty other les­ women. We too are part of the lesbian community. bians who are underage, the youngest of whom is only 11. -jeneration The second problem is that of the law. In Queensland, it is still possible TRANSFER INK 2 tablespoons (10mls) of sopa powder or scrapings (not detergent) 1/4 cup (60ml) hot water 1 tablespoon (5mls) turpentine

Dissolve the soap powder with the hot water in a bowl. Add the turpentine then pour into a small screv^/top jar. Brush over a picture (from a comic book or magazine - use moixture for pictures on glossy paper), wait for 10 seconds and place a sheet of paper over it. Rub the back with a spoon. The picture can be transferred onto t-shirts/paper etc and can usually be transferred more than once.

2 cups warm water 1 cup soap flakes Food colouring

Whisk together and run through fingers

«ii )0 UG H BUBBLE 2 cups plain flour MIXTURE 1 cup salt 1 cup dishwashing liquid 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1/4 cup glyerine (from the chemist, it approx 1 cup water makes the bubbles last longer) Food colouring 3 cups of water

Mix together and roll into shape. Mix together and go get bubbling

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' %ihe^L*, t Goddess Worship

This Is a hard article to write, as I'm sure I'm likely to receive scientific revolution changed the view of nature a backlash from various feminists claiming my pagan from a living organism 'mother earth' into a life­ beliefs weaken the women's movement. When less machine which could be manipulated and you leave the realm of political dialogue in exploited, the female image was suffused search of spiritual insight it is easy for others with spirituality, women's fertility and sexu­ fluent in theory to corrupt and manipulate ality embodied in the image of the Goddess. your message. My answer to those who feel I The emergence of judaeo-Christianity fur­ have no basis to call myself a feminist is to thered the dominance of men over point out the patriarchal practice of women, sky god over earth goddess, and valuing knowledge over 'wisdom' and the distinctive holistic and intuitive allow me an opinion grounded in form of reasoning was replaced with emotion. 1 understand the political linear cerebral forms of knowing. dangers of moving to a mystical identi­ (Henderson, 1988). When looking back fication with the natural world, as it by at the power religious fundamentalism no way diminishes the political problem has had on women's oppression it of gender relations and present appears to me a natural progression to destruction of the environment, reclaim the older forms of wisdom and but there is an empowering earth based consciousness which patriarchy force in spirituality that has not been has sought to obliterate. appreciated by western political activists trapped in a politics limited 'All of us have entered life through the to material demands. I don't pre­ body of a woman. It is the first act of scribe that women abandon their magic' (Arisika Razak, 1990 p 168). I am struggle for personal and political a Goddess worshipper, and for as long as freedom for a candle and I can remember found an awe-inspiring incense sticks, but see it more as beauty in nature. 1 find tremendous value a grounding point from which to in the expression of identity through source strength. "Whatever we songs, performance art, poems, and rituals do, our spirituality should be which work to celebrate our relationship with grounded in action" (Starhawk, the earth, the moon, the seasons, day night, 1990 p 85). life death rebirth. I meditate, go for walks, like to surround myself in wilderness and look for In order to defend myself and the magic within the man made worlds. Believing only spirituality I find sacred I've turned in the laws of nature, that is cycles of cause and to history and the current role of effect, allowed me to develop an understanding of our patriarchy in creating the modern interconnectedness in a web of energy that flows through scientific, industrial and military systems all things. This perspective holds us individually responsi­ that are threatening the planet. Before the ble for each other and the planet. I don't believe it is abandoning reason to get in touch with envision another world that heals the one­ our inner selves or spirit to break down the boundaries sided destructive world that male dominance between the nature-culture dualism that patri­ has created, lying in the repressed archy has created. knowledge and experience of women. When I began placing knowledge in a I also believe women will never share an wider context and experiencing an expan­ equal basis with men by joining them in the sion of reality through a mystical interac­ nature-hating world they have created. There tion with nature, I ruly began to feel is an understandable danger in reasserting a strengthening of spirit and as Petra the 'naturalness' of women's mothering Kelly puts it a 'belief in my own role and therefore Goddess worship, strength 'as woman'. We as life especially to feminists who have seen affirming creative forces have the motherhood as something that limits power to affect energy and bring and constrains women. But I want about change. liberation from sex-roles and patriarchal institutions that define motherhood e.g. exclusive caring, not a rebel­ Lorna lion against my nature as a woman. I argue as Razak does that we must rescue the 'womanist' symbolism of birth from References the male symbolism of rape in our relationship with the natural world. Christ, Carol 1990. 'Rethinking (Melior 1992,p 68). If we teach our­ Theology and Nature' in Irene selves to revere what is feminine, Diamond and Gloria Feman Orenstein the image of the earth mother will (eds) Reweavins the World. Sierra Club evoke the reverence that is Earth's Books, San Francisco. due. Henderson, Hazel. 1988 The Politicd ol the An ancient earth based conscious­ Solar Age. Knowledge Systems Inc, New ness may enable a halt to destructive York. practices that threaten our planet by looking at things differently and Melior, Mary. 1992. Breakins the Boundaries. operating on a basis of feelings rather Virago Press, London. than demonstrable truths. 'What I do know is that whether the universe has a centre of consciousness or Starhawk. 1990 'Power, Authority and Mystery: Eco femi­ not, the sight of a field of flowers in the colour purple,the nism and Earth-based Sprituality' in Irene Diamond and rainbow must be enough to stop us from destroying all that is Gloria Feman Orenstein (eds) Reweavins ^^^ World. Sierra and wants to be'. (Carol Christ, 1990- P ^9)- Club Books, San Francisco l^*«*aigfat. ^,T^r^ SKtitf http://wishu\verehere.va.coni.au wishuwerehere

