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JAN/FEB ISSUE 165 1989

FEATURES 12 Feminism and Families Support and change on the home front Marjorie Cohen 14 Beating the Unemployment Blues Sue Bradford's vision of the unemployed workers' movement Lisa Sabhage 16 Giving Birth to Technodocs New reproductive technologies are not for women Pat Rosier

20 Learning to Live VISIONS FOR LEARNING 20 Charmaine Pountney's educational visions Pat Rosier 24 ME, me Women are coping, medics are not, with this debilitating illness Debbie Jones 28 Lies, Secrets, Silences Why does the media want us to shut up about child sexual abuse? Lisa Sabbage

REGULARS______2 Herspective 3 Letters Cartoon STALKING BIRTH CONTROL 16 4 Broadcast Working for Women 0 Our woman in the house 0 MWA Statement of Intent 0 Has TV sold its soul to SPUC? 0 Sex Industry Conference 0 Pacific Protest 18 The Spots on the Appaloosa Lyndsay Quilter's Cartoon 19 What's New 31 The Gripes of R oth______40 Classified

32 Arts Aotearoa Moana Nui A Kiwa Weavers 0 Frontwomen 0 Sylvia! 0 Music 0 Reunion 0 Invitation Only 0 Reigning Tampons 0 Listing

OWNING UP TO SEXUAL ABUSE 22 BROADSHEET

BROADSHEET is published by Broadsheet Magazine Ltd, P O Box 56-147, Dominion Rd, Auckland. Registered office: 228 Dominion Rd, Auckland Office, Bookshop and Advertising, phone (09) 608-535 Editorial and Art Department, phone (09) 607-162

BROADSHEET COLLECTIVE Sharon Alston, Jan Cowan, Edith Gorringe, Tanya Hopman, Carol Jillsun, Claire-Louise McCurdy, Pat MacKay, Pat Rosier, Lisa Sabbage, Shirley Tamihana, Athina Tsoulis. H e R S P E C T IV E

Editorial and policy decisions are made by the collective. Main areas of responsibility are: Advertising, Tanya Hopman; Bookshop, Lisa Sabbage; Design and layout, Sharon Alston; Editorial, Pat Rosier and Lisa ow we go to the beach, if mar­ abortion services: 3 -4 week delays for Sabbage; Finances, subscriptions, Carol Jillsun. ket forces permit. The blow­ abortions have become the norm in N flies and the ratshit and the Auckland, Wellington and Christ­ Cover photo: Gil Hanly spider webs are cleaned out of the bach church, while many rural areas and Cover design: Sharon Alston while very small children with very provincial cities have no services at all. Special thanks to Charmaine Poutney large voices complete the destruction What are the Labour women MPs of their xmas presents. doing about it? Waiting until we get These women helped around Broadsheet this The old outdoor skills return so that back to the situation or mteen or so month: Barbara Mundt, Michelle Quinn, I can slide a fish hook into my finger or years ago when mustard on a tampax Moira Glover, Shona Barker, Diane Bush, burn my feet on the rocks or half-drown and other similar concoctions were Veronica. in the surf within hours of arrival, or I popular with young Maori women in can ease myself into the lifestyle more Anne Fraser’s East Cape electorate as a Printed by Rodney and Waitemata Times, gently with video games and choco­ way of ruining their insides? Mill Lane, Warkworth, Electronic pagination by Laser Type and Design Studio, Photoprints by late. Times are hard. SPUC is having to Monoset, Separations by Star Graphics. It isn’t possible to ignore the sur­ advertise the “miracle of life” on televi­ roundings here as one sensibly does in sion. The miracle doesn’t seem to in­ Publication date: 15 January 1989 town. The hills must be climbed, the clude decent child health services, old Maori pa sites re-inspected, the sea parent support or sex education. Femi­ admired and pigs hunted through mile nists wil be watching the Ministry of BROADSHEET annual subscription $40 Overseas surface $56. Overseas airmail: Europe after mile of thick bush, but even Women’s Affairs to see how effective $101.65, America and Asia, $85.40, Australia through the exhaustion one can see that it is in blunting the government’s attack and South Pacific, $66. it is a very beautiful place. The beauty on women - who are most often the of it tempts one to philosophy - and poor and the powerless. Articles and illustrations remain the property of then to anger. Anger at the mean and There are many issues that have to the contributor. Permission must be sought from miserable life society tries to foist on be dealt with before democratic New Broadsheet and from the contributor before any women. Zealanders can sink back into their item is reprinted. The rapes, beatings and muder are complacent smugness about what a HERSPECTIVE is written each month by a the “glamour” side of oppression. Just wonderful country this is. We feminists member of the collective or an invited as tragic is the quiet, commonplace have justice on our side but it is no contributor.This month’s writer, Helen Courtney is a regular Broadsheet cartoonist. pressure on women to sacrifice their comfort. own (and often their children’s) inter­ LETTERS POLICY: The Broadsheet Collec­ ests in favour of men. Why let men get tive may not agree with or endorse views expressed in letters. Nearly all the letters we away with it? It only encourages them. are sent get published. Those that are not Men, no matter how well qualified they published in full are edited in consultation think they are, have proved far beyond with the writer. We do not publish personal attacks. Letters from men are published only reasonable doubt that they cannot pro­ when they correct matters of fact. We particu­ mote women ’ s concerns. It is up to us to larly welcome letters about the content of the attack the status quo, to make the magazine. Letters that are addressed to the collective or to the editor are assumed to be changes. intended for publication. Please indicate One topic on which I have abso­ clearly if they are not. lutely no interest in men’s opinion is abortion. When are women going to be BROADSHEET is on file at the women’s Collection Special Dept, northwestern treated like adults? WONAAC’s latest University Library, Evanston, newsletter points out that Labour’s Illinois 60201, USA economic programme is affecting

2 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 NEW AGE, RIGHTS AND social change - in fact for every­ WRONGS? body. Dear Broadsheet, One of my first reactions to the How can Pakeha feminists em­ Forum when I heard about it was brace New Age philosophies that very similar to Sue’s. “What a conclude rape victim/survivors load of white middle class male ask for it? Or not take responsibil­ shit.” However, having seen the ity for the injustice, racism, anti­ wonderful transformation in a semitism, colonial crimes and close friend (also lesbian) after violence they are part of and wit­ she did her Forum, I chose to go ness to? ahead with it. Is it such a relief to have an The Forum process itself put excuse for being heartless? my initial negative views into per­ MARY DURING spective - I “got off’ them and Ponsonby “got on” with gaining what the Forum can offer, and the whole Dear Broadsheet, experience - which is still con­ I totally disagree with Sue tinuing now - restored my faith in Fitchett’s gross assumptions humanity, and made me more about “The Forum” in her article accepting of myself. “Brave New Age, Right?” No­ I cannot speak for any other vember Broadsheet. course Sue mentions in her article Ironically, as a lesbian I am - 1 had never heard of any of them. one of the people in the “didn’t All I can say is go for it women, do make it” category Sue claims the the Forum, and get the same self­ Forum excludes, yet one of the empowerment and confidence I biggest things I got out of doing did. Forum was affirmation of myself I would also like to challenge as a lesbian, and a hell of a lot Sue Fitchett to do the Forum. more courage to be “out” than I MICHELLE RUSH had before. Wellington I challenge her view that it is individualistic. On the contrary, I Dear Broadsheet, learned to ask for support/guid- One of the many problems with ance from others in all parts of my self-growth courses like Self life, and to realise the great value Transformation and The Forum is in netwroking and communica­ that they aim to make us better COURTNEY© 1988 tion between people. able to follow whatever path we I challenge her belief that it choose. They don’t distinguish pany whose ad it was (Bendon) for a feminist press have to select may “de-radicalise” or “pacify” between, for instance, capitalism have injected $1.5 million into material and give priority to what activist groups/individuals. If and feminism but claim to make women’s netball. A double stan­ is considered collectively the anything, the Forum strengthened us more able to become more dard? Does the $1.5 mil “okay” strongest and best material offer­ my commitments to a more just successful in whatever we do. the ad? A protest could see the ing feminist content. society, and the huge self-confi­ This lack of values horrifies money withdrawn! Are we DI BROWN dence boost I gained from it has me. How could I possibly support women “over the barrel” again? Adelaide had good spinoffs for my involve­ or take part in something that JAN COWAN ments insocial change, my job, cheerfully produces “better” capi­ Epsom and my home life. talists? As for “putting on a huge layer In sisterhood TANTRUM PRESS of guilt," I have to laugh. The JEAN PARR, Dear Broadsheet, Forum did the opposite for me. It Auckland I would like to point out that on taught me to take all the guilt off. the inside of the red cassette card This skill has been particularly HOW DO YOU LIKE IT? sleeve inside the tape box is a list good for me in the anti-racism Dear Broadsheet, of contents for “Twenty Two work I am involved in. I feel While watching television on the Women”, listing in the order that “freed” of the Pakeha guilt syn­ 10 of November, I was exposed to the work was read, the name of the drome, and much more able to get yet another sexist piece of adver­ author and the title of the piece. on and do some postive work. tising where women are made out In her review, (Broadsheet, I am convinced the skill that to be objects to be “drooled” over. November), Heather McPherson the Forum teaches - not letting The advertisement was for said that she could not tell “who Not to be feelings (despair, fear etc) get in women’s underwear; all the wrote what specifically”, so she the way of what you are commit­ women in skimpy underclothes obviously missed the printed list missed in the ted to; networking with others to and the men mainly fully clothed of contents. Also there is no work March issue get help with what you want to feasting their eyes on these “kit­ on the tape by Aboriginal women achieve; a sense of realism that tens” dancing. writers. Again, Heather said, and I life will have problems and be a ☆ Lesbian Mothers and A friend of mine visiting from quote: “... as far as I can tell there’s th eir sons slog at times; and an ability to see overseas is constantly amazed only one Aboriginal reader.” Yes and hear people properly without • Women and AIDS - that “ads” such as this are allowed we all agree that it is utterly regret­ new information prejudging them just because they to be on television. I aired my table but we did invite Aboriginal ♦ Keeping our eyes “remind” you of someone/some- anger that ads like this are still (Nunga) women in $outh Austra­ peeled on the Labour thing, are all valuable skills for being made, but, horror of horrors lia to contribute. I think there is governm ent women, for people working in - not an hour later I find the com­ always difficulties when editors

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 3 I\I\J BROADCAST l / M

__ Rodde working Marika K o d i a k O e n ^ ------

of timber. sawing and Jenny janet Kenny

CWET. They used the VOTP scheme and WORKING FOR other pre-employment schemes like STEPS to create programmes to train WOMEN ... several hundred women. Their aims were to assist women women have been to attain a fair share of employment and Pat Syme writes about the improve their skills, especially in non- Canterbury Women's given an opportunity traditional jobs. They have also been in­ Employment Trust (CWET). in the last few volved in research to see what skills are years that they required by employers and the community Brenda Sawyer is 30 years old and a and what skills women have. mother of four. She is also an might not have CWET receives many requests from automotive engineering apprentice, had otherwise women wanting to know about alternative which didn’t come easily. jobs. In one sense it acts as a resource Brenda always liked tinkering with centre, but its main thrust is offering train­ cars, right from the time she was about back. After her initial ACCESS training ing courses. Now housed in the new five, but the private school she attended she was taken on by a garage for four Cranmer Centre (Old Girls’ High), they wasn’t very encouraging. Fourteen years months’ work experience and then JOS are part of the Women’s House Coalition. ago she went through a disastrous period (Job Opportunity Scheme) helped her into CWET actively tries to promote work for of teenage rebellion, left home and ended her current job. She is now well into the women by running ACCESS courses up, at 16, pregnant and with no career second year of her apprenticeship and which include automotive engineering, prospects. The next few years she turned feels “really lucky”. She’s one success woodwork, computer technology and her hand to anything and everything - ma­ story for CWET. “Expanding Job Choices and Job Search”. chinist, process worker, waitress, house­ CWET was set up four years ago by 12 A component in each is a section on life maid, receptionist, office worker and on women who were involved with employ­ skills because, says co-ordinator Julia the assembly line in a couple of factories. ment and concerned at the high rates of Tinga, “Women who have been out of the But she still maintained her interest in unemployment among women. Ruth work force for some time lack confidence cars, working on them in the backyard, Moorhouse, one of the founding mem­ in themselves and have low self-esteem” picking up what she could from friends bers, describes the feeling of these 12 Life Skills provides assertiveness training and later from her husband. friends as one of despair. “We were all in and encourages women to support each At the beginning of 1986 she heard an positions where we were aware of the other so that they can overcome their ti­ item on the news about a new ACCESS problem but we couldn’t do anything midity in the workplace and face issues programme in automotive engineering for about it.” However, they did have a good like discrimination. women run by CWET. She was quick to idea of how the system works and were Most of CWET’s trainees are women in enrol on that first course and hasn ’ t looked able to use their knowledge to set up their 20s or older rather than school leav- 4 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 i T) these goodies to play w ith ... <1) "D ■D * v, ° □ c c □ .2 o 0.0 O o n ~ 5 o o> £ CM c 00 □ c O 3 1 * c ® o □ o .0- o o

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New Zealand ers. Those with children can receive a she’s received commissions from friends child-care allowance in addition to the and there’s a possibility that this could training incentive allowance they all get lead to being fully self-employed in the but child care is expensive. Even for those future. Its a big step from an ACCESS with school-age children there are the course to setting up in business. CWET is problems of after-school care and school currently considering setting up a holidays which are not easily solved by Women’s Credit Union to provide capital those on low incomes. for those wanting to go out on their own, Being paid to learn a new skill seems but there still remains the problem of get­ like a dream come true to Karen Peoples ting enough experience first, as well as who recently finished the woodworking other problems like being financially vi­ course. At the age of 30 Karen was ready able. to try something new. She had done cleri­ One of the earliest CWET schemes was cal work for 14 years since she left school an organic farm where women could get but had not found much satisfaction in her training in gardening. That has now been YOU ONLY NEED A CAR LICENCE. job. As a physical person she didn’t like to set up as a business, calling itself spend her days indoors and she lacked Women’s Work Incorporated and provid­ mental stimulation. Although she had no ing a gardening service. Another CWET woodworking experience at all - in her scheme was the publication of a booklet day at school woodwork was for boys - called Pink Pages which lists businesses she jumped at the chance to try something and services offered by women. new and found not only that she enjoyed With high unemployment at the mo­ the course but also she had a whole new ment, it would be easy to feel that CWET way of looking at things. “Woodworking is just scraping the surface. To look at it requires mental application; you have to more positively, several hundred women think and plan. I learnt to think in a prac­ have been given an opportunity in the last tical way,” she said. Previously handyper- few years that they might not have had son jobs around the house would have otherwise. Some have gone on to jobs, THE HOME OF FUN MOTORCYCLING been beyond her but now she has the others have come away with more confi­ confidence to tackle anything. dence and a range of new skills which they GRAEME CROSBY MOTOR CYCLES Although she’s currently unemployed, can use for leisure or to earn a living. GT NTH RD GREY LYNN AUCKLAND PH 762 711/763 320

(also chief government whip), Margaret Women’s Affairs has undertaken a project Austin issued a two page press statement to measure women’s unpaid work.” The titled “Women’s voices heard in issuing of the statement is a good sign in Parliament”. It came just a couple of days some ways, showing the Labour women IIN after a Women’s National Abortion MPs are not taking for granted an unquali­ S T H E Campaign picket of parliament and their fied support of them by women who tradi­ press statement accusing Labour women tionally support Labour. | HO USE MPs of betrayal through not fighting for But, the statement put forward the same improved abortion services. excuse New Zealand women have been No woman MP came out to address the getting for quite a while now from women 50 or so picketers who stood on the steps MPs as to why their voices are not heard for about half an hour one Thursday after­ often enough on issues which may be noon. But Margaret Austin, one of the controversial. Of course, even when La­ MPs known not to favour liberalising bour women MPs do speak out it is diffi­ abortion laws, explained that inside the cult for them to capture space and time in buildings “a quiet but certain change is the mainstream media. They have to try taking place”. “To many observers”, she that much harder to convince the male- said, “Parliament is one of the last tradi­ dominated parliamentary press gallery tional male domains”. But more and more that what they are talking about is “real women are entering politics, with a total of politics”. 14 women MPs, 11 of whom are govern­ A statement similar to Margaret ment members, she said. (I should add that Austin’s but about the political infighting she was of course talking about main­ of the day would have been analysed to stream parliamentary politics, since many death by the hoards of experts scattered women would consider they long ago throughout the press gallery, while hers “entered politics” in various ways.) practically disappeared beneath the mo­ Margaret Austin went on to say much rass of cabinet infighting. Press confer­ of the MPs work took place “behind the ences about issues like cervical cancer, scenes.... Not all the battles are won, but childcare and Women’s Affairs are still Women's politics - the the women’s voice in government is a almost entirely attended by women jour­ parliamentary kind that is - has strong one and has to be taken into ac­ nalists. been heating up recently and count. One of the priorities set by the The Minister of Women’s Affairs, late last year led to Labour women members is a commitment to Margaret Shields, made the news when women MPs publicly explaining equal pay and opportunities.” she said she would consider resigning if what it is they do in there. Margaret Austin also made much of the the government failed to act on the important contributions women make to “Towards Employment Equity” report by WITH proclamations from the opposition society through the “enormous amount of the working group on equal employment that women voters were deserting Labour unpaid work they do in the home and in the opportunities and equal pay headed by in droves, the Labour MP for Yaldhurst community.... At present the Ministry of Margaret Wilson. (An interdepartmental

