BATTLING THE BIGOTS FOR ABORTION RIGHTS

NEW ZEALAND’S FEMINIST MAGAZINE SEVENTEENTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION 1989 DEC/JAN ISSUE 174 $4.50 MM the eivie seven eights tymimideight ISPBISSB cairn mats 303-4653 BYB

SUMMER READING FROM VIRAGO Conversations With Will You Still Love Me Maya Angelou Tomorrow Edited by J M Elliott by Greig Maya Angelou’s intensely full life as a poet, Female groups from the 50’s on, from the autobiographer, composer, dancer, singer, Supremes to Debbie Harry, fully illustrated teacher, actress, black activist and filmmaker and packed with fascinating detail. has made her one of the world’s most Virago large format paperback $35.00 admired black women. Virago paperback $18.00 The Illustrated West With The Night Forgetting’s No Excuse The spellbinding story of Beryl Markham, in The autobiography of Mary Stott, journalist, a beautiful new edition, including 60 campaigner and feminist. photographs. Virago paperback $25.95 Virago hardcover $55.00 Balancing Acts — On being a Mother Edited by Katherine Gieve Thirteen women explore motherhood in this RH eloguent and moving book. Virago paperback $18.00 RANDOM HOUSE NEW ZEALAND ♦ C * 0 »N»T»E»N»T«S ♦

DEC 1 989/JAN 1990 ISSUE 174

FEATURES______11 Playing With the Big Boys How women manage in the male culture of organisations. Gill Ellis talks to Pat Rosier 14 Ngahuia te Awekotuku The life of a Maori woman Ngahuia te Awekotuku 20 Beach Culture Gearing up for summer Margot Roth 24 “We don’t need you any more” Women made redundant Susan Grimsdell 28 Dykes in the Dailies How the mass media constructs lesbian lives Jenny Rankine

REGULARS______2 Herspective 3 Letters Cartoon 5 Broadcast Hell’s Angels (abortion) 0 Feminist and Other Publishing in Australia 0 Femina Cones 0 To be or not to be? (DSW) 0 Women take over Local Body Politics 0 New Women’s Studies Certificate 39 What’s New 40 Classified 41 The Spots on the Appaloosa Lyndsay Quilter’s Cartoon

32 ARTS

The Politics of Breastfeeding 0 New Women’s Fiction 0 No Body’s Perfect 0 Angry Women 0 The Last of the Green­ toed Fruit Bats 0 Ann Oakley interview 0 Autobiography of a Baby 0 Hen’s Teeth 0 Listing

Cover picture: Candace Bagnall

SUMMER’S COMING

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 1 BROADSHEET

BROADSHEET is published by Broadsheet RSPECTIVE Magazine Ltd, P O Box 56-147, Auckland 3. Registered office: 476 Mt Eden Rd, Auckland. Telephone (09) 608-535.

Publication date: 1 December 1989 he notion of privilege has been adhere to the very letter of their partic­ HERSPECTTVE... this month’s writer, Athina Tsoulis, is a member of the Broadsheet bandied about lately and cropped ular theories in a fundamentalist sort of Collective and a trainee filmmaker. up at the recent Socialism and way. Marx really meant this or said that TFeminism conference in Wellington.doesn’t evoke a favourable response These women helped around Broadsheet The concept of privilege, which comes from me. And this is not to reject this month: Cathy Hall and Liz Caughey. out of Radical feminism, is the idea that Marx’s work at all. But what about the Articles and illustrations remain the property certain groups in society have more work of socialist feminists of the period of the contributor. Permission must be sought “privileges” than others. For example, who influenced Marx and Engels? Why from Broadsheet and from the contributor heterosexuals - whose sexuality is seen aren’t we so ready to quote them - or before any item is reprinted. as ordinary or “normal” - are privi­ do we even know who they were? BROADSHEET COLLECTIVE leged over homosexuals - whose sexu­ Rigidly following one body of thought Martine Bouillir, Helen Courtney, Jan Cowan, ality is seen as either deviant or sick. closes rather than opens the mind. Edith Gorringe, Claire-Louise McCurdy, Some feminists are more economically If our belief as feminists is that Pat MacKay, Pat Rosier, Lisa Sabbage, Shirley Tamihana, Athina Tsoulis, Lewis Williams. privileged than others and so on. women as a group have been oppressed The idea of privilege led to two ten­ due to their gender then every avenue Editorial and policy decisions are made by the dencies. One was to argue for a hierar­ for understanding this should be collective. Main areas of responsibility are: chy of oppression - at the “top” of this explored. We may focus on one area, Design and layout, Helen Courtney; Editorial, Pat Rosier and Lisa Sabbage; would be a black disabled lesbian perceiving it to be more important, but Finances and accounts Athina Tsoulis, woman. Or internationally, women it shouldn’t exclude others. Nor should Subscriptions, Edith Gorringe; Advertising, Lewis Williams. from other cultures would be seen as we fall into “guilt tripping”. worse off en masse. This assumes a Women as a group suffer an excess LETTERS POLICY: The Broadsheet Collective cultural superiority: we are judging by of guilt. It is time it were assigned to may not agree with or endorse views expressed western standards, as if our society is the emotional scrap heap. Guilt leads to in letters. Some letters are edited in consultation with the writer. We do not publish personal homogenous. It would be truer to say becoming defensive and rationalising attacks. Letters from men are published at the that women’s experience of oppression our behaviour. It is much better for discretion of the Collective. We welcome letters varies. Some women in Arab countries every woman to assess her own circum­ about the content of the magazine. Letters that are addressed to the collective or to the editor are for instance are worse off than most but stances and to work out in which ways assumed to be intended for publication. Please there are women in Arab countries who she is privileged rather than to have indicate clearly if they are not. are better off than some women in our someone else do it for her. Not all het­ society. And the ways third world erosexual women are privileged, nor ADVERTISING POLICY: Advertisements are accepted at the discretion of the collective and all women are oppressed is different to the are all lesbians less privileged. There copy and artwork is subject to approval by the ways western women are. For instance are many single parent working class collective, which reserves the right to decline or western white women may fight for women whose heterosexuality does not cancel any advertisement. We do not advertise cigarette or alcohol products. We ask readers to abortion whilst women in other coun­ grant them many privileges. And imag­ support our advertisers as a way of sharing your tries (or indeed black women within ine the privilege of lesbian women not enthusiasm for Broadsheet. white dominated countries) are fighting having to worry about contraception! against being pressured into having Therefore if you begin to feel guilty BROADSHEET annual subscription $50 Overseas surface $62. Overseas airmail: abortions. (I would say that most femi­ do something about it or accept your Europe $107, America and Asia, $90, nists have rejected the hierarchy con­ decision and live with it. Australia and South Pacific, $71. cept.) If you discover that you are econom­ The other tendency has been to use ically more privileged, donate some of Printed by Rodney and Waitemata Times, Mill Lane, Warkworth, the word “privilege” in an accusatory your income to a cause you believe in Electronic pagination by Paradigm. way. This has led some socialist femi­ (many of the women who did just that Thanks to Print Centre for the use of their camera. nists to reject it as a radical feminist recently in response to a plea from concept which has no validity. Broadsheet weren’t economically privi­ However, whilst I would not call leged) or buy a Broadsheet sub! And if, BROADSHEET is on file at the Women’s myself a radical feminist and, if we like some feminist women on good Collection Special Dept, Northwestern must have labels, would consider incomes, you feel Broadsheet has “little University Library, Evanston, myself a socialist feminist, I do think of interest” for you now buy a sub for a Illinois 60201, USA the concept of privilege has its uses. woman on a lower income who is stuck It is important as feminists that we in a rural community with little sup­ be open to ideas from whatever source port. But don’t get caught up with guilt if we can see their relevance. I don’t or denying the concept of privilege and have a particular guru nor do I feel one allow your politics to become simply ISSN 01 10-8603 body of thought (theory) holds all the an intellectual exercise, losing sight of Registered at the GPO as a magazine answers. I don’t react too well when the struggles of other women, whoever feminists haul out Freud or Marx and they might be.

2 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 l( d f k ^ LETTERS

GOOD GRIEF - CONTINUED lawns, arranging the funeral, the other in their claims on Ruth’s was still a struggle to be honest Dear Broadsheet, sound system, the venue, trans­ time. without inflicting pain, to be I found the article “Good Grief’ port, drinks and “sammies” ... And Ruth, wishing to retain unifying without sanitising, to in your October issue rather odd At different times, preparations control, as was her wont, had to be true to my vision of her, reading. Having read it three or had the air of a working bee, a make decisions which she knew without denying the vision oth­ four times, I still feel it must be bottle drive, a play reading, might be hurtful to others. ers had ... about a different Ruth Charters, planning a wedding or a 21st It was a relief to me that I feel that your article did not or a different living/dying from birthday, or the strategy for Ruth died at the hospice rather adequately reflect the richness, the one I witnessed and helped some complex political demon­ than in Ruth’s and Jude’s home. the deviance and the reality of support Ruth through. stration. There was always this Not just because the hospice the division of the labour of In the first reading, I was left wonderfully healthy, slightly staff were so supportive, Ruth’s dying. It thereby fails to with the idea that depression irreverant attitude ready to burst accommodating, sensitive and nourish Ruth’s political and and a sense of futility were the through the most solemn skilled, and we all knew Ruth social vision of dying as living hall-marks of Ruth’s last two administrative moments. felt okay about dying there, but to the end in as “out”, healing- years, but my impression was Many more things were also because to me it was a neu­ healthy, liberating, owned and that they were an initial phase, planned for than eventuated, tral space where we all had self-determined a way as possi­ later giving way to annoyance and in fact this is one of the equal rights to come and go, it ble. and frustration still (mostly at delicious ironies of knowing was not loaded with special sig­ It was important to Ruth that the way other people chose to you’re going to die, and one nificance as the arena of any anyone who wished to should define or confine the process where “Good Grief” seems to one person’s special relation­ be free to speak at the funeral, she was going through) but also rather miss the point. We dis­ ship with Ruth. perhaps because she had the to curiosity - even anticipation cussed the issue of “letting go” Speaking at a funeral is also idea that no one perspective can - and indomitable humour and of the dying person in one of an enormous responsibility. I ever fully reflect the complexity intellectual fascination... “So our care-group meetings, so on found that space between death of a human being, or of a pro­ this is what it’s like”, she the night of her death in the and the funeral the most diffi­ cess like ending a life. quipped, just hours before she hospice, we all solemnly and cult, and was so grateful for the I hope you will add my frag­ stopped breathing. dutifully told Ruth that it was foresight and co-operation that ment to the collage you are Also I feel your account okay to die. Her somewhat had left family members free of building. understates the whole involve­ indignant reaction was “Why is decision-making at that time. It HELEN CHARTERS ment and significance of the everyone telling me to die?” was during this time that I Palmerston North. whole of the care group, and in She would, apparently, go in her became most acutely aware of places even negates Ruth’s own own time thank you very much! the tensions between the diver­ NO DEFENCE FOR THE role. Ruth wasn’t just present at Nor did we ever plan how to gent parts of a person’s life, and CHURCH the care-group meetings, she ran carry that bloody heavy coffin of how political an act a funeral Dear Broadsheet, them, took notes, allocated jobs down all those steps! speech is, as speakers each pre­ I read Katherine Luketina’s etc. In the end dying is more like sent their particular impression letter (October issue) with inter­ Two important issues for a birth than a marriage or party, of who a person is. I was com­ est.(“Sacred Isis! I’ve caught Ruth, central to her living (and it runs its own course regardless forted by the knowledge that one!” I said, as I reeled in my dying) were responsibility for of our best-laid plans and inten­ Ruth had chosen those to speak fishing line.) The tone of my self, and challenging and tions. of or for her, and must have letter on Amazon Oaths was stretching traditional structures. It is also a little simplistic to faith in the way she would be intended to be somewhat This included the assumption of suggest that because Ruth was reflected by each of us, but it tongue-in-cheek, and I did not exclusivity (and in fact just “out” to everyone there were no about every other aspect of rela­ tensions or conflicts or difficult tionships). issues arising from the varied While Ruth was clear that connections in her life. One of she wanted her final - what she the most personally difficult expected to be her most vulner­ issues for me, and I know also able - moments to be with Jude for our mother, was the question alone, she was equally clear that of access to Ruth during her ill­ she wanted a number of people ness. to be intimately involved with As her time became more her care. Those people were limited, and more obviously so, carefully chosen and invited by it also became more precious ... Ruth to participate in caring for to everyone; friends, lovers, sib­ her, and preparing her body for lings, acquaintances, work col­ the funeral, from about a year leagues, all became involved, prior to her death. wittingly or not, in conscious Many others contributed in and unconscious discovery, more or less intimate, still prac­ vying, negotiation and evolu­ tical ways: baking cakes, cutting tion of positions relative to each

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 3 expect anyone to take me alto­ Dear Broadsheet, gether seriously. S 3 g « g r It is a gross perversion of histo­ I have never thought of ry to claim, as Katherine myself as having a problem -SPFCIATDFFFrR Luketina does, that Christianity with Christianity, not having has improved the status of partaken of a religious upbring­ speclacqffer women. One must not be ing. My parents were agnostic deceived by “messages of and encouraged me to read SPECIAL OFFER peace, love and justice”. Those widely, to make up my own are just beguiling words. What mind on such matters. As I SPECIAL OFFER is important is what Christian grew up the Bible, Koran, organisations have been doing Buddhist and Hindu scriptures, SPECIAL OFFER and are still doing. Christian classical, Nordic, Celtic, Afri­ theory must be measured can and Polynesian mytholo­ SPECIAL OFFER against actual Christian prac­ gies: each in turn fed my tices. insatiable appetite for reading. Subscriptions have risen from For all women of reproduc­ It was all very interesting, and tive age the dominant factor in yes, I do know about the per­ 1 December 1989 to $50 due to their lives, the one possibility sons Katherine Luketina men­ the increase in bulk mailing rates that determines what they can tions in her letter, but I still or cannot do, is the control of remain firmly agnostic. their own fertility. That is basic Despite all its modifications to all else. and its many saintly female fol­ A wonderful opportunity to buy a Therefore we must ask; lowers, Christianity continues gift for your friend, mother, sister, where stands the Christian reli­ to be a patriarchal religion. I brother, father, ex-husband... at gion (or every other religion) have no quarrel with Jesus - he on this all-important issue of had a number of worthy things below the old rates. Save $10 on contraception and abortion? to say, like: “Do unto others as new subscriptions. Down the years it has been one you would have them do unto of total opposition - often fanat- you.” (Paraphrase of Matt. Closes 31 December. ical opposition, witness the 7:12) Rather I see Christianity’s recent attempts to interfere with greatest problem being Chris­ the abortion clinics in Auckland tians. Throughout the ages, how points: does give Mary and the other and Christchurch. many Jews have been persecut­ 1. The Christian church is names used for Mother Goddess The effort of Katherine to set ed, how many heretics tortured, THE patriarchal institution that status and position. We aside historical evidence of non-believers killed and witches which underlies all the others, accept the earth and the uni­ what she admits are “terrible burned - all in the name of a reinforcing everything said by verse as our mother, the seasons things” as male perversions of vengeful male Christian God? the law, parliament, social wel­ as her cycles, our bodies as her Christianity is obviously non­ Just as Marxism can at times fare, health and education ser­ temple and her wisdom as given sense. All humanity needs to be a much manipulated mani­ vices, armed services, economic to us by her. We have the free itself from the illusions, festo - witness Stalin’s purges agencies, service clubs and any power and strength of Mother absurdities, contradictions and and the killing fields of other “moral” group. Goddess within us. We do not plain fantasies of all religious Cambodia - so the main trouble 2. It may be possible for need a “god” out there to tell us dogmas. with things Biblical is the Katherine herself to avoid through an institution how to C. DAVEY believers. It is in the end a ques­ envisaging God as a male, but it find symbols for our spirituality. Hastings tion of power. The beliefs of is almost impossible for most We certainly will not accept the others can be manipulated to people to do so. Certainly the church’s view of our sexuality. suit the needs of the power- majority of the men who run the 5. We are not reacting hungry. church assume that God is male against past hurts - I think To my mind, God did not and no hesitation in using he, Katherine is being “matronis- create “man” in his own image, king, master, lord, without any ing” to insinuate that this is the rather people create deities in qualification as they talk and reason for our developing our their own image. The tolerant write about God. Should anyone own spirituality. I was a minis­ will construct a good and kind attempt to use she, queen, mis­ ter’s wife, missionary, commit­ creator, the belligerent will tress, lady, or similar, their ted Christian for 40 years, and make a war-like divinity, the angry responses are sufficient do not feel that I was hurt thoughtful a wise holiness and proof of the way they think and directly by any person in the DEADLINES the mean-spirited a God of like how threatened they are. church. But I came to experi­ For the Feb isue 26 Nov, mind. The sex of the supreme 3. I have no hesitation in ence the church as inimical to for March 26 Jan. being is likewise often a reflec­ accepting the message Jesus my own development as a per­ tion of the gender of the wor­ brought as anti-patriarchal and son and as a representative of GIFT SUBS shipper. positive. But even if he was the mother goddess in all her forms. Every month we get letters SYLVIA BAYNES fulfilment of the ancient matri­ I moved out of the church from a few women who Auckland archal mythology, Mary has because it was stifling me and want to renew but can’t never been given the status of destroying my inner being. I afford to. If you are finan­ Dear Broadsheet, god(ess) or credited with the admire the women who stay in cially secure, please con­ In reply to Katherine Luketina’s wisdom and position she there to fight but I cannot join sider making a gift sub­ letter under the heading “In deserved, by the Christian them. scription we can pass on. defence of mother church, I church. NOREEN PENNY want to make the following 4. “Amazon spirituality” Christchurch

4 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 I \ l \ l BROADCAST I/IXI

HELL’S ANGELS But back to myth number one: the ing women’s access to authorisation. Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion Previously a doctor would have been ethi­ One of the two great myths in the current Act Amendment Bill, introduced by cally obliged to refer a woman requesting abortion debate is that the Bill before Health Minister Helen Clark. an abortion to a certifying consultant. Parliament amending the Contraception It appears the Bill was largely motivat­ Abortion Law Reform Association Sterilisation and Abortion Act will make ed by the government’s desire to change president, Margaret Sparrow, has made it easier to get an abortion. the laws governing sex and contraceptive similar warnings. An anti-abortion doctor The other myth is that the “operation education available to young people - the who refuses to authorise his or her rescue” activists are non-violent. spread of HIV infection and other sexual­ patient’s abortion is, Sparrow says, just as The emergence of the two myths was ly transmitted diseases put pressure on the likely to offer the patient a second opin­ unrelated, but now, of course, the gather­ government to open such education to ion from a similarly conservative doctor. ing storm of “operation rescue” and the people under 16 years of age. Tucked onto Clark dismisses this claim, saying that arguments over the Minister of Health’s that relatively non-controversial part of under the Bill a woman would be free to amendment Bill are intertwined. the Bill is a change to the way abortions approach the doctor of her choice, instead Clashes outside Wellington’s Parkview are authorised. of having to find a certifying consultant, abortion clinic began less than a week What the Bill does not address, howev­ who may be outside her area. She says after the introduction of the Bill. Tipped er, is the lack of abortion services which that the Abortion Supervisory Committee off that a “rescue” was being planned for has plagued women living outside of the (which oversees the present Act) has said a Monday morning, the feminist four main centres. repeatedly that the requirement for certi­ grapevine swung into surprisingly suc­ Under the Act as it stands now a fying consultants was where the hold-up cessful action. The somewhat fundamen­ woman must find two certifying consul­ in obtaining an abortion lay. Get rid of talist “operation rescue” squad - an tants to authorise her abortion - step one. that system and authorisation of abortions imported American concept aimed at sim­ Step two is to find an abortion service, would become available to all women, ply stopping women from entering clinic that is, a clinic and an operating surgeon. she argues. for abortions - arrived at the clinic not Doctors must choose whether or not to It is hard to predict how the abolition long after 7am to find at least 30 women, become certifying consultants and as a of the certifying consultant will affect intent on rescuing the clinic from the result there has been a shortage in some women’s accessibility to abortion authori­ “rescuers”, were already there. areas. There are currently only about 170 sation, but it is not hard to predict that the The “rescue” squad advanced on the certifying consultants in New Zealand. lack of services will continue, Bill or no clinic from several fronts. On one side, This has meant that both step one (getting Bill. The Bill will not increase either the next to the neighbouring childcare centre, your abortion authorised) and step two number of operating surgeons or the num­ more than 15 of them charged lines of (getting your abortion) have been difficult ber of clinics. pro-choice women and, according to eye­ in many areas. witnesses, were relatively violent, knock­ The Bill proposes to do away with the ing women to the ground. certifying consultants and allow any two In all media reports afterwards, the GPs (providing one is a practicing obste­ anti-choice brigade painted themselves as trician and gynaecologist) to authorise an virtual peaceful angels being mauled by abortion. The grounds for getting one crazed and violent feminist terrorists. would remain unchanged. Instead of opt­ Even though 15 out of the 16 people ing in to the authorisation process, doctors arrested that day were “operation rescue” will have to consciously opt out if they members, the “rescue” spokespeople object. managed to convince reporters that it was Helen Clark says her Bill is to make not they who were violent. Amazing !!! sure step one is available on an equitable There is no doubt further “rescues” basis throughout the country. WONAAC is still calling will be launched on New Zealand abor­ It is not designed to make it for decriminalisation of abor­ tion clinics, with the “rescuers” trying just easier or harder to get an abor­ tion (a step not taken in the about anything to get into the clinics to tion, but to give all women current overhaul of the Crimes stop women from having abortions. equal access to the authorisa­ Act), along with the provision In Wellington, at least, pro-choice sup­ IIN tion procedure, she says. of adequate, accessible, free porters are already strongly organised, Clark has admitted it will not 3= T H E services - a scenario light years forming a new group, Choice, to support directly address the current away from this Bill. the relatively small core of activists in the lack of abortion services - a “ HOUSE Spokeswoman Di Cleary says Women’s national Abortion action service which she says area WONAAC is pushing for Campaign (WONAAC). Choice organ­ health boards are under a legal obligation amendments to the Bill, but is meanwhile ised a march to Parliament in November, to either provide themselves or provide in the difficult position of not wholly sup­ as well as a roster of women to ensure a access to. porting it. constant pro-choice presence at Parkview But WONAAC fears the Bill may actu­ Ironically (and predictably) the anti­ during the time women went into the clin­ ally make it harder to get abortions in abortion lobby is vehemently opposed to ic each day. some cases, with anti-abortion GPs block­ the Bill, seeing it as making abortions