This is a site with free po.stcards that you can e-mail to your friends. The on line cards were developed in a series of workshops held throughout Queensland, in conjunction with community groups and other organisations. A digitarts initiative, the project i^ received fimding from Arts Queensland. The aim ofthe project was to present an honest or personal view of one's own suburb. Check it out and see if your locale is represented. iY

wishawerehere iove ya brisbane Brand spankin' new 'tarts fuzzy logic ioystnre mauis http://digitarts.va.com.au/ metatart simply lifeless Yep, Ms Violetta has re-vamped the digitarts site and it looks awesome! New links and access to their collective works. Really microwaves user friendly and clean design makes this site a true delight, (ha ha I got poetry in Semper)! Pi party art far the masses grrrnwl

This gxiy knows ever> tiling! w WW. askj eeves. com

Anyone who has ever tired to do a search the anally retentive >' or'-' wa>' will love askjeeves. Just type in a question using the words you would normally use in ever>'day conversation. Hit 'ask' and Jeeves will provide you with a whole bunch of links to sites that will help answer your question. This site is awesome for peop'.e new to the net as well as tired old cynics like myself. An excellent friend in times of need, however, he couldn't answer my question 'wliatever happened to Guru Adrian', can you?

Flash flash -^/^v / ww\v.kiok.net/features/ottergirl/index.html

kick is a great design site witli lots of great links. This particular URL is for Ottergirl, an animation they featured in one of their previous issues. The colours are dreamy, as is the stor\'. The images are so gorgeous, you just want to lick them! An excellent site for anyone \vho appreciates good design or who would like to produce their own flash animation. Ver>' inspiring.

a" Deadly sins and otlier tilings http://fingertips.newdamage.coni

Ace e-zine with beautiful images. Lots of different things to look at, back issues, heaps of contributors etc. Highly textural art that vou rarely see on the web.

Supercute! http://home.earthlink.net/~bombpopusa/cute.html

This Is a cool website encompassing all ofthe remarkable talents of Amencan Independent cartoonist, Fawn Gehweiler. Her style is super cute in an anime kind of way. There are lots of secret places to see and fun things to do so set aside a bit of time to have a complete look. There is a quiz and even the chance to buy sparkly stickers and glittery stuff. Yay! Women's Infolink FeMini$t T0ur 56 Mary Street, the City. Women's Infolink is the information and community service ofthe Queensland Government's Office of 0f Bi*i$bane Women's Policy. It has heaps of books, journals, pamphlets, reports and other publications you can check out and, in some cases, borrow. There are Carmen and Ellen jumped aboard the Feminist Tour computers for word processing and of Brisbane, to find out more about funky feminist internet use - all provided free of charge. There are free conference women, helpful women's services and great feminist facilities which your non-profit group can access for meetings, as well as a landmarks. referral service. If you need to gel in contacl with a particular service regarding sexual harassment at work, abuse at The Women's Bookshop home or help with your lax and finances, ihe right 15 Gladstone Road, Women's Infolink can head you in direction. Women's Infolink's Freecall number Highgate Hill. is 1800 177 577. Their internet site is www.qldwoman.qld.gov.au. What belter way lo brush up They have so much information, you need to on the latest feminist writings drop by! than al a shop carrying books on any topic by and about Regatta Hotel women and owned by Toowong women? The Women's Bookshop is a must-see! Just Next slop on the Feminist Tour of Brisbane is be sure you check its opening the Regatta Hotel in Toowong for a celebratory hours (your enthusiastic, femi­ beer lo commemorate the protesters Merle nist rcponers thought it would Thornton and Ro Bogner. In 1965, the two be a great idea to visit on a women chained themselves lo the bar after being Monday - the one day it is refused service. They were promptly arrested for closed!). their protest against the exclusion of women from public bars (ever wondered why there was a Ladies' Lounge?). The Women's Bookshop holds Coffee in the Courtyard (writers, presenters, speakers) on the third Saturday ofthe month at 1 lam. They have also recently acquired a new space ne.xt door to use for the showing of women's art and craftwork. You can also hire the space courses and work­ shops (ph 3844 6650). Some other important numbers and stuff:

Emma Miller Statue Brisbane Sexual Health Clinic: ph 3227 7091 King George Square Eating Disorders Association of Qld: ph 3352 6900 Women's Health Qld-wide infoline: ph 3839 9988 Supporting Mother's and Children hostel; ph 3841 0718 Women's House: ph 3844 4008 Women's Legal Service: ph 1800 677 278 Association of Non-English Speaking Background Women of Qld; ph 3846 3189 Migrant Women's Emergency Support Service: ph 3846 3490 Older Women's Network: ph 3236 1399 Women in Small Business: ph 5547 5561 Women Lawyers Association of Qld; ph 3226 6333 Who better to get down and funky with than Zig Zag Young Women's Resource Centre Inc: ph 3843 1823 Emma Miller in King George Square. This Brisbane Rape and Incest Survivor's Support Centre: ph 3391 0004 tireless suffragette and campaigner hangs out After Hours Sexual Assault Crisis Line: ph 3000 0000 with Sir Charles Lilley (one of Queensland's Immigrant Women's Support Service: ph 3846 5400 early Premiers) and Steele Rudd (of "Dad and Murrigunyah For Indigenous Women: ph 3290 4254 Dave" fame). If a rally in Brisbane does not W.Wild For Women with Learning Disablities: ph 3262 9877 start at King George Square, then chances arc, Domestic Violence Telephone Service for refuge referral: ph 1800 811 811 you'll be starling at Emma Miller Place (which is unfortunately often referred to as the Roma Street Forum).

