This page Miss Universe Bruiser The nexf page Evelyn Hartogh - the stuntman with breasts The one after Miss Chux Super Wipe AJ Rochester Bee Newham Hello Verve! In the Mud Warning: Drama - the woman who wears herself like a Sam Ailwood Chicl(s Flix revisited cheap magazine M Smithurst and Bridget Hayes M Smithurst Surf camp Feline Web zine Jannean Arkinsall Women in Business J Daniels Nicole Mathlson Aspasia and Hypatia Rowan Woods Evelyn Hartogh N Leys Schmoozing on through p 24 ft 25 Film J Daniels Tulipan - Moo Baulch DIY Dcsignerism The Need - Abbie Trot Semper on the streets at the stalls M Smithurst Deb Conway - Katie Scott Women in the local art industry Safe Place CDs Kirsten Matthews The Fe-'tilily Clinic wrangle Women in the sex industry X-Stacy - Nicola Hawker Corina McKay Abortion Reform Meme Ruth Ratcliffe Prose And hello to a bondage Mistress Indonesian Student protests Top Chick Zanny Begg union reports bulletin board mapping Rachael Jennings DoughTyres Revue M Smthurst - photos by Richard Billingham untitled (UK) 1993 (his parents, actual
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A big champers to you nil and npolofjies to all those whose work ended ii]) prey to the knife. for whatever reasons. Shoddy art dccoiipagc direction in this edition was done by Margaret Sniithtirst - "It's easy, all you need is a Stanley knife, a couple of people with limbs and a good computer programme." Anthony Taaffe and Nicola Hawker, the rublications pair with Valiants, both agreed that yes, art dccoupage might just be the next big thing in appropriativc art practice. Jane, how ever, is still stuck in the Tonia Todnian decoupage mindset and won't hear of anything being bastardised except cherubs.
Semper is a University of Qld student publication and tries to remember the Student Union when re-direeting all of its problems, Bcdc Nicholson, the Presidcjii, hn.s auilioriscd ilii.s paper, thoroughly. VSU Bad For All - Worse for Women wl •«•• the lcuer;i Irom the people who c&re Women's fees funds women's departments - takr away Hie lees and you iosc To tile Hditors, the department, it's Ihal easy. When voluntary (or Anti) Student Unionism is 1 congratulate you on producing a worthless piece of Dear Hditors, introduced one o* two things happens: crup you named Semper no.i. You made fools out of your '. Trie leg!slati()n 's IKC I! IS ir Vietoi.n and slurlents still liave to pay a Ice. Ihev selves in many instances, forcxnmpic, referring to Joe Decades of leminisi-inspired (tax payer funded) just get to deride whether it (joes to the uni or the student association, If you're Nadlcr's brother as "apparently he's a nice lad too" even "affirmative action" has contributed to women now out Ijcky, most students choose to maintain student control over student affairs, pay though he's in the army. Does lhi.s imply that you think in numbering men a( university, yet the percentage of the fee to the union and the women's department is saved (pnew). Oil, general, people in the service are to be avoided because per women in full-time work has increased barely 1% since 2. The Icyislation is lil.c i! is in Western Australia and sluden'.s choose whelher to haps they love violence and all things nasty? That's the the 1950s [The Sydney Morning Herald 21.4.98). Judi contribute to essential services or not, and as a result of massive cuts in funding impression I received, and 1 can say for myself I've become a Moyland (Minister for the Status of Woitier.) recently the so called iion-essentia! areas like the women's department arc slashed. better person since I joined the army, I've learnt things I stated that although about 60% if all law graduates are Voluntary student unionism (VSU) is about removing the right of students Ic would not L.avc otherwise - real life skills - bents working at women, within seven years of entering the profession, organise and atjitate against attacks on our rights from the jniversiiy, from the some greasy fast fond chain any day. presumably because of the onset of motherhood (in most (jovernmen; and soc.ety and general, leaving behind a social etub aliov/ed only to Now 1 do not want to make you feci too bad, so I will cases). There are plenty of men out there wiio would give organise non-threatening activity such as dances. only criticise one more article. The article written by Craig their right arm for the chance to gain a law degree, and Under VSU tliefc are no fee funded (ic. protected) studert newspapers, no ral Melrose, entitled "Whose Lucky Country?". most of them would commit themselves to the profession lies, no informative material - basically ro protection. It is easy to see how the Now 1 am of the view that we should thank our lucky for life-time. Yet here wc have all these women literally removal of this pro'ective barrier unions provide is bad for students. But it is pe.'- stars for the .service men and women who were willing to throwing their "careers" away after a few lousy years! No risk their lives for you and I by defending this country doubt there are other professions iii which women make haps not as obvious nov^ the effects of \,'SU put women in a more precarious against invasion, particularly the Japanese onslaught. You a mockery of their education by performing the same position. seem to have pity on the Japanese invaders, and make the wasteful "disappearing trick" into maternal oblivion. This Women students not only have issues such as education cuts, people who defended this country against them appear to be all amounts to a monumental and shamefu, waste of Austudy/Abstudy cuts, the Common Youth Allowance, the West Review, privitisa- racist. Tlie USA did their best to avoid the war for as long as training, resource, money aiul opportunity. No wonder tion, and up-lront lees. In addition, women campaign around and experience possible, but when the Japanese bombed pearl harbour very recent governments have kicked up a fuss over university issues such as sexual harassment, rape, safety on campus, gender exclusive course heavily for no reason besides their own greediness, they had costs! material/ language, and pregnancy and reproductive rights. It is these things and no choice but to retaliate. Then 1 think of alt the diggers and "nic obvious solution is to offer less undergraduate the need for a space to organise around them that are the base for a creation many of their mates captured as POWs and being constantly places to women and more to men! All too often, educat and continuation of v.'omert's departments, women's rooms and paid v/omcn's tortured, sometimes to death by being beheaded, or choking ing women means a veiy poor return on investment for officers. from water from a hose which had been rammed down their the community. Compounding the problem is the curious Unfortunately, when funds are cut to student associations and they are throat, and many other forms of death which really are habit females have of enrolling in courses which offer forced to cut budgets and embrace user pays, what actually eventuates is loser unmentionable. Then Craig wonders about the gallant few employment prospects on graduation - humanities Australian Soldicrs(sonic of who's mates were tortured to pays - the biggest loser being women. Often organisations are cornered into the for example . death} and how they could say things such as "We must misguided assumption that 'women's issues' and 'queer issues' can covered by the Yours faithfully, exterminate the Japanese." Also, the point he makes that welfare, education, or worse, equity officers, and that a separate women's depart Tony Blain some Japanese Soldiers were killed after the war - when the ment is no longer necessary or sustainable. Australian Soldiers entered the Japanese I'OW camps to free Whetiicr you say you use the services provided by your student union or not - their mates, they were filled with horror and extreme anger, it is impossible not to. Not many students make it through university without and 1 would place bets that you would kill the person And then, this one... ever seeking financial assistance, education advice, employment matching, having responsible and any helpers if they did it to ONE of your best 3 beer at a student run pub, eating at a student run refectory or coffee shop, or friends let alone many. But Craig seems to have pity on the needing to talk to women's department staff about something. Japanese, saying that during the war, wc became racist, and hello ALL IMPOVERISHED MALES have been ever since. It's like this, when two pcoplefor I'm looking for a UQ student in a similar situation to When it comes to the student organisations everyone's a user. nations) have a fight, they might not talk to each other for a nic, ic., unhappily dependent on parents, who would while. But, it is possible that the two people(nations) can get be interested in a marriage of convenience to be able Lven if the services don't seem to be relevant to you right now, there is a high back together again, sort out their differences and become to qualify as an independent student for the purpos best fricnds(allies). 1 believe that this is happening tod.iy chance they will be at some stage. A user-pays ideology doesn't work. And it es of Austudy. Tins is not a lonely hearts ad -1 need between Australia and Japan, and that although it is hard to especially doesn't work for wotncn's services and services provided by the student someone who would have no ethical qualms about forget the past, we can learn from our mistakes and not let doing this and is able to appreciate that it would union in general. They are emergency services - they are provided for the ting them liappen again. Tlic people that fought for defence extremely needy and usually at a time when they can least afford or concentrate involve little more than getting a marriage certificate of this nation have my full respect, (and eventually, a divorce). If you're seriously inter on paying for it. ested please send contact details c/o the Student For v/omen, part of safety on campus is the presence of 3 well funded, well Do not hag the service men and women of your country. They abhor violence just as much as anybody else. But they Welfare OfTice in the Student Union Building at UQ organised and accessible women's department. We all have a part to play in arc prepared to risk their lives for you and 1 (and other marked with "Response to Mary's Letter". women's safety and the breaking down of barriers for women on campus and the nations in distress) and for that they deserve respect. 1 do Mary most effective way to coordinate the diverse ways of doing this is through the not agree with war. 1 do not think anyone docs, but 1 agree women's department at university with defending this nation, and if people such as yourselves do not wish to he a part of the defence of this great nation, DEFLND WOMEN'S Dff'ARTMfNTS - IIGIIT VOIUNTARY STUDENT UNIONISM IN then at least respect the people who do. Take your whinges ALL ITS lORMS -11 IS NOIHIMG BUT AN ATTACK OM STUDLNTS. to the government, because they arc the ones who are ulti mately responsible for war. Cynthia Kennedy - NUSQ Officer Peter Strong
Find lots of books at The University Bookshop E UNIVERSITY Open 7 (liiys - l>li: (07) 3:i6.'S 2(nl Fax; (07) ,S36.'5 1977 >n«rt9?BiiinTnR9i The response to the Conflict edition gave us footi for thought. Some people enthusiastically praised it for reminding them of issues they'd forgotten and/or welcomed information on; others, and tliis was not un-anticipated, decried it's seri ousness, harping back to the first edition as tlie example of what tliey'd like to see more of; and others found tiie idea worthwhile but much of the content naive and/or biased. The last is what encourages response from us. Without trying to sound glottal, there is a seriousness in what we are here (at uni) for, and inseparably, there is life's absurdity. AJthough it shouldn't be so, we find that they are both equally difficult to qualitatively execute in a uni maga zine. Universities are notorious for idiocy and brilliance, indeed often brilliant idiots, and it is the editors' duty to nudge either the brilliance or the idiocy to get the intended result. First, of course, you have to know where to find them. These factors truncate many editorial intentions, meaning a lapse into spit fire impromptu at the last. For when you think you can tackle a new idea every month, you are at the mercy of time con straints and your ability to find the most astute contributors, to whom you can only really offer loyalty, not money. Success, to paraphrase Victor Hugo, is incidental. Dammit, but it must be so. Even absurdity takes conceited writing. The best student mag probably demands a balance of both absurdity and reality (perhaps in not as extreme a format as the last edition), and with the post-modcniist writers filling up tlie rear. The Conflict edition was an attempt at something Welcome to the Semper 1998 Women's Edition, the CHAM- beyond tlie standard tabloid reportage. Wc know that it wasn't PAGNE/WAREHOUSE/TRASHCAN Edition - because we didn't want The Economist's standard or breadth, but it had to be tried. And it is possibly something that should really be carried fur to be so literal about it. And because they're a bunch of fairly gen ther via instalments throughout the year. At the risk of sound der neutral objects that you should all be able to relate to in some ing serious.... way. Tiie common ground between us can't be that small. This is the edition where the editors work with the Women's Collective, The result of this sometimes tricky collaboration has been a series of snapshots from women's lives - women in business, in art, in film, in the political arena, in music, in philosophy, in swimsuits with ribbons - and so on. There are a number of interviews in this, an approach we thought was an ideal way for you to get a glimpse of their everyday lives. Here arc women who control the businesses that are their lives - and that, in modem Australia, encompasses everything from humour to contemporary art to the body politic to academia to the internet. We're lucky really, there are so many opportunities out there.,..and at the same time, room still needs to be cleared to access them. Feminism, it seems, is as pluralistic as each of us, and is just as subject to the shifting grounds of the everyday...and the moment. Thus, one person's point of view on the matter won't necessarily be another's. Recognition of this is important. As each woman is an individual, so is her point of view on assertiveness, autonomy and the agency with which to direct herself. Good oh.
Margaret Smithurst Et Jane Daniels with thanks to Alissa Macoun and the Women's Collective Introducin g social diarist Verve Archer, who no one likes.
Pick one night, any night? Loo| I'd have to say the Tuesday. I must say. Wokc up in one of the must say 1 knew it'd be easy. They Packed myself off to The Capitol to Smith ft Stonelcy gallery painting showed me the window, which with catch that clever little three-piece, Yd racks on Saturday morning, dribbling alarming speed showed me the white Am I. Caused myself riotous laughte down the side of a Rausclicnburg atty- lines on the street. 1 tell you, my nose with witty adaptations of Ihiiuj fits just call it art sized shelf, i decided that the fastest way to hasn't been that close to white lines the name. Amusing stuff. There's sex wasn't at all surprised at this, I never the nearest espresso den was head since the time we 'tipped the sugar' at near that boy, that young Tinimy, so am, and got on with peeling a Ben down onto the fioorboards, so to save Jameson's using tlieir menus and the much sex that I'd planned to meet and Prost painting off my face, leaving time 1 picked my eyelids apart on the bathroom mirror we yanked out and greet the band afterwards at the BMG just enough mascara smudges behind way. Somehow I got the buggers laid on the floor. But 1 did pull my drinkies with the words "Is this where to remind him that I'd like to sec more open in time to register a $2000 Pip bits together enough to mentally type we have sex now?" and a knowing sexiness in his line work. I tried to tell Haydon nail painting lying on the face how well a rich liquid red sits on snigger. Of course, and this isn't as rare him that last night but the silly prat floor and 1 must say I'm glad 1 saw it a strong white, particulariy when the as it ought to be, they did the ol' just wanted to talk about his new before it indented my Ultima 18-hour background's a gritty charcoal. bouncer swap and wouldn't let me hairstyle and bow he'd won best cement foundation. Again let me put Actually, I regret having been so upstairs the second time 'round, so 1 screenplay with it. Or something like to you the power of Pip's work. That quick to scoff at the huge bandaids never got to suss out his hotel-room that. But he's everywhere so I'll catch really brought it home. It's a colour from their last exhibition. I really can response. 1 presume he would have him next time I head out and verb. scheme that's close to my heart. be playfiilly ironic sometimes. But swung his head a few times and half Verbing Verve, that's what they used I'd have to say that the fall de solace is a bon-bon so 1 contented shut his eyes at me. Sexy stuff Must to call me at Sarina's. But tracks arc composed me for a second and left me myself by sucking down one of the say though, there's something in a red best when you're on them, not the with a left cheek full of such well handful of licorice alsorts I'd picked shirt that makes him a lady killer. And other way around. So I'll get back to placed nail-induced acne that even a off an art piece ft-omth e hanging buf 1 am partial to an obviously cheap the shelf. dermatologist would think twice fet of the night before, one of a num haircut. But look, my source tells me before calling in the Roaccutanc and ber of reasons, I presume, that kick- they're doing well on the Japanese cir removing the pattem. But 1 overcame started Renai and Tracey's karate busi cuit and that ray of sunshine, Liam my urge to shed the Red Sea and ness acumen. Gallagher, thinks they're so good he managed to crawl over and knock on But look, it was the only way to swore at them. Personally, I could han Renai and Tracey's office door, the end the week, a week of pitiless party dle a little less guitar but it's not to be two curators I'd so carefully dropped ing and binge. Where 10 drinks in an - pop's cliquey. They like the clever my name on the night before. hour meant that you were designated lyricists so no one cares if your sound's driver. Of course, I've narrowly avoid crap. Nice hollow sound. Pop. Pop ed that for years now, having only poppedy pop. What's pop. Poppo. ever possessed a Learner's. When they Popside toes. Popov. Pop off, you lot I move the licence on from a dank yel That's what Liam should be saying. low then you'll see me keeping left Pop Off! 1 like that. Sounds like some with the best of them. thing I'd say. She's the Business by Nic Mathison n the cutthroat, dog-eat-dog microcosm of commerce, it is brutal survival of the fittest that determines which small businesses fall Iby the wayside as so much road-kill with corporate chains swooping in over the carcass to negotiate new leasing arrangements. Statisticians, who have gone carefully into the figures - the name of the Department of Tourism, Small Business ft Industry is one that springs to mind - inform us that of all small businesses, approximately 31% go out of business in the first year of operation,
460/0 in the 2nd, 57% in the 3rd, 60% in the 4th and 65% in the 5th. Oi ro Small business success requires a combination of skills. Common tasks include undertaking thorough SWOT marketing analyses, conducting TQM (Total Quality Management) customer a service, keeping abreast of quixotic government-imposed legal requirements and all the while having one eye firmly tethered to the bottom line on the balance sheet. A bit of vacuum Q) ing know-how doesn't go astray either. It's evident that the ability to multi-task is a pre-requisite for a golden future, and with the DNA-coded ability to do so, women have an edge over competition, obviouslY- Semper scoured the streets of Brisbane to interrogate women who talk the talk, walk the walk and network the network with panache, all at the same time. Books on Brunswick: Kim Sole Proprietorship Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley rppA^- Walking at twilight over pavement strewn with litter and street papers, past the downcast faces of people losing diminishing hope of the bus ever arriving, slowly inhaling the heady mixture of stale sweat, rotting remnants and carcino gens. This is Fortitude Valley, an appropriate set ting for a purveyor of fine literature with a predilection for beat writing. Yet as one of the Valley's most sumptuously decorated establishments, Books on Brunswick's interior is far removed from the gritty decay of a beat existence. Warm light spills through the open doorway, books abound, art-for-sale fills available niches and Kim provides comfortable armchairs. I ply the canny business- i woman with vino in a transparent ''~ attempt to get answers to hard-hitting questions,
Kim dived into the deep end of running a business upon being asked to manage Reads' West End bookshop in 1994. From there she sought new challenges, moving on to Financial analysis holds little attraction, "I'm a non-believer in knowing where the money's working as a researcher in rare Australian prints going, but this unbusinesslike approach has certainly had consequences. Someone who was and rare Australian historical records at Sydney's n't a book lover could probably do better than me in business. Thanks to graphic design, Lawson's Auctions and then setting up the third books now are an art thing where purchases are made according to whether the book looks Reads'.<;hop in Fortitude Valley. This experience proved good, not what's In it." invaluable when she became attached to the idea of starting her own business. Benefits of running the shop include being able to choose her own hours "which is useful when I want to close up for an hour and have a game of pool with Pete at Tarmac next door.", being answerable only to herself and getting to read books during slow periods. The She was "young and naive" when opening Books on Brunswick in August 1995. She was also lack of anonymity is frustrating and she hasn't taken a holiday in more than a year, the shop quite far from the madding hordes. "When I first came to the Valley it was empty, then it is generally open every day except Saturday, which is wearing as a sole proprietor. started thriving". The shop was started with the high-minded desire to stock books that weren't available in the average Brisbane bookshop and to provide quality literature that was Presently staving off exhaustion with a quota of two glasses of wine a night to unwind, otherwise only available in libraries (if it hadn't been stolen). Among her first stock were Kim's future plans for Books on Brunswick Involve solidifying its current position. She might American Psycho, Satanic Verse and books on psychedelics which few other shops were will also take a brief holiday. ing to risk selling. In any case, the Queensland government has since banned the sale of books on psychedelics (though they can be bought over the border), penalising non-con formist stores with harsh fines.