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 5 easier to get. Early in November it began ing as a feminist press in what we publish favourites for the national Australian an assault by petition on Parliament push­ (content) and how (process). The press Feminist Book Fortnight (AFBF) book ing to have the Bill thrown out. operates collectively with an editorial catalogue and recently took out the ANZ Meanwhile, the Bill is grinding its way arm. We’ve always encouraged our New Writer’s Award for the 1989 Premier through the law-making process, authors to become centrally involved in Literary Awards in Victoria. The demand which includes submissions, scrut­ the production of their book and its mar­ for Working Hot far exceeded the supply iny by the Social Service Select keting. The process is consultative and at the time of advance orders and a Committee, and a report back to between author and publisher. second print run being organised Sybylla parliament likely to be followed by What then, is the “feminist process” in were moving premises. amendments which are, in their turn, publishing? All of the women who active­ Alison Ravenscroft of Sybylla Press likely to fail. With the current make­ ly work for Tantrum have different ideas has this to say about the changes: up of the House, women are unlikely to about what feminism is and how it should “There are several factors which get much more than the status quo on the be applied to publishing women writers. forced us to take the step of closing the abortion issue this year - there’s an elec­ This diversity of opinion often leads to printing business and one of these was the tion coming up and no MP wants to be debate over what to publish and how to go financial burden the press was carrying. covered in the mud slung in a “moral” about it. That’s challenging and healthy. This was the outcome of a long struggle debate. When the press formed we asked our­ in which we tried to balance the press’s Footnote: This is the last Our Woman selves questions like: who is our audience, political objectives with the commercial in the House from Alison McCulloch, and, is it big enough and committed constraints of a small business. Running as she finished her job in the press enough to sustain us? Tantrum has also the printery on a commercial basis offered gallery at the end of November. How­ looked towards performance as an effec­ Sybylla the opportunity of raising some ever, we are delighted that she will tive and very visible way of promoting capital which could be used to initiate and remain a Broadsheet Wellington and publishing women writers in the oral support non-financial political projects; in correspondent. tradition.. Our performance reading events particular, a feminist publishing pro­ have had good attendances. Like all small gramme. And yet, of course, the business PUBLISHING, FEMINIST AND presses the resources of capital and labour had its own financial obligations too, such OTHERWISE, IN AUSTRALIA always impose strains on how many titles as everyday running costs and wages of we can publish and how many the workers. Unlike most other commer­ Diane Brown, writer, reviewer, publisher. manuscripts we can read and assess. All cial enterprises, Sybylla did not employ Since late 1985 I have made a personal of the workers for Tantrum have other casual workers and did not lay off work­ and political commitment, as an individu­ paid jobs. None can afford to sacrifice ers in quiet times. Rarely did a new work­ al and working collectively, to establish­ their job securities and salaries on the er come to Sybylla with all the skills ing a regional, independent, feminist altar of feminist publishing. Another required for the job. After all, printing, publishing outlet for women writers in dilemma is that we all write ourselves. publishing and allied skills are specialised South Australia. There are numerous The weighing up of time given to promot­ ones, and, especially in the case of small presses operating in Australia, with ing and publishing other women’s work mechanical printing skills, they lie largely two others who have made a commitment and our own has always been a source of outside women’s traditional work. None to publishing women’s work with femi­ conflict. of this is ‘cost effective’ in the commer­ nist content - Sybylla Co-operative Press While I was in Melbourne recently I cial sense.” in Melbourne and Redress Press in met with Trish Luker and Sue Miller from Ravenscroft reinforces why it is so Sydney Sybylla Co-operative Press, who have important to retain control over all aspects Tantrum Press was established in reverted to their backyard origins. Sybylla of the process of book production, given December 1985 out of a desire to provide have closed their commercial printing the political climate within Australia: a feminist publishing outlet in South operation and moved from their shop­ “It is as important as ever that feminist Australia. Starting out as a small, perhaps front premises to upstairs office space. collective projects continue to exist, and one-off, press we felt we could exercise Tantrum doesn’t have an office space: we groups that are involved in the generation more control over all aspects of publish­ store the books in our houses and rely on and dissemination of feminist ideas have ing, including direct dialogue and process outside typesetters and printers. a vital role at a time when feminist with our authors, if we concentrated on Today the Sybylla workers have thought is being taken up by the main­ being regional. returned to a love of labour - voluntarism. stream - not with a view to transforming Tantrum is not a press for everywom- And at a time when their latest publica­ society but rather co-opting feminism in a anwriter. We have made a very deliberate tion, Working Hot by Mary Fallon, was way that suits more conservative ends.” and collective conscious choice in operat­ chosen as one of the top 21 Feminist This year Tantrum Press was success­ ful with a publishing subsidy grant from O "Bangles" the Literature Board of Australia Council to enable us to publish drama - two plays Christchurch's New Women's Space by the South Australian feminist theatre welcomes all women every Friday company Vitalstatistix. night to the Imperial Hotel, corner of To date Tantrum has published on the St Asaph and Barbadoes streets for proceeds of our performance reading pool, drinks, music, entertainment. events. We have published three titles in From 7pm to midnight. this way and it has been a hard slog. We Bangles organisers would like to hear have managed to do this by not paying rent on a premises and using voluntary from any women entertainers labour. Readers for the press have always interested in performing on live been paid a reader’s fee and for my nights. administrative work I have received one- Ph Karen (03) 384 254 or off fees for some of the major perfor- Merrin (03) 553 584 (days) mance/publishing projects I have worked

6 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 towards. As often as possible, Tantrum writers. Then the money and marketing well as being exclusivist. There was also has employed women with the skills in machinery of big press is enough to win an emphasis on the professionalism of the allied fields of book production. We do writers over. I’m a writer and have just panel members who were to select the 21 have women printers here. Volcano Print received a cheque from Penguin Australia titles. do a good job but have not as yet made a for my contribution to a collection of It was claimed by the compilers of the decision to make a commitment to print­ feminist writings about sex. The amount catalogue that one-third of the 21 ing books. was the most I’ve ever been paid for a favourites were published by small press. Tantrum Press will always be non­ contribution to an anthology. How then, However, I would identify only four as profit. The recommended royalty pay­ can a small press ever hope to compete in legitimate small press, given their defini­ ment to authors in this country the publishing and marketing world of big tion of small press publishers as those (Australian Society of Authors rates) is capital? The answer is that we can’t, and producing twelve or less titles a year. 10% (pbk) and 12.5% (hbk). Tantrum shouldn’t ever make the mistake of think­ The catalogue was distributed and have given their authors 50% on sales of ing we can, or make promises to intending available free to bookshops, libraries and their books. It is important to say here authors that we can’t keep. other outlets. It was self-funded by the that firstly, we have not been able to mar­ publishers, who paid an entry fee for each ket our early titles as competitively as we title submitted for inclusion. A conces­ would have liked and secondly, our sionary charge was made to small press authors chose to participate in the market- publishers. ing/distribution of their book. In other A significant majority of titles fielded words, they earned their 50% share and in the favourites were either published by this labour cuts into their writing time. big press or distributed by them. It is About distribution. Tantrum has important to remember here that the always opted to sell direct, wherever pos­ favourites list received special profile and sible, through our post box address, rather promotion in a pull-out supplement in the than through a distributor or bookshops. catalogue and with the poster. The pub- All bookshops take 40% on sales and dis­ lishers/distributors who scored the most tributors take a standard 60%. Small press titles in the favourites list were: titles are rarely given much profile in a Pandora/Unwin (3); Virago/Random visible way in bookshops or book fairs, House (3); UQP/Penguin (3); Penguin and distributors don’t have their heart (2); Pan (2). This totals 13 of the 21 always where we like it to be when sell­ favourites listed. ing for publishers. “Distribution”, as Jill The original stated aim of the first Kitson so aptly puts it, “is the achilles Book Fortnight was to “put feminist heel of small publishers”. books, publishing and ideas firmly into Distribution take overs in this country the commercial market place” and “to by multi-national mainstream publishers increase the profile of feminist writers” is on the increase. What this means in and “ small press, feminist press and large effect is that big press gets bigger and and The truth is that small presses have to publishing houses”. greedier. Media ownership is also on the recover their costs every time they pub­ The big press publishes many more increase. Rupert Murdoch, active in the lish, before they are in a position to pub­ titles by women writers and feminist titles publishing industry both in Australia and lish again. This is always dependent on than our small press, so obviously it internationally, has taken over Angus and the resources of labour and capital. makes sense to include it. Copy space for Robertson, publishers of Australian clas­ Following on from the original UK a catalogue is problematic - big press sics such as Miles Franklin’s My Brilliant model, the inaugural national AFBF pro­ have the titles and the capital to cover Career, Dymphna Cusack’s Come In motion campaign was devised to “put entry fees. Again, this sets up a competi­ Spinner, Christina Stead’s Seven Poor feminist books, publishing and ideas firm­ tive, unequal situation, with big press Men of Sydney and many others. Allen ly into the commercial market place - to winning hands down in the stakes for and Unwin are now a part of an interna­ make these titles more accessible to the attention and visibility in such a listing. I tionally owned publishing group currently general book reading and buying public.” would like to see the next Book Fortnight publishing an Australian women’s studies The actual writers’ events were quite well catalogue lend profile to a special section series with titles selected by a male pub­ publicised and attendances seemed good. highlighting publications by legitimate lishing executive. Another example of But when it comes to book promotion small press only. Exclusivist but neces­ media takeovers is Greenhouse, a previ­ and sales I was left with a question ring­ sary. ously independent publisher who pub­ ing in my head: Who was the Fortnight It should also be noted that as distinct lished books such as the biography of best serving and to what ends? A primary from funding from two sources - the Australian artist Joy Hester. Kerry focus was the production of an AFBF Victorian Ministry for the Arts and Packer’s takeover used Greenhouse’s national book titles catalogue, which con­ Australia Council’s Literature Board, the established name to create a romance fic­ tained details of more that 200 recently following companies are included in the tion series for young women, “Dolly”. published books, submitted by some 60 list of major AFBF backers - in cash or The publishing industry in Australia is publishers from small, independent press­ kind: Random House, Collins, Penguin. a very well-oiled machine. Authors see es to the large publishing houses. Forty Random House is a giant from the US. very little return from sales of their books. thousand copies of the catalogue were Random House took over the venerable And big press rides comfortably on the printed and distributed nationally and British Publisher, Bodley Head, about the backs of small press. Janine Burke, a overseas, as well as a poster highlighting same time as it took over Angus and Melbourne writer and artist, put it very the centre-fold to the catalogue - the 21 Robertson in Australia. Bodley Head well when she remarked recently that feminist favourites listing. These were gathered together a healthy author’s list­ major publishers rely on the small presses assessed by “a panel of women readers, ing, including Oscar Wilde, Muriel Spark, for discovering and publishing first nov­ writers and editors as particularly note­ James Joyce, Grahame Green. Like A & els and works by unknown and promising worthy”. This smacked of elitism to me as R, in mid-1989 Bodley Head has ceased

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 7 to exist, except as an imprint of Jonathan of conglomerate participation in the Cape and as a backlist. Late last year AFBF these forces will heavily influence Robert Murdoch expanded his empire by the weighing up of who the Fortnight best CREIGHTONS purchasing a controlling interest in the serves and to what ends. Naturally British publisher, William Collins, in What I am really talking about is the which Murdoch has held a substantial politics of making a decision to be fed stake since 1981. Collins/A & R sales and and then whether you can bite the hand All produced & tested distribution have been centralised at that feeds you; who is really in control of Collins warehouse. Most of A & R’s edi­ the process? Alison Ravenscroft refers to without cruelty to torial and marketing staff have been the importance of feminist publishing animals sacked and the Collins staff have taken when she says that “one important aspect over the A & R building in Sydney. A & of Sybylla is the way it brings together so R authors have been told there is likely to many of the areas of book production. be a ten month delay in their publishing This offers us the satisfaction of being contracts - some expect a longer wait. For involved in a broad range of activities, the last decade Australian publishing has and of women working together co-opera­ done well by the international conglomer­ tively on a shared project. There are other ates - Penguin Australia being a prime reasons too, why this integration of the example. Penguin is a subsidiary of the various aspects of production is so valu­ UK-based Pearson group - one of the top able. It means that we have ore control ten publishing conglomerates in the over the process. It also makes production world. Over the last year Penguin has more economical and so enhances the via­ been fending off take-over attempts by bility of the project. This is a feature of both Reed International and the News work at Sybylla that we want to maintain. Corporation. Murdoch already owns near­ I would extend this still further to say ly 20% of Pearson. that we must not only retain control of the SUN VEIL Do you remember learning about book production process but it is crucial A complete programme for also for book promotion, sales and distri­ summer skin protection and amoebas in general science? They change rehydration - SPF 2-15 shape by surrounding another, smaller bution. The freedom of the press, and that mass until it becomes part of the larger means the freedom to publish what we body and then move on and do the same want when we want, and the liberation again. They can also divide. So it is and survival of the workers, belongs to important to understand that with this sort those who really control the press.

c? FEMINA CONES

Expensive cones for “building pelvic muscles”? What happened to the “hold it in” exercises that cost nothing? Pat Rosier reports. “Femina cones” are claimed to train listed. pelvic floor muscles, correct inconti­ 2. There is no information about the I t»t'cH70'v-s | nence and prevent the cervix descending. substance from which the cones are fe. • They are sold in sets of nine cones of made. “identical shape and volume but of 3. Statistics are given in a letter from increasing weight from 20g to lOOg. You APRICOT SKINCARE Fisher and Paykel without any reference to cleanse, tone and moisturise start by using the heaviest cone that “can to the research sample and its full find­ be retained comfortably for one minute.” ings. Then, “the exercises begin by holding 4. The cones are very expensive. the cone for five to 10 minutes three 5. The whole promotion is gimmicky. times a day. Once the woman can retain 6. The implications of the statement that weight cone on two successive days about improving sexual satisfaction. Creightons support Conservation the next heavier cone is used.” (Quotes 7. No information is given about the in New Zealand with a proportion from an ad in New Zealand Doctor, 17 manufacturers. from all products purchased being July 1989.) The concluding statement of 8. It seems like yet another exploita­ donated to a research project on the ad reads: “It is also said that the tion of women by a multinational com­ the Hector’s Dolphin. cones can help improve sexual satisfac­ pany. Visit CREIGHTONS at the tion”.A set of nine cones plus instruc­ Members of the Auckland Women’s WHITBREAD TRADE FAIR tions and a suggested progressive Health Council query whether the cones in January on Princes Wharf exercise programme retails at $247. They can in fact be any more effective than .iCHto Available at are distributed by Fisher and Paykel pelvic tightening exercises, which cost \tA \ selected Home Health Care Dealers. nothing. Pharmacies Ngahiraka Mason, of the Auckland If you would like to make your com­ and Health Women’s Health Centre has been in con­ ments, or seek further information, con­ shops. tact with Fisher and Paykel and raised tact Fisher and Paykel Healthcare Phone and fax the following concerns: Division, P O Box 14-348, Panmure, 'I////rally (071)295 682 1. No alternatives are suggested or Auckland, phone 570-5655.

8 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 TO BE OR NOT TO BE

Mary MacKinven writes about her putting people experiences with the Department of Social Welfare. ZJZlT before profits 75% of Africa's Imagine being a white and middle- TradeAkl class, mid-thirties, married female, with a food is grown basic but comfortable material back­ ground; being a bom-and-bred Aucklan­ by women. der; having two children aged five and three years, a university degree and fairly Trade Aid stable work history. I’ve always called myself a feminist. It’s 1989. actively supports My marriage is ending and I need the these women’s Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB). The other day I went to my local suburban efforts by paying office of the Department of Social Welfare (DSW). Well, what a bloody a fair price for shock. My first visit was to get an appli­ cation form. There were no forms laying their goods. around; you obviously had to ask for one For orders of Tanzanian tea & in person. After 20 minutes standing in coffee^ Zimbabwean cocoa Trade Aid one of two unmarked queues at the unat­ 14 ORARI STREET, tended ‘Reception’ desk, I was relieved to & Nicaraguan coffee write/ P.0. BOX 18620, see a receptionist take her seat over the phone for wholesale prices: CHRISTCHURCH, high counter. PHONE: 887-016 “There’s only one queue”, she announced firmly. All dozen or so of us in the lines looked around at each other. We the booths for interviews, but not me. I bright murals and a fixed-to-the-floor executed a slow, mistrusting shuffle and wasn’t going to squeeze my marriage wooden tunnel. That’s it. This area was formed a united queue.Five minutes later break-up into the remaining quarter hour partitioned off by a dangerously high and I was at the desk myself, toddler in tow of booked interview time, so I decided to climbable wall of stairs. I couldn’t believe down low. I assertively made my request leave. I even tried to explain my departure the nonsense design and half-hearted for a DPB application. but after five minutes in the inert recep- effort for us parents. “You have to make an appointment tion/enquiries queue, I just had to go! By Not a magazine; just horrible musak too” I was told with official-tone. driving fast I managed to pick up my child and an out-of-date notice-board to pass “Sure...!” I was willing to cooperate. from his pre-school on time. the time. Everyone there was waiting, She leafed through the diary. I’d given my best to DSW, and they’d quiet, anxious. In comparison, a dentist’s “Wednesday?” I suggested, leaning let me down. They clearly weren’t in the waiting room was joyful - at least you feel over the counter to look at the appoint­ business of respect for clients, promptness she wants to do her best, and will proba­ ment schedule. I presumed that my avail­ nor availability of staff. And there went a bly succeed in alleviating your pain. ability at a particular time had at least precious child-free morning - wasted. The DSW was winning; it had got the equal status with the availability of DSW Don’t go away, reader: that’s just the better of my common sense. After I got interviewers. We haggled and then agreed plot. It sounds funny. It also sounds like home from my non-eventuating interview, on 10.30 am next Wednesday. the ‘typical* moaning of a ‘non-deserving’ I spent a lot of time mentally thrashing By now I was suspicious about the beneficiary type. The cool treatment I had myself about applying for a DPB. (While running of this place, so I decided to so far received, as well as the lack of doing this I managed, of course, to be a check: “How long will I need to be here?” attention, made me feel distinctly worth­ cheerful supportive involved Mum). “About an hour” and what a stupid less. I expected this of course; I’d read What more could I expect from DSW? question, she responded. and heard stories about the plight of bene­ I demanded of myself. If the government “Well I’ll have to change that time, got ficiaries, and I’d felt sad for them. But was going to feed me and my two chil­ to get away by...” being in a needy situation myself, with my dren, help pay my bills...could the gov­ “Why?” precious children dependent on my ernment also afford to give courtesy and “To pick up my child from where he’ll efforts, on my survival skills (getting concern? Just how much support for be”, I said, mentally trying to plan the money), I felt alone and extremely vulner­ being a woman did I think a government bloody child care. There were heaps of able when I went into the DSW. was set up to provide? blank diary space earlier than my appoint­ Under my veneer of sophistication and What was I doing leaving a decent- ment so I suggested moving the time for­ despite the years of my organisational, looking marriage in the first place? What ward. dependable nurturing and much other right did I have to expect society to pay “No...” she said, of course, “how about training, I was nervous, grovelling, depen­ out because six years ago I ‘falsely’ afternoon?” dent. I believed I was offering my labour pledged a part of myself to behave in a “No I can’t. Let’s just leave it as it is”, (the continued loving care of two chil­ certain way until I died? And what the I cleverly resigned myself, guessing that dren) for minimal government funding. hell was I doing to my kids?! I rapidly felt it didn’t really matter anyway. But this strong belief was fighting hard to really depressed ... and being depressed ... I turned up punctually on the day, and overcome the feelings I had in that office. about my marriage. In no time at all I was by careful design, childlessly for the The office was a large open room in questioning the whole meaning of life, heavy interview. I waited 45 minutes cool aqua and mauve. It had a row of par­ wondering what My Purpose was. after announcing my arrival. A dozen titioned but not at all private interview See how stimulating a trip to DSW can other wom-out clients were called up to booths. A child’s play area consisted of be? I can hardly wait till next time.

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 9 suggests, when then are so many women in management and public life that their “womanness” is not the issue. The one result I spotted that did indi­ cate an approach to equality at councillor level did not, in fact, get particular atten­ tion. Horowhenua City had 48 candidates for its council, 13 of them women. Seven of those women were elected to the 15- member council. That could truly be called “dominating the polls”.

