Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis
THE EFFECT OF FEMINIST OPPOSITION TO REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY: A CASE STUDY IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
LISA WOLL 1424 N. LaSalle, Chicago, IL 60610
Synopsis – This article begins with short histories of international FINRRAGE and FINRRAGE in Victoria, Australia. The second section presents the effect of FINRRAGE/Victoria on policy, media/public debate, and practitioners of the technologies. The third section evaluates whether FINRRAGE could increase its influence. This section also includes a feminist critique of FINRRAGE. It is based on personal interviews with 6 FINRRAGE/Victoria members and 22 at-large participants.
As a recipient of a Fulbright grant, I spent asked whether FINRRAGE presented their 1990 in Melbourne, Australia, researching the position in a manner that maximized their effect of the Feminist International Network of influence. Additionally, although I have only Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic focused on Victoria, it should not be assumed Engineering (FINRRAGE) on reproductive that this is the only state they have affected. technology policy, media/public debate, and The women of FINRRAGE/Victoria have the technologies’ practitioners.1 I chose to been involved in policy and in the media in locate my study in Melbourne, the capital of other states, as well as nationally. the state of Victoria, because reproductive This paper has three sections. The first technology had been a major public policy section discusses the formation of FINRRAGE issue in Victoria since 1980, when Australia’s internationally and in Victoria. The second, first IVF baby, and the second in the world, and main section, presents the results of was born in Melbourne. My goal was to FINRRAGE’s activism. The third section ascertain and document the role that feminist analyzes whether FINRRAGE has presented opposition played, and continues to play, in their position in a way that maximizes their Victoria.2 influence. This section also includes a specific The primary basis for this article is feminist critique of FINRRAGE. interviews I conducted with 6 FINRRAGE members in Victoria and 22 at-large HISTORY OF THE FEMINIST individuals with various interests in INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF reproductive technology (see Appendix for a RESISTANCE TO REPRODUCTIVE AND list and description of these individuals). All GENETIC ENGINEERING (FINRRAGE) quotes are from these interviews. With the exception of three participants from New In 1984, FINNRET (Feminist International South Wales and one from Canberra, they all Network on New Reproductive Technologies) lived in Victoria. Each participant was asked was created at the Second International to describe the effect they believed Interdisciplinary Congress on Women in FINRRAGE has had on policy, the Groningen, the Netherlands.3 media/public debate, and the technologies’ In 1985, women from international practitioners in Victoria. Participants were also FINNRET organized the Women’s Emergency
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Conference on the New Reproductive strategies for women and women’s groups Technologies in Vallinge, Sweden. At this to consider. conference, the participants highlighted the o To work towards a global movement of interrelationship between reproductive and feminist resistance to population control genetic engineering, as well as the policies and reproductive and genetic technologies’ harmful effects on women engineering, while confronting the issues worldwide and the need for feminist resistance that divide women because of difference in strategies. Thus, the name was changed from their social, economic, political, and FINNRET to FINRRAGE. cultural situation. FINRRAGE is loosely structured, without formal membership requirements. However, for descriptive purposes, I will refer to women involved in FINRRAGE as members. The Australian FINNRET/FINRRAGE FINRRAGE has affiliates in more than 35 affiliate was created at the 1984 Australian countries. Links are maintained by the Women and Labor Conference in Brisbane international coordinating group, currently after a videotape about reproductive based in Germany, and the national contacts. technologies, made by Dr. Robyn Rowland, The international coordinating group acts as a was shown. As a result, an informational clearinghouse, collects and distributes network on reproductive technologies was information, and coordinates and facilitates the created. This network became the Australian activities of the national contacts and FINNRET affiliate. Lariane Fonseca was the affiliates.4 The informal structure results in Australian coordinator for four years and individual affiliates choosing the issues and began the FINNRET/FINRRAGE newsletter. activities that are best suited to their specific In conjunction with the Centre for Continuing situation. Broadly expressed, the aims adopted Education and the Women’s Studies program by international FINRRAGE are: at the Australian National University in o To monitor international developments in Canberra, FINRRAGE/Australia coordinated the areas of reproductive technology, the “Liberation or Loss? Women Act on the reproductive medicine, and genetic New Reproductive Technologies” conference engineering. in Canberra in 1986. o To assess the implications of these and While serving as national coordinator, related technologies for their impact on Fonseca attempted to create a national network women, the environment, and other life with coordinators in each state/territory. forms. However, this system of state coordinators o To raise public awareness about never solidified, leaving Victoria and New contraceptive and reproductive technologies South Wales, where a FINRRAGE group and genetic engineering and the ways in began in Sydney in 1989, as the only states which they are linked. with a formal FINRRAGE presence. In fact, o To analyze the relationship between the Victoria and New South Wales groups science, technology, and social relations operate independently of one another and have underlying these technologies, the chosen very different styles of activism. implications for the feminist movement, Consequently, although Christine Ewing is and to develop alternatives which respect now the national FINRRAGE coordinator, the women and nature. only FINRRAGE activity that is national in o To extend links with women internationally, scope is a quarterly newsletter that reaches to pool information, and to develop a set of
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis approximately 100 groups and people across and groups, such as schools, women’s health Australia. centers, universities, and government committees; write submissions in response to government initiatives and serve as informal and formal advisors to government committees Dr. Robyn Rowland, Dr. Renate Klein, and officials. They also work with the media Christine Ewing, Sarah Ferber, Lariane to ensure coverage of the FINRRAGE position Fonseca, and Dr. Jocelynne Scutt comprised in print as well as on radio and television. the core Victoria FINRRAGE group in 1990 FINRRAGE also works to assist women to (this group has now increased to 12 active establish self-help groups that will provide an members). (Hereafter, all reference to alternative to groups that are geared towards FINRRAGE refers to Victoria FINRRAGE.) technological responses to infertility. The first All the members, except for Fonseca, lived in step towards this goal was made in November Melbourne. Rowland and Klein were also part 1990 when FINRRAGE and four other of the group of women who created women’s organizations sponsored a weekend international FINNRET/FINRRAGE. In 1989, seminar for women with fertility problems or FINRRAGE received its first foundation grant an unmet desire for a child. Facilitating this from the Victorian Women’s Trust Ltd., and seminar was Geraldine Stevens, founding was able to hire one part-time staff person. member of the Western Australia self-help Until then, FINRRAGE was completely run by group, “Issues (in) Fertility”. volunteer efforts. The staff member was Although members such as Robyn employed as a Project Officer for a community Rowland, Renate Klein, and Christine Ewing education project on the implications of are often identified with a stance of feminist reproductive technologies for women.