Books on Brunswick was self-funded by Kim. No government assistance was available. Advertising consists of a variety of media advertisements, flyers, word of mouth and printed cards. Other aspects of the business include tracking public literature interests, reading new Australian work, hunting for more obscure books for customers and being civil to the con would not have proceeded without that support. Rachel found stant stream of nutters drifting through the Valley (the latter point Is this writer's observa that whereas undertaking projects on her own leads to the ten tion). dency to begin thinking you're going mad, the partnership inspired no such fear. Licorice Allsorts: Kitty & Rachel Business Partnership The business was based through a post-office box, with stock Mail-Order Business - postponed for now stored from home In Rachel's apartment. Marketing Included the actual catalogue and word of mouth. They did quite a lot ( Licorice Allsorts in Its lirst Incarnation was a mall-order financial planning, committing equal amounts of their own fun sex catalogue business, "run by women for women for the initial stages. However, hopes were pinned on recelvi and our lovers". Planning for the business began a government grant through the NEIS (New Enterprise Inltiatlvf in October 1996, with Kitty and Rachel primarily Scheme) scheme, however their application was refused Interested In Inlluencing public attitudes because It was considered a business that would bring the gov towards women and sex. Neither had started a ernment Into disrepute. business before, and thought It would be a fun opportunity to work together as both had lots of Licorice Allsorts came up against more antagonism Ihan antlcl ideas. Initial research involved studying the pated In terms of Initially setting up the business. They found industry, visiting a lot ol sex shops, buying a lot themselves having to choose words carefully after being turnei of products and conducting product research. down by desktop publishers who were asked to create the cata logue, who were worried of what other clients might think. As Both learnt a great deal from the experience. could be expected In the sex Industry, there were lots of prank Working In a partnership suited both, as they feed off calls. The business also attracted a client base they hadn't ta each other to see It through generating mutual enthusiasm. geted, with men usually calling to ask about products. Some A partnership Is a very supportive environment to be In, Kitty wanted simple to get lesbian type features In a catalogue, whi
PARTS, OF ORIGINAL DOCUME Carolyn Huglies: Pre- Abigails: Eileen Surepuss & Ima Hero. Publishing Tlie idea for the Pre-Publishing busi- Business Partnership Sole Proprietorship ne.ss stnick during a lethargic discussion Situated wherever they lay their tophats - venues to date have Working from Home with her still current boss about dream jobs. included the Buffalo Club, Tlie Capitol and current locale, The Tivoli Carolyn's dream scenario was "Being paid to re.id." Suddenly realising that pre-pub- Here we sit amongst the opulent art creates killer do's which stay in place lishing was .such a business, she got busy. noweau surrounds ol The Tivoli. even if upside dov/n (58 pins is the Oveiy,EasteV 1997, she prei)ared business Eileen Surepuss, clad in a flimsy silk current record). MissT the makeup cards together and sent desperately plead blouse, perches herself on the edge artist is adorable One needs profes ing letters to all Bri.sbane publishers. Fate of a pea green sofa detailed with sionals." intei-vcned - "You've usually got to wait for gold embroidery delicately offset by someone to die in publishing for a position wall draperies of a deeper hue. Abigails has qualified for no govern to come up. 1 was lucky, someone went to Silhouetted by exquisite mood ment assistance ("Even with the quali India." lighting, the vermilion-headed- ty of entertainment provided with one vixen leans closer to reply huskily cast member in the Philharmonic Pre-publishing, an amalgam of evalu to my incise, brutal questioning. Orchestra, two members in opera and ation for the publisher's market, proofread another in theatre/film/TV"). Neither ing and highlighting text discrepancie.s, has high requirements. Pre-publishing general Abigails blossomed in February does it attract major brand-name spon ly takes the form of a contracring arrange 1996. born of Miss Surepuss" sorship. It is totally self-funded. ment and qualifications are thoroughly desire to perform again, "There Abigails continues for the love of it, if examined. A degree (BA generally) is was a dearth of good entertain money were the primary consideration essential and most publishers check the ment, so I decided to create it they would have quit early. GPA. "You also need the abilit>' to knock myself." Eileen describes Abigails on doors and look hungry." as "Entertainment inspired by Advertising takes the form of word of Benny Hill and Top of the Pops. mouth and direct mail. Direct mail Advantages of working from home V/iih a 90's edge" Indeed, if works better than street paper adver include the considerable perk of being able mere words can do it justice, this tising, they do some advertising, but to work in her pyjamas on the couch at home with the cat. Low overheads are fine comes closest to penetrating the only limited runs to reduce expenses. too. A separate office is ver>' important (at enigma that is the multi-faceted Budgeting is thorough, including pro least separate from the rest of the house). cocktail and cabaret sensation. jections of the numbers needed fo cover costs. The amount of network Utilising the acclaimed FIFO (first in first out) business practice, Carolyn does As may be expected. Eileen and Ima ing undertaken "Depends on how jobs as tiiey ariive - "Tlicy come in the Hero (Abigails Business Brains and tnuch I have to drink, when I have a mail, I read them. I write a report, I send Eileen's business partner) continue few martinis I'm all over the shop." them back." It's not glamorous, not all with Abigails because they love hosting They've encountered linle sexual dis cocktail lunches and olives on tootlipicks. it. The alter-egos of both Eileen and crimination in business. 'There's not She is yet to compromise her morals in Ima continue working full-time in so much in the club industry because 'ousiness, "I never slept with anyone I didn't other employment, as Abigails is held when I approach businesses I'm fairly like. I'm also honest in reports to publish sporadically and any profit Is put back forthright. If I encounter discrimina ers, you have to be cruel to be kind to peo into the business. "There's a lot of tion I won't deal with them again, and ple sending in manuscripts." She runs the Brisbane talent that doesn't get send them bad karma." Miss Surepuss business because she enjoys it. There is exposed. We try to keep it fresh and remains a professional when working, inadequate remuneration for the work. one step ahead, taking it to different although she is wont to do table- "Money is the wrong reason to get into levels each time. Listening to people's top/pool-^table-top dancing at the end publishing." She has not encountered sex suggestions, even if you don't adopt of the night and liberally share around ism in the business, "Except for in the Licorice Allsorts did not provide in any case them is important. Abigails provides a the Jatz and Cabanossi. manuscripts themselves. In pubhshing, with their policy of not featuring body Images. different club atmosphere, its not women are higher up than in most profes loud, not serious and it's not simply a Upcoming Abigails Soirees ai The Tivoli, 52 Cosiin sions." When the grant didn't come through, they big pickup club." Street, Fortiiude Valtey/Bowen Hills, Enqumes realised that to take the organisation further telephone 3852 1711 (Tivoli): Additional components of the busi Marguerifa Madness • 13 June ® The Tivolt trom ness include frequenting bookshops (which - would require a lot of marketing, by which For each Event, Ima and Eileen enlist 9prn is what she'd be doing anyway) to see lime both had realised the degree to which the aid of a dedicated cast of profes Dress: Cocktail aliirc Cocktail Night wiih dnnk cards (6th cockiail what's popular, looking out for niches that they'd underestimated time and energy sionals. Apart from Eileen, entertain free) come up and keeping up with journals, required by the business. Unfortunately both ers indude "Dudley Singh - Song Stylist. The Formal • 2 7 June ® The Tivoli from J Opni trends in literature and people. Combining were employed full-time outside Licorice Dusty Limits - Bundamba Beauty (dis III late an academic career with the business is Allsorts. While the business had received con- covered in a caravan park with Busty Cost: SIO members. 112 non members Wear the dress you wore or you wish you'd worn useful, as your name gets known tluough : siderable Interest and support, they came to a Limits). Charmaine Wentworth - our Corsages ai the door, table service journals. "Networking is crucial because mutual decision to put It aside until they had Delicate Artihcial Rose with a love of If you want 10 go on (he mailing lisl. call Darlene that's where you get your work from. The i more free time and money to devote. The door baby's breath and sensible shoes. Flick on 0412 032909 publishing scene is very social, you've got ' is not shut on the business however, as the Colby - Ex-porn Star expanding his to be in circulation." Financially, "there are underlying basis for Its formation was the poli- horizons and bringing offensive sexual low overheads through working at home, I tics of women's sexuallly and sexual power. overtones to every song he sings. The but I do plan for the tax biU. I'm presently Current Ideas are the production of a book cel Pacific Princess Dancers - The Hottest. saving to gear up and do more promorion. ebrating playing around with sex as opposed to Sultriest Dance-Troupe in Town, and You have to have another job to support I keeping quiet about It and the desire to high Pat the Rat - Guesf Performer (will be light alternative images of women enjoying yourself, because with my mortgage I need I their sexuality as opposed to prescribed Ideas to ensure all bills are covered. The business flown in from Sydney for the next ! such as their not being lultllled until they have could function on its own if I slogged pub show I." multiple orgasms etc. licity, but at the moment it's a sideline ven ture that will be built up as required." On the job perks include "working Future plans are to extend this business, with good designers for great outfits, and get into other areas of pubUshing, having a very understanding hairdress whether through her own business or as er, Mr Wayne Wtenberger, who always employee. • • • • ,«••>».>
Is the lull in Brisbane's independent publishing coming to an end? Jane Daniels meets Schmoozer. the latest offering from two of Brisbane's would be publishing moguls... 3^
i • • JUST S(HH00ZING
The other day I went round to the Micrc do you want Schmoozer to go? In direction? In content? upstairs-at-the-Capitol office of the editors Cassy: To pay. of Schmoozer, Belinda and Cassy. Belinda: My vision of it wasn't to be music based, but the first edition was. Belinda has been part of the Brisbane Unfortunately we can't get out of that music industry for some years now, working because that is what ,Jr^- most of our audi at Triple 2 in 1991-92 and responsible for ence is - that's our link. We've got a starting its Market Days. From there, she concept now of wrote for BUMS (Brisbane Underground how wc want to go with our feature arti Music Scene), and then got together with cles - little bits and Paul Curtis to do Scorch, She then went off pieces that flesh it out and make it a to Melbourne to complete a Media degree at monthly read, so it's La Trobe, where she was an editor for something that you flick through and Rabelais, the most contentious uni paper of go, it's just adver tising for bands com recent years - and that's Just for its layout. ing up. The second Returning from Melbourne late last year, will be Asian flavour. Wc are Belinda was keen to start a new publication. doing a lot of Cassy: I went oveiseas thoroughly pissed off Cassy, with a Journalism degree from things on Asian idenrity and personalities, people within the Asian region who influ with Brisbane. I'd finished my degree with UQ, has been writing for Rave since 1996. ence work and culture. We also will continue honours in English which means nothing, and got offered a job in a bookstore. So I She has also been involved with Triple Z so the concept introduced in the first edition with the '70s article. In the next we'll have went to Japan and taught for a year. Over the inevitable happened and Belinda's and an 80s, then the 90s, and after that we'll do there 1 thought, Brisbane's not so bad, there a future article. was all these opportunities that I didn't chase Cassy's paths crossed. On up. Christmas Eve last year Cassy Curious as to why two young individuals with the first momthiv experience in the music industry and in publishing With a launch at the Chelsea in early May, agreed to help Belinda as would want fo hang around Brisbane to start their Schmoozer is off to a great start. The editors are happy, though poor, and the readers seem happy assistant editor in publishing new publication, I asked the inevitable question, 'So what do you think of Brisbane?' as well. Schmoozer. A momentous So what else is there to discuss? may SS I reluctantly raise the topic of this being the moment. Belinda: I was here in Brisbane and hit a FREE brick wall. 1 had managed bands, been Women's edition of Semper. I explained how the So far, only one edition of around, and really felt I needed to go to uni. process of putting this edition together was quite So 1 went back to Melbourne, where 1 grew different from what I envisaged, and to be hon Schmoozer has been up, and started as a mature age student. It's est, somewhat difficult I was interested in find ing out Belinda's and Cassy's opinions on issues released, and the second's such a big town, there's so much happening, so many people, talented people, and it's of men writing for the Women's edition and col due out in June. And over really hard to find your place. If you spent lective editorial processes based on their past experiences and present involvement in publish some coke, a helluva iotta many years there, you would still find your self not quite getting it together. Whereas ing cigarettes (and I don't Brisbane is one big country town, it's the biggest country town in the worid. And Belinda: I had this problem last year with smoke), and interruptions eveiyone knows eveiyone. I never thought 1 Rabelais when it came to the Women's edi that sounded like police raid would come back. But coming back was like, tion. I actually stood back and said I do not wow, this is such a nice place to live. I've want to have a thing to do with this - they warnings I spoke with the talked to people who have travelled all wanted to have a female-only space and 1 giris. around the world and come back and say said my office is not a female-only space. I this is a great place to live and do things, have male contributors and tJiey have every whether it's photography, or design, music, right to be here. I won on that account, but writing, anything - it's thriving. at the same time I stepped back and my co- Cassy too has experienced the 'I've been in editor handled the edition. She got no thanks Brisbane far too long' syndtrome and left. But for it, she was royally screwed over. And Cassy too found hersdf back; in Brisbane. then I got to do the Environment edition me. Cassy: And in the field of publishing, I don't think women arc disadvantcd. Me; What about the t>'pc of material available? I read an interesting article in another student paper that talked about the new onset of men's magazines. Belinda: Which I actually think is quite good. Me: But both men's and wotncn's maga zines exaggerate sexist and oppressive ^^"^•'' As a special discount for ideas of masculinity and femininity. And Ufiiversity of Queensland now these new magazines like Ralph and students, buy two or more new tyres frotn any Bob FIIM are much more acceptable than say '^rrT' Jane T-Mart and your front Playboy or Penthouse, because they're ?nd wheel aligtiment will only cost under the guise of being men's maga $15. Nornally costs $35. So, in fact, you pay zines that deal with serious issues, but less than ha'f p.nce. Simply present your current student ID card when you book and save $20. they're full of as much trash, content BONUS hasn't really changed much at all. Free aliginient after 5000km, Purchase Uvo or Belinda: But women's magazines have more tyres with a wheel al'gnment and receive a equally as much trash. frfio alignment after 5000km. Me: I'm not saying cither one is better. QS3 FREE PARKING ALL DAY Belinda: And it doesn't mean you can't when you lake advantage of this special offer pick up the men's magazines if you want to. 1 read both of them, TA nlNuM Cnr Wxrak & A'alef Streets fffil«m/inWfflM,!tonCte:V.e / realised we weren't going to resolve the THEPHONt: 3371 7300 argument, so I dropped it there and asked about mare important things like glossy cov ers and fonts and compared all the freebies DIAL 132B25 that come with being an editor of a maga for automatic connection to yoar nearest T-Mart. zine. Haven't paid to see a movie all year. BOB JANE which was wonderful even though hippies think I have enough grounding in left pol T-MARTS and 1 don't really get along that well. But I itics tliat we can make our own choices. If really did enjoy that and we had a good people have a problem with that, then write time. a letter to the editor. That's the kind of dis course wc would like to have with our Cassy: It's important not to ghettoise audience rather than having a policy. And 1 women, that's what we're talking about. think it's passe now too, having policies. Belinda: There was two women editors of We're at a point now where those issues Rabelais last year, and that had nothing to should be out the window. ^"^T%ROLL do with anything. And it's the same with Cassy: It's like we're women, but we don't (EX B R I S B A NT) Schmoozer. Gender is not an issue in need to push the feminist barrov/. I'm not Schmoozer. I'm completely opposed to it. saying that I'm not a feminist, no way. I Y D That's why when Cassy said you guys were am a feminist. But it is so integrally a part 1 coming in and it's the Women's edition, 1 of me. was like Oh God, I'm not sure. What I'd like Belinda: Whereas I don't feel that I am, to say is that in my being a woman, 1 don't Cassy: But Belinda you arc, because in my really see that as an issue affecting the idea of feminism, it is any woman who position 1 am in as editor of Schmoozer. doesn't take shit. Cassy: Gender doesn't come into this maga Me (At the risk of sounding incredibly Caiins $115 Melbourne $104 zine. Although having said that, a guy in wanky): It's about creating and being your Airlift Rfiach $ja6 Canberra $7Q an interview was using sexist langaugc. We own identity. You don't have to join a fem don't want to emphasise that we are inist bandwagon. MOsa $9X) Tamworth $aB women, but it's like, hey, non-sexist lan Belinda: But that's why I say I'tn not a fem Plus Many Regiooal Centres in Between & Beyond guage. inist. 1 would not use that label next to my Panels aid frti'ght tarrlad »u all serfitas Belinda: But that's the role of the editors. name. Welcome aboard Me: It's like setting up a policy. You have Jodie (a photographer waiting patiently in Australia's most modern no homophobic material, sexist or racist the corner): It really does depend on the fleet of coaches. material. definition of the word. People get scared off Wherever you want to Belinda: That's another thing actually. because feminism has so many connota go, we'll get you there When I started this 1 made a decision not to tions. in air-conditioned luxury. have any policies because I don't want any Belinda: I have had so much dealings in the For information and one pointing at me saying that you said music industry and a lot of people have bookings contact: STA said to me it's such a boy's club. I've never you wouldn't have any racist, homophobic Travel or McCafferty's or sexist material in the magazine. And had that problem. I've never come across what that means to individuals is complete sexism in the music industry and ! think ly different - eveiyone has their own con that's just reflective of who I am. And if 1 PH 13 14 99 WrU SET YOU THERi 'AI prices quoted tn studetiC tat* u Brisbaw, ( lntcmel: >vwwjTiccaffBftys.comjti ) cept of what sexism, what homophobia, get knocked back it's because of my person, one way and ubiecl to dunge wWnut nabce, and what racism is. And at the same time I not because I am a woman, it's because of '' THIS IS NOT ATING AGEN Semper jumps onto the pavemerit with a dictaphone and meets women \A^ho
ctually, seeing Joanna who owns Venus Deli was a Greece so he's major reason for this dodgy version of Front-Up ordered his car Ain the first place. This woman has customer ser back there. One of vice skills that Stefan would kill for - she can sell any those expensive thing just by moving one of her shoulders up and down. ones. He deals Apparently, 't's Greek for 'My husband doesn't know this v/ith shares and but there are some vcr/ sexy boys out there, don't you he's soooo up tell him, you know?' There must be a Joanna in every himself. But 1 suburban shopping centre, but we've never come across love him. Ohhh. one as laugh-a-minute as she is. He's only 10 years younger liiiiii! Hdlooo, my name's Joanna. This is the than me - 32. Women's Kdilioii? Women in business? Oh I'll tell you. You should never What do you want to know? ever have an affair What do I love nio.st about this Job? I get to meet nice with somebody your girls like you and good looking men. They like to flirt own age, didn't any ill here. body tell you that? He's And what docs your husband say? always got to be older or Nothing. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. younger so it's interesting. Serious now, this is an enjoyable job. Differcm cul Hi Sheryl! Where're you tures, different people everyday - they conic from all going?! To someone walking past) over the world. Oh yeah, well hurry up, move Jaci hh-O, 7(> your dvU? along tiovv! hiK- turns back to sen/e the girl) No, 1101 itia; riR'y.i''iM come for nvc'. It's Ju.sl when • H^,4 ,^,*..-»* .fv< »"*'.• •.ji>"';**"»- '•.»-^^ e then ran into Kirstin Mackay, 26 "he op-shops ladies are a special group. We all see them, but where Wyear old owner of Metal Urge, one do they come from? So we met Rose and Beryl from the Lifeline of the slickest looking piercing shops op-shop in Annerley. around, that comes complete with an (we had to coerce the ladies into this v,/ith a bit of sweet- assistant called Evil. talking, we'd already been rejected by the Aid For the How many body parts do you go through Blind lady) in a day? If it's a rriday. I'll do about seven or Rose: What do you think of this Beryl? eight. People seem to want to get their We're going on tape... bits dot:c for Triday nights. They just Hello, my name is Rose Herbert, and this want to shake their money-makers, so is Beryl. they gel tlicni pierced and then go out Well, I'm a volunteer here and i do it and v^eil. wiggle theni. because of the company, I'm 85 years Wlierc'tl you kiirn how to do all this? old and this is my 22nd year doing Did you team it from a course or can you voluntaiy v/ork. I've been at Lifeline just ;;iCf,' // up from driving nails into for 7 years and 1 was ! 5 years v/ith •vood? the Red Cross at Alderiey. A Red i did a DIY course, actually. Nooo, I Cross store like this one. used to work in a piercing shop in the So you must enjoy it? city and then i went and did my regis i do very much, but I think I'm getting tered ni.;rsing degree, where i started Hose- ah-d Pe-i^yl a bit beyond it nov;. But I'm glad I've doing really hideous and __^ met you people today, and '. meet nice invasive things in the ladies and gentlemen and I have a very Infectious Diseases ward, nice partner to work v/ith (she smiles at which is where I still work Beryl) because I'm a glutton tor Are you here ct>er}'day? punishment. Beryl: No, Rosie does Wednesdays and I-ridays So you're supplementing the Rose: I does Wednesday and Fridays business with those earnings? Beryl: I just do a Wednesday Yep, this is how I'm surviving It's a busy day and making my mortgage We have busy days and slow days repayments. So what do you think of the interest in the retro look? So wlicre'd thefundage come Oh, it's alright, 1 don't mind it but then you get interesting people from to set this place up? in to buy things don't you? See, we've got the Goth secrion The Bank of Mummy and Yes, you've got your sections worked out well Daddy. Good ol' Dad's retire Do you live near here? ^'ll-sfi Ifu ment package. I said to them I live just across the road from the hotel "How about you invest it Ihat's handy, you can just walk to ivork everyday <«,mm» To their class I owe a debt of gratitude; he women who work within prostitution have been audi existent, and women had no Tence to numerous and dubious works written on and choice but to become prostitutes about their work since the dawning of time. In this article, to survive. they have been my refuge in sorrow, an the terms 'prostitute' or 'sex worker' are used in a historical It was widely acknowledged that context and arc in no way meant to imply homogeny, as convict women were impelled into unfailing relief in my miseries; have saved within the industry there are class differences and struggles, prostitution and exploited by the structures with every worker having an individual story. What I have and policies of the State. It was accepted that it was a reflec tried to do, but maybe not successfully, is to treat with tion of the immoral nature of the women themselves, who mefrpm drinking, gambling or perhaps respect a group of women who are were not ordinaiy women but 'whores'. Shaking the 'whore' strong, determined and survivors. stereotype was impossible, as female convicts were prevail wo/se...They are what society has made Although the industry itself has ingly despised and nothing was done to ease the circum changed over time, it has never stances of their incarceration. Whereas male convicts were them and society uses them, enjoys them, enjoyed uncontested acceptance, or given land grants, forms of employment and education, withstood total condemnation. women were imprisoned in the 'Female Factory' at Perhaps, as some writers have sug Parramatta where they lived and worked. It also acted as a even loses them, yet denies them, spurns gested, prostitution is controversial type of 'marriage mart' as any free man or settler could / due to some fundamental sexual contra come and choose a wife. them, damns and crushes them even dictions in western cuUure. Western society enables prostitution to exist within the interaction of social 'Natural Urges' and economic arrangements which involve promiscuity, The 19th century saw the sex industry urbanised and whilst frequenting and enjoying them.' chastity and inequality. Given the way in which Australia more entrenched than ever. The model of promiscuity-chasti was invaded, and consequently settled, it is no wonder that ty-inequality existed, wherein men ensured promiscuity for •Walter', My Secret Life (1880) the 'good woman/bad woman' stereotype still exists and is themselves and chastity for women. 