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 5 group and Margaret Wilson’s group have just over a year) the ministry’s version is The statement reiterates the objectives analysed submissions on the report and brief. (See “Ministry Intent” for more of the ministry as they were defined by reported their findings to cabinet.) detail.) the government in 1984. “In essence ... Labour women MPs have also been up Judith Aitken says, at the end of the to assist the Government in improving against an onslaught of serious “politics” statement, the ministry plans to initiate a the status of women, and in the this year from within the government programme of publishing a series of “high achievement of equality between about its turmoil over leadership, the quality monograms/occasional papers on women and men in all spheres of social, schism between the Prime Minister and issues of major significance for women”. economic and community life.” As well Minister of Finance and the sacking of Perhaps those papers will draw women as this the ministry wants to see a Richard Prebble. One, when asked why MPs into public debate about such issues. “substantial reduction in the gap women MPs would not push controversial They may also be a good test of the much between Maori and non-Maori women” issues like abortion and changing laws on lauded improved autonomy of departmen­ in basic well being. giving contraceptive advice to young tal chief executives under the State Sector The ministry says it will be working on people, said the male MPs would not stand Act. its next Statement of Intent and defining a for “self inflicted” controversy initiated It will be interesting to see whether the number of “strategic directions” it consid­ by women when they were in the midst of ministry, Judith Aitken and the women ers “public and private actions should some serious and potentially destructive MPs publicly and openly debate not only tend”. These directions are likely to in­ power struggling. “issues of major significance” but conten­ clude: When Margaret Shields launched the tious and controversial issues in women’s • trying to reach an improvement in Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ first ever politics. women’s contribution to ‘export-led Statement of Intent last month only about industry”, three reporters turned up. Admittedly that • productivity, low turnout had more to do with rolling • participation in “knowledge-based strike action by members of the journal­ industries” (such as medical, finan­ ists’ union than a lack of interest, but it still cial, energy), highlights the problems women politi­ MINISTRY INTENT • increase in childcare places, cians have getting women’s issues taken • improvement in services (like cervi­ seriously. cal screening, mammography), • a cut in “female dependence on di­ The Statement of Intent was published ^ m \ m \ in English and Maori and bears the stamp rect benefits” without adversely af­ of the ministry’s new secretary Dr Judith fecting those women. Aitken. Like most of the expensively pro­ Alison McCulloch summarises the The statement then lists “ongoing duced statements of intent (state owned Ministry of Women's Affairs work”, which brings in statements about enterprises have been producing them for Statement of Intent (In English). “efficiency” which have become associ­ ated with the views of Judith Aitken. It says that the ministry recognises that “ignorance, residual prejudice and a straight out disinclination to change with the times all provide barriers to economic Ready For A Change? efficiency and social wellbeing in New Zealand as a whole.” - And Looking For A New Challenge! The functions of the ministry are listed next, which include advising the govern­ Right now, 45 women, over half of VSA’s volunteers, are ment, keeping in touch with women, working in 16 countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. They evaluating government policies (and other are involved in both traditional and non-tradition fields for things) and advising the minister on nomi­ women. nees for statutory bodies or governmental agencies. Changes to the structure of the minis­ VSA may also have a challenge for you. By sharing your sk ills try, which have largely already taken with people in developing countries, you will discover a whole place, are listed. Its management structure new world, and learn a lot about yourself in the process. is to include a general policy section, a distinct Maori women’s policy and re­ All volunteers receive return airfares, free accommodation, a search section and a corporate services substantial resettlement grant, and a basic living allowance to unit. support them during their two-year term away. The statement says the ministry will focus its attention on policy fields re­ Current requests from VSA’s overseas partners include: garded as “critical to women’s equality” which are: employment, childcare and • Midwives • Horticulturalists • Botanists other dependent care services, the status • Teachers • Foresters • Cabinet Makers and equality of Maori women, the struc­ • Agriculturalists • Accountants • Doctors ture and management of industry and • Administrators • Registered Nurses • Nurse Tutors commerce, social provision and natural • Tutors • Radio Journalists • Teacher Trainers resource management. • Lab Technologists It then lists some of the specific activi­ ties in these areas such as assessing the If you are interested, please contact: Carolyn Mark value of unpaid work, designing databases P.O. Box 12246 Wellington or phone (04) 725 759 and analytical models to look at things like labour market reform, efficiency and ap­ propriateness of industrial and commer­ cial structures and to make submissions on things like resource management law re­ 6 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 V S A > form. It looks rather more like “Judith Aitken PAT ROSIER COMMENTS ON rules, okay?” than consultation. One ex­ THE STATEMENT OF INTENT ample: previously, if staff training was being considered it would come up at a management team meeting, go back to A real plus is that the entire statement is each unit for input from all staff and come in both Maori and English. back to the management team for a deci­ Otherwise it’s a mess. No connections sion. Now Judith Aitken says all staff are made between the objectives and the Financial Planners training will be on Fridays and it is. Maybe activities - there is no analysis of how or Financial Advice this is what “efficiency” means. why the activities are ones that will The idea of regular statements of intent achieve the objectives, or why these were • Susanna Stuart • or similar is a good one. But if they are to selected rather than others. The language Phone: 774-264 enable evaluation to take place they need (in the English version, anyway) is fright­ for a Consultation to be more specific. Words like “good” ful and a long way from plain English. and “appropriate” are pretty meaningless It’s also politically naive. “Assessing We All Need To Know About: How to Plan unless some standards are given. the value of unpaid work” and all the other It is of great concern to me, and to the things in the last paragraph of the sum­ Savings Home Ownership Broadsheet collective as a whole, that we mary (and there are more in the actual Superannuation are being increasingly critical of the Min­ document) is exactly the sort of activity Investments istry of Women’s Affairs. We, and New the government wants the ministry to Zealand women generally, have high engage in - because it can be accepted, Learn about these and expectations of the ministry and have felt given a polite nod and ignored. Or mis­ other financial areas that ministry staff have been aware of interpreted in the ways the Roundtable is through our free these, have shared them and taken a lot of doing with the pay equity proposals in seminars responsibility to work towards meeting order to come up with counter-arguments. GARDNER, them. (They are spelt out in many places, (For example that pay equity assumes beginning with the documents that came “discrimination on the basis of inequality BRADLEY, out of those initial forums.) Which has put of outcomes” - surely outcomes are, at the O’NEILL the ministry in the position of being re­ very least, relevant - and claiming that 115 GRAFTON RD, GRAFTON. sponsible in two, often contradictory, di­ only the “already advantaged” women P.O. BOX 37425, AUCKLAND rections at once - to the women of New will gain from pay equity and the “least TELEPHONE (09) 774-264 Zealand and to the Minister of Women’s advantaged” will be further disadvan­ Affairs and hence the government. taged. In the face of overwhelming inter­ groups under-represented in central gov­ Present criticisms arise from a strong national evidence to the contrary, the ernment agencies.” But it doesn’t explain sense that something has been lost, that Roundtable claims that de-regulation is what “good management” means.) A later overall ministry responsibility is now the best way to reduce discrimination in statement gives a management objective perceived as one-directional, to the minis­ employment.) as “to encourage good internal staff com­ ter and beyond in that direction only. Per­ What has happened to the initiatives munication" but again, there is no indica­ haps we were naive to expect that it could that had some potential for really bringing tion of what this means. ever be consistently different, but for a about change, like the check-list to enable while it looked possible. I believe we need government institutions to analyse poli­ THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO to hold on to that possibility of a ministry cies and programmes to ensure they meet for women that can “look both ways” and women’s needs? And why is Sandra keep demanding it. Coney, the best informed and qualified woman in New Zealand to represent our interests in changes to the medical system, not the ministry representative on any­ thing? While it does say in the statement that giving “reliable, comprehensive and WOMEN’S STUDIES HAS TV SOLD IT’S timely” advice to the minister means • Bridging courses for Women Returning “among other things keeping in direct to Learning SOUL TO SPUC? contact with the women’s community...” Start February 1; 3 half days a week there is no description of the structures that for 3 weeks. Fee: $10 Hot on the heels of sexist will enable this to happen. And no state­ • Management Skills for Women advertising, a new ment about a commitment to paying March 15-16-17; 6 April Fee: $80 phenomenon has appeared • Women’s Creative Residential women “from the community” for any on our television channels - work they do for the ministry. Weekend at Karioi 17-18-19 March Waged: $50 anti-choice advertisements for The ministry was set up with a commit­ Unwaged: $40 the Society for the Protection ment to work in ways that, as closely as • There is Life After Incest possible, reflected the values and beliefs A residential weekend to assist com­ of the Unborn Child (SPUC). of the feminists working there. A manage­ munity groups to establish support for Lisa Sabbage writes about her ment structure based on a management Incest Survivors. 31 March to 3 April reaction to these ads and team and involving consultation with and • Getting what we need. Health explores the ramifications of Advocacy and Lobbying input from all staff was established. The • Series of Speakers “Honouring our their screening. management team concept seems to have Foremothers” disappeared and certainly is not men­ For a brochure and enrolment write: A young white pregnant woman tells tioned in the “Management Principles”. Centre for Continuing Education, the television audience that we need to (One of the management principles is University of Waikato, Private Bag, protect the unborn child and that we stated as good management practice in Hamilton should contact the Society if we are respect of staff and any contractors and Attn Gillian Marie interested. Edited into her speech are consultants ... with particular emphasis or phone 62-889 ext 8195 shots of a foetus and a male voice- over on equal employment opportunity for informing us that from the moment of

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 7 its conception it is a child and that all it can take up to three months after an ad has does after three months is grow. The been approved before it is screened on male voice even tells us that the foetus Cameo Associates television, and that the SPUC ad had re­ sucks its thumb. ceived a universal classification, which Independent Financial Advice I first saw this ad during a commercial and Services for Women meant that it could be screened at any time break for the film Escape from Sobibor, during the day or night. In his opinion the which was about the escape of Jewish ad did not breach any of TVNZ’s advertis­ prisoners from a Nazi concentration camp. Need Financial Advice? ing rules or those of the Advertising Coun­ The second time I saw this ad was during Get independent cil. He accepted that the ad endorsed a an episode of Sons and Daughters in assistance from women viewpoint but did not believe it was neces­ which a young woman was in a dilemma sarily a political one. about whether or not to have an abortion. you can trust. TVNZ has received letters supporting The last time I saw it was during a CAMEO and opposing the ad, it is important that as documentary 14 Days in May, the count­ • Financial Planning feminists we make our opposition known. down to the execution of a young black Television must not be allowed to jump on man convicted on circumstantial evidence • Superannuation the evangelistic bandwagon denying of murder. women the right to choose. The ad shocked and angered me. I • Insurance thought about the young women who come into Broadsheet bookshop for infor­ • Investment mation about abortion, where to go for SEX INDUSTRY advice and counselling and who to talk to. • Tax Returns How must they have felt when they saw CONFERENCE such a misleading and emotive ad? Abor­ Phone us now for tion is a difficult decision for any women, Free Consultation. Prostitutes are at the a lot of consideration and emotion goes Ph (04)859 224 vanguard of the safe sex into deciding whether or not to terminate a 1st Floor, 130 Cuba St movement, conference pregnancy in its first three months. But it PO Box 6l65, Te AroWellington participants were told at the is a decision which belongs to the woman. First National Sex Industry Central to the SPUC ad is a piece of Cameo . . . Conference recently held in misinformation that the foetus is a “child” working in women’s interests Melbourne, Australia. Jan from the moment of conception and that abortion is therefore murder of a helpless Robinson was at the human being. Debating this point is mis­ cruelty, and genocide ready to be thrown conference. leading and takes the focus of the argu­ at abortion. Similar associations were ment away from the woman and her right made by screening it during 14 Days in About 150 sex industry workers, health to choose whether or not to be pregnant. May. And by screening it during Sons and workers, lawyers, community Initially I was just angry that the ad was Daughters TVNZ virtually endorsed the educators, venereologists, and other being shown, then I became angry at what anti-choice line of SPUC. I could almost interested individuals attended the seems like deliberate placing of the ad to hear the cries of “No Kim, don’t do it!” conference, which also included exploit the emotional value of the pro­ The Commercial Approvals Manager prostitute representatives from New gramme screened. Placing the SPUC ad in at TVNZ, John Mortimer, denied that the Zealand, Canada and Thailand. The the first commercial break of Sobibor ads were deliberately programmed to conference was organised primarily by brought connotations of murder, injustice, appear with these dramas. He said that it the Prostitutes Collective of Victoria around the central theme of the AIDS Debate, and received some funding assistance from the Commonwealth Government AIDS Programme. A New South Wales venereologist LEGAL SERVICES presented data from his monitoring of prostitutes in the Darlinghurst area of Deirdre Milne Sydney which showed that, over the past George Ireland eight to ten years, the incidence of gonor­ Tony Walker rhoea and other STDs (sexually transmit­ who have been practicing ted diseases) has steadily declined under the name of amongst the prostitute population in direct w il l ia m s McD o n a l d a n d c o . contrast to trends in the wider society. are pleased to advise that the firm Over 1,000 female prostitutes have been will now be known as given HIV tests for AIDS and in every single case the result was negative, remov­ ing any grounds for retaining female pros­ VA\W Milne Ireland Walker titution as a risk factor for AIDS. Thus barristers A N D SOLICITORS current research data directly challenges popular images of disease-carrying prosti­ Australis House 36 Customs Street tutes. Auckland The image of the “junkie hooker” was P.O. Box 4204 also shattered at the conference. One New Telephone (09) 796-937 South Wales study revealed that 19 per­ Deirdre Milne. Georce Ireland. Tone Walker cent of female sex workers were IV drug MW users, in contrast to 24 percent of the WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER A FULL RANGE OF general control population. Thus, com­ LEGAL SERVICES AT COMPETITIVE RATES pared with the female population overall, women sex industry workers display a

8 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 lower incidence of both STDs and IV drug to a concern that feminists may attempt to use. take over prostitutes’ collectives in their Women from the prostitutes collectives own interests, as has allegedly happened of Victoria, New South Wales, South with the Wages for Housework group in Australia and Western Australia all pre­ Canada. The dominant view expressed at sented information on their respective the conference was that it was desirable for goals and strategies. All are involved in feminists, prostitutes, health workers and AIDS education and awareness pro­ so forth to work and campaign together, grammes, with both NSW and South but imperative that prostitutes retain con­ Australia having a Travelling Parlour trol of their own organisations. Show taking free condoms and informa­ It is equally important that conscious­ tion leaflets etc., to the parlours. Typically ness raising be conducted amongst femi­ it is the clients who have to be educated nist groups to shatter prevalent negative about safe sex more than the workers, and stereotypes of prostitutes, and to demon­ Victoria in particular has a booklet on strate the extent to which it is in the inter­ display in parlours participating in its Safe ests of all women that the laws on prosti­ House scheme which congratulates clients tution be decriminalised. Current laws on on having selected a parlour noted for its strong pressures or even coercion to par­ prostitution in both Australia and New safe sex practices. (This booklet, inciden­ ticipate in unsafe sexual practices. By far Zealand, perpetuate double standards and tally, repeats its safe but pleasurable sex the majority of those at the conference reinforce a heterosexual male perspective message in Japanese, Vietnamese, Greek, favoured decriminalisation of the laws of sexuality. For prostitution law reform to Macedonian, Spanish, Italian, Chinese against prostitution as the only equitable succeed, it is essential that a coalition be and Arabic.) option. formed uniting feminists, sex workers, The laws on prostitution in Australia Tensions between feminists and prosti­ and other women’s groups. The precedent vary markedly from state to state. Victoria tutes were apparent at times during the for such a coalition already exists in the is unique in having recently introduced a conference. It was noted that overall there nineteenth century campaign for the re­ system of legalised prostitution, but this is a need for consciousness raising on both peal of the Contagious Diseases Acts, but has resulted in several undesirable conse­ women’s and union issues amongst most the prerequisite for any similar venture quences. Effectively it has created a two- sex industry workers. However, feminists now demands a willingness for both tiered system, whereby a minority of are also regarded with considerable suspi­ groups to overcome their negative stere­ “approved” women can work legally in cion by many in the industry. In part this is otypes of each other and enter into dia­ what is now an artificially repressed sex attributable to the attacks which feminists logue together. industry, while the rest are forced to work have often mounted on prostitutes, accus­ Overall, I found the Australian confer­ “underground” in situations characterised ing them of being the ultimate in objecti­ ence useful for demonstrating yet again by exploitation and violence, often facing fied, commoditised women. It also relates the commitment of prostitutes to safe sex

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BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 9 practices and for presenting the wide their season. And in Albany, south of range of strategies which they employ in Perth, Australians saw protesters this regard (from free condom distribution blasted by American high-pressure to community theatre). It reinforced the hoses during a small and harmless necessity of prostitution law reform, and protest against the USS “Brewton.” the desirability of mobilising all women to All these events were happening at the fight for changing such laws since effec­ same time as controversy raged over in­ tively they still impact on all women’s adequate port safety procedures. In Port lives. To continue to divide women into Adelaide fire and emergency drills had prostitutes and non-prostitutes is to per­ been promised two years ago and finally petuate the male control of sexuality evi­ took place three days before the “Brew- denced in the old madonna/whore dichot­ ton” entered. In Sydney, the highly publi­ omy, and the conference’s own policy of cised “MARDAP” contingency plan to non-disclosure of participants’ connec­ cope with a nuclear accident was finally tions with the sex industry can be seen as revealed to have no provision for dealing a first step in the abolition of such distinc­ with any problem inland of the shoreline. tions. As politicians try to forge closer eco­ The New Zealand Prostitutes’ Collec­ nomic and military links, anti- nuclear co­ tive has formed in Wellington since the operation between Australia and New conference. It can be contacted at PO Box Zealand becomes more important. Devel­ 11-412, Manners St, Wellington, phone opments in Australia ultimately affect us. (04)828791. In mid-October Australian, British and NZ ships were exercising together in the Tasman for the first time since 1985. The | Australian commander of the exercise was PACIFIC PROTEST i quoted on the BBC as saying that “This (Z> threat is perceived to come from the Soviet Trans-Tasman relations took o Union’s Pacific forces.” Despite this on another meaning last x admission, our defence minister Bob September when three yachts Tizard is maintaining that no nuclear sce­ from the Auckland Peace nario is involved. Anna Horne works on “Friendship”, in In the 1986 NZ government publication Squadron sailed to Sydney to Sydney to protest, with other New protest the visit of seven Zealand Peace Squadron boats, at the “Nuclear Free New Zealand” David nuclear-armed warships for Australian Bicentennial Fleet Review. Lange wrote “New Zealand will take not the Australian Bicentennial action which suggests that its security Naval Review. Jacqui depends on nuclear weapons.” In the cur­ rent context of the Tasman Sea exercises Barrington of Peacelink Kembla forced the Australian Navy to with nuclear-capable ships, unsubstanti­ Magazine was there. bring tugs from Sydney to assist US ated claims from Mr Tizard that all is well ships into the harbours. The US Navy are not enough. We should demand public The Bicentennial Naval Review was a caused trouble elsewhere in Australia accountability from the government, and big affair, with foreign ships calling into too. In Cairns, the USS “Berkley” proof that our hard-won nuclear-free leg­ ports throughout Australia before collided with a privately owned dive- islation is not being violated. congregating in Sydney. Strike action charter yacht, the “Coralita”, putting by watersiders at Newcastle and Port the owners out of business at the peak of WOMEN’S MYRA NICOL MENTAL HEALTH MOWERS - CHAINSAWS GATHERING WEEDEATERS Women from all over New PETROL AND ELECTRIC Zealand gathered at Nga Tapuwae College, Mangere, 442 RICHMOND RD Auckland from 25 - 28 GREY LYNN, AUCKLAND November for this event. PHONE 760-053 Pat Rosier reports. The gathering was planned over a year Full motor mower sales and service by a collective of women, with Shirley Burton co-ordinating. Some funding Only woman owned and operated from the Roy McKenzie Foundation Auckland mower service and support from the Mental Health Foundation meant that some of the Free pick up and delivery organising work could be paid, and some subsidies were available to help H F l y n t o women pay the cost of attending. Your next nxiwer The content was organised over three days as: Saturday, Inspiration Day, Sun­ WOMEN ONLY WORKSHSOPS RUN REGULARLY day, Insight Day and Monday Impact Day. PHONE YWCA Workshops were arranged accordingly in

10 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 Maori women to have control of health SUPPORT PLANET care, which means equity at every level of decision making and sufficient funding. EARTH PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONFERENCE OF MAJOR CONCERN THE LIVING EARTH: EXPLORING THE GAIA HYPOTHESIS MARCH 22-36,1989

We will consider James Lovelock’s Scientific, our environmental, our Hypothesis that the Earth is a single social-political and our artistic- living organism, that our planet is a spiritual spheres o f activity. living entity o f interlinked life sys­ tems, species and communication Speakers from the U.K, U.SA, Aus­ networks. tralia and New Zealand will offer presentations, workshops, displays His findings offer us hope for sur­ and opportunities for your involve­ vival. ment. The focus of the Conference is to Ihere will also be a pre-conference shifi our perspective from Egocen­ symposium and post-conference tric to Egocentric, and to look at the workshops. implications o f this change in our

A BROCHURE WITH FULL DETAILS AVAILABLE FROM: CENTRE FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND PRIVATE BAG AUCKLAND PHONE 737 831 (2) DIRECT LINES two sessions on Saturday and Sunday with aged. plenty of time between sesions for talks, Titiwhai Harawira spoke to women at both planned and impromptu, network the gathering three times over the week­ meetings, soapbox raves (an opportunity end, asking for support in efforts to pre­ taken up by only a few) and interest vent the closure of the Maori Health Units groups. The general feeling was warm and at Carrington Hospital. enthusiastic throughout the weekend with An outcome of the impact day was an organisers staffing the office given little to open letter to the women of New Zealand, do. The dance on Saturday night, with live at time of writing still being refined to its music from the very-danceable-to Red final form, beginning, “Our health system, Beryl was a boomer. Workshops covered particularly the mental health system, is TOWARDS 1990 a wide range of areas related to women’s not working for women. Many of the serv­ mental health from “Being psychiatrised” ices that are supposed to create health to a lesbian worskhop on violence, yoga, actually cause further distress for massage and “Women working for change women.” Also included is support for the in institutions”. Women came away from Treaty of Waitangi as a basis for a positive workshops inspired, enthused, encour­ new direction in health and for the right of

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FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS, GIL HANLY PHOTO: GIL HANLY PHOTO: PROPERTY CONVEYANCING, Lisa Sabbage on a “Stop the Celebrations” march in Auckland in WILLS, ESTATE PLANNING, December, organised by He Taua/Atac. Approximately 60 protesters were led MATRIMONIAL. down Queen St by Kaumatua George Sutherland from the Whare Paia.