(A opposition in people’s minds, I found that their second grant was awarded in 1990.) names were generally not connected with The long-term goal of FINRRAGE is to FINRRAGE. Ewing remarked, “that although abolish reproductive technology and genetic a lot of people have heard of FINRRAGE, as engineering. Because in vitro fertilization yet it doesn’t have much of a personal face (IVF) has been at the center of the Victorian apart from Robyn.” Thus, the people I spoke debate over reproductive technology, with had a tendency to answer questions about FINRRAGE has focused on opposing IVF, as the effect of FINRRAGE by talking about well as IVF surrogacy and IVF/embryo particular people. At times, this will be experimentation. Specifically, members have reflected in the article. stressed IVF’s high failure rate and the health risks of the drugs used to induce superovulation. In the short term, FINRRAGE works to educate the public about the In May 1984, Rowland put feminist criticism implications of reproductive technology and to of reproductive technology on the map when empower women to consider alternatives to she went public with her resignation as chair IVF and other technologies. of the donor research coordinating committee To accomplish their long- and short-term of the Monash University/Queen Victoria goals, FINRRAGE members publish books Meical Centre.5 Rowland had been researching and newsletters (two members serve as editors the social and psychological consequences of of this journal); collect information about AID on couples and donors. Her resignation developments in the technologies; distribute was prompted by a number of disagreements this information to and speak with individuals with the doctors, but the final break was
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis caused when she learned of the doctors’ plans of ways, women are not protected by it to incorporate embryo flushing into their IVF anyhow. practice. Announced at the Australia and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of All of the members believed that the Science conference in Canberra, her Victorian legislation, which among other resignation led to such headlines as “Doctor things, regulates the practice of IVF, wants in-vitro babies program halted” and inadequately protects women. However, “Test Tube Researcher Quits in Moral Stand”.6 members were reluctant to oppose all A common opinion among the people I legislation because “in the absence of getting it interviewed was that it was very effective for all stopped, I think it is really important to someone like Rowland, who had worked on have regulations that offer as much protection the inside, to speak out.7 Stories which as possible to women.” depicted her, inaccurately, as an IVF doctor, contributed to her aura as an insider. This Victorian policy history insider status, according to Rebecca Albury, a The creation of reproductive technology member of the National Bioethics Consultative policy began in 1982 when the Victorian Committee (NBCC), “gave her enormous Attorney-General established the credibility and it really opened up the multidisciplinary Committee to Consider the possibility for feminist interventions.” Social, Ethical and Legal Issues Arising from Rowland believes that her resignation gave the In-Vitro Fertilization. The Committee public a person on whom to hang their published an issue paper and report on Donor anxieties about the technologies, noting that “a Gametes in IVF, an annotated bibliography on lot of people had been worried for a long time, Surrogate Mothering, and a report on the but they hadn’t been able to say anything Disposition of Embryos Produced by IVF. In because they didn’t have anyone to hang it on. March 1984, the Attorney General introduced All the anxiety got hung on me.” the Infertility (Medical Procedures) Act and in August, the Committee disbanded. By the end of 1984, the Infertility (Medical Procedures) Act was passed; however, most of it was not There is debate within FINRRAGE about proclaimed law until 1986 and 1988. Given whether reproductive technology legislation that FINNRET/FINRRAGE was created in actually helps women, as well as skepticism April 1984, there was no opportunity for the about the possibility of feminist policy group to influence the original legislation.8 recommendations ever being enacted. For One of the first pieces of the legislation example, Ewing noted that when some of the proclaimed law created the Victoria Standing amendments to the Victoria Infertility Review and Advisory Committee on Infertility (Medical Procedures) Act were offered in the (VSRACI). This Committee, appointed in June Victorian Parliament in 1987: 1985, is responsible for advising the Health Minister in relation to procedures for alleviating We actually chose not to respond because infertility and deciding which experimental we got into a bind that if you argue for procedures will be approved, in accordance regulation, then you in fact support the with the Act. In reality, the Committee has technology. I think it is really important to spent virtually all its time on matters related to keep addressing the issue at the ground experimental procedures, such as defining an level and not to spend a whole lot of time embryo, and very little time on prevention of arguing about regulations because in a lot
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis infertility or alternatives to technological referred to are success rates and responses to infertility. superovulation) In 1987, the Act was amended, prompted by an application for approval of an Additionally, FINRRAGE members have experimental procedure involving had other important influences on policy. microinjection of sperm. As Ewing has already Rowland explained how government officials noted, FINRRAGE as a group chose to stay consult FINRRAGE members for confidential out of the amendment process, although advice on issues pertaining to reproductive Rowland published a commissioned piece in technology: the AGE on the legislation (Rowland, 1987). In 1989, the Committee’s approval of an One of the things that I find very interesting embryo biopsy experiment caused a is the way these people spring up suddenly. community outcry and the newly appointed For example, I’ll get a phone call from Health Minister, Caroline Hogg, imposed a someone in the Department of Immigration moratorium on the experiment. She also asked and they’ll say, “I’ve been given this brief the Standing Review and Advisory Committee to write on surrogacy, can you give me stuff on Infertility to invite and review submissions because I’ve been following your work for on the subject. FINRRAGE made submissions years and I agree with you totally, how can during the review, but they were among 1,218 I get this in?” And it’s someone you have others. The moratorium has since been lifted. never heard of before. And then you find Effects on policy. Although it is unlikely out that she knows someone in the Health that FINRRAGE has had a direct effect on Department and at the Attorney General Victorian legislation, both Rowland and Klein and they are all doing little bits towards it. believe that FINRRAGE has been part of the That’s been one of the most important slowing-down effect of the legislation because things. FINRRAGE itself may not look like all experimental procedures have to be a huge network of people in Australia, but approved by the Standing Review and what we’ve actually created is a lot of Advisory Committee on Infertility. Rowland women who wouldn’t say they belong to commented that the need for approval, and the FINRRAGE at all. Like saying, “I’m not a intense public scrutiny that can result from the feminist,” they say I’m not a member of approval process, means that “those doctors FINRRAGE, but they believe everything are constantly harassed by it (referring to the we are talking about and are working in the legislation). It’s a perverse sort of pleasure to system to try and change things. Now that say you’ve held them back by 10, 15 years, but is important because it’s at the Welfare hell we did, we really did.” Ministers’ level, and it’s at the Health Victorian Health Minister Caroline Hogg Department and Attorneys General where also pointed out that FINRRAGE activism this work can really count. That’s what could directly affect the Victorian Parliament makes me feel secure when I think of how the next time it considers amendments to the small the core group of FINRRAGE seems Infertility Act: to be.