'Respectable' women, it reinforced through our social system. was argued, did not engage in pre-marital sex and after marriage, remained faithful and pregnant. Men however, The Historical Antidote were expected to have rampant sexual impulses, and it was Feminist historians have illustrated how prostitution was accepted that they would seek extra-marital release. In short, an integral part of the social and economic system of the male sexuality was defined to include promiscuity, female convict colonies. In essence, prostitutes helped lay (pun sexuality was defined to dictate chastity, and men had the intended) the foundations of colonial society, albeit through power to enforce both. enforced labour. Women convicts were outnumbered 6 to 1 Around this time the first wave of feminists spoke out before 'free' women could emigrate during the 1830s. It was against prostitution. They focused on the issues of sexual felt that 'the lusts of men were so urgent as to require the economics, asserting that women were more vulnerable to prostitution of the most abandoned women to contain them.' become sex workers due to economic dependence on men, In Brisbane, authorities decided that more women were and inadequate wages. Most sex workers came from the needed to help settle the colony and be an antidote to sexual working class with factory work or domestic service the only deviance (sodomy). In order to level the quota of male and avenues for employment. Low wages and harassment from female offenders, female convicts were given harsher penal- male were half the amount paid to male workers. Sex work tics and were transported on less serious offences, provided was enticing because it offered women the chance to work they were under 45 years old and healthy. Where only the from home, and receive a higher income. most hardened male offenders were transported, women who Feminising saw prostitution as both exploitative and had stolen clothes, for example, were given the same penal demeaning and demanded laws to protect young women and ty. giris from such corruption. They lobbied for criminal penal The systematic sexual abuse of these women started on ties which would abolish the sex industry whilst rescuing sex the ships where crews and captain took full advantage of workers, but not their clients. their advantage of power. Changes were made to the police offences Acts in Victoria Once arrived and due to the conditions they faced, these in 1981 and NSW in 1908, which made soliciting by women women became sexual fodder. Firstly, the female convicts an offence for the first time. This gave police powers to had no accommodation, and exchanging sex for housing 'clean up the streets' and effectively control the sex workers. became the norm. Secondly, women had to seek the protec Nonetheless, some politicians argued that sex workers were a tion of one man (in return for sex) as they were targets of 'necessary evil' who would alleviate men's ('natural') sexual repeated physical and sexual violence from other urges, deterring men from seducing and raping 'respectable' men. Thirdly, a labour structure in which women. In the Police Amendment Act of 1902, the Western every person could earn a living was non Australian Attorney General, Walter James, declared '...it would be undesirable to entirely suppress it [prostitution], new and interesting people. There are sex workers ers enter the industry consciously, remain even if we had the power to do so...On the other hand, I do who love their jobs, and are proud of the way in because it is a job they enjoy, and are exploited not believe in its being carried on in an open, flagrant and which they handle their clients. by the laws that deny them the same rights to most insulting manner. I believe it should be kept in Sex workers are nymphomaniacs... self-determination and safety in their workplace restraint.' Barbara Sullivan contends that sex work has been the that other workers take for granted'. Social regulations were enforced through legLslation that 'dark underside' of normal sexual relationships. That a sex Sex v/orkers arc 'protected' by being made into criminals attempted to control sex workers under the guise of virtuous worker could enjoy her work seems impossible to some peo both morally and actively. They find themselves depending attempts to 'rescue' sex workers. The Contagious Diseases ple. Is she a 'bad woman' if she does enjoy sex. Is sex whh a on pimps, managers and corrupt police to work 'safely' or to Legislation and the registration of sex workers are such sex worker 'bad sex'? work at all. examples. Under the CD Acts, compulsory medical examina .All sex workers have STD's... tion of sex workers was carried out, as they were deemed to Sex workers sell sex, right? They need to be healthy sexual Since the sexual revolution, the sexual has moved from be the major carriers of sexually transmitted infections. Even ly, right? If they caught an STD they would have to miss out the private into tiie public sphere (Sullivan), and while this though venereal disease has existed for centuries, the gov on work, right? So it is in their best interest to practice safe has led to an openness of discussion of sexuality, it has led ernment was concerned with the effects it would have on its sex in order to make a living. The people who don't want to to harsher laws and penalties for sex workers. Queensland's anned forces. It was not however, a health measure: it was a practice safe .sex are 99.9% of the time the clicnl, making up current laws, established under the Goss government, make way of controlling sex workers' behaviour. all manner of excuses not to v/ear a condom. In fact, if you convictions easier to obtain. They also place the lives of .sex In Queensland iheActfor the Suppression of Contagious v.'cnt to a nightclub and picked someone up (and didn't prac workers in danger. Since the legislation changes under the Diseases (1868) was enacted with fervour, and sex workers tice safe sex) you have a better chance of catching an STD Goss government, there has been approximately a 300% and non-sex worker women were forcibly detained in 'Lock than from a sex v/orkcr. HIV/AIDS is not the only issue fac increase in violent crimes against sex workers. To date, 6 Hospitals' if found to be suffering from venereal disease. The ing sex workers, and sex workers arc not the only ones fac workers have been murdered since the Prostitution police had a list of women who were rounded up regularly ing HIV/AIDS. Amendtiieiu Act vjas inaugurated in 1992. and subjected to compulsory tesdng. If infected, the women All sex workers are drug addicts Despite these deaths the Queensland Government is still could be held in the Lock Hospital between 3 and 6 months. Do all rapists wear stubbies and thongs? Do all 'uni students' pondering v;hat to do vvith the sex industry'. Again it is the Everyday life was marked by strict rules and discipline, smoke marijuana? The drag addicted sex worker stereotype debate of what is 'good sex' and Vi-hal is 'bad sex', this in rebellious patients were sent to solitary confinement. is based on the front line troops of the sex industry, the turn dictates what it means culturally to be a 'good woman' In 1942, Queensland again embraced the legislative pow street sex worker. Many workers on the street do have prob and a 'bad v;oman' for all women, without any choice. ers of the National Security (Venereal Diseases and lems with addiction, but not all. Most of the population con Choice and respect for choices being made must be given Contraceptives) Regulations Act. Due to the large numbers of sumes drugs of some sort, alcohol, and cigarettes. It is priority and the voices in this process are heard. Let the sex Allied soldiers based in the state, any women thought to be thought because someone is a sex worker, they arc then workers speak! 'common prostitutes' or 'good time girls' were examined, open to the criminal elements in society. confined and treated. Strangely enough, servicemen were All sex workers are criminals... Sister, wives, secretaries, waitresses exempt from this legislation. It seems that servicemen could Linda Banach in an address to the SQWISI [Self-Health For all these men say 'MY' catch a sexually transmitted infection, but were incapable of for Queensland Workers in the Sex Industry] Prostiturion Law MY mother passing one on. Reform lield at Pariiament annex (1997) stated that 'Sex MY sister Since the 1970s, governments have attempted to replace workers [in Qld} are regarded as criminals, without any MY wife legislation with less punitive models. These new attempts understanding that it is the law that makes them so. Tiiey NO man says MY whore were influenced by the second wave feminists who saw con are pitied for being exploited despite the fact that most work (From National Aids Bulletin, vol. 10, no.5) tiguities between sex, marriage and other forms of women's work. The bitter debate still rages among the populace. There are those who stress the female emancipation from male sex ual oppression and see the sex worker as 'victim'. Others see sex workers and their clients as perpetrators of patriarchy - C^ Centrelink Linking Australian GovemmonI services submitting to this sort of work is denigrating to all women. Hence sex workers are labelled 'bad wotnen', not 'entrepre neurs'. Giving priority to issues of sexuality over issues of economic survival is a luxuiy in which many v.'omen cannot CENTRELINK indulge. It is within this state of limbo that Queensland sex work ers attempt to safely work under the state's SERVICES ON draconian laws and society's stereotypes. Marginalised groups are seen as high risk, threatening the moral quagmire that the CAMPUS average decent and law-abiding citizen wades through. Apart from being a 'com mercial fuck', this marginalised group do Tuesday to Thursday not receive (though they rightly deserve it) full sexual and social citizenship. 11.30 am to 2.30 pm All sex workers are forced into it.. Underneath the Schonell Cinema near the refectory. The majority of women who enter the sex industr>' choose to. They enter it because of the money, the freedom to Information and claims for:- choose their hours, and they don't have a problem being a sex worker. They see sex work as a legitimate profession and • Austudy • Health Care Card run it as a business. Upon entering the industry they should be protected and not discriminated against - just like other • Abstudy • Ennployment Sen/ices professions. As Margo St. James expressed in 1989 "A blow- is better than a no job." • Youth Allowance • Parenting Payment Sex workers hate their jobs... We all hate our jobs! Some days arc good and some days are • Childcare Assistance • Family Allowance bad. Workers enter the industry for the money, not to meet www.centrelink.gov.au I used to work at a - as if there were two people living inside them and you you'd wrestle like a couple of boys. He'd never him nu' o.'- could tell that tne>^ were struggling with it, that they really anything and 1 used to get really physical with him and gci place called The House wanted to recogiii.se me. They really wanted to make some him in a headlock. 1 really love rough-housing, i'tn a big u form of contact, li usually ended up being really inten.sc person and .strong physically. Those kinda people are great, of Domination, at an address that I can't really eye-contact. Then they'd walk away and I'd walk away. they make you feel good. 1 don't get any sexual grati:lc;i- disclose. Good ol' Queensland legislation. It's a coven oper How did I feel when 1 saw them? Smug, Usually smug. tion out of it, I mean it doesn't turn me on or do anything ation, 1 suppose. I worked there for quite a few months and ....I went into it iiciause i was fascinated by it and for a to me. I'm kinda boring in the sex department. I'm just like I absolutely loved it - it was the most fun I've ever had and laugh really. I'dju.s; come out of a really awful and everyone else really. i got paid iiuge bucks for it, It was S200 an hour to basical hideously abiisivt- relationship with a guy and wa.s feeling Why did people come to mc? I don't know and I've really ly play drcss-ups, get into oulraf^eous clothing, stump really pissed off, that the world owed me an explanation. thought about it, I think that it's because all people h.ivc around the place and act like you owned the goddamn And, I mean there was also a level of immaturity in my own different sexual memories of the firs; time of their se.\ual worid, it was fabulous. I was a mistress and had six slaves character at that time. 1 was roughly 22 when I was doing stitnulaiion. Some found that when they were put across who were predominantly men interested in being utterly it. And I kinda hit that level where I thought f-ck this. 1 their mother's knee and were spanked, thai thai vvas ,"ii subservient, iiiort' or less despised and hated, A complete wanna be M1:A\'. 1 wanna explore my mean side. And oh intensely sexual experience. Some men find women's lin polar opposite to the power positions most of them held, boy, did I ever gene so sensual that it really is the thing for them. Ti.cy and most of them, would you believi- it, But 1 could nev?r iie submissive. I couldn't do it, ! won't let find the whole slut, dare 1 say it, slatternly woman to be the were accouiitanisl ultimate in sexual expression hate lo eiilorce the oid stereotypes but and it expresses their sexuality i was dealing mainly with judges, doc more effectively than their maiv tors and accountants, and then the alter-cgo could. 1 tried to under gamut of labourers who really wanted stand it, but 1 think most of it i.s the heavy stuff- they wanted me to get that you get people who work in the hull-whip out and whip them unli an industry where they arc they bled, i don't know why but they repressive towards others and were right into the physical pain. they come out and want lo be The richer guys wanted to dress up as repressed, basically because women and he treated like sluts. They there's no one above them or all had families. I used to do horrible leaning on them. You find that things to them like tic them up and go in real life they're aggressive and get their wallets, then rifle through people. They dominate their fani thetn and come out with their driver's ilies, they dominate their busi licences, bring the phone into the room nesses. In eveiy interaction and sit there and start dialling their there's domination. Funny thing home phone numbers but deliberately is, there's a lot of small business dial in a wrong digit and conduct con owners among them. So watch versations with bogus people on the out for your grocery man! other end of the line. And whatever At first I didn't recognise the guy it was would just go the whitest of reasons why I was in it, it took while and would completely lose the quite a few months afterwards for me to look back on the plot. But aftenvards they'd get such an whole experience once I'd gotten over the humorous nature adrenalin rush they'd give me the of it. Cos really, 1 used to just fall apan at the end of the biggest, fattest tips. day, I'd be rolling around on the carpet laughing my head It's all about disclosure. You arc taking off But I actually got into a relationship at the time, with them to the brink. It's brinkmanship. my current partner who's like a rock of Gibraltar he's so They really are surrendering all control over to you so that myself get hurt. I don't have the nature that lets someone fantastic, and I'd come home and I'd go "Make me a cof they're completely and utterly vulnerable. It's all about how degrade me. 1 don't think 1 could stand it if someone turned fee!". He'd be like, "What?". And I'd say, "Make me a cof far you can take that vulnerability without destroying their the tables on me, which may be a bit cowardly but that fee!" You see, I'd come home and find it really hard to fragile little world. I used to do terrible things, I'd get them reminds mc too much of abusive relationships and quite switch off from this persona that I'd become. Mistress to come over, they'd pay their $200 and I'd say right, gel in frankly, no one needs to go there. You just have to do what Salmon was completely different to who I am as a person. the car. And we'd get in the car and go into the city. 1 it takes to make you a healthy, happy person. There are lots But I'm a very strong woman, a veiy dominant woman by wouldn't be wearing anything exciting but they usually had of sex workers out there who are so stable and such fantas nature and I monopolise conversation, I'm out there and fool fetishes so I'd be wearing open toe sandals, with my tic people, and who really don't have trouble with anything loud. And 1 recognise that about myself and I've learnt feet exposed. And I'd do really horrible stuff, now 1 don't they do. They're not abused and they're not used, and they through my other career to basically settle down a bit and know if you want to put this in your article - but I'd get don't come out as these tough, hard-assed street hustlers. allow people their expression. It's not just about me and the big paper Coke cups and drink one and then go into the But then you get those that do, so you end up drawing the my ego, whereas back then it was definitely an ego issue. toilet and pee in the cup, put the lid on it and make him line in the sand and saying well, I'm either going to be part My ego had been so kicked around and bruised for so long walk around all day drinking it. That's what tliey wanted to of this industry or I'm not. But it's hard to leave h - the that it developed into this heinous monster that ate New do. money is so good, York, it was like Godzilla, you know. But that was 4 years We'd go on spending sprees with the credh cards and we'd ! had this gorgeous guy who used to come in and like to ago. Now that I've got my life under control and I don't clock k up. mainly on stuff for your feet - shoes, nail pol wrestle. Tlic first time he came in 1 saw his hair, and it was have any pressing emotional issues driving me to be an ish, footcare. like my dad's hair. And he's a big man like my dad. 1 didn't evil cow, I'd go back to it. It's a lot of ftin, really an enjoy Did 1 sec any of these guys out afterwards? Yeah, I did actu see his face at first and I was like Please God, don't let this able way to make a living. And the money's unbelievable. ally, and they'd be with their families and they'd see mc. It be my father. But it wasn't of course. But he was so much And you get to come home at the end of the day and say, was really strange. They have a real clash with the personas fun. You'd have had a stressful day and he'd come in and Guess what 1 did today?" 10 EASY STEPS TO BEING A TOP (HKK OR WHY A IIBERATEI WOMAN IS HARI TO EINI 4. Learn self-defence. 3 good woman. •£ §. That way if a troublesome d] ask v/hich of you is the male comes along, you man in the relationship. can go for the windpipe chop and then head off 8. When asked what sort on your merry way. £ of career you want after E Violence against males is the intellectual rigours of £ okay - they started it. university, don't answer motherhood and marriage. 5. It's acceptable to have Say 'I'll work as a mer- one-night win-ons, but c.nant banker, then I'll Being a woman today is a remember not to make a give it away for mother habit of doing this with hood and a mortgage'. precarious undertaking. your friends, your ex- Tiat way you show you boyfriends, or your a^e an independent It's difficult to be tough friend's ex-boyfriend. Vvoman, yet totally femi nine and nuturing at the yet feminine, career ori Particularly not all at once. If the right people same time. entated yet maternal, find out, you'll be left wondering where your 9. Remember, most blokes sexy without being a slut. reputation v,fcnt. If the want a girl who's accept- unforseen or jndesirable aale to his friends and his There are so many pitfalls does happen, plead mem ego - if you're smarter or ory loss, a spiked drink, fatter than him. forget it. for unwary punters, what mistaken identity, or claim it was the effect of 10. Men love liberated follows is a brief guide to some nasty prescription women because they tend drugs you mistook for not to wait for the cake success. guarana. and the carriage before T. To be a top chick you jumping in the sack. need to be able to drink 6. Men do.n't like fragile Hov;ever there is a very with the boys, which women. This means that important time frame for involves ordering (at the they like chicks who ring would-be girlfriends - least) a full strength beer them up, ask them on a don't sleep with him in -a shandy does not fall date, pay for dinner, and the first two weeks or he into this category. then go home and suck will think you're easy; alternatively don't wait Chundering isn't lady-like. their dick. Apoarently that more than three months If you must, ensure it's in maxim doesn't extend to or he'll think you're a the privacy of the female burping, farting, or talk member of a fundamen toilets or in the bushes ing about tampons. talist Christian group, or a out the back. Do not hurl prude. And so will your all over your friends. Do 7. Lesbianism is an option girlfriends. And don't not get spew in your hair for any progressive young sleep with his best mate. and keep your lipstick lady. This path however is Or his doa. fresh, it is a sign of self- fraught with danger. Your respect. grandparents will suggest you're unnatural and 2. If you're.not going to accuse you of being the wear a bra or shave under result of some illicit tests your arms, then wear a conducted byASIO in the sleeveless see-through top late 1970s. Your parents - otherwise the gesture is v;ill think it is just a fem pointless. Ditto for body- inist phase like the Spice piercing. Girls or Cheryl Kernot, and will start inviting around all the poxy male family 3. Read Naomi Woolf and friends they can dredge remember to look out up. Your brother will stop raged when anyone says bringing his girlfriend Lsomething derogatory home. Males in general ,'about women and other will try to: J fflinqrity groups. It is profitable to be a femi a) convert you nist i^aw assertion, anec- b) think it's awsome and ;;dotes and looking good suggest that you, your ; op'the djst jacket will get girifriend, and some .'/ou the success you handcuffs join him in bed deserve. real soon. c) tell you it's a waste of MY GOP.' TM FOR THE RIPFON.'.. you could be as outrageous as you wanted, In 1998, for the first time since 1952 what would you do?" The winning beauty when Miss Universe began, one of the prizes replied,"! would cat everything in the worid, among the usual array of cosmetics and fash twice!" And this is a woman who knew what ion, was a university scholarship. Are beauty the rules of being Miss Universe were. contests now responding to women who want Tnimp Pageants Inc. run their shows to be educated as well as beautiful? like the Super Bowl. Beauty contests are The criticism levelled by feminists at indeed a spectator sport, with heats, extra these spectacles - that they promote and nor awards for top players (like Miss Congeniality, malise the socio-cultural pressure for women who kisses everyone when she wins it) and the to decorate themselves and be judged primar best hair and presentation awards. In a booth ily on beauty (of which thinness is all impor above the stage, the previous Miss Universe tant), have had little impact on the parades, and an ex-beauty quccii/TV anchor vvoman, i-ven the contemporary accessability of the sit and bitch about the contestants. Each year liberal feminist Naomi Wolfs Beauty Myth, they comment, "It's a tough comperition this which simplified early feminist work on the year", and always describe all the black con male gaze, has done little but add brains to testants as "exotic". beauty contests, albeit not without the beauty The male compere twitters that he's requirement. glad he doesn't have to go up there because Starving and gaunt, all teeth and hair, he's always had a hard time in a swimsuit and the goddess in the latter half of the twentieth high heels. And the audience always laughs century is a goddess of denial and a goddess heartily at the absurdity of a heterosexual of humiliation. The skill to be beautiful is still masculine man humiliating himself half- exalted as women's best asset. The skill of naked while teetering in stilettos. And the beauty is however a skill of deception; and the contestants always tower over the comperes: notion of natural femininity is highly suspi tall goddesses - all bones, hair and heels. cious. The long history of drag suggests this. This is a sport, a competition, with dis After the banning of Japanese female played skill, and performed in an arena. actors, Onna Kabuki, in 1628, Wakashu Popular sport games in the twentieth century Kabuki, males played women. They were are played mainly by men while beauty con known as Onnagata. A renowned Onnagata, tests remain the most popular competition for Pronko, commented that "were a woman to women. Sports games developed from war attempt to play a Kabuki female role she games and fertility rituals. Theatre, to which would have to imitate the men who have so the presentation of Miss Universe owes much, subtlety and beautifully incarnated women The only thing 1 don't like about fat is that is itself derivative of religious/fertility rituals. before her." The Onnagata, like the eigh In the 1930s in China women were banned there Is no sugar in it ... More American Miss Universe is therefore a ritualistic compe teenth centuiy Italian Castrati Evirati, lived from attending theatre, although female women look like me than you tition, whereby the goddess woman is select offstage as women. impersonators, Tan, had six categories. Roseanne Arnold ed. In 1648, theatre was banned by English Femininity has thus had a long history of A war, a ritual, a sports event where the puritans and it was not till 1660 that a woman facade and has been seen as a skilled perfor There doesn't seem to be as much emphasis on spectators observe beauty, poise, confidence appeared on an English stage. In the eigh mance of masking, repackaging, dazzling and breasts as in Miss U.SA ... If the girls keep up and above all, presentation: camouflage. teenth century, drag in Europe took place in mimicking; all the tactics of military decep that smile, they score higher. Camouflage is "the art of concealing the fact public houses where the "Master Mollies" tion. 1998 Miss Universe Commentators you are concealing". The french verb, camou- hung out. The terra 'drag' became used to Besides the enormous quantity of mod fler, from which we derive the term camou describe the petticoats worn by men playing em drag shows, there is now a proliferation of flage, means "to make up for the stage". women. By 1887, 'drag' was officially part of female impersonator beauty contests. In a For the last few years I have Camoflet, unused since the sixteenth century, the written language. An American drag recent delightful Xena Warrior Princess turned on the television to watch means, "a pracrical joke". It is such a joke queen of the 1920s, Julian Eltinge, had his episode a drag queen. Miss Artifice, wins the MISS Universe, Miss U.SA. and that satirising beauty contests becomes too own fashion and beauty column in a women's Miss Known World contest. simple. But as the commentators say, "Simple magazine. A reviewer commented that: It's all a drag, baby, a joke and a dis Miss Teen U.S.A. in 1996, Miss is working for these giris." Just as a white man makes the best stage guise. But who's laughing? I always fake it. Universe, Alicia Machado, gained weight, negro, so a man gives a more photographic prompting the beauty contest big daddy, It's a matter of who the Judges love. interpretation of femininity than the average Donald Trump, to place her on a diet (Who 1998 Miss Universe Commentators woman is able to give. evelyn hartogh magazine). In the 1997 Miss Universe, the last question to the three finalists was "If for one day of your life there were no rules, and t's lime to face up, lovely [lossums and admit I that you, the pnsscngrrs, are fa.sh vict.s. We've -scfii you, followed you, secretly tautitcd you, siiK'll you and avoided you Inil now we've decided to help you. Th.'Ktk.s lo (lif UrC. pulilic tmnsport no longer means a (leineaiiing journey liiroiigli the baek- sircets of .St l.uce on yciiir ass with some liiige Human Movements boy tr;inipling you in wliiii resembles a cattle truck. ili])-i()-his-groove.s .lini CITY PU.SS RIDER.S.... Till: BUS-GOnR.S THi; T.