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 11 FEMINISM & FAMILIES

nee upon a time, a social m M movement called feminism was bom and it issued challenges to a wicked king named patriarchy. The wicked king grumbled and roared and was forced to make a few changes, but basically he didn’t want to give away any of his power. Then he came up with mi idea to thwart the ever-growing feminism - he would spread the lie that feminism washed to rule the world and destroy all families.

pponents of the women’s move­ woman, who had contributed equally with ment say that feminism has damaged her husband to the work of the family farm W h a t follows is an edited the family. I will argue that, like all social for 20 years, was granted nothing when the institutions, the family has changed over version of a speech made marriage failed and her husband sold the time and that the feminist movement has by Marjorie Cohen at a Ca­ farm. Feminists across the country worked contributed positively to this change and nadian conference on hard for years to change the provincial raised new ways of looking at both women motherhood held in June in property laws to recognise women as and the family. equal partners in marriage under the law. which she dispels the popu­ We have been successful in doing this. [In Feminism has raised the issue of power lar myth that feminism is in­ and control over women. In its resurgence Aotearoa we have the Matrimonial Prop­ during the 1960s, the feminist movement tent on destroying families erty Act which, while far from perfect, began by identifying the various ways in and explores the way the protects women who have been married.] which women’s freedom was denied. It feminist movement has Yet, for the most part, women’s work was then that the family itself was identi­ contributed positively to in the family is still unrecognised and fied in a different way. Rather than being new perspectives on the uncompensated. One issue about which a place of harmony, mutual support, and a feminists have been particularly con­ family. The article first ap­ cerned is the poverty of older women who haven in a heartless world, it was often a peared in Feminist Action place of oppression for women and chil­ have spent most of their lives working for dren. Correcting this situation was at first (Vol 3 No 4&5 September people in their households. Feminists have seen as the responsibility of individual 1988). Her comments apply long fought to ensure that these women are women. We were urged to change our equally well to the situation protected through an inclusive pension lives, to become more independent, to in Aotearoa system. become more active participants in the wider society and above all, to get a job. Women in the Labour Force Many women were offended by this In what follows, I will discuss issues approach and resented the implication that central to feminist’s actions in Canada e second major area of concern has they had been doing something wrong. over the past twenty years and I will ex­ been paid work. The unequal treatment of Fortunately, it was recognised that the plain why these have been important for women in the labour force has contributed problem was complex and could not be women, the family, and society at large. to women’s inequality in society in gen­ solved by encouraging women to behave eral. It also leads to unequal power rela­ differently. What occurs within the family Women’s Labour in the Home tionships within the family. - the way people behave, the roles There was a time when women who asssigned to various members, its very O ne issue has been undervaluing worked to support their families were composition - is linked to what is happen­ women’s work in the family context. made to feel they were neglecting their ing in society at large. Women had not been seen as equal part­ children. Feminists have stressed that not Feminists tried to discover what would ners in marriage and their work had not all women are able to stay at home, but that enable women to have choices and, more been given equal value under the law. this does not mean they are inadequate importantly, to have a say in the way Feminists pointed to the invisibility of mothers, but that they contribute in differ­ society works. women’s labour in the home because of a ent ways. In addressing these problems, femi­ tendency to recognise only paid work as Most women who work for pay are nists did not see women in the workplace real work. Feminist academics examined responsible for the material well being of competing with women in the home for this work and showed how crucial it was to their families. They earn less money than status or resources. This was seen as a false the functioning of the entire economy. men and this has grave consequences for division which neglected to look at the en­ The legal disadvantage women suf­ their families. If women received equal tire structure of society in order to under­ fered from and the undervaluing of their pay, the balance of power in the home stand women’s oppression wherever it unpaid labour were made dramatically might be more equal. Now many “family” occurs. evident in the early 1970s when a farm decisions are predicated on who earns the 12 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 most money. dren, is the invitation to men to become face. These women and their families are For women in poor families, low wages fully active in raising children. Feminists victims of racism and prejudice which mean a life of poverty. Single women with fight for public policies that ensure that re­ affect their lives dramatically. Feminists children are particularly penalised be­ sponsibility for parenting is not left en­ have supported the demands of these cause of the gross inequality of typical tirely to women. A recent example has women for equality. [Over the last 20 male and female wages. These women and been the call for parental leave as part of years, feminists in Aotearoa have been their children make up the bulk of the poor unemployment insurance benefits. [The confronted by Maori women, Pacific Is­ in our society. Parental Leave Act now serves the same land Women, andWomen of Colour, about Feminists have strongly advocated the purpose here.] We believe that an ex­ our own racism and the institutional ra­ improvement of conditions for women in tended period, beyond the maternity pro­ cism of the structures we are seeking to the labour force. We have fought for anti- visions, which could be taken by either change. A lot of support has been given discrimination legislation for safer parent, would enable more men to take re­ and much work has been done by femi­ workplaces, in particular, we have criti­ sponsibility for childcare. Surely such nists, but there is still a lot more to cised reproductive hazards in the measures will strengthen relationships achieve.] workplace. We have fought for equal pay within families. We have worked for equal access to legislation and for an end to sexual harass­ literacy programmes for immigrant ment. [Pay Equity is a big issue in Aotea- Changing Family Forms women, for recognition of the different roa right now, and many unions have needs of refugee women, for affirmative policies on eradicating sexual harrasment reminists have called attention to the action programmes for women of colour from the workplace as a result of political and the disabled, for better working condi­ pressure from feminists.] changing family. “The family” is not a homogenous institution where the norm is tions for paid domestic workers, for Na­ a husband, wife, and their biological chil­ tive rights for Native women. The Welfare of Children dren. The contemporary family may take Feminists have also made a contribu­ a variety of forms, a fact which should be tion to peace and environment issues celebrated, not condemned. Public policy which are central to human existence. I"eminists want to ensure that children Feminists have been accused of de­ have better lives. For example, we have needs to recognise and support these fami­ lies, whether they consist of parents living stroying the family because we do not like campaigned against the sex-role stere­ things the way they are. It is true that we do otyping that we were subjected to in alone with children or two people of the same sex living together or people living not like things the way they are, but what schools and at home. We want a better life we want to destroy are the oppressive fea­ for our daughters and our sons. in communal settings. [Or in Aotearoa, the whanau or extended family situation.] tures of conventional family life. We feel We recognise the need for better child­ that women should not be subsumed under care. The lack of public support for parents Women as Individuals the family. Individuals within families is abysmal; only a tiny proportion of all have different experiences - what is com­ children of working parents are in ade­ fortable for a male patriarch can be intol­ quate childcare. This must change. It is Just as family form is diverse, so are erable for women and children. Feminism feminists who have called attention to this women. Feminists have stressed the need has opened our eyes to new ways of seeing problem and who are working for im­ to differentiate between women’s exper- how people could live together. When all provement. iece. Some women, such as women of people are equal within the family, and Families will be more secure when colour or disabled women, face difficult when this is supported by public policy, children are adequately cared for. Those obstacles, different from those all women then the family can be celebrated. ■ against public day care are using the same arguments used a century ago against public education. Related to this need is THE FOLLOWING IS AN ABRIDGED VERSION OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY the principle that all children should be KARIN BANERD PUBLISHED IN THE SAME ISSUE OF FEMINIST ACTION. wanted children. Feminists have strongly advocated family planning and easy and I would like to address the common mis­ and judgemental. Those have been my equal access to abortions when necessary. conception that feminists do not support experiences. Feminism supports moth­ The stress of an unwanted child for any stay-at-home mothers and that home­ ering. Most, if not all, women’s confer­ woman must be avoided. makers are not feminists. I have always ences provide day-care, usually at no Because of feminist action, the issue of been a feminist, and I have also been a charge. Feminism has never discounted stay-at-home mother for the past five violence against women and children has stay-at-home mothers not in the paid la­ years, caring for three pre-schoolers. As bour force. become a part of public consciousness. well, this year I took on the volunteer I pursue my various activities be­ Violence, which used to be treated as an positon of Northern Ontario Regional cause I yearn for stimulating conversa­ infrequent occurrence, is now recognised Representative for NAC. I am also a tion, socialising, and intellectual chal­ as endemic in our society. Feminists have board and day-care committee member lenges. I also take university courses and raised public consciousness and have of­ for Phoenix Rising, a group trying to es­ hope to obtain a math degree in a few fered practical help through the provision tablish a second-stage housing complex years. of shelters for battered women and chil­ for women and children, with on-site Another concern I have is that dren. Thanks to feminists, some women day care. women pursue universal day care so I agree that staying at home is isolat­ that it is accessible to all women. Even as now have an alternative to staying in ing and somewhat boring, but it is con­ unbearable households. Women’s options a stay-at-home mother, I need child care stantly challenging and unpredictable. I for appointments, meetings, studying or have also been strengthened by improved do find it difficult at social functions to just time out for a while. Women in the divorce provisions and interprovincial say what I do, not because of feminists, paid work force are not the only ones enforcement of the maintenance obliga­ but because society does not value moth­ who need day care, women at home do tions of fathers. ering and all of its associated skills and too. And, I can see this issue has already [Impetus from feminists in Aotearoa have responsibilities. Feminism, to the con­ polarised women: the stay-at-homers led to the establishment of Women s Ref­ trary, has supported me as a woman, has versus women in the paid labour force. uges, Rape Crisis Centres, the Help Foun­ recognised my needs, and has offered me All women can benefit from child care. dation, and child abuse teams in branches the most support throughout various So, please, let’s not perpetuate the life crisis. Feminists are my most trust­ of Social Welfare around the country.] myth that feminists are not homemak­ ing and supportive friends. Other ers, and that feminism does not support Another action, important to our search women I have found too narrow-minded full-time mothering. for healthier families and stronger chil­

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 13 h ainl nmlydwres unionTe workers’ unemployed national the otegvrmn.Snete h 150,000the thenSince government. the to across the country which converged onconvergedwhich country theacross wait without reward for the Labour thereward for without wait strategy toward full employment. Sue employment.full toward strategy realawithpresentthem to government 4 RASETJNFB 1988 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 14 ofBradford,coordinator Sueyear,last Late future of the unemployment movement.unemployment theof future Roopu Rawakore o Aotearoa, led a marcha ledAotearoa,o Rawakore Roopu parliament and presented a set of demandsof setapresented andparliament effect of the march and her vision for theherforvision marchand effectof the people still unemployed have continued to havecontinuedunemployed still people Bradford spoke to Lisa Sabbage about theaboutLisa Sabbage toBradford spoke Beating the 1/^ y^ym ent Blues ent y^ym

h taiinly ae’ hd much had haven’t traditionally who tso ra uet st ko ht we and support. sympathy have public that that know to us to use great of It’s unemployment. of issue the in interest didn’t have any abuse about being being “dole have any didn’t about abuse was the clearest thing, that people want people that thing, clearest the was of sense real a was There bludgers”. the towns we marched through there is there through marched we towns the eljb nt ces r E schemes, PEP or Access not jobs real That to jobs. needed they message that aparliament take to us telling people no work left.It’s not no towns the left.It’s work small just of lots in and people, for work real but I e on b ad ag ta we that large and by found We osraie epe ie farmers like people conservative hr wrnt ue ubr of numbers huge march. weren’t the There for support and est inter­ public tremendous had we Island n South and both North the people marching, but there was a was there but marching, people really wide range of support from support of range wide really

PHOTO: GIL HANLY anymore, even Auckland has now over shut up about those ideas. They know that people becoming part of the unemploy­ 28,000 registered unemployed. unemployed people can organise now, and ment movement. Our dream is for a genu­ One of the main aims of the march was that we have a movement. ine unemployed workers’ union that thou­ to raise the profile of our unemployed At the end of the march we presented sands of people belong to, that has local people. It was a statement that said to the the government with a key list and a de­ services for its members. A union that not public “we are real people and here we are, tailed list of demands, and we certainly only does what we do here when we deal look at us, we’re women and children, intend to follow these up. There’s a couple with Social Welfare and Department of Maori and Pakeha.” Most of the unem­ of things we’d really like to push on, for Labour problems, but one that is also able ployed groups in our network are really example we’d like to see the government to provide access to union legal and medi­ pleased with what happened, not just on turn around its policy on the youth dole. cal services, run workshops and classes for the march, but in terms of the job search of But as far as turning around its basic eco­ unemployed, organise employment ex­ the South Island that happened at the same nomic policies, the unemployment move­ changes where people can come to look time. ment will never achieve that on its own. for work, food co-ops, whatever. There’s A major reason for having the march The present Labour government has a total so many things an unemployed workers’ was to build our own movement. A lot of inability to see that the social costs are union can do, but it ’ s a matter of having the new groups started up as a result of the going to outweigh anything they save fi­ people and resources to do it. march and a national meeting was held in nancially. Its up to the unions, women, and I’d like to see more women become December to consolidate what had been other progressive groups, to form a politi­ involved in unemployment groups. With achieved. The march strengthened the cal voice together in order to turn the unemployment becoming a big political national unemployment movement, government around. issue last year, it seems that it’s just about which has traditionally been divided and Even the Labour Party’s so called Left all men in the front line. Feminists must weak without resources. It brought see unemployment as an issue for different unemployed people to­ women. Unemployment affects gether a lot more and taught us to women disproportionately be­ recognise and appreciate each oth­ cause women with children, mar­ ers strengths. Having a strong un­ Our dream is for a ried or on the DPB, and older employment movement is impor­ genuine unemployed women particularly, are the hidden tant because it is all we can count on unemployed. Women have a really as neither political party rep­ workers’ union that wealth of experience and the move­ resents us. I hope that as the move­ ment would be a lot stronger if it ment grows it will be able to get thousands of people had more women in it. more involved in direct politics. Childcare is an intrinsic unem­ We were pleased with what belong to, that has local ployment issue. I’ve always fought media coverage we got of the in both movements, having four march. The unemployed have had services for its members kids myself. I think the two are very so little coverage in the past that directly related. I’m involved with even what we got from television the Community Childcare Asso­ and radio was a whole lot better than ciation in trying to set up a creche what we expected. For instance the televi­ MPs have absolutely sold the unemployed for unemployed and beneficiary women. sion interview with Phil Goff on Eyewit­ out by never making a stand for us. That’s Unemployment affects women in dif­ ness News was the first time we ’ ve been al­ why we have no faith even in the ones that ferent ways. Within families, it is the lowed to debate the issue publicly. It some people think are alright. There has women who often carry the pressure when marks a change in attitude in the media, never been any public stand on the youth men lose their jobs. Older women, Maori unemployment is finally seen as some­ dole or work-for-the-dole schemes, MPs and Pacific Island women especially, are thing worth covering whereas historically won’t stand up or cross the house. discriminated against when they apply for the voice of the unemployed has always jobs, and then receive less pay than men been ignored. Unemployment is so wide­ once they are in employment. ■ spread now - even in the Broadcasting Service where journalists and the media are being affected as well. That’s really what struck us on the march — that so many I f you are interested in getting people are being affected - the myths are n a minor way, the one thing that involved with your local still there about unemployed people, but looks hopeful is that Phil Goff and unemployed workers groups, here they are being broken down. Michael Cullen are open to consulta­ are some addresses. As far as having any impact on govern­ tion and we’ve never had that before. ment policy goes, there has been no visible If they even started to listen in a small result except that some of us suspect that a way to our opinions about Social • Auckland Unemployed Workers’ few of the really bad changes the govern­ Welfare and Department of Labour Rights Centre, 78 Pitt St, Inner City ment was talking about during the march policyI on a local and national level, we’d Auckland. Phone 399-482. seem to have been put on hold. For in­ be really pleased. We have to accept what­ • Lower Hutt Unemployed Workers’ stance Lange was talking about people ever small gestures are made. Centre, 2 Campbell Terrace, Petone. being on the dole for only three months At some stage the government has got • Taranaki and New Plymouth Unem­ and then going on work-fare (working for to realise that the unemployed are a real ployed Workers’ Rights Centre, the dole), or having it cut. That’s an political force, that 150,000 people and Liardet St, New Plymouth. American system, and it would be disas­ their families have votes. At the moment • Wellington Unemployed Workers’ trous if it was introduced here. Other sug­ those votes are lost because there is no Union, 166-168 Victoria St, Central gestions have been made about a 13 week political party which represents the inter­ City. stand down period for the benefit, and ests of the unemployed. We have no more • Nelson Unemployed Workers’ Trust, cutting the dole as the government has faith in the National Party than we do in PO Box 926, Nelson. done with the youth dole. During the Labour. We remember the days when Na­ • Christchurch Unemployed Rights Col­ march we raised the consciousness about tional was in power and its attitude to the lective, 50 Tuam St, Unit 4. how bad this is going to be for people, and unemployed. • Dunedin Unwaged Workers’ Rights since then the government has actually I’d like to see a lot more unemployed Centre, 26 The Octagon.