NEW WOMEN’S STUDIES CERTIFICATE

Pat Rosier writes about about a certifi­ PHOTO: PHILIPPA KENNY cate in Women’s Studies that will be offered at Auckland University’s Centre WOMEN TAKE OVER LOCAL I gathered results from 54 cities and for Continuing Education from 1990. BODY POLITICS? districts that had mayoral candidates. Of Auckland University is rather lagging these, 46 men were elected and eight behind others in New Zealand in that it We could be excused for thinking so if women. Is that domination? (Only, per­ offers only individual women’s studies all we read was newspaper headlines. haps if, as Dale Spender suggests, the papers within departments and has no a Pat Rosier has been looking at the belief is that women shouldn’t hold public women’s studies department or centre. actual local body election results. office at all.) The Sunday Star story was (Otago doesn’t, either, although some­ My source of information was election based on the success of women in the thing is going on down there.) results published in daily and local cities of Auckland, Hamilton (the eight Wellington, Waikato and Canterbury papers. I didn’t get them from all around other mayors in the Waikato region are all (with it’s feminist studies) have done the country - notable the West Coast of men) and Christchurch and included refer­ much better. the South Island - so make no claim to be ence to Whang arei’s sitting woman mayor So the Centre for Continuing comprehensive, but my interest in count­ being defeated. Again, where is the domi­ Education at Auckland has made a start ing was aroused by two headlines: nation? by getting this certificate course together. “Women dominate polls” in the Sunday The other centres whose results I had It is a part-time course, has no pre-entry Star of 15 October and “Women to the who now have women mayors are; requirements and is seen as “of interest to fore in new setup” in the New Zealand Kawerau, Whakatane, North Shore City, all women at all stages of their lives and Herald of 16 October. Taupo and Invercargill. And then there’s from all backgrounds”. Because each paper reported the the 46 men. It will take a minimum of two years to results differently (and the Herald made I am reminded of the “talking platy­ do the six modules required. Two mod­ things extremely difficult by using only pus” phenomenon that Gill Ellis refers to ules are compulsory - “Women and initials) I concentrated on counting may­ in her article “Playing with the big boys” Societies” and “Development of Feminist ors. Also, it was successful women may­ elsewhere in this issue - women in public Thought” - and the other four come from ors both papers were referring to in their office are so rare as to merit a lot of atten­ a selection that includes the opportunity headlines. tion. We will have achieved equality, Gill to do a supervised individual project. In 1990 “Women and Health”, co-ordinated by Claire-Louise McCurdy and “Women, Language and Images”, co-ordinated by Noeline Alcom, will be offered. LEGAL SERVICES A feature of the development of this certificate is the way in which Centre Deirdre Milne Director, Noeline Alcom, consulted with George Ireland women outside as well as inside the uni­ Tony Walker versity in the early planning stages. who have been practicing Broadsheet columnist, writer, teacher, under the name of and sociologist with a long-standing com­ w il l ia m s McD o n a l d a n d c o . are pleased to advise that the firm mitment to women’s studies in the univer­ will now be known as sity and in the community, Margot Roth, is a consultant to the project. Women’s studies courses often gener­ / / Milne Ireland Walker ate a demand for more, so the establish­ 1 ment of this certificate strengthens the BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS position of academic women within the Australis House university in seeking resources and recog­ 36 Customs Street nition for women’s studies within and Auckland across the academic disciplines. P.O. Box 4204 Telephone (09) 796-937 Enrolment details and further informa­ tion are available from The Centre for Deirdre Milne. Georee Ireland. Tonv Walker ______/MILV Continuing Education, Auckland WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER A FULL RANGE OF University, Private Bag, Auckland Phone LEGAL SERVICES AT COMPETITIVE RATES (09) 737-999, extn 7423.

10 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 Playing with the Big Boys

Gill Ellis talked with Pat Rosier about the strategies women use as managers.

Gill works at the School of Commerce nation reported because of the Human feel comfortable too?’ and that’s a real at Auckland University. Her job has Rights Commission Act. What doesn’t challenge to the men because they don’t several parts: setting up a reference seem to be changing is what she calls “the necessarily see that there’s anything in it library and information centre in the culture or environment, the way that for them. Part of the training work I do is school for staff and post-graduate stu­ organisations work. to raise awareness among men that there dents; lecturing a third year manage­ “Most organisations were started and is something in it for them, that it will be ment studies paper, “Women in are run by men so they have a male cul­ in their interests, too, to have an organisa­ Organisations”; and research work on ture and women usually do not feel com­ tional culture which is more harmonious. issues of interest to women in the work­ fortable in it. It is usually a culture of “Another major concern for women at force. She also does some outside con­ confrontation and competition - for me to the moment in New Zealand is that sultancy work, mostly in connection be right you have to be wrong is a base almost everybody has been restructured. with equal employment opportunities belief. These cultures don’t work very But I think that the restructuring has often and management training. well with teams, don’t care for the person only gone part of the way. It has made Gill began by identifying what she as a high priority, although they claim to. organisations a bit more efficient, which sees as the issues for all women in the You often hear the rhetoric ‘we care about is good, even though the way it has been paid workforce in New Zealand today our people’. The reality is people are done has sometimes not been good. Also, “First is getting a decent job they probably priority number six, way behind most organisations have moved to be enjoy, that meets their financial needs. I other goals. more customer or client friendly, includ­ find a lot of women also want their jobs ing some public service departments. to have some kind of meaning, not just to For most women there Some, though, despite these changes, be a job. The myth that we just work for haven’t been transformed into the sort of the pin money was dispelled a long time will be a larger number of organisations they’re going to need to be ago. Most women I’ve met have incredi­ in the future. Many need to shake off old- ble loyalty to the organisations and com­ years when they won’t fashioned, autocratic management styles, panies they work for - sometimes it’s to get into more team-work, to allow staff quite misguided. They seem to want to have caring for others more autonomy, to trust people more, to believe their work is socially useful, that spend a lot more on staff development. I they are helping make a good product or as their only key still don’t see much evidence of invest­ providing a service. ment in training and development. Maybe “The idea of a career is becoming responsibility. it’s coming, but it’s a bit depressing to see more widespread. I like to encourage it, restructured organisations continuing with because for most women now there will the old practices they had in the past. probably be a larger number of years “Most women, on the other hand, don’t They’ve maybe changed their organisa­ when they won’t have caring for others as have any difficulty in putting the need to tional chart, but they haven’t thought their only key responsibility. So women be profitable and to provide a good ser­ about the processes they are going to use. are becoming more willing to invest time vice to clients alongside each other and And if they don’t change their style, they in training and developing themselves for the means of accomplishing these goals is could end up being just a leaner version worthwhile paid work that also brings by ‘caring about our people’. It’s not an of the old bureaucracies they broke down. self-fulfilment. either/or thing for a lot of women, it’s “When I meet managers and do train­ “Other issues for women are those the integral to the whole way they work. ing work with them, I find the issues they trade union movement is now addressing, Sometimes women find it difficult to have talk about and the problems they have are such as employment equity, comparable a conversation with men about this issue, very similar in both government depart­ worth in the pay area, sexual harassment, because they are coming at it from two ments and in private sector companies in and the age-old one of better quality and different perspectives. When you explain industry. ” variety of childcare. Those areas are to some men that the culture of their Gill sees the biggest barriers for always going to affect women.” organisation is uncomfortable for women, women as right at the top. Women are Gill suggests that among the profes­ they don’t understand what you are talk­ increasingly getting into lower and mid­ sional and managerial women she mainly ing about. Women are saying ‘Can we dle management but are not generally works with, there is less blatant discrimi­ create a work environment in which we making it to boards of directors and

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 11 senior executive suites, except in minus­ ed to the top positions because their cule numbers. philosophies and values aren’t consistent “I read recently about “the talking with the organisation’s priorities. platypus syndrome”. The news media report ‘Wow! a woman judge’ or ‘Female • The personal growth/personal head of government department’. That fulfilment strategy. makes headlines, just as a talking platy­ Going for personal fulfilment or a female pus would. Why is it such a big deal, the niche are probably the two most common fact that she’s a woman? It’s still unusual strategies for career women. A lot of enough for them to comment on it. If we women who go into some kind of profes­ had, say, 20 percent of women at those sional training, like nursing, teaching, levels, it wouldn’t be in the papers. When physiotherapy, personnel, or journalism Helen Clark became deputy prime minis­ are women who want a job they find per­ ter, every article that was written remind­ sonally challenging, where there is some ed us that she was a woman. I didn’t think developmental growth - you can see your­ nowadays it was worth commenting on, self progressing along a career from being given the number of women in the world a new entrant/junior to being an experi­ in top political positions.” PHOTO: GIL HANLY enced person in that occupation. The job of how they operate and why they’re gives you a sense of personal fulfilment doing it.” and your career options are based on Most organisations using these professional skills in an • The reformist strategy organisation or working with similarly were started and are run This is for those women who can clearly qualified people. If you’re not enjoying it, see what is wrong in their organisation you will probably leave and go some­ by men so they have a and have the energy to want to change it where else. You are less concerned with There is enormous satisfaction in putting career goals in terms of getting to “the male culture and women your money where your mouth is so to top” or earning more money, your main speak, bringing your feminist philoso­ motivation is doing something which is usually do not feel phies into the workplace and changing personally satisfying. For women who use things for the better. But of course, the this strategy their occupation is a very comfortable in it. down side is there will inevitably be some important part of their life, and their self- hostility and antagonism towards you. identity, but it’s not the whole focus and it You won’t be very popular, and there doesn’t need to conflict with their other Drawing on the work of two women at might be a high degree of burnout, which roles, maybe as mothers or partners. Deakin University in Australia, Judy is why a lot of women don’t stay long in Again, the down side of this as a career Pringle and Una Gold, Gill outlines six organisations when they adopt this strate­ strategy is that it may limit seniority and types of strategies women use to cope in gy. But there are changes that can be pay. They’re probably not going to be male-oriented organisational cultures. She made. A benefit of this strategy, and the promoted into the top jobs, even though says of them, “I don’t want to criticize women-centred one, is that women don’t they might have the skills. They will be any of the strategies - all of them have suffer role conflict. Women take their seen as “not ambitious enough”, or not benefits and downsides. I just think it’s female conditioning, their reality of life thought to have enough drive and com­ useful for women to have more awareness and beliefs about themselves with them mitment. into the workplace. They stay true to themselves. They don’t have to make • The going for traditional female compromises with their philosophies of niches strategy CARRINGTON life. Women who adopt this strategy stay in CATERING SERVICES occupations that are acceptable for • The woman-centred strategy females, such as nursing and teaching, or With this approach women will probably in private industry become an accounts HU I get lots of support from other women in clerk, executive secretary, personnel FORUM the organisation. These women are likely staffer, industrial nurse, or tea-person. SEMINAR to say “I believe in participative, team Nobody is going to challenge them, WORKSHOP CONFERENCE decision-making and I do believe in car­ because these jobs are seen as acceptable PRESENTATION ing about individuals and talking with for women. They fit society’s idea of them about problems or if they get sick”, women as assistants, helpers, carers, nur­ OUR FACILITIES CAN HELP and who actually do that. They stop work YOU TO FACILITATE tures and so on. For many women this and say “people problems are more choice means no conflict with their con­ BOARDROOM important”. So staff will think they are cept of themselves as female. It’s compat­ CAFETERIA very nice to work for. Criticism may come ible with a role as mother, and partner, or DINING ROOM SEMINAR ROOMS from other people in the organisation who carer in a family. LECTURE THEATRES are concentrating on efficiency and But again the down side is not being (Fully Equipped) whether tasks are done satisfactorily.. treated seriously in career terms. Rarely EXTENSIVE OUTDOOR AREAS ALL CATERING NEEDS AVAILABLE They may say “you’re too nice”, or “you do women adopting this strategy find suc­ (Your Place Or Ours) haven’t met your objectives”, or “we can’t cess in the sense of going into a top posi­ AT run this organisation as if it was a family”. tion. Female “niches” are usually COMPETITIVE RATES So that’s the conflict. underpaid. The other disadvantage of this PHONE ( 0 9 ) 86Ô 702 Women who choose this strategy may strategy could be that you are not fulfill­ CARRINGTON POOTOCHfiC have limited career success. They aren’t ing your potential. For example, I think of C Mt Albert Auckland 3 picked out as the high flyers and promot­ my mother, who trained as a secretary in

12 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 the medical field, and worked for doctors. bum-out. Women who work like this for a do well. However, you are not likely to I always thought if she had the education significant time can have enormous health get much female support, so you may find she could have been a doctor. It’s a shame consequences. I’m seeing a growing num­ it difficult to implement your plans for women who choose less than they are ber of women in my own age group - the because you may fmd other people sabo­ capable of. They may have a sense of dis­ mid-to-late forties - who’ve been work­ taging you. Many women won’t like what satisfaction later in life. However a major ing like this for years and they’re just you are doing. Consequently, it can also benefit is they are less likely to get wrung out, and questioning “what was it be a very lonely strategy and there can be stressed out because they’re not in a per­ all for, was it worth it?”. But this strategy a lot of stress. I think a major concern is manent conflict situation with the rest of can get you to the top. Organisations love that in the long term, there may be an the world. The organisations they work people like this. inner role conflict for women who know with are very comfortable with them intuitively that they are adopting the male being there, so there are fewer hassles. style. They’re behaving in a way which It’s useful for women doesn’t come naturally, it’s not the way •The super-achiever strategy most of them were brought up, they’ve This and the “adopting male style” strate­ to have more awareness leamt it. They suppress any doubts about gy are two I see a growing number of being co-opted by the system and they’re women using and which I think need to to of how they operate playing a double game all the time, which be considered very carefully. I see many can be very stressful. I wonder how often women who are “super-achievers” in the and why they allow themselves to unwind, to be university . The women who are using their true selves as women, and if they do this strategy are often not conscious of it I’ve always said we will know there’s how hard it gets to keep switching from - that’s the problem - until it’s too late true equality in the workplace when one role to the other.. Some don’t do that and their health suffers. Their strategy for mediocre women can get to the top like switching, some stay in the “male” role surviving in organisations is to decide that mediocre men do. There are many organi­ but then I think the disadvantages of this they will just be better than everybody sations whose top executives are very ho- strategy can come later in life - surely this else. “No-one can criticise me for not hum ordinary men, so when we get some is why men die of heart attacks, because being here long hours, not doing every­ ho hum ordinary women there, we’ll of the stress of playing by those rules, and thing to an absolutely brilliant standard, know we’ve got true equality. Almost so I think we’re going to see an increasing not going on every course I can find so I without exception the women who are in number of women getting heart attacks am better qualified”, etc. They just do those very top positions are exceptional and stress-related illnesses and diseases if everything to 120% of their male counter­ and most of them fall into this super­ they use those tactics. parts. Naturally, the organisation they achiever category. Happily, many have When I see women who use this strate­ work for is pleased because their output is good stress and time management skills to gy in the workplace, I try very hard to be absolutely wonderful. The colleagues avoid the worst of the “bum out”. non-judgemental. I understand why who work around them have a mixed atti­ they’ve adopted it - it does put them in tude. Their boss may be very favourable, • The adopting male styles, cultures decision-making places, it does allow but from both female and male co-work­ and values strategy them to make a contribution where other­ ers there can be some hostility because of The main benefit of this strategy is that wise they wouldn’t be given a look-in. the competitive element. So these women you’re completely compatible with the tend not to have very much support and organisation, therefore it looks on you as friendship. This strategy can be very lone­ a useful member, and, other things being The biggest barriers ly. But the major disadvantage is just equal, you are likely to get promoted and for women are right at the top.

MYRA NICOL So women really have to decide what MOWERS • CHAINSAWS their value systems are and to what per­ sonal goals they are going to give priority WEEDEATERS in their paid work. Inevitably, we have to PETROL AND ELECTRIC make some compromises in our work sit­ uations because there are no perfect 442 RICHMOND RD organisations. Maybe looking through these strategies will help women who GREY LYNN, AUCKLAND work in male-oriented organisations to PHONE 760-053 identify which strategies they are using now and why, and whether they might want to make some changes. Hopefully, Full motor mower sales and service they may become more aware of both the Only woman owned and operated advantages and the consequences if their Auckland mower service choices. If none of the alternatives appeal, women have yet another option, which is Free pick up and delivery becoming increasingly popular: start your own organisation or business where you S F Iy it t o determine the objectives, value systems Your next mower and style. ■

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 13 Te wekotuku

y birth parents were quite old memories as a teeny, teeny child is going Maori, but I had my first real taste of when I was born so I was offered to sleep between them in this huge cast racism when I was about eight and had to another family who lived in my iron bed underneath a tivaevae, a wonder­ two terms at a Wellington convent school. Mfather’s village, Ohinemutu in Rotorua.ful quilted bedspread my kuia brought I was always quite fair, light-skinned, I have a whole tangle of very early back from Rarotonga. freckly, a bit funny-looking next to the memories and the contrasts within that My koro was a famous tenor and he other kids. I was very asthmatic, unable to tangle are astonishing. I’ll refer to the used to sing me to sleep. I remember the do sport and until my early teens chroni­ woman who raised me as my mother - sound of the music, it was just so neat. cally short-sighted. Nobody knew. There she’s a traditionally raised but And I remember them getting ready to go was always this feeling I was making it extremely independent woman with a to concerts, because they were both enter­ up to get attention, but I really couldn’t real sense of her own selfhood and she tainers. My kuia was also a guide at see. As a child growing up, even though I had this wonderful mother, who was Whakarewarewa. She was a very adept was very verbal and bright, I was my kuia, who was so marvellous and and respected weaver of harakeke, of flax, extremely isolated. I didn’t have very loving and is still an extremely strong as well, and her work is still admired in many friends because most of my cousins influence in my life, although she’s the Maori world. She made the korowai, were totally impatient with this dead-head been gone for many, many years. which I remember being woven, for the who couldn’t catch a ball, couldn’t run My kuia and koro had a house in visit of Elizabeth the Second in 1953/4. because she’d get sick, continually had Ohinemutu. During the very troubled Maori women’s arts were part of my rotting ears and a wheezing chest and periods of my infancy, and there were childhood, and the smell of flax is some­ great big impetigo sores all over her legs many, I was inevitably embraced in the thing that really is underneath my skin. and was a bloody nuisance. So I retreated arms of my kuia. One of my earliest I had this incredible aunt, my mother’s more and more into my own little worlds, sister. She was a teacher and particularly and I had many of those. The very safest enthusiastic about teaching Maori children of them all was the environment in which to read. As one of my baby sitters she’d my grandmother looked after me. spend hours and hours with me - she had I guess the one school at which I spent me reading at four. Although there a significant number of years was St weren’t many books in the house we had Michael’s convent in Rotorua. Apart from lots of comics and The Weekly News, with very heavy doses of orthodox Catholicism the pink cover that my grandmother we were exposed to some exciting ideas would soak to get the pink out and turn it as part of Christian doctrine. We learned into dye for the flax and the Daily Mirror abut apartheid and fascism and the French whose covers gave her yellow. revolution and the IRA and the nuns gave The whole period of childhood and us some quite astonishing examples of puberty, particularly immediately before women as fighters, as strong and and following the death of my Koro, formidable warriors, as courageous which occurred when I was nine or ten, all women. They exemplified this: they that time remains for me particularly coached football, they drove trucks, and messy and loaded with pain. Changes of they brought in this whole vision of jus­ schools, changes of address, changes of tice and equality. It was a really politicis­ township, changes of parenting. ing environment. I was always very conscious of being The nuns also recognised me as some-

14 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 Shiro and Ngahuia in front of Waiwhio by Kura Rewiri-Thorsen. PHOTO: GIL hanly

one with real “academic potential”, so I Welfare on my back, but my kuia always thought it was great. Then I was hauled was fed lots of church Latin and given came to the rescue, so that whenever it into her office and she snarled at me and heaps and encouraged rigorously to study. looked as though I was going to be carted then realised what class I was in and It was during that period too that my tal­ off in the Maori Affairs’ car she’d be sniffed and said, “Three professional A, ent as a child writer first emerged. They there. I’ll just have to keep a good eye on you encouraged me to write stories and got That school almost crippled me. I’ll this year my girl.” them into the catholic schools’ little bul­ never forget my first week. The twist was From that moment on it just went from letins and things like that. I also won a the dance that was in then, and at maybe bad to worse. I was different from the national essay writing competition when I our third or fourth assembly, there we all kids in my class, who went yachting and was 11. I started keeping diaries when I were, 800 girls in our hideous maroon skiing and learnt French when their par­ was ten, primarily because we were doing gyms, standing there, starched, gawking at ents took them to France. I was different The Diary of Anne Frank, a book that this harpie up on the podium looking at us from my cousins and my mates as well influenced me a great deal as I was grow­ above her swan-rimmed glasses, and we because I did like reading books and I still ing up. started singing these asinine Christian couldn’t catch a basketball. At the end of Unfortunately it all dropped out of my hymns. One was “To Be A Pilgrim”. I had that year I got expelled. By then most of life when I was 12, because there was no really bad sunburn and I started scratching my friends were getting drunk and getting correspondent catholic high school any­ it. I was sort of twisting myself about pregnant, and I didn’t think that was for where in the district and there was no way peeling at the sunburn and trying to get at me so I started seriously thinking about I could get sent off to a private secondary the flakes of loose skin going down my doing well at school. I tried to get into school. So I went into the state system. I back. I was jiggling around. This woman catholic boarding schools and actually got to high school and went totally screamed above the heads of everybody won scholarships, but was refused entry berserk. Lots of things had happened on assembled and stopped the music, then because of my so-called child welfare and the home front, things particularly grue­ she leaned over the podium and pointed a criminal record. some and unpleasant, and I was I suppose skeletal finger in the direction of the row I So I went across town to the co-ed quite warped when I got to high school. was standing and said “You, you there, get state school, where the headmaster decid­ fought like a demon to get into the out of my assembly, how dare you dese­ ed to give me a try. I was very grateful. I Istream that did Maori. I was told that crate that hymn by doing the twist, you was also pretty bored with all my rebel­ my verbal skills and my IQ level required vile girl.” I thought, “Poor bugger, who’s liousness, so I knuckled down. There that I go into the top stream and as a she pointing at?” And of course it was me. were three other Maori kids in the top Maori girl I should feel very honoured. I can remember saying in a very faint fourth form there and they were related to The top stream didn’t do Maori in those voice, “Is it I, Miss Hogan?” and she said me too and so life became a lot easier, at days, they did Latin and bloody French. “Yes! Yes! Get out of here!” I had to walk least in terms of school. And the pattern There was a whole bunch of stuff that down the central aisle with all the eyes of of the convent school in many ways meant I was really isolated in that class. I the school upon me and my face blazing repeated itself, because I was always just went totally over the top. I ran away, deeper than the maroon gym I was wear­ there. I was in drama club, I worked in I got busted for turning all sorts of tricks. ing. God, it was humiliating. All the girls the library, I made school my life again. There was always the threat of Child thought I was a hero, all my cousins During this period I won another