\,\l SCliMAXIHS Soorlcy h.is re-a.ssembled ibe blue and yellow Known I-or: Known for: * Saba jiinstripe suits: .inyone who can afford people movers, and you the fash victs have * Polyester Jumpsuits (preferably Nike with ' The Sardine Sensible Look: Tank tops, dodgy taxis in liiis ilaiiiii lowii can nlTord the names, a(|un/|)ink colouniiiuns) embraced the moment, seized tlie cliche (if you dentin shoils and midriffs that drop bits of posl- lovie-d.irlink. You'll have to go lo Sydney for Prevenis snow-pea snap freezing and acts as n tan skin olTonto the i)erson beside you. most of ihetii, so iliai gets rid of you doesn't it? will) and u.scd the hell out of n trip lo unijusi to radiation suit against the slops swattii)-wash of * The limployed Look: siiaiglit to uni froit) work * The full make-over plus recalcitrant fob- show your ware off, tlic liver. (We'd like to mention lo the Macca's groovers ehain: These people chm'i run to timetables, they ' Beanies (of the garden-variety surf brand) But it's not just on the bases that we're seeing lhal we're not fooled by the v-iieck jumper - we run to the iiewsagem for a (|uick Cleo jind a few Used to block out incessant weekday tourist ban can sec the green .striped shirt and unmistakable sliirt-iucking lips, then step into the car as their you - you've taken over our waterways, bike- tcr and camera clicks. grey pants and you're also wearing your badge - fobs get caiighi on ihe door handle. ways and train tracks. * Water bottles (most likely lluio-nrangc QUT silly ibingll * Chastity Belts: The myth of the scaiy cabbies And I'm afraid that as judgmental as it scetns, it Career Market freebiesl ' The Obnoxious Bag: something with a bit of lives on!? No, of course not. It's just lhal you For sustenance during llic big boat ride and as size to it. Kemeiiiber, your bag is only as good as can't expect to he hcauiiful when your collar's is time lo categorize .some of you and proffer a an alternative to and in fenr of the onboard toi llie uollo[)s you can take out with it. Sling, hit, up so high it's compeliiig vvith your nostrils i"or wee bit of advice. lets. trip - revenge is the name of ihe bus travel niK'onlaininaled air space. Semper recommends you look closely at this * The tight blue shirts and the Dunlop Vclcro game. They've done it to you, you do it to Uicni. sandshoes of the disco cowboys who rope you they do il to you again - and so goes it, h;iby. Chux superwipe girl, who ha,s so obviously used in nice and steady (passengers aren't exempt this as an opportunity to go public with domes from this, particularly not on the Sunday arvo tic aids, and use her as n deterrent from the fol trips) lowing classiricalions. /// were a director bringing images to you on film, fh.sh- On your shores, Octavio Paz's wave crashed and 1 was cs of colour. I tvould pan my lens now. You would draw alive, saturated with a sensation I had not understood. breath at the pathetic sight of a ship bobbing alone on a Feeling the weight of a lingering morality that forced my vast blue. From that distance the sea can be described as feet into tiic mud. But who is that? It's a woman on the litrlc more titan blue and vast... a child's sea... butcher's street corner, leaning on the post of a fiickcring lamp - paper slatiiercd blue with a nonchalant lack of motor raindrops are falling and she's speaking the truth about skills. Hanging from two pegs (surrounded 'oy images of you and me - she's speaking of reality. Her berei set low, Mummys, Daddys, suns and homes or crashing aero she's singing a la Gershv;in as she taps along the path planes, bleeding hearts and broken bones) an insect hits now. the infant's ivavcs and struggles on the sticky, wet sur In linguistic landscapes I hide. Madam Psycho Sexy an' I face. .A .ship lost, struggling in an eddying sea of hues. want a little sugar in my bowl. In the hou.sc of the rising As I yell for my cameraman to zoom in, the insect is sun like a light bulb, baby, just waitin' for you to turn flapping, its wings catching a gentle breeze... its roped me on. stays creaking. It does not break free. Instead, it har nesses motion where motion is, battles the friction. Rolls Her, him, mc: we've all got the bends lo varying degrees. with the ptinches - the punches of breeze that catch its Stop to think and depressurise. Look lo the surface. Open wings and move a sluggish abdomen, the abdomen that your eyes, then kick your legs - fuckin' thrash them holds life on the move. I am that life on the move. On about. Burst through the crystalline blue. It might be the move to you. fraught, a Liberal might lake a limb or two, but you can make it can't you? Above, you're in a place where we ail meet: in the puddle at the tapping Gershwin giri's feet. When she extends her hand, lie back and rest - let her speak and have her turn - maybe there is learning there. Sam Ailwood uring the Easter holidays, 40 surfrageftes frotn fliree Brisbane campuses women. Certainly made up for the dagginess of sand surfing. Sunday really packed it in, with a photo-opporWnity group balance on the beach and Ddescended on Byron Bay for the annual Women's Surf camp. Despite the wet poetry workshop at midday. weather and exhaustion factor, everyone was fully stoked to be Skate-boarding was met with mixed reactions, The whole idea of doing tricks on a 40cm part of such a cool camp and had a wild time! Most of all, we | v \ \ long platform with wheels and only a few inches separating you from a sore arse was did a good job of de-bunking ihe myth that the surfie-chick Szf ^^J^^. too much for some - after one too many falls a couple of us decided it was more fun watching others hit the concrete. is the one waiting on the beach with the meat pie for her - •'^* --'*^ boyfriend. No way, we're the surfers!! there's the ^^ J^k Monday essential wipeout report... %t • • More determined to conquer this surf- B J B ing thing, some of us headed out W ^^ III beyond the mush in search of bigger Friday waves. With an on-shore wind and landing at Byron lale afternoon, we set up camp "it.. ./>• strong rip, the waves were pretty and met the surfer women who were gonna initi dumpy. Ten minutes and five gulps of sand later, we'd been fully drilled. ate us lo the wave scene. With gravel rash on our faces and mild concussion, we decided that, at Surfcatnp is a mega event, so to allow everyone this stage of our surfing careers, there was a reason for hanging around time for each workshop - surfing, yoga and circus - the foamics. wc split into three groups. Determined not lo let us The circus workshop, teaching us to perform acro-balancc in all sorts of bum out for too long, skate hoarding was also down for obscure and unimaginable positions had the potential to be fatal. lale afternoon. Ready for a really early start, plans to party were put on Tuesday hold for the next night and wc crashed out in our tents, pray After the previous night's BBQ and shandies at the pub, some sore and sorry ing lo Muey the Surf God that the rain would slop and we'd be women gathered on the beach at Sam for the final surf. Some even found the sent some big swells. heavy night we'd had helpful for the balance factor (or maybe it was just coinci dence, or maybe it was just that concussion) and more chix joined the ranks of surf- Saturday hood. 7am Astanga Yoga - challenging to say the least, some of us arc Not so much fun having to pack up and get back to the reality of university - overdue still trying to get our Iocs out of our ears! assignments... sunburn... unpaid bills... and a flatmate's mouldy dishes. Still, Huey's not On to surfing... Shelley and Nicky took us through the basics, going anywhere - the mighty Surf God will be there same time next year just waiting identifying off-shore and on-shore winds, rips and closeouts, for more women to go those glassy barrels. picking the goofy footers from the natural footers and teaching us the 'inside rule'. Just as wc were feeling pretty much in the know, Thanks to: they made complete dicks out of us with paddling practice on Toni Lawson and Moo Baulch (UQ Women's Area) imaginary surfboards. Moo still managed lo get dumped. Brenda Kelly and Michelle Grant-lramu (QUT Women's Area) By the end of all that, the waves seemed less ihreatening and wc Zoe Brady (Griffith Women's Area) were fully ampcd lo get out and surf Hanging around the for all their creative energy foamics at this stage may have seemed pretty softcore, but Jo and Annie for yoga and circus workshops kept us out of trouble - no one was caught in any serious Shelly Breda and Nicky Dolan for gettin' in the groove skate and surf techniques rips and wc didn't have any probs with the grommels or Lisa Bellecr and Moo for the v/ild, exquisite, free and imagined wordz other surfing dudes, but more than once we collected and Hannah, our camp counsellor/ support sister each other. Pub squalor at the Railway Hotel- far loo obliter If you want to take part in next year's surf camp, put your name down in '99 0- ated to tell you anything. Week If the places are full, make sure you get on the waiting list Sunday Naomi Pullen and Meryan Tozer Praying to Hucy paid off. Pure Guava, as the guy in the Telstra ad would say! Some of the most talented were beginning lo stand up on their boards. Lots of spills. Surfing injuries had erupted overnight - the knees seemed particulariy vulnerable. Thought we were pretty cool in our wetsuits - ii^V even as wc were trudging back up the beacli, tl-fr;a dragging our bodies and surfboards with the look of very pnitiy It.'^ •'0^i% 2^-.' .-i ••r.^ .-^ •Tsxujijsrizsnsr'^'- ..^ Cat on 0 MEET FELINE, the web of women http://www.feline.to What is Feline? Feline: Feline is and always has been a women's voice Hot Tin Currently5®'^®' Naomi is doing Womcns Studies at Queensland' online, a place where an open collective can publish text Uni and single parenting, Katkin is tutoring at an Auckland ^ ^ ^^^^ ^ ^ • ^ • rurrriitiv Manmi /<; dnina Wnmen'i 'stutiip<: nt niippiidnnd and share ideas, exhibit art, and connect to other zincs via College in graphics software and I am a single parent/self the network. employed digital media artist. How long has it been going? Netscape offers a basic editor with its free version of com What innovative Web technology can we see on Feline? F: Not long after the World Wide Web was launched, a municator. There are places you can go to get information F: 7/icrc is some Shockwave, some Real Audio, Some Flash friend's site went up here in Brisbane and a series of pho and help. There are courses with Digitarts for young women Animations, Java Scripting ... its all innovative to me tos of mine were used in the gallery exhibition. I began pro to leani web publishing and participate in the production of though! viding art work and eventually Zincs and workshops. Qantm Well it certainly looks groovy. Does Web style change curating online exhibitions. I Youth Works also offers facili rapidly? got together a lot of stuff from ties and tuition. Both of these F: Sometimes oveniight! this virtual space has become so different artists and as it organisations arc in the Metro vast sitice its inception....I don't even try< to keep up with it turned out they were all Arts Building in Edward St. all I just float through cyber space lapping up all the good women! Feline became a fea How much server space docs things I find on my way. ture on ivomen 's art in Feline need ? OK give us a lisl of the areas covered in feline? Sections? Firehorse Zine at the end of F: It could be close to 30Mb by F: Caught in the Web - our manifesto and our sponsors etc. 1995 then a Zine in its own the time it is all online. This Virtual Gallery - Artists crhibition Space right by 1996. seems pretty standard for a Wordz and Wit - poetry, stories, book reviews Zinc. Kidz Section - Art and poetry for kids + links to other sites How do you fund the project? for young people F: This year was the first UQ Uni students get 3-4 MB of fmancially-assistcd year for ser\'er space I think, how much Feline Feature - Evelyn Hartogh - Catalyst Artist Feline. Prior to that each edi would fit on that? Body, Mind and Spirit - Herbs, personal crpcrienccs and Social Issues tion was done with no pay, F: Quite enough for a personal site where you could have pic lots of women providing con Xotica'Art'Erotica - a snippet ofXotie Photography tures, sounds and text. tent, and on someone else's computer. I put in a lot of the Links - our recommended surfing for all different areas of Do a lot of people check out the website and where do they initial work because I liked having the ability and opportu the World Wide Web come from? What's the launch date? nity to explore cyber space. We had the good fortune to be F: 1st of June 1998 involved in a group at the time who were exploring the new F: The list is really impressive actually, I put it all onto one Is the launch party virtual or actual? developments in the online technology so wc were all learn page as part of our funding submission support material. F: We'll celebrate in a virtual manner with a party at ing as the software was being written... Some examples are the Sultanate of Brunei, the US Military Xcssion VHQ on the Palace. This is because some of the What's the focus if any in Feline or is it muUi focussed? check in regularly for some strange reason, Qatar - I don't even know where that is!, the Russian Federation, Czech participants arc in different parts of the world and we did F: Arf and women's issues arc a priority. Anyone can pro Republic, Mexico, the list goes on ... all over the ivorld really n't want tiiem to miss out! vide ideas or content by contacting us through email direct What's in Feline Version 4 that we can check out? from the website. There is definitely an organic feel to Would you like to say anything else about Feline or the Feline: We have quite a few different areas to look through WWW or Information Technology and women and people in feline, like we have one foot on earth and one foot in cyber in this version. Our featured space. general and the planet? artist is Evelyn Hartogh, well F: Women must have access You said the last edition required over 300 hours of Web worth browsing. Evelyn's to information technology work, is that pretty standard or is this your biggest version? work in Catalyst Art. We and use it as our right to F: This is our fullest version of Feline. HTML, when hand have a selection of poetry free speech and communica written, is a really time consuming occupation. I haven't got and written work as well as tion with the global network. into using editing software. a Virtual Gallery rpercsetit- It is important not to be Did you just learn Web publishing as you went along? ing craftspeople, artists, intimidated by technology or F: / am self- taught. 1 learned by the deconstruction method musicians, dancers and the jargon that surrounds it. at first, then came the "copy" and "paste" and "insert new designers working in a vari Feline has definitely emerged details" metiiod. After I got the hang of it I researched ety of mediums. Tlie kids' from a situation where a HTML by checking out other sites and reading their code pages are colourful and :] group of women claimed and learning new stuff. Editing Software is available - funny, well worth a visit. For '•V;»>:" their right to use new infor- a personal herbal and good \l mation technology and reading on other topics that independently self publish as discuss some of the social participating members of the issues we face today check out Body, Mind and Spirit. Oh Online community. and don't forget to sign our guest book and leave your email address and URL if you have them. Naomi Pullen What's the background of the women involved in Feline? F: From alternative areas of the arts community, all still working in this area either as a job or through study, none of us are really from a science or technology background, we are art based. You can sec all our art work in the gallery. Tilaxovix r|8poiv8q Pitches and (a couple of PLATONIC HEROINES) whores, phi!osopher by Evelyn Hartogh Venuses and Platonic Aphrodites - Aspasia and Athens, where she gains recognition via Hypatia, two 'out the political embarrassment and harass ment that Pericles went through in his there' dames connection with "that kind of woman". The name Aspasia means "Welcomer" Aspasia was a glamorous figure in the or "Gladhandlcr" and may have been a Golden Age of Greece - an intellectual professional trade name for hetaerae. but not a citizen; the lover but not offi Aspasia ran a school for hetaerae, a cial wife of Pericles; a woman v/ho had women's university, ('frequented' by an "unusual and much criticised promi Socrates), which has been described n the Golden Age of Greece, nence". She was from Miletus but hung both as a place in which to leam art, there lived a woman called out in Athens with Pericles. A lecturer philosophy and elocution, and as a I in philosophy, rhetoric, religion and the brothel. Hetaerae tended to come from Aspasia who was regarded highly social position of women, fragments of outside Athens, were educated in art as a speaker and debater by fel her writing can be found quoted in the and philosophy, and although they low philosophers like Socrates. Tretabilion of Aetius (527-66BC), printed lacked citizen rights, were permitted to in 1534. It is probable that she was walk in the streets, go to the theatre and All that remains of her are frag responsible for several of Pericles attend all places of debate and knowl ments of her theories and speeches, in particular a funeral oration. edge. In Greek society, it was only the research, along with references Also a physician, her gynaecological poorest Athenian women who walked works were standard medical texts until the streets unveiled. Along with the het- contesting her authorial input to the sixteenth century. erae. Other women were owned by their Pericles's speeches. A powerful In a fresco that hangs over the main fathers or husbands, and it was seriously and beautiful woman, she was entrance of the university of Athens, she scandalous to speak to anyone outside is depicted in the company of Socrates, the family, meaning that the Athenian consulted by philosophers and Plato, Archimedes and Sophocles. In woman was isolated by an inability to statesmen on all matters of poli Plato's dialogue 'Menexusnus', there is a participate in public life. Hetaerae, tics. Her social class in Athens, fictionalised account of Socrates' rela however, enjoyed all that the Golden tionship with Aspasia, in which Socrates Age of Greece offered and were at the however, was that of hetaerae, is her pupil. And it was in her likeness top of the government-organized social the highest class of prostitute. that the statue of Athene Hygenia (of classes of prostitute: they were educated Almost a thousand years later, the leg Health) was modelled, a contract she and cultivated women who "exercised end of Hypatia, a brilliant scholar, emerged won after an interesting series of events. no small influence over the manners in the then hotbed of philosophy and art, Plutarch tells the tale of a construction and even the politics of the state"; fol Alexandria. Hypatia remains in historical worker on Athene's temple who fell into lowing them were the Auletrides - flute and literary works as the symbol of the last a mysterious illness, whereupon Pericles players, dancers and operatic singers; gasp of a fi-ee-thinking Greece prior to the was visited by Athene who offered him then the Dicteriades, the common pros darkness of Christian dogma. Her goiy death the knowledge of a cure. More likely, it titute; and lastly, Concubines, who were is central to the mythology which surrounds was his girlfriend, Aspasia, the owned by men, with the knowledge of her - that of the death of civilisation. She is renowned physician, philosopher and their wives. Although each prostitute remembered as a fallen follower of "the orator, who had a quick word in his ear class paid tax, very few were Athenian struggle for the rescue of the perfect world and saved the man's life. Pericles then citizens. In Periclean Athens, the rev of harmony, art and metaphysics, divinity ordered the statue of Athene Hygenia enue from this was quite large. and materialism, soul and body". Hypatia's and had it modelled by Aspasia. In an unconventional move, Pericles education, laboratory and eventually her life, References to Aspasia in history can be arranged another marriage for his for were constantly threatened by Christian found in feminist works on medicine mer wife, discarded his Corinthian cour accusations of witchcraft and satanism. As and sexuality, areas in which she is tesan and gave Aspasia the status of such, her death is often seen as that of a considered a pioneer and visionary; in common law wife, pallake. As a pome pagan martyr. academic and sensationalist books on (prostitute) and a foreigner, she did not prostitution which regard her as the have official civil rights, but as a non- ASPASIA OF ATHENS (470-410BC) saucy wise-cracking mistress of a politi citizen she was free of the social cal leader; and records of Periclean To be really medieval one should have no restraints of legitimate wives. However, body. her influence on Athenian politics, To be really modem one must have no soul. afforded by the relationship with To be really Greek one should have no Pericles, was eventually condemned and clothes. so the accusations flew - the playwright, Oscar Wilde. Hermippus, charged her with using free- That'd be right. The ol' "can't find the right graphic so get a Roman bust and slap some lip stick on It" dodge born Athenian women in her school for hetaerae, and Aristophanes held her responsible for the Peloponcsian War. Dating a statesman meant hard times for Aspasia, yet her infamy lies not in having dated the statesman, rather for having been a powerful influence on him with her posirion as a respected philosopher. She is remembered as a sort of Arabian Nights' Grand Vizier character, with the cunning of a behind-the-scenes influence on the ment officials ensured more records of leadership. their existence, even though their histo I, Society demanded a male leader, but ry and knowledge were smeared with was uncomfortable with a wise and the black oily rag of prosfitution and powerful woman being his partner. witchcraft accusations.) Goddess of Wisdom or Whore? What makes societal constraints so immutable Again, it was Hypatia's influence on in their decree that there is a differ Orestes that created controversy. The ence between sexual knowledge, social Christians wanted more religious power By the end of the fifth century it was forbid As we approach another epoch, let us freedoms and the ability to inquire and in Alexandria and blamed Hypatia for den to study medicine, philosophy, mathe consider the shifts that took place in question intellectually? Aren't these all Orestes reluctance to meet with the matics or geography. No Christian could the last transition of astrological ages. ways of knowing, ways of engaging in bishop. There are many instances of study astonomy, whilst astrology was con History referred to itself via the birth of an exchange of information? And, Christian youths, sent to Hypatia's lec sidered a diabolic art. All secular literature a mcssiah, Christ, who, important for aware as we are of ourselves as think tures in order to find information that was denounced as wicked. the tale of his divinity, died and was ing and love-making women, does it would discredit her, who would then be (Brooks) resurrected. The notion of a male god still happen? turned (turned on?) by Hypatia's ideas child who died each year as winter and become her students. MILLENNIUM MADNESS a approached, to be reborn in tlie spring, HYPATIA OF ALEXANDRIA ASTROLOGICAL AGES was a common motif of many pre- Hypatia admits that the person ofchrist is Christian religions, as was the notion of (355-415AD) The hundred year span, from 470 BC holy to her, but she also feels affinity with the sacred nature of virginity. The Ic souj^fle de Platon et le corps to 415 AD, between the life of Aspasia the gods enrobed in the eternal fabrics of tlie goddess Athene, who Aspasia is likened d'Aphrodite. and the death of Hypatia, marks the cosmos. The deities reveal themselves in the to, was a virgin and the goddess Leconte de Lisle. twilight of the end of the Age of Aries beauty of nature, in the intelligence of astral Aphrodite, that Hypatia was compared 77ic breathe of Plato and the body of and the beginning of the Piscean Age. bodies, in the wonder of art, in the spiritu The Piscean Age has been fraught with to, became a virgin again every time Aphrodite. ality of sages searching for truth. dichotomies and battles over thought, she entered the ocean. Virgin also (Dzielska) tended to mean an unmarried woman, Hypatia's death, or rather, the cultural battles over the superiority of religions, not a woman without sexual knowl circumstances of her death, have races, sexualities, genders etc. The end But unfortunately for Hypatia such edge. The Piscean Age inspired linear become central to the descriptions of of the Twentieth Century marks the free thinking was akin to satanism. Her notions of time and the binary opposi her life. Her story has been reworked twilight of the end of the Piscean Age dabbles in Mathematics, Science, tions that inevitably lead to hierarchies. in a stack of literature, but the motive and the beginning of the Age of Philosophy and most damningly, Now, in the Aquarian Age, our links to of her almost sacrificial death remains Aquarius, a free thinking humanitarian Alchemy (in Arabic, al kimia - black the worid - as part of it, not lording consistent. By her death, the thinking age that we hope we will not need to soil art; in Greek, chyma - the casting over it, ought to become more appar woman died. A philosopher Venus. It sacrifice the lives of philosophers, ent. has been suggested that there were sev or fusion of metals; in Hebrew, chama- whores and witches. eral Hypatia's, as it was not an uncom man - a mystery) were soon described wnRKS CON.SDt.TED mon name, nor was it confined to as the black art of witchcraft. ... around the end of the second century ... Inevitably, with accusations of witch .•\bbol, Evelyn M.A. Pvricle.'i: Ttie Goldi'n Age or pagan women. Hypatia, as a name, almost all female representations of God and Athens. London: Tlic Knickerbocker Press, 1891. later shifted into the adjectival form as craft on her, Hyparia had to face a divinity had been erased. The censored Bowra, CM. Periclean Athens. London: Redwood Press, 1971. a term to describe confident, free- lynch mob of early Christians. Her works became known as the Gnostic gospels flesh was torn from her body by Brooks. Elisabeth. "Hciling in Antiquity" Women thinking women. and included the gospels of Mary, Thomas, Healers througli History. London: Women's Press, ostrakois aneilon, broken bits of pot Philip and the SEcret Gospel of John. They 1993. tery. Her remains were then burned. depicted the feminine as both complemen Kculs, Ev.i. C. "Tlic Witty llctacra" Hie Reign of Hypatia dated Orestes, the prefect of Ihe Phallus. NY: Haqicr ft Row, 1985. "The spirit of Plato and the body of tary and opposite to the masculine. At tiie Alexandria, and despite their unmarried Aphrodite have withdrawn forever to Dzielska, Maria. Hypatia of Alexandria. London: same time the feminine was seen to be an Harvard Up, 1995. alliance, Hypatia was held up as a vir the fair skies of Hellas", mourned tuous woman. (At this point it might ititegral part of God's creation, neither lesser Gilbert, ilarrict ft Roche, Christine. "That kind of Leconte de Lisle of Hyi)atia during the nor greater that the masculine. Woman" A Women's Histor>' of Sex. London: seem as if I've chosen to discuss Renaissance. Pandora. 1987. women whose claim to fame was dat (Brooks) Plutarch. Life of Pericles. ing powerful men. And indeed, that is Wallace, lA-ing. "The Kept Woman" Tlw Nynipho and Other Maniacs. London: Casset, 1971. true to an extent. The word 'philoso Sanger, Dr William W. "Chapter III, Greece" The pher* is made from philos - loving, and Histor>' of Prostitution. NY: Eugenics, IB59. sophos - wise. The simple fact that Wilde, Oscar. "A few Maxims for the these women were linked to govern Overeducated" Plays, Prose Writing and Poems. London: Everyman, 1975. D.I.Y. DESIGN The Cigarette Applicator. Avoid knowing looks and yellowing fingers with this hygenic and st>'lish innovation designed for more discreet smoking habits. Design note: Make sure you read the instrucfions carefully. The Christmas at Gran's number - i.e. the Big Doily Here we have just the right balance of solidity and transparency. Design note: This is crochet done with a crowbar. Nick the doily pattem next time you're at your Gran's and she ducks into the loo for half an hour. However, be prepared to scrap the entire thing if you drop a stitch. When and if you do wear this at Christmas, make sure you've got decent underwear on. Depending on what game your family amuses themselves with on Yuletide, insert the type of ball (eg Cricket ball) around the edges. 