Children by Choice Windsor UQ Women's Collective An information, counselling The Union Building, upstairs in and referral service, Children the Women's Room. by Choice believes in providing women with all their options when This is the peak decision-making faced with an unplanned pregnancy so they can make a truly body ofthe Women's Rights area infonned decision. Counselling is provided by telephone or face- ofthe student union. You can to-face. They have information kits and a library which you can come along to Women's access by making an appointment and can boiTow from if you are a Collective on Tuesdays at Ipm member. They also work in the community by providing health, and gel involved. You can use welfare and community workers with accurate information about the room al any time for a rest, a women's pregnancy options. Children by Choice is run by volun­ chat, a cup of lea or coffee, or teers and paid employees and is funded by the Stale Labor govern­ just to hang out with other ment through a pre-election promise, as funding had been cut by women and talk about your day, the previous Coalition government. your life, your studies, or your plan of how best lo smash the For information, counselling or referral, or if you just want to get Patriarchy. Any woman can gel involved in the fight lo legalise abortion, you can call Children by involved in this friendly area and Choice on 3357 5^570 (admin), 3357 5377 (counselling) or if you're the room has a beautiful, big, outside Brisbane, freecall 1800 177 725. comfy couch! 1. Do not make any sudden mouements

2. nod your head In rapid agreement to anything that is said, no matter hom ludicrous, scary, or smacking of socialistic overtones. (Hot euen If you don't understand half the mords^used.j

3. Do not challenge the alpha male 'l female / comrade by either engaging In extended eye contact, aggressiue body posti^ring, or thinking for yourself. , \ , ,

•••

4. CaUeuerybody comrade with a straight face, and refer to'our glorious forefathers'a lot.

5. Buy their newspaper, twice If necessary.

6. make placating hand gestures and small clicking sounds with your tongue. This will calm them.

7. Do not confess to eating at IDcDonalds, buying brand name clothing, or In fact admit to using money to pur chase anything at all. Say Instead that you refuse to participate In the dominant oppressive patriarcho-capl talist dichotomic regime, all your clothing has been scauenged from the 'white supremlst pigs' and they are merely props for the coming revolution anyway.

8. Refer to the 'coming revolution' a lot. Helps If you crack your knuckles aggressively whilst saying this.

9. Referto your working class backgroundearly in the conversation, if you rnii IttJIlMIMIH IJIJIIIItllM!! to cop it in the neck in 'the coming revolution'. socialist, and join us in our fight to free 10. Rside from buying their newspaper, DO DOT give them any money. There are the oppress ivorhers from the capitalist bounds to how far intimidation can be allowed to go. bosses who exploit them. ^ 11. Do not, under any circumstances, ask them to explain the difference between their faction and another, seemingly identical unless you haue brought with Re-education sessions will be held on you tea, bickies, and a heavy duty flack Jacket. (insert time and place that Resistance 12. Be prepared to run. meets?). s J» J c^ c^J :ici* by mc tash

The original "old spice"...one of Australia's first writers- With current interest in Aussie female emcees I thought who happens to be a female and a mother of two kids it would be interesting to interview (who happen to be spraying already). Her nine year old Australia's first! daughter STAR sometimes comes home from school upset that she's misunderstood while her peers are idol­ WHAT DO YOU WRITE? ising the Backstreet Boys, STAR'S favourite band is the Kandy, Spice and a few less known tags on the side. Beastie Boys- she's already seen them live. WHAT CREWS HAVE YOU REPRESENTED? Kids look at her weird when she said she had a mad Kosmic Krew, MP's, TDF, TFP, currently IBS, weekend watching breakdancing. And if mummy goes out painting with the girls on the weekend, don't let Star WHEN DID YOU START WRITING GRAFITTl? hear or she'll be begging to be brought along so she too It's hard to pinpoint a date, but I think I did my first can represent. SPICE aka Sha-B was Australia's first piece around 1985. noted female emcee who represented in Countdown and Rolling Stone HOW OLD ARE YOU? magazines in the 80s and supported Ice T in 1988. 27 years old.