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN IS the income, which I needed - we were a school. The Maori students had already one income family. During that time I formed a very exclusive and tightly con­ became more and more aware of how I tained little clique. As a smart-ass kid wanted to do something for my people; a from a state school, I didn’t have a very strong motivation. I was also, during chance. I was just seventeen! the meter maid episode, enjoying a most What happened next is that inevitably I curious association with a family of fell into the seething bowels of Auckland prominent Rotorua lawyers. They decided city and got tangled up with the camp lot, that I should become a lawyer. I needed fell in love, ran around on Japanese ships, very little coaxing. Nevertheless my six A got strung out on drugs, lost any real year, which was like seventh form now, sense of self-worth, never went back to was again tortured and tormented with a Rotorua, never went back to Ohinemutu, whole sequence of domestic upheavals never went back to my grandmother. I just and traumas. By the end of it I just wanted lurched from one small personal crisis to to get away, I just had to get out of there. the next until they all piled up on each Despite the continually sublime and other and flattened me. By the end of my loving presence of my kuia, who by that first year - 1967 - I was a very serious stage though was getting really really old mess. By then, too, I had been unceremo­ - she turned 80 in 1966 - I just broke out niously tossed out of O’Rourke Hall, so I and escaped with a scholarship to ended up in a Grafton Rd flat, awaiting Auckland University. Again there was this the Age of Aquarius. At that muddled sense of overwhelming isolation. I was milestone, I was talked into getting mar­ the only female Maori student in ried. What a crazy thing to do! I became Social Action Women’s Liberation Conference, O’Rourke Hall, but the domestic staff Volkerling for a time - it didn’t last very Easter 1972. Photo; Robin Scholes. were all Maori women. I was drawn to long, thank heavens. them, and inevitably I got involved with I had always written screeds and national award for writing and published them. I was also by that stage, and that screeds of poetry and in my first year in quite a lot in magazines. My birth mother was 1967, acutely aware that I was not Auckland had a lot published. Then I was died. We had sustained minimal contact heterosexual, that I was camp - lesbian invited to share the lectern with one of my with her because she was from another wasn’t the word then. One of the factors great all-time heroes, Hone Tuwhare, who village in another part of the district and that coloured my adolescence is that I was really encouraged me and was very much contact was fairly rare. But when she regarded as conventionally attractive - a mentor and friend, and has remained so. passed away I became once again an inte­ eghh - I looked like a pretty half-caste. With him and some others I gave a read­ gral part of my birth family, which for me That was a real impediment when it came ing. It should have been one of the great was a whole new set of variables, scat­ to my being a lesbian Maori. moments of my life but actually it was tered across my already incredibly unset­ I was totally alienated, screwed up, this incredibly exposing and humiliating tled and very twitchy life. alone, knew I was camp, and couldn’t let-down. Utter bathos. I couldn’t handle So many things went on in my adoles­ handle it at all. The only camp women I the criticism nor could I understand the cence. The Rotorua business men’s asso­ knew at home, apart from much older hostility. Much of what I wrote and read ciation decided they wanted to initiate a ones that I didn’t realise until much later was obviously lesbian, and this was 1968, similar promotion to that which occurred were lesbian, were really hard, really long before that type of writing, at least in in Surfers Paradise, where very scantily tough. So I had a pretty rugged time. this country, was ever fronted in a public clad, voluptuous play-girl type women Coming to Auckland I thought I was free forum. The reaction of the audience and would mince up and down the pavement of all that and could really find out about my co-poets, apart from Hone, truly shat­ in bikinis, replenishing expired parking my campness. That immediately cut me tered me. I went completely dead. It was meters as an act of goodwill. Somebody off from everyone in O’Rourke. I was not awful. had this idea that it would work in white, anglo-saxon protestant, I was not I remained at law school. By the end of Rotorua, with presentable young Maori even heterosexual. The Maori women that my second year I was becoming bitterly girls dressed up in traditional Maori out­ worked on the domestic staff though, disillusioned with the course. I had a fits, swanning about the streets with little looked after me. I also ended up with a vision of becoming a very successful and flax kits full of threepences to replenish rather motley crew of fellow students and brilliant Maori land or Maori criminal the meters. So there was a great casting of we got into all sorts of escapades, which lawyer, with the emphasis on Maori the net and I fell into it, very much at the included my looking for the lesbians, issues. When we did crimes there was just last minute and on the prompting of a looking for the action. From the very first no mention of anything even remotely number of aunties who I’m sure decided week I missed lectures. It was almost like Maori, apart from the fact that it was that my femininity was at great risk my first year at high school. I was on my salient to note most of the criminals were because I was heading down a different own and running wild. Maori. When we did land law we spent track by then already. So they pushed me omeone did reach out to me and she hundreds of hours pissing around with into competing for this and I got it. I Smade a real effort. She tried to take English kings and queens and learning became a Rotorua courtesy maid, which me to Maori Women’s Welfare League British statutes and case law by rote. I had resulted, even more insanely, in my meetings, she quite literally pedalled me started attending lectures regularly and becoming the little media bunny who along to Maori club do’s and I owe her for being a real student. I challenged my went to Surfers Paradise in an exchange that. That was Merimeri Penfold. Dear teachers, the lecturers and tutors. I was with a Surfers Paradise meter maid. Merimeri. I still couldn’t cope. I recall my even secretary of the Sir Leslie Munro I was only 16, I was just so green. It only Maori club gathering. The isolation Mooting society! God, how I tried! was all completely mortifying, and there was almost as bad as the isolation at I performed all through that third year tourism continued to happen all around O’Rourke, first of all because I was camp. and found myself getting reasonably good me and I was extremely caught up in it. I Secondly, though, because I was the only grades in Maori and English and enjoyed the work, though, and especially first year who hadn’t gone to a private Anthropology and bombing out repeated-

16 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 ly in law. When it came to my land law the young warriors, a significant group exam I decided that I wasn’t going to because it involved people who have since answer any of the questions, and instead gone on to make lots of changes within of swotting the required texts I researched the system. Tamatoa was really important all the material I could get on the Treaty because through our extremely noisy and and then presented a well-argued and radiant and enthusiastic attention-seeking extremely well-documented case in my we actually brought to the public eye a land law exam about the Treaty of number of issues that had been either Waitangi. More relevantly, about the ignored or dismissed or shelved for many, necessity of instructing law students in many decades. We had great fun as well this land at this time in that particular as lots of agonising. knowledge. I charged them in my final At the same time as Nga Tamatoa was paragraph with whitewashing the back­ going on, there was another Auckland- wardness and bigotries of a colonial gov­ based organisation which we’d liaise with, ernment. and that was also a key political group, think it was a quite extraordinary the Polynesian Panthers. There was some Istatement, even though it was my own fragile merging between the Panthers and work. It was 1969, no-one was thinking Nga Tamatoa and we had lots of rather like that, it pre-dated much of what was to curious meetings where we acknowledged come by at least four years, and it was that we were Maori, Tangata Whenua, and incredibly unacceptable and unfashion­ they were our Cousins from the Pacific. able. It resulted in my being told there It’s important to say, though, that way was no longer a place for me in the law back then we hadn’t quite clarified the school, and I think we all heaved a great issue of bi-culturalism and multi-cultural- sigh of relief. They got rid of a “trouble­ ism, we hadn’t actually put the Pacific Separatist household, Summer St, 1977. maker” and I moved on to English. peoples in a particular place, because the I have since been told by people in the emphasis during the 70s was black is was the president. The first thing we did law school that my paper, which was beautiful, we’re all black together. The was change the name and it became Te argued over and fought about, became subtle reality of being an immigrant from Huinga Rangatahi O Aotearoa, quite a one of the many salient factors in setting a sovereign island which sustained its own forceful Maori student group. We also up the Maori land law course. Yet it got indigenous language, compared to a brought in the technical institutes and an E. Ho hum. colonised people at risk just hadn’t been teachers colleges and attempted a lot of I went into English and had a compara­ sorted out. And when the sorting began, initiatives in land issues, in education, ble amount of drama and crisis in the of course it was all incredibly painful and health and employment. English Department because it was during arduous and for those of us who can call There was at that stage very little guilt that time - 1970-71 - when I had finished down two lines, like Cook Island Maori in the Pakeha community. There was I my BA and continued an MA in English, and Aotearoa Maori or Samoan and suppose a rather idealistic and unreach­ with people like Aorewa McLeod and Maori, it became a hard issue. able dream that we could all work togeth­ Kaye Devonport as my teachers, that I The third group that was very active on er and achieve whatever political goals started blossoming as a Maori and the Maori political scene was this organ­ we were aiming at. Problems about women’s liberation activist and gay ism called the New Zealand Federation of racism at home were beginning to emerge rights’ campaigner. Maori Students. In 1972-3 I became the and I suppose the most articulate voice I became involved with Nga Tamatoa, national secretary and Morehu McDonald coming through at that time was probably from the Polynesian Panthers who were consciously absorbing and discussing the AUCKLAND GAY/LESBIAN works of Eldridge Cleaver, Angela Davis and Bobby Searle. I think that’s also COMMUNITY & HEALTH CENTRE where the Panthers were different from A project of the Isherwood Trust Tamatoa. They had a literature, they had books which they could read and relate to and books which would determine and direct their struggle. S e c u r in g O u r F uture s Maori activists we were too naive A and too limited to look to our tradi­ tional sources of protest, to the writing of Get involved # Join up today. people like Te Kooti and Te Puea Herangi and Rua Kenana, and so we spent a lot of time wallowing about trying to define our Full membership is open to all lesbians and gays. Send own direction. I actually perceive that as $25 ($15 unwaged) to PO Box 5426, Wellesley Street, being still a problem. There is no really definitive or substantial body of informa­ Auckland 1, with your name, address and phone number. tion and political analysis coming from (For all queries - Tel. 3020590) within the Maori world to direct what we can do. This is where most of the contem­ The Isherwood Trust is a charitable Trust which was set up to porary Maori activist community still misses out. Within the world of traditional improve and enhance the lives of gays and lesbians in Auckland. Its composers, lyricists, poets, haka perform­ main project is the establishment of a community and health centre. ers and chanters, I think we could source our richest and most inspiring political

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 17 national event with much of the activity able, living on the bones of my bum, occurring in Auckland. gathering all these anecdotes and fluffing We hit the people of this city with around in Rotorua because I’d had a guts National Maori Language Day, September full of Auckland. Then I was approached 14, 1972. It was amazing. We did a whole for the lead part in the summer series of Maori Language commercials on Shakespeare of 74-75 at Auckland Radio Hauraki, we did a whole poster University - I did a lot of acting - and I splurge throughout the land, we did the was also offered at that stage, quite by most unbelievably bizarre guerrilla the­ chance, the opportunity to go to the atre, we took over Craccum, we had lots East/West Centre in Honolulu and study of speakers visiting schools. It has since the effects of tourism on communities in become a yearly event so that now it is Te the Pacific. People knew I was doing Wa O Te Reo Maori and takes up a couple tourism research and pretty well the of weeks in July. That was an initiative month I started an American professor that can be traced back to the early days came down wanting a Maori tourism of Te Reo Maori society in Wellington researcher and everything fell into place, and Nga Tamatoa in Auckland. but I had to make this momentous material. They’re writing all the time and The early seventies was, again, a very decision about whether I wanted to stay their stuff is extraordinary. But it’s in painful time for me. It’s all so tangled up. in the theatre or become some sort of Maori, and it’s in Maori which is often It was as if my paper-chasing, my going intellectual. way beyond the level of most of our for degrees, my getting honours, was an I chose the scholarly path and went to activist community. Some of our staunch­ anchor, was something that kept me the East/West Centre in 1975 to work on est, most vibrant and exquisitely political focused, something that gave my life the impact of tourism. I looked at dance stuff is coming out of Kohanga Reo and some meaning. My kuia passed away in and visual arts and came back with a pro­ Maatua Whangai and the MASPAC com­ early 1970, and that was absolutely devas­ posal for a PhD. I arrived in Rotorua, posers’ huis and you see it performed at tating for me, absolutely shattering. I was again really quite disoriented, and spent the Polynesian arts festivals. It’s part of a lost again. As a small child I’d retreated two years scrub-cutting, section clearing, tradition that has been going on in this into books, as an adolescent and a young house cleaning, doing all sorts of shit jobs country for hundreds of years. Haka or adult, I’d withdraw into my research pro­ to support myself through the doctoral patere, haka or waiata, were the most vit­ grammes, or my books, or my assign­ research. That was a really trying time. riolic and effective form of protest. And ments or whatever was there in front of But worth it! that’s something we missed out on, in the me and needed doing. Scholarship was a uring that period I started hanging seventies we didn’t know about it, it refuge. D out with the lesbian separatists bounced over us because we didn’t have Yet, after all this political activism, as again. In the years between my huge the linguistic skills to get to it. a lesbian and a Maori and an enraged break out in 1971 as the only (?) lesbian In 1972 I got involved in Te Ra O Te feminist I found myself at the end of out in the women’s movement in Reo Maori, which became Maori seven years of university education with Aotearoa, suddenly they were popping National Language week. One of the ini­ an Honours MA and virtually unemploy­ out all over the place! A real blossoming. tiatives, spurred by two different sets of able. By the middle of 19741 was incredi­ The separatist community was something people working at different ends of the bly tired. I was so burned out, so that I found as a Maori incredibly chal­ island, was the need to secure official sta­ disillusioned, again there was that whole lenging and also quite confusing. I lived tus for the Maori language, to ensure that sense of isolation and acute self-con­ in a perpetual state of conflict. Those Te Reo Maori becomes the language of sciousness and angst and not knowing the issues which confronted me were proba­ the courts and also affirm that Maori lan­ meaning of it all. The degrees seemed bly alien to all the other women. They guage becomes a compulsory subject in useless, worthless, they couldn’t give me were also issues, though, that most of schools. a job, nobody wanted me, what was I those women refused to consider anyway. t the same time there was the Maori going to do? Issues like racism, responsibility to the A Language Petition, and the splendid The Centre for Maori Studies and whanau - most of them of course had spokesperson for that was Hana Jackson Research at Waikato had been set up and I denounced their patriarchal families - (now Te Hemara). Within the petition was offered a job there without a salary. accountability to a network outside of the itself was this vast group of people all Very weird, even demeaning. Neverthe­ lesbian community. As a Maori I could lobbying away and collecting signatures. less I prepared a whole bunch of possible never turn my back on my iwi, on my Also at the same time, based primarily research proposals and one really excited people; that became a real source of ten­ in Wellington and working from Victoria me: it was on the impact of tourism as it sion for me. University was an organisation loosely affected my own community, remember­ Another academic fellowship took me affiliated with Nga Tamatoa, called Te ing of course that I was bom and raised in back to Honolulu in 1978 and I was there Reo Maori. Te Reo Maori was a strong a very touristy environment. One of the until December 1980. Three years that action group of native speakers of the things I most wanted to do was get down were very formative for the Maori language, which made them I think quite on paper the stories of my grand-aunts women’s movement in Aotearoa and I different from Nga Tamatoa, because we and my aunts and my mother and every­ regret not being here, but they were years didn’t have that many native speakers. Te one who had ever had anything to do with important for my own growth too. Reo Maori was organised to a large the tourist experience. So I set about Achieving a PhD was very important extent by Koro Dewes and his daughter, recording their stories and planning what to me at that time, and again it’s tangled Cathy, who went on to establish one of was going to be some sort of publication up with personal stuff. There was one the very first Maori language speaking for them. It was like a gift to the people stage when it looked as though my life schools in the country, in Rotorua. They and it was fun and something I really was about to finish at any minute. I con­ worked and they hustled and they actual­ wanted to do. tracted cancer and it was invading my ly initiated Maori Language Day, a There I was, unemployed, unemploy­ uterus and other nether regions and I

18 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 endured all this surgery and it truly did and rivetting experience, that questioned look as if Ngahuia was not going to be the bigotry and male bias that exists in the around for very much longer. The progno­ Maori world with regard to women work­ sis was delicate. It was during that time ing on carvings, working on art forms cre­ that my PhD was to be conferred, I was ated by men. Yet I could not have this gaunt, shadowy, ill figure, nurtured undertaken it without the blessing of the by the lesbians of Hamilton. Maori Queen, Te Arikinui Te Atairangi The idea of my being awarded the Kaahu. She protected and empowered the degree at the marae at Ohinemutu sur­ project - she made it possible. The team faced and was met with great enthusiasm of Waikato PEP workers was made up of by the conferring institution, Waikato six women and one youth. The project University. So the elders, the kaumatua supervisor was Mamae Takerei, a tireless­ and kuia from Ohinemutu, got together ly determined trail blazer in women’s with the university officials and arranged issues in her tribal community. this extraordinary graduation ceremony. I Nevertheless sexism does concern me will never, ever forget it, it was a magical immediately as a member of the Project day. I was between operations and abso­ Development Board for the new National lutely doped to the eyeballs and quite Arts Centre in Wellington. Prejudices and spectral. bigotries still exist and they need to be The thesis documented the Maori per­ challenged. I suppose in my current posi­ spective of tourism as it impacted on the tion I am actually challenging them. As a Arawa people of Rotorua. Again I find board member for the project develop­ myself tasting bile, because despite hav­ ment, as a member of the Cultural ing an extremely marketable and impor­ Conservation Advisory Council, and as tant product, no-one would publish it. The member of the National Film Archive other part of the whole doctoral Board of Trustees. These are three gov­ gramme, which occurred in ernment agencies in which we are contin­ Honolulu and the Pacific as well as ually needing to assess male perceptions Aotearoa, is that it is very much a of women and male perceptions of Maori women’s perspective, it is women’s competence and ability. But for very much the view of the women of my fun and paid work I’m a lecturer in Art community as much as it is mine. Without History at Auckland University - a job I them that thesis would never have been really enjoy. written. PHOTO: GIL HANLY My book, Tahuri is being published by When I came back from Honolulu I minister whom I ques­ New Women’s Press this year. It’s 18 sto­ started work for the Centre of Continuing tioned about my situation ries and two are quite long. I’ve drawn a Education at Waikato - that was immedi­ because the same person was lot from my own life, but they are fiction. ately before I got ill. My brief there going on and on and on about the opportu­ About coming to terms with being a included women’s studies, initiating pro­ nities for well-qualified Maori women in young Maori lesbian in a traditional vil­ grammes for Maori women, New Start. I the senior echelons of the public service lage environment, being a young Maori was there for two and a half years and and in private industry. So I pointed out to woman with a heap of hassles, being a lit­ then I won the University of Victoria him that I was the only Maori woman in tle Maori girl who is loved by her kuia. post-doctoral fellowship, which took me the country with a PhD at that moment The stories are about those young girls to Wellington and then to Oxford and he said “Look here, girl, if you want you see on the streets, in McDonalds, at University in England. Wonderful. to get anywhere then you’ll just have to the fleamarket, in the classroom. And in a he tenure was only a year. I came stay away from those gays and those way, they are written for them to read, Tback in November 1984 and again I queers and this homosexual law reform most of all. But I hope lots of people read was unemployed. For eight months I went thing. You will not get a job anywhere in them, too. Lots and lots. to the dole office, collected my dole, sent this country, you will not. No-one will Of course, politically they’re not very out countless job applications, went want you, the men will despise you and sharp - two or three are quite subtle - but through a couple of incredibly degrading the women will hate you.” I was flabber­ they’re for pleasure, primarily. I’ve done job applications, had my qualifications gasted, and said surely I should be judged enough non-fiction already. One point I and my level of achievement persistently only on academic merit. He said that it must make though concerns the publish­ and viciously questioned by Labour Dept was not relevant, that my lifestyle was. So ing year. Squeezed madly into the last minions who Couldn’t believe I was so what was I going to do? I just hung in month of 1989. Why? Because I’ve con­ well qualified. there. The curatorship at Waikato sciously chosen NOT to have that year on I spent a few weeks packing kiwi fruit, Museum of Art and History came up. my first ever solo writing project. While I and sensed then that something was Again I saw this same cabinet minister realise 1990 will be a pivotal time for race wrong. I was beginning to wonder if my and said what about if I want to join the relations in Aotearoa, for me it can never unemployed status, despite the PhD and gay occupational ghetto, which is what be a celebration. A commemoration, academic honours an high achievement the art world was frequently seen as and maybe. A time to remember and contem­ could possibly have been because I’m a he had no comment to make. Ironically he plate our survival as a people, as a lan­ queer. Not just an uppity Maori but a did give me a reference for it though and I guage, as a culture. And yes, we can queer. I applied for a variety of different was suddenly employed! rejoice in that, with each other. But to cel­ jobs, I had been interviewed, but no deci­ Through that job I ended up taking on ebrate something designed to rip us off? sions had been made. Nevertheless - I a massive challenge - the restoration of Not me. No way. Never. won’t name him because it will be too Te Winika, a fully carved war canoe dat­ Kaati mo tenei. E rau rangatira ma, tricky if I do - 1 was confronted by a cabi- ing from the 1830s. It was a memorable tena ra tatou katoa. ■