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B e B B B R S • B r R H • K r • B K K R r B K Trniiii 1 nrrrrM—I mitwmm*0. »K /fTi- ma'aKiiiu»mamMiiBm»m»aaaanaji r*: i| I I" I it i •ft ERISM r ? 'it *l'- ii!) 8i '19 Students^ K we're making your The Hairs on the Loo Seat Undies dollar stretch When it's what's under the wear that is the point of con tention. No one likes to deal with hair that goes public, especially when it's all over the bathroom. twice as far. So let your flatmates know that you find their moulting problematic by wearing these around the house for a • while. You have to bring the subject up somehow. I Design note: Ufimately the best reason so far to wear I your underwear on the outside. ( i)U /*^Oil all Citytrain tickets, I I except off-peak return, for full time students at VTEC and Austudy approved institutions. Simply get our Citytrain logo on your student 1 The Super Backpack i I card. The travel concessions are only available Designed to fit just one • Super tampon, this i.;t for the period of study. Check with the exquisite piece of PVC keeps you chic and pro administration of your institution tected from fashion vul tures on your nights out to see If you are eligible. in the Rave scene. You don't need special For further information contact IBAIIS13 12 30. pockets in your pants with this one. In the pipeline - the Super Pad shoes, which double I as flashlights for your dancing space. Mkkmio^rt^ h '4f,(?|»f jSLmmm • • • • • '1^^^ Make Tracks ^CITYTRAIN :t SAFE PLACE FOR EVERYBODY am a survivor of child sexual abuse. would not find me a new home as in their parlance I had run away from a perfectly good one, I was not allowed to I return ro my parents as there was danger there, and all I use the word survivorheamse 1 have survived. The word refuges and emergency accommodation were full. So I went victim has connotations of non-survival - you can't be a vic on the streets. tim unless you don't recover. There are many of us who arc victims. I almost became one myself. But I recovered, which This happened to one other person I know. He was justifies my use of the term survivor. The emotional scars are removed from his parents and put into an abusive foster still there, but like physical scars, rhey fade over time. In my home, so left and hit the streets. This was at the age of 11. I case, ir was not so much the acts of abuse that left the scars, was a bit older, but stilt not in my teens yet. And this but the treatment from my parents, the government and the occurred in two different cities, condoned by two different perpetrators of the abuse. I was raised in one of those weird State welfare departments. Tangentially, this is why the issue fundamentalist Christian cults that are occasionally in the of curfews riles me up - what about the young people who media; one which condones ritualistic sexual abuse of girls. have absolutely no where to go? We are supposed to be pro This was the virgin/whorc dichotcTiy in practice. Girls are tected by the welfare authorities but no protection is o.Tered whores until they are married, then they become virgins - unless it suits their own agenda, whatever that may be. but the sacred act of conception is allowed. The reasoning is People will always slip through the cracks of the system, so absolutely skewed and downright illogical that it is diffi unless policy is restructured to ensure there is a safe place for cult to understand how some very intelligent people, such as everybody. my parents, would have and parr of ir. Bur have parr of ir they did, to the extent of allowing their very young daughter I am lucky, which is also why I use the word survivor. to become a teaching tool for young men. Although I have abused most drug and alcohol as a conse quence of my experiences I have never seriously overdosed. I This was discovered by the government when I fell preg have recovered frotn this experience in such a way that I nant, and subsequently miscarried at an age when most girls visualise it as crawling out of a crevice after an earthquake - haven't even started menstruating yet. The governmenr your entire world shakes and you are left to pick up the removed me from my parent's home for allowing this to pieces, even as a child. I am now ready to join the establish occur and ordered an investigation. But the mechanisms of ment in order to fight injusrices such as those I have fear and secrecy that arc in place in such organisations endured. Women endure similar experiences the world over meant that only myself and another girl were found to be - if a woman has not suffered non-consensual sex by the victims - at this point I was definitely a victim. We were time she is 18 she is an extremely rare example. And non placed in foster homes and removed from every facet of life consensual sex, and patriarchal religions and governmenr wc had ever known, which was really okay by us. The insricufions is where all my problems began. Until wc have destructive environments wc had come from could only be beaten patriarchy back into the revolting cesspool hole that improved upon. My problems however, were only just the it crawled out of, feminism will still have somerhing to fight beginning. 1 was removed from the first (excellent, caring) for. And one indicator of that will be the eradication of foster home due to allegations of beating from a former non-consensual sex. We still have a huge battle on our ward. These allegations were never proven, but all wards hands. CHARGE! were removed during the investigation which iaster t^vo and a half years. So I was placed in a foster home that was actu ally abusive, where I suffered almost daily beatings and sexu al abuse from both the mother and father. The eldest broth er also had his way on a number of occasions. In many ways this was worse than my parent's home. My parents never actually abused mc - theirs was a crime of neglccr, allowing me ro be abused. After my complaints fell on deaf authorita tive ears for almost a year I ran away. The government our years ago I lodged a complaint with don't see me sitting there in disbelief as Fthe Anti-Discrimination Commission of they decide what sex acts would be REGULARLY UNINVITED Queensland because 1 was denied access to appropriate and responsible to expect of artificial insemination at a fertility clinic me. The first time the subject came up it "Hello", she greetetd (reluciantly) the guest upon her door because lama lesbian. So far the matter felt like i was being raped (again) and 1 It hadn't seemed so long ago she'd seen this guest before has been heard in the Anti-Discrimination ran from the court room in tears - now I Though obviously, she should have known a visiting was due Tribunal {I won), at a Supreme Court try to go numb but their words cut appeal (I lost), and recently at the Court of through my clothing and modesty and The guest come all too regularly - this wasn't something new. Appeals (as yet undecided). Because this inside I feel embarrassed and ashamed. case is of general public interest and is of On the arrival of her visitor, she couldn't help but cry a highly personal nature, the identities of 5. The Sunday Mail ran a stor>' with the About nothing particular - to make her wonder why all parties involved have been suppressed. headline 'Lesbian leaves court in tears The pain of previous visi:s, and this guest's sharp company. Accordingly, wc arc all identified by our aficr judge's question on sex". initials. This has given rise to many media stories carrying the line THE WOMAN 6. Such a large part of my life and idcnti- She should have known that the visit was close at hand WHO CAN ONLY BE IDHNTiriED AS JiVl, ly have been tied up with something Irrationally preposterous - the guest and-her demand SAID....', I hate that line, and 1 also hate which should have been simple, tncaning- The scissorhand sound of snapping worcis, the iired-eyed cutting my previously ful and private. giare inconsequcntia 1 never thought The sudden objective tolerance, quickly changed to fiery flare. initials' conceiving run babies would be The preparation - routine - had a pattern v/ell rehearsed Nine things 1 the revolution hate about ary act - 1 Of tampering vWth the podding of a cell now well dispersed; being 'JM': believed it Of cleaning up the mess and litter of a careless guest; would be the Of offering a sacrifice to the throne upon request. 1. Without a amazing, pow face and name erful children The guest would always linger for a week of working days have no voice. my partner and And colour her acceptance with a ranee of bright displays Outrageous I are raising things have that would cre Hand-washing the cramped conscience of her female fate been said about ate a shift in the She knew to think positively, for nothing was too late. my life, my narrow worid family and my we live in. The guest departed quietly, choices and 1 unlike the loud arrival have little 7. I have never The sudden stopped appear power to said 'I am fight ance to prepare for one sur respond ing for all les because the bians' and the vival media filters, media keep The bloody thing said no contorts or just printing that 1 goodbyes; there was no need makes up the did. for show things they For the guest would soon report 1 said. 8. If the legal arrive again, in twenty-eight action is ever Study in 2. The televi successful and days or so. sion news keeps showing footage of mc lesbians do achieve equal access to fertili Canada walking down the street with my baby ty services, the government may well leg Irene Francisco with slight blurring over our faces. When islate to reverse the decision. Canada offers:* a first class I see that I feci a little ridicuJoiis and also education''universally like a criminal. 9. Social justice, common sense, compas accepted degrees" iovv' sion and love are given no value in a 3. The legal pioct\ss requires that 1 allow court ol" law. l|tuition fees starting at US someone else to plead my case for me. I $2300 per year tuition '' a The arguments advanced arc cold and For these reasons I struggle to bring my Ihigh standard of living-'" academic and my solicitor and barrister own identity to the issue. Though 1 can't •: multicultural aiversty .' :j have never had ;' doctor tcii them they use my name as I am tiieci of being cannot have acccs.s to ;-. U'nility clinic innocuous iniiin!;;, I ;v.v. a ie.s!;i;!r:. A fenii- (iheir only option tor having a baijy) nisi, A mother. A panUicisr. An introvj'-t. Wo/n.^: tcr i^.^vu.'rv.' vncrre? because oi" tlici" .scxi;ri!it>. Anti a person - v^hciher the kp,?A sy.ucr.: Canacian Eaucation Centre and the ineriin see r.ii- riiai w.-iy or noi. Canaaian Hign Commission 4. i sit in coun.s aiu; iisicr !(; Judge;; aiui Comr-ponwealth Avenue barri.siers discuss tji'.' :• •: '.'up.','sii e (!) Canberra ACT ^GOO. could piiysic;>li;,' f.,' •;• ;; "ii' slii' (I) tried Tel: (02)6273-33--:; - couldn't she (!''' 'J... r-.i; wiial evi Fax: (02)6270-4033 dence was a;iN";!i:;;! i^i ;,aL';^esl tl;;it Email: CanadaEduC@aoLcom penetration would be iiiipossiblc. Tliey The struggle for women's reproductive rights is facing new and heightened barriers. Western Australia has hit the spotlight, and here, Ruth Ratcliffe takes a look at... THE STATE OF ABORTION LAW REFORM ariier this year Cheryl Davenport, a Western Australian MP, introduced a stated thai she will not accept amendments to her bill which result ir. abortion private members bill lo remove abortion from the Criminal Code. When it being reinserted into the criminal code, as the decriminalisation of abortion was E passed through the Upper House al the beginning of April, many supporters the primary intention of her bill. However Davenport is under increasing pres of a woman's right to choose celebrated vicloty. However the celebrations were sure to accept the amended bill rather than start the whole process ail over premature, it quickly became clear that victory was not going to be won so easi again. While the Davenport bill in its present form would be a tiny step forward ly. On May 7 the Davenport bill passed the Lower House, but due to various for a woman's right to access abortion, it would be a defeat for the pro-choice amendments put by right-wing, anti-choice pariiamentarians, il became virtual movement which could have pushed for greater reform. Many groups have ly unrecognisable. On Thursday May 22 the bill returned to the Upper House taken the defeatist attitude that we should accept the gains which are contained and passed into law. But the celebrations by pro-choice groups around Australia in the amended bill and that pushing for greater reform would risk these minimal may yet again prove to be premature. It's true that West Australia now has the gains. It looks likely that the amended bill will pass and that women's access to most liberal abortion laws in Australia, abortion up abortion in WA will still be very restricted. to twenty weeks has been removed from the Criminal Code. Yet women's right to control their What is your assessment of the campaign waged by bodies should not be subject to parliamentary com the pro-choice movement in WA? promise. What has passed is a highly watered- down version of the original Davenport bill. Initially the pro-choice movement mobilised a broad Abortions after twenty weeks remain on the coalition which actively campaigned for repeal of the Criminal Code. There are still many restrictions abortion laws, and succeeded in mobilising large regarding abortion provision and it is not yet clear numbers. However an over-estimation of what how these will work, in practice. Anti-choice groups Cheryl Davenport's bill could achieve in the parlia have sworn to prosecute any breaches of the regula mentary realm resulted in confusion within the tions. In the days before the Bill was finally passed movement. The media focused heavily on anti- I spoke to Sarah Stephen, the Perth organiser of choice demonstrations and on any conflict where the Resistance and a worker at the Association for the two sides of the debate met. Since a national day of Legal Right to Abortion (ALRA) about the state of action for the repeal of abortion laws at the begin the campaign in WA. ning of April there has been a real absence of a pub lic campaign here and the pro-choice movement is 77ic Davenport Bill has been passed by both Houses suffering as a result. A successful pro-choice move of Parliament now, why hasn't this resulted in the ment has to combine the profile and concrete legisla total repeal of abortion laws in WA? tive gains of a parliamentary approach while recog nising the importance of wide community support for Amendments moved by anti-choice MPs have a women's right to choose and the necessity of acti altered the nature of the Davenport Bill, almost vating that support. beyond recognition. For instance only section 201, which deals with penalties for women has been Miar has been the impact for women who need abor removed from the Criminal Code but the sections tions during this time? which deal with the prosecution of doctors perform ing abortions remain, meaning doctors will still be This has been a very bad time for women in WA. In reluctant to perform abortions. Also, an amend the week after the charging of Dr Victor Chan and Dr ment was passed which stipulates that the doctors Hob Peng Lee (arrested in mid-February for perform who counsel women seeking abortions must be ing an abortion) two women were admitted to hospi independent from the person who pcrfomis the tal after attempting to perform abortions on them abortion. It is not clear how this would operate in selves. On May 1 doctors in WA placed a total ban practice. Is the doctor who refers a woman to an on abortions in protest at their OcriminalO status. In abortion clinic independent? Are 'wo doctors who one week this resulted in 16 women being forced to are members of the AMA (Australian Medical seek terminations interstate. It's impossible to know Association) independent from each other? Another how many women have been forced into continuing amendment stipulates that after twenty weeks gesta unwanted pregnancy during this time. The whole tion two government approved doctors must agree that the abortion is justified episode has highlighted the absolute imperative that women arc able to access on the grounds of the medical condition of the woman or foetus. These amend free, safe legal, abortion on demand and that all abortion provisions be removed ments are a huge step back from the original content of the Davenport bill which from the Criminal Code. removed abortion outright from the Criminal Code. This is the fundamental demand of the pro-choice movement. Davenport still lias the riglit to reject these amendments when the bill returns to the upper house. Wiiat do you think she is likely to do and wiiat impact will that have for women in WA? The bill is being debated again in the upper house, as we speak. Davenport has smoking classrooms Suharto's given or the first time in 20 years, a mass student move until real democracy is achieved. Woman who stood up to himself the flick ment has empted in Indonesia and has fused with Military repression during the recent uprising has Suharto the discontent felt among workers and urban poor, F been harsh. Amnesty International reports that 371 peo Free Dita Sari and his buddies forcing the dictator Suharto to resign. Over the past few ple have been detained since the beginning of the year months, thousands of students in Indonesia have organ have now moved for peaceful political activity. 140 of these arc still in Dita Sari was jailed for 5 years ised demonstrarions demanding an end to corruption in custody. A more ominous trend is the spate of disappear in April 1997 for her work in in to pick over the the government, real solutions to the economic crisis and ances. According to the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation organising independent trade remains of the the downfall of the Suharto regime. Despite heavy mili 12 student leaders and political activists have disap unions in Indonesia. She is tary intimidation, the scale and scope of the protest company that was peared since January. Indonesia's longest serving female movement has escalated. Commentators arc starting to On March 28 Andi Arief, leader of Students in political prisoner. Dita's stoiy is Indonesia. But the describe the protest movement as the Indonesian 'infita- Democracy in Indonesia (SMID) and the People's one of immense courage and da', as students link up with urban poor communities in students aren't Democratic Party (PRD), was abducted at gun point by endurance. a mass campaign of defiance. the military. Since that time his parents were phoned returning to Dita became involved in the Suharto seized control of Indonesia in ]9G'y in a anonymously several times and told places to find his democracy niovcincnt in Indonesia refectory food so bloody coup which resulted in the death of over 1 million body. The military denied having Andi in their custody. when she was a student. Her skills quickly, and pcop'.c. Since that On April 17 Andi "reap in organising people quickly made time his army has continue to play a peared" in police custody. her a leader of the emerging stu also invaded East He is now being charged dent movement. Dita then made major role in the Timor and killed a with subversion. No offi the brave decision to leave cam further 250,000 peo struggle to reform cial explanation has been pus and go into the worker's com- ple, The Suharto dic Indonesia. given by the military for niuiiilies to help set up indepen tatorship ruled Andi's whereabouts in the dent trade unions. In Indonesia it Indonesia, West period between March 28 is illegal to belong to a trade Papua and Fast Timor and April 17. .Ardi has union which is net controlled by with an iron fist. All told his brother he was the military'. independent political kept blindfolded during During 1995 and 1996 Dita activity has been this period and interrogat was detained and beaten many banned and opposi ed day and night. times by the military for her work tion parties driven The return to police underground. For in struggling for worker's rights. custody of Andi is a sig During this perioti Dita was many years students nificant victor^' for the have been intimidat instninicntal in organising a scries student movement in of strikes for better pay of thou ed into silence. The Indonesia which has been last outbreak of stu sands of factoiy workers. In 1995 demanding freedom of Dita also completed a tour of dent activity in the late 1970s resulted in military occu political association. It is also a victory for the solidarity pation of campuses and political agitation banned. Australia where she was the first movement in Australia which has mobilised to defend Indonesian to speak out publicly I visited Indonesia at the beginning of last year and Andi. in Australia for independence in stayed with student activists fighting for democracy. They Andi Arief joins a number of other political prisoners East Timor. explained how SRC elections had to be carried out in in Indonesian jails. Xanana Gusmao has been sentenced In 1996 Dita Sari was elected secret because independent student unions were banned. to 20 years jail for fighting for independence for East president of the Indonesian Centre They showed me student newspapers produced and dis Timor. Dita Sari has been sentenced to 5 years jail for for Working Class struggles (PPBI) tributed underground. These papers took up issues such organising an independent trade union. Budiman at its third annual conference. In as fireedom for East Timor, the right to dissent, revolu- Sudjatmiko has been sentenced to 13 years jail for organ July 1996 Dita was arrested at a tionaiy strategy and international political issues. To be ising a polirical party. There are scores of political prison 20,000 strong strike in Surabaya. caught with an issue of these papers meant certain arrest. ers in Indonesian jails. She was put on trail for subver All political activity on campus was carried out in It is imperative tliat tlie student movement in sion. She is now serving a five secret. One of the student activists I met proudly showed Australia mobilise in support of students in Indonesia. year jail sentence. me a Rage Against the Machine CD. The regime did not The National Union of Students has issued a call for the Despite being in prison Dita recognise who Che Guevara was, so it had not been release of all student political prisoners in Indonesia and has maintained her involvement banned. Most other political material was oudawed. for an end to Australian government support for the and interest in political struggle. The overwhelming impression I received from the Indonesian dictatorship. It has also adopted Andi Arief as For the last two years she has student movement at the time I was in Indonesia was of a symbolic member of the union. managed to smuggle out a state fear. Students were terrified of being publicly identified The students I met in Indonesia took great interest in ment of solidarity on International as political. Standing up against the regime meant anest, the struggles of people in Australia. I was always asked Women's Day. Dita remains a defi torture or death. Few were prepared to take the risk.. questions about Pauline Hanson, Aboriginal rights and ant feminist, trade unionist and It is this fear which has disappeared in Indonesia the living conditions of Australian students. We need to political activist. If you would like today. Masses of students at hundreds of universities and show a similar interest in the situation for people in more information about Dita Sari's high schools have stood up to the regime. The protest Indonesia. The mass campaign of protest led by students case you can order a book on her movement that began in March is growing and drawing in Indonesia is the most serious threat the Indonesian Ufe ($5) by phoning 3254 0565. in broader layers of society. People are no longer willing regime has had to face since seizing power. It has been to accept the status quo and are staging acts of mass powerful enough to topple Suharto. It now faces the task rebellion. In the face of this oppostion Suharto offered of deposing Habibie and creating real democracy in his resignation on May 21. But the Suharto regime is still Indonesia. in place and the protest movement is unlikely to lessen Zanny Begg - NUSQ Co-Education Officer L#a • &!'•--^iAv My body is in one place, my heart is my^^"''^» in many. im^'tiU' Adelaide. ^^f'^'Qt; I cim in exile, self imposed. I concen trate for fear of losing my sanity. This is an jndertoking, m^:>^--'. h My mbf/ier's mother dies. *To go iooicing uncertain and fragile like o IfSf Concealed in this city I seek her sur spider's web. But in the for pleasure is prises. But she is a dud root taken cose of the web, we stand I far from cow for granted, shejs too easy to navi in awe of its construction, gate. I am unable to lose myself in respect the transience ardice, it's life's her yet I am continually lost in because we aave faith in its continuity of formi remotest edge/ fl myself.^She weeps because winter ^ -Something that, if is upon her. I crave humidity, . raying coUroge/; destroyed, can be remade Though it is like he rapes her, she f anew."' It's a pb/used ' still embraces him. Habit and her Its fragility terrifies me but .. • •-.:.-^'y\^"'-'>^, ^yahoiTorViil ways condition her. Sometimes I this is a respect. I stand in too much is left unsaid see how she is painted new like a awe of it. I must-have faith, of everbeio there are no choices, lor . Th^ people ! love are lik:e bride, she is strong and hard and fi 1 cities, are an architecture, this'is what sustains me, » safisfied,'?^ straight. She is a great aunt too they map me iTcno* their unravels, connpletes then stylish, too set in her ways to ever f textures. The space I con- t [^.i5;;Gedrge$'Batdi| unravels me again. It is ihe sume, the architecture I ^|«(.;': • ''\i:'iMi-'\;^ change. This city wtis laid out, was ' streets 'I walk down, the n breathe. The weather, i planned, a child whose parents hills I climb, the sound of o 0 recognise its louch. wanted her, with a college educa clock ticking, community, 5 crovv'ds, ceilings, [ am an explorer, a map-, tion signed. I am in a void, a vacu maker, a tracer. I find the um, adrift in the interval and the lack of pathways astonishing usher won't let me back in. and I am diivon to live a life . in o state (jfiobsessive ere- AAy response is to find or create There is no concealing. I have spent two y^ari} stantly uii'^Ronstruction. The I had alvuoys believed that an artist's privelege and position space. To initiate an evolve away from Ihe weather I love. racket is a ceaseless was to make work that adds value, a politic that serves a men! with the lives that cross BriWone' reminder lhal I am searching common good. Although I wasn't exactly sure what that was. my path. To venerate and nur fo make ihe most out ol ever/ But as on art maker I had a responsibility. I developed an ture friendships. I am passion There is a heat-inspired oozing, a masked^ri[^ opportunity that faces me. It aggressive distaste for the term 'art' as well as ^jP Wdtk and ate about the intimbte and defi derness. There is more living and less rettec% drives me lo make cleoter white conviction. I read books oryitual and shunned the art- nite need of the performative Hon, the humidity doesn't allow it,* sense of all thot I have known wank world. I believed^tWjt art ontself could serve as a tool act. Space being both acloal I was in love with her, this is why I leave. 