She had a song "hardcore love" on Australia's first hip HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR PARTNER UNIQUE? hop compilation "Down By Law" in 1 987. She is still influ­ [aka Sereck from Aussie hip hop group CELSIUS and the encing the latest generation of female emcees. (TREY now defunct DEF WISH CAST.] on the Mother Tongues compilation gives Spice props on I knew of him by his pieces, but we officially met at a her "Feline Forces" song - the title taken from an old party overJcee's. Unique, aka Sereck, was living on the Spice song aptly named "Female Forces".) Shortly after, streets at the time. I helped him out, we became good her mother passed away leaving her with nothing positive friends and the rest is history. to rap about anymore so she gave up and decided to concentrate on graffiti. DOES HE GET CUT WHEN YOU DON'T PIT HIM UP ON YOUR PIECES? Nowadays she can be found working with youth around Only when he's feeling insecure.... the westside of Sydney and co-running her company "Basic Equipment" with partner Unique. She also ...I HEARD YOU GOT HIM INTO GRAFITTl? designed the logo for "JEWEL" the Sydney That's as bad as the rumour stating that if it wasn't for clothing company aimed specifically at bgirls run by bgirl him, I wouldn't be involved in the hip hop scene. I've DENA. noticed that since I've been involved with Sereck, my identity within the culture doesn't exist anymore. It really pisses me off when new schoolers I i plus 1 like to incorporate symbols from ancient civilisa- automatically presume that a girl couldn't have ' ^ tions. I'm a freak for Egyptian artefacts, Mayan sun gods represented longer. and Asian cultures.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO HIP HOP? WHO HAVE YOU PAINTED WITH? I remember watching various film clips and movies like Severe, Jeno, Tudor, QE, Jcee, Teen, Jerk, Skae, Higher, Xanadu etc (now I know everyone's laughing) that had Bee, Afera, Alexis, Brick, Atome, Jasy, Rson guys boogalooing (locking) in it. 1 was attracted to this SWR, Blame, Unique, Odie, Rosa, Poser, Nude, Dephy, because I was a dancer with the British Ballet Chez, Hams and the list goes on Organisation. Lucky for me, breaking let me be both the dancer and the tomboy. As for graf, my brother was one HOW MANY BGIRLS DO YOU KNOW? of the first Sydney writers. He and Ski discovered I only remember 2 other Bgirls besides myself. There Lavender Bay yards. Old crews like Masters of Disaster, were lots of writers^ Shaz, Denny, Rhythm & Rhyme (the Digitz, Zulu artists, and Cosmic kids were my biggest first chicks to piece the lines), Joish, D-one, Jade, Jewel, influence. At that time we were just breakers who hap­ Shy 1, Rosa,J-one (Girl Style Crew) Phee, Fade, Alexis, pened to put up our crew name, then Subway art came Bee, Cherry, Moiz, Monique, Slammer, Peblez, Secret & out and had us going crazy, we now ( my mum had me Surprise, Devine, Scandle, Lace, Dash, Lulu, Humor...I'm do this cos I was such a tomboy) were writers who just sure there's a few I've forgotten...Currently representing happened to break. the hip hop culture in Sydney= Moiz, Afera, Lotus, Trey, Chez, Musk, Thorn, Lady Muse, Maya, Phoenix & (QE) HAVE YOU EVER HIT TRAINS? Tare... Yeah, I bombed. When I hit yards/ layups, it was usually during the day, I found it more beneficial for me to waste WILL YOU EVER BLESS THE MIC FOR US AGAIN?! a whole train than to do just 1 panel. It was more about Definitely in the future when I'M ready. bombing back then, panelling was just a bonus...a big bonus. I don't believe you can call yourself a writer unless you have hit a train, whether it be insides or out, on more than one occasion. Nowadays it's all about how many panels you've done.

::r33i:-'.:!S33 HOW MANY PIECES HAVE YOU DONE? I honestly wouldn't know. I wish I had photos of every­ thing I did, instead of everyone racking paint, someone should have thought of getting a camera.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? Funky publics. I try to add movement to my pieces,

EIGHT SUPERCOOL CHICK ALBUMS FROM THE NINETIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED... f Kate Scott. y) K R I S T E N H E R S H HIPS '^94 AND M A K E R S( AD Shock Though composed simply of raw acoustic strums, snaking cello lines aJHj-^- and barely-there percussion, Hips and Makers is nevertheless quite a r'f UR S I 1 D E ADVENTURE challenging listen, the then-Throwing \( M e a n w h i I e Virgin 1998 3 Muse Kristen Hersh using this solo set to exorcise personal demons through unbound delivery and a visceral lyrical bend. Opening with the New York threepiece Furslide may be dominated by boys, but stunning Michael Stipe duet Your Ghost, Hips and Makers' darkly Adventure is unquestionably a chick record. Guitarist, lyricist and melodious ventures are never less then captivating, from the voracious vocalist Jennifer Turner (one time guitarist for Natalie Merchant) Banshee yowl of A Loon to the sweet piano recital lull of Beestung. At dishes out her barbed lyrics and tingling guitar lines with fifteen tracks Hips and Makers is horughly draining, but deliciously so. exhausting determination, leading her lackeys through pockets of white noise, periods of threatening calm, smatterings of prog- rock, spontaneous eruptions, psychedelic melodrama, and her own articulate neurosis. From the ethereal swoon of Lovesong to the almighty rock swagger of Skinny Girl, Adventure is a stunning and audacious debut. The sound of a premenstrual Alice in Wonderland in therapy.

ME SHELL NDEGEOCELLO PLANTATION LULLABIES VANESSA D A OU ZIP L E S S Maverick Warner ,993 K r a s n o w MCA •994 "There's no such thing as alternative hiphop, because the only Vanessa Daou and husband/producer Peter Daou emerged from New known alternative to hiphop is dead silence" reads the manifesto York's underground In the early '90s to make a series of pseudo- on the inside sleeve of Plantation Lullabies, asserting Me'shell tribute albums, paying homage to Betty Page, Billie Holiday, John Nedgecello's strength of speech and seting the tone for an album Coltrane, and on Zipless, Erica Jong. Smoky acid jazz & vaporous of eloquent protest. Simultaneously chilled-out and fired-up, rhythms shroud Jong's lascivious prose, with Vanessa switching this hiphop/funk/R&B/jazz between steamy spoken word and song, hybrid railed against and Jong slipping in briefly to read LANTATLON LULLAB colonisation,racism and the her own work. Soft, smooth, and white beauty myth ("amidst incredibly sexy, Zipless reads like the cover girls and Clairoi ads/ your under-the-bed-book stash and makin' no mistake what's white sounds divine. "This is the long tunnc is right ") while plowing a of wanting you/Its walls are lined deeply sensual groove. Best with remembered kisses/wet and red moment? Undoubtably the as the inside of your mouth/full and sing-song taunt of juicy as your probing tongue," urges If That's Your Boyfriend the opening track. (Now does that (He Wasn't LastNight) count as poetry?) PJ HARVEY IS THIS '998 jjiiimj DESiRE?(island polygram

