THE bADBER APRIL/MAY, 1972 $1-25 THE LADDER, pubEshdd by Lesbians and directed to ALL women seeking full VOLUME 16 No. 7 and 8 human dignity, had its beginning in 1956. It was then the only Lesbian THE publication in the U.S. It is now the only women’s magazine openly supporting APRIL/MAY, 1972 Lesbians, a forceful minority within the women’s liberation movement. LADDER Initially THE LADDER’S goal was limited to achieving the rights accorded THE LADDER STAFF heterosexual women, that is, full second-class citizenship. In the 1950’s women as a whole were as yet unaware of their oppression. The Lesbian knew. And she Editor ...... Gene Damon wondered silently when her sisters would realize that they too share many of the Production Editor ...... Hope Thompson Lesbian’s handicaps, íhose that pertained to being a woman. Circulation Manager ...... Ann P. Buck Production Assistants ...... Lyn Collins, Kim Stabinski, THE l a d d e r ’s purpose today is to raise all women to full human status, with Jan Watson, King Kelly, Ann Brady, all of the rights and responsibilities this entails; to include ALL women, whether Phyllis Eakin, Robin Jordan Lesbian or heterosexual. Staff C artoonist...... Ev Künstler Art C olum nist...... Sarah Whitworth OCCUPATIONS have no sex and must be opened to all qualified Cross Currents Editor ...... Gail Hanson persons for the benefit of all. CONTENTS: Some Shards. . . Vignettes by Karen Sn o w ,...... 4 LIFE STYLES must be as numerous as human beings require for their Illustration by Kate McColl personal happiness and fulfillment. In the Basement of the House hy Jane R ule ...... 8 Atrocities at Home! Who Speaks for Women? by Clue D ennis...... 12 ABILITY, AMBITION, TALENT - “Love, Beyond Men and Women . . . ’’ by Carol Lynk ...... 13 THESE ARE HUMAN QUALITIES. Illustration by Diane Gordon Take a Lesbian to Lunch by Rita Mae Brow n...... 17 Gay and Straight in the Movement by Christine M imichild...... 23 THE LA D D E R is by subscription only Lesbiana by Gene Damon ...... 26 NO BULK RATES Tangled Hair, Review by Elsa G idlow...... 29 Lesbian Literature in 1971, This policy is necessitated by economics. Annual Report by Gene D am on...... 31 (Sample copies are available at $1.25 each) Poetry by Rochelle Holt, Alicia Langtree, Susan Staff, Mickie Burns, Elise Kirk, Ann Sheldon, and Jane Chambers...... 33 BACK ISSUES AVAILABLE. WRITE FOR COST The Cat and the King, Story by Jennette L ee ...... 37 Drawing by Jane Kogan ADVERTISING RATES Wildflower Woman by Susan S ta ff...... 45 Cross Currents with photos by Lyn J o n e s ...... 47 Half Page ...... $45 Back Cover $100 Practical Self-Defense ...... 53 Quarter Page ...... $25 Full Page . S 80 Readers R espond...... 54

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Published bi-monthly at Box 5025, Washington Station, Reno, Nevada, 89503. THIRD CLASS MAIL IS NOT FORWARDABLE. All rights reserved. No part o f this periodical may be reproduced without the When moving send us your old address and ZIP as well as new address and ZIP. written consent o f THE LADDER. 2 SO M E SH-A.ROS By KAREN SNOW He doesn’t tell her stories anymore. He tree angel.” Vignettes from coughs. He stinks. He snores. Daddy states into his oatmeal. HELLO, BRIGHT BIRD, GOODBYE She w h irrs , “Daddy? I can’t sleep. Mamma huffs a kiss on top of Mina’s Daddy.” head. “Yet breath,” she whispers. I. He says, “Pray. ‘Pray without ceasing’.” Mina starts to cry. “Seeds” He knows. “Stop it!” Mamma says. “I’ll be praying for you.” September, 1927 April: After Dena and Daddy have left, Mina Blowing dandelion seeds from the Uncle Klaus has had D.T.’s again. He says, “Is it still in my eyes?” swayed stoop of an abandoned shanty are comes to the house right after Daddy has “Just a trace.” two four-year-olds. She, with an aura of gone to work and Dena has gone to school “I don’t want to go to kindergarten.” pearl hair and eyes more silver than gray “ You have to. Else I go to jail.” and a lullaby voice, known among the social Mina has been sent to her room. Down in the kitchen. Mamma cries. Uncle Klaus “Will you pray hard?” workers, as **Fairy’*, is Mina. He, with a lid cries, too. The house fills up with his odor: ■’You can be sure of that. As long as I of brown-thrasher hair and amber eyes and live, you can be sure I’m praying for you.” a chirping chuckle, known among the social sour. Then the washing machine chugs. He, “Oh, Mamma, thank you!” workers as “Cherub”, is Nicky. staggering about in her father’s clothes, “Now, go.” He blows a seed onto her arm. She So she goes . . . The teacher, glancing blows a seed onto his arm. She blows a seed pu^es open her door. He grins, musses her hair, wrings it in his shakey hands. He across the thirty bobbing heads, secs the to his cheek. He blows a seed to her cheek. one pastel enter, alone, and glide to a chair