11 and all thai I wished I had. and that the ritual oF our everyday life was in essence art. as well as a choreography of am in love with her, time and age and ///ric/^i Essentially, I became a pimp and art my whore. It's the wishing that mokes me lime and words. And recogni sight assures me of this. She is a knowledg^^ search, consltuct, uncover tion. It's about a vision fo look and we have mapped each other. She puts- and create. I'm not so impassioned anymore.j^rt and life are both my and then look deeper. If neces me together. Her skyline is brazen. Her dawrt It is 0 faith. The ramblings of lovers. Though I keep them in separate cities, what they teach sitates a structure of pathways, is slow but evening falls over her like a shad:: an excavator, a thief and on me enhances the time I spend with both. 'Art' needs to be of invention, of reinvention. To ow on the moon. She is tropical and pre amaleui magician. laughed at much more, and life needs to be nurtured with an slate things. Romcmbrances, dictable. And when she is irritable I know We must acchistiate our lives.' artistic sensibility. I say nurtured because we a^ already gatherings, acknowledgements, Butid structures. extremely adept at witticism and irony, we are experienced in parties, excesses. The creation what to do, which is good. It is tangible. Ice too much is left laughing at life, it acts as a salve and a slave for all that is of myths and stoiyteliing. blocks, lemonade, a wooden swing in the 'dormant - absent. But-the challenges! have discovered in approaching- Piioritiesrplidno calis..notes. • • Jacaranda tree. I understand the sensuous~ life with a creative mind and a lateral application provide me li'.s about loccSg.nising who! is energy in the hours before one of her stun with opporiunities lo experiment and experience. ning storms. Her crashing thunder reveals All this presents me with a war - to fight againstthe compla bol'C coilexts ioi ih beauty and resonance, the slice of sound cency and conformity within myself and the lives around me. SPP|!p|'^!fftlW mu"HiMini'K«l'^l1 mmmmm A bit about AJ Rochester: his is the taie many a Hollywood movie mogul would move mountains to make silent. TAfter years of having his intestines torn out by uncaring directors, one of Hollywood's finest stunt-men has decided to risk his career and reveal what's really happening behind the scenes. YFAH. G'lAY. I'M A STUNT IRUISf:R FIR THF FIUUM INIUSTRY. YBU MIGHT FINK IT'S THE MIVIF STARS WHAT CF.T THFIR HFAIS ANI Lf.GS CHiPPF.I IFF. lUT IT'S NIT - ITS PFIPLF IIKF. MF. I'VF HAI MY HFAI CHIPPFJ IFF 22 TiMF.S ALRFAIY. YIU PRIIAILY SAW MY LAST FIUUM. I IF.T YIU FIUGHT IT WAS GWYNFTH PAITRIW'S HFAI WHAT WAS IN THF IIX IN THA MIVIF SFMH..M\ IT WAS MY HFAI. Hill IN. I'M iUST SUMMIN ING THE iLIII.„.AS I WAS um\i...{GRtANS)..mm A IITTLE ilT IF TALENT (GRUNTS)...mJH SKILLS LIKE Vim...{GmNS)J$li CAN NIT z INLY IIEEI lUT YIU'VE GIT Tl IF VERSATILE IN THIS lUSlNESS Tl STAY ALIVE ANI THAT'S WHY I'VE lEEN SI SUCCESSFUL. CAUSE WITH A IITTLE IlT IF ACTING.^ M Rochester does not call hersdf a film maker, even tliough her comedy film Bruiser has already won three awards (including Runner-up ot the Fat Wv Schlock Film Festival and best short film a! Sctncfcst Fiim festival}, nas teen a finalist in mary competitions and hos been screened in quite a few film festivals. She has been an actor, cicwn, comedian, singer, miter and radio diva. Up unbUme of last year she had her own breakfast s/io,v an radio stof.'O.i SAFM in Adelaide whilst also working for C/io.ine/ 7's mnrrnr.g .s/ic.v AM Adelaide She is a self described Professional Fool and thus quit her job to pursue her dream of comedy and writing. YIU CAN NIT INLY IIEEI. lUT MANIFEST HERPES AS WELL. I'M THE INLY INF IN THE lUSINESS WHI CAN II HERPES IN LESS THAN SIXTY SECINIS....HUGH GRANT TAUGHT ME THAT. SEE THAT PUSS IN MY LIP. THAT'S MY PUSS.J CAN II WEEPING ^ SIRES IF.TTER THAN AHYIHE I KHIW....I11T ^. II YIU SEE ME GETTING ANY ACAIFMY AWARIS Nl. THEY WANT Tl KEEP MY ART A SECRET. I CAN THRIW MYSELF UNIER A CAR. GET A IR9KEN TIIIAS. FIIIA FEMUR. IRIKEN lACK. CRACKEI RIIS. INTERNAL ILEEIING ANI A FEW SLIGHT IRUISES - ALL IN A HIRHiHG'S WIRK - ANI II YIU SEE MY NAME IN THE CREIITS AT THE ENI IF THE MIVIES?? tlF.FilNG MNF. BY tIfUISF.R. ? NI....IIN'T THINK SI! WHI ELSE CAN TAKE A SWISS ARMY KNIFE ANI WITH A FEW lUICK CUTS HAVE THF.IR LEG GHIPPEI IFF ANI IE STANIING lY Tl ILEEI IN CIMMANI??? i AM A UNSUNG HERI IF KILlYWIII. lUT YIU KNIW WHAT MAKES ME EVEN ANGRIER THAN ANY IF THE ITHER STUFF? AFTER A HARI lAY'S WIRX IF ILEEIING FRIM THE IIWEL. CHIPPING UP MY IIIY PARTS ANI GETTIN' INTES...... INTESTERESTJNTERESL.. AH STIMACH CANCER..-..I MEAN, IIN'T GET ME WRING, IT'S NIT THAT STUFF THAT I MINI..~.WHAT REALLY GIVES ME THE SHITS._. ...... IS THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN HIRE SIMEINE Tl MAKE SURE MY IIIY PARTS IIN'T GET EATEN lY THE IIIIIY IIGS. IT'S A HARI LIFE lEING A MIVIF STAR. •wiwwof IH ANI IIN'T FIRGET Tl CHECK lUT MY NEW FILLUM WIF SLY STALHNF...JN IT I GET MY HANI PUT THRIUGH THE MINCER. A KNIFE THRIUGH THE EYE. MY LEG TIRN IFF lY A FREIGHT TRAIN. MY HEART RIPPEI lUT lY THE lAI GUY. MY TEETH STILEN lY AN INIIAN. ANI MY IIIY FEI Tl FIFTY SHARKS.„ANI THAT'S JUST IN THE IPENING SCENE. lUT THIS TIME THEY SAII I'l GET A CREIIT.....//V LiVIHG Mf.MHtY iF iHUISF.It.J WINIER WHAT THEY MEANT lY THAT????? t I 4 i » I k t ' ( 1 4 » miserable story alxiut diners and Ctiristian CHRISTIAN SLATEK ASlater's career. Ir this, he plays a tiospitality MARISATOME! worker With a bad heart. There is nothing moving about this idea, anyone who has sent food back jn^ ROSIE P£Rli7 a restaurant can tell you that. So wh someone like fvlarisa Tomei should fall for that long-hairei lame excuse for bad sefvice is beyond us all. But she does, because Slater saves her life, expecting presumably, a reciprocal career save from Tomei. At the end of the filmChristian dies well, Tomei ahead in the Oscar stakes, this one, it's one of those classic diner films where you know your plates will be dirty before you get them. METR0-G0LDW\7v'-AUyER .r^.... TONY BILL n. rupiCTT.WT CT vrcD VTADTCA Tcwivt -pncTC nrpu7 Whitney Hoi "I car)'t believe it ran for 158 minutes." (a devastated ttieatre goer) Q/iehere': s something aboi-t Whitney Houston that gets under your fingernails. She car't act, that'd be it. In this film, she searches for a true acting coach, someone who'll toll her thai the Bold and The Beautiful pose at the end of every spntPnCG just has to go. Her friends in the film agree on this and they all go out searching together, wh'ch leads to some very funny scenes in another film you ^kft«W^' might be interested in, which is Hal Hartley's /Amateur, out on v deo at ail good stores. The friendships in that film =.:^;;;>^,^^,--««rs work by the maxim that trLe love is utterly oromiscuous and loves a good y^' shag. I ••'' ! \ I • '"^iM*^ "/ learnt more from this film that my Creative Craft manual ever coughed up!" Dennis Cunr)ir)gham, crochet arid macrame expert One of ttie more acceptable reasons to hire this film Is for ' Jonathan Schaech, whose two minute performance you can then *'%%. compare with his decidedly pola- role in Greg Araki's Doom Generation, in which he plays a bi-sexual sado road movie hick with %i a glint like a Stanley knife, A rea' shocker. And so's this ridiculous offering from Winona. Knit one and purl,Mhat'S'aKyou-need to Runnir>g TJTTW approx. 116 mlns/Colour know. VUN82595 i\ Dan I Oivinpiji Jiiliji .\l\i: II.V\NAIi IKKAKLS liOHIKi. chance lo make a pam of herself. In this fi'm, she causes her besi friend pain. D-agging her sausage lips along the ground, Barbara Hershey- picks tip the seqi;ins of her su|)or- si.ly friena's life". You get the feeling that Hersney could easily have died earlier in the 'ilm, ireantng less lime in make-up with Midler, This is the 'A beastly film." .^ f;im iha; discove.Td the loud girl (Ttie Queen) from "Blossom" and it's position on lier resuirc will prabably mean that Ful; of warir- wee, Steei Magnolias rennas you that your bladder is wo'i, be seeing her on the, closer to your heart than you t'iouc]'i;. That they're trends, almost. And 'Wliatevpr nappened to...?' pages m that's wrat tins story is aboui. Fr:er'.cisl-.:ps. Tnat, ar"d A'hy you can't a few years. wait for '.'le part where Jules Roberts ca'ks it, Otner than that, Sally Field sti'l acts like Bamb: caught :i 3 fatlor's '"eaciligh'.s, Shirls Maclaine method ac.s her way towards ar agitaiea mop, ana Dolly |ust talks about her thighs a lot wnile standing in front of flora, curtains. .TOUCHiTONt RunninjTiitir. IKIMF. VIllf »ABIH||fi:0R/»M4 •|(i'.nii!f:-,i;Wli;w. li;.l;Wiiif^•. •4;i[Hi \h i.i,V •lw^\l.!!tUi!! i!|^\Pi\|il MK^^t lI\i!tiSJn^ ^t?\;JiKrM!^H\\H«iHHnk)\iN|!Mji\V^.vt\NJMi jiblXli;:!! •nwiii-'h :=:a.Vi.iiJ.liit\.!;«lK'!tl<,:Ui'iil, -tkitJiil liUsl,r><. S-ViriJ.^tV.VHJt' APPROX 117MINS MWORV m I.UX-K 1)11.1. f'11.1.M.\.N -\M)k'\ i;rn. If you put the cover of this video close enough to an uncovered heater, it will radiate with warmth, wit and charm. If you take the cover to the pool it will shimmer, hover and vibrate with happy gurgles. If you hold the cover up to a mirror and try to read the words through it, you might not be able to. This is a video cover to enjoy with yoUr friends -take turns to; ;,^; "• 'rTW^ -^^tr^^J mr^ Wd0 7A Jannean: / had my first son ivhen I ivas 22. When he ivas one I ivantcd to go to I'm 31 and have ttvo young children. But I think if you ivant to do something, you QCA. I satu a lecturer there and said I wonted to do film and he talked to me about find ways. It's not going to stop you ivhether you're a single mother or female, tny situation and decided it ivas a good idea if I didn't ijo to imiversity at the time. you 're going to do it. That was only seven years ago! He put it in the contcrt of it being difficult and I'm glad I had kids ivhen I ivas young, it taught me so much. I don't think things expensive. But I can't really get angry at him, because it's society isn't it? have been easy for me hut it's definitely given me skills -1 couldn't be a director From tliat knock-back at QCA, I waited for years. And then this friend of mine noiv if I didn't have children. It gives you so much more depth. And when you're a who used to ivork at a coffee shop ivith mc, was studying film at QUT. I'd follow director you have a huge responsibility, it's not just being a visionary. Things I've hiw around and ask, "Can you find out about scriptwriling for me?", and helped learnt from being a mum are so usefid as a director - hoiv to deal ivith people, him do photography for his classes. That helped me build my confidence, and I communication, nuturing. ivent back through TAFH, Shorts have proven to be a great medium for new filmmakers to break into the Managing .stutiy and two small children wasn't made any easier by Queensland's industry. But pending finance, Jannean is eager to move on to feature length films. archaic institutions. J: It's to do with my tvriting style. I tvritc big. I can't shut up, I start ivriting and it J: They still don't have child care facilities at QCA Morningside! They need just goes on and on. Shorts are a great vehicle, but they're an art form. If they ivere your focus, I think you could make a career out of shorts. • « 1 i • 1 • I I t i I I t t t I • I • « i 3 t i I I i Direct Wdmen .«,^ i M f i 1 in shorts over coffee '^- I'i I i' 1 better facilities to support single mothers. There are no childcare facilities at QCA at all. Universities have to realise the potential of women and I mentioned Brisbane's great showcase of single mothers. dodgy short flicks, the "Eat My Schlock Film Festival" and that it had two very slick entrances from the twentyish, straight-to-HoUywood Spierig brothers, everyone's up and coming rivals. J: Those boys are good at their digital ivork and animation. I suggested that Jannean write their scripts for them, because they seemed a little lame in that department. J: Sure. I could write and direct and they could produce and do spe cial effects. The Spierig brothers ended up jumping on stage for most of the Young QLD Filmmakers' Awards, but Jannean grabbed the Short Film section with Gipsy Circus, a European-style fairytale shot in the Snowy Mountains and at the Woodford Festival site (she's not an old hippy but she's got a lot of old hippy iriends). You can see it when it's on at BIFF in August. For Jannean, filmmaking is not really about being too slick and funky, it's more about the story. As all filmmakers do, I presume, she seems to want to transpose her awareness of life onto the screen. And it's not hard to trust someone as engaging and open as she is to bring an intelligent work to our attention. With the introduction of Murdoch's Fox Studios into Sydney, young filmers like Jannean will have to stake their ground even more firm ly in order to maintain the vehemently independent industry that is Australian film... and at the same time make the most of the top- notch production facilities that Fox has on offer. According to Jannean, the independents can exist just as strongly alongside the other lot. And this should mean an interesting future for Australian film. J Daniels ^wan Woods, director of%6oyg, jias requested that the end of this highly confronting Australian film not be revealed. It is a strange request as there really is no assertive ending as such. Rather there is an abrupt and undebatable intimation as to the violent act that Brett Glenn andStevie Sprague ('the boys' of the title) have been progressing towards / Itthroughout/ the film's chilling plot structure. Indeed, The Violent Act may 'well be considered an alternative title. with the issues, but through the film's structure, grab Briefly, the film begins with Brett Sprague (David Wenham) leaving them by the throat. prison and being picked up by younger brother Stevie (Anthony "That is part of the cinematic ride, to keep the audience Hayes). At the western suburbs house the Spragues call home, Ihc'-e," Woods explains. Brett is greeted by his mother Sandra (Lynette Curran), her Maori "Cinema is about compelling the audience to stay in the 'friertd' Abo (Pete Stnith) and Brett's o\m girlfriend Michelle (Toni moment, and that is very important to me. If The Boys Collette), and is introduced to Stevie's pregnant, teary and neglect was just social realism then we would have been stuffed ed girlfriend Nola (Anna Use). because it would have been so grim tliat people would As the celebrations begin, so to do Brett's efforts to reassert his want to leave. We relied upon a horror film structure order over the household through intimidation, abuse and aggres not just to i<.eep the audience there but also to reflect sion. Brett becomes even more confrontational with the arrival of upon that fear in a domestic sense; not just men his other brother Glenn (John Poison) and his partner Jackie against women out men against rren. (Jeanette Cronin). His resentfulness toward the couple over thei," "We felt duty bound to reflect that scary atmosphere." attempts at gaining employment and leaving suburbia stems from Because of the sheer brutality of the film, the loathing Brett's 'loyalty' to the fannily. He eventually succeeds in driving thai any normal person would fee! for the characters Jackie away and reducing Glenn (like Stevie) to a bullied and cow and above ail the total absence of any attempt to ering younger brother. empathise with them or offer solutions for their situa It is obvious that the whole family lives in fear of Brett, what he is tion, Ths Boys leaves you with only a fear of the violent capable of and moreover what he is capable of causing. Behind his potential of some men in a given situation. It is proba caring, putting the family before everything outwardness, he is a bly the hardest aspect of the film and one that has led brutal and insecure character with no redeeming features. Through to condemnation from most people I have spoken to. attention that Woods is eager to dispel. Brett we see the fear rot only of women tovi^ard men, but men However, V'.oods makes no apologies to those accusations that "Graham's original play v/as ver/ roughly b;!scd on se'vcral inci the film is somehow insignificant because it lacks solutions. dents, but he had already begun working on il when that particu ' « f t f • If I V I lar inciden* o.-c.^: i-cd and we adapted the • I III! 11 t. ivi-i-ji^WTi- ''11^1111^ 'V:»>^'^: j.«^:«'i,:y f;t;;tfS#:i^^?|:^-;,-:;,:: f^i"t'i"'ivr i-^^^ toward men. Tne day of boozing end abusing of drugs i:jiid5 with Brett's rage as his o.'-der is forced onto tne other characters. "I want an audience to leave with a few knots of tension iron- Simultaneously, the plot flashes forward to events after the cli moments with the Sprague famil'v. The fil.m hasn't worked if they play without reference to any particular incident," said Woods. mactic event that the audience knows is coming as the piot and don't," he said. "Basically the press have seen what they wanted to see. What is Brett with it reach a horrific crescendo. "But hopefully the film raises questions of masculinity and what interesting is that depending on which city you are in, local media leads to moments of horrific violence. It is a portrait of relation have made connections to local real-life events. Even in Berlin the The Boys, like Once Were tVorn'ors, is tiard to recommend as an ships that have gone wrong, a family in crisis. The play that it is film was related to a crime there. Quite simply such horriric events entertaining film due to its subject matter and the emotions it based on [The 6o/s by Gordon Graham] did lead to discussion of enter public consciousness through media bombardment so that a draws upon. But the simple fact is that it is an entertaining film, masculinity and insecurity and so far the film has to." film like this almost has to be connected to real life even if it isn't," largely because of the compelling plot structure and the thriller This approach to film-making begs one large question: why make a he said. conventions that Woods has relied upon. film that seems only to exist to make people fearful of such men? Apart from the quality of the acting (and much has already been For Woods, the film encompasses a British social realist film tradi After all, Freddy Kruger exists as fantasy and the fear ends with said elsewhere of David Wenham's freakish performance), the look tion and a Hitchcock style to generate its horror quality and over the final frame. Images of Brett Sprague on the other hand will be of 77JC fioys is of a warped Australian suburbia. Together with its whelming sense of claustrophobic terror. forever connected to the girl on her own at the bus stop late at design, subject and plot structure, the film 's reminiscent of The "The film is an intersection of two genres; the te.xtures and details night. Offence (Sydney Lumet) as well as Wood's own short film Tran the of social realism "There are no definitive answers to the big questions of why men Man. intersect with that rape and kill within the film, but it dees have a lot to say about "Yeah I've always been influenced by Lumet and read his book for of horror/thriller the psychological aspects," said Woods. the umpteenth time just before we begar^ production. The way films. It has a ver\' "We didn't want to insult an audience's intelligence by offering that he heightens a sense of claustrophobia on fiini by using manipulative struc easy answers and also we didn't want to lose an audience through increasingly narrower lenses is something thai we emulated in The ture in that infor a lack of dramatic quality," he said. Boys. He is definitely a major influence on my approach," he said. mation is left out It is an interesting point and one that leads to comparisons with so that the audi other recent films dealing with simiiiir subject matter. The Boys The fact that the film has led to such discussion amongst people I ence has to piece succeeds where last year's Blackrock failed because it wallowed in know and the community at large suggests that Woods and his things together and indulgent soul-searching and se'^'-examination. Without actually team have really achieved something with this film. Accolades work out what's naming such films, Woods agrees. worldwide, particularly from this yea-'S Berlin Film Festival, confirm happening," Woods "There are lots of films about crimes against women, but most of this. It is currently in national release and will be screening at the said. them lapse into falsehoods and simplistic meaning. We decided Schonell soon. Just make sure you see it with friends! According to this was not what to do and were intent on not making those Woods the same mistakes," he said. Nick Leys. approach he and "We had a hard time in development and we were criticisco and screenwriter accused of being immoral because those 'answers' 'weren't there. Stephen Sewell We resisted but it did make things quite hard," said Woods. took was to con The other aspect that the media has focused on in the film is the front the audience connection to real life incidents such as the .Anita Cobby murder, screened MRS DALLOWAY WILD THINGS Dir: Marieen Gorris Dir; John McNaughton. My date commented, as we sat Wild Tilings is sleazy, cheesy trashiness at its very best. Think down to coffee and foccaccia, that Melrose craziness, meets Baywatcb aesthetics, a plot with twists and he was confused by the film, had turns about twists and turns, and an unpredictable ending. Wild wanted to slap Mrs Dalloway and Things falls squarely into that 'so bad it's good category". In fact it felt frustrated by the uptight char practically rc-invcnts the type of movie you see purely for complete acters. This film adaption of ly escapist enjoyment and you can bitch about later, something Virginia Woolfs Mrs Dalloway missing since Tuesday night Spelling TV lost its edge (which, lets conveys all the hypocrisy, anxiety face it, was a long time ago). and insincerity of the upper class es. Wild Things is so complicated, that not much can lie said without giving it away- even if you go in expecting the unexpected you'll In the summer of 1923 Clarissa still be surprised. The movie is set in the exclusive Florida beach Dalloway (Vanessa Redgrave), community. Blue Bay, which amongst its affluence, country clubs plans a grand party where she and abundance of gorgeous cheerleaders, a darker force resides. This hopes for a moment (a moment is symbolised by the swamps, where alligators surface menacingly she longs to hang on to) everyone and the less fortunate people live. It's all about location - beachside will be beautiful and magic will or swampside, it makes all the difference. Matt Dillon plays Sam fill the air. A sickly childlike I.ombardo, the local high school guidance counsellor and 'educator woman, for whom moments seem of the year'. Lombardo Is considered quite a catch amongst the Blue to be slipping away, she recalls the Bay elite, especially by the young things he teaches, and of course playmates of her youth: Sally with their mothers. One such mother/daughter team of rivals are the Van whom she was most intimate; Peter who wanted to marry her; and Richard who she eventually married. Ryans, the richest and most well respected family in town. In an attempt to woo Lombardo, Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) flirts, Intercut between Mrs Dalloway's day and her past is the story of a shell shocked soldier brilliantly portrayed pouts, barely clothes herself and even washes his jeep, a great by Rupert Everett. The contrast between the soldier, who is deeply scarred by Worid War 1, and Mrs Dalloway, excuse for getting the small amount of clothes she has on, very, veiy who is bored and worn down by her mundane life, makes her complaints seem trite and her remorse pathetic. wet. (no prizes for guessing which colour scheme she chose to wear The soldier, who a doctor describes as not mad but "lacking a sense of proportion", is the only character who that day!) is honest about how he feels and what he sees. Things turn ugly when Kelly accuses Sam of raping her, a testimony The film climaxes at the party where Mrs Dalloway must confront old ghosts in the flesh and accept the choic the local law enforcers. Detective Duquette (Kevin Bacon) and es made in her youth. A deeply moving film with exceptional costumes, Mrs Dalloway is both tragic and Detective Perez (Daphne Rubin-Vega) find a little doubtful consider romantic but utterly unsentimental, ing her spoiled rich girl reputation. When rebel Suzie Toller (Neve evy Campbell), who resides in a trailer on the wrong side of the swamps, admits that Lombardo did the same thing to her, the case proceeds to triaL Defending Sam Lombardo is a small-time shyster lawyer, (Bill Murray) who provides true comic relief as he runs around in a neck NIL BY MOUTH brace in support of an insurance scam. Not that the movie needs Dir: Gary Oldman anything more to make it funny. A parody of every straight to video, b-grade, soft pom and day-time soap, posing as a thriller with some This is a film that London needs. And fairly big name actors- its so ridiculous you can't help but laugh. not just London. Oldman offers nothing That's providing it wasn't taking itself seriously, something the audi surreal, nothing hip, nothing satirical. ence is still wondering as they leave the theatre. Wild Things is a Nothing to hide undemeath....and noth must-sec, even though you know it doesn't deserve to be. You'll try ing to do with Hollywood. Rather, every to talk yourself out of it, but later you'll admit you had fun. thing about the gritty topic of domestic abuse and how it keeps families together, Bridget Hayes at the same time as pulling them apart. In a sparse 'don't give me any of that 'I. • * . rising score crap' style, Gary Oldman • • •• \^ directs us to the London of his child hood, the high-rise tenements where '.', "Y romance has to cover itself in grime to be allowed in, and where constancy is a syringe and a reliable source. In one of the cement boxes lives the working class family of Ray and his pregnant wife Valerie, joined sporadically by their 20-something druggie son, who dis appears off to his gran's every now and again when the going gets tough. But the family life isn't left at that. This family's everyday is run by Ray, who, doing what his father did to him and stirred on by alchohol, •1" *"?^-^^Hkw •''•'iS '^^Wl^-- perpetuates a terriiying bullying violence towards his wife and son that keeps them constantly on edge and wary, tliough tragically bound by an almost surreal loyalty to the family's survival and thus unable to remove themselves completely from the situation. At least, not until Ray takes to his wife in such a way that there is nothing left to forgive him for. 1^ This is a remarkable film, and the performances from the lead characters contribute much to the rea son - particularly Kathy Burke as Valerie, who (almost unbelievably, she has a comedy show and also f appeared on Ab Fab) deserves some sort of recognition for her masterpiece of a portrayal. ll^^fr^itiii^Kqi ^ 've started to become obsessed with the final track on Tulipan's newly released Having been well received in Sydney, Tulipan are off to play for the first time overseas. Destination: album, Manic Celeste... Not only does it mark another musical direction change Finland, to play in an international competition for youth folk bands. Tulipan are one of six bands Ifor the Tulipan chix, but it also has the potential to be a huge dance track (with competing, the only one from outside Europe, Virag nonchalantly mentions. If the women can raise a drum and bass beat and the right promorion on the European club circuit). some money before they leave, they may be able to play a couple of European. The entire album is an eclectic mix of harmonies and instruments from a truly multicultural perspective. With We get chatting about the local influences ranging across the gloDe, from music scene, the bands, t/ie poli Hungarian to Celtic to Asian, there is tics, community support, impressive varety to be found in n favourite venues, ( wonder Tulipan's album and performance. Could whether Tulipan have ever had this be the beginning of a new world problems being a mainly chix music movement? Acid Folk (or World band in a rather boysic scene? Acid), as one of Tulipan's members Virag "Not unless you include being refers to it, may very well be the next phenome compared to the Spice Girls!" na in the commercial music market, and this band will surely be remai-ks Virag, It seems ic me that riding the crest of that hot lava flow. Tulipan is not so mjch aliojt 'gtrlpov;er', out rather some voung women who come togethc lo cekHrale Not that Tulipan haven't worked for their success. The band has what tney lave. This corres nccss in thei- sttclic and been around a couple of years and experienced several meta live work as aryce who caught ['r-e\r pc'fn'iTiance morphoses in that time. Members have come and gone, but on 3 packed, sticky /;:r niqnt 3 few wecss urjo v;ill they've left traces of themselves and affected the way Tjlipan's testily. sound has deveoped. The women have been supported and encouraged by friends and relatives along the way and helped "And besides," smir-.s Vi-iin, 'v/e'iv not '"vjrketab'e scrape together the money to get their first ep out. Long-time from the se.x angle." Ine grou'vy new p.