They’ve made a lot of people think. There These kinds of exchanges are, according to wouldn’t be a member of Parliament faced Rowland, “not recorded anywhere, no one’s with further amendments in a few years recorded what you call influence as opposed to time who wouldn’t have to stop and think power. The influence thing is indirect, like about those issues (my emphasis, issues people ringing up with a scenario and you
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis asking all sorts of questions that really makes Australia and in Victoria, really set up them think the thing through. It’s that sort of many departments to look at women’s process.” issues. Now if they’ve done all that, it Similarly, a member of the VSRACI stated: means that they want this segment of the community to have some sort of political Personally, I will ring up a feminist and I impact. So obviously if they then say will bounce off things from them as I will something about this technology, then that do with infertile couples, as I will do with would have an impact.9 other people. I consider them an important part of the community. I wouldn’t be Also, there exists the perception that the breaching any committee confidentiality. feminist opposition has been a watchdog and that has meant that governments are Jan Aitken, a former member of the VSRACI stated: less likely to simply act unilaterally and that committees, even like the Waller Probably the impact of their (referring to Committee (referring to VSRACI), who FINRRAGE) views is more present not may not have had a strong feminist view when they speak themselves but when put from within . . . want to be seen to be people like myself pick up what they’re fair and just to all of the significant players saying. It affects me and then I speak. I and so therefore, they will take solid know that some of the things that I account of feminist thinking. supported and fought for in the Committee, their history would include some of those Women in FINRRAGE have also been views-and some of their passion that they involved in policy through writing policy speak with has affected me and influenced documents. For example, Ramona Koval and me. Robyn Rowland were commissioned by the Victorian Women’s Advisory Council (now FINRRAGE member Sarah Ferber noted the Victorian Women’s Consultative Council) that recent government reports on reproductive to write a paper for public release on Women technology in Western Australia and in and Infertility. The paper was commissioned Victoria “reflected a much more critical “in the belief that there is a need for more position in relation to reproductive community information and discussion on the technology” than the reports of the 1982–1984 subject of infertility, its prevention and Victoria Committee to Consider the Social, treatment, and new developments in Ethical and Legal Issues Arising from In-Vitro reproductive technology, particularly from the Fertilization. These more critical approaches, women’s perspective”10 (my emphasis). The in Ferber’s view, could not have happened paper was launched at the Royal Women’s without the FINRRAGE critique. Hospital by Louis Waller, Chair of the A number of people believed that VSRACI. FINRRAGE would have an impact on women Koval was also a member of the Victoria within the government, such as Ministers and Ministerial Committee on the Prevention and department heads, because Management of Infertility, which released a report on Infertility in 1988. Although Koval is a lot of women are now in positions of no longer a member of FINRRAGE, during some standing and they can’t afford not to the mid to late 1980s she was involved in listen to it. The government has, in FINRRAGE and played a major role in
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis opposing a plan by Monash University to Technologies Consultation sponsored by the commercialize IVF through a private New South Wales Women’s Advisory company. Journalist Susanna Rodell wrote that Council. The Consultation produced a Koval was “one of the most vociferous critics proposal for a National Commission on of the plan” (Rodell, 1985, p. 17). Reproductive Technologies. According to a Additionally, although the impact of number of people I interviewed, this proposal FINRRAGE on policy outside of Victoria was provided the foundation for the creation of the not within the scope of my research, it is worth National Bioethics Consultative Committee noting the levels at which they have been (NBCC) in 1988. A number of feminists, involved. Rowland, Koval, and Lariane including some FINRRAGE members, had Fonseca (Fonseca speaking as the national been pressuring the federal government for FINNRET coordinator) testified before the years to set up a national committee. They National Senate Select Committee on the hoped that such a committee would create Human Embryo Experimentation Bill 1985. uniform legislation to regulate the Fonseca was also involved in the 1985 technologies and would also allow women’s National Better Health Commission, which voices to be heard through at least 50% was created to inquire into the state of representation on the committee. The NBCC, Australia’s health. According to her, because which was dissolved in mid-1991, had of FINRRAGE, reproductive technology was enormous feminist divisions within its ranks one of the areas on which the Commission and proved to be quite supportive of new concentrated. In 1984 and 1985, Rowland technologies, particularly surrogacy. The served on the National Committee to Consider NBCC experience has left some FINRRAGE the Issues Relating to Artificial Insemination members unsure of whether a national body is by Donor (AID), In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), actually in women’s best interests. Embryo Transfer (ET) and Related Matters. The Committee was chaired by the Senior Judge of the Family Court of Australia and reported to the Family Law Council. In 1986, the National Women’s Consultative Council Reproductive technology has received an (NWCC) released a report, written by Ramona enormous amount of attention from the print Koval, called “Manufacturing Babies: What and electronic media in Victoria. From Reproductive Technologies Mean to Women.” January 1981 through August 1990, The AGE Christine Ewing, in her capacity as newspaper ran more than 600 stories on IVF, FINRRAGE (Australia) coordinator, has been embryo experimentation, or surrogacy, not offered a consultancy by the NWCC to write a including Letters to the Editor, which also second edition of this report. numbered in the hundreds.11 Additionally, FINRRAGE has also been involved in the many radio and television shows have policy deliberations of a number of states. For discussed reproductive technology. In the example, Rowland was called as a witness debate about reproductive technology, the before a committee of the South Australian media is a particularly important avenue for government and has met with the Western feminist communication because “media helps Australia Minister for Health and Minister for construct and is constructed by ‘public Social Services to discuss proposals for opinion,’ so the popular accounts of the debate reproductive technology legislation. about IVF help to direct what are regarded as Additionally, Rowland and Jocelynne Scutt legitimate issues for discussion” (Albury. participated in the 1986 New Reproductive 1987, p. 67).
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The three Melbourne journalists I While acknowledging that FINRRAGE interviewed, two at The AGE and one at the members do receive media coverage,13 the Herald, were unanimous in finding majority of people with whom I spoke believe FINRRAGE spokeswomen credible and that the media tends to produce “gee-whiz, valuable sources. One journalist described a high-tech. Dr.-God type of stories,” which particular FINRRAGE spokeswoman: focus on the happy mother and baby. As Marie Meggit, spokesperson for the Association of She’s very articulate, she’s to the point, she Relinquishing Mothers said, the reproductive knows what she’s talking about, she doesn’t technologies are represented “very positively, muck around, she rings back when she says unspeakable, it’s enough to make you throw she will and so she’s just a very good up.” person to deal with. I think it would be Albury’s analysis of New Idea’s (a very good if there were more like her really. popular weekly women’s magazine) coverage of an IVF-frozen embryo baby is indicative of Another said he was attracted to covering the way much reproductive technology is the feminist opposition initially through Robyn covered: Rowland because he’d been impressed by: The New Idea presentation of Zoe’s the accuracy and the breadth of the conception and birth relies on the cultural scientific knowledge that she brought to myths of motherhood and the family to bear in support of her arguments about IVF. transform the history of technological She really highlighted many conflicts and experimentation into nature. It resolves the inconsistencies in the often threadbare ambivalences that the reader may have comments that the scientists were making about freezing human embryos and to the media and which were going intervention into the process of unchallenged and unquestioned by the reproduction through images of fulfilled media. desire. The empty arms filled with a baby, an infertile (unnatural?) woman becoming a The third remarked: mother; the technology is the agent of mythic transformation. The text and the In everything I’ve ever heard Renate photographs are combined to call the reader (Klein) or Ramona (Koval) or Robyn away from critical thought into acceptance (Rowland) ever say, I thought their of the constructed world as a natural world. messages were always extremely well (Albury, 1987, pp. 53-54) thought out, and very intelligent, comprehensible to the average person. And Additionally, it was widely perceived that to me, that’s a model to go for. when an article included a critique, the feminist view tended to be suppressed or The journalists found their perspective marginalized, instead favoring the Catholic, interesting, compelling, and challenging, traditionalist critique. Again, Albury provided basically making for a good story. Their a relevant example in her critique of coverage credibility and the challenging nature of their of frozen embryos: arguments are the likely reasons for both their inclusion in media stories and requests to Although the ethical objections of some author newspaper articles.12 feminists were acknowledged, they did not receive the same lengthy treatment as the