'^TORI AMOS Ravaged of body and mind, BOYS FOR PELE PJ Harvey's latest outing (EastWest is a brutal as it is beautiful a Warner skeletal electronic frame cloaked I 1996 in gnarled blues riffs, brittle 5«V\ distortion, mechanical grind xve:ifiii and speaker-defying bass. Severing her personal and professional Angeline, Joy, Elise, Leah and Catherine are the women of Is This relationship with longtime producer Eric Rosse, Tori Amos set out on her Desire, five exquisite characters doomed by their own bleak own for 1996's Boys for Pele, crafting an obtuse, ambitious, erratic and circumstance, Harvey's first and third-person narrative only almost lyrically impenetrable work (even by her standards) of freakish raising above a whisper to scream. Though near-unlistnable at and frightening beauty. Armand Van Helden snatched up Professional times (Joy, for instance) beauty manages to fight through the Widow and made it a dancefloor staple while the album was briskly cracks of Is This Desire like blood fighting through dried skin. dismissed, but Pele - recorded in a church largely on harpsichord - Though criminally neglected, Is This Desire is vital for any PJ contains some of the most piquant and dangerous music of Tori's career. aficionado. "I've shaved every place where you've been, boy" she snarls brokenly on KO ST A RS KLASSICS Blood Roses, while sampled and looped sound of a dried cowpat being ripped WITH A K F e 11a he e n from the ground is used as the beat for Profession Widow (take that Gran d R 0 y a 1 1996 Courtney!). Amos is yet to match its cracked vitality. r THE CLOUDS THUNDERHEAD ^Polyfram ,993 "The fireflies were circling, the cicadas were I can't think of any Australian singing and magic was in band of the '90s featuring not the air" the night Luscious one but two female singer/ Jackson's Vivian Trimble songwriters, and this alone and Jill Cunniff conceived sets the Clouds' guitarist Jodi the Kostars, an acoustic Phillis and bassist Trish Young side-project of woozy summer warmth. Embellished apart. However, it's the sheer quality of their guitar-pop tunes and sparingly with Moogs, Casios, accordian and piano, Klassics gorgeous vocal harmonies that really make them unique.Taking in the with a K saw the girl's sweetly malleable strums and dulcet carnai strut of Bower of Bliss, the ethereal grandeur of Ghost of Love harmonies meet for songs of Returned, the frenetic, wistful pop of f&S'l^ red umbrellas, cowboys, and Alchemy's Dead and the whimsical "'^^Ki. '#^" life on the road. "Mama harmonies of Kitten, 1993's never said it would be easy/ Thunderhead's wide stylistic range is ciouos But she never told me it unified by the truly superb would be so hard," they sing arrangements and the unpredictable on Mama Never Said, their beauty of Phillis and Young's cascading voices wafting in like smoke harmonies. Thunderhead remains the off a campfjre. Laidback and Clouds' finest work, an album whose lovely. myriad delights shine brighter with each listen. / students who have joined us for semester 2. The i enough to address issues relevant to Queer jiji UNION PAGES Union is here to help you and represent you, so Women, so a workshop was held for further/ jj come and visit us, or look us up on the web: discussion. The content of the workshop w^is www.uqu.uq.edu.au. Sarah McBratney mainly regarding lesbian women. Attertipf^ were Union President's Report. made to include issues of bisexua lity and SWOTVAC is here to stay! transgenderism, but this proved difficult. There If you were on campus in the first week of Queer Sexuality Officer's Report The Queer Families Fund is ever hungry and even was a significant level of iransphobia being classes, you may have been one of the 4400 expressed by some women, so it was decided students who signed the Union's petition to save though we are continually raising money the task seem to become ever harder. So if you can think that another workshop would be held the Swotvac. Only a week before, the University had following day to discuss the role of informed us that they wanted to cut Swotvac of ways to raise money or you have some spare money to give for a worthy cause please contact transgender women in the women' liberation from 5 days to 3 days. We were movement. The outcomes of this workshop were outraged at this proposition, as were the either of the Q ueer Sexuality Officers, Matt and Kristine, or the Women's Officer, Jen, at the the development of resolutions thousands of students who signed the petition. suggesting that transgender women be At Academic Board the following week, your Union. The Queer Collective sent fourteen dele­ gates to Queer Collaborations, a NUS conference \yelcomed at NOWSA and that transphobia be student reps presented the petition and our addressed whenever it occurred at NOWSA. arguments for retaining the 5 day Swotvac. organised over the holidays. This is with much thanks to Matthew, who worked extremely hard Another outcome was the decision by Kristine to Amazingly, Academic Board agreed with us and give a plenary on Friday morning on this topic. resolved to keep the full 5 day Swotvac. This is to organise for so many UQ people to attend! The conference is designed so that Queer stu­ The speech given by Kristine has been published an excellent victory for students; and shows in this, the Women's edition of Semper. Kristine what we can accomplish when we get active on dents ali over Australia can come together and an issue.On that