His big brother and her big sister have shoves her to the bed, buzzes a hornet- in the far corner . . . a Sunday smile in the gone to school Their fathers have gone finger at her skirt, which she squeezes shut with hands stronger than his. shadow, less like a girl than a trillium. down into the coal mine. Her mother is at home tending a sick uncle. His mother is After he has left the house, with a big bag of lunch under his coat, Mina says, II. dusting the church. “Virago” He puffs a seed to her knee. She puffs “Mamma, Uncle Klaus tried to pull up my In the high school locker room, Willo one to his knee. She lifts her dress. He puffs dress.” stands on the scales, her breasts two timid one to her stomach. Yes. He lifts his shirt. “I’ll never do it again.” “When?” touches against her slip, her face closed She puffs one to his stomach. “You’d better not.” “While you were washing his clothes.” tightly as a lady’s compact against the She glances towards the door . . . “I know 1 won’t. 1 can’t.” “Are you making that up?” shrieking and the shrill scents of sneakers which he squeaks opea Indoors, they “Bah!” “No. He came to my bed and pushed me and cologne; a bamboo figure, with ivory stand, displaying bellies, fair and smooth as In and out, up and down, ’round and down and— ” hair falling watersmooth over sharp two loaves of bread. His is fatter. Her belly ’round, like a yoyo in her mother’s hand. “ Klaus is my brother. He’s got no home but this.” scapulae. button is round. It gazes. His is a wink. “Eighty-four pounds. My God!” says a She blows his a seed. He blows hers a December: “Will you tell Daddy?” Silence. sweat-beaded stallion of a girl, cedar- seed . . . which spills to the edge of her In the kitchen beneath Mina’s bedroom, “Shall 1 tell Daddy?” colored, in a man’s shirt taut at the shoul­ pants. She eases the pants down a bit. He Nicky’s mother tells Mina’s mother Nicky “Don’t you dare.” She shakes her head. der seams. The stallion records the weight blows her a fluff. Her pelvis tastes it, has been very sick. “His tonsils are full of “I can’t put an old head on your shoulders. on the teacher’s clipboard, slicks back her stinging sweet as a lemon drop. poison and must be cut out in the hos­ Before the booze got Klaus, you wouldn’t brief hair, elastically, and her indigo gaze He eases his pants down. His pelvis likes pital” believe it but it’s true, he was such a narrows on the fairy-girl like shears. the fluff, loo. A wriggle urges her pants to Tonsils? The thumb-thing in the throat? gentleman - so smart and strong and her knees. A ditto wriggle: his pants obey. It will bleed. good-lookin’, Ha. Yer father couldn’t hold a On the woodland path, standing un­ She feels herself pucker at the sight of him. By evening, she, too, is sick. Her aware on the Indian pipe, the big girl blocks “Yours is like a thumb,” she says. mother, standing over her bed, making a candle to him.” the way. She shoves the zipper of her “Look. It’s hitch-hiking.” witch-shadow on the wall, that mother, whose face is the color of buttermilk, September: leather jacket up and down, slicks back that “Sure.” short hair, and says, “Hey, Willo, want me She blows a fluff onto his. Yes. He whose eyes ate big bruises, says, “You’ve Will you tell my teacher?” been thinking nasty thoughts. It shows in Silence. to carry your books?” blows a fluff to hers. “No thanks.” A black pounce. Her mother is yanking, your eyes. I can smell it on your breath.” “Please! Will you tell my teacher. Mamma?” The big girl picks up a gray rock and snatching, spanking. “Wilhelmina! Nich­ hurls it against a boulder. The ruck drops, February: “I’ll think about it.” olas!” - like a spider that jabs and stabs gashed, into halves, glowing salmon-pink. “I and bundles its prey into two paralyzed “Does Daddy know?” “I’ll be good.” “Let’s hope so.” don’t want to go home today. My parents packages. Her mother shrugs. “Please, please! Does my Daddy know?” “Is it still on my breath?” arc finishing their divorce,” she says. “At times.” Willo looks away. When she looks back, October: Her mother leaves the room. Mina, who has always slept with her All week, the worry lashes upon itself the girl is staring at her, still blocking the “Does Daddy know?” path, like a hound holding up a thorned father, while Mamma and sister Dena share again and again and again, like pulled taffy Her mother looks away. paw. “Please. Did you tell Daddy?” the unfolded davenport, hitches herself like . . . On the terrible Tuesday, Mina arrives “Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t.” a cocoon to the edge of the bed. brittle at breakfast. Dark Dena says, “Look: The Christmas- “Call me ‘Pete,’ ” she says on the second v.alk hoim; whvK'l, suU \hi>vlug Ihe aisle, is scalded with stud-salt. Willo, watch­ Brooklyn, out of the God-knows-what of Wounded” is just