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 19 ILLUSTRATION: CANDACE BAGNALL 0 BROADSHEET 1989 20 DEC/JAN visualisation exercises where you see yourself in the midst of a of midst the in yourself see you where exercises visualisation me towards Estee Lauder’s non-irritating, ophthalmologist- test­ ophthalmologist- non-irritating, point Lauder’s which Estee towards columns me advice sound to access have to fortunate ground level. Now, lower yourself down as part of one of those of one of part as down yourself lower Now,level. ground at you for also but itself, make-up the for not just clear space to enough necessary It’s summer. for Start Fresh a make to order ed remover for when the lashes grow back in and I can see see can I and in back grow lashes the when for remover ed ol avct eoesatrn yu ae l vrtefor in floor the over all face your scattering before advocate would again). waterproof mascara. And my dears. What problems with my with How off!stuff the wash can’t problems I because piebald What going eyelashes dears. my And mascara. waterproof sun­ or repellent insect be might that container mystery belled invisible the keep I other would every else like Where woman. just kit feminine really make-up a got I’ve course Of mean? ceno..? te nieto tbes n tegn htsy it’ssays that gunk the and tablets indigestion the ?, or... screen unla­ exciting the batteries, hearing-aid spare the hose, support you do (What youth. impetuous down, seasonal Slow receive to objects. enough sacred immaculate surface floor of kind us of those Even here. contained are assumptions unqualified o bs t aat t es sm fyu itrmk-p o the to make-up winter your of some least at adapt to best how h hv lf te yas eid a ntncsaiyhv the have necessarily not may of behind years lot a teen left what have who me dear Oh Analysis. In-Depth requisite the advising by off started It maquillage. summer the of exigencies Empower you to make your rightful claim for first go with the with andspade. go bucket first for claim rightful your make to you Empower lot younger you of more that likelihood gratifying the on reflect the reader to empty her make-up kit on the floor in order to do to order in floor the on kit make-up her empty to reader the about magazine teenage some in read I Piece Think for a Take, attention.example, pay and they’ll minute only a if for helter-skeltering generations stop succeeding offer to something has oiiey wl, ary o te adkce i yfc wie I while face my in kicked sand the on fairly) (well, positively n adProa Got ad td o ao ad Cig will Ching I and Tarot of study and Growth Personal and ing train­ assertiveness somuch that even or - back it right kick will summer sun ‘n fun? For one thing, at my age I can look back look can I age my at thing, one For fun? ‘n sun summer EC C BEACH s ws aig tee r afw rlmnr rprtos I preparations preliminary few a are there saying, was I As Mind you, I do believe that we older folk’s Life Experience Experience Life folk’s older we that believe do I you, Mind ho better than me, the most mature of of mature most the me, than better ho columnists, to approach for a round-up for our readers of of a our for readersround-up for approach to columnists, Broadsheet’s

niscent sigh ortwo.) niscent is the climax of a marathon performance: blending alightcover­ blending performance: amarathon of climaxthe is Look your that impression I’m false the look”. people give you suggesting no-makeup “natural the is image summer daytime October the with included book beauty bonus your wise heads in agreement (maybe with even a rueful remi­ rueful a even with (maybe agreement in heads wise your willnodtypes maturer you of some bet I but I’m- you whattell to going at surprised be might ones young you of Some cara. mas­ the with exercise floor that by-pass will which tip beauty weea you give I’ll knees, the at weak trifle a us of some made age of a super sheer base over the cheeks, nose and chin - andI chin - and nose cheeks, the over sheer base supera ageof flf! ic, oee, l ti cnetae iulsto has visualisation concentrated this all however, Since, life! of enjoyment idle in ourselves indulge to expect can’t women We without working at it for goodness sake - that’s just a basic factbasica that’s just - sake goodness for it at working without they?did easy be to goingwere sun ‘n fun of days for exercises just look at it and good goddess surely there are alternatives toalternatives are there surely goddess good and it at look just the root of thetree.the rootof concealingwas it because lumpyall was at aimingwere you bit the that see didn’t so on glasses wrong the had you because up tocauses you which amplitude Rubenesque rich,your for priate on the mat or rug or whatever and see how quickly you can leapquickly you see howand whatever or or rug themat on Back then. OK object. accursed the over-balance and overflow the off inches few a elevated be to as so cars their of boots fortably, right, so now imagine yourself being offered one of of one offered being yourself imagine now so right, fortably, and come wouldn’t dog trained properly a and eggs hard-boiled too vivid recollection that its cute smallness is simply inappro­ simply is smallness cute its that recollection vivid too all the of and mechanism chair the in nipped you of bits getting of memory the of face the in boggles Your imagination ground. those cunning little folding chairs that people carry round in thein round carry people that chairs foldinglittle cunningthose uncom­ sitting You’re everyone.) over self disgusting its shake opans ht ts on ot o cmn i ad el be we’ll and in coming not and rain would it out said forecast weather theand mud in drowned going it’s that complaints thethesound of with a pohutukawa,of shade the group in merry the gentle murmur of the tide goes unheard because of the loud the of because unheard goes tide the of murmur gentle the anticipa­ happy the to adding sun the of warmth the and waves tion associated with unpacking the picnic. (It’s your problem if if problem your (It’s picnic. the unpacking with associated tion My advice is: fake it! Yes, really! According to the free free the to According really! Yes, it! fake is: advice My Nobody ever said that these toning-up mental and physical and mental toning-up these that said ever Nobody L U E R U T L U Cleo h proper the quote - followed by dusting fine translucent powder over the lovely symbolic sunshine? - you’ll be ever so thrilled to learn entire face, not to mention eyeshadow, mascara, eyebrow pencil, from More that “bridal fashion has taken a march back in time. a terracotta coloured blush to the balls of of the cheeks (the balls Now new is olde and the style is indulgently romantic. Today’s of the cheeks?) and a combination of lip balm and lip pencil. designers have borrowed the bustle, beading and big bows of This is where unblushered cheek will give you the correct centuries past... ” no-makeup appearance without your so much as lifting a cotton Probably some of you romantics will want to get on with bud or a sponge tip applicator. (How should I know what one is? sticking your beads on to your bows with all those girlish Something to do with tampons?) dreams ornamenting the over-extended credit cards. But others Well, there you are showing the light of your countenance will be brooding over the best kind of bathing togs. My, how I to summer, but what about the rest? As Cleo says: “We’ve all did identify with the young woman who wrote to Seventeen been to swimsuit hell... your thighs bulge, your tummy sticks “worried that my bathing suit is going to wear out before the end out... ” Instead of saying “So what? You’re gorgeous with of the season.” I remember that worry - it’s the moths getting it anyway” Cleo and the rest of that ilk plunge into the into the heavy black wool which falls into embarrassing holes profit-making put-down of women’s bodies whose natural because a heedless teenager (we’ve all been there!) forgot to shapes are promoted as YUCK. In “The A to Z of summer” winter the swimsuit with mothballs or camphor. for example, “M is for Midriff: crop tops and bustieres should When nothing but a replacement will do, Cleo refers to show expanses of taut tummies this summer.” Have you Summer Seduction “sultry, lingerie-inspired... bra cups, sheer noticed how bossy these fashion pundits are? Another tulle inserts and lacy details... ” More tells us of “... a return to a instance of Brown Owl direction is a 10-day cleansing look that’s an old familiar favourite... Say hello again to built-in diet where Day 6’s lunch is a goodylicious tuna coleslaw bras and shirred backs... There’s a little draping here, a little with the instruction “make while Mushroom Lentil Bake is ruching there... Very Hollywood. Very flattering. Very cooking.” womanly... ” Oh whoop-de-do and I do wonder what my own While everyone is responding to such bullying by obediently lingerie would inspire, womanliness-wise. calorie counting and torso-twisting - trim that tummy! thin All that summery flummery has definitely destroyed some those thighs! tote that bale! - I think I might incorporate into my brain cells - I can’t even decide now which stunning top to knit. beauty regime a helpful household hint from an Australian TV The Seventeen pattern is for a sleeveless (almost everything- personality. What she finds effective on a dry, sensitive skin is a less really) 19cm long “body-hugging” garment while the dear bath full of a packet of powdered milk. Somehow though the old reliable NZ Women’s Weekly product has sleeves, is a idea of wrestling open a carton of best Anchor (she doesn’t say decent 54cm long with a couple of bits of contrasting whether it should be full cream or non-fat) just fails in the glam­ crosshatching here and there and “looks just as good in other our stakes alongside the notion of Cleopatra’s slaves milking all colourways - try navy with white patterning or khaki with those asses, and definitely doesn’t match dunking one’s lovely cream.” Well, you go your colourway and I’ll go mine, which I limbs in champagne. suspect may consist of draping myself in a cool sheet, preferably Still, there you go, cleansed from top to toe with a milky one tucked into a firm mattress close to a fan and not too glow like a pearl even if the wholesomely scented steam is far from a refrigerator while I do my Meditation. What more soporific rather than seductive. Next question is how best to powerful mantra could there be than: “fun ‘n sun to all of you adorn the body beautiful. If you’re planning to be a summer too.” bride - and who wouldn’t want a wedding blessed with all that Margot Roth ■

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Susan Grimsdell writes about been won, they’ve often come about only women and redundancy. don’t after a hard fight, involving picketing and strikes. This can be successful when large “I was having a really good day at firms are cutting back staff, but when it’s work, feeling happy and on top of a case of a small firm, the money may things. I got back from lunch at quar­ simply not be there and strikes or pickets ter to two and at twenty past I was need you are no threat to a company that is going walking out the door with a letter out of business anyway. detailing my redundancy settlement.” Women tend to get smaller redundancy The first reaction to being told your payments than men because the settle­ job no longer exists is shock. In many anymore ments are based on wages and length of cases there is little or no warning that it’s employment. Women are paid less, are about to happen. One woman, for exam­ often part-time and in the case of women ple, worked for a shoe shop in Auckland’s employers to court over individual work­ with children, have possibly taken time Queen St for 16 years and was told one ers, and if the place of business or shop is out, so the number of years worked is Friday afternoon that she needn’t come going bankrupt there’s little prospect of a fewer. back the following Monday. successful settlement in any case. One of the economic consequences of The Labour Relations Act stipulates Even some big firms give workers very redundancy is loss of financial indepen­ that four weeks’ notice (with pay) must little warning of close down. Homestead dence. A married woman will not be eli­ be given when a job comes to an end for Chicken gave no official notice to work­ gible for a benefit if her husband has an any reason. In reality, however, hundreds ers. When Swenson’s closed, the workers income. She then finds herself dependent of women working in shops, restaurants, (mostly women) had no notice and got no on him for money. Single women are sud­ private hospitals, small offices or other redundancy pay. One union worker denly dependent on the state. Rosemary small businesses have been “let go” with expressed the view that employers seem (age 49): “I had worked all my life and no notice and no redundancy pay. to use summary closure as a tactic so never been unemployed before. I found The unions can’t help unless a woman unions have no time to organise. being on the dole very humbling.” who has had this happen to her notifies Even when the job loss is expected it Applying for the dole can be a trau­ them, and many women are not assertive still comes as a shock. Ann: “We were matic experience. The Taranaki enough or sufficiently aware of their called in and told the firm was winding Unemployed Rights Centre said, “There rights to do this. David Munro of the down and we’d be made redundant in is no more humiliating or frustrating Northern Distribution Union says, “So three to six months’ time. Well, it was like experience for anyone newly made redun­ often women feel that their job isn’t as a dream, not real. We went on working as dant than to meet the reality of the important as a man’s. They don’t phone usual, we were just as busy as always. Department of Social Welfare (DSW). the union because they think, ‘Well, I was Then I was given a month’s notice and it This experience at best is demeaning and lucky to have had a job’. These attitudes really hit me that it was going to happen. humiliating. The forms are complex, the help employers get away with not giving That day was the worst.” questioning usually suspicious, and the women their rights.” When the initial shock has been atmosphere often hostile.” To survive There are no accurate figures on absorbed, all the consequences of the job such an encounter is difficult enough for a redundancy. It is stated in the Ministry of loss start to make themselves felt. First confident, educated Pakeha male, but it Women’s Affairs’ publication Women in and foremost of course is the economic can be a cowering experience for others, the Economy that women are “more likely loss. A great many women receive no especially women. Maori women and to be unemployed than men, and if made redundancy pay. If the employer doesn’t women from the Pacific Islands and Asia redundant they may find it more difficult agree to pay it, and if it isn’t written into are over-represented in high redundancy to get another paid job.” Which is even the award, little coercion can be brought work areas and often the most economi­ more true for Maori and Pacific Island to bear because there is no legal require­ cally vulnerable. For those unfamiliar women. Unemployment figures always ment for redundancy to be paid. Even with the language and laws, the DSW understate the problem, especially for when good redundancy packages have experience, particularly when staff are women, because those not eligible for prejudiced, can be horrendous. a benefit (such as married women) sel­ Childcare can pose extra problems. dom register and none of the figures Do you take the child out of day care, take into account “discouraged job thus disrupting her routine and losing seekers” (that is, those who have given her place when you may get a new job up looking for a job) or those who in a week or two? If you keep her have part-time work and are looking home how can you go to interviews? for a full-time job. Do you continue to pay for childcare The extent of the redundancy prob­ at $ 100-plus per week - but then what lem may not be measured, but it is if you don’t get a new job? clearly large and increasing. This also When a woman’s partner is also helps employers get away with viola­ unemployed or redundant there are tions of the Act. David Munro’s area additional stresses. Philippa Fox from of responsibility in Auckland, for Auckland Communication Projects example, covers 950 places of (ACP) told me about several older employment. No union has the women who were worried about the resources to take hundreds of small demands their husbands would make

24 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 on them when they were at home with acknowledge we feel sad, confused or often burst into tears at the slightest sym­ him all day. They wanted to find another afraid. Many women have close friends, pathy because they’ve been humiliated job to be free of that pressure. The prob­ good relationships, and they are what get and put down so much.” lem can be a “gloomy guts” husband who us through bad times. Ann: “When I came Ann, 46, was made redundant in doesn’t want to do anything and doesn’t home that day I felt desperately lonely, August. After failing to find permanent want them to do anything either. and wished I had someone to put their work she accepted a two-month tempo­ Sue Bradford of Te Roopu o Aotearoa arms around me and tell me it’s going to rary position which had two more weeks (National Unemployed and Beneficiaries be okay. I called a good friend and she to go when I talked to her. “I’m a good Movement) said, “If the partner is also came around and gave me support.” worker, but nobody wants a person my out of work it can have a bad effect on A large proportion of people who are age. I’ve discovered that employers want women because unemployed men are made redundant do get another job. In 25-35 year olds. Age 40 is the limit. I more likely to commit violence against some respects a redundant worker has wake up in a cold sweat sometimes, very women.” advantages over someone who has never frightened of what will happen when this A job is more than a way of get­ job ends. The dole wouldn’t even ting money, and its loss has much cover my mortgage.” more widespread effects than the There’s very little help avail­ financial. For all of us our work is able for people dealing with the to some extent tied up with our trauma of redundancy. The New identity. Losing it brings uncertain­ Zealand Employment Service ty - well, what will I do now, what organises job clubs where people will I be? With the job goes all the can meet to pool ideas and social contact, the feeling of resources and give one another belonging, of being part of a pro­ support. Sometimes firms provide ductive group. funds for counselling as part of the If your job is the only one to go redundancy package but this is on while the firm and the other a one-shot basis rather than long employees continue, the reaction term. is, “What is wrong with me?” Liz, An Auckland-based govern­ who was made redundant from a ment-funded group, the Auckland professional job, said, “That whole Communication Project (ACP), side of your life is suddenly taken has been called in on occasions away from you.I felt completely when unions have managed to drained.” obtain funding from the employer. Other feelings are anger at When Kiwi Bacon closed down, yourself and others, embarrass­ for example, Philippa Fox from ment when people ask how things ACP was contracted to be on site are going, a sense of worthlessness, guilt worked (a school leaver for example) or for the whole of the four weeks prior to that if you had worked harder or done bet­ someone who has been fired. Those who the closure. Philippa was able to inter­ ter, maybe it wouldn’t have happened, bit­ have least success in finding a new job are view all the workers to find out their con­ terness because it’s so unfair (other older women. When a lingerie company cerns and to counsel them about future people still have jobs) and loneliness closed down in the South Island 96% of plans and prospects. She tried to help because you’re cut off from friends. the workers under 40 had found new workers see the enforced change in their Research into the psychological effects employment when interviewed ten months lives as an opportunity to re-examine their of losing your job indicates that people later. Ninety percent of those still looking real wishes and needs. Philippa also gave who blame themselves suffer more for a job were over 40. Employers will practical advice on budgeting, resources severely than those who can externalise hire a male manager who is over 40 available, retraining and use of redundan­ the responsibility. Self-blame is more because his age is valued in experiential cy pay. She conducted job interview prac­ likely if you are one of only a few people terms, a woman’s is not. tice sessions and drew up a curriculum with similar skills and qualifications Rosemary Leman from the New vitae (CV) for each person, made redundant, if you have a record of Zealand Employment Service (the old Counselling is important, but very few failure in school or other jobs, and if you Department of Labour): “There’s a big employers provide it. If the grief and have a previous record of not getting a age prejudice. Bosses would rather have shock of redundancy are not dealt with job. The present high level of unemploy­ leggy, busty young women than older and worked through at the time the under­ ment helps people get away from blaming women, even though older women have a lying stress will have long-term effects on themselves but in the long run is damag­ proven work record and are reliable, other facets of a person’s life. ing because the likelihood of becoming prime employees. There are a lot of des­ Women made redundant from jobs at a chronically unemployed is much greater. perate women over 35 looking for work. management level can join an employ­ Job seeking with little chance of success Many of them were in semi-professional ment crisis group run by Women in leads to a feeling of loss of control over jobs like public relations, marketing con­ Management. This was set up to help your own life, with an accompanying loss sultancy, sales management or customer women with any form of employment- of motivation, and can lead to becoming relations. These jobs all disappeared after related crisis, including redundancy. It depressed, lethargic, disheartened. the stock market crash and they haven’t operates on a one-to-one buddy system In some ways women are better able to come back. White male employers have a where women who need help contact a cope with redundancy than men, because hard, unsympathetic attitude to women, co-ordinator who puts them in touch with we are used to not having power or con­ and prefer to hire men like themselves. someone who has been through a similar trol over our lives, used to adapting to sit­ “Management level men are out of experience and has offered to help others. uations we didn’t choose. Women are work too, of course, and are elbowing the It works well, but is restricted to the hun­ more used to dealing with emotions, more women aside. Many women who come to dred or so members of the Women in prepared to talk about feelings and my office are nervous, trembling, and Management organisation.