note; Sign tKelbus fares discuss issues that affect their lives and i;orrn petition! By now many of ypu will have noticed resolutions about how to proceed with the Education officer's Report ) ' that you can no longer buy weeklY,and student Queer movement. The pjenaries that. Some things of interest that happened over the monthly bus tickets. So many students relied on were given reflect the diversity irithe Queer sei^ester break National Education Conference these ,ticicets for cheap public transport, and it .. community. Several of the plenarj^concerned/^' ^'During the holidayis, myself and a handful of really is outrageous that the Council has taken Queer identities, such as the Bears, jajgay maie^P^' other UQ students gathered with students from them away at a time when we poor subcultural grouping that celebrates large all over Australia in Canberra to attend the students are faced with the GST and the male bodies of the Grizzly Adams type. Two of| National Educatic^h Conference. Organised by the associated rise in living costs. Along with the the seminars dealt with/transgender issues, th^^ - National Union of Stiidents, this year's Union's co-environment officer, Rachael, and the first of these dealt with the trials%perienced by conference was themed "Fighting for the Future". President and Welfare Officer of OUT, 1 went to transgender youth and the isolation t hat is With workshops on topics like the a meeting with the Acting Lord Mayor to discuss typical for them. One of the more controversial history of the student movement, women's and this issue. Basically her reasons for removing seminars dealt With the construction of gfen^ei; queer involvement in education, the ,, the tickets were that they cost too much for the and the problems that this can cause for the ; corporatisation of education and academic Council, but she said that they are willing to inclusion of people whose gender identities are restructuring in universities;: This year's review the issue depending on the level of stu­ contested by others, i.e. the inclusion of conference also set the direction of NUS' dent anger. This is a clear call toius all to get transgendered wo men in women' s space. education campaign for the remainder of the, active!! If you haven't already sighed the peti­ Plenaries were also conducted on issues year. The conference decided to focus on a liv­ tion, come up to the Union and do'^o, and watch surrounding activism and several collectives gave able allowance for students as its key '' details of successful actions that they had campaign, Ther"e are also really cool t-shirts from , ouf for a public action in the next few weeks. undertaken. This is the sort of thifig that is \ thetonference available for $5 each. They have We cari win this one too if we put up a strong inspirational to other Queer Collectives! a picture of astroboy and the slogan 'Tighting for fight! Otlier stufftjudgiiii by the queues at lunch Follpwihg Queer Collaborations inlathurst, , the Future 2000". If ahyone would like one, timVl^ seems.as though every student on cam> / many women went on to Adelaide for NOWSA, \please let me know. David Kemp file: llso dur­ pus has trieid the new Union^Noodie Bar and Ice ] the riational conference' for women^swdents. '' ing the holidays, Corporate Universit/Week Creamery.' if you are yet to savour their delights, Queer issues were prominent there ^Is^, with a 2opo took place. It Is quit^,worrying that the /journey over to the Union complex^and you plenary session devoted to discussingitnkrole of Education Minister and the Education won't be /\ f wornen in the Queer movement. Some w omefi Department does not seem at all concern by the, di^^poj^ted. Finally; welcomte/e .foo all the new. believed that loneplenar y session was not I proliferation of corporate /, V. education providers in Australia. There are now the Union after many years of service. The niche and think that their experience mirrors 86 private higher education providers in architects selected for this refurbishment are exactly that of those around them. If you don't Australia with about 3.4 per cent of the total stu­ Thompson Adsett Parners. The ultimate plan is to want to live like this and want to change things dent load. The largest number of these are in- provide students and staff with a cafe style come along to women's collective (every Tuesday house trainers for industry (like QANTAS College atmosphere where they can sit down over a good at ipm in the women's room) and get involved In Online) or theological colleges. While there a cup of coffee and chat. Currently the space is some of the activities of the women's area. number of logical reasons for private universities also used for student functions, so the new This semester we are focussing on a new cam­ to exist, there seems to little design will be multi-purpose in nature. Student paign, launching a new workshop programme, concern about the quality of education that input to the project has been vital from the out­ hosting events to support those with body image these institutions provide and the quality of the set. A survey was designed by members of the and eating issues, taking part in Reclaim the sector overall. Buried away in the material that University of Queensland Medical Society to Night and organising Blue Stocking/Women in the Education Department churns out was a determine what was required of the new space. Education Week. This is a great time to take