a grapevine swing into this up iu J Jv>V>ll. ing Pete help a limping girl off the softball West Virginia and Kentucky . . . seventy- sudden stuff in technicolor: One hundred vvuiwftXv huWiiijs hii ¡aleiu'e Held, receives the cold coin with one blink one patriots, uniformed like bars of soap, and forty-six marines (“Don’t push. La­ the Nt'uilN oi ihc othfc's imniotoguo, that leaves her eyes for the rest of the day clack-their bargain-basement creeds: “Per­ dies,” says Brooklyn, “there’s enough for w uiv'uig is \he Uaiupte ctgum I'u the Indian two colorless slots. sonally, I believe . . “They can’t make everyone.”) with fresh scars like wads of pitv and kK it' at a hiaeken fungus, which you march during your monthly, can pink gum and older scars like strands of \tMtieis like enttails With cold hands and crisp smile, Willo they?” . . . “And then, I had to slap his stale gray gum . . . all of them prone on lets him lead her onto the prom floor. He - face.” white sheets, awaiting backrubs from these On a taie »atm Jay in Nuvenibet, when track man, editor, class president - smells peppermint-stick-girls. They look more like a last male's'll leaf ivnijss against a toi>-blue of toothpaste and hair oü, and being held “A hut tew an’ a hut four! Yer lep rot rashers of bacon than men. sky . . s'li a day when Winter should be this close to him is a lesson in male lep!" the commander - Lord - is an Old In that cornet, skin-graft cases re­

Wounded” is just a grapevine swing into this walk home from school, still shoving the aisle, is scalded with stud-salt. Willo, watch­ Brooklyn, out of the God-knows-what of West Virginia and Kentucky . , . seventy- sudden stuff in technicolor: One hundred zipper up and down. ing Pete help a limping giri off the softball Willo consents, holding her silence field, receives the cold coin with one blink one patriots, uniformed like bars of soap, and forty-six marines (“Don’t push. La­ clack-their bargain-basement creeds: “Per­ dies,” says Brooklyn, “there’s enough for against the spurts of the other’s monologue, that leaves her eyes for the rest of the day wincing as she tramples again on the Indian two colorless slots. sonally, I believe . . .” “They can’t make everyone.”) with fresh scars like wads of pipe and kicks at a bracken fungus, which you march during your monthly, can pink gum and older scars like strands of they?” . . . “And then, 1 had to slap his spatters like entrails. With cold hands and crisp smile, Willo stale gray gum . . . all of them prone on lets him lead her onto the prom floor. He - face.” white sheets, awaiting backrubs from these On a rare warm day in November, when track man, editor, class president — smells peppermint-stick-girls. They look more like a last maroon leaf pangs against a too-blue of toothpaste and hair oil, and being held “A hut tew an’ a hut four! Yer lep rot rashers of bacon than men. sky . . . on a day when Winter should be this close to him is a lesson in male lep!” the commander - Lord - is an Old In that comer, skin-graft cases re­ sealing seeds away into the sleeping soil, anatomy. Salt version of Pete. “Yer lep rot lep. Git sembling fakirs and pink balloons. A collage Pete, still talking, talking, draws Willo’s hair After a while, he says, “You are a onmnnnnn yeilep!" for you, Florence Nightingale. around them both, like a curtain, and kisses Dresden doll.” “Just when it’s my turn in surgery,” . . . It is as when a silk thread is slipped Knowing now he is no poultice, she “A shingle, Kiddo, is not just a style of says Pittsburg, “they serve cranberries for across flesh, there wells the red jewel of grows faint and has to be taken home. haircut” . . . "This is My Beloved?” states lunch.” Maryland, fondling the rosary under her pain. On her bed, her flutterings huddle around the memory of Pete, like a covey of pillow, “Isn’t that that dirty book?” . . . There is one intern of privileged profile Wan with wonder, Willo confesses. quail returned to safety. “ Don’t ‘Roger’ me.” . . . “Go have the and cadenced gait who yaks of baseball and Her mother, with hair still thatched chaplain punch yer T.S. chit.” Buicks and cheesecake and “these punks”. from a year in the state asylum, holding a From the gym teacher, with her warning Willo classifies them into ethnic groups, He, too calls her “Blondie” . . . and a soap Bible in her hand, keeps a goiterous gaze on . . . to the principal, with his “hmmmmm” into somatic types, into Freudian stages, opera doctor whose jargon lids sleekly onto the door, where she has laid ready a butcher . . . to the Presbyterian minister, with his into regional idioms, into shades of Puri­ the prosaically-grooved nurses. knife and a bottle of ammonia. blush . . . to the psychologist, with his ink tanism, into degrees of masculinity and . . . Amputees looking and smelling like Dena says, “