PRIORITIES VOL. IX No. 6 PRICE: 50¢ NOVEMBER - DECEMBER, 1981 A FEMINIST SOCIALIST ANALYSIS A PUBLICATION OF THE B.C. NDP WOMEN'S RIGHTS COMMITTEE PRIORITIES is published six times a year by the Standing Committee on Women's Rights of the British Columbia New Democratic Party. CONTENTS SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Individual: $ 5.00 per year Our herstory gives impetus to move forward Institution: $10.00 per year by Shelley Rivkin .............1, 2, 3 U.S. threatens Nicaragua PRIORITIES welcomes letters and articles by Joyce Meissenheimer ……….3 from its readers. All submissions must be signed, although names may be withheld on request. The Editorial Committee re- Manitoba elects five NDP women .......3 serves the right to edit all copy received in the interest of brevity, clarity, and Women's Rights Committee by Elaine Bernard ............4 taste. Submissions should be typed, 39 characters to the line, triple-spaced if at all possible. Contraceptive Russian roulette by Kathie Robertson ...........5 Submissions and subscriptions should be mailed to: Formula: babies = $$ PRIORITIES by Jo Dunaway Lazenby ..........6 517 East Broadway Vancouver, B.C. The Task Force hits Los Angeles V5T IX4 by Gloria Levi ..............7 "The issues and demands raised by the Feature: Can we afford to cut training programs? .8 Women's Liberation Movement are integ- ral to the development of a democratic Hunger and despair -- the result of welfare socialist society. The NDP actively en- cuts ...............9 Domestic workers -- overworked, courages and provides support for women organizing around the demands of the underpaid and without status .........10 Women's Liberation Movement and com- compiled by Jo Dunaway Lazenby, Shelley Rivkin, mits an NDP government to creating the Suzanne Gerard and Jean Greatbach legislation necessary to realize these de- mands." Participation of Women Committee meeting -- NDP Policy on Women's Rights by Hilda Thomas .............11, 12 THE EDITORIAL COMMITTEE is responsible for the The Family: a new model content of all unsigned articles. by Margaret Ward Carew ..........13, 14 COMMITTEE CHAIRWOMEN: Letters to Priorities .............15, 16 Co-ordinator: Joyce Meissenheimer 987-5794 Editorial and Production: Jo Dunaway Lazenby 684-3605 Mailing: Barbara Horan 254-7657 Circulation: Penny Haggarty 438-3615 This red dot indicates that your subscription has ex- pired. Please renew promptly! And why not take out a sub. for a friend, your constituency, trade union, or other group while you're at it? Typesetting and layout by ALFASET TYPESETTING 1307 East 20th Street North Vancouver, B.C. Thanks to all the workers who have made the production and distribution of this magazine possible. Printing by THE NORTH SHORE TIMES 1422 Pemberton Avenue 49 North Vancouver, B.C. Our herstory gives impetus to move forward by Shelley Rivkin, Chairwoman Women's Rights Committee This editorial, replacing the usual editorial and chairwoman's report on this page, was developed out of a discussion in the 'Priorities" Editorial Committee. A small sub-committee was struck to prepare the article which was subsequently written by Shelley Rivkin. During the Women's Caucus A month later, in a letter to delegates meetings at the recent convention, there at the provincial convention, the Committee were a number of questions raised about the clearly stated the belief that socialism is the Women's Rights Committee. What is its role only way to end the oppression of women. and mandate? How do we arrive st The statement declared that the "socialist particular decisions? What do we mean by view of equality had always included equal "feminist?” The discussion arose in part from conditions and equal opportunities," and a recommendation put forward by the called for a "recognition of the oppression of steering committee that we seek equal women and for radical changes in our way of representation with labour on the Provincial li fe and in our social orientation." It asked Executive. the convention to "establish a Provincial oppression of women -- if it does not touch The subsequent adoption of this Conference for NDP women, trade union and change the lives of every woman and recommendation by the Women's Caucus women and others so that a united program every man -- there will be no liberation at all has provided us with a new direction. It for action and education could be for anyone. Socialism is a condition of therefore seems appropriate to take the time established by the women themselves." women's liberation. to review our history, to explain the step But by the same token, women's taken at the '81 convention for the benefit of The government years liberation is a condition of socialism. No those who were not able to be there, and to socialist society can be built, or even begin consider our plans for the future. From 