paper on Social and Demographic change and its This document has been used to assist the archi­ part in the many activites that the women's area implication for education funding. This paper tects in their planning. Stay tuned for updates on runs, so get up to the women's room, come along suggested that population pressures and an aging the project. The plans will be available at to Women's Collective and get involved! population would constrain thcMedical Students Office, Herston in the near Workshops: This semester the women's area is spending on education. With the education future. running self defence courses, surfing and skating sector as a whole under-funded, the Department Commom Rooms Part of the Hospital Areas port­ workshops, bike maintenance and women's jew- has offered no solution and seemed content to folio is maintanence of common rooms in the ellry making. These workshops all draw on the watch education funding continue to be slashed. Brisbane hospitals. HAC porovides tea, talents of great women within the Brisbane com­ Arts Degrees: Some of you may followed the coffee, hot chocolate, coke machines, pool munity. Pick up a brochure from the women's debate in the media over the past couple weeks tables, microwaves etc. for the use of the room if you are interested in any of these work­ over the value of Arts degrees, Andrew Norton, students. Check the UQ UNION website under shops. director at the HOSPITAL AREAS COMMITTEE to see where the Blue Stocking/Women in Education Week: right-wing think tank, Centre for Independent common rooms are for your hospital. This infor-::; ; this week highlights the acheivements of women Studies and former AdviSer to David Kemp, sug­ mation will be available within theinext few : ' within higher education, lets us reflect on how gested that Arts were worthless and that fees weeks. ;: far we still have to come, and inspires us toward shoiild be introduce^ f(k higher HAC SPONSORED STUDENT EVENTS | ways to realise women's full educational poten­ education. It was pleasing to see the Dean of Med Revue BUM Stroker's DOCULA tial. Arts at UQ, Alan Rix, enter the fray with sorne Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th August. 7.30 pm at Reclaim the Night: Reclaim the Night takes place rather soft arguments over the value of Arts the Schoneil Theatre Tickets are $io each year on the last Friday night in October. It degree yet completing fail to mention that he is Med Ball is a rally that aims to raise public attention for trying to strip much of the value and A SPACE ODYSSEY women who suffer from violence within the com­ prestige of the UQ Arts degree. ALP Education 7pm, Saturday 19th August, Doomben Racecourse. munity, women whose voices are often not Policy: The ALP released their draft policy $55 UQMS mebmers, $60 non-member (inc. GST) heard.The rally commemorates the first Reclaim platform to be decided on at their National All tickets available at the Medical Students the Night rally which took place in Manchester in Conference at the end of July. Of particular con­ Office. Call 33655261 to pay by credit card. the UK in 1978 when, after a series of violent cern in their education policy was no Serena Keating attacks against women, the police advised commitment to abolishing up-front fees, no com­ women to stay indoors at night. Women and mitment to lowering HECS and only a Women's Rights Area Report. children instead took to the streets and demand­ gradual lowering of the age of independence for Welcome to semester two in the women's area. ed an end lo this violence and also their own Youth Allowance. There is also only vague refer­ 1 love the idea of a women's area, i love that on fear. The Reclaim the Night collective is now ences to increased funding and says campus there exists a group of strong, interest­ meeting to organise this year's rally. If you nothing of the needs of matiire-aged students. ing women that are committed to ending the would like to be involved please contact Jen in You can always trust the Labor party to pretend oppression of themselves and others. It's a great the women's area on 33772200 or to care about students. job being women's officer, but its also very hard, jennifer.smithsmailbox.uq.edu.au especially when you see how many people are Herston Area Officef's Report blind to all the injustice that goes on around Tlie'Hefston Refectory is being redeveloped by them and judge the world from their own little t of 1"%'"'.J? 7 ' the women of NOWSA I am aware that I Will most likely face discrimination and persecution once my story has been told ^TThis will hurt me, but I would prefer this from people makin^^^to maintaining a painful silence j™y.-.ing those who tried#4pe^ ^ identify as a lesbian I am not a political ^e of transgender W^ffi^" lesbian, though being a lesbian certainly e last day of NOWSA, some ^l^^ is a political thing. I acknowledge that I g plenary session and I took the opportunitv^Aave been attracted to women for as long sr S? ^ei^ber and I don't feel any ling and encourage people to discuss it J^ '^nj believe that my ^o come from it, and they did. Three mg 0ni$ rock-solid and that that aftC _.,^^ ^pPSmportan ,^ . t being^ a resolution that transgei shall be welco&edatall future NOWSA conferences. What folj^fl^ ll to question my gave on that morning io define me as other- _ fcirsionthshowever , I Before 1 begin 1 want to acknowledge that from mine I would describe thejy^w ^^w§4op\» are questioning