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 25 Women made redundant have a harder long before I was offered a job as a train­ see this in my work with disadvantaged time getting a new job than men because ing officer, but on the first morning when women, is lack of education, lack of they tend to be concentrated in a narrow I was just about to set off for work I had a career planning, lack of financial manage­ range of occupations. If there are redun­ phone call saying don’t bother to come in. ment. The value of training is not dancies in one of these fields women may That really shook me and I started to get impressed upon us. We all think about have to face the prospect of retraining. worried. This happened to me twice. this wonderful man we’re going to find The opportunities for this, however, are who’ll look after us, but this is unreal. limited. He’ll leave, she’ll have the kids and have The New Zealand Employment to learn to support herself at age 40 or so. Service runs an Access scheme consisting “There’s very little help I was made to leave school at 15. Now of courses to prepare people for training available for people deal­ I’ll be nearly 40 when I finish tech and in various occupations such as nursing, my chances of ever getting a senior posi­ social work and teaching, as well as ing with the trauma of tion are limited. courses to teach specific skills such as Women have to learn reality. We have word processing, horticulture, welding, redundancy” to learn to survive. and so on. An allowance is paid during Redundancy has hit thousands of training. But “Access” is something of a women. All of them, even those who misnomer because that’s its main prob­ I did a word-processing course that received a fair settlement and found a lem: places are rationed and allocated cost $650 so as to get a marketable skill, new job, have been through a shocking, according to need, assessed by a points but at the end of it my speed wasn’t good demoralising experience. Most have had system. You get more points if you are enough to get a good job. I started to to adjust to being in a less favourable young, a school leaver, or have been apply for anything that came up - wages position than before. Very few end up in a unemployed for a long time. clerk, shop assistant at $12,000 a year, better paid job. Privately run training courses are dozens of jobs. I had almost a hundred Ironically, what can save women who expensive, and polytechs and night rejections. I tried to tell myself it wasn’t have lost jobs from despair is the support schools have waiting lists. Tech is not me, but an inner voice kept saying, “Well and comfort they can find in one another. always feasible for women with families why can’t I get a job, other people do”. I Philippa: “There are always loads of vol­ to support because the student allowance began to sink into severe depression. My untary things for women to get into to feel is barely enough to support one life let long term relationship with a man col­ useful and fulfilled and to enjoy with alone several. Women on the DPB can get lapsed, and that was one more rejection other women. Women know they can still a small allowance for expenses, but from that really crushed me. get a lot out of life, they can develop next year, when fees will be much higher, When you’ve been rejected a few times skills, develop self-confidence, and better they will be one of many groups further you find you have to steel yourself to ring prepare themselves to re-enter the work­ discriminated against in getting access to up about a job. I went to some employ­ force.” tertiary eduation. ment agencies who encouraged me to tai­ And so, women can end up back in the lor my CV to suit what employers wanted old stereotypes - doing unpaid work ISOLDE’S EXPERIENCE to hear - to omit the part about being an because they can’t get a job, when often I had one day’s notice of redundancy abortion counsellor, for example. I was the unpaid work itself (“helping others”) from my job as product manager in July advised that if I asked too many questions should be part of a career structure. 1987. It was a shock, but I didn’t think I’d in interviews, or sounded too assertive Women are still seen as the “flexible” part have trouble getting work because of my employers would think, “Oh god, we’ve of the labour market, the workers who can skills and experience. In fact it wasn’t got a radical feminist here”. I was sup­ “go home” and still be “useful”. ■ posed to be careful how I presented myself. It wasn’t enough just to be me, honest and open. ((aril ((owan This deceit has to spill over into other areas of your life. I put on a front to my INDEPENDENT NURSE PRACTITIONER family. “I’m fine.” I hid my fears and I think this prevented me from grieving properly and being healed. UNDERSTANDING ILLNESS After a year and a half I was offered a WORKING WITH YOU FOR job two days a week as a life skills tutor WELLNESS for disadvantaged women. I found I had to psych myself up to get to work, even ♦ therapeutic massage though this job wasn’t nearly as hard as ♦ health counseling my previous work. ♦ nursing assessment I just hadn’t realised that my confi­ ♦ stress m anagem ent dence and self-esteem had dropped so ♦ nutrition counseling low. I’d thought “I just need a job and I’ll ♦ creative visualization be okay” but I realised this wasn’t so and ♦ nursing remedies ♦ meditation that I could no longer cope with the stress of full-time work. My part-time work brought home to me that I needed to get Phone and discuss how she proper qualifications, so I moved back can be of assistance to you. with my parents and started at tech study­ 09/ 732 524 ing business management. It was a big 1st Floor Lister Building 9 Victoria St East adjustment, going back to full-time study PO BOX 1740 Wellesley St and also having to support myself. Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland I think the real issue for women, and I

26 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 Jenny Rankine reflects on the meaning of “lesbian” in the media, after researching newspaper files.

espite the waning influence of a Hamilton lesbian celebration and a for the state, to penalise people who feel newspapers in the face of televi­ Wellington meeting of anti-discrimination they have few other outlets for their sexu­ sion, they kickstart the media groups. The list could go on and on. ality, and who are harming nobody. This agenda each day and decide What coverage there was of homosexu­ is something police rarely do to catch what is important news. They ality in those 37 other articles usually flashers and other heterosexual men who have a self-created role as referred to men, assuming lesbians are a are an actual danger to women. Although D guardians of morals and The Family. sub-group of gay men, so we’re still invis­ laws about gay men, lesbians and hetero­ It’s more than media “bias” or “misre- ible. When the police and armed forces sexuality are grossly unequal, they are porting” which makes lesbians and many were reported as wanting to be able to never questioned in court reporting, and other women feel their sexuality isn’t rep­ continue to discriminate against homosex­ hardly ever in police stories. resented on the newspaper page. I’ve uals (Herald, February 1898), the image focussed on articles in the New Zealand one sees is of a man being drummed out. LINK US WITH CHILD ABUSE Herald, but used coverage of lesbians in But there are lesbian cops and sailors too. The Herald’s coverage of the trials of men the Auckland Star, New Zealand Truth, accused of sexually abusing boys, the The Sun and Sunday News to see how ASSUMING HETEROSEXUALITY subject of 15% of articles in its homosex­ they construct lesbian lives. Papers assume all readers are heterosexual, uality files in 14 months, uses the dispas­ and like to see lesbians as deviant or (its sionate style of the rest of its court INVISIBILITY more liberal variant) too blatant. Comments reporting and doesn’t at first glance look First, they keep us invisible. In 14 months, by homophobes (lesbian/gay haters) like anti-gay. But these court cases are over­ between March 1988 and May 1989, only national MP John Banks, who objected to reported compared to much more com­ three articles in the Herald files focussed government money going to disabled les­ mon heterosexual child abuse cases. The on lesbians. One was reprinted from an bians while “decent wholesome women detail used, the longer articles, and the English paper. These three articles were faced record hardship”, assume a hetero­ difference in the judges’ tone and lan­ among only 40 about homosexuality in the sexual audience. Who wouldn’t want to be guage show a much greater disapproval. Herald’s files in this 14 month period. included among “decent wholesome” When a heterosexual man abuses a Only one out lesbian was quoted, critical women? Any self-respecting lezzo, that’s woman or girl, there are still legal sugges­ of gay community discrimination against who. tions that she invited or provoked the people with AIDS at the Easter ’89 Lesbians and gay men also need to abuse. There are never any mitigating cir­ Lesbian and Gay Conference. The May watch out for phrases like “the general pop­ cumstances for male abusers of boys. If a article was the only one to mention Maori ulation” because we are rarely included. heterosexual man is not being excused, lesbians or gay men. he’s distanced from men in general (a Forty articles is up on the 19 recorded DESCRIBE US LIKE CRIMINALS beast) and his offence is never related to by Miriam Saphira in a 1981 survey of The language used about lesbianism and the violence and control built into hetero­ general papers. It is a similar proportion gayness contributes to mental pictures of sexuality. Men’s abuse of boys is seen as to the 100 articles in five newspapers us doing shameful things in dark comers. a direct result of their (supposed) gayness. which Paula Wallis found in 1983. You’d Said The Sun after a police arrest: “The (A lot of men who sexually abuse boys never know from the papers that lesbian­ lavatory is a well-known haunt of deviants ism is a preferred way of life for many and homosexuals.” A woman is a “self- thousands of New Zealand women. confessed lesbian”, service personnel do There was nothing on the varied activ­ “homosexual acts” (Herald, February ities of many Auckland lesbian groups 1989), men “practise sodomy” (Graeme through the year. Lesbian Alcohol and Lee, Sun ). Heterosexuals enjoy anal sex Drug Action, a successful community too, but that’s kept quiet. Their sexual education group, didn’t get a mention. activity is described as “making love” - The largest annual lesbian social gather­ ours as “committing acts”. ing in the country, Auckland’s Dyke Ball, A series of articles about a group of didn’t even rate a preview, let alone pic­ men, including a senior Justice Depart­ tures on the social page. ment official, caught masturbating in I saw no mention of the formation of Auckland’s Howe St toilets had no com­ Lesbians and Gays in Education, although ment from gay male groups about police The Dominion ran an article in October entrapment and unequal treatment under 1988. Monthly Dyke Hikes, encouraging the law. This was despite one man’s state­ outdoor exercise by a wide range of les­ ment that a policeman “was standing bians, would have made a good feature beside me, making similar actions... It article. And Auckland contingents went was a real come-on.” to a large South Island lesbian gathering, Police commonly prostitute themselves

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 27 identify as heterosexual.) The amount of attacks and harassment of child molesters as scoutmasters space given to “homosexual” child abuse Maori and Pacific Island peo­ has prompted the Auckland divi­ also keeps alive the myth of the ravening ple by Pakeha. The press sel­ sion of the National Party to ask lesbian, out to “convert” innocent young dom uses its campaigning that gays not be given ‘special girls by seduction or sexual abuse. power on behalf of lesbians privileges’ under the Human Regular repetitions of Man Admits and gay men. If it is not active­ Rights Act.” But it includes no Sexual Violation of Boys headlines create ly promoting calls for dire pun­ lesbian or gay response to this a strong link between lesbians/gay men ishment, it is conspicuously malicious myth making. and child molesters in readers’ minds. silent. One Herald article directly equated It is common knowledge in CONFUSE ACKNOWL­ homosexuals with sex offenders when it the mental health field that from EDGEMENT WITH talked about the lack of follow-up to a the 1950s to the 1970s, lesbians ENCOURAGEMENT 1970s scientific experiment where gov­ and gay men in New Zealand mental insti­ Bigots say it is “condoning” or “encour­ ernment torture masqueraded as therapy. tutions were subjected to insulin shock, aging” or “teaching homosexuality” to Justice Department psychologists used ECT and other scientific torture in attempts acknowledge that lesbians and gay men electric shocks on two gay men in an to change their sexual orientation. Some exist, or to treat us neutrally rather than as attempt to change their sexual preference. died from this treatment. Exposing this his­ perverts. “The study was said to have been suc­ tory of human rights abuses would make a The National Council on AIDS sug­ cessful, with subjects later reporting they great investigative series, but this is not the gested male prisoners should be given were disgusted by their homosexual kind of issue editors want to devote their condoms and sterilised needles to prevent friends,” says the Press Association arti­ reporters’ time to. the spread of the human immunodeficien­ cle the Herald reprinted. There was no cy virus (which can cause AIDS), the comment from gay or civil rights groups GIVE SPACE TO BIGOTRY Herald reported in April 1989. The about the homophobic pressures which Newspapers regularly give a platform to Secretary of Justice was quoted: “We are lead men to volunteer for such treatment. prejudice, distortion and homophobic not in the business of encouraging needle statements. Together, John Banks, Graeme activity or homosexuality or persuading IGNORE VIOLENCE AGAINST US Lee, anti-gay petition pusher Howard either group that their habits are accept­ Only two articles in the Herald’s 40 dealt Martin and Bill Birch were given 25 sen­ able.” The response is automatically to with violence against lesbians or gay tences in five Herald articles, while out deny the activity or try to suppress it, men. They printed the comments of an gay spokespeople were given four and which with AIDS could mean condemn­ American judge who blamed two men for groups like the Human Rights ing male prison inmates to unsafe sex. provoking their own murder by a group of Commission another eight. Reporting This argument is used to silence or dis­ gay bashers because the two men were these homophobes has the same conse­ credit feminist and civil rights groups cruising the street life. Protests at his atti­ quences as reporting racist comments - it which support human rights for lesbians tude were also printed and he made an encourages others to flaunt their anti-gay and gay men. This was a motive behind insincere apology in the second article. views. Criticism of newspapers for this Banks’ attack on the Ministry of There is never any recognition that behaviour in letters to the editor get cut Women’s Affairs. In England several because of bigotry, gay men and lesbians before the letters are printed. Labour local councils have been repeated­ are much more likely to be on the receiv­ The Auckland Star gave bigotry a plat­ ly attacked and portrayed as “loony” for ing end of attacks than be making them. form in reportage of a National Party con­ supporting lesbian and gay men’s groups. There is a strong parallel here with the ference debate about the Human Rights The women’s camps at Greenham huge media coverage of “Maori” crime Commission amendment. It starts: “Fear Common and Waihopai have been associ­ compared to a virtual silence about racial that Boy Scouts could be forced to accept ated with lesbianism in an attempt to dis­ credit them. These stories imply that our oppression is normal common sense and this increases pressure on feminist and left groups to drop pro-lesbian /gay policies.

CENTRE FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION EXCLUDE US FROM THE FAMILY CERTIFICATE IN WOMEN’S STUDIES Lesbians and gay men are excluded from A new part-time course, comprising six modules, of interest to women at all newspapers’ version of The Family, stages of their lives and from all backgrounds. The Certificate can be completed which they portray as a threatened institu­ in a minimum of two years. tion. Dad-mum-and-two-kids (a minority The 1990 modules are: household type in New Zealand) is seen Women and Society: Co-ordinator, Claire-Louise McCurdy, Mondays, 26 as a moral unit, responsible for sexual February-25 June. control and child rearing, as well as an Women, Language and Images: Co-ordinator, Noeline Alcorn, Wednesdays, economic unit, responsible for buying the 4th April-8th August. goods the paper advertises. Simon Women and Health: Co-ordinator, Claire-Louise McCurdy, Mondays 9th July- Watney, in a study of AIDS reporting in 8th August. English newspapers, says “The newspa­ per constructs an ideal audience of nation­ Times: 7.00pm-9.00pm. Fees: $225.00 (includes GST) per module. al family units, surrounded by the Day courses: Interest may be registered by mail or telephone at the centre. threatening spectacle of the mad, the for­ eign, the criminal and perverted.” Further information for the certificate and other courses in Women's Studies is avaliable at the Families, in coverage of lesbians and gay Centre for Continuing Education, University of Auckland, Private Bag, Auckland or 22 Princes St. men, are often portrayed as pure zones, Telephone 737 831,737 832, or the course organiser, 737 999 ext. 7423. free of sexual conflicts. Lesbians are regularly accused of

28 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 being anti-family by the Christian right. sexual. One June 1989 Truth item, which includ­ Jan Zita Grover, writing ed several such homophobic assumptions, about AIDS keywords, says was headed Testing Time at the Games, the general population is and sub-headed Lesbians Try ‘Baby portrayed as “virtuously' Power’. Without any named sources, it going about its business, claimed overseas women athletes are which is not pleasure seek­ deliberately getting pregnant and having ing (as drugs and lesbian abortions shortly before their events in an and gay lives are imagined attempt to use the greater muscle power to be), so AIDS hits its the first months of pregnancy supposedly members as an assault from confer on us. The writer had obviously diseased hedonists upon never heard of morning sickness. hard-working innocents.” It goes on to say coaches are suggesting The focus is always on the lesbian athletes get pregnant, “and if they danger to heterosexuals, rather than the picture of lesbians that appears in differ­ can’t stand the thought of having inter­ threat of AIDS to gay men. If they have ent papers. When Ron Brierley stripped course with a male, in-vitro fertilisation is the virus, they are blamed for their infec­ the assets of New Zealand News last year, encouraged.” Apparently lesbians would tion, forced to hide and denied support at he left only two big companies dominat­ have no compunction about treating preg­ a critical time in their lives. ing newspaper ownership in this country. nancy like a drug. These kinds of fabrica­ The “spread” or “leakage” of AIDS Wilson and Horton owns the New tions, more common in tabloid new­ (words allied with pollution are common) Zealand Herald, seven other North Island spapers, contribute to the picture of les­ is seen as an insidious movement from its papers and two South Island dailies. West bians loitering threateningly or pathetically natural habitat inside nasty “risk groups” Australian entrepreneur Robert Holmes a outside the happy heterosexual family. like gay men. Mass media staff allow Court bought 10% of W&H in May 1987. John D’Emilio argues that capitalism vicious comments like Graeme Lee’s in Independent News Ltd owns 11 dailies has reduced the co-dependence of family The Sun, October 1987, that “90 percent and multinational media topdog Rupert members so they experience “a growing of the AIDS disease has been spread by Murdoch owns 40% of INL. instability in the place they have come to the infected homosexual community,” The products of the few so-called inde­ expect happiness and emotional security. despite its stereotyping and inaccuracy. pendent newspaper owners don’t look any Lesbians, gay men and heterosexual femi­ So these are my reasons for not trusting different to those of the big guys, because nists have become the scapegoats for the what we read in the papers. These ways of all printed news is structured in the same social instability of the system.” constructing news help maintain compul­ way. On daily papers, information is sory heterosexuality - the belief that het­ divided into different subjects, called ADD AIDS AND STIR erosexuality is the only, or the normal and rounds. I don’t know any daily which has A bonus for these media constructions of better way to express sexual feelings. lesbian and gay community news as a lesbians and gay men has been the com­ Any strategies for changing the media round. ing of HIV. Coverage of HIV and AIDS must take into account these assumptions Lesbian and gay issues are covered by has intensified the invisibility of lesbians about lesbian and gay lives which the political reporters if they’re about chang­ and the hatred of lesbians and gay men. media pushes. ing laws, religious reporters about church It’s obvious, for instance, that the Health policy, social welfare reporters about dis­ Department doesn’t include lesbians in HOW PAPERS WORK crimination in housing or social services, the “general population” at which it aims Looking at who owns newspapers and health reporters about youth suicide, or its AIDS prevention campaigns. The why they buy them explains the uniform court reporters about cases. Each round emphasis on condoms is completely irrel­ evant for lesbians, and we’re not part of any “target groups” so we are being denied safe sex education. BARRY & McFADDEN Homophobic AIDS reporting talks of “infected homosexuals” or portrays BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS “AIDS carriers” and gay people as the same. Lesbians may not be mentioned specifically, but we’re included as one lesbian found when applying for life insurance from a New Zealand company. She answered yes to the discriminatory question about having “other than hetero­ PARTNERS: Sandra May Barry LL.B sexual sex in the last 10 years” and was Elisabeth Madeleine McEadden LL.B denied insurance because of the risk of 39 Jervois Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland AIDS. Never mind that woman to woman Telephone 784-959 or 788-146 sex is less efficient at transmitting HIV than heterosexual sex. 747 Whangaparaoa Rd.P.O. Box 260. Whangaparaoa But heterosexuals don’t like that label Tel: (0942) 46763 for themselves. It is only necessary when COMMERCIAL & DOMESTIC large numbers of out lesbians or gay men FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS, are present. To use it among other hetero­ sexuals suggests that being straight is a PROPERTY CONVEYANCING, cultural creation rather than “natural”. So WILLS, ESTATE PLANNING, in AIDS reporting, “general population” MATRIMONIAL. is again used as a euphemism for hetero­

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 29 has different sources and reporters don’t sor yourself; the messages become more cross these boundaries because that’s overt. I was told three times I was includ­ poaching on their colleague’s turf. This ing too many stories about women in my whole structure fragments and distorts the suburban newspaper, and another time holistic perspectives of political lesbians, there was too much lesbian and gay stuff. gay men, feminists and Maori. One reporter told me she had to fight for News is also packaged. It is divided the inclusion of a gay story in her paper into sections which are meant to appeal to because her editor said gay men weren’t different readers. If the marketing divi­ part of its market. sion says the paper is not attracting a teenage audience, for instance, it’ll create DEFENDING THEIR POWER a jazzy entertainment lift-out with gig Control of the news making process is politics. But politics is defined only as the guides, syndicated reviews and interviews kept firmly in the hands of the editors, and arena of parliamentary conflict. The way with teen stars by overseas hacks. monitored by the owners of capital. Even news is constructed to serve the interests Papers spend a lot of money on the smallest attempts by sources to influ­ of private capital is shown most clearly research to work out the right mix of sto­ ence how they will be written about are by contrasting the reporting of business ries and sections which will grab the kind firmly resisted. In 1984, when lesbians owners and workers. of readers they want. They then sell their and heterosexual feminists claimed Carol Pressure groups like trade unions are penetration of these markets to advertis­ Wall had promised they could see her arti­ set against the Employers Federation as if ers. Gay men as a group are much more cle “From Feminism to Fascism” before it the two groups had equal weight. affluent than lesbians, and are on the way was printed in Metro, editor Warwick Business news gets its own pages, and the to becoming a desirable market segment Roger said to do so would compromise power of overseas or local companies to for mainstream publications. Lesbians are editorial control. Only a few alternative close down whole towns is never ques­ unlikely to achieve this status. publications, like Broadsheet, allow inter­ tioned. But the power of unions, which News is a product of gate-keeping at viewees or writers to vet articles after comes nowhere close, is constantly exag­ every level. Chief reporters select what they’ve been edited. Journalism students gerated. the paper will cover from a huge range of are now being taught that this is allow­ The state is painted as neutral and the events known about in advance, and able, but only to enable people who’ve media look for solutions to social prob­ assign less important stories to less expe­ been quoted to check for factual errors. lems only within the existing power struc­ rienced or skilled reporters. Journalists When print workers in England have ture. This makes the state seem more select what bits to include within an occasionally demanded right of reply stable than it is, and other forms of social established hierarchical agenda about alongside editorials attacking trade organisation seem impossible. So political what is newsworthy. Sub-editors select unions, proprietors have labelled this as movements, like Maori self-determina­ headings and crop photographs to empha­ an attack on the freedom of the press. But tion, feminism, lesbians and working sise this agenda. Senior sub-editors assign when it is they who are limiting diversity class groups are painted from the start as stories to particular pages, and decide of opinion in newspapers it is obvious that irrational and unrealistic because they are what space they’ll occupy and whether freedom of the press means the freedom outside the media’s definition of politics. they’ll be cut at the last minute because of editors to dictate and select what we Within this framework, the claims of there’s too much to fit in. read. objectivity, impartiality and equal treat­ Lesbians, gay male and feminist Newspapers, radio and television news ment which the media makes for itself reporters get the message, by the same and current affairs producers present show their true face as justifications for osmosis which teaches the racist and sex­ themselves as intermediaries between the status quo. People with feminist, ist news hierarchy. When you don’t cen­ individual consumers and the world of socialist and Maori perspectives have gone through agonies trying to fit their world view through the eye of the media needle. - HARVEST WHOLEFOODS — Some media critics assume pro-lesbian

Shopping at Harvest Wholefoods - the bigyelloiv shop in Richmond Rd Grey Lynn - and other stories from outside the capital­ is a reed treat. I t’s a huzzy place with a steady flow of like-minded people getting their ist world view of newspapers don’t get weekly (or daily) supplies and browsing or just asking questions. printed because papers are just after the maximum profit and it would offend The food is always of the highest quality and at peak freshness because it turns over advertisers and readers. Certainly a regu­ so fast. No rancid nuts or seeds here! The fresh fruit and vegetables are organically lar series or column with positive lesbian groion and the book section is the pick of the bunch . Homoeopathic remedies and the news would create a small ripple with a nature’s Sunshine range are lined up in alphabetical order for easy access. The oils few advertisers, but not as many as anti­ are in a cool, dark cupboard where they’re supposed to be. smoking articles criticising the marketing I f you’ve got a health problem that requires you to go on a specialised diet then strategies of tobacco companies would in magazines. Harvest is the place to go. The staff can support you with plenty of choices - they have all developed their own xuay of eating for health. You 'll fin d them positive, But making a profit is not the only rea­ cheerful and friendly always around busy serving, restocking shelves, filling up son that lesbian feminist and radical gay containers and able to answer any of your questions. I f they don’t know the answer ideas are studiously ignored, “denied their they’ll refer you to their qualified herbalist and naturopath who ivill give you free rightful place as a vital force in society advice and guidance. and history,” says Julienne Dickey. “The mind industry’s main business is not to Pop in to Harvest Wholefoods and start on a new eating regime today - it will be the sell its product: it is to ‘sell’ the existing first step into something really pleasurable. Isn't food always ? Harvest are open 9 to order,” says Hans Magnus Enzenberger. 6 Mon-Thurs, 9 to 8 Friday and 9 to 1 Saturday. “An entire industry is engaged in ...elimi­ nating possible futures and reinforcing the 403-405 RICHMOND RD, GREY LYNN, PHONE (09) 763 107. present pattern of domination.”