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objections of theologians, nor were they The FINRRAGE critique has increased the answered, even implicitly, in the article. likelihood that questions will be asked about a (Albury, 1987, p. 51) technology’s effect on women. An AGE article, written soon after the embryo biopsy Nick Tonti-Filippini, the most prominent moratorium was lifted, not only includes the Catholic Church-based opponent of views of Christine Ewing, but also Gena reproductive technology, relayed an example Corea, a feminist involved in FINRRAGE in of how FINRRAGE is marginalized and the United States (Pirrie. 1990, pp. 1, 4). Such placed in a defensive posture by the media. He inclusion is no longer the exception and was participated in a television debate that included accurately described by Rebecca Albury Robyn Rowland as a participant. All the during our interview: participants debated and everyone stated their views in a “gentle sort of way.” The producer In my media studies, it’s certainly been the came down and said they weren’t worked up case that since 1984, non-Catholic church enough, it “wasn’t dramatic enough” and made opposition, that is to say feminist them debate again. During the second debate, opposition, has become a requisite thing we Tonti-Filippini recalled: have to nod to. So we don’t just get doctors and lawyers and theologians, we also get a The presenter, pointedly I think, avoided feminist or two. directing a single question to Robyn, so it put Robyn into the position of interjecting Public debate all the way through, so that she came across Nearly every participant in this research as shrill and there was a lot of comment of believed that FINRRAGE’s presence in the that kind, that there was an attempt to media has transformed the public reproductive portray Robyn as shrill and hysterical and technology debate because it has changed the all of the words that you can’t use about way people think about this issue. men, but you use about women. Whether Renate Klein believes that: that was considered to be good TV or whether there was something more sinister Through the considerable feminist presence to it, I don’t know. in the media, infertile women who consider using the new reproductive technologies are Yet, there is no doubt that FINRRAGE has now much better informed about the risks radically changed the presentation of and know which questions to ask of their reproductive technology in the media. AGE doctors. This is especially true of the work articles from 1982 reveal that women were on infertility drugs that Robyn and I did largely absent. Articles documented primarily together (Klein & Rowland, 1988). I think a church-based critique. For example, one the public consciousness-raising is one of lengthy piece called “Test Tube Baby the most important and best things Programs: The Moral Issues,” highlighted the FINRRAGE does. It’s hard work to go and opinions of Professor Peter Singer, Dr. Carl speak and publish and do radio and TV, but Wood, and Priest William Daniel (Carbines & you have to do it if you want to change Metherell, 1982, pp. 6-7). The majority of people’s consciousness. Even if people their discussion centered on embryos. Articles think you’re crazy at first, the message like these were the norm until FINRRAGE begins to seep in after a while. women placed a woman-centered perspective into the debate. Similarly, Christine Ewing remarked:
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We put out a lot of information that is It was very clever and erudite work on the contrary to their (doctors) claims, especially part of those women (referring to the information about Clomiphene, IVF FINRRAGE women). success rates, women’s personal experiences on IVF. As a result of the Jocelynne Scutt, a teacher at the 1990 information we put out, I think a lot more Deakin Women’s Studies Summer Institute people are questioning not just the whole (the Institute was created by Robyn Rowland) impact of these technologies, but also what told me a story which illustrates the effect that women are experiencing on IVF. . . . In my FINRRAGE is having: experience, the sort of information we give can actually transform the way people think Two of the women who came to the about the issues. Women’s Studies Institute from Western Australia, including one who is an advisor As an example of how FINRRAGE has to the Health Minister, part of their specific altered the way people think about the issues, purpose in doing that was to be able to nearly everyone interviewed agreed that speak to women who were involved in FINRRAGE could take credit for “burning FINRRAGE, and to do what they could to into the public consciousness” the health risks affect policy in Western Australia. I think of superovulation and IVF’s very low success it’s been important for them to know that rate. Louis Waller, Chair of the VSRACI there is a body of theory with a practical stated that “they have, I think it’s fair to say, aspect that’s been going on in FINRRAGE brought superovulation to the forefront of the groups. Therefore, they’re not isolated and agenda.” they do have sources that they can refer to By focusing on IVF’s low success rate, if they want to put up alternative positions. FINRRAGE has helped change the debate from one which consistently focuses on the Rose Sorger, a research and information minority of women for whom IVF results in a officer at Healthsharing Women, told me that live birth to one in which the high failure rate FINRRAGE was an essential source of of the program is periodically noted. The information and expertise for their statewide publication of The Exploitation of a Desire, health information service. FINRRAGE has Klein’s book about the experiences of women also played an important role in defining the who did not conceive through IVF, heightened questions that the women’s health community awareness within the community of the human needs to ask about reproductive technology. costs of IVF’s failure rate. According to A significant number of the people I Minister Hogg, the “power of these small interviewed felt that FINRRAGE had affected truths” (the personal stories of women for their own views and analyses of reproductive whom IVF did not work) was some of technology. For example, Tonti-Filippini FINRRAGE’s most effective work. Ramona concentrated on the abuse and exploitation of Koval made a similar point: women, not on embryos, in his talk on embryo experimentation at the 1990 St. Vincent’s . . . that was something that I don’t think the Bioethics Conference. In his formal doctors were expecting. Because normally conference paper he cited FINRRAGE authors when someone leaves them, they don’t four times and wrote: follow them up and now they had those women who used to be patients of theirs The fears expressed by the Warnock saying it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Committee (referring to Committee in
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England) that the word spare would become debate has always been couched in terms of a euphemism and by Dr. Robyn Rowland the fetus, not concerns about women. So I and others that the concept of spare think as women, FINRRAGE was the only embryos would lead to the rationale that reason there was a genuine debate . . . superovulation may be increased in order to FINRRAGE has had a huge impact on the create spare embryos, would seem to have debate, on public policy, on the visibility of become the reality. (Tonti-Filippini, 1990, the issue. I think the fact that the media has p. 3) covered the debate for so long and still continues to is because people like Robyn Tonti-Filippini discussed his early critique and Re-nate have spoken out for five, six of IVF with me: years.
Most of my discussion of IVF was embryo In fact, the Catholic Church has been a centered and the whole concept of a child vocal opponent of reproductive technology being produced as a product, and the since the early 1980s. There has never been dominant relationship of the technician to any alliance, formal or informal, between the child, all those sorts of things. One of FINRRAGE and the Catholic Church in the effects of the various feminist Victoria. Each pursues a completely influences . . . on my thinking was to focus independent strategy based on different much more on the intrusion, not just on the philosophies. Yet because they have been the woman, but on the couple’s relationship. two most visible opponents of the technologies, they are often perceived to be Similarly, Shadow Health Minister Marie acting together. Much was made of this Tehan told me that FINRRAGE had made her “unholy alliance” by the people I spoke with. aware that “there is an opportunity for women Like Fonseca, the majority of the people who are at their most vulnerable to be interviewed believed that without FINRRAGE manipulated, and to some degree, just used for there would have been no significant debate in scientific experimental purposes or scientific the press with the exception of the critiques investigation.” made by the churches, particularly the Catholic Church. Lariane Fonseca is of the opinion that: Ironically, the Catholic church and FINRRAGE have lent credibility to each There wouldn’t have been a debate without other. Tonti-Filippini said that opposition from FINRRAGE. Society generally has always the feminists helped the Church to be taken been, and in this case proved, prone and more seriously: receptive to the propaganda that women want it, women need it, and we’re the hard The teams (IVF teams) always wanted to slaving doctors who are seeking to only isolate the opposition and in the first please and give you what you want. instance, they were able to say, because we Because biological motherhood is prized as were opposing it before the feminists such a real need and an issue and an gained any great publicity, “Oh it’s just the imperative, the technologies would have Catholic Church with their weird views on been seen as something quite acceptable. contraception, abortion, etc.” We were The only other debate that might have written off. As soon as the feminists came arisen without FINRRAGE is the Moral on the scene, they could no longer really do Majority or the Right to Life, but their that.