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 15 GIVING BIRTH TO TECHNODOCS - BY PAT ROSIER - ILLUSTRATION: ELETTE WHEELER ELETTE ILLUSTRATION:

FOLLOWED THE DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT ARE MOST COMMONLY CALLED NEW REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES (NRTS) CLOSELY. AS MORE AND MORE TECH­ NIQUES BECOME POSSIBLE THE ETHICAL AND MORAL ISSUES INCREASE - AND GET LITTLE MORE ATTENTION, EXCEPT FROM FEMINISTS. DURING THE YEAR BRO A DSHEET\N\ll PUBLISH SEVERAL ARTICLES AROUND THE ISSUES RAISED BY NRTS, STARTING WITH THIS ONE LOOKING AT ETHICS AND CON­ TROL. I DRAW HEAVILY ON THE WORK OF TWO AUSTRALIAN FEMI­ NISTS, ROBYN ROWLAND AND RENATE KLEIN OF DEAKIN UNIVER­ SITY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

woman’s right to control her fertility and to choose But modem technology has made the issue more complex than whether or not to have a child are pretty basic to a matter of individual rights. What if the processes and procedures feminism. But what about the woman who chooses to involved in IVF, fail to result in a baby for most women, are have a child and does not conceive? A long way down dangerous to her health, increase the chances of the child being 1 the track she may be contemplating in vitro fertilisa- affected, lead to her body being used experimentally, are expen­ I tion (IVF), where sperm and ova are brought to- sive and draw funds away from infertility research and treatment, ■ gether outside her body in the hope of fertilisation are available to only some women (eg those who are married) and ^ followed by successful implanting in her womb. support research into gender selection (“I want a boy”) and genetic » And surely this is her right and feminists will un- engineering? We then get into the murky arena of individual rights M reservedly support her in this right as they do her versus the possible harm for women as a group. Robyn Rowland « right to contraception. expressed it like this: BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 “For feminists these techniques mean rethinking our attitudes But that is not the end of the concern about clomiphene citrate. towards motherhood, pregnancy and most important, the relation­ It has a chemical profile similar to DES - a drug administered ship between an individual woman’s right to exercise choice with internationally to between 4 and 6 million pregnant women from respect to motherhood and the necessity for women to ensure that the 1940s to the early 1970s to supposedly stop miscarriage. Years those individual choices do not disadvantage women as a social later 2-4 million daughters of these women now have cancers of group.” the cervix and vagina at a rate higher than that of the rest of the I will explore each of the “what ifs” I have raised in turn, but female populaton of their age. They also experience increased first I want to look at the question of control. rates of infertility, spontaneous abortion and ectopic pregnancy. If we needed any confirmation of the medical profession’s More than 30 years after they took the drug the women who used commitment to being in control of what it does and how, we got DES have 40 to 50 percent higher rates of breast cancer than other it from the cervical cancer inquiry. High technology procedures women of their age. The ultimate irony is that in some cases these like IVF are completley under the control of the medical industry, daughters of DES women who are infertile are being encouraged which includes doctors, researchers and drug companies. Profit is to join IVF programmes. the strongest motivator for the drug companies and is probably a “Science’s modus operandi - to continue experiments until factor for the other two groups. As Robyn Rowlands says, mistakes have been statistically proven — to us seems unaccept­ “If these technologies were in the hands of women whose able when the lives and health of women and their prospective bodies they most intimately effect, we may be able to utilise them health are at stake.... clomiphene citrate - alone or in ‘cocktails’ to free women and give them new choices. But past experience with other synthetic or natural hormaones - are a dangerous health teaches us that the control of women’s bodies is a continual battle hazard for women, with possible short and long term effects. They of the sexes.” should not be administered to women and should be withdrawn So we cannot treat the procedures as neutral. What we can do from use.” is gather as much information as we can get about them and consider the implications of their use for all women so that we can ♦ DO THE PROCEDURES INCREASE RISKS FOR ANY make our case for or against their use. Back to the “what i f ’s. CHILD BORN? Apart from that already mentioned in connection with clo­ ♦ DOES IVF WORK? miphene, there is evidence of a higher incidence of genetic Ten years after the first in vitro baby, 3000 have been bom. Sounds disorders among children bom as a result of IVF. And that’s in good. But put differently - a little more than 3500 Canadian spite of all the monitoring and testing that goes on through the women have tried IVF, a little more than 365 have had babies, pregnancy. which means over 3100 haven’t - it sounds less hopeful. In New Zealand, Fertility Associates, the privately run clinic in Auckland, ♦ COULD THE MONEY BE BETTER SPENT? report 344 women (they said “couples”) through the clinic since There is one publicly funded IVF clinic in New Zealand, with a it opened in June ’87 and 21 live births by September ’88. We can long waiting list. Fertility Associates is a private clinic - she who think of that as “Wow! 21 women got to have a baby!” or “How goes, pays. Infertility prevention does not appear to be a high awful, over 320 of those women went through that and never had priority, although it would probably be a lot more effective than a child!” An estimated 6000 cycles were performed in the US IVF. Links between a number of things - sexuality transmitted during 1986. Each attempted cycle of stimulation (explained diseases, IUCD use, the contraceptive pill - and infertility could below), oocyte (egg) retrieval, fertilisation and embryo transfer usefully be studied further. The real money being spent on costs about US$5000. A woman often goes through several cycles research these days comes from drug companies who are in it for (4-6 is common) before either getting pregnant or giving up. It is potential profits rather than for the sake of women. estimated that nearly a third of US clinics have yet to register a live birth. ♦ DOES IT MATTER THAT ONLY SOME WOMEN ^ For Robyn Rowland and Renate Klein it is quite clear. IVF is HAVE ACCESS? a “failed and dangerous technology”. That depends on whether you believe more in individual rights or more in the good of all women. You not only need the money, you ♦ ARE THE PROCEDURES DANGEROUS? have to have the right status - a stable relationship with a (male of Any medical or surgical interference with our bodies has some course) partner - you have to have time to take tests, transport go risks. Here I will just look at one associated with IVF, the use of to clinics.... You could use those resources in different ways.... drugs. An IVF cycle involves hormonal stimulation of the ovaries It’s a choice. to produce more than one egg, and at a time when they can be “har­ vested . A primary drug used for this is clomiphene citrate, ♦ IS SEX SELECTION A GOOD IDEA? usually marketed as Clomid or Serophene. Rowland and Klein As male babies are preferred in most societies there are obvious have researched the scientific literature on this drug very thor­ dangers for women. The suggestion that scarcity would make oughly and in summary they found: women more valued is not the least reassuring as we would be A disturbing amount of data on the following: abnormalities most likely valued for sexual and breeding purposes rather than and other physical problems in children from clomiphene induced for our intrinsic worth as people. pregnancies; cancerous growth in women taking clomiphene The experience of children who grow to adulthood as a result citrate, sometimes resulting in death; hyperstimulation of the of pre-selected sex is rarely discussed. What burden of expecta­ ovaries; multiple births ... and possible detrimental chromosomal tions is likely to be laid on them, so that parents do not wish they abnormalities in the eggs produced by clomiphene induction. ... had “chosen otherwise”. There is uncertainty about its action and researchers cannot discern why the drug negatively affects some women and not ♦ COULDN'T GENETIC SCREENING BENEFIT others. EVERYONE? “The manufacturer Merrell Dow stipulates that Clomid should A number of genetically-transmitted diseases and disabilities can not be administered to pregnant women. Yet there is evidence that now be identified before implantation. Embryos of “undesired” once it is administered clomiphene can stay in the body for six quality (or sex) can be discarded. A perfect baby or no baby? Who weeks.... if she becomes pregnant... the embryo/foetus may be makes the decision? How accurate is the information? Is the affected. ultimate in family planning genetically screened frozen embryos? “In addition women are given ‘cocktails’ of clomiphene ni­ The definition of “at risk” may escalate. As early as 1978 a US trate, HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and HMG (human scientist was referring to genetic asthma as one severe genetic menopausal gonadotropin, usually administered as Perganol).... defect that could be improved by genetic manipulation. How The interactions between these drugs and their effects remain would we ensure that people were not coerced into using this unclear and of great concern.” technology? And could a child eventually sue her mother for

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 17 “wrongful life”? exchanged gene will have on other parts of the body. This is where The need for genetic sceening or embryo checking could easily the real danger of this technology lies: in a similar way to using become generalised so that everyone “needed” it. This has already hormones in IVF technology and disrupting hormone cycles, pre­ happened with the use of ultrasound, which was supposed to be a implantation technology is playing around with disrupting diagnostic tool for at risk pregnancies and is now suggested by the peoples’ genes without knowing any of the side effects.... I BMA for use in all normal pregnancies. Again, would we be believe that more than ever women are ‘living laboratories’ in the creating an unfair burden of perfect performance for our children? hands of the triumvirate: scientists, doctors and pharmaceutical For Klein, it goes even further. She said, in a conference companies.” address, “It is ... wrong to believe that what happens today in the And so we come back to the women who has chosen to have a field of NRTs, and , specifically, IVF, will remain confined to child but cannot conceive. Where does all this leave her? For infertile people.... It is reasonable to believe that pre-implantation Klein, “The only way to stop women from becoming even more diagnosis will soon be recommended — if not forced upon — more exploitable through their further reduction to producers of spe­ and more women.... this will become a new coercion for pregnant cific spare parts of to stop all IVF technology and by extension all women to submit themselves - and their flushed out embryos - to embryo experimentation.” Don’t offer her the hope of a baby via more and more tests.” IVF, the odds are she won’t get one and will suffer physical and psychological distress. And she will be used, say Klein and ♦ ARE WOMEN'S BODIES BEING USED FOR Rowland, to further the aims of the technodocs, which are not for EXPERIMENT A TION? women. “The price to pay for a few babies when the future of Yes, say Rowland and Klein, because so little is known about the women to keep the last remains of their reproductive autonomy is procedures and their effects and because the results are so poor - at stake, is too high.” and not improving. New drugs, new egg recovery methods are It is important to remember that what IVF offers is hope, not a tried out on women presenting for infertility “treatment”. child, the odds are really low - 21 babies to 344 women for There is a lot of interest internationally in genetic engineering, example. The challenge, says Klein, is to “make space for women it’s well developed for animal and plant production. The only way who are desperate with their desire for a biological child. There to refine the technology and develop more pre-implantation tests needs to be legitimacy conferred on discussions of the seemingly is to use human embryos obtained through IVF. And, as Klein compelling forces to biologically mother while at the same time says, “It is here the the compulsory link between IVF and embryo the NRTs need to be exposed for the harm they do to women.” ■ research becomes evident: a link that so few people want acknowl­ FOOTNOTE: Quotes are from several as yet unpublished papers written by Dr Renate Klein and Dr Robyn Rowland. Further details are available from Pat edged, or even see.” Because the embryos come from women who Rosier at Broadsheet. have been superovulated to produce eggs (with the dangers RECOMMENDED READING:77/e Mother Machine Gena Corea, Harper and Row. referred to above). Man-Made Women Gena Corea and others, Hutchinson. But how good is scientists’ knowledge about what they want to Test Tube Women: What Future for Motherhood? eds Arditti, Klein and Minden, do. Klein again: “Whilst it may be possible to substitute a specific Pandora Press. gene, it is not possible to know (or even to test for) the effects the Made to Order: The Myth of Reproductive and Genetic Processes The Athene Series, Pergamon Press. "iHe^SPols on Tue

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18 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 MANUKAU POLYTECHNIC

■ AUCKLAND 1) NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN 5) SELF ASSERTION SKILLS TRAINING FOR Begins Tues Feb 21 10am at NorthCampus WOMEN Lesbian/Gay Conference An Auckland R2 3 days a week for 8 weeks Fee: $29.70 Begins Thurs Feb 23rd 10.15am-12.15pm group of lesbians and gay men is planning 2) CHOICES FOR WOMEN at North Campus R3 10 weeks Fee: $20 a national lesbian and gay gathering for also Weds Feb 22nd 7.30-9.30pm at Easter 1989. Lesbian organisers are keen Begins Mon Feb 20th 10.15am-12.15pm at North Campus R3 2 hours a week for 8 Papakura Resource Centre 10 weeks to see a strong lesbian presence and dis­ weeks Fee: $12 Fee: $20 cussion of issues important to lesbians. A 3) WHAT IS COMMUNITY WORK? 6) SELF AWARENESS & PERSONAL GROWTH three day creche with qualified childcare Begins Weds Feb 22nd 12.45-2.45pm at workers is planned. Venue, programme How to get Started - Christine Herzog Tues Feb 14th 10.15am-2.15pm North North Campus R3 10 weeks Fee: $20 and associated events will be finalised Campus R3 1 day seminar Fee: $6 7) CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS & EDUCATION after consultation with Maori lesbians and 4) TREATY OF WAITANGI- Begins Thurs Feb 23rd 7.15-9.15pm Main lesbians and gays from other centres. All Campus RA402 10 weeks Fee: $20 ideas, workshop offers and contributions What does it mean for us & our group or organisation.Tues March 14th welcome. Write to Beetle Treadwell, 18 8) HOW TO RUN A SUPPORT GROUP 10.15am-2.45pm North Campus R3 Buchanan St, Auckland 3 or Jenny Rank- Begins Mon Feb 20th 12.45-2.45pm North 1 day seminar Fee: $6 Campus R3 10 weeks Fee: $20 ine, 11 Firth Rd, Auckland 2, phone (09) 896-334 (w). ALSO- STRESS MANAGEMENT, GRIEF AWARENESS & MANAGEMENT, Protection Against Discrimination for COPING WITH DEPRESSION, HELPING & COUNSELLING COURSES. Lesbians Anyone interested in fun and educational campaigning in support of legal FOR MORE INFORMATION AND ENROLMENT FORM PHONE 7l changes to enable protection and redress THE SECRETARY COMMUNITY EDUCATION 274 6009 EXT 8644 for lesbians who have been discriminated against contact Jenny Rankine, 11 Firth Rd, Auckland 2, phone (09) 896-334(w) GENERAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT Korero Awhina A counselling training course for lesbians is being organised by a IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS. ENQUIRE NOW ABOUT COURSES ON OFFER IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: group of Maori and Pakeha women with counselling skills. Basic skills will be cov­ ered first, followed by specialised areas • Art of Listening • Rapid Reading such as alcohol and drug problems and • English for Everyday Use • Speaking Skills sexual abuse counselling. This is not a • Non-verbal Communication • Practical Writing personal growth course. Maori lesbians, Pacific lesbians and lesbians of colour are OTHER COMMUNICATION SHORT COURSES AND SEMINARS RUN especially welcome. Please write to: Lainey EITHER ON CAMPUS OR INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMMES Cowan, 93 Islington St Ponsonby or ring DEVELOPED FOR THE WORKPLACE. Julie (764-380), or Ingrid (686-111). We need to hear from you by the end of Janu­ ★ ary because we plan to start the course in February. THE HEALTH STUDIES DEPARTMENT IS OFFERING 1 AND 2 DAY WORKSHOPS COMMENCING FEBRUARY IN: ■ NATIONAL Not the 1990 Calendar! Produced by the • Computers for Health He Taua/Atac Coalition. $ 10 plus GST per ♦ The Art of Therapeutic Touch copy to P O box 68553, Newton (Auck­ ♦ Research in Nursing Professionals land) Tamakaura Makaurau ♦ Maths Update for Health Professionals

■ INTERNATIONAL CONTACT HEALTH STUDIES DEPARTMENT FOR DETAILS. Second Annual Lesbian Separatist Con­ ference and Gathering, 15-18 June, 1989, near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sliding scale registration $85 — $150 covers everything P0 BOX 61 066 0TARA including lodging and meals. A limited AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND TELEPHONE (09)274 6009 number of work exchange slots available. Contact: Burning Bush, P O Box 3065, Madison, WI 53704-0065, USA.

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 19 LEARNING TO

Charmaine P ountney, principal of A uckland G irl’s grammar School FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS, LEFT AT THE END of 1988. She talked to Pat R osier ABOUT THE SCHOOL AND ABOUT EDUCA­ TION GENERALLY, BEGINNING WITH CHANGES SHE HAS SEEN.

any of the changes were fore. We’ve got rid of that whole sense of building on what was happen­ hierarchies and ‘goodness’ and ‘badness’. ing already in schools”, she It’s based on the assumption that everyone says. She sees as most impor­ is expected to be and capable of being tant the development of good, and that is built into the structures. The emphasis Maori strength in the school “The third thing that’s emerged, not M and emergence of the Kahurangiconsciously, pro­ but very excitingly just this is on women’s gramme, which is an immersion pro­ year, is the ability of the girls to work gramme in Maori language for third and across age groups. During our centennial strengths and fourth form students, who spend two- planning two or three groups demon­ thirds of their time in Maori immersion. strated this. Like the drama production on cultural “The Kahurangi programme was devel­ group, which consisted of staff, students oped by staff, students and parents to­ from third to seventh formers (anyone diversity as gether. It has had a significant effect on who wanted to could be in it) and some old how the young Maori women in the school girls as well, and the whole production an excitement see themselves - and not only those in the was actually planned, written and per­ programme. That’s because it is empow­ formed by that mixed group with no sense and a challenge, ering, it has not been imposed.” of hierarchy among them. I had a similar For Charmaine the Kahurangi pro­ experience working with a group the week not as gramme represents a major structural shift before the centennial on developing a in the school. Another is the abolition of commemorative brochure and a public something to be streaming, which she sees as having had a relations campaign. Again, they were “marked effect on relationships among volunteers, from third to seventh form, frightened of students in the school and on academic from eight different cultures and spoke 12 achievement. Standards of learning are languages among them and they worked actually higher overall and certainly the completely harmoniously and collectively social relationships and standards of be­ for a week. haviour are far better than they were be- “Where a lot of that has come from is 20 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 The national examination system is an assumption of human inequality-that some people are bom “bright”, many are average and some are just “dumb”

lar range of knowledge and skills and to do things in a different way requires re-train- ing, particularly relating to students in new ways. Group work and working with mixed ability groups is extremely chal­ lenging when you have learnt to be a traditional classroom dominator, the way I was. You need lots of time and lots of support to learn to do things differently, and of course there isn’t any time or sup­ port from outside, we have to do it all ourselves. There is very little in the way of practical government support for change.” Charmaine rates staff, students and parents as just about equal obstacles to change. Students because they are inher­ ently extremely conservative, and want to be like their peers. “They get frightened by things that are too different, and parents likewise. Parents would like their children to have an education rather like their own, the emphasis in the school on women’s workshop technology group this year and because that’s what they understand. If it strengths and on cultural diversity as an it looks as though we may not be able to get is too different from what they had them­ excitement and a challenge, not as some­ a group for next year, because of lack of selves they worry that it is somehow not thing to be frightened of. So we really have numbers. Things that are seen as ‘boys’ going to turn them into people like their put in place the relationships within the subjects’ are still really hard to push and parents, and really most people want their school that enable genuine equity of out­ we still have a lot of girls seeking tradi­ children to be like them, or ‘better’ than come, as far as that is possible in our tional commercial education. Fortunately them, which means more of what they had. education system.” our commerce department are very op­ But I have to say, given all that, that we’ve Early in her time at AGGS Charmaine posed to traditional, limiting commerce managed to achieve a great deal of change. initiated changes of assessment proce­ education. They’ve been very co-opera­ “There are, of course, some obstacles dures that would lead to “success-oriented tive in making sure girls can’t restrict their that are entirely outside our control. The learning. The idea is that every student can choices too narrowly.” major one of those is the national examina­ succeed given proper instruction and Culture groups now include a British tion system, which is not only obsolete but proper evaluation, feedback and time to Isles and a Pakeha group, as well as Poly­ obscene. In brief, national examination improve.” nesian groups. “I think we’re gradually systems - and I mean every level, school The range of subjects offered has getting across the idea that everyone has a certificate, bursary and scholarship, are widened considerably over the past ten culture and breaking down that notion that based on an assumption of human inequal­ years: seven languages, including French, culture is somehow songs and dances by ity - that some people are bom “bright” Latin and German, which have been of­ other people. The sense of being able to many are average, and some are just fered for some time and, more recently, identify your own culture and feel strong “dumb”. And so the national system im­ Samoan and Chinese. English and Maori about it and then learn about other people poses a statistical grid on the outcome of are both available as both first and second is growing, but there’s still a long way to education regardless of what kids are actu­ languages. Then there’s computer studies, go.” ally learning or doing. And they impose horticulture, agriculture, technical draw­ When I raised the question of obstacle the same grid year after year regardless of ing, workshop craft and workshop tech­ to change I expected to hear about “the whether standards of teaching are rising or nology. system” and did, but indirectly. “The pri­ falling. They actually obscure the real “The non-traditional courses are still mary obstacle to change is actually teacher changes in education that are happening really hard to operate. We had our first exhaustion. As teachers we have a particu- (for good or bad) in the country.”