-omo photo.s, students of UQ may remember the "Semper in sound" cd which was produced in 1995. That was taken in swelterng --^O cli'gree heat, under a fig tree in one of the very 'irst recordings of Tulipan. Virag remembers it fondly and wonders whethe- the Mount Coot'tha Botanic Gardens betray her words, as does the rat.j-e ;>* (he music industry - the semper kids will be doing another (Note to editors: perhaps we should snap them up before they chix look and sound amazing, the Finnish are goi'ig to love then! get too famous). Moo Baulch he need arc an american all queer girl punk rock band, I haven't heard anything they've done online, every voice is as loud as the next one. - it's fine by me, everyone's entitled to their since the demo tape which was released 2 years ago, but rachcl cams recks, an acj ace drum state of mind personally I don't go online much except to email, it's like everyone's window tmer who runs her own graphic design business, and 1 think she does the vjcb pages as well, and shades are open - Et although it can be painful Et ugly a moan ft mundane, it's also inspired what she has to say is just so yes! ,., so a bit of history fi5l, and then some of the better parts of her Et smart Et alive. I think we're all pretty much ok. decentralization means all the flavors come words,,,. out it takes just as much energy to sort through the inessentials as it always has Et as far as the mess around music goes it's way more entertaining than rock reviews. the need have been together for 2 yeani, they started as the ce be barns band, and then one mem ber left, leaving three, the third member (miranda july, who is on the Kill Rock Stars 7") moved on what is the queer giri punk rock scene like at the moment, 'ivojld you see it as existing? and/'ove your- to continue 3 solo/performance art direction so rachel and radio sloan were left, rachel is drums self as part of it? (standing up) organ and vocals, and radio is guitar and bass and vocals, they have a few releases, and their history include bands such as kicking giant, witchypoo, slant 6, dutch boy fingers and oth hell yeah! it's alive Et ain't I a queer girl punk rocker? alot has changed in the nine years I've ers I haven't heard of. been playing music (Et in the million years before I came to it, when I was an art fag who'd O H f > P'^ycd piano in Jazz band in high my questions are like this and •"^ y • school) - the sense of urgency rachei's answers arc like 6 d that fueled riot grrrl was at that p pj the root sharp Et violent Et ^ totally on fire, but the state how have you released all ^gdof the music industry hadn't yet your music? /^ J4 diffused to include indies and anti c 6IU I ' P^P S^"'''^^' ^°^^^ scenes were besides the self released demo 1^0 0 Q totally boy ridden Et homos had tape, labels offered to put out our e eoT to go to the dance club, riot grrrl hit music, both of us have "done our the big screen Et so did everything else, mainly time" - it's harder to put out a record right away if the need because the industry was in a slump - "revolution" was the nobody knows who you are unless you can afford to do it yourselves... perfect wild card to create the new rebel market. Et yeah we all know the shit hasn't gooe away but there was a pretty bleak period of time after alternative nation brought out the what place do you see independent "record labels"having in society as a whole, especially forfuture women, th e internet turned monstrous at the same time, now it's all a big mess, but if speed and queer women? of communication makes us feel like we're all a step ahead well rad then. indie labels take up this slack because they rise out of local scenes, for the ladies and homos discography for the need this is vital cause this is where we live... my worid is gay every day Et pop culture is not. but 7" on Kill Rock Stars when I'm sitting In an apartment with a bunch of queer kids in bumfuck wherever Et the walls 7" on Out Punk are covered with posters of my friends I understand how queer visibility can save lives, we song on 7" compilation on Ross Records make heroes of each other cause we've chopped down the family tree - Et there's a great big CD on Chainsaw family to feed. 10" on Up Records and soon... a 2nd CD on Chainsaw the internet is getting larger and larger, what affect do you think this is having on 'independent'thei ' web address is httD://www.olywa.net/need/ music and communication of music? the internet seems to get incredibly gossipy and even bitchy, especially chat rooms and message boards, how do you feel about this? Abbie Trot ^',••.•'^ a *v';-'*''\.'->>^ i"^ ustralia has aways had a dire shortage of riot grrrrris. While female America was asserting itself with a nasty assortment of musical bitches and strumpets (a la' Courtney and Debbie Harry) here we seemed to be Aseveral strides behind, prefering the tame and the pretty to the loud and dirty. But wait! Since the eaHy eighties there's been one brash babe lurking behind her consid erably less brash commercial radio concoctions. Deborah Conway was singing about penis envy in Do Re Mi when Bikini Kill were still in nappies. Perhaps she damaged her riot credibility a touch with 'It's Only The Beginning' but Deb never kissed corporate ass, never sacrificed her precious underarm fuzz to a razor blade, and never balked at say ing the nasty V word in public When I talked to her last week there was no shortage of barbed wire comments, and her claws were out for the Australian music industry. Granted, I did catch her at the end of a ful! day of interviews with her new baby screaming in the background. To make matters worse, it took a full ten minutes to get Deborah on speaker phone while the technically inept Semper staff jerked hopelessly with a mess of buttons and cords. Finally, we established our electronic connection and began to talk of London, sexism, ageism, and Kylie Minogueism... Katie: Has living in London influence your sound? D: I think there's healthy competition between everybody in the D: Well that's true too. These are media conveniences. Sometimes Deb: I think the immigrant experience was a huge influence on music industry. they can explore things in an intelligent way that make it easier the album My 3rd Husband, It didn't have to be London, it could K: Do you have to compete with the guys to prove yourself? for people to discuss music intellectually than without those have been anywhere outside Australia, outside the warm bosom D: No, but it's a very tough business to be in. I don't think there labels. I think they do serve some function. At that time, Kylie and I where you are known and have a support group of musicians and are any disadvantages in being female. I think there are disadvan didn't have much in common. Maybe we have more in common friends. It was a shock to go to London and find this wonderful, tages in being older. It's much more of an ageist thing then a sex now. paradise place where people take music seriously. It's such a cul ist thing. There are enough women topping the charts to indicate K: / can understond how something like that con be blown out of tural key to the way society works there; when something's big that there's no discrepancy in earnings between men and women proportion. over there, everybody knows about it And it's a broad church's at the top of the business. D: Absolutely. And a lot of it was using the word vagina in a popular music, it embraces things from the Spice Girls to K: / read that when you were nominated at the ARIA awards for crowded room. Portishead. If Portishead had originated in Australia I doubt it best female vocalist along with Kylie Minogue you said you that K: Yeh, maybe that got some attention too. would've gone anywhere. Australian radio is so terribly conser D: It was too overwhelming for me. The urge, I couldn't sup vative it wouldn't have gotten played, press it Cause that's a dirty word. K: Were you reluctant to come bocic? K; And why? D: Yes I was, but Australia has its attributes. I think liking "Musically we had nothing in D: I don't know. It's funny that London has a lot to do with population. There's sixty million K: So are there any performers that you feel are in the same people over there and only seventeen here. It's a wonderful hot common. The only thing we musical vein as you? bed of ideas and everybody is competitive about getting the D: Well, there are lots of people that I admire and enjoy, but as next new thing. And here it has to be tried and tested before had in common was a vagina" far as comparing myself with them I feel a bit shy about doing anybody's prepared to take the risk. I find that mediocrity is stuff like that. I feel it's the commentator's job, as opposed to given much more air time than it should. there wos no disrespect intended, but the only th/ng you hod in the artist's. People I'm playing a lot at the moment are Bjork, K: You've been making music for almost two decades now, what common with Kylie Minogue was a voice and a vagina. Radiohead and Beck, John Zorn, Ralph Towner, Bill Fidel, Joe Henly, has helped you survive so long? D: Musically we had nothing in common. The only thing we had in Faithless D: Well, I guess I've had success at it That obviously helps. common was a vagina. It was curious that there was this grouping K: What are your plans after you've wrapped up this Australian Clearly there are people out there that like what t do and I think of people called female performers who were being compared to tour? I'm getting better at it. I think My Third Husband is a lot better one another, and the only thing they had in common was their D: I'll get on with My 4th Husband I think. than String of Pearls. As long as I keep thinking, or as long as I'm genitals. As opposed to being compared within your genre of K: Anything else you want to say? deluding myself that I'm getting better, that inspires me to keep music, you were being compared with your gender. And in some D: Music is s crap, aliens told me so. going. ways that made very little sense to me. K: Is there a feeling of competition between women in the music K: /t happens with genres as well Musicians are lumped in the same Katie Scott industry? genre when they really don't have a lot in common. ^H GREAT ALBUMS OF THE EIGHTIES Suzanne Vega JEFF BUCKLEY The eighties. Sketches for My Sweetheart The Drunk Madonna, Bruce There is no way I can write this review without it sounding like soppy drivel, I have Springsteen, gold, decided to save you and me from my shame and kept it brief (I have to write the glitz, synthesisers, review to keep the CD), It is rather unfortunate that the silly git went for a dip in the WHAM!, Cindy Lauper, Mississippi after too many drinks and drowned. Lucky for us Jeffs mother has bad jump-suits, KISS, allowed his 'works in progress' to be released, hence Sketches for My Sweetheart the Billy Idol, Punk and... Drunk. The album is brilliant. Suzanne Vega. Ahhh, even the name is a You AM I relief amidst the crass, M Record clangyness that was the decade of deca Yet another step into commercialdom. You Am I's latest release is dence. I remember nonetheless a highly listenable collection of songs. A lot of people hearing Luka for the it seems are tired of first time at the age of the listless guitar about 14 and thinking, "finally, something I can really listen to," TORI AMOS pop of Tim Rogers In a time when everyone was trying to be as outrageously garish et al, and this From The Choirgirl Hotel as possible there she was, little pixie-ears poking out from her album will do little Tori Amos is a girl who gets better with every playing, a _," mousey-brown hair; pale, oval face hovering over her acoustic to counter that who has managed to pass through an excruciating rnetarrior guitar. She was a vision of simple charm and poetry. She was the sentiment, which is phosis to gain strength, depth, and subtlety without losing '- aural break we all desperately needed. a pity The band mind. She was a baby doll pounding away at the family ;•• shov; here that they the feisty eleven year old composing her own eclectic uiiv, Raised mostly on the wrong side of the tracks in New York, are still capable of the teenager playing the lounge bar circuit all over Amfii,,,' Suzanne Vega's sound is reflective of her background: tough, grit producing some South, the hard-rock chick with a failed heavy nirUl. _ ty, yet intelligent gentle and honest In her essay entitled damn fine music album, and finally the nymphette who won a million .^ v„;, i "Fighting" which was published in Details. July 1995 she talks even if each song is with her pain, amazing voice, and piano orche'-.tr.'itlr'.rv about her childhood in Manhattan and the code of defending your beginning to sound family to the hilt "...even if you are happily reading Steinbeck's a bit similar. frovels with Charley and do not want to go..." This seems to sum Musically it isquin- Her fourth album. From The Choirgiri Hotel, illustrated •••'••. up her personality in a nutshell - introspectively creative and tessentially You Am I, but lyrically Rogers has shown a maturing happens when you give a musical genius some new toys' intelligent whilst fiercely independent and frighteningly resilient. sense of prose comparable to lyrical flavour of the month Tim full band and different instruments). A perfect balance Freedman. Highpoints are Heavy Heart and Junk No You Am I fan strength and open wounds, it's not Tori hiding beneath ... Initially Vega explored her creativity through poetry which she should be disappointed by this and more importantly it will con sounds, it's Tori brilliantly exploiting them. 'She'sYourC,,,,,:,,, began writing at the age of nine. As a teenager she attended the vert a few more. is a screaming mess of electronic feedback, 'Cruel']s a ' New York High School of Performing Arts where she studied mod trip-hop mixture of drums, marimba and programmed !;:;::;• ern dance. It was only when studying English Literature at 'Jackie's Strength' honours (and ridicules) Jackie 0 with " ' Barnard College, Columbia that she discovered music was her true meticulous piano and heart wrenching strings, '" vocation and after graduation she began attending the 'RaspberrySv,'irt is an exhausting dance extravaganza "' "Songwriter's Exchange" workshop at the Cornelia Street Cafe in caustic guitars, erratic programming and an explosive, -• Greenwich Village. Subsequent small performances around orgasmic fiii^!. Greenwich Village and years of performing on the Northeastern club circuit eventually lead to alliances with Lenny Kaye and Steve Lyrically, she's still as screwed up as ever, (would her'... Addabbo and the birth of an album. accept anything else?) but there's a healthy injection humour and sarcasm. Three subjects stand in overt prcni nence; cigarettes, narcotics, and babies. Indeed, the latter'. Vega's debut album, released in 1985 and simply titled "Suzanne probably in response to her 1996 miscarriage, adding squeo Vega" remains the all-time favourite for many of her fans. From the ballad-like strains of Small Blue Thing to the catchy rhythm of mish significance to lines like "In my platforms I hit the ",„„ MarleneOn The Wall, this album emerged quietly, gently awaken fell face down and didn't help my brain out Then the ' ' ing listeners to a fresh new acoustic sound and an intelligent lyri came before I found, the magic hov/ to keep her happy. cal style that paved the way for artists such as Tracy Chapman, (Playboy "- Michelle Shocked and the Indigo Girls. From The Choirgiri Hotel is anything but easy listening, AMMONIA those who have never liked Tori won't be converted.!:^; But it wasn't until the release of her second album "Solitude Eleventh Avenue strange recipe Standing" in 1987 that Suzanne Vega achieved fame, with Luka, a of faerie dust, song about child abuse, reaching the unlikely status of a position Potentially a great band, but at the moment too influenced ground up in the Top Forty. Toms' Diner from the same album also proved to by The Verve for my liking. You're Not The Only One Who glass, lip gloss, be a popular number, and was later sampled and re-popularised by Feels This Way is simple yet effective, and other tracks on bruised flesh some rapper whose name no-one can remember. The enthusiastic the album demonstrate the band's musical proficiency and and nicotine reception of "Solitude Standing" prompted Radio DJs to dig out their ability to produce a quality sound. But unfortunate isn't for those their mint-condition copies of "Suzanne Vega" and play Marlene ly Eleventh Avenue melts into the category of "another with weak ._,^^ .^ ^^^^ On The l^o//until we all knew the words backwards. Suddenly turgid output from Australia's rock n roll industry into the stomachs, but W ^.^li^Hf!:.. r^^P.: • i^- Suzanne was a household name. Suddenly the eighties weren't abyss of nothingness". gad it tastes just about being larger than life. Maybe... Could it be?... Was it Keep an eye on Ammonia though. They have definitely good. possible.... that sometimes less is more? Roll in the 90's, bring on progressed as a band since their early days and should "Days of Open Hand". continue to mature if they persist with elements that are Katie Scott visible in some tracks on this album, namely Monochrome Nic Hawker and Afterglow. 3 -STACY is the story of what happens to a family in / knew nothing about the dance-party scene at all, so really the aftermath of a drug death. it was just going into that world and exploring it and inves I couldn't help wondering if Margery's enthusiasm for the X tigating it. subject matter contained an element of false bravado fueled by a determination to "relate" to die audience, so 1 cut to When Ben introduces his sister Stacy to the dance party At this point 1 start imagining my own mother in the middle the chase and asked her whether the play would have a scene, she takes to i( instantly, throwing herself completely of a thousand-person Rave with lights flashing, music negative angle. into the music, the drugs and the lifestyle. But things get thumping and hoards of ecstacy-fiHcd teenagers lost in their out of hand and one night Stacy dies from the effects of a special worids - then the image cuts out like a bad computer You can do a critique or you can do an explanation, I think drug cocktail. reading, and I have to question whether Margery would this is more of an exploration. It just presents things hon actually brave this new worid, or did she just talk to people estly because it is coming from the research I've done and X-STACY explores the impact of a young giri's death on the who do? She assured me that she had in fact experienced it I've talked to health professionals and police and children family, the community and a circle of friends. It also lakes first hand. and their parents and counsellors from youth, drug and a brave look at spirituality on all levels, and every person's alcohol rehabilitation centres. I've really cast my net very search for their own brand of fulfilment. My first c.rpericJice was at a dance-parly at the wide. So what I've done is I've written a play from what Roxy (now the Arena) and it was so cvciting. I I've found and I'm hoping that at the end of it there'll be 1 recently enjoyed a long chat over a cup of loved it. You walk in and the music just lots of opportunity for discussion, particularly among young tea nt La Boiie with playwright and creator comes up through your feet and the hairs on people and teachers. of X-STACY, Margery Fordc. Margery's your arms vibrate. I wasn't ready for that portfolio includes a number of recent suc tidal wave of sound. Wc went and stood up on I've often asked myself whether the youth of the 90's are cesses such as (AWGIF Award winning) the balcony and looked down and you could see suffering a unique afliction - the lost soul syndrome. Or Snapshots from Home, commissioned by this tide of people. There'll be certain docs every generation actually suffer the same symptoms QPAT; Ghosts of Something Irish, under the moments in the music where something just that just manifest themselves in different ways? We beat aegis of QAC; and l')OI, again for QAC 1 that topic around for a bit and talked about suppose it was this list of impressive the way X-STACY explores the concept of accomplishmeiils coupled vvith the subject parallels between generations. matter of the play that led mc to anticipate meeting with a brusque young v,foman in a There's a parallel jouniey between Ben and snappy, short-skirl suit. 1 Wcis pleasantly his search for ecstacy in the dance-party surjirised to discover that Margery Fordc is scene and through substances and music, in fact a vv.irm, softly-spoken, thoughtful and his mother's search for spiritual ecstacy woman and mother of two young adults. - she has a fascination with the writings of Naturally, the first question that sprang lo STACY St Theresa ofAvila. We look ai hotvfor mind was why on earth someone like her affects everyone en-masse and all the hands go both of them those support structures break down. They're would attempt to wrile about such a gritty, up and people scream. It's ver\< tribal. That's hiding away in their own support structures in their own complex subject aimed at such a critical something I wanted to look at in the play the search for some kind of ecstacy to relieve them of their pain. audience? way the DJ is in control and bringing people up and bringing them down. It's interesting A play about sub-cultures, drug-cultures, spirituality, fulfil Wc wanted to create somcfltiiig thai would that yau liave hundreds of people dancing ment, suffering, relationships, relationship breakdowns, speak to a young audicucc. My daughter was really together and yet it's quite solitary, everyone dances in their social norms and community responses... Hmnim. It will be involved ill the dance-party scene, and I suppose I wanted to own space. Tliere's no sense of dancing together, ever\>one very interesting to see how these topics are handled within fmd out what the attraction was... What it tvas all about. is focused to the DJ, and everyone is lost in their own the context of such an oft-used subject as youth drug abuse. world, and I suppose part of that is the drug-taking too. I'm looking forward to seeing Margery Forde's X-STACY at So how does a person like Margery Fordc research a culture You're really in your oivn space. Also there doesn't seem to La Boite 16 July - 8 August. that discludcs [iretty much ever>'one over 20 without access be that hidden agenda of people being "on the make", it's to serious mind-altcriug substances? HOI that sort of scene. I think that's what my daugiifcr renl- Nic Hawker /v likes about it. Meme FLUX CONCERT Pieces included historical works by original fluxus anists such as La arrangement on the floor, they became part of a solitary game of Metro Arts Theatre Momc Young and Micko Shiomi, as well as new work by Meme billiards, with the standard results, except that each was unccrcmo- iiieiiii)er.s. nioasly fried adn transformed into a letter of the on-going installa ,Scvi'r;il piiirs ofsock.s were In the spirit of lluxu.s, the celchralion of the "everyday' was appar- tion word. The only link between all oftlieni, so il seemed. Idi in llif nl'U'rii);Uh of this eii;. So was the sense of the ri(Iiculou.s. The performance ended with the unveiling of Linda Dennis' show. No wonder. i)rr]iaps. Koben DavUlsoii, n post-grail music stiidcm. performeri his Wind f^mnrtcliiiics-, where three industrial fans waved good-bye to the bccnu.Sf till- socks h.id been Soiwta by iilaying his clarinet while a balloon slowly emerged out audience via the clusters of rubber gloves attached to their fan part of ilic pcrroniiaiice. of the end of the iiistrunieiit, inflating to bursting point. faces. Several pains were cho.seii lor Scotia Moiikivitcli, in her Shoe Performance, was responsible for the inclusion In a duct between a audience's .shoes taking centre stage as part of the ongoing Door T Nadcnson Simpson Miiiimatic washtiit;- iti-stallatioii. which would eventually spell out the word 'Artichoke". machine and a contra hass. For no reason, apparently. This concert is tlie first in a series of hybrid arts events scheduled Not only thai but audience .'\ sign proclaimed that hi the event of a pair of shoes beiiuj sepa by Meme for 1998. The next event will come at some time in iTieinbers" shoes i Because sometimes you have fo choose your roles, choose your light, choose your fights wisely, because there are two or three faces/spaces/places that you can inhabit, synchronise, sanitise to make your words sound. And rheliralilif Racism hope that the echo of the pearl v/ifhin your oyster reaches someone, somewhere at the peripheries... Is all/oround we are OK, you say. Let's compromise, conciliate, plead, bleed, facilitate, smooth the edge, speaking stories to the al slowly dying softer side. Take the fuck dick prick out. DROWNING And so, caressing the soffness of your tacit weapon/tool/thoughf, huddling join the grab grubby struggle for on inch of fhought/prirt/speak. And tear open Ihe muddy folds you made in cloy, and put your dulled heart bleed Royal Commissions ing on the table. Where the light, look, glare penetrates... infiltrates... mean jack And you subjugate, capitulate, surrender your anger, and oilow yourself to be washed, written over,-and the, fucking shif blood and the shif are cleansed, synchronised, sanitised. And you're written over, blurred, obscured, corrected, dashed and washed against the sand. Reodoble, likeable, amenable, soluble. When resped And you think you're lost, loose, adrifi, appropriated by ihe sea, tired of singing a song Ihey can read. has all but But even when you're buffeted and boiled and tossed, you know the hope that on grey days, in calmer waters, dissipoted driftwood sometimes looks like marble. I om joining the blak And someone, somev/here, is siting down sweet in the sludge and the muck, and finding a song to fit the ponlher warriors cast, and moulding a new face from clay. I am getting ready lo Alissa Macoun fight forward for freedom Ready Aim Higher and FIRE! Lisa Bcllear Spliced with anger dreamy dress-ups turn dissembling nightmares; masquerading awareness upsurps itself trips on the truth - turns itself inside out. "noras doorslam reverberates around the woHd" again. Kiersten WoiViL'^'s EQUAL Oppu^ciuNrrY .