1972-1974, when the NDP to be built, on premises that include the formed the government, the Women's Rights systematic oppression of half the Women's Committee in 1962 Committee developed and strengthened population, or indeed, of any part of the The B.C. NDP Women's Rights NDP policy on women's rights, taking on an population. A socialist movement, that does Committee was first established by a increasingly active role within the party. The not systematically and energetically rid itself resolution passed in 1962. Its purpose was creation of a Women's Ministry responsible of sexist thought and practice, that does not "to stimulate interest among women, to for the implementation of policy on women's actively seek to change the oppression of develop their capabilities in the field of fights became the focal point of a growing women's lives in its every form and organization and education . so they will awareness of the relationship between manifestation, that does not incorporate into be more effective as people, as supporters, feminism and socialism. its everyday workings conscious and members, party officials or as potential This process culminated in the specific actions that reflect the nature and representatives." drafting of what came to be known as the vision of a socialist society forfeits the right In the years 1962-1967 resolutions Kamloops Manifesto, a resolution which was to claim the name or tradition of socialism. were adopted on child care, women in the adopted by the 1974 convention after one of Such a movement is a sham and a fraud. labour force, and women at home. But the the most passionate and stimulating debates philosophy of the Women's Committee was ever held in the NDP. Policy and parity not clearly defined. Between 1967 and 1971 Two key paragraphs from the there was little activity around women's Manifesto best express our concept of the The years 1975-1979 saw the Women's issues. Then in 1971, in response to the role and philosophy of the Women's Rights Rights Committee concentrating on two key Report of the Royal Commission on the Committee. objectives: the development of policy and Status of Women, the committee was Women's liberation does not mean programs and the achievement of parity for reactivated. attaining equality with oppressed men, nor women within the party. The demand for On April 3, 1971, a standing committee on does it mean incorporating some few women parity was supported by the Federal Council women's fights was established by to join with some few men in oppressing the in 1975 when it called upon the party in its Provincial Council and directed "to study vast majority of men and women. If the future internal workings to set "the example and work towards implementing the liberation of women is not as total as is the through the encouragement and recommendations of the Royal Commission present development of women in the party at all Report on the Status of Women." levels." 1 Election results encouraging The B.C. Women's Rights In the election that followed, our nominee for vice-president, Elaine Bernard, came to within 30 votes of winning. Committee had already begun tile practice of She was subsequently elected as an alternate. Our POW nominee was elected by acclamation, and our two nominees for member-at-large, while defeated, obtained a running a half-slate of women candidates substantial vote. The Women's Rights Committee has reason to be encouraged by these nominated by tile Women's Caucus for results. They represent a significant step forward in our political development -- a step which should have important consequences for women within the NDP. positions on the Provincial Executive. The coming year By 1980, many more women were serving In the coming year, our work will have two major thrusts arising out of the convention. First, on tile executive and council of both federal resolutions put forward by tile Women's Rights Committee and passed by convention will require that we work actively with the autonomous women's movement and the trade unions. and provincial parties. However, they were A resolution calling for the establishment of a working group to study the impact of technological change on women will call for close collaboration with the NDP Labour policy not for the most part women chosen by or committee and the labour movement. accountable to the Women's Rights Committee, nor were they always women with a strong commitment to women's rights policy. In 1980, the Women's Rights Committee decided to abandon tile policy of running a half-slate, and to contest only one position - that of the Participation of Women representative to the Federal Council. This decision was the subject of an in-depth discussion at the Women's Rights Committee Mini-conference in May 1981. There was a serious re-evaluation of our strengths and weaknesses, and of our goals for the future.