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 21 “To include people you have to behave advantage. Optional uniform is one thing in such ways that they become life-long but compulsory uniform - putting the learners, which means that we need a burden on teachers to tell children what to system of evaluation that actually helps us wear - is detracting from the educational see and understand what we are learning relationship. and feel good about it, and also to diagnose “I see a need for much greater diversity what we haven’t learnt yet and how to of educational opportunity, which really leam it. This is quite possible, we know ties in with the compulsion thing. Instead how to do it. Until that national grid is of making people be in a particular kind of removed we will continue to produce 40 educational institution to a particular age, percent of our young people as educa­ it would be much more sensible to define tional failures, because that’s what the educational provision that is available to statistics tell them they are, and nothing everybody and make sure there are lots of we say or do will change it until that ways it can be fulfilled. So, for instance, a system is removed. 12-year-old could actually be working in a “The further challenge to us is to en­ university or at a local marae or in a fac­ sure that our scientists are humanly excel­ tory, provided there was educational input lent and that our nurturers understand the properly planned and supervised and pro­ structure of the universe and the shaping of vided the decision was made by the child, our environment and the chemistry and the the family and education specialists, as an physics of the world. Otherwise nurturers agreed decision. are excluded from decision-making just as “A lot of people would still go through effectively as decision-makers are ex­ traditional schools because that’s conven­ cluded from being human. Excellence ient, but there would be much more provi­ We need a very requires all those skills put together, and sion for those for whom it’s not suitable. It that means learning to use women, learn­ should be possible to start from where a deliberate focus by ing to use Maori people, in the power kid is and help them become more instead structures in order to make their knowl­ of putting them where we think they ought the media on what edge and skills available and to humanise to be. The whole separation of ages is in­ those who are presently being excluded imical to education too, because how do is really happening from their full humanity. young people leam unless they are with “I would like to see all secondary older people? Thirty of them with one in the education schools structured entirely differently older person is not an adequate teaching from the way they are now. I would like to ratio. When you think of all those old system. Schools see students arriving for an orientation people out there full of knowledge of his­ programme during which they diagnose tory and language and all sorts of special are just as what their learning needs are and then skills and experience, the whole separa­ work on an individual programme that tion of ages is just ridiculous. That is disempowering of was planned to suit their needs. another major change I’d like to see. “What we do to them at the moment is “Of course some schools have done their clients as process them - we take them in in clumps this very effectively, like Hagley High and push them through a factory structure School in Christchurch, which has more hospitals have been as though learning can take place by mass adult students than children. It has a production. It doesn’t. The learning that creche and a kohanga reo, the whole spec­ shown to be by the takes place is actually a tribute to the trum of people work together, It is like a resilience of humankind and to the support proper village from day to day within the Cervical Cancer and help they get from teachers and other heart of the city. I would see this school as students. But it takes place in spite of the becoming very much like that. It’s almost inquiry system rather than because of it. heading that way now: we have lots of “And then there is the whole compul­ babies and little kids around from day to sory nature of education. Compulsion and day, especially in the staffroom and in The other bad thing about the “national learning are inimical to each other, If you classrooms. I know that the chair of the grid” method of assessment (also known really teach young people to become ques­ board has a proposal to put to the school as the “normal curve”), says Charmaine, is tioners they will not conform to stupid for developing links with old people in the that it is based on the idea of the need to rules that are there just for the sake of it. community. There is a huge area there for ration a small, finite resource, called And attendance. Why should they attend greater contact. We do have some now “success”, and in today’s information age school unless they are learning some­ through our community education pro­ this is simply not relevant. Everyone will thing? If it is boring they should not be grammes and home economics but there is have to be highly educated for the future, there. Certainly, nobody should be telling a tremendous lot more to do. and, what’s more, this is quite possible. them, at the age of 12, 13, 16, 18... what “I would love to have developed a total Also, “People have to be humanly as they should wear to school each day. recycling system within the school. I actu­ well as academically educated and have “I find compulsory uniform com­ ally mentioned this in my diary in the very practical skills as well as theoretical ones pletely incompatible with good education. first week I was in the school, how won­ - an excellent all-round education. Any­ I’ve never challenged it within the school derful it would be to develop the school as one who doesn’t have that will be margi­ because the young women who come here a fully self-sustaining institution that had nalised, unemployable and not able to and their families want a uniform. In fact no waste, that recycled all paper and participate in decision-making. We see the one thing I will say is that a lot of the scraps and composted and all the rest of it. clearly now that people who are marginal­ girls have said “I want to wear a uniform Well, we haven’t done that. But I’m hop­ ised and can’t participate either become because then I don’t have to worry about ing that the new science building that the despairing and self-destructive or hostile, what to wear every day.” In a society that school needs will incorporate that. I’d like violent and dangerous. It is ridiculous to puts such pressure on women to be deco­ to see a whole new science block linked to maintain that model of excluding people rative objects something which protects the covering of the swimming pool and from access to education. them from that pressure socially has an using recycling to produce bio-gas for 22 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 heating the pool and solar power as well — all age groups, all put together, reinforcing a whole re-cycling and energy resource each others’ sex stereotypes. Whereas, in I’m meeting a lot programme. a girls’ school there is no kudos to be “I see Picot and Hawke as doing very gained by acting out either ‘macho’ or more young men little either for or against the education of ‘feminine’ roles. You can actually be a young women. I think they are both rec­ human being. now who do not ommending de-regulation, just as has “Single sex boys’ schools are in a very happened in all the other sections of the interesting position because there are half want to be trapped economy. De-regulation in itself only a dozen of them in the country with princi­ removes obstacles to change, it doesn’t pals who are challenging sexism in really into those patterns mean positive or negative change. That significant ways and I think, like girls’ means that if you do nothing else but de­ schools, they find it easier to deal with the either. They want regulate the good will get better and the issues in that segregated environment. But bad will get worse. A good girls’ school there are others, and I don’t need to name to be intelligent, like this will become stronger and stronger them because everyone knows who they for young women and a bad co-educa- are, which simply hang on to their position interesting, tional school will get more and more anti­ of privilege and the status quo. And they woman and racist. But, if we want im­ are quite clear that is what they are doing. passionate human provement all round we have to put a lot They are making sure their boys will be more in, we actually have to provide really traditional, hierarchical, masculinist lead­ beings in strong information and support and chal­ ers of the future. And they will continue to lenge for the people involved in education. exclude women and Black people from relationships of “I actually think education, as a serv­ power and decision-making because they ice, is different from producing a measur­ are built on an assumption of superiority, equality able, tangible product because education deep and treasured assumptions of superi­ is non-tangible, it depends on co-opera­ ority. tion and networking, not on isolation and “This is actually disadvantaging them. property. For that reason the alternative to Boys who go through schooling like that, interesting, passionate human beings in privatisation of education is publicisation. unless they have very aware parents who relationships of equality with equally So what we actually need is a very delib­ combat it, are incapable of being good challenging and passionate human beings. erate focus by the media on what is really managers. I find it extraordinarily amus­ “I think the other thing that is emerging happening in the education system. The ing that those men are the ones whose is that there is far less homophobia among kind of information that actually helps companies are shelling out 15 -25 thou­ young women, so that many accept that parents to make informed judgements of sand dollars a year to send them to expen­ they will be attracted to members of their what their children should be learning and sive management training courses to leam own sex as well as to members of the other how they will do it. In other words, the de­ the basic human skills that the rest of us sex and that it’s okay to be involved in mystification of education. Schools are have acquired as part of a normal educa­ loving relationships with your own sex as just as disempowering of their clients as tion - how to communicate with people, well as with the opposite sex and that the hospitals have been shown to be by the how to work with people. People who are whole thing about sex is not the actual cervical cancer inquiry.” brought up to behave in a hierarchical way physical act but the quality of relationship. do not learn those skills adequately, they It’s not the physical act or the gender or f our society wasn’t sexist, says are either bullies or the bullied and they shape or size or colour of the person but the Charmaine, then we wouldn’t need have inadequate ways of relating equally quality of the relationship that is the funda­ single sex schools. All groups need and developing the sorts of skills and mental issue.” their own time and space to support knowledge that are essential to the modem It is clear that Charmaine believes and affirm others like themselves so world. Hierarchy doesn’t work any firmly that there is life after AGGS. “As they have a base from which to ap­ longer, it is an old-fashioned model of far as my personal future is concerned I’ve preciate difference. “That acknowledge­behaviour that is incompatible with the got two job applications in at the moment, mentI of difference and enabling people to information age.” both in the field of teacher education. I meet with others like themselves is proba­ Charmaine is not making any great would quite like to be principal of a teach­ bly a key element in human growth any­ claims about how the sense of their own ers’ college for two to three years, with the way. It certainly has a long and honourable strength as women that AGGS students precise job definition of transforming the history in most cultures. But that’s very develop survives the transition to the institution, of changing it into one that different from forced mixing or forced world after school. “But my observation is serves learning, not teachers. At present segregation. I certainly wouldn’t be in that they tend to opt into the structures of our teachers’ colleges, although they do a favour of people being made to go to single society in their late teenage years and early great deal of good work, focus on prepar­ sex schools or made to go to co-ed schools. twenties and get trapped in those patterns ing teachers not on actually helping people One of the troubles with our present zon­ and find it very hard to stay clear of them, leam, and there is a very real difference ing system is that it actually forces people particularly in their relationships with between the two. into one school or the other. men. But as they get older that strength re- “The alternative to that is free-lancing “A good girls’ school, I have to say, emerges. Just looking at a slightly older in various ways, getting some work lectur­ still makes it easier for young women to age group, whether they’ve been through ing, running workshops, writing and radio feel good about themselves. I’m not say­ girls’ schools or co-ed schools, I see talk-back — whatever I can persuade ing co-ed schools can’t do it and a really women in their thirties or forties who are people to give me. After a two to three year good co-ed school could probably do it now re-asserting themselves having real­ period I would like to free-lance anyway. even better because they would be doing it ised the structures they got trapped in were I’d like to be in a position to do a lot of in a context where the girls actually af­ limiting and restricting them. voluntary work and financially I can’t yet, firmed themselves with boys, and that’s “The other thing that keeps me hopeful but after two or three more years in a well- probably even stronger than being able to is that I’m meeting a lot more young men paid job I would actually be in a position to do it when they aren’t around. But it's now who do not want to be trapped into be able to work for nothing or a koha for really hard to do in a co-ed school because those patterns either. They don’t want to some groups while charging hefty fees to you’ve got this totally unnatural situation be violent and dangerous nor do they want others. That’s the way I'd like to be able to of a limited age group, the most fragile of to be wimpish. They want to be intelligent, work.” ■

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 23 D ebbie J ones writes about M yalgic encephalomyelitis, COMMONLY KNOWN IN NEW Z ealand as M E , also known as P ost-viral F atigue S yndrome, TAPANUI ‘FLU, C F S (CHRONIC ‘FLU SYNDROME), C E B V (CHRONIC E pstein-B arr V irus) and by MANY OTHER NAMES. ILLUSTRATION: ALSTON SHARON ILLUSTRATION:

y sister, Judith, be­ percent have fluctuating symptoms; 25 “fashionable” still appear in the press came acutely ill with percent stay much the same and 25 here. ME a year ago. Her percent slowly get worse. It is not Diagnosis of disease is one of the difficulties with diag­ known, though, whether differences in basic tasks of the medical profession. nosis and treatment treatment account for some of the non­ Where members of that profession are Mwere, I found, typical of ME suffer­ recoveries. More women than men suf­ ignorant or unwilling to spend time lis­ ers. The complex and often invisible fer from ME: estimates range from 60 tening to a patient it is at great cost to symptoms of the sufferers, most of percent to about 75 percent of female ME sufferers, for often the best clues are whom are women, have frequently sufferers. in the symptoms they experience. been dismissed by doctors as “hys­ Self-diagnosis is common among An illness like ME needs a lot of time terical” and “neurotic”. those who, like my sister, have the re­ not only to diagnose but to treat. Not The first recorded epidemic of ME sources to seek out and find their own only are symptoms complex, but they was in Los Angeles in 1934, and there information. This requires not only vary widely from one individual to have been many since, in all parts of the money and education, in most cases, but another. As Jacqueline Steincamp puts world. Many cases _ perhaps most - the energy to do more than just survive. it, it is as if sufferers are saying, “These have either gone unrecognised, been Those not so lucky have been dismissed reactions are mine alone; the treatment misdiagnosed or attributed to “hys­ over and over again as “crazy” and I must have is special to me only. I teria”. There are still those in the medi­ “hysterical” or left alone to face an acute cannot be fobbed off with mass medica­ cal system who are sceptical about its illness that Toni Jeffries has called “an tions and 10 minute consultations.” existence, as Jacqueline Steincamp enemy ... faceless, sinister, terrifying”. It is generally taken for granted that points out in her recent book, Overload. My sister is also lucky that she had ill-health must be established by physi­ The implications of misdiagnosis for her crisis in 1987, at a time when the di­ cal tests, not by the experience of illness the disease itself can be appalling. Un­ agnosis of ME had been accepted by the as described by the patient. As Phillida less complete rest is taken when symp­ Department of Health and acknowl­ Bunkle points out in Second Opinion, in toms first occur, they are usually much edged by at least some GPs. This fol­ the medical mind-set the perspective of worse and incapacity continues for lowed lobbying by the Australia and doctors is seen as “rational, objective much longer. New Zealand ME Society (ANZMES) and reliable”; the perspective of women Symptoms are multiple (as many as and a few sympathetic doctors, many of patients as “irrational, subjective and 70 have been listed) and are often inter­ whom had themselves been ME suffer­ emotional”. mittent. They are mental, emotional and ers. ANZMES has been particularly One important ally of ME sufferers physical and include extreme fatigue, effective both as a lobby group and as a is Dr Campbell Murdoch, professor of muscle pains, allergies, digestive prob­ support group for sufferers. It is part of general practice at Otago medical lems, depression, lack of memory and a now international network of sufferers school. Murdoch has pointed out that concentration, intense anxiety and the groups which have brought ME to pub­ misdiagnosis of ME “calls into question conviction that death is imminent. It is lic and so to medical attention. How­ the way in which doctors are being believed to be triggered when a run­ ever, many sufferers, even now, are trained”. He thinks that diagnosis down immune system is attacked by faced with GPs who “don’t believe” in should be effective “not just in physical environmental toxins and/or a virus. ME, and statements by doctors claiming terms, but in psychological and social Latest research indicates that about 25 that it is based on “hysteria” or that it is terms”. (Christchurch Press, 14 April percent of sufferers recover slowly; 25 being diagnosed because it is becoming 1984). He also challenges the idea that

24 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 ME is very difficult to diagnose: “I think it is fairly simple to diagnose if the doctors will listen ... it’s a disease which can’t be diagnosed without knowing the patient’s BORED WITH name.” Steincamp suggests that doctors who are confronted with the complex symptoms of ME will mis­ diagnose because they don’t like to YOUR TEA? “lose face” by admitting they can’t make a diagnosis. She also warns that doctors often find it hard to accept that many ME patients know more about ME than they do. Once a diagnosis has been con­ firmed, compliance with treatment prescribed may be a requirement of, for instance, further medical certifi­ cates. This is especially difficult for the ME patient who knows that certain treatments prescribed may in fact be bad for her health. The term “non-compliance”, used by doctors to describe patient “failure” to conform with the “directive” of the doctor, reveals the authoritarian nature of the doctor-patient rela­ Try one of our delicious herbal teas. Tastes that are satisfying tionship. Non-compliance is not and varied. There's a flavour to suit your every mood. always possible and ME patients Naturally caffeine free, Healtheries' Herbal Teas offer you a have suffered extremes of pain and refreshing hot beverage in a choice of delightful flavours. discomfort undergoing lengthy physical tests in an effort to con­ Convenient no-fuss tea bags for the cup or pot. vince the doctor of what they al­ Our flavours include: Peppermint, Rosehip, Lemon ready know - that they are suffering Verbena, and Chamomile, from ME. Sachets of 6. and our delicious blends An economical way to Patients may also have to con­ Morning Fresh, Herbs of taste the full range. ceal the fact that they have con­ Tranquility, Nightcap, Convenient sachet slips sulted an alternative health practi­ Almond Spice and C Sharp. into your bag or purse - tioner. Most doctors don’t like ri­ ready when you are. vals, but non-medical treatments Boxed in 50 individual have usually been the most effective tea bags. Always keep for ME. a supply of your Like women seeking contracep­ favourite on hand. tion in the 1960s and early 70s, ME sufferers seek out their doctors from a very small pool of those known to be sympathetic. These doctors will 'HeaEthetLev believe them and can open the door The natural way to good health. to an official diagnosis. This brings MATTINGLY 9273 with it medical certificates, social respectability and a release from the dotes are reminiscent of the “how to agnoses of “hysteria” are recorded in fear and label of madness, or of malin­ keep your man happy” hints in tradi­ sufferers anecdotes. gering. These doctors, a link to survival, tional women’s magazines. ME sufferers and their supporters are placated and managed by their ME The concept of women’s sickness have strongly opposed the misdiagnosis patients. After all, soothing the egos of being “hysterical” has a long history, of ME as “hysteria”. The ANZMES men is something that all women have going right back to the origin of the journal has reprinted an article on three learned to do to survive. One sufferer word, from the Greek husterikos mean­ cases in which pregnant women were reports in the ANZMES journal on ing uterus. The antidote is to adopt misdiagnosed as “hysterical” when they “how I actually got him [her GP] to give “appropriate” female behaviour. The in fact had severe diabetes. The jour­ me a Medical Certificate ... I finally extremely ill Toni Jeffries was told she nal’s editors comment: “Here, a com­ said with contrived humility that I real­ was “neurotic” because she was taking mon and easy-to-diagnose condition ised how he was in a very awkward on the “male role” by having a career of was labeled ‘hysteria’. The authors position and that I could hardly expect her own. She was even accused of ma­ suggest that this mistake may be ‘more him to write a diagnosis that 99% of his lingering to avoid having to do the frequent than is currently appreciated’. colleagues would/could take him to task housework. How much more common then in a for etc, so if it was alright with him (I Published accounts of ME diag­ hard-to-diagnose condition?” Good knew it would be with such an nosed by doctors as “mass hysteria” question. understanding doctor), I would go to have explicitly referred to the fact that I find it most surprising that the ME [another] doctor to save him embarrass­ most sufferers were female as a deter­ literature often refers in passing to the ment. This did the trick.” Such anec­ minant of this diagnosis. Individual di­ fact that the majority of sufferers are