)r transgendertp^!^^^,,,. am speaking today because the role of transgender women in the women's liberation movement and at NOWSA needs to be addressed along with transphobia. SI:lilM®Si^

..^ ¥•• Originally Robin, a transgender woman tatlve of all transgeridier women's lives. that causes amUgmas body types, from our women's and Queer collectives The information is mainly anecdotal and sometimes intersex people identify at UQ was going to speak today, but due has been gathered through conversations strongly as one gender. Others may iden­ to unforeseen circumstances she was with transgendered friends. I will discuss tify as intergendered. 1 want to biiefly unable to attend the conference. 1 sought common alities 1 have found in these talk about the types of oppression expert- her permission to speak in her place in to women's lives so that you will get a ; - ^ence d by transgender women. They face day's plenary session and she offered me broader picture of what is sexism much the same as the rest of us.

her support and encouragement. Robin happening. 1 would like to address the AH the usual stuff about being whistled at;]J- 'Vi^ showed courage, along with other western concept that there are only two in the street, groped in pubs, treated like transgender women who are here, in genders. Who says you have to be male or they can't cope with certain tasks without deciding to come to NOWSA, I am aware female? Many people do not identify as the assistance of a man, and that they of a number of transgender women, either. Who says you have to undergo should walk, talk, behave and dress in a including my partner, who decided not to hormone therapy or surgery? certain way. For transgender women, the come to NOWSA this year as they didn't By not conforming to this system they sexism gets a little more interesting when know if they would be welcome or safe •face widespread oppression. Western some deviations inhow women are here. This is a question that needs to be society sees gender and sex as expected to be upset the patr iarchy and answered. How can we who are not dichotomies, but really they are continu- throw in a few challenges to our society transgendered define the identity of these urns. What I want to know is if you are a that, if acknowledged, have potential ben­ .: • women as something other than how they separa tist what's your policy on intergen- efits for all women. see themselves? How can we make dered people?? There are five basic '-^ decisions that will impact on their lives terms I would like to define for you. Keeping women in the home where they without consulting with them? How are 'Transgender' was originally used to cannot communicate with other women / transgendered .women going to be able to describe someone who lives full time as and therefore not autonomously organise state their case to the rest of us if we the gender opposite to that indicated by to fight their oppression has been a don't provide them with a safe and their anatomy. 'Transsexual' was used to favourite ploy of the patriarchy. If women welcoming forum in which to do so?i describe someone who traverses the make up half the human population and it believe that transgender wtMijerfihould boundary ofjhe sex they were assigned at Is possible to isolate them from each be included in »WSA.Toi|f .. ,b|8hS-]M|Jly through "surgery. These nvo other, then imagine how isolated trans-^ trammukrmmmm^ have the ,r>^ t^fit^^iwtbw lined pretty much inter- gender people feel. When trying to find their place in the women's movement, , ., ri" .iansgender women often feel isolated as •^-^m j"%<- ppnguage and class^^ou^l?, tjiere are so few women who can '-*• ^'^w ,„_ women who live with|cli?afeilSies?pr^ v "" J'S\ -" jf V' "%.-^ -»V iffipathise with their struggle. Without ide ntifyia[s3lesbian or bJswriial^b.matter trSiissexual, and vice versa. There has , being able to conununicate and organise g^ssions we m^e, r alsS l^il>aiff acknowledgement of the with other trarfejjender women they are mmi, we need to^Mlte As existence of 'bigendered' people, who live unable to fight'their oppression by other stipport each other inthose half the time as one gender and half as women in the^v^bmen's liberation move­ Plgll;. NOWSA is a good place for this another, identifying as both male and ment. So often transgender women are type of organising to start. female. An 'intergender' person does not sitnply left with' no one to talk to, The information I will offer regarding identify as male or female. An Mntersexed' what life Is like for transgender women is person is someone who has a condition The NOWSA environment is certainly no by no means comprehensive or represen- usually related to a chromosomal anomaly exception to this. Transgender women face sexism in relation to class, the sound you are a tranhy in Au stralia. This clinic support of the rest of the women's move­ of their voices, and society's ideas about offers a compreherisive service to assist ment, she has no strength to fight these ' how a woman should be, to name a few people to transition, with the basic stuff attitudes. Transgender women need and areas. Class oppressio%occurs at an ecor^^^, like hormones and psychiatrists right deserve our support as much as any other through to surgery. Most transgendered woman fighting her oppression as a mem­ people end up there eventually for sur­ ber of a minority. gery. Trouble is, the Mortash concept of gender is a bit fucked. 1 want to conclude by pointing out that incredibly expensiye^¥nd out of reach for the women at this conference bring with ' people in the lower socio-economic If a transgender woma^n jste^JjMt^^ them a diversity of experiences from a '•r- ' groups. Prior to surgery however are the jeans and no makfei^tpMi^lwl] t.i>§: ^>jersity of backgrounds and philoso- required private psychiatric consultations she's ,v l^h^s, Transgender women are just anoth- W^i ISwTyp of women amongst us who can and ongoing hormone treatments. There obviously nois^pSi^iSlSete *„?Sa'^ is a suicide rate of 42% among the trans­ woman and to:^|iiff Mic«?i| i^fmake valuable contribution to NOWSA gendered community and much of this is wearing dresses ana'paiml|it,hej i;^d the women's liberation movement. As attributable to people's in a bility to Women who are born with Mt "si attain their ideal state of being, along . their brains wouldn't stand for th^'crap/..; ;artidipate;in this conference and to with the discrimination and isolation they But, quite a few transgender women con->" autonomously organise with other are forced to endure. This is not to say it-^ cede to the oppressive Monash philosophy women. They should also have tl^e right is impossible to transition without much ^ and fake the dress-wearing;S,tuff,because to feel safe in this environ^lenj:,,as should money. It has been done by many a des­ they so badly want their siiti^ry/Why Isit ^^ their friends and ' ' ? perate person in the interest of saving that women born with female genitals can supporters. Unfortunately this has not their own lives. The sound of a person's be as butch as we like and still be called been the case at NOWSA 2000. voice has social definitions attached to it, women even if we are seen as deviant, and these are often linked to gender. The but transgendered women have to con- I hope that what I have said today will attempts by our society to make women "-form to gender stereotypes to be accept- stimulate discussion of the issue of trans- conform appear in a variety of places. ed as women? ' ".ifvoehder women's involvement in NOWSA Women's voices differ greatly in range, ^^'''^^Sfjd'jyojttien's autonomous organising gen- but it is expected that we will have higher'^^ At .QCs I came across two women.^speaking erally/I^wcfuld love to see some resolu- voices. If you sing bass or tenor you are ^ in a very ignorant t>ansphobic way^and I tions oh' this^topic come from this confer i ?hot welcome in many choirs because ' ^ •'^'was quite distressed by it Wien l|r -' ' ir^4,^ence. Thankyou for your time and atten- I^Stvp^en should apparently only sing alto if :"iO^sopranp. Voice recognition techno

but I understood why If she took on Jhese:;are thirigSJtl^^^plransg board every transphobic comment or inci­ '^m^i loBi^Ife^uscd;to,''l^^^^pc^ can- dent she came across, she wouldn't sur­ iiSttify witii^ thfee^^^i^rhe vive. Without being able to link with isi^endeif^ GUnici^ placelto gb if other transgender women and without the

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