30 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 STRATEGIES FOR LESBIANS as censorship work against us, despite the ers’ lie of press freedom so we can have Lesbians won’t see a healthy picture of fact that the media censors us all the time. another go at it. ourselves and the end of compulsory het­ One victory for direct action occurred As well as these strategies we need erosexuality without getting rid of capital­ in 1978 in response to a sensational, support for our own alternative media. So ism and patriarchy (preferably by next witch-hunting and dishonestly obtained far as I know there are three lesbian weekend). Lesbian feminists have often story in the London Evening News against newsletters, in Auckland, Wellington and avoided media contact for the last few lesbians being permitted artificial insemi­ Christchurch, lesbian or lesbian/gay pro­ years because the results have been so nation so they could have children. “The grammes on Access radio in Auckland uniformly homophobic. But without our day after the story’s publication, over 20 and Wellington, a lesbian printing busi­ direct action, newspapers and other media feminist, socialist and lesbians occupied ness in Auckland, a national feminist will merrily continue denying and trivial- the offices of the Evening News and col­ magazine with regular lesbian content and ising our lives. lectively confronted the editor, despite several women’s bookshops with lesbian • We need to build consumer knowl­ physical harassment and a barrage of sections. edge of how newspapers work and how abuse from members of the New’s staff,” Any initiatives which give control of this denies us alternative futures. say Geoffrey Sheridan and Carl Gardner. media outlets to non-media people • If spokespeople from mixed groups “Their action forced the editor to concede deserve our support. The media are much use the phrase “lesbian and gay” to a detailed right of reply in the following too important to be left to the journalists. describe their membership and activities Tuesday’s edition, defending the right of All these alternative organisations are run they reinforce lesbian visibility. lesbians to bear children and rejecting the on the sniff of an oily rag at the other end Otherwise the generic terms (most often News’ self-created ‘right to judge their of the street, and most cling grimly to via­ “homosexual”) used by the reporters and suitability for maternity.” It needs to hap­ bility in an economic recession surround­ sub-editors are likely to be the only ones pen in Godzone too. ed by user pays. Their survival is crucial lesbians read. • A comprehensive survey of the por­ to a lesbian feminist movement We have • Lesbians can demand to see finished trayal of lesbians, gay men and other to have forums for debating our own articles, hear interviews or see edited film oppressed groups in all media, using issues and celebrating. clips before they are published or go to research skills and grant money is also Radio is possibly the cheapest news air. If this tactic was adopted widely by needed. It’s part of the process that medium to run, and for lesbians has lots political groups, it could become common oppressed groups are required to prove of potential for expansion. Let’s get in practice in a few years. their oppression to those in power. A sur­ behind Access Radio lobbies and any • We can dykecott a publication or sta­ vey could be used to start debate about other groups which aim for a greater tion when it treats us badly, tell the editor media power in progressive movements, diversity of views and political beliefs in or producer why, and take our news moving beyond simplistic ideas of stereo­ the media. releases to the opposition. With the typing and conditioning. Many people have no vision of how advent of TV3, this tactic may have some • Consumers can make links with their mass media could be different. One exam­ impact with TVNZ. We can also use one own people in media unions and support ple of limited worker intervention comes medium or outlet to complain about moves which will strengthen these groups, from Cuba. Fidel Castro left the newspa­ another. When the other station or publi­ The number of out lesbian feminists in the pers alone for some time after the revolu­ cation treat us in the same homophobic media is still small and they are unorgan­ tion. The capitalist structure spouted its manner, it’s time for some direct action. ised. They need their own support groups judgements, and all that happened for a The most effective demand is equal space to help them cope with the continual pres­ while was the addition of sentences by the for a right of reply. Glueing copies togeth­ sure against bringing a different political printing unions under occasional items. It er or other tactics which can be labelled perspective to work. And they need to ini­ was just a brief statement that they dis­ tiate anti-discrimination moves inside agreed completely with the editorial or SUSIE ORBACH their unions. article, making it clear that the editorial In New Zealand from 9th to 19th December The two journalist unions have recently viewpoint was not the only one. Imagine on Lecture Tour organised by The Auckland Family Counselling Service Inc. amalgamated with the graphic process this in the Herald. FAT IS A FEMINIST ISSUE #1 £ #2 workers, which means there is potential More complete intervention happened Susie Orbach, Arrow. for stronger action from journalists than in with Radio Renascenca in Portugal, a sta­ These international bestsellers provide proven methods the past. Printers are stronger industrially tion owned by the Catholic Church and for the treatment of eating problems - and less seduced by the employers’ line. taken over by workers during the compulsive eating, bulimia, anorexia - A campaign in the journalists union Portuguese revolution of 1974-5. They and clearly explain how women can against sexist discrimination started opened the networks to any group of liberate themselves recently. The current union code of ethics workers organising on an issue, like from feelings of guilt and shame about includes only vague phrases about report­ women on abortion rights, without any food and fatness. ing and interpreting the news honestly, attempt to censor the broadcasts. “The and not distorting the truth by omission or government of the Armed Forces wrongful emphasis. Movement found this station such a threat What we need are new rules for jour­ that they sent the military in to blow up nalists here similar to those of the the radio masts,” says Dave Bailey. National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in The first institutions rebels or colonels BITTERSWEET England, which forbid the origination of aim for when there’s a coup going on are Susie Orbach and Luise Eichenbaum, Arrow. material “which encourages discrimina­ the radio and television stations and then Provides insight into the dominating aspects tion on grounds of race, colour, creed, the newspaper offices. They recognise the of womens' relationships gender or sexual orientation.” The NUJ power of the media to shape our lives and in the 80's - love, envy and competition. has guidelines for reporting homosexuali­ prop up the state. We’ve left it alone ty which includes a list of assumptions to because it seems unshakeable. But don’t avoid, and separate AIDS reporting guide­ you believe it. Seen from the right angle, [| Bookse/lerell lines. A campaign to get these kinds of it’s a house of cards. ■ rules adopted would expose the employ­

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 31 THE POLITICS OF history” to demonstrate that breastfeeding between the Sisters of Mercy and Abbott- BREASTFEEDING is a cultural phenomenon, not an instinct, Ross (a large baby food company) in Gabrielle Palmer and hence vulnerable to cultural manipu­ Chicago as follows: “...one of the Sisters Pandora, 1988 $24.95 lation. Primates which live in groups leam said, ‘Tell me, if you stop selling to peo­ how to feed their young by observation, ple who are too poor to use the product If you only buy, read or recommend and human females must also leam what safely, will you still make a profit.’ There one feminist book in 1989, may I strongly to do from their elders. They can either do was absolute silence. It must have been a suggest you make it this one. It is one of this informally, by frequent contact from full minute. Finally one of the corporate the most powerful pieces of reasoning for an early age with women suckling babies executives picked it up and said, ‘That’s the need for a thorough change in the cur­ (the “under-developed” alternative) or the crux of the problem.’” rent world order I have ever read, and they can be taught by experienced breast- The second half of The Politics of combines impeccable research with deep feeders (the “developed” alternative). Breastfeeding is devoted to a damning feminist concern for the fate of humans But how many women in first world indictment of the manipulation of markets and their planet. countries are offered this alternative? I in order to profit the few and disadvan­ If breastfeeding seems an unlikely spoke to a group of Dunedin Plunket tage the many. Disadvantage - or murder? place to begin or develop such an argu­ mothers recently, and all of them said they The nice men who manage Nestles would ment, this book will soon convince you were offered baby formula rather than never personally strangle a baby, but their otherwise. When considering whether breastfeeding support in the local materni­ company’s aggressive promotion of humankind has a future, and what sort of ty hospital. unsuitable foods for babies has been future that will be, what better place to Palmer claims that breastfeeding edu­ responsible for thousands upon thousands start than with the fluid which is vital to cation is the exception rather than the of infant deaths. The evidence for this is the future of each individual? The story rule, and that modem birth practices in overwhelming, and despite the promulga­ of why and how millions of children hospitals have been designed to sabotage tion of the World Health Organisation/ have been systematically and callously rather than reinforce breastfeeding. She UNICEF code on the marketing of breast- deprived of access to a food which documents this extreme statement with milk substitutes (not supported by the not only ensures that they grow at the examples of milk companies donating USA, home of many of the infant food right rate but also confers immunity to architectural services to hospitals, which multinational companies) the abuses con­ disease and protection from illness, and are then designed to physically separate tinue. have been offered inadequate and danger­ mothers and newborns, so that feeding by This is bad news for babies, but is it ous substances instead, is deeply bottle rather than breast becomes the easi­ also bad news for women? Feminists are disturbing. er option. rightly suspicious of arguments which Palmer begins The Politics of Now we are getting to the crux of the seek to subjugate women’s interests to Breastfeeding by meticulously document­ problem - the need for economic growth those of their children, since they are so ing the evidence for the superiority of and big profit - and to help with the often merely a roundabout way of keep­ breastmilk and breastfeeding and the infe­ health and happiness of mothers and ing women away from goodies which riority of substitutes on every possible babies. Another extreme statement - spo­ men have reserved for themselves. Palmer count. She then takes a “gallop through ken by nuns. Palmer quotes an exchange is acutely aware of this, and one of the

32 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 THE LAST OF THE GREEN-TOED society is crumbling, men are trapped in FRUIT BATS power relationships, Professor Grabgrind Toni Jeffries is doing dastardly experiments with con­ Waiake Wordsmiths traceptives (sound familiar) and the witch­ es have picked out Nelly as a woman who This book is billed as a fairy tale for will develop great power. (And, yes, this adults. It stars Nelly Harbucker telling her involves encirclement with wool, bells, story in 2019 at age 38 after The Time of beads, shells.) ANGRY WOMEN: AN ANTHOLOGY Trial. The green-toed fruit-bats are an envi­ OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S Nelly, born ugly, is obsessed with ronmental analogy to society’s decay. And WRITING words. Before being struck by the deadly the part where Nelly’s introverted brother Co-ord Collective: Di Brown, Hepatitis Z she works and lives in a Fergus gets what any woman wouldn’t Heather Ellyard, Barbara library, memorising books and comforting want is a little frightening. The book’s Polinghorne. herself by browsing in dictionaries. It’s a Polynesian flavour is its most pleasant Hale and Iremonger, NSW. $A17.95 pity she didn’t get to the editing manuals expect. And, given the increasing funda­ or literary criticisms. The bones of a good mentalist fervour in New Zealand, it is an The concept’s irresistible - what yam are hidden. escapist adventure for a winter’s night. woman hasn’t been angry? What woman Given a firm prune, the book would Once the reader is committed to reading isn’t angry looking at the world, looking have developed some pace. As is, despite the book, there are some really charming at the place of women, looking at vio­ the entertaining asides and sub-plots, it’s parts - the way death and the hereafter are lence, injustice, rape, sexual abuse, unem­ predictable, bordering on boggy. To a cer­ dealt with, and Nelly’s mother, the irre­ ployment - well. And the cover of this tain extent this predictability is unavoid­ pressible Rosy. The illustrations (by book is a straight-forward invitation to able because Green-toed Fruit Bats is a Oliver Calvert) are apt and cute, but poor­ share our rage, tale of female supremacy. And, like ly presented. But - but... why do I feel vaguely dis­ Charlotte Perkin Gilman’s Herland, it is The Last of the Green-Toed Fruit-Bats appointed? Such a promising subject, uplifting. But it could have been an easier is available from the Women’s Bookshop such affirmative wrapping... read. in Auckland or from P O Box 35429, It’s a collective anthology, that is, In New Balkland, the mythical islands Browns Bay, Auckland 10. made by a collective. They first met in in the South Pacific where the tale is set, Jane Blaikie 1982. It’s an ambitious undertaking - a nationwide Australian anthology with sections for fiction, diaries/letters/biogra- phies, drama, poetry, songs, and one great strengths of her book is that it is actually saw factory workers breastfeed­ called views and perspectives which I strongly pro-woman as well as pro-chil­ ing on the factory floor. But in most soci­ expected to be feminist theory but found dren. She shows how the perceived con­ eties this is unthinkable, and in New differed little from the diaries etc section. flict of interest between the two is largely Zealand we have periodic complaints Contributions have been selected with man-made. For example, men can think of about mothers feeding their babies in pub­ a feminist writers’ ethos, ie, “Tendencies lots of reasons why women couldn’t or lic places. When you think about it, that’s towards using a subjective authorial shouldn’t breastfeed at work or in public. pretty sick. Women nourishing and enjoy­ stance and personal subject matter, both Some of them are very sad (unresolved ing their babies in public are labelled of which assert an anti-authoritarian ambivalence about one’s own childhood offensive, while people pay to see male stance”. Fine, no quarrels, though why, feeding experiences), some are obscene sporting violence. after this statement the first contribution (bare breasts are “attractive” if displayed It is not as far as you might think from is the observer-narrator type - and a good to titillate men but “offensive” if used to the nipple to the nub of the world’s one - was a little mystifying. feed children) and some are downright problems. In her final chapter, “Money, Many of the contributors express exploitative (more work can be extracted work and the politics of waste” Palmer anger, fewer, I think, evoke it. The major from the non-lactating mother). brings together the exploitation of focus of the book seems to be the conflict The male “solution” to the “problem” women, the deprivation of children, and of women’s conditioning versus the reali­ of the lactating worker has been the bot­ the destruction of the world’s natural ty of their lot. This is where I began to tle, the creche and ostracism. Some resources in a convincing interweaving of wonder about the selection process and socialist countries permit breastfeeding by the common threads of greed, growth and who the book is aimed at. Much of the employees, and 15 years ago in China I profit. Her conclusions are depressing, emphasis is given to unpractised writers and her only prescription for cure is a and relationships with the males in their faint ray of hope inherent in female soli­ lives. Was the principle to reach those darity. “If the solidarity of the Hadza women or to make a forum for those women can keep the violence of their women? Somehow there’s a dated feel to menfolk at bay, why cannot the solidarity the book. of women worldwide keep the violence of Maybe because of the long gestation the economic system from causing so period - seven years. Women’s issues much human suffering and from destroy­ don’t change but their range, scope, depth ing life itself?” and emphasis does, especially in that To do this, we have to understand so time. I miss, for example, any lesbian much and critique so much. Question contribution. I found the word once, in a everything, and dare to differ. Palmer’s small and effective piece about dictionar­ book is a valuable tool for those who want ies; I did not find any overt lesbian writ­ to convince others of why we need to dif­ ing. I like the few migrant women’s fer, and just how much we need to dare. stories; there are none by aboriginal Christine Dann women, women with disabilities, prosti­ tutes. In fact there is not, as far as I can

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 33 see, one mention of aboriginal women in NEW WOMEN’S FICTION 3 Awekotuku’s girl and tuna, and recoil the book, a somewhat startling omission Mary Paul and Marion Rae (eds) from the bright flat devotional plaster after Australia’s birthday partying New Women’s Press $19.95 over Sue Reidy’s “Visitation”, I sense the protests. The cover, with its white face shade of Katherine Mansfield hovering up, brown face sideways, underneath, It’s, happening - the new writers are through Suzy Pointon’s “Grief”. More begins to look positively sinister. Buried ignoring muted knitting patterns and opt­ benign archetypes people old Ivan’s rich­ women? So well buried they’re non-exis­ ing for colourful self-designed wings. ly suggested heritage in a drowsing ceme­ tent? Maybe women editors, selecting adven­ tery a drive away from Henderson, in The collection, then, is actually a white turously, nurture a more adventurous writ­ Leanne Radojkovich’s grandfather/grand- Australian socialist feminist heterosexual er - or maybe feminist boundary-kicking daughter image. anthology - and only on this basis does it has untrapped latent imaginative energy If some of the stories skew a bit or merit critical approval. There are some so that Other-world inhabitants do not so wobble off-centre there’s enough vitality good employment stories/poems/recogni- much step off the mainstream as fly past in language and emotional concentration tions. But I also wonder if distinctions it, sublimely indifferent. to prove the editors’ choices offer between poetry/drama/fiction/non-fiction As with the best unexpected gifts I “humour, surprise, freshness of expres­ are necessary; the artists themselves over­ hadn’t realised quite how tired I was of sion”. It’s an exciting collection - our col­ lap boundaries with some good poetry in mainstream lukewarm soup - colonial lective/ connective psyche’s richer for it. the drama section, and the diaries intro­ Henry Jameses (pom)posing as world- Heather McPherson ducer, Bronwyn Levy, points out that weary connoisseurs but coming across as many women use a semi-fictional dis­ gutted commercial travellers? - till its AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BABY guise to write their personal stories. I antithesis arrived. Here is vigour, wit, Pat Hunter value unpractised writers’ contributions compassion. And sometimes desperation. Published by Pat Hunter, $NZ7.99 but find that among a mixture of voices Hera-ines still do self-destruct as they the more consciously crafted work stands did in the pre-feminist era, but more “Days have drifted one into the other. I out or offers more rewards ... despite the actively. They back into trucks, turn am like a light pebble, not quite floating, no doubt sensitive energy put into organ­ arsonist when deserted. Adults, family, but being drawn back and forth over a ising this book its unanswered questions may still be insensitive, abusers, exposing seabed, by the pull of a gentle tide. Rock, are as present as its answered ones. themselves to the child’s accusing eye; rock, back and forth, lulled, washed, Having said this, and looking again they may be defeated lodgers - or deities scraped, without a will of one’s own acti­ through the book, I light on good strong - in a girl’s nightmare. But they’re doing vated. I am in that deeply meditative state statements, memorable words ... if much other things as well, as are the Hera-ines that only pebbles and rocks achieve. Only is left out of this anthology, what is in it, and narrators. Some powerful metaphors volcanoes can explode us out of this, turn­ as Virginia Woolf once said, tells much rise, like “Old Man Tuna” flashing and ing us into light or hot missiles and some­ and explains much. As one of the poets disappearing. There’s only one instance times into liquid. Rocking gently back says, “no anger is a lie/ we cannot survive where I’m repelled by characters that and forth on my seabed I am far from the without it if anger be the food/ of life eat teeter between caricature and authorial nearest volcano. on” ... The concept remains interesting energy, but I admit the energy. Rocks and pebbles do not need moth­ ... an updated successor, a more honest There’s also an impersonal literary ers. They do not even need the wash of labelling would be good too. strain appearing. That’s fine, too, although the tide or the stroking of a gentle river Heather McPherson Anne Kennedy’s “Organi” reads like an although this is pleasurable. Pebbles, even esoteric encyclopaedia entry or an histori­ tiny pebbles like myself, just are until cal divertissement - I’m more politely they are no longer. I lay dormant - a rock interested than involved. But it’s preceded inside a pebble waiting ... waiting.” by Lucinda Birch’s “Swallow This”, dur­ (Page 13) ing which I’m intrigued, puzzled, amused and eventually delighted - do I pick one Pat Hunter is a New Zealander current­ mood for the nineties as mordant wit, allu­ ly living in Sydney. In 1987, due to the siveness? change in adoption laws in New Zealand, I like the down-to-earth, out-to-skies she was able to find and meet with her humanity of Cherie Barford’s denim birth mother. She has just launched her sewer, and Beryl Fletcher’s “Janet and book Autobiography of a Baby in Sydney Gyppo”. I’m chilled by Jenny Vulgar’s to coincide with the Report from the “First Birth”, beautifully told, and chilled Standing Committee on Social Issues again by the violence seeping from the findings and submissions from those con­ domain’s Laocoon statue and its reflected cerned about availability of information response in Aorewa McLeod’s family to adopted people and their families. fragment. The launch was held at Leichhardt “Signs of Life” by Annamarie Jagose Women’s Health Centre, where Pat works is stunning. Possibly it has Indian/lesbian as a naturopath. Alison Croft spoke about antecendents, or a touch of Kafka subvert­ the situation in New South Wales (NSW) ed into ambivalent /ferocious vitality. for adopted people and relinquishing Whatever, such metamorphoses appeal to mothers at present, and said that she and shape-shifters dodging between identity as her organisation, the NSW Committee on 59 Brougham St a social construct and a fluid self-projec­ Adoption, were hoping that NSW may tion ... or a temporarily-defeated defiant. move in the direction that New Zealand Mt Victoria, Wellington More, please. has taken. She also said, however, that an Ph (04) 842 420 And how I like the mix of cultural actual change to the law is probably many Tues to Sat 1 lam-2pm 6pm-10pm backgrounds and approaches. If I sniff the years away. earth hulking around Ngahuia Te Pat spoke about how she came to write

34 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 the book. She decided that one way to get in touch with some of the feelings that she experienced, as a new baby taken imme­ diately from her mother, would be to write imagining she was actually that lit­ tle baby. Each evening for six weeks she wrote a little about what she was experi­ encing. Many months after she had fin­ ished this very healing process she decided to publish it. Pat has previously been involved in two publications as part of the Auckland Womanspirit Collective, and therefore had some idea of what she was letting herself in for. Sandra Nori, local MP and past worker at Leichhart Women’s Health Centre actually launched the book. Copies of the book are available from: Pat Hunter, P O Box 240, NSW 2040 Australia.

NO BODY’S PERFECT Jasbinder Singh and Pat Rosier PHOTO: GILHANLY Jasbindar Singh and Pat Rosier was also concerned that women in her well thought out and tremendous resource New Women’s Press $15.95 courses had a compelling interest in any material, although I found their placement material about body image, fashion and affected the continuity of the book for me. Working as a clinical psychologist dieting. After writing an article for No Body’s Perfect also includes important counselling women at a community men­ Broadsheet, “Fighting Fat Phobia” Pat information on setting up self help/sup- tal health centre, Jasbindar Singh found a says, “I became aware of the pervasive port groups and guidelines for friends and large proportion of women experienced nature of fear of fat, how all women in our family in their relationships with eating problems associated with food. She began society are affected by it.” Pat also found disorder sufferers. to be aware that women psychologically through travelling to provincial centres In my own small circle of women strive for the “perfect body”, which, she that counselling is not always a practical friends and acquaintances, thirty percent says, “...is an unattainable ideal, it proposition for women outside the main of them suffer from a mild to severe doesn’t exist.” However, instead of under­ centres and that a self help approach to “problems around food”. This is a horri­ standing this, women blame themselves eating disorders provided an alternative. fying statistic and a probable indication and view not being able to achieve the No Body’s Perfect provides that alterna­ that there are thousands of women in New perfect body as a personal failure. This tive. Zealand who have had or are having some often develops into a continual struggle No Body’s Perfect contains material on problem associated with food. However, I with food in a love/hate relationship. In the food problems themselves, involving wasn’t surprised to read in No Body’s 1985 Jasbindar ran a survey and found the social/cultural, emotional/psychologi- Perfect the limited extent of groups and that the common question as a result of cal and physical factors, as well as contacts available. So come on women - the survey was, “What can I do to help extracts of personal experiences from this is a book about empowering our­ myself?” women who suffer from eating disorders. selves and supporting others. Let’s do it! To start answering that question There are practical exercises, which Congratulations to Pat and Jasbindar Jasbindar and Pat Rosier, Broadsheet help explore all the underlying factors and on a very practical and worthwhile book, magazine co-editor and women’s studies simple techniques to help recover control long overdue in New Zealand. tutor, have written this book together. Pat over food. The exercises are extremely Linda Sabbage

away from a theatre that seated 112! An Lobby, etc, etc. A third season opened at extra show straight after turned away 40, BATS, Wellington’s new theatre, in July, and two additional shows on the Tuesday playing nine shows a week for two weeks. and Wednesday also put up the full house Although this season was designed as an sign. opportunity to use an experimental venue Theatre critics loved it: “The best thing to try out new material, and to give HENS’ TEETH that happened to me in 1988.” “Hens’ women who had been attending the recent Teeth back sharper and funnier.” “Second Hens’ Teeth Comedy Workshops a chance Hens’ Teeth was established at the end Bite even better than the first” were some to try out their stage legs, it too broke box of 1988 from a Theatre Initiatives grant to of the comments on the second season, office records for the new theatre, playing Kate Jason-Smith from the QE11 Arts which doubled the Depot Theatre in to 80% houses. Council of New Zealand. The purpose Wellington’s previous record box office In late March 1990, Hens’ Teeth will was to create theatre comedy workshops take. be presenting a completely new show as a designed to produce material for a season Then followed a series of unsolicited main event at the International Festival of of women comedians to run in the late- invitations to perform for the business Arts in Wellington. Applications from night pre-Xmas slot at Circa Theatre in sector - “gigs” from ten to 90 minutes, for professional actors to take part will be Wellington. institutions such as the Department of called for in January. Contact Hens’ Teeth The response to this season was spec­ Internal Affairs, The Business and at P O Box 9286 Wellington or phone tacular. It played to full houses and the Professional Women’s Association, The Madeline, (04) 836448 until 30 last Monday show turned 140 people National Art Gallery, Womens Electoral December, then Kate (04) 849116.

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 35 ANN OAKLEY It didn’t occur to me to be anything else. The tremendous reticence and pruri­ Athina Tsoulis talked with Ann Oakley ence that is attached to women writing when she was in New Zealand for the about sex was something that I rarely Women’s Book Festival. She is best thought about until after the novel was known for her sociological writing, published. I didn’t realise that it would particularly on motherhood, reproduc­ provoke the stormy reaction which it has tion and housework, and has recently amongst some people who seemed quite published her first novel, The Men’s scandalised by a woman writer doing any­ Room. thing other than making vague allusions to things that may have gone on. I have a Athina: Why did you decide to write a friend in France, a writer, and she said if novel? you published the novel in French then Ann: Writing is something I’ve always you wouldn’t get a reaction but if you wanted to do.I started out to do it in the publish it in English then you will get it. late sixties but it was difficult to get pub­ There will be some reviewers who can lished then so I went into sociology for a PHOTO: GIL HANLY think of nothing else and that did indeed few years and it lengthened into twenty. I seem to be the case. Dale Spender is a did become a writer so my ambition been bought by BBC television for a five person to listen to on the double standards wasn’t blocked but I wanted to get back episode series so I should imagine it will that operate in writing and I think this is to the idea of writing fiction. be on by the end of next year. just an example of it. Do you enjoy novel writing better than One of the themes that is quite strong, What about the feminist press. There is the academic kind? both in your autobiographical piece, quite a puritanical element amongst I do, perhaps because I find it more Taking it Like a Woman, and The Men’s British feminists and Joan Nestle was difficult but I also do enjoy both and Room is the theme of sexuality. I found given a hard time over A Restricted would be reluctant to give up either. that interesting because a lot of women Country. Anyway you have no option because you writers tend to shy away from explicit They seemed to like it. The publisher, have to earn a living, unless you write a portrayals of sexuality while you are quite Virago, were a bit surprised, because they bestseller. Actually The Men’s Room has explicit in your descriptions. gave me a contract before I had written it and didn’t know what kind of novel they were going to get. They certainly made some comments about certain passages in the book and asked me to change a few f » Cameo Associates things which I did. Would you have ^ aH persona! financial planning r M N C 6 ^ 7 fo r women thought that I would have got more of a V_/ I I ( A /o n & r i' reaction from feminists? • Personal Financial Well yes in view of the response Joan Planning Nestle’s book evoked. There were pickets • Investment TOC and hostile reviews, notably in the now • Superannuation M S t- M o u t h f t p , A K defunct Outwrite. She was writing about • Insurance her own experiences as a lesbian feminist • Tax Returns • Business Planning and elements ofslm crept in there and it did & Advice S a t 2 P e c in your novel too and I wondered whether you had drawn the same reaction. W ith offices in Auckland and Wellington 4 $ e r r ' $ 5" If I have I don’t know about it. It may For more information phone or l well be that is what some feminists think write to Helena Wong, Jennie Fulton but they haven’t told me. 1st Floor, 130 Cuba St., Were the portrayals of heterosexuality PO Box 6165, Te Aro D a n c e r ~ h WELLINGTON in your novel quite conscious? Some of Ph: (04) 859-224 the scenes are a bit problematic when you Fax: (04) 828-205 think about them like the one where Suite 4, ASDA Plaza, Charity is tied to the bed. Fred Thomas Drive 7 'UEplNK Thkapuna, I think it would be wrong to see every AUCKLAND scene in the book as conveying some kind Ph: (09) 465-217 of political message. Writing a novel is Fax: (09) 465-218 O naeuM $«4 to y ”tT»€- F n ‘er>4s not the same in my view as writing a " 'o f e # 0A P S H E £ T political text or academic book. Most

36 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 Those Magnificent people’s experience of writing a novel is Oh no, I think that sounds quite that you start off with plots, themes and realistic! Women in their characters and after that they develop The core of the problem is childcare, lives of their own. Quite a lot of what women’s responsibility for caring work Charity does is not consciously planned within the home and the fact that is not by me. However, I think, and this is what changing. I cannot think of any household a lot of women have said, that the kinds in which responsibility is shared. So of dilemmas that she found herself in, whilst childcare is an intensely private particularly with respect to sexuality, are activity carried out in homes and whilst it experienced by many women. We live in remains socially undervalued, men are not a world where socialisation into hetero­ going to do it. As long as they don’t do sexuality is highly problematic still. I that and don’t see the advantages to doing don’t think Charity is that unusual in that it, not very much is going to happen. what she does raises some of those Its a catch 22 situation because unless SILVER WINGS themes of just what women are doing in a little boys have adequate male role mod­ N.Z. Women Aviators sexual relationship with a man . els, if they don’t see males being nurtur­ Because power has been eroticised it ing and caring they are going to grow up from the courageous early flyers, is difficult for feminists when they start just like other men. There is a reluctance World War II, Aeroclubs, thinking about sexuality and what is actu­ amongst feminists to look at their own topdressers, skydivers, gliders , to ally going on. How do you separate the relationships. It is always easier to focus two? on outside issues. the airline and R.N.Z.A.F. pilots of Some of those passages might be quite Sometimes its just a cost benefit analy­ today. uncomfortable to read for many reasons, sis and women are willing to put up with a one of which might be producing echoes relationship because on balance they feel On Sale at your of a woman’s own experiences which she it gives them some things that they need BOOKSELLER might prefer to not have to think about. and in other respects it is not ideal. One of Yes, it gets tiresome when writers skirt the things that is happening is that people around these issues and just allude to are giving up the idea that an ideal rela­ Published by them, so 1 found your grappling with tionship exists and that can only be a good them quite refreshing. As feminists we thing because I’m sure it doesn’t. HRANTHAM have all been working towards an equal The female interactions in your book are jī^[ŌUSE relationship in every area but male power interesting. Margaret, the feminist in the ____Publishing______$34.95 makes this difficult. novel, sees having "affairs" with married One of the messages of the book is that men as all right because it is his decision, going to go on sexually relating to men an equal relationship between a man and he is an adult and he can make up his own there is no other option but to take the a woman is not possible. mind. I find this difficult because if you are view that men are adults and if they make Yes, your conclusion is quite pes­ a feminist you are choosing to have a rela­ decisions about what they are going to do simistic. tionship with a man who is oppressing with their lives then you have to take No, I wouldn’t say pessimistic I would another woman and in a sense collaborat­ them at face value. The only politically say realistic. ing in that oppression. pure response is not to relate to men sexu­ Do you think we will always live in a It is a very complicated issue, but I ally. I don’t think you can get away from mens room, is that going to be our reali­ think that for women who decide they are that fact. ■ ty? After 20 years of working in this area do you feel quite pessimistically!realisti­ cally that things are not going to change very much? Gretchen Lawlor’s I often feel we have just been tinkering around at the margins of the kinds of 1990 social change that are required to make ASTROLOGICAL equal relationships possible. Which is not to belittle the importance of equal rights MOON legislation, but getting more women into the top of various professions and CALENDAR expanding childcare outside the home slightly and that kind of thing doesn’t really affect the fundamental inequalities • Features annual predictions, within which male/female relationships are played out. In terms of power relation­ planting and fishing codes. ships between men and women not a • Original illustrations by great deal, for most women and most men, has happened. Janet Galloway. Where do you think the change should be. We can tinker around with the struc­ • Retailed throughout N'.Z. tures but how do you think we can get men to change? Or send cheque for $13.50 to: I think men are unlikely to change Moon Calendar Productions unless the women that they are relating to make them change. That’s probably a P.O. Box 46-118, Heme Bay, AK. pretty pessimistic statement to make.

BROADSHEET 1989 DEC/JAN 37 YWCA ISTINO WELLINGTON EMPOWERING WOMEN Carolyn G. Heilbrun’s Writing a Woman’s Life (Women’s Press) is a fas­ cinating short study of women’s autobi­ * JEWELLERY - STERLING SILVER. ographies and biographies, examining the - GEMSTONES. CERAMICS. W Director of ★ KETE BAGS ways in which women who have led ★ POSTERS, CARDS, PRINTS, ▼ Finance and WRAPPING PAPER. exceptional lives attempt to explain them­ SPECIALISING IN SCREEN PRINTED Administration selves. Heilbrun focuses on the contradic­ * T-SHIRTS, TIGHTS, SHIRTS, KIDS CIOTHING. tion between the standard life script for HOURS: women, involving romance, marriage and MON-FRI 10-5.30PM SAT 91PM The Wellington YWCA is looking for family, which contrasts markedly with the 413 RICHMOND ROAD, an experienced manager to take lives of women who have achieved recog­ WESTLYNN. nition in the public sphere. A beautifully charge of it's finances, administ­ written and thought-provoking essay. ration and personnel functions. 25 Hilary Haines world. Messages should be posted and not hours a week. The YWCA is Bernice Rubens describes her style as put in novels, she said. She writes about committed to the empowerment of black, laconic, non-descriptive. She’s women because she understands them Welsh, Jewish, presents as middle-class better - “men are a mystery and maybe women and to honouring the Treaty and her novels, Birds of Passage and there’s nothing there”. of Waitangi. Our Father (both published by Abacus) Birds of Passage is a gross story about E tino tautoko ana te YWCA i nga seem like fantastic day dreams. She said, two older women on a Mediterranean nahi whakatairanga Wahine i te Tiriti speaking at the Women’s Book Festival in cruise. (The idea came from a friend’s September, that while the women’s move­ experience of rape.) At best it’s a book O Waitangi. ment is the most revolutionary and proba­ about survival and a book about rape that bly the most important of our time and doesn’t leave you feeling incredibly bad she’s glad to be alive in it, she’s not a about yourself. There’s some shocking feminist because feminism is a privilege debunking of feminist stereotypes, but Contact the YWCA, 35 Vivian St, of an affluent society. She also makes then these just seem to get replaced by Wellington. Ph (04) 850 505 documentaries in and about the third more conventional models. Our Father is better - enlivening, colourful. The central character, desert- UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO explorer Veronica, has a formidable matrilineage and god, who leaves mes­ CHAIR IN WOMEN’S STUDIES sages on the answering machine and gets The University of Waikato invites applications for a newly established chair in drunk in German vineyards as a harsh the Centre for Women’s Studies. The University would also welcome therapist. There’s dead babies, a sterile suggestions concerning suitable persons who could be approached. Women’s husband, facing the past, and moving on. studies has been taught at the University of Waikato since 1974 and a Centre An entertaining read. for Women’s Studies established in 1986. This appointment is an important Jane Blaikie development for Women’s Studies and the University. The title of Gender Blending: Con­ The Centre for Women’s Studies at the University of Waikato has the most fronting the limits of duality by Holly comprehensive programme in Women’s Studies in New Zealand offering an Devor (Indiana University Press), and the undergraduate major, a Masters degree and a post-graduate diploma. There pictures of women on the cover really are two academic members of the Centre staff who teach the core courses for these programmes of study. The remaining courses are taught by ten staff hooked me in. The book is based on inter­ with responsibilities primarily in other departments within the Schools of views with 14 women who are regularly Humanities, Social Sciences and Education. The staff at the Centre also mistaken for men. Eleven of them identi­ contribute to the supervision of higher degrees offered by the University. fy as lesbian. There’s more stunning pho­ The appointee will be expected to provide academic and professional tos inside, but on actual reading this one leadership, exert a strong influence on the future development of appropriate was a disappointment. The theories of teaching programmes, stimulate research activity in the Centre and maintain gender development are interesting links between the University and the community. enough, even if they do read a bit like lec­ The appointee will also be expected to have demonstrated an advanced level of tures. It gets more interesting when the scholarship in feminist theory and research, to be an accomplished teacher and to have proven administrative abilities. A commitment to feminism and bi- quotes from the women start, but they are culturalism within Aotearoa New Zealand are necessary pre-requisites. presented in a way that precludes forming The salary for professors is within the range $76,000-$95,000 per annum. a picture of any as individuals. Devor Academic enquiries can be made to the Dean of Social Sciences, Professor D describes “gender blenders” as those who Bettison (telephone 071 562889, Fax 071 560 135). “indisputably belong to one sex and iden­ The method of application and further information are available from the tify themselves as belonging to the Academic Staff Registrar, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, corresponding gender, while exhibiting a Hamilton, telephone (071) 562 889 (Fax (071) 560 135, Electronic mail: complex mixture of characteristics from [email protected] (Internet). The reference number is A89/32 and each of the two standard gender roles”. I applications close on 29 December 1989. thought this book would be fascinating, The University welcomes applications from suitable people regardless of race, creed, marital status or disability. but found it ho hum, I think because of the way the material was presented. Pat Rosier

38 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 B o o k s h o p ★ D ir e c t o r y

■ AUCKLAND ★ CHRISTCHURCH Lesbian Counselling selection day Sun 25 Feb. ★ AUCKLAN 9 Ph. Pat Rosier, 608 535 for info and to record your name. Maori women can contact Shirley, Kate Sheppard 888 325, Women of Colour, call Jade 788 254. re&1 f c o o t ; Women’s Programme on Access Radio, Womens Bookshop literature, art, health Mondays 145 Manchester St, Christchurch children's books ■ CHRISTCHURCH Women’s House is an umbrella organisation MON-THURS 9AM-5.30PM for book lovers for Women’s Action Group on Drug Abuse, FRIDAY 9AM-9PM SATURDAY 10AM-1PM The Health Alternatives for Women, Otautahi 95 Victoria Road Women’s Labour Pool, Women with Eating • MAIL ORDERS WELCOME • Devonport If you can’t come to the shop Disorders Resource Centre, Canterbury Phone 452-410 Women’s Employment Trust. Women’s ' Phone us (03) 790 784 Counselling Service are also members. Cramner Centre, cnr Montreal and Armagh St, phone ★ PALMERSTON NTH ★ AUCKLAN Ruth 796-970 or Sue 667-725. E l Lesbian/Gay Radio Programme Outwaves th e W O M E N ’S every Wednesday 7-8pm on Radio UFM 98.3. Exclusively lesbian content on the first BOOKSHOP Wednesday of each month. (Embracing Broadsheet Bookshop) Aoraki Lesbian and Gay Support Group pot Books by, for and about women luck tea meetings at members homes third ♦ Non-sexist children’s books Sunday every month, contact Morrigan ♦ Music Posters Jewellery (056)34-813, or Brian (056)43-853. PO Box ■ BOOKS ■ MUSIC ■ ARTS ♦ Unusual cards 784, Timaru. ■ JEWELLERY ■ HAND PAINTED CLOTHES ♦ Coffee and herb tea Summer solstice celebration for women. MAIL ORDERS WELCOME - M a il orders welcome - Saturday 23 December, early morning. For Square Edge, P.O. Box 509 Palmerston North 228 DOMINION RD, AUCKLAND, PH 607 162 details phone Helen (03) 663-248; Nicola (03) 481-076; Ruth (03) 656-943; Sue (03) 810-967. ★ WELLINGTON ★ AUCKLAN Ī ■ NATIONAL Working Women booklet provides non-tradi- tional role models and practical info for young women making career choices. $8.80/copy, UNITY UNITY 10% discount on sets of 10 copies, 5% discount BOOKS BOOKS on further sets of 10. Available from Dunedin the most interesting bookshops! the most interesting bookshops! YWCA, PO Box 5146, Dunedin. Ph. (024) 776 781 Heart Politics Gathering, Tauhana Centre, Taupo Jan 8-12, 1990. Workshops, presenta­ 119-125 WILLIS ST, WELLINGTON 19 HIGH ST, AUCKLAND tions, forum, networking, whaikorero and con­ PHONE LOUISE OR MARION 856 110 PHONE NIGEL OR JOE 370 393 cert. $195 for camping, $250 accomodation, all meals and facilities included. Limited to 90 people, register by 15 Dec. Contact Heart ★ HAMILTON ★ AUCKLAN Politics, 63 View Rd, Mt Eden. The Treaty of Waitangi: questions and answers. A resource kit for Pakeha produced by PATHFINDER BOOKS Project Waitangi. A follow-on from the Book$/«?r Waitangi Tribunal kit. Everything you wanted BENNETTS UNIVERSITY Inner Development to know about the Treaty (but were a little BOOK CENTRE aruf afraid to ask?!) Available from: Project W ellbeing Waitangi, P O Box 825, Wellington $9.90. (WAIKATO) Kaitiaki paper written for the Resource man­ ♦ SCND FOR FREE CA TAL OCUE TOD A Y agement Law Reform. Copies of the paper from Old Customhouse Cuba cade Tanya Cumberland, Manukau Action, 100 PH (071) 66813 Customs Street Cuba M all Kauri Pt Rd, Laingholm, at $12 each including Auckland Ph 790 147 Wellington Ph 844 563 postage. Not the 1990 Calendar! Produced by the He Taua/Atac Coalition. $10 + GST/copy: P O Box ★ AUCKLAN I 68553, Newton (Auckland) Tamaki Makaurau HARD TO FIND Women and the Martial Arts 1990 Calendar wall-hanging format, 8x11 inches. Retail price SECOND HAND BOOKS $US8.95, plus $US1 post and packaging. Send 171-173 The Mall, Onehunga to Martial Arts Calendar, c/o Karatewomen Ph: 644 340 School, 12804 Venice Blvd, Mar Vista CA Women’* Bookshop Ltd 90066, USA. NZI Arcade Garden Place, Hamilton, Largest SECOND HAND Bookshop in ■ INTERNATIONAL PO Box 19041 Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm Auckland. Always buying and selling of New Lesbian festival Melbourne, January 1990. Age, Feminist and all quality books. Write to: Lesbian Festival 1990 Box 302 North Friday 9am-6pm Saturday 9am-lpm Buyer can collect Carlton 3054, Australia. Ph 80 656 39 BROADSHEET DEC/JAN 1989 CLASSIFIED • CLASSIFIED • CLASSIFIED • CLASSIFIED • CLASSIFIED

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