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 25 women, but fails to speculate on why tive income. Perhaps for women with­ this should be so. Could this be because out paid employment the role of diagno­ the taint of “hysteria” still lies on the as­ THERE'S • ONLY • ONE sis is more important in legitimising the sociation of the disease with women? illness, both in her own eyes and those One exception is a useful study car­ of her community, giving her permis­ ried out by Anne Ny for the South Island sion to be “selfish” and look after her­ ME Support Group with the assistance self as the illness requires. It can also be of the Sociology Department, Univer­ ■Sr HARVEST/jS the prerequisite for subsidised home sity of Canterbury. It reviews the effects help. It is hard for women, especially of ME on 100 Canterbury sufferers. It is mothers, to see themselves as a priority the only one I have found that tries to W holefoods for care. look at why women are more likely to be Protecting and promoting the health ME sufferers. Ny notes that ME is more AUCKLAND’S NO 1 of others is after all an important part of likely to be experienced by women, es­ NATURAL FOOD STORE women’s unpaid domestic work. It is pecially in their fertile years (25-50) and common for women with ME to also ONE-STOP SHOPPING FOR suggests that hormonal changes are ALL CARING VEGETARIAN’S have a child or children with ME or triggers for ME, which is associated KITCHENS other chronic illness. The roles of care­ with pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) in giver and ill person come into conflict, most female sufferers. PMS is seen as a “DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY” causing special anguish for many by-product of a weakened immune sys­ women sufferers. Women who are car­ tem. • GENUINE ORGANIC FREE-RANGE EGGS ers tend to experience higher levels of Added to this is the effect of the • NATURAL SUGAR-FREE FIZZY DRINKS ill-health, so trying to be a carer as well • FRESHEST, CHEAPEST NUTS, RICES, contraceptive pill: its use is associated GRAINS as a sufferer seems likely to worsen the with more severe mental, physical and • SUCCULENT ORGANIC DRIED FRUITS sufferer’s health. Ny found that the emotional ME symptoms and is also • SUPERIOR RANGE REMEDIES, mothers and mothers-in-law of suffer­ seen as weakening the immune system. SUPPLEMENTS, EXPERTISE ers were the most likely to exhort them The other key factor for women is vagi­ to “pull yourself together”. Perhaps this nal thrush. While men with ME also ex­ THE BIG FRIENDLY YELLOW SHOP reflects the role that women take in perience ill-effects from thrush, or Can­ 403-405 RICHMOND RD, policing illness in other women? dida albicans, which can be found all GREY LYNN Feminist theory and research meth­ through the body, this apparently does TELEPHONE (09) 763 107 ods have a great deal to offer the study not affect them as strongly as vaginal of illness, because the individual’s ex­ thrush does women. The connection perience is put at the centre of attention. between vaginal thrush and the contra­ paid employment. For women who are, This means also looking at differences ceptive pill has already been established diagnosis of some kind is the basis for in terms of race and class in their expe­ (see, for example Our Bodies Our claiming medical benefits and health in­ rience of an illness like ME. Ny found Selves) and Ny found the presence of surance, and so establishes an altema- that her subjects were spread over all vaginal thrush to relate strongly to in­ economic groups but relatively highly tensified mental and emotional ME educated. (They were drawn from symptoms. Ny’s analysis raises inter­ CRYSTAL members of established ME support esting questions for those interested in groups.) Steincamp points out that the women’s health, as well as those with an REFLECTIONS typical profile of an ME sufferer as a interest in ME. It has been suggested middle-class achiever may be derived that ME sufferers are the modem from the fact that they “are those who, in equivalent of the canaries that miners the face of malaise and medical indiffer­ used to test the safety of their environ­ ence, have the resources to search out a ment. These “canaries” are showing the more precise diagnosis for their mys­ rest of us the effects of living on an tery illness.” increasingly toxic planet. Why should This also raises questions as to the so many of these sensitive ones be status of Maori sufferers. They are not women? mentioned at all in the literature, but Illness does not affect men and surely exist, perhaps undiagnosed. women the same way. Experientially, Class and ethnicity should be consid­ women perceive, evaluate and act on ered along with gender in unravelling symptoms differently from men. Their the impact of illness. differing social and economic roles also Old Customs House, In this analysis of women’s experi­ mean that illness has differing impacts. Customs St, Auckland ence of ME, a picture emerges that is In comparing the social and economic familiar in analyses of many areas of impacts of ME on men and women, Ny OPEN 7 DAYS women’s health. It shows that as pa­ describes men as depressed by their loss HOURS tients women have to make the best of a of role as bread-winners and as unable MON - FRI 10AM-5.30PM situation of powerlessness relative to to accept the undisguisable emotional SAT 10AM-5PM doctors. Not all doctors have treated ME vulnerability that is part of the illness. SUN 12PM-5PM patients badly; not all have told suffer­ Women, on the other hand, tended to ers that they are “neurotic”, “hysterical” feel validated by the ME diagnosis as it Wholesale or “malingerers”. But a woman should removed the label of “neurotic”, which and mail order available not have to be grateful to a doctor that was much more likely to be applied to P.O.Box 1853 Auckland 1 actually listens, or one who is prepared them. to admit ignorance. She should not have Phone (09)366 0507 The impact of diagnosis differs ac­ to be able to “manage” a doctor’s ego to cording to whether or not women are in get the treatment she needs.

26 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 The current needs of ME sufferers it cured, or waited it out in bed for a short are pressing: more financial support, while. Then there were the “have you more research, more acknowledge­ heard”? illnesses that someone else’s ment. All responses to these needs sister’s friend always got, operations should incorporate the recognition that borne with fortitude and a tremor of the majority of sufferers are women. excitement from those who could pass This recognition has been almost totally the latest on. And the romantic illnesses, absent in past discussions of ME. Future the ones they couldn’t cure while the discussions should address this funda­ patient lay pale and interesting, always mental fact directly, with all its implica­ ready to quip and observe life so bril­ tions - medical, economic, social. liantly as she faded away with a last READING LIST squeeze of her husband’s hand, and he then up and wrote it all down for the Jeffreys, Toni, (1982). The Mile High Stair­ case Hodder and Stoughton. Reader’s Digest. Perhaps that’s an Ny, Anne, (1987).Myalgic encephalomyeli­ over-simplification, a bit unfair, but it tis: a study of the medical, social and eco­ serves to highlight what little experi­ nomic implications of ‘illness’ for 100 suf­ ence I had of coping with disease for ferers in Canterbury, New Zealand. Christ­ myself. I also had the strong Mother church ME support group. ethic that goes: Mothers don’t get sick. Steincamp, Jacqueline, (1988). Overload: They are stoic. They suffer. beating ME - the chronic fatigue and im­ How was I brought up to care for my­ mune dysfunction syndrome. Cape Catley. self? I can’t say. Nurturing myself is not Wookey, Celia, (1986) Myalgic encephalo­ myelitis: post-viral fatigue syndrome and strong in me, damning others for “self- how to cope with it. Croom Helm. indulgence” rises easily to my lips. You ANZMES can be contacted at P O Box 47- cope. It’s part of my presentation of my­ 191, Ponsonby, Auckland. self, that coping, until ME came along and shook the security of that idea. ON THE EXPERIENCE OF ME I had to face the unpleasant reality that even things I really enjoyed could O nce I had the diagnosis, I didn’t wear me out. I can deal with physical need it. Oh, I use it for others of pain better than with the emotional course, to explain myself a bit, but seesawing. Pain I could accept as a real­ find myself angered by their expecta­ ity, but I rejected the emotions as “non- make food that is nice to eat, and nurses tions of understanding me by know­ me”. The vagaries of their intensity al­ one through the possible bad reactions. ing something about my illness. Hav­ lowed me to pretend they weren’t really How do you get through a day when you ing learned to make few assumptions mine at all but there I was, fearful of have to spend all your time worrying about myself, it jars to have others nameless terrors or distressed by some about what you might eat and if that last make them for me. I would disown picture or story, and because I wouldn’t twinge is because of it. I appreciate that the title except for the freedom it gives accept the feelings they would stay ME can be helped by diet, but it isn’t me from having to search for reasons. blocked up as I fought to reject their going to be my way, for now. Food is very existence. Oh yes, I know all about It is ironic that myalgic encephalo­ such an integral part of our lives, and “letting go” and all that, the theory, but myelitis is shortened to ME. Me. It one I have yet to come to terms with. waves in front of my eyes most morn­ the practice and my perceptions of me Resting. I had always seen it as an ab­ didn’t fit together at all. So I leam to ings and depending on how I feel I sence, rather than any sort of positive affirm the feelings. Yes, it is sad. I try respond to the capital or lower case thing. It is a long time since I have gone not to search for the reasons for the form. I have learned a lot about the to bed feeling what I reminisce about as overwhelming distress — pinpointing it difference between what I saw as self- “healthily tired”. Bed has become an­ to some childhood incident to clarify it indulgence and the self-nurturing that other place I look to self-nurture. Warm - and allow it to be. Saying I’m pissed my counsellor gently introduced me to. hotties, sheepskin to lie on, and no off acknowledges a problem without The fact that traditional ME treat­ apologies to anyone. Resting can be a forcing me to deal with it and solve it. It ment often focuses first on food aller­ positive thing and even a pleasure. is okay to be irritated and voicing some gies has been difficult for me. I have When I told my counsellor I had a fuzzy always had trouble with food, with the of it lets some of it out on the expelled head some mornings she asked me: breath. nurturing quality of it, the confidence in “What is the problem with that?” I was its preparation, the social aspects of it I have hidden behind the ME label a rather floored - but it came back to the bit to set up support systems if things go (“don’t burp”, “use the right knife”). lack of clarity that I saw as control. Once When I did see the ME “expert” doctor wrong. To talk boldly of fears and dis­ I could accept fuzziness as an alterna­ tress as a possibility for me and the need here, I was appalled that his definition tive state to be in, I could work to find a of me as an ME patient took notice of me for immediate support felt impossible way to deal with it. Lying down, without otherwise. as one of a group, and I was prescribed an “activity” to do as well. “Take it a severely limiting elimination diet. So here I am. Illness and me are ad­ easy” implied still a goal, but slow steps justing all the time. It is a way of being, Having hungered for the definition, along the pathway. I have learned that here I was being angry that he too made not something that happens to me, I’m the way is important and no longer set so in there with it. It’s sad, it’s bloody assumptions about me. This was me many goals. On the advice of another with ME, not the other way around. The horrid but it is still there. That’s the ME sufferer I knit perhaps a row a day bottom line. ME and me. Me and ME. food connection works in the simple and feel pleased to have done that. format of eating and digesting but takes There are times I want to know all about What did I know about being ill? it, times I needn’t even speak its name, no account of who organises the diet, That it was something that happened to times I can’t even bear to think about it. does the buying, finds the energy to you and you went to the doctor and had Judith Connell

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 27 LIES, SECRETS & SILENCES

or centuries the sexual child to testify against the man. Women SEXUAL are becoming increasingly convinced that abuse of children was their silence will better protect their chil­ ignored, explained ABUSE, dren. There is also a disturbing trend in away as the fantasies custody cases for the family court not to THE M EDIA, believe a child’s testimony of abuse. (1) Some American women are going into of confused girls and AMI hiding to protect their children from fur­ Fboys, and refuted by adults. ther abuse. An “Underground Railroad” Feminists fought long and has been organised to help mothers flee THE LIBERAL with abused children, and a number of hard to bring the issue out into women have been sentenced to prison for the open, to make the public BACKLASH refusing to reveal the whereabouts of their acknowledge that children are children to courts who disbelieve the evi­ being abused and that we all dence of sexual abuse presented to them. (2) share responsibility in protect­ In North America some lawyers and In England, a judicial enquiry was ing them. child psychiatrists are arguing in cus­ called after suspected sexual abuse was Lisa Sabbage takes a hard tody battles that women are making diagnosed in 165 girls and boys by doctors false allegations of child sexual abuse at Middlesbrough General Hospital. Dr look at recent trends, here and to deny fathers access to their children. Marietta Higgs was painted by the media, overseas, which suggest a police and politicians, (who all ignored the move to re-silence the truth Women are being counselled by lawyers fact that she was a mother of five) as a about sexual abuse and make not to mention sexual abuse because heartless single women hell-bent on judges perceive them as manipulating the breaking up families. it a taboo subject once more. 28 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 The police publicly criticised her use of is explicit in the media which often fo­ feels uncomfortable with, then you have a anal dilatation* as a method of diagnosis cuses not on the abuse or children, but on licence to treat women at home in the same of abuse, even though it had been an ac­ the men as potential “victims” of false way and worse. And of course children cepted method in the branch of forensic allegations. The traumas of the abused are have even less power than women, and pathology for many years. They also re­ superseded by that of men as a collective in they are even less likely to object because fused at one stage to be involved with an effort to make us hesitate and fall back they take their cues from adults. social services in joint investigations of into voicelessness. The truth is that chil­ This attempt to undermine the work suspected cases, unable to believe that dren rarely lie about abuse, just as women achieved in the field of sexual abuse is part abuse of children was occuring on such a rarely lie about rape. They give very de­ of the ongoing feminist-bashing game that scale. Yet Stuart Bell, MP for Middles­ tailed accounts of their experience and it is the media enjoy engaging in. It marginal­ brough, accused Marietta Higgs of “col­ usually corroborated or supported by ises feminist voices, isolating us and luding and conspiring” with county child physical evidence. making our concerns invisible once more. abuse co-ordinator, Sue Richardson, to Joy Florence of the Auckland Help (A good example of this is the refusal of keep police out of sexual abuse investiga­ Foundation which deals specifically with Robyn Langwell, the editor of North And tions. helping children who have been abused, South to print Hilary Haine’s reply to The media focused on the anal dilata­ says that with any issue that threatens the Rosemary McLeod’s article, “Sex and the tion diagnosis too, presenting a distorted established order and traditions, a back­ Scientists”.) Similarly, the media also picture to the public of a doctor who was lash will be waiting. That means that launches into virilent attacks against for no reason looking at kids’ bums and anybody involved in the field using statis­ Maori concerns. If it can relegate both whisking them away from their unsus­ tics in a simplistic way will be targeted. women and Maori to the fringes of politi­ pecting families. In fact, it was only after But by concentrating on statistics, arguing cal and social life, the media doesn’t have nurses or social workers expressed their about which set of figures are right, people to look at anything we are saying, and suspicion that abuse was occuring or that start to lose sight of the real abuse. more importantly, it and society don’t other signs of abuse were evident, that “All of us working in the area are over­ have to make any changes. children were given a full examination. whelmed with the amount of work we Having a telethon which highlighted The press was so obviously biased in its have to do. If every agency is as over­ both sexual and physical violence within approach to the inquiry that prior to the whelmed as we are, there is too much the community and family, challenged the publication of the judicial report, the abuse happening. It doesn’t matter if the status quo. Somehow an issue which has Guardian headlined “Cleveland: the Doc­ statistics are out two or three times, that been explicitly associated with feminism tors were Wrong” despite the content of the abuse is occurring is the most impor­ not only got itself on tv, but had a whole the story which reported that the inquiry tant factor. telethon devoted to it, albeit in a watered would show that the Cleveland doctors “Similarly, arguing about how much down and sweetened version. Only five had “acted properly.” (3) abuse is abuse is futile. Those of us who years ago this would have been unheard of Here in our own backyard, recent work in this area know that hundreds of - back in those days there was still a taboo trends in the media suggest a similar at­ women who have been abused don’t grow about incest and sexual abuse, not about tempt to re-silence the truth about sexual up permanently damaged. They use what­ doing it mind you, but about exposing it. abuse of women and children. Incorrect ever resources and networks they have Probably the most dangerous threat statistics used in the telethon advertise­ available to them at the time to cope. But that the feminist analysis of sexual abuse ments seem to have sparked off a hunting we also know that some people are dam­ poses is that it genuinely does challenge season in which feminists and workers in aged for life by what may seem to others to the status quo. Not in the sense of holding the field of sexual abuse are fair game. But be minimal abuse. There is nothing con­ an axe above the heads or testicles of all by focusing on statistics and throwing up structive to be gained in trying to classify fathers, eager to destroy family life, as the a smokescreen of anti-feminism, the abuse according to degrees.” mainstream media would have us believe, media has diverted the public’s attention but in the sense of changing the power im­ from the real issues and failed to ask vital So what is threatening about exposing balance in society. questions. Why are children sexually sexual abuse, what is there to be Joy Florence again: “I am aware of abused, and what is it about our society gained by discrediting those who work nobody working in this area who has a that produces and allows sexual abuse to in counselling and healing the survi­ commitment to breaking up the family. It keep happening? vors, and why is the work of the last ten is always distressing for a worker when a It’s never done anybody any good to years being undermined? child has been abused by his or her father, use statistics simplistically or out of con­ By depicting feminists as puritanical we have to acknowledge our difficulty text. But research overseas and in Aotea- zealots trying to take the fun out of sex, the with believing that fathers are doing this. roa suggests the estimate that one in four media is trivializing and diminishing sex­ If this is happening in a family we have to girls, and one in ten boys, will experience ual abuse in the eyes of the public. It identify what it is within that family worth some form of sexual abuse before their detracts from the real issue and belittles fighting for. If we ignore it we will be eighteenth birthday is an accurate one. every women who has ever been sexually conspiring to support the continued abuse Some of these children will be abused by abused in her life. It is a regressive step of children. their own fathers, others will be abused by because people are told that they don’t “On the other hand, in terms of a social step-fathers, foster fathers, friends of the have to take the issue seriously. It also analysis, some people have benefited from family, and strangers. Perhaps what ignores that sexual abuse is not simply the sanctity of the family, and its isolation people are having most trouble accepting about sex, it is about power and control. from criticism. There will be some threat is not the statistics but the clear statement The media wants us to believe that to those people by any movement directed that they make — that men are violating feminists are concerned with matters of to healing abuse and encouraging a victim children. “no importance”. If the woman at work to be empowered and to stop the abuse The simplest way to deny that sexual doesn’t like her bottom being patted every from happening.” abuse is happening is to discount the facts day, or objects to the calendar of nude Some media camps claim that publicis­ that say it is. The need to deny sexual abuse models, it’s because she can’t take a good ing the incidence of sexual abuse is de­ joke(4). What that analysis ignores is that stroying the relationships between fathers *Anal dilatation is apparent in an anus all these things provide the context in and daughters (apparently fathers don’t which regularly accommodates incoming which sexual violence and abuse is al­ abuse sons). In the words of Carroll du objects. The anus not only shows small lowed to occur. If you can treat the woman Chateau, telethon “created a climate of scars, and a smoothed verge, but also at work as an object with no rights over her fear and suspicion in thousands of New opens spontaneously. own body, and no right to define what she Zealand homes and damaged father-