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Conversely, Minister Hogg believes that confronted by doctors and/or IVF patients who “one of the reasons why the feminist sometimes brought along children they had opposition, which is portrayed as very strident conceived on IVF. The doctors and/or the and extreme, is taken seriously is basically it’s patients would attack FINRRAGE women for saying the same thing as the Catholic Church.” denying infertile women the choice to have a Tonti-Filippini offered an interesting child and ask whether it would have been perspective on the relationship between the better if little Ann/Andy had never been born. Catholic Church and FINRRAGE: Klein perceives these tactics as ones which try to discredit FINRRAGE and use division They tried to marginalize us by talking among women to the doctor’s advantage. She about the unholy alliance between the noted that “such dirty tricks must mean that we conservatives and the feminists, all sorts of are successful in sending a different message nonsense, but it really didn’t carry much than the IVF doctors want sent.” water. The fact that the feminists and the Dr. lan Johnston, an IVF practitioner at Catholic Church would have been so Melbourne’s Royal Women’s Hospital, began strongly opposed in general on an issue like our interview by asking me why I wanted to abortion meant that it was never an alliance waste my time on FINRRAGE. The tenor of in that sense. So they were not really able to his comments throughout the interview marginalize us and I think each helped the reflected hostility towards FINRRAGE, which, other in that respect. according to him, has been:
The most reasonable conclusion appears to A nuisance. They are very vocal, they’re be that having both a feminist-based and a well organized, their position is extreme. Catholic Church-based opposition “has Because the community doesn’t understand, certainly strengthened, coordinated a certain broadly speaking, anything about IVF or opposition or a questioning at least of where the implications and the morality, the the IVF debate is going, where IVF is taking community can be led by extreme views, us.” not only in this area, but in all sorts of positions. . . . So yes they’re a nuisance because we have to continually rebut their points of view. I requested interviews with Drs. Carl Wood and Alan Trounson, who were both members According to him, this nuisance factor is of the IVF team at Monash University the only impact FINRRAGE has had on IVF Hospital where Australia’s first IVF baby was practitioners. However, his opinion is clearly born. Both refused to meet with me. I suspect in the minority. Nearly every person I spoke that they refused because I was based at with believed that the doctors and scientists Deakin University, where both Associate have been forced to change their public image Professor Robyn Rowland and Dr. Renate – what they say and how they say it – and Klein are employed and because I was medical practice as a result of feminist researching opposition to their technologies. criticisms. FINRRAGE members were unanimous in As one might expect from FINRRAGE’s their belief that the doctors and scientists success in making the health risks of perceive them as a threat. I was cited a number superovulation a media concern, the medical of instances, at conferences and on television community had been affected by the criticisms shows, where FINRRAGE women were of superovulation.14 In response to my
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis question of whether some doctors’ plans to their article on Clomiphene, and they pursue natural cycle IVF was a response to unsuccessfully tried to refute their arguments.” feminist criticism of superovulation, Louise As Rowland noted, the fact that the doctors Bowen, an IVF counselor at Epworth Hospi- have to “say there’s been disinformation given tal/Monash University Infertility Medical out about these drugs, women ought not to Centre said: worry, means we’re getting there because somebody is worried. The women are worried, Partly, yes, I think the vocal antagonism of they don’t want to take the drugs, they’re that small group of feminists has keyed into hassling the doctors, it’s worked.” what I think are pretty understandable Journalist Rosemary West noted that there anxieties about women feeling that they’re has been a calculated attempt to undermine being pumped full of hormones. So I think FINRRAGE women. The medical lobby has some people have thought let’s go back to attempted to suppress their point of view by natural cycle. refusing to speak on the same panel with them and by “putting it out among the medical In fact, the majority of the interviewees reporters, in a deliberate whispering campaign, concluded that “the whole move away from the that these women are just ratbags, they’re hormones being used back towards the natural rabid, they’re overexposed.” cycle was very much because of the fuss the Tonti-Filippini, who has appeared on panels feminists were making about superovulation.” with Rowland and Alan Trounson, offered this However, Johnston insisted that he was insight: interested in natural cycle IVF because it is simple and cheap. He vehemently denied that I guess the classic example of a change was feminist criticism influenced this interest. that of Alan Trounson. If you’d seen Alan Although a number of IVF professionals Trounson when he first confronted Robyn and patients complained that the emphasis on Rowland, he was all legs apart, male the risks of superovulatory drugs confused and aggression. He learned, I think, through seeing scared people, they also recognized that the just how bad that looked, to temper that. very fact that patients are scared means that the message is getting out. In fact, Bowen There was a sense among the people I remarked that “one of the things that’s been a interviewed that the doctors have become direct response of the criticisms of the side more aware of the need to inform women and effects of the hormones is that” when the couples about what happens on the program. media quotes publications on the drugs, “we’ll Bowen believes that there have been changes get the publications out and summarize them in procedures as a result of the criticisms. She in lay language and publish them for people.” noted that “we’re much tighter now than we A common opinion was that FINRRAGE’s were three years ago” and that “the long-term criticisms have caused defensiveness among effect may be that their sort of loudness practitioners. For example, FINRRAGE (referring to FINRRAGE criticism) may in member Sarah Ferber described an fact improve systems here.” informational evening sponsored by the Epworth Hospital/Monash University Infertility Medical Centre for women on IVF and their husbands. She told me that several senior clinicians and researchers mentioned The previous sections clearly document that “Re-nate and Robyn’s research, particularly FINRRAGE women are well respected by
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis journalists, they are changing the way the are well marshalled, but because they’ve debate is constructed in the media, they are thought about their personal presentation included in policy discussions, and they have and always taken care to take account for impacted on the medical establishment. These that. are major accomplishments for a very small group of women. I was thus interested to learn The majority, however, felt that either their whether people felt it was possible for style of presentation, their language, or the FINRRAGE to present their position in a substance of their arguments took away from manner that would allow them to have an even the effectiveness of their presentation and their greater effect. credibility. As might be expected, individuals FINRRAGE members felt they could associated with the IVF program as doctors, accomplish more with greater resources: time, patients, and counselors, found FINRRAGE money, and members. They consistently noted the least credible. They believe FINRRAGE is the complicated and often overwhelming paternalistic in its depiction of women as nature of reproductive technology and genetic uninformed victims, geared towards scaring engineering issues. They believe that these people away from the IVF program, and issues can intimidate women, thus limiting the insensitive to the concerns of infertile people. number of women who will get involved in Bowen, the IVF counselor, said the patients FINRRAGE’s work. However, members were