^REA UNION So once again wc reach that part of Semper which is notoriously unreatl... the VP reports. ENVIRONMENT COLLEOTVE Tlic Co-Women's Vps for this year have been hectic since the beginning of semester, working on a range of issues and campaigns relating to every subject under the sun, from a massively suc Wow, what a month! A humungous THANKS to eveiyone who made it all happen. It, in this case, was cessful cross-campus women's surf/skatc/circus/yoga camp in beautiful Byron Bay, to helping May, the "Sustainable Unis Month", Environment Collective (EC) encouraged walking, cycling, and use coordinate the NUS Qld. Reproductive Rights campaign which produced a pester, slickers and a of public transport, with a free veg BBQ for those who took these modes on Boycott Your Car Day, and booklet for national awareness on women's reproductive rights and fights. we presented the Transport 10-Point Plan to uni administration. We're sure they'll make amendments, In terms of my workload, lots of time in the last few weeks hss been spent organising the but it's a start. We're negotiating with uni to buy a use more environmentally-friendly paper, and to National Sorry Day conimemorations and the launch of "We're Sorry", a booklet produced by review their whole recycling process - article to come in the next Semper... And of course, the OFBG UOU and Link Up which took place on campus on 26th May, marking the first anniversary of continues to grow ft thrive on clean, green, yummy food (that's the Organic Food Buying Group). the tabling of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Inquiry into the removal of indigenous children from their families. The Women's Area held a special collective on that day which included speakers, live performance, a mammoth photo exhibition "It's about love..." and As well as these campus-activities, EC continues the campaign against environmental disasters, namely an art show. This special day highlighted the need for more recognition and support of the ll;c Port Hinchinbrook Club Mud, and the proposed Jabiluka uranium mine and mill. These projects indigenous students on campus, sornetliing the women's area will be trying to address in our intrude on their surrounding World Heritage areas - Hinchinbrook Passage and Kakadu National Park, second semester Women and reconciliation campaign. respectively. At the end of May, the fantastic news is that (1) there is to be a public inquiry into all the hrcadies of environmental best-practice at Port Hinchinbrook, and (2) a Federal Court judge ruled that In the same week as National Sorry Day and the launch of Reconciliation week, Domestic works at Jabiluka should be postponed until an Environmental Impact Statement is conducted. Violence Prevention Week took place with a string of events across Brisbane. Tlie V/omen's Area held our annual candlelight vigil down by the lakes. It included an acoustic performance by Ophelia's Attitude and a minutes silence in remembrance of ail women and children who On a related (ecofeminist) note, I think it's great to be a woman. I enjoy what 1 do and being a woman have been victims of this violence and was a touching reminder that domestic violence is with is rarely an impediment in achieving this (as opposed to the discrimination which still occurs in gaining us everyday on campus. top corporate positions, for example.) In fact, many important figures in the environment moven-.cni, both in professional circles and in grassroots groups, are women. If you've ever heard of Ecologically We held a well-attended rally in conjunction with Children By Choice in King George Square Sustainable Development, that concept was developed at a conference chaired by Norwegian PM during Reproductive Rights Week and those wiio attended the Eating Disorders and Body Image Bruntland, and the Queensland Conservation Council, an umbrella body of conservation groups through Tomm will agree that the group lias grown beyond anyone's dreams in terms of the support it out the State, is mosdy staffed and directed by women. provides to women al UQ. International Women's Day was hot but ace! The women's area took along the student union van and ferried water and weary kids. For those who haven't heard (and Nevertheless, men have a valuable role to play, often with different points of view ft strategies, and we'd where were you?) Venus Rising, the niftin Women's Area 0-wcck event went off! It was the like to see more males at EC! So men, if you're out there reading this edition, congrats for starters, and biggest ever, bcitig held off campus at Ric's Cafe and Fatboys. There were bands, performances, you're more than welcome in the Collccdve, as is everyone. Meetings 1pm, Clubs ft Socs room. fire, women/student films, a funky dj set from fluent JB and just generally everything a woman could want from a Thursday night in the Valley. Congrats to all who came and made it an excel lent night. Workshops have also been very successful, self-defence, car maintenance and public Yours sustainably, speaking, if anyone has ideas for next semester then come and see me or Liss asap, we're plan Eleanor Glenn ning now! So here's a brief list of some of the major things coming up in the next few months PS For a change of scene. Rat (the other Co-Environment Officer) will do the report thing next edition. in the fun, fabulous, funky UQU Women's Area: Stay tuned! NOWSA (Network of Women Students Au.stralia) Conference. 29lh june-3rd July @ Nepean Campus, University of Western Sydney. We're pretty much all booked and registered to go but if you need any info come and sec us. how did it happen? HALF-PRICE BUS FARES rride Month is upon us and there are a number of community events and workshops being run for all those dykes and lesbian-friendly chix out there. Contact the women's and queer areas for Dear Students, more info. Tlie OfTice of Gender Equity and the Student Union are planning on running an 1 would like to thank all the students who signed the petition and/or helped the Union in its campaign homophobic harassment campaign next semester, if you want input, you know where to cornel for half-price bus fares. The Student Union met with the Lord Mayor and Cr Maureen Hayes a fortnight Also, does anyone want to do something big for International Lesbian Day on October 8th? ago. We presented the Lord Mayor with the petition for half-price bus fares signed by around 1500 stu Could be fun... dents. The Lord Mayor was very receptive to our arguments for half-price bus fares. We pointed out that stu Reclaim Tlie Night will be happening as always on Friday 30th October, more details as they dents are one of the most disadvantaged groups in society in terms of income, and that many students happen... could simply not afford to pay for the current yearly or semester bus passes. We also argued that the current car parking problems at University could be reduced by the increased Dare I mention it? State. Federal and Student Union Elections all in the same semester, can I use of public transport. We also discussed the possibility of an integrated ticketing system between cope with it? Probably not but please ask your local candidates what they arc doing on Buses, Trains and Fem'es. The Student Union contended that the Council would inevitably be forced to women's, indigenous and queer issues, make sure that the person you are voting for will really introduce a tertiaty discount because the trains already have a tertiary discount, and therefore, the represent your perspective. Council would be forced to move their pricing system in line with the trains if the ticketing system was integrated. 16 Days of Action on Violence Against Women commences on 25th November. More details to On Monday, the Union received a phone call from the Lord Mayor's office. We were informed of the come. Lord Mayor's decision to introduce half-price bus fares which will take effect next year. We were also told that two, three and four zone tickets would increase by twenty cents for full fare and ten cents for Heretical, the Women's Area publication is collated, constructed and cursed over in second concession. Nevertheless, this still means that students bus fares will decrease by 45% (not quite half- semester. All women liave a chance to contribute and be published in an amazing (and usually price]. pretty innovativcl creation. Bring us your articles and keep an eye out for posters advertising While the Student Union will never attempt to take full credit for the Lord Mayor's decision we still for material. We need artwork, photos, prose, poetry anything you can think of that we can believe that this decision would not have been made without the ceaseless efTort of those members of die publish. student community who have campaigned for a cheaper and more effective public transport network. I would especially like to thank the UQ Union Environment Collective who have been working all year on And that's about it from the women's Vps for this beautiful edition of Women's Semper. Thanb this issue and other issues related to public transport. to all who contributed to the process and product, without your input this would not have been If you have any questions please don't hesitate to give me a call. the diverse publication that makes Women's Semper rather special. Your Sincerely, Moo Baulch Bede Nicholson UQ Union President lUlUTIN BOMD m U .HllCfl # The Wlodel UN Conference Upcoming tv.'tits The organising committee for the Australiasian Model Unit^H Natinn^ LIF1':LINI' Mary Ryan'.s l.iieran' PNf 'Club Gonl@mDSe_extends a warm invitation to an excitino undergraduate CHAPS SUITS expenence. During the week of 13 -17 July 1998, 250 students from around •««ryon*'> flo* ••>»» »"* »•'* *' June 24: MORRIS WEST Australia and the worid will attend the conference at the University of again and now w«'r« ««•'»"» Brisbane Hilton, 6pni Queenslarid to exercise their skills in dispute resolution, public speakinq p«opt» o thonte io past that and negobation. They will become the representative of a countty and 'rickets S25 vigorously pursue Iheir domestic agenda in the international forum of the Rom June 20 to July ?.0 CHAPS will mock Untied Nations. We invite you to participate in the melanqe of qivo their custoiws 550 oH the prive July 9: Sci-fi king TERRY PRATCHETT internalional law, diplomacy and politics. of a now sports coat and SI00 off talking about hi.s new hardback, 0 new suit ii ttioy trade m any o,cJ The Last Coniincnt This evflnt is being supported by the Government Department and School of suit or coat. literary PM Club llilion, 6pm Law at mfi liniverstty of Queensland. The week long conference is a great M (tado-ins donated la LIFELINE Tickets S25 way to become up to date on international affairs and inform yourselves on the intracacies of international stmctures and the politics that so often thwart i their plans. It is also a week of large scale social activity, events including the I July 27: JEFFREY ARCHER cocktail party, a fonmal closing dinner, and a pool party. The week finishes I talking about liis new book, With a General Assembly in which all student delegates meet to vote on final 4 TIK t'Icventh Commandment resolutions. i Sheraton Hotel, 6pm. ^M Tickets $25 For bookings ph: 3335 3333 ^ GO YOGA YOURSELF 9th Annual Lesbian a Gay Pride Festival YOGA & MEDITATION CLUB June 1998 Yoga & meditation classes every TUESDAY and THURSDAY from 5pm to 6.30pm at Club Socs Room. community Aid Abroad and the STOP MAI CoaUlion Saturday 13 June Sistalunk @ La Discoteque - The classes include: '"**'"'*' MAI: The Forum Series 228 Wickham Si, The Valley, from 8pm awareness coricenlralion doep relaxation exercises Lovol 2, t6 Poel St., South Bnsbanc. 7-Sprn Sunday 14 June breathing tochniquos ph: 3557 58e8 Workshops for Young People yoga postutes psycho-physical exercises Monday 15 June From 12.30-5pm at the Rainbov/ MAI and the Trade Union Movement 719A Stanley St, GABBA spiritual dancing and meditation Monday 29 June ph: 3358 4964 - The Club organises weekend meditation retreats in the countryside, bushwalking, MAI and Poverty In Australia a student's national festival, and at Ihe Friday 19 June end of the year a spiritually inspiring group MAI atdllffiness and Consvir.. m,H. Pride @ Ether travel in India, visiting sacred places of Monday 27 July The Zoo. from 8pm India and Nepal. MAI and Human Rights Saturday 20 June .y Rally, March and Fair Day 11am: Rally. King George Square 12pm: f^/larch to Fair Day at Musgrave Park ^ Sunday 21 June BBQ (or Young People 12 noon • 5pm. Orleigh Park, Hill End Exploring The Nature of Intentinnal Qftmmiinijy Wednesday 24 June f A weekend of reflection on the Spirituality of L.' Ar_che Mass Debate on Lifestyles 8pm, downstairs at the Spolmans : Metro Arts _Wj}.h. Eiteep .Glass, Saturday June 13 at epm Friday 23 June L'Arche is a fadaration of international communities in which people with an Pride Pink Light Dteco intellectual disability and those who chose to join them, live work and share 4ZZZ Basement Venue This IS (he second perform-,n..' their lives. The first L'archo community camo into being in 1964 and was Barry Parade. The Valley ;;ornfho Compost composed bom principally out of the vision of Jean Vanier and Fr Thomas Phillipc. reneyade ex-Con musoswhn, Today L'Arche is an inlernational toderalion of some lOr-i coinmunities in Saturday 27 June anyone, offer some ohhl^°'' over 28 counWes, in which people live in an atmcsphere oi trust. fncndshio Pride Dance Party new stuff around Callec'son'>''' and belonging. Wickham Hotel, 9pm-5pm will be six solo works itifP ' " Tickets $t0/12 pre-sold or S15 at door someofAustralS?''"^'"9 The Weekend of reflection Will be held on thelBit- and I9th of July, 19(58 ai ph: 041 234 6984 Qxcepiional new musir r\^ Duchesne College at the University of Queensland St Lucia campus. ^^'"'lingahardcoraSS Ocarina solo and a D Gr« f "^ For a regisiration Form or Further Information please contact Richard Violin is p,uggecl1mo'r9::r^^^ Warner on 07-38786358 (H) or Sarah Nolan on 07-3847 1253 (W) ejects unir. These kids a r ^Jttim^.' bi'dding, you should try and .,«,. one of (heir events ^^""^^^'Jo y ./ Friday I somehow manage to get excited about playing mental roulette with the art in the local gallery of choice. There is an >••':•> entire Brisaane art world growing out there, in every slick/ Bad/ trite-with-fur direction. But it's dress-ups and there are sexy peo ple involved and I owe last week's win-on an apology for ruining the friendship for half an hojr. So the jacket goes on, the one thai Peerless coaxed from a Barcelona suede into a Barcelona mange, and the industrially designed bag goes over my shoulder. This week it's the new one in Newstead, the one that you t's Friday afternoon and the fridge is empty. almost as good as the 'Noodles and Sex' ad we put up for a flat know has to be good because it's where the fi-nky end of the Qld mate last year. Lots of one and not much o'' the other, that's Art Gallery curatorial team hangs out, having crossed the road froi There are Vita Brits on the shelf but no miik, I what It said. Must remember to use that one again. No one who Doggett St gallery earlier in the evening. And the odd Rex Butler o and the vegemite jar looks like a transparent de rang for the room even mentioned it, so we took offence and two looking, well, thoroughly approprlative. Kooning painting, you look through it and there's offered it to my mother, who turned it down with a thank-you I like the place. It's a huge space and they hang the work card. She only does that when there's a charity on the other end. well. The building has location kudos, that corrugated borderland i just a series of strokes made by a bread knife. At Apparently we had a reputation. between New Farm and Tenerriffe where the 1 the right gallery it'd sell for $300. But it takes money to get a cab to network. rents are low and the juxtaposition high. It's an old warehouse rea. Anyway. I've got to get the evening in motion so it's into the ly, dipped in JIf to spruce it up a bit, and from the street Is virtual- bathroom to get tinea again. But ah ha! - thwarted by the ol' 'dry No one ever sealed a deal with a faresavcr. The kitchen table is indistinguishable from the rest of the Industrial patchwork around tiles' trick. Someone loves me, I think as I buck myself naked for covered in plates that are covered in glasses and the cutlery has it, the only marking feature being a colour scheme on the garage the shower. The flares catch on my leg hairs. I can't afford a har bomb-blasted itself into a Bosnian photo spread. One of the door and wall that has no place in this pocket of the refldex. vester yet. Standing there, In front of louvres that don't close and chairs has four legs so I sit on it, making the damage assessment Inside, some of the old fittings and pulleys are still hanging. 4 year olds with Fischer-Paykel binoculars for neighbours, I check a far more civilised procedure. No one's bought washing up These have profound aesthetic and conceptual significance. I kno^. to see if the last two days of poverty have had any effect. Decide detergent. No one's washing up. No one washes. This thought this because at another exhibition I studied them for 59 minutes o that they haven't so I set the sun a couple of times in one of forgets itself too quickly. I stare out the window at the neigh the hour that I was in there, having worked out all I wanted lo those Instant yoga sessions, working up a doughy sweat before I bours. They look like they wash up. They look like they wash up know about the work within 60 seconds and getting only a series t jump into one of the 25 cold showers in a row that I've had since every night. dull thuds in my head as congratulations. I remember being a litti reading somewhere that there's a 70 year old Norwegian man A couple of dead tea bags leave suddenly via the window. offended at the time. who's done it for most of his life and now has the body of a 50 I presume I threw them, but habit does bad things to the brain This show's about food and eating. Strong feeling that I'm year old. Soon I'll have the body of a 12 year old. My father says and now I'm not so sure. One of them hits the wall before it going to erjoy it Maybe the grade 4 camp cutlery-set with the that there are two types of knowledge - that which you know drops, spitting dead tea leaves. It is a source of constant amaze material bag should come with me. If I don't get to use it, some and that which you know where to look up. I don't think he's ment how soothing the right light brown on a hardy Dulux one might buy it, It's remarkable. done a dodgy thing in his life - great discoveries stem from sec salmon can be. Art, really. In two days time, it'll be dry and per It's remarkable. My friends and I are a bunch of povo uni ond-rate information. fect. The neighbours never notice. They never look down when students, yet we only ever eat out. There's irony everywhere. How they look out the windows. Funny that, no one ever looks down Tonight there's a gallery opening on. This is not Irregular ironic. Somehow. But I'm not sure that the application fits me par when they look out. Down and out It's so London really. Here you enough for my liking. Every Friday I do this. And every ticularly well and anyway, it's too much of a reminder that bad est just get down and sunburnt. alogue writing is on the upsurge. So I get over it and get on thet; One of the Vita Brits is sticking up out of the packet, shed with my one zone, ten tripper and take it all the way Into the ding its fish flakes in a cheap tastebud seduction routine. Right Valley. about now. Vita Brits and water has a juicy ring to it. Even Vita Brits and noodles sounds tasty. Had muesli and noodles once, Because there are cheaper ways to nip & tuck than with plastic surgery.., Most people thinic they know If you are a person who can help dO H we are looking for creative and Your benefits package as a DEETYA graduate could include: innovative graduates to join our graduate program. • salary and advancement an'angements; • structured training and development, including tailored work The Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs placement programs; (DEETYA) employs a number of such graduates each year. DEETyA offers a • ongoing career opportunities; diverse range of graduate employment opportunities to help you continually • flexible working conditions; and develop new skills and enjoy new challenges with rewarding work. • generous super provisions. We are looking to recruit at ISBSt JO people with qualifications from a Recruitment Services Australia will advise all applicants whether they wide range of academic disciplines to help us acquire the skills we need into have attained a qualifying result in the Public Sector Recruitment Test the future. If you are finishing your degree this year, or are a recent graduate, and Questionnaire. we would like to talk to you about what we can offer. Graduates, or people in their final year, who have attained a qualifying result in the Public Sector For more information, contact one of our graduate recruitment officers on Recruitment Test and Questionnaire are eligible to apply for DEETYA (02) 6240 8256 or (02) 6240 9004. Your careers counsellor on campus also graduate positions. has information on career opportunities with DEETYA. DEETYA is on-line: littp://www.deetya.gov.au Information for graduates is at iittp://www.deetya.gov.au/recruitment/graduate DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND YOUTH AFFAIRS ed chewing past few years. Mo.st recently Amelia figure has largely been replaced by black paints from photographs. She builds up Gundelach curatcd extraordinary at Smith and white images from the local area in her layered images from a grid and creates gum dumped n the corner of B. Stonelcy featuring 15 female artists this series though the characteristic chemi intricate brushstroke patterns only visible who utilise everyday materials in their art cal altering of the surface remains. on closer inspection. Her portrait of fel a gallery to delica e, satin works. Giris' World at Process Gallery late low artist Lindy Lee was selected for the Vstitche d fabric scu ptures, con- lasryear feiiiured a witty, intriguing array The translucent drawings of Judith WHghr Archibald Salon In 199/ and other recem of artworks by 11 Brisbane women. One also feature abstracted hands, heads and commissions include a portrait of Wayne temporary art in E risbane is as of the artists included in this show, amorphous forms. The surfaces of these Goss for Pariiament House. Annette Hale, had previously exhibited you drawings, made from pigment and acrylic 0) diverse as it is chi: llenging. A run like a girl at Palace Gallery. Inspired on waxed rice paper are marked with fine While the use of everyday materials has a cracks and creases as they age, taking on long history in twentieth century art, a wide range of coinlmerciai gal by the curious Nike slogan of the same title, Hale's installation consisted of recon the quality of skin. They are invariably number of Brisbane artists continue to > leries and artist run spaces, par structed leather shoes and laces arranged assembled as pages in a book which the explore the inconsequential items of mod in a bow-legged or knock kneed fashion, a viewer is invited to turn through. A for ern life with verve and imagination. Jill 0) ticularly in the Fortitude Valley musing on how a 'giri' might run. A cir mer member of the Australian Ballet, Barker finds the modesty of such artworks cular bra of sorts was also made from the Judith also incorporates video and instal appealing, icld for inspiration. Helen area, offer more opportunities pink undersole of a shoe. lation into her work. For an exhibition in Nicholson is renowned for her groupings Japan later this month Judith will exhibit, of many small frames containing objects than ever for Brisbane artists to Another noteworthy exhibition was held along with her drawings and book works, from bubblewrap to paper clips and pipe exhibit their worlcs. at Metro Arts in conjunction with the a video of a woman splashing water onto cleaners. There is a compulsion both to 0 NOWSA '97 conference, titled XX : an her face projected onto an antique bathtub look closely at these works and to take in Artist-run spaces like Soapbox, Process exhibition of collaborative feminist art. filled with milk. the visual patterns that emerge from the and Carbon tend to focus on conceptual This exhibition was based on the coupling installation as a whole. Keith Broadfcot c and experimental art by emerging artists, of an established v/oman artist with a The whole issue of body image and the has referred to Nicholson as a contempo whereas galleries such as Smith ft younger emerging artist to make experi- collective cultural obsession with a rary still life painter; "The exhibition Stoneley consist of five spaces with a wide mental artworks. It extended the mentor woman's size is confronted overtly in the (Hotels, Malls ft Museums) can be under range of artists from Queensland and relationship already existing between these photographs of Nat Raton, Nat stages pho-stood as staging a moment in the history interstalc in both group and solo shows women, who were staff and students of tographs of herself as icons ranging from of modernist painting when painting was each month. Representing more established QCA. The exhibition invited discussion Elvis to Lady Diana, and has plastered her in the process of becoming something contemporary! artists are galleries such as about feminist issues arising from the works to the side of bus shelters at various else." Milburn, Bellas and Savode. Public institu- process of negotiation and exchange asso- points throughout the city. 3 tions in Brisbane also promote contempo- ciated with collaborative work. Catherine Brown uses plastic tubing to rary local art, in particular the Institute of For emerging artist Christine Morrow, the make her wall mounted coil sculptures. Modern Art, Metro Arts and the newly Many of Brisbane's artists exhibit nation- Brisbane art worid has been a supportive These curious objects form circular targets rcnovalcd University of Queensland Art ally and have been awarded prestigious and encouraging environment. Morrow and have recently appeared in extraordi Museum, scholarships to further their artistic careers has had a number of successful solo exhi nary and Ladies and Gentlemen, curated abroad. Returning to Australia after a 12 bitions and recently travelled to Paris for by David Pestorius in the toilets of a month Moet ft Chandon residency in a residency at the Denise Hickey Memorial Brunswick Street office block. Annette France 1996/97, Judith Kentish has studio. Of note are her zipped white can- Hale resumed making art in Brisbane. Her most vas series and her antics under the pseu- Yenda Carson is currently in South Korea you run like a recent works, blister/ sacs, consist of donym Eve Klein. Consisting of blank after being awarded an Asialink residency girl large voile sculptures draped from the white paintings zipped together to form for six months, Carson is best known for (detail) wall. The title suggests these works can pieces of disfunctional furniture, the exhi her stunning, jagged edged glass works. 1997 be thought of as an aberration of human bition brevity at the IMA resembled an An installation at Doggett Street Studios skin in response to rubbing or irritation. "ikea display kit-room just waiting for a in 1995 tided Channel included a long Judith describes her work in terms of prospective buyer to come along", as strip of broken glass arranged along a metaphor - the bulging sculptures extend Alison Kubler pointed out. These decep narrow space and lit from behind, These the Hmits of skin. Julie Romanuik has tively clever pieces referenced theoretical works invoke wonder in their construction poetically refened to the subtle interplay claims associated with minimalist art of and are both threatening and enticing. of light integral to these sculptures; "In the 1960s. Eve Klein (a take on notorious this work the transiucency of the fabric modem master and prankster Yves Klein) The small group of artists I have discussed also draws the light in, beyond its outer allows Morrow to partake in cheeky, irrev illusUate the diversity of the contemporary membrane," erent art activities such as the launch of female art scene in Brisbane. her own perfume at the Whitebox Gallery Unfortunately the national achievements This registering of human presence or in 1996, complete with David Jones assis- of these and many others often pass fragility recurs in the work of a number of tant to spray gallery goers. Morrow unnoticed by the wider public. The best artists. From the late 80s Marian Drew describes her relationship to Yves Klein as way to get a feel for the visual feast of art has created richly coloured photographs one of freeloading, Eve is at once wor that awaits you is to grab Thursday's featuring bodies captured in blurred, fleet shipping and exploiting an idol. Courier Mail for the exhibition listings and ing gestures. Marian meticulously con then put your name on the mailing list of structs the backdrops for her images and, The recent portrait paintings of Ruth the galleries that appeal as you wander using an extremely long exposure, physi- Sallows could best be described as photo- around the Valley precinct. Vera Molle'r ego (relaxed) double date 1997/98^ itt sa nmmCorina McKay -press here for service