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 29 daughter relationships - perhaps perma­ nently.” She describes an 11 year old girl who learns at school of the abuse of a Weteda friend and refuses to sit on her father’s Gaby Care Products knee or hold his hand. “The willful distor­ tions of the sexual-abuse zealots have Y esterday compromised that girl’s chances of a nor­ mal healthy sexual relationship and jeop­ ardised her long-term mental health.” (5) A loe Vera Important points need to be made here. One is that sexual abuse is not a new phenomenon. Many father-child relation­ ships have been seriously damaged by incest, and the sexual relationships and long term mental health of women have been jeopardised as a result of sexual abuse. There are women in hospitals and homes for the aged who have carried the scars of sexual abuse with them and still carry the scars caused by silence about that Today abuse. Learning of a friend’s sexual abuse (or being abused) is a shock. It throws all your relationships with the world into question. S.O.IOOO But to lay the blame for mistrust at the feet of publicising sexual abuse is an insidious fallacy. A relationship that has been con­ and other products Available from selected Pharmacies stant will survive knocks. Parents need to and Health Food Stores talk to the children about abuse. To take or from For hundreds of years, away the fear and mistrust of children their FREEPOST NO. 125 WELEDA (NZ) LTD humankind has sought in fears have to be trusted and addressed, HAVELOCK NORTH TELEPHONE (070) 777-394 vain for a single answer to the their questions answered. We all have to take responsibility instead of maintaining infinite problems associated voicelessness. with ill-health. Secondly, the aim of feminists and lished counselling services and helped to sexual abuse workers is not to poison rela­ turn victims into survivors. We’ve made Until recently, only one tionships between fathers and their chil­ people acknowledge abuse and address dren, but to educate against the silence that the reasons for it, but we must keep on remedy, Aloe Vera, could is a precondition for abuse. It is essential speaking out. claim being anywhere near that we teach and empower children to “The telling must go on for the believ­ ing to take place. For any kind of victory, making this dream come true. protect themselves. Traditionally this role has fallen on mothers (who are then the atmosphere of belief must be created... Today however, something blamed for failing to protect their children Our behaviour is essentially the same as if they are abused.) Fathers need to be the offenders’ as long as we deny incest even more wonderful has involved in this process too. (and sexual abuse) its reality. We are just revealed itself as a possible Children are the most powerless people as guilty as the men. Every person who in our society. Historically they have very shrank away, who disbelieved, who did answer to illnesses and little choice about what they do, (“just do not ‘want to get involved’ was an accom­ ailments of every type. Even as you’re told”), and are given no choice plice to a child molester, actively empow­ about when and where they are cuddled. If ering his denial. It is this denial that makes ageing itself! we empower them we give them sover­ it possible for them to victimise children... eignty over their minds and bodies, and by We must acknowledge our personal re­ STABILIZED OXYGEN extension we give women the same sover­ sponsibility.”(6) (S.O.IOOO) eignty. Those are the words of the mother of an One of the most significant This is where the real threat to society abused child. lies - because it proposes a fundamental Despite the liberal backlash bubbling discoveries in the field of change from the bottom up. If a child in countries all over the world, women and health and nutrition this century. knows how to protect herself, how to say children are not going to be silenced or no, scream, kick, run, and most of all, to allow sexual abuse to be trivialized. We You simply can’t afford to go tell someone about abuse; and, if men took will not allow the backlash to slide us all as much responsibility as women in teach­ back into a time when communities and on living without S.O.IOOO. ing children how to protect themselves families ignored the pain of children in (rather than seeing their role as Protector), order to avoid ripples. ■ For full information please the whole structure and value system of phone: AK (09) 410-4048 male society would be forced to shift. For Footnotes instance men would have to involve them­ WTN (04) 732-698 (1) K in e sis, September 1988, p 7 F Q i. selves in the whole childcare process, and CHC (03) 371-185 (2) Off Our Backs, March and October 1988 consequently rethink their attitude to it as (3) Unofficial Secrets. Child Sexual Abuse - The “women's work” and something with no Cleveland Case, Beatrix Campbell, Virago, 1988 (4) N o rth a n d S ou th , November 1988, “Sex and the 30 DAY MONEY value. Feminists have achieved much. With Scientists” BACK GUARANTEE (5) M etro , October 1988, “How the Mental Health NEW ZEALAND little or no resources and in the face of Foundation is Trying to Drive Us Mad” disbelief and criticism, we have estab- (6) Off Our Backs, May 1988, p 23

30 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 HE CRIPES OF POTH

have a good old commu­ community educators’ desire in the good came from, goes some way towards nity sing-song. The limitations of the old days: viz. about 15 years or so ago marking off groups that are not based in print medium stop keen types like me when there were some spare funds to a formal institution, and have limited standing up in front of the class or expand empires, and schoolteachers and access to funding and back-up resources. some other captive audience and boss­ their ilk realised there was that great, Where are the differences in aims, in ily using a pointer or a bouncing ball or largely untapped market of grown-ups educational philosophy and practices do a frisbee or something to keep every­ to bring with honour (and profit) into I hear you ask? (“An echo answers - one sounding out the given words on the educational fold. Maybe the g/roots ‘Where?’”) In the field of community the screen in unison. The idea is that and the f/roots got permanently trampled education there is no complete (and this produces a warm glow of friendli­ down in the rush. Or maybe they per­ relatively little incomplete) basic infor­ ness towards everyone else uttering sisted in growing at unpredictable angles mation about who is doing what with the same merry sentiments (“with a which took them right out of sight and whom and how often and why and the baa-baa here and a baa-baa there ...”). sound of their would-be mentors. consequences thereof. Actually, in any This simple pleasure probably isn’t Most likely of all is that they’ve field of education the powers-that-be common nowadays - the attention span been superseded by the concept of tar­ tend to prefer Do It (For) Yourself poli­ catered for by radio jingles would get groups. This is a much simpler cies rather than messing about with hardly keep the bouncing ball up in the notion dreamed up by characters such proper research that might reveal dis­ air long enough to finish a first verse, as the lads in Treasury and the concerting facts and figures - eg rushing let alone get into the swing of the Roundtable and the rest of The Mob. It to implement the Picot report’s recom­ chorus with enough breath and con­ suggests a narrowing of focus by the mendations without a pause to consider centration left over to do that clever people with the weapons, ie power and possible outcomes. How useful all those high harmonising bit. However, even resources. What’s more they choose community sing-songs are going to be if we can’t properly initiate this proj­ who deserves to be lined up in their with this particular project - among the ect, what we can do is look at some of sights so there’s a chance, really, only issues continually blurred by the chorus the words and music that so often for the compliant who stand still long line are the difficulties arising when accompany the term community, enough to catch the marksman’s eye voluntary workers (unpaid or with a especially if it has that whiter than and be aimed at. (I need solid evidence token payment) join forces with paid white, magical incantation, education, of the Roundtable’s equal job opportu­ employees to run an educational ven­ added. nity policy before I even consider alter­ ture. For example, adult education has ing the word to marksperson.) The lip-service paid to the been around for a long time (with 19th Another change to language that’s Importance of the Voluntary century suffragists as notable - if evolved in the last two or three years is Contribution is fine. Paid or not, largely unrecognised-early leaders in the description non-formal. Commu­ competent work deserves recognition, the field). But call it community edu­ nity educators used to be informal, but so long as supporters of volunteering do cation and it acquires that extra hidden then all the chaps caught on, so you had not elevate its status in order to re­ ingredient that bestows a sense of vir­ these fairly top education types trying reinforce anti-union, anti-professional tue and vocation: qualities much more to set fire to the grassroots by starting to and anti-intellectual views. Goodness, rewarding, of course, than anything as call everyone by their first names or that anti-stuff sounds like The Mob’s vulgar as m*n*y. We have commu­ even growing beards and being seen (Treasury, Roundtable etc) grasp of nity development too, which may well without ties and telling one another education. Hey you fullas, how about get stitched up into the same rich tap­ about the truly inspirational marae making a cake for our community sing­ estry of woolly rhetoric and loose week-end they’d just been to. Not to song and fund-raising day? threads. mention being paid to Care and Share at Mind you, yesterday’s perspectives conferences up and down the country. are not necessarily the same as today’s. But, as the brief expansionist period I have searched everywhere for the drew to a close, competition for funds grassroots and the slightly later became even more cut-throat and the flaxroots who used to be the objects of designation of non-formal, wherever it

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 31 WEAVING ______kiekie, our pingao expands us.” exploit the desire of its audience for love, sex, understanding, then press towards the by Niuean women of Aotearoa The opening included prize-giving, singing, a fashion show, weaving demon­ satisfaction and completion of a happy Moananui A Kiwa Weavers___ strations and supper. ending. It’s a dangerous art form since it Waiatarau, Auckland_____ This was an important exhibition, dem­ sets up glamorous protagonists and solves onstrating the depth and breadth of Nuiēan their difficulties for them; above all it Over a hundred mats hung around the women’s weaving in New Zealand and the discourages real consideration of what walls, over tables, on the floor and hats, many ways that traditions are honoured constitutes “happily ever after”. Do we fans, pillow cases, containers and more in and maintained while creative adaptations need “a love story” dyke-style? Judging great variety of technique and style made to a different environment keep the art of by audience responses, we do. a wonderful, lively display of fine art and weaving alive. Moreover these frontwomen are them­ craft. Pat Rosier selves politically astute and the play is The texture and colour of the opening used to suggest political issues of sexism, was further enriched by the people, trying racism and the peace movement. And on hats, using fans, greeting, talking, FRONTWOMEN______heterosexism. A range of oppressive/ weaving, singing. Moka Sisepi, Visual threatened/ignorant/curious responses to Arts Co-ordinator, welcomes everyone. Written and directed by Lorae Parry the emerging lesbian relationship are All the mats, she said, were made in New Depot Theatre, Wellington______explored in Stephanie’s household by Zealand by Niuean women of Aotearoa dialogues with her husband and more fully Moananui A Kiwa Weavers. A benedic­ An up-front lesbian play which opened at with a neighbour, Tilly. This is well-writ­ tion and hymns were followed by speakers the Depot Theatre in Wellington last Octo­ ten as a comic part and Fiona Samuel plays from the weavers. ber performing to enthusiastic houses it to the full, an interesting strategy since it Matafetu Smith talked about pandanus, there, will soon be seen in Auckland. A allows a voice for conventionally negative the material for Niuean weaving, being first for Aotearoa - and I can’t think of feelings to be expressed in laughter. It will brought to New Zealand and moves that many from anywhere else. still seem painfully close to home for she hopes will result in pandanus being Frontwomen is written and directed by some, as will the domestic scenes with grown in New Zealand. “This country is a Lorae Parry with Janet Fisher well known Steph’s husband. There’s also her son weaver’s delight,” she said and some mats to Wellington audiences and Madeline Rick, played with perfect timing by a are being made of flax, kiekie, and pingao. McNamara, an Auckland actor, in its front young Auckland actor, Nathan Gray: “I’m “We treat them with respectm they are the roles. gonna get such a hard time man... Having materials of the tangata whenua. we give Fredrika Ross is a top-ranking TV pre­ a mother that’s a lezzie!” thanks to the Maori women for sharing senter and closet dyke, Stephanie a suc­ These dialogues draw out Steph’s inner their knowledge and materials,” she said. cessful middle-class wife and mother dilemma and give the sequences from her Emily Schuster, convenor of Aotearoa about to return to teaching; it’s “girl meets life greater range and richness. Fredrika Moananui A Kiwa Weavers, was intro­ girl”, shades of Mills and Boon/True Ro­ the TV presenter totally dominates that duced as “the mother of us all”. She mance. world. A sympathetic TV producer who is spokeof the excitement of bringing all the Romance is of course the mainstay of her major interlocutor is played by Polynesian weavers together. “To see popular literature: movies, TV, pulp fic­ Michael McGrath; a creepy front-man what you have done with our flax, our tion. Typically the patterns of the story called Frank Warren is played by Peter

32 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 Sledmere, and he also is more sympa­ arms as the lights fade. But the danger thetically cast as Steph’s husband, per­ of romance is that we are positively haps indicating two faces of chauvin­ discouraged from thinking about what ism. might happen then. If someone like These four male roles might seem to Freddie insists on affirming her lesbi­ be caricatured in the cause of affirming anism publically she will lose her job, “women loving women” but the central and so may Steph. Do we think that relationship of the women is entirely they should be “out”? Or are they bet­ important - new, fully drawn, subtly ter to remain silent and survive - as acted and well balanced. many choose to do. Politically, are the There are four brief sequences be­ rest of us better served by closet dyke tween them which at the Depot took frontwomen, or none at all? How can centre stage. One is of tentative discov­ such a relationship flourish “in the ery in a restaurant and another when as shadows” as Steph says; how can they secret lovers they are exposed to the remain together under such pressures? isolating scrutiny of waitress and audi­ Should they? Is the romance that sus­ ence alike. The same postion is used for tains monogamy and “true love” valid two further dialogues between the for lesbians or indeed for any woman? women but again it is tightly lit to These are questions which the play isolate them as they stand by a window ending? Sure, after troubles have threat­ barely begins, but does begin, to ask. You gazing out over our heads, into the future. ened to part them, both are at the last should go and see it. What future? For indeed, is it a happy moment about to run into each others’ Judith Dale

SYLVIA! The biography of___ tive writing into tiny pieces, threw a vol­ and mis-interpretations abound. For ex­ Sylvia Ashton-Warner ume of Beethoven’s sonatas out the win­ ample, “Her classification of the key Lynley Hood dow, and ran screaming down the road in words under two major headings, Fear and her nightgown. The outcome was inevi­ Viking (Penguin) $39.95___ Sex, reveals more about the explosive table: Keith retrieved Sylvia and the mu­ forces in Sylvia’s undermind than it does sic, and she still did not do playground about the children”, (p 136) My experience Sylvia Ashton-Warner’s book Teacher duty.” (p i22) Does anyone else perceive of teaching five and six-year-olds leaves was very important to me as a primary the disapproval that comes though these me quite comfortable with Sylvia’s classi­ school teacher in the seventies, but I didn’t words? Another example: “Although she fication. finish reading her autobiography I Passed A relentless series of criticisms and put- This Way. The new biography of her by downs, contrasted with approving de­ Lynley Hood has both fascinated and scriptions of people she had contact with, appalled me. culminates in “... before long the invita­ It is thoroughly researched and docu­ tions dried to a trickle and she was able to mented, beautifully presented, well-writ­ settle back into her favourite role of ne­ ten and will undoubtedly become the de­ glected genius.” (pi58) What a diminish­ finitive work on Sylvia Ashton-Wamer. ing of a woman’s experience and feelings But I have one overwhelming criticism of there is in “her favourite role”! Sylvia!, which is that, in the first three- Reading Anne Fenwick’s article about quarters of the book particularly, a blanket Colin McCahon in the Listener (26 Nov’ of disapproval distorts the view of the 89) I was struck by the difference in ap­ women that Sylvia was. proach. McCahon was difficult, neglectful There is no doubt that Sylvia was an un­ of his family, a heavy drinker (all things usual and difficult woman, she was de­ shared with Sylvia) yet Fenwick wrote manding, her fantasies were at times more about him as something more than his real to her than reality, she could be arro­ failings, as a worthwhile, creative person. gant and demanding and rude, she drank I don’t doubt the accuracy of any of too much, she often treated people badly. Lynley Hood’s information, nor that she Yes, she exaggerated in her writing, yes, presented it, as she saw it, honestly. I think she needed more from most people than the failure is one of imagination, of inter­ they could give her and turned against pretation. If what a writer wants and ex­ them when they “failed” her. I don’t dis­ pects of a woman is that she be a “good” pute any of this. What made me increas­ PHOTO: THE DOMINION wife and mother (and teacher) and be crea­ ingly uncomfortable as I got into the book initially joined a range of cultural organi­ tive in that framework then disapproval of was the feeling that the writer was disap­ sations she was too superior, too fearful any “failure” to achieve that is inevitable. proving of Sylvia, that in nearly every and too busy writing to become actively (And falling in love with women, which interaction and experience described, involved.” Sylvia did several times can become “a Sylvia was in the wrong, or inadequate, or The sense of disapproval is reinforced powerful need to be mothered” a “pas­ childish, or hysterical or neurotic - in by the way in which everyone else is sion”, without any consideration of sex, some way diminished. described in a positive way. I am left with unlike passions for men.) I was increasingly irritated with the the feeling they are all so respectable and But if the framework itself is the prob­ way her husband, Keith, was portrayed as approachable in contrast to Sylvia. A lem, the oppression, then the idea of per­ a martyr. Careful reading showed that it school inspector, for example, is “hand­ sonal failure is not relevant. Sylvia wasn’t Keith who was being martyred, it some, personable, courteous and effi­ struggled against the roles society de­ was the biographer who was assuming that cient”. (pi 34) manded of her, and with her own emo­ he was. The adult Sylvia is portrayed as a Even in the description of the develop­ tional needs, she was trying to break the spoilt child: “.. .Sylvia tore her latest crea­ ment of the key vocabulary assumptions codes and be a vision she had of herself. As

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 33 taking another woman’s child for your own, then this is the book for you. How­ New Books Coming Soon ever, if you are a birthmother or an adoptee who is trying to understand and ease the ☆ DANCING WITH STRINGS pain this action, and society, has caused A novel by Frances Cherry .... Katherine's trying you, this book will only add to your confu­ sion. to sort out her life. What does she want in a There are some quite good observa­ close relationship? Can she commit herself to tions, particularly on the promotion of someone new? NZ's first lesbian novel. open adoption and the baby’s future needs being overlooked in the perceived neces­ ☆ WEDNESDAY S CHILDREN sity to give the adoptive parents ownership Reprint of Robin Hyde's fantasy novel, set in of the child. It is also a good observation Auckland, exploring female identity. that to adoptive parents, and in some cases society in general, the adopted child will ☆ HEALING YOUR CHILD always be a child. This point came up Natural remedies for children's ailments by again and again when the Adult Adoption Ftances & Louise Darragh Act was being debated in parliament. For a large number of adoptive parents it is never the right time for an adoptee to seek out their birth family. As is pointed out in Reunion many adoptees don’t feel they can start a search until their adoptive pat­ ents are dead, or keep the search and con­ tact a dark secret to protect their feelings. Reunion doesn’t really address how damaging adoption is for every party, it is really just a report of interviews, mostly she wrote in the autobiographical Myself\ vocabulary.” I wanted a biography that with adoptees, a few birth mothers (all in “Off fall the wife, the mother, the lover, gave Sylvia what she wanted for kids, and the same chapter) and a chapter on adop­ the teacher and the violent artist takes Sylvia! doesn’t do this. tive parents. This last contains some very over. I am alone. I belong to no-one but Pat Rosier revealing excerpts from letters to Jonathan myself.” Like so many of us, Sylvia had to Hunt opposing the Adult Adoption Act. It struggle to achieve moments of belonging REUNION: Adoption and the Search also contains the very true comment that to herself. for Birth Origins adoptive parents are the only part of the Perhaps the key to how the book went adoption triangle that have actively sought wrong for me is in Sylvia’s own words. Ann Howarth^ to be part of it, and that they hold the She is quoted as saying to a group of Penguin $19.99 power. teachers in North America of her “teach­ Just about every adoptee interviewed in ing formula: Release the native imagery of If you are an adoptive parent seeking reas­ this book has the words put into their our child and use it for working material, surance that the baby you have raised to mouth (more about this later) that they and about her poetic formula: Touch the adulthood will still love you after they really love their adoptive parents, that they true voice of feeling and it will create its have met their birth family, and if you are just want their family information from own power, its own pace and its own looking for affirmation for your action in their birthparents and that they have had a far better life with their adopted parents than they could ever have had with their birthparents. How this last is known and judged - whether materially or emotion­ ally, is not explained. The last judgemental statement is an example of how the writer’s prejudices intrude on many of the stories. This preju­ CATE dice is most apparent in the beginning of the interview with “Patricia”. “Patricia sits A 0 0 2 0 on a well-worn 1960s style couch, which faces a large television set in the far comer ■k of her lounge.” The author goes on to say HOURS' that the lounge is clean and tidy like the LUNCH: TUE - FRI 1OAM - 5PM rest of the house but in need of a paint. SAT 10AM-3PM What this sort of crap has to do with an DINNER: TUE - SUN FROM 6PM interview of a very courageous woman 422 MT EDEN RD. who is a Maori, an adoptee and I MT EDEN, AUCKLAND birthmother, I couldn’t decide. This tech­ PH (09) 687-236 nique is used in other parts of the book to B.Y.O describe the attractive home of the white, middle-class adoptees. In the time I have known “Patricia” I have never noticed the manner of speech that has been attributed to her. One wonders if all the other people Every Sunday Night A Taste Of interviewed were selected for their excel­ Yhaiiand lent command of English! ★ Ebony room now available upstairs There is a chapter on the politics of adoption but this, like the rest of the book, 34 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 often comes out as the wicked witch with the adoptive parents having the role of the good fairy coming to the rescue of the SHAKESPEARE helpless “unwanted” child. The author states in the introduction “that names, dates, places and some minor details have been changed to protect the individuals ... and their families.” (My KING emphasis). Why then are these adjust­ ments made apparently to perpetuate the myths of adoption? I know the people interviewed in several of the stories and all these contain inaccuracies. The adjust­ LEAR ment of dates make two birthmothers (Barbara and Robyn) younger by four years than they actually were. Myth: that “Never, never, never, all birthmothers are young and therefore never, never,” unable to parent their children. “Eileen’s” story has had a big part of it glossed over by saying it was the circumstances of her Auckland University: marriage that causes her to lose her boys. This bald statement covers the fact that she Old Arts Quad had five children under five and a violent husband. Her doctor advised her that if she Opens tried to continue caring for them all she February 18th, 1989 would have a total collapse and then she would lose all her children. There was no DPB, no women’s refuge in those days Theatre Workshop and a woman was expected to make the Outdoor best of what she had. “Eileen” made the awful decision to relinquish two of her Summer Shakespeare boys, keeping the two older children and Directed by Michael Hurst the baby. While she had asked that the boys be brought up together, she had no stories accurately. It would have been contains no real depth analysis of adoption real confirmation of this until over 30 better to have used less stories and told issues. Adoption is a very emotive issue years later when the Adult Adoption Act them in depth, warts, emotions and all, but anyone not aware of this could read allowed her access to the facts. than to treat people’s deepest emotions in Reunion as a fairy story of lost and found “Sharon’s” story starts with how she such a superficial and fictional manner. children. Unfortunately, the birthmother remembers crying and crying, and then Janice Hamilton goes on to say she was “quite happy” that her daughter was going to a widow! There is no apparent recognition of this contra­ A handbook for the NATURES diction. I have heard “Sharon” say bitterly, many times that she wasn’t considered WISE WOMAN good enough to parent to child on her own DECOR because she had been a “naughty girl” Plants and Imported Giftware while the widow who had had respectable married sex was quite acceptable to raise Greeting cards “Sharon’s” child alone. The father of “Barbara’s’ first child Framed prints wasn't engaged to another girl who was Kenyan nags pregnant. She was also 20 (not 16) and had been going with the father for six months. Fully referenced - Easy to use There are other inaccuracies that could Lampshades have been easily avoided if the author had * Sprial bound A5 Diary Cane ware checked her facts. One of these is that * Plant by the Moon “Childhaven” was where babies were col­ * Moon sign ingresses Kaffiyehs lected from. “Childhaven” babies were * Signs & Monthly actually delivered in the old St Helen’s Soft toys interpretations Hospital and stayed there until adopted. Crystals “Childhaven” was a residential home for * 1989 Ephemeris Mobiles unmarried expectant women and ran an Carry as a reference Bonsai adoption agency from an office in the Blinds grounds. Send $11.00 to I had happily anticipated reading Reun­ Tiger-Horse Productions Kites ion as I expected it to tell the adoption R u g s P.O. Box 6528 Auckland issues as they actually are. Instead, I found Plus also Bookshops and Newsagents Fresh flowers that it was really just a report on the issues Crocodiles with unforgivable errors. When people Name______Elephants 428 Mt. Eden Rd Address______Giraffes relive the grief they have buried and reveal Rhinos Tele 688-295 Sf?Fsos the continuing pain they experience daily, the least an author can do is report the