see the FINRRAGE position as: generally pleased with the way they presented themselves and with the scope of their Someone’s having a go at them, and their influence. Christine Ewing commented that: desires, their position. . . . It’s almost like a personal attack is how they experience it. . . Because of the impact of the FINRRAGE . They don’t know who to believe, they’re debate in the media, our position is being confused. They hear from critics, notably taken seriously in a number of areas. . . . the feminist groups, that the doctors and the Unfortunately, we are not a powerful lobby people who work in the clinic are portrayed group, but I do believe that our arguments as sort of soulless, female-eating, female- are taken seriously and seem to have hating, clinical operators who are really credibility. But quite evidently, we do not only in it for the money and their self- have the clout that the interested parties of aggrandizement. And yet their own the medical profession do. . . . We have experiences tell them something slightly changed a lot of views in the community. different. . . . I think for women they make it really difficult, particularly women who However, less than half of the at-large would see themselves as card-carrying people I interviewed believed that FINRRAGE feminists, they see the feminist movement as operated in a manner which maximized their deserting them and they don’t understand effectiveness. A sample of what those in this why so much media attention is given to what group said was that their “combination of they say is a very small group of women. research and advocacy is very effective” and: A sizable number of the at-large women I To look at them, the model, the picture, the interviewed who consider themselves clothes, the language, they don’t do things feminists also expressed concern about that are immediately alienating. . . . I think FINRRAGE’s portrayal of women. One they have been good spokespeople and they woman noted that she didn’t much like the have been not just because their arguments victim/ perpetrator positioning “as a political
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis position to work from. I think that’s alienating to women who are in the programs. . . . I would like to see some kind of recognition of the complexity of the positioning of women in all of this.” One-third of the at-large individuals I Anne Lucas, chair of the infertility support interviewed are women who have been group Concern, believes that FINRRAGE is involved in feminist responses to reproductive unconcerned with women as a group and lacks technology. Each has held a paid or volunteer empathy for infertile women. She “would like position in which they had responsibility for to see feminist groups actually back those reproductive technology issues and worked women who want to have children because I with FINRRAGE on such projects as think that’s important. They are women, conferences, policy development, and media they’re not discarded bits in between.” In stories. One of the women had been involved discussing this type of criticism with me, in Victoria FINRRAGE and one had been Rowland commented that such criticism is not affiliated with national FINRRAGE. The uncommon and is based on an incorrect majority of these women continue to do work presumption that “it is unfeminist to say no to with FINRRAGE, often relying on women as if somehow desire is everything.” FINRRAGE members as sources of The speaking style of FINRRAGE’s information and expertise. While some of members was repeatedly mentioned as a factor them fully agree with the FINRRAGE that decreased their influence. Individuals position, others feel that the position is mentioned that FINRRAGE members talked in overdrawn and lacks political sophistication. a way that was seen as too urgent, relying “for Others accept portions of their position, such their impact on some sort of dramatic as opposition to surrogacy, while rejecting presentation.” I was told that FINRRAGE others, such as opposition to IVF. Their presents “one argument very forcefully,” analyses of FINRRAGE’s effect on policy, which is an important argument, “but I always media/public debate, and practitioners, which feel that it seems to be difficult for any of them were included in the preceding sections of this to actually take account of other views and paper, varied from woman to woman. Yet, all answer them in a really well-reasoned way.” of the women believe that FINRRAGE has There was negative reaction to their use of done vitally important work and has been an such phrases as rented womb or woman-hating influential voice. They appeared to share a technology–phrases that feminists working in sense of gratitude to FINRRAGE for this area are familiar with, “but that come maintaining a forceful presence against a across to the person who doesn’t know that hostile and strong medical establishment. notion as something that’s alienating or However, during the course of our excluding.” Some individuals perceive the interviews, it became clear that the women name FINRRAGE as a confrontational and shared certain reservations about aggressive one. FINRRAGE’s approach, although the level of I was interested to find that although a few concern differed among them. I chose to people faulted FINRRAGE spokeswomen for highlight these comments by putting them in a not knowing medical facts, none of them was separate section because I believe they reflect able to give me an example of when they had ongoing tensions within the feminist said something that was factually incorrect, community that limit FINRRAGE’s influence nor to point to any one area in which they were and ability to attract new members. These consistently off the mark. tensions go back to at least 1986 when Esther
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Ramp, reflecting of the 1986 “Liberation or A great deal of effort went into making this Loss” conference, wrote: happen if it were at all possible. (Rowland, 1986, p. 35) I do not wish to dismiss communal consciousness-raising, for I acknowledge You say you are very uncomfortable the importance of this practice to the with the “moral tone” which comes through development of the Western women’s in these debates, reminding you of the “moral movement. But I do feel uneasy, for I saw purity campaigners against prostitution and how it could act to close off those questions the more recent campaigners against which were not part of the radical feminist pornography.” . . . Neither of these campaigns drama. Indeed to be most ungenerous, the have constructed the “users of these answer to the question in the conference’s technologies as either self-interested colluders title, liberation or loss, was never in real with patriarchy or as passive victims of false doubt. As one woman at a workshop I consciousness.” Surely we all understand by attended stated, the dominant assumptions now that ideology is a much more complex of the conference were never laid out and mechanism than that! It is true that at times debated. (Ramp, 1986, p. 4) women do collude with patriarchy in order to satisfy their own desires. We have actually She added: been very careful not to attack women on reproductive technology programs, though As well, I am very uncomfortable with the the courtesy has not been returned. moral tone with which potential and actual The radical feminist debate has taken a users of new reproductive technologies much broader stand than blaming the user. were exhorted to withhold their bodies. If We have looked at the social construction we follow radical feminism down this track, of science and the social construction of I believe we are in danger of falling into the motherhood. We have argued that women same trap as last century’s moral purity are encouraged and even coerced to campaigners against prostitution and the experience motherhood within a more recent campaigners against heterosexual and patriarchal framework. pornography-that of constructing users of Within this context reproductive technology these technologies as either self-interested is a further tool to reinforce women’s role colluders with patriarchy or as passive as breeders. But in the process it affects all victims of false consciousness. In either women (Rowland, 1986, p. 36). case they need to be saved. The notion of control becomes murkier and murkier. If Ramona Koval’s review of Renate Klein’s control is really on the feminist agenda, book Infertility raised issues similar to those then we must know whether we really want raised by Ramp: some of us to have more control than others. (Ramp, 1986, p. 5) What is disturbing and disappointing is a political solution to the reproductive Rowland’s response, in part, was as technologies that reflect a fascist tendency follows: in some feminist politics. Since it is clear that the promise of technology doesn’t give In terms of the conference itself, it is unjust, women the chance to say no, then the I think, to claim that the “dominant Sisters will deny women the chance to say assumptions” behind it were not discussed. yes. . . . Renate Klein writes in her
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overarching political chapter that “nothing The view that FINRRAGE is a rigid less than legislation to stop IVF and to end organization that demands conformity was the availability of embryos for genetic widespread among these women. Tricia screening and therapy experimentation will Harper, who was one of the first feminists to do.” The political naivety that generates this be involved in reproductive technology policy, response is coupled with a basic noted that: misunderstanding of human relationships and what drives them. For example, the They’ve tended to start off from a book is especially scathing of the treatment collectivist theory of operation and of a fertile woman because her partner is collectives, in my experience, although the subfertile. This is presented as male science theory is good about working using a healthy woman’s body to deal with cooperatively, they often tend to be very a male infertility problem. (Koval, 1989). inward looking. They are often very critical in terms of other people’s ideological FINRRAGE members were stunned by the perspective, so that if you’re not viciousness of the review, particularly since ideologically pure, you’re excluded. Koval had been involved in FINRRAGE for a number of years. Koval offered this This criticism about ideological purity- explanation: orthodoxy-is, in my analysis, a two-pronged criticism. First, it includes the belief that What that review was about was saying becoming an opposition group, switching from look there are really important issues in this FINNRET to FINRRAGE, was a poor political book and what the feminist position has decision. Rebecca Albury commented: done has brought out the dangers of the hormonal treatments, the poverty of the There are women who would have worked method, that’s really vital for women who around reproductive technology much more think of going on the programs. Some of if it wasn’t about true believing . . . It did the things in the book were really terrific. seem to me that it got to be about we have But when you say to that woman . . . don’t the right line and we’re going to take on all involve yourself with this program when these people with the wrong line long you’re not really sick, it’s ridiculous. It before it seemed to me there had been doesn’t take her life experience into enough public discussion to know whether consideration which is something I thought that line was widely shared. we were all supposed to be doing . . . And that the Sisters know best was a reflection The second, and more subtle, part of this of my own experience with the Sisters, and criticism, however, centered on how by Capital S sisters, I meant the group of FINRRAGE alienates some of its allies and women who run the joint, who think they potential allies. FINRRAGE’s desire to control run the joint, and that I find anti-democratic the feminist response to reproductive and anti-socialist too. I suppose that’s part technologies was cited. Their actions were of the thing I talked about before, bucking seen to reflect a belief: at authority and bucking at orthodoxies. I find an orthodoxy, whether it’s based upon . . . that because you’ve had an idea, that the Russian Orthodox church, Jewish you own it. Nobody else is allowed to say religion . . . or feminism with a capital F, I it, which is a little bit the sort of academic find that really hard to take. view about things. But if you’re in politics,
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you have to say O.K., I’ll have an idea, this such as the FINRRAGE sponsorship of the person can run with it, this other person can infertility seminar in 1990. carry it. The reservations expressed in the section on feminist critiques are also important issues for The style of presentation of FINRRAGE’s FINRRAGE to address. FINRRAGE actions members was also perceived to turn potential tend to reflect a belief that if a woman isn’t allies away. I was told that their arguments are with them 100%, she’s against them. This kind presented with such weight and certainty, and of insular politics will preclude FINRRAGE in such a hardline and hammering manner, that from building a larger movement. women are often stopped from wanting or Additionally, FINRRAGE women need to knowing how to respond. FINRRAGE be aware that their case against reproductive members call this style of speaking passionate technology is often so strong that other women and it is. But it can also be intimidating and it feel silenced by it. FINRRAGE members often leaves the impression that women are not forget the lengthy process they underwent feminists if they don’t believe that these from questioning to opposing the technologies. technologies are women-hating. Women need to feel that they have space to question and discuss without the fear of CONCLUSION looking pro-technology or un-feminist. I will leave the final words to journalist FINRRAGE has made a significant impact in Michael Pirrie who offered a,fitting evaluation Victoria during the past seven years. I was of FINRRAGE’s role in Victoria: quite surprised at the degree to which their accomplishments, such as cementing in the I think the feminists raised the public consciousness IVF’s high failure rates consciousness of the community definitely and the risks of superovulation, were agreed on the issues relating to IVF and its safety upon by person after person whom I and the relationships between the scientist interviewed. Coming from the United States, and their patients and questioning the so where the most watered-down feminism is called benefits of IVF. Who was benefit- often considered radical, I was amazed at ting and how often were they benefitting? FINRRAGE’s level of credibility – that even Were they short or long-term benefits and though many people found their views what were the risks involved? Too often extreme, they were still considered by most of IVF has been presented as a . . . the people I talked with to be an integral part breakthrough miracle-type technology and of the debate. the risks had been swept under the carpet . . However, for all their success, there exists a . The risks were largely not discussed and widespread view that there are shortcomings the feminists raised those risks. They within FINRRAGE which diminish its played a major role in the IVF story. potential influence. Although members don’t agree that their argument depicts women as “unwitting dupes of male professionals with power,” it leaves that impression on many, 1. I would like to thank the Australian-American including other feminists whose views are Educational Foundation for financial support of my research and the Humanities Department at Deakin nearly identical to theirs. The perception also University for institutional support. Additionally, many exists that FINRRAGE is unsympathetic to the thanks to Romaine Rutnam for sharing her extensive plight of women/couples with fertility doctoral research with me, and to Rosemary West and problems, despite evidence to the contrary Calvin Miller for allowing me access to the libraries at The AGE and The Herald newspapers. I am very
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Reproductive and Genetic Engineering: Journal of International Feminist Analysis grateful to each and every one of the individuals who known as “femocrats.” For more information on participated in the interviews. femocrats, see Sawer, Marian, (1990), Sisters in suits, 2. Although I have concentrated my research on Australia: Alien and Unwin; and Watson, Sophie, (Ed.), FINRRAGE women in Victoria, I must note that there (1990), Playing the state, Australia: Alien and Unwin. are many other feminists, both within Victoria and 10. Women and infertility, Victorian Women’s throughout Australia, whom have made significant Consultative Council, June 1988, Acknowledgement contributions to the reproductive technology debate. page. Tricia Harper, Convenor of the Victoria Women’s 3. FINNRET/FINRRAGE historical information is Advisory Council and convener of its Women and from personal interviews with members, FINNRET/ Reproductive Technology subcommittee when the paper FINRRAGE documents and publications. was commissioned, told me that the paper was 4. Information on the international organization is completed in 1985, but it was not launched until 1988. from secondary sources. The international group would Additionally, although it was supposed to be available not share specific information with me on the to all Victorian women, only 1000 copies were organization’s function and structure. produced and to date, no one has been able to obtain 5. Romaine Rutnam has noted that “. . . the first copies apart from the people who attended the launch. (faintly) critical mention of IVF by a feminist in 11. The AGE, with a daily circulation of 232,690 (as Australia was published late in 1981 by Rebecca of September 30, 1989) Monday through Saturday, had Albury, an activist in the women’s health movement in the middle circulation among the three Melbourne Sydney and a political scientist by training” (Rutnam, dailies. (As of October, 1990, the papers with the largest thesis draft, Chap. 5, p. 2; see also Albury, Women’s and smallest circulations merged.) health, man-made medicine, Scarlet Woman, 1981, 12. For example, Rowland has authored five lengthy Spring, pp. 6-11). pieces for Melbourne newspapers and Jocelynne Scutt 6. Sydney Morning Herald, May 18, 1984, p. 3, and has written one. When Klein’s books Infertility and The The AGE, May 18, 1984, p. 1. Although Rowland is exploitation of a desire: women’s experiences with in now an opponent of reproductive technology, she did vitro fertilization were published in Australia, the books not begin as one. In my interviews with FINRRAGE and her views were reviewed in a number of papers. members, I found that a shift from questioning the Rowland, Robyn, (1984, June 13), Of woman born- technologies to opposing them was common and but for how long?. The AGE, p. 11; Rowland. Robyn, reflected a great deal of careful thought and analysis. It (1985, March 6), Why curb the business of test-tube is inaccurate and simplistic to label their opposition as a pregnancy, The AGE, p. 24; Rowland, Robyn, (1987, Luddite dismissal of technology as many of January 30), Where do embryos come from?. The AGE, FINRRAGE’s opponents have done. p. 18; Rowland, Robyn, (1987, March 30), Woman’s 7. Rowland’s resignation received an enormous rights, a basic issue. The AGE, p. 7; Rowland, Robyn, amount of media coverage across Australia. She became (1987. October 2), Women-the silent victims of IVF a figure the public wanted to know more about. For research, The Herald; Scutt, Jocelynne, (1988. December example, one newspaper article pictured Rowland 30), Why women don’t win from IVF, The Herald. playing the Irish fiddle, and in addition to reporting her Examples of coverage Klein received: Cafarella, criticism of reproductive technology, discussed her Jane, (1989, January 25), The IVF Experience. The marital status and love of cooking. AGE, p. 18; Crawford, Patricia, (1989, October 2), IVF 8. Before the creation of FINNRET, and based on program “a health risk that should be abandoned,” The her donor program research, Rowland submitted three Australian, p. 6; KizUos, Kathy, (1989, June 1), Why papers on AID/AIH to the Committee to Consider the this woman says the IVF program is BAD MEDICINE, Social, Ethical and Legal Issues Arising from IVF. The Herald. Louis Waller, the former Chair of the Committee, said, 13. Much of The AGE’S critical coverage of “her research was very important because it balanced a reproductive technology, and the inclusion of an lot of assertions that had been made to us about the opposition feminist view, must be attributed to Rosemary desperate need for anonymity if these programs were West, editor of the ACCENT page (approximately half a going to go on.” Rowland also testified before the page. run twice a week). West considers ACCENT to be Committee about the “Moral and Social Issues in a kind of “affirmative action” page. As a result, feminist Embryo Research and IVF.” However, this occurred in points of view and general women’s issues are given a June 1984 and the legislation had already been legitimacy not often found in the media. submitted to Parliament. 14. Tonti-Filippini told me he believes that he 9. These comments refer to the creation of specific started raising superovulation related issues as early as government structures to benefit women. A 1982. I did not find any evidence of this in the general phenomenon that accompanied this was women entering media. However, he certainly has raised these issues government bureaucracies as self-identified feminists, since FINR-RAGE began to raise them.
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University Infertility Medical Centre; Max Charlesworth, Member, VSRACI, Member, Albury, Rebecca. (1987). “Babies kept on ice”: aspects NBCC; Christine Crowe. Founder, of the Australian press coverage on IVF. Australian Feminist Studies. 4, 43–71. FINRRAGE/ Sydney; Heather Dietrich, Carbines, Louise, & Metherell, Mark. (1982, February Member, NBCC, Former New South Wales 13). Test-tube baby programmes: the moral issues. Coordinator, FINNRET; Tricia Harper, The AGE, Saturday Extra, pp. 6–7. Former secretary, Asche Committee, Former Klein, Renate, & Rowland, Robyn. (1988). Women as convenor, Victoria Women’s Advisory test-sites for fertility drugs: clomiphene citrate and hormonal cocktails. Reproductive and Genetic Council, Former member. National Women’s Engineering, 1, 251–274. Consultative Council; Jasna Hay, Member, Koval, Ramona. (1989, August 19). Giving or denying VSRACI, former member, Victoria Committee women a choice? The AGE, Saturday Extra, p. 10. to Consider the Social, Ethical and Legal Pirrie, Michael. (1990, May 26). Made to order, the Issues Arising from IVF; Caroline Hogg, perfect baby. The AGE, Saturday Extra, pp. 1, 4. Ramp, Esther. (1986). Labouring the point. Scarlet Victoria Minister for Health, Labor Party; lan Woman. 22, 4–5. Johnston, IVF Doctor, Royal Women’s Rodell, Susanna. (1985, February 1–7). Uproar over Hospital/Freemason’s Clinic; Ramona Koval, plan for firm to sell uni’s in-vitro skills. The Former participant in FINRRAGE, radio National Times, p. 17. journalist; Anne Lucas, Chair, CONCERN Rowland, Robyn. (1986). Chatback. Scarlet Women, 23, 35-36. Infertility Support Group; Judith Lumley, Rowland, Robyn. (1987, March 30). Woman’s rights, a Member, VSRACI; Marie Meggit, basic issue. The AGE, p. 7. Spokesperson, Association of Relinquishing Tonti-Filippini, Nicholas. (1990). Ethical issues in the Mothers; Calvin Miller, Medical/Science disposition of spare embryos. Proceedings of the Editor, The Herald Newspaper; Michael 1990 St. Vincent’s Bioethics Conference Melbourne. Pirrie, Medical Reporter, The AGE Newspaper; Peter Singer, Director, Monash University Centre for Human Bioethics; Rose Sorger, Research and information FINRRAGE members officer, Healthsharing Women; Marie Tehan, Christine Ewing, doctoral student in Victoria Shadow Minister for Health, the immunology and arthritis, FINRRAGE Liberal Party; Nick Tonti-Filippini, Former (Australia) coordinator; Sarah Ferber, doctoral Director, St. Vincent’s Bioethics Centre; student in 17th century French history; Lariane Louis Waller, Chair, VSRACI, Former Fonseca, Women’s health activist and Chair, Victoria Committee to consider the women’s bookstore co-owner; Dr. Renate Social, Ethical and Legal Issues Arising Klein, lecturer in Women’s Studies; Dr. Robyn from IVF; Rosemary West, ACCENT editor, Rowland, Associate Professor, Coordinator of The AGE Newspaper. (All of the individuals Women’s Studies; Dr. Jocelynne Scutt, interviewed spoke only for themselves. Barrister. Affiliations are indicated for informational purposes. Drs. Carl Wood and Alan At-large participants Trounson declined to speak with me. Susan Jan Aitken, Former member, Victoria Ryan, who was largely responsible for Standing Review and Advisory Committee on setting up the National Bioethics Infertility (VSRACI); Rebecca Albury, Consultative Committee during her tenure as Member, National Bioethics Consultative federal Cabinet Minister for Education and Committee (NBCC); Louise Bowen, IVF Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Counselor, Epworth Hospital Monash Status of Women, also declined.)
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