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 35 Y s H a ! t’s finally happened ... Auckland’s first all-woman country rock band Horsin’ Around with Jools Topp, Gloria Hildred, Clare Bear and Robyn Tearle. By the time you read this Hors­ in’Around will have just completed their first performance. Early in November the CUKOR PHOTO: LIDIJA bandI began regular rehearsals after we all decided that it would be great fun to make music together. For all of us in the band, music has been a way of life for years and Horsin’ Around marks a new commitment and direction. For me personally the band is a dream A ll Ears ... come true. I have been wanting the expe­ rience of playing in a band and have known that this would challenge me as a riginally from Dunedin Cassandra’s later on in the year to Australia, and then musician and performer in my own right. Ears moved to Auckland late last the States to play at the Michigan year, and have started 1989 with a bang. The band is excited about this new ad­ Women’s Festival, are also on the cards. At the end of 1988 they released their venture and we look forward to guest ap­ The members of Cassandra’s Ears debut EP, “Private Wastelands”, and the pearances by Lynda Topp and Trudi bring their own individual styles and con­ six women band is currently touring North Green and great performances in 1989. cerns to the band, producing a sound that is Island beach resorts. The band plans to (PS. Watch out for the Topp Twins distinctive. At the same time the band recordO its first album this year, assuming Caravan Tour early January and February provides positive images of women by they can get sufficient funds to­ where Horsin’ Around will occasionally their stage presence and through the lyri­ gether. Visits join the line-up.) cal content of their songs. Jools Topp Flick Rhind, Venessa Anich, and Jan Hellriegel, are the founding members of Ears, with Jan on lead guitar and vocals, Flick on bass and vocals, and Venessa on drums. Leanne Ibel joined the band on gui­ tar, and Zan Wright (who also sings with her own band Zan and the Petals), builds a strong vocal base for the band. When­ ever possible, Debs Frame makes a guest performance as saxophonist for Ears. She has also played with Wellington band Putty in Her Hands. You might be able to catch Cassan­ dra’s Ears at some of these places on these dates: Waihi Beach, 10 January; Whangamata Pub, 11 January; Whakatane, 12 January; Rob Royal, Waihi, 13 January; and in Wellington at the Clarendon Hotel on 23 January. On 10 February, they play at the Onetangi Hotel, Waiheke Island. Don’t miss them if you can help it.

C a s s a n d r a ’s E a r s KARA DODSON pHO^O INVITATION ONLY Anna Muir GmSjJfeii Em®!*

Invitation Only is a collection of eighteen lesbian poems, published by the Witch- m M m M m ftSgasai onrtfffrvm □SOTHSIl o m p s] work Publishing Collective, No Fixed « ifc «I- Abode, South Island, with assistance from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. This very purple book sparkles with womin « 3 3 ^ 5 3 1 |P92 ES^^pia E20H energy! It speaks to and about Every Dyke: our pains, fears and dreams - and most of all about our reality. Over and over again while reading Muir’s poems I found myself saying “I’ve been there, I’ve felt that.” These poems are easily accessible. Clear, strong layout and print makes read­ KA@S ing a pleasure, and Pat Collins’ illustra­ tions enhance this feeling. It gives me a HAIR CONTROL real buzz that there are groups of womin throughout New Zealand (I like the No Fixed Abode touch) getting together to 113 Parnell Road publish lesbian writng. Muir’s poetry is well grounded in the Auckland, New Zealand reality of lesbian lives. The final line of Phone 396-657 “The Love Triangle” points to the truth for so many of us — and also exists as a more universal comment on New Zealand soci­ brought us Death in Namibia, a play about a comforting heart-beat, were simply ef­ ety in the 1980s: “Back home is no TV pornography (reviewed in Broadsheet fective in setting a tone of sweet reverence family.” Nov 1987). Their aim this time, to explore to the processes of nature - a reversal of A wide range of emotions familiar to us the popular myths and rituals surrounding the attitudes that surround us most of the all is covered in this book. From the social menstruation, was not as difficult to time: confusion of coming out through the achieve as the exposure of the life-denying We all come from the Goddess ambivalent feelings of a lesbian’s child corruption and seriousness of pornogra­ and to her we shall return towards her mother’s lover, to a mother phy; the large, ready audience at Allen like a drop of rain looking back at her son; Muir also touches Hall was thoroughly entertained by a play falling into the ocean... on erotic contact, self doubt, wonderful more comedy than tragedy. This sort of simplicity works in today’s womin creativity and intense personal The framework of the performance was theatre only if the players convey a sincere grief. Muir makes the personal telling of a visual/sensual representation of the belief in what they are doing (not in ques­ her poems reach out to us, and then forces womb, with the actors wearing red tion here) and — rather more importantly us to look out at the world around us as clothes, spreading flowing red material, than we would like to think - if they are well. and at one point tracing the journey of the fully in control of the technical aspects of These are deceptively simple poems; egg into and away from the uterus wall. their communication. A rather woolly ren­ we do not have to work hard to extract a The use of candles warmly back-lighting dering of one voice-over nearly spoilt the meaning. Muir gives easily — but upon muslin hangings, of whispered voices and creation of the right atmosphere in the receiving we realise how much more we have been given than we at first thought. They are poems of the here and now; our lives, our dreams, our society. We see in / Muir what we see around us - a society where little girls can be raped and cats run ,e over; where exhibitions open and artists have first night nerves; where the dream- ie warrior can inspire us to walk nine feet tall. j , But we cannot forget that: “Boys will be boys/Society provides the toys.” st However, the publication of books ie such as this serves to remind us that there are plenty of strong womin out there who .e can stand strong, acknowledging and ac­ \ cepting their fears and joys, and who can cry in the face of the world: “I am a Fire > Witch/Bom in the year of the dragon.” ;e Cave (HAGS) REIGNING TAMPONS Women’s Performance Art Collective ts Allen Hall, Dunedin e and at Women’s^Studies Day y,

Reigning Tampons is the second public ^ . . . ______Ji performance by the group which last year Gap-Toothed Women.

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 37 Allen Hall performance I saw; it was good community. to see it rectified the second time around. Helen Watson White Most of the success of Reigning Tam­ CASSANDRA’S EARS pons was due to its irony and humour, x >- again of a simple kind. Good use was also made of contrast: a vague fairy-tale ver­ sion of the traditional stork-story as it obscures the “facts of life” being followed LIISTINO by an all-too-realistic sketch of a school­ girl’s discovery of her first period, which < BOOKS WE DON’T HAVE SPACE TO REVIEW >- turns into a grotesque joke. The other girls, who already know what it is all about, Women’s Words is a guide to manuscripts and appear wearing bricks, coat-hangers, roll­ archives in the Alexander Turnbull Library ing pins between their legs as metaphors relating to women in the 19th century. Com­ for the never-comfortable sanitary pad. piled by Diana Meeds, Philip Rainer and Kay Sanderson, it is published by the Alexander The theme has of course been “done” Turnbull Library and available from the Na­ before - 1 had nostalgic flash-backs to the tional Gallery Bookshop, Molesworth St, Wel­ (also Dunedin-bases) 1975 Cure All Ills L ive M usic ” lington for $22. Entries are fully annotated and All-Star Women’s Medicine Show - but some are fascinating in themselves. O some of the group’s scenes were uniquely G a m e s Room - Sexual Cystitis by Angela Kilmartin (Ar­ their own. My favourite was an all-red CO LU row) is blunt, practical and full of hints for the cocktail party with a cherry-topped “men­ D isco many women who suffer from this horrible strual cake” enjoyed by Rose, Violet, UJ complaint. There is so much one can do to pre­ & much more __ Scarlett and the down-to-earth Rubes. The vent a cystitis attack being triggered by sexual O intercourse, all dealt with in sections headed: occasion was a send-up of the great range Exciting New Venue Preparation for Intercourse, Having Inter­ of attitudes towards menstruation, even — With Women In Mind o course and After Intercourse. among women. z Alison Gray wrote Teenangels: being a At the Women’s Studies Day, follow­ hour? < New Zealand Teenager (Allen and Unwin) ing songs by visiting artist Phoebe Gray, after talking to lots. The one I had read it liked the whole performance had the same party _ _ Weds, Thurs & Sat (women only) 8pm-2am 2 the direct quotes but thought that a lot of the feel: this is something we all know about, _ Friday (mixed) 8pm-2am . general statements (like, “Teenage life is con­ Sun Opens 4pm... ^ strained and busy.”) applied just as much to any all go through and can celebrate and laugh ^ Phone 3660257 M about unashamedly - together. Much other group. She pronounced it okay overall. TERRACE RED BERYL Carmen Dog by Carol Emshwiller (The more fun than going it alone; once more Women’s Press) is a very strange fantasy tale. the collective’s message is one about our Female humans and animals are changing into • MERCURY • THEATRE A VIEW

"VIGOROUS & GRIPPING: FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED." While developing ideas and dialogue for DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Arthur Miller scrawled a memo in his notebook... "write the Italian play about X, who ratted on the two immigrants". Six years later, against the colourful setting of the Brooklyn waterfront, New York, an BRIDGE extraordinary play about iongshoreman Eddie Carbone, surfaced. A gigantic story of repressed passion and BY ARTHUR MILLER betrayal. • BOOKINGS •33 869 • 40 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 GALLERY EXHIBITIONS JAN 30th - FEB 10th TUTORS OF THE ASA WOMEN OWNED AND OPERATED! FEB 13th - FEB 23rd WE PRINT Gallery I DENICE SYMONS Gallery II JACK BARTON • Letterheads • Posters Gallery III PETER • Business Cards • Flyers WADDELL • Office Stationery • Magazines FEB 27th - MARCH 9th • Badges • Pamphlets Gallery I CHRYS & ANNIE HILL QUALITY ONE & TWO COLOUR OFFSET PRINTING Gallery II PHONE 796-503 3 ELAM PRINTMAKERS VANESSA NABEY 17 UNION STREET AUCKLAND JULIE PLOWS FRIENDLYSERVICE&EVEN THESILLIESTQUESTIONS HAPPILY ANSWERED. ERINA HOWE Gallery III VICKY GARDEN each other. The dog-to-woman main character despairs. Wonderful read slowly. AUCKLAND wants to sing opera (and does). I didn’t get it. Becky Birtha’s Lover’s Choice is a lively SOCIETY OF ARTS On the other hand Zoe Fairburns’ Benefits collection of short stories. There’s humour, I 3 BLAKE STREET (Virago) is a future tale with bite and vigour. It pathos, dogged stubbornness, loss, joy and PONSONBY I 0 0 2 PH O N E 7 8 4 - I 6 0 is well written and a good read as well as more in this collection about “claiming an iden­ exploring some important issues. tity in a world that marginalises lesbians, Rosalind Miles' The Women’s History of women and Black people”. fanu (The Women’s Press) looks at influences the World (Michael Joseph) is a real case of The Female Gaze: Women as Viewers of running between feminism and science fiction. unfulfilled promise. It certainly puts women in Popular Culture edited by Lorraine Gammer At times esoteric and hard to follow for one not the foreground of history, but is riddled with and Margaret Menshian (The Women’s Press) familiar with the language of literary criticism inaccuracies (the most glaring concerned the is a collection of essays that applies a feminist but still worthwhile reading for sci-fi buffs. Aboriginal people of Australia). In trying to gaze to advertising, soaps, women working in Denise Ohio is a new writer for Naiad. Her cover everything it does justice to little. film and tv, Cagney and Lacey, Joan Collins first novel The Finer Grain is pretty much After the Stroke, A Journal by May Sar- and more. The quality of the essays is variable vintage Naiad, with a likeable main character, ton (The Women’s Press) traces the year after but the whole collection is valuable and some (mainly) friendly lesbians, a plot about the writer had a mild stroke at age 75. It’s thought-provoking. family and some soft focus sex. Lee Lynch has vintage Sarton - introspective, spare, detailing In the Chinks of the World Machine, been writing for lesbians for many years and is the rhythms of days and nights, hopes and Feminism and Science Fiction by Sarah Le- best known in New Zealand for her novels. Her latest book The Amazon Trail (Naiad/Benton Ross) is a collection of columns she has written over the years for various lesbian publications in the US. They are fascinating for their ASTROLOGICAL glimpses into a lesbian culture that is a little apart from the US lesbian-feminist culture that MOON we mainly hear about. Caught Looking, feminism, pornogra­ phy and censorship (Real Comet Press/Ben- CALENDAR ton Ross) is edited by Kate Ellis, Beth Jaker, Nan Hunter, Barbara O’Dair and Abby Tellmer. The editor’s aim is to look at pornog­ 1989 raphy, from an anti-censorship perspective. I found it hard to keep my eyes off the pictures by Gretchen Lawlor and on the text. Essential reading for anyone wanting to know what feminists who oppose censorship for controlling pornography are on Features annual predictions, planting and about. fishing codes, monthly new to full moon cycle and how to use it, how it influences us, meditation, lore, rituals and traditions. ---- ★ ---- Retailed throughout N.Z. or send cheque for Remember to $12.30 (includes postage) with order to: mention Broadsheet Moon Calendar Productions, when contacting or P.O. Box 46118, Herne Bay, Ak. using our advertisers.

BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 39 C.LA.SSIFIEL)

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W O M A N L IN E A confidential, Non-judgemental Listening & Informa­ PROMOTE BROADSHEET - raise the r ulie arter tion phoneline. Run by Women for profile of the magazine and increase retail D J C Women. Phone (09) 765 173 Hours outlets in all the creative and innovative BDS, PHD (OTAGO), MS (MINN) Mon- Thurs 9am- 12pm & 6pm-9pm ways your feminist mind can dream up. Two days paid work per week. Own BIRTHMOTHERS SUPPORT transport essential. Further info from Wishes to announce GROUP A support group for women Tanya or Carol (09) 608-535. that she has commenced who have lost children through adoption. Original & exciting “By Birthmothers for Birthmothers” “Rotorua/Queenstown. Bored orthodontic practice at Ph 366-0752 Day or Night for tourguide (40) seeks feminists/lesbians womens music information and support.. for an occasional cuppa when passing SUITE 3 3 2 , HARBOUR CITY through. Ph (09) 787 533 collect.” TOWER, LAMBTON QUAY, Write for a catalogue to: AUCKLAND WOMENS HEALTH WELLINGTON. COLLECTIVE ph (09) 764 506 Emmatruck Music We offer, information & referrals, LESBIAN SUPPORT GROUP. P.O. Box 53 Hot & Cold Doctors, Dentists, Lawyers, Coming out groups - meetings weekly Please phone (04) 499 0860 Phone(09) 888 325 P O Box 47090 for an appointment Oneroa Waiheke Is. Counsellors files, accommodation notice board, menstrual sponges. Ponsonby Auckland. Ph (09)72-7836 We have a feminist library and alternative approaches to health. UESBIAN LINE Also Maori and Pacific Island Thurs 7.30pm-10pm ph(09)33584. Womens Health Component. Telephone counselling & support 63 Ponsonby Rd. Auckland service run by lesbian women for ph (09) 766 838 women. In association with Auckland Gay/Lesbian Welfare Group

Classified ads get results! Excellent rates and discounts. Phone 608-535

40 BROADSHEET JAN/FEB 1989 I

For all Women: Bulk Rates S B tS t IISSU • Be more informed about 10-30 copies - price per your own health. book: $4 (including GST). Add $2 for postage and • Be more involved in packing to order. making decisions about your health care. • Over 30 copies — price per book: $3.50 (including GST). Add $3 for postage THE and packing to order. WOMAN'S ORDER FORM HEALTH Please send me: (Please Print) CORD NAME ADDRESS

------Copies of the Woman’s Health Record at $5.00 per copy. (This includes GST and postage). NZ Health Book For Women Inc PO Box 40613 Upper Hutt

Please tell women you know about this useful Record and encourage them to buy it. Grey Lynn TYREPOWER ■ Gordons TYREPOWER ■ Morrinsville TYREPOWER

27 Surrey Crescent Grey Lynn 5 Gundry St Newton No 2-4 Avenue Rd Auckland Ph Ray 760 051 Auckland Ph 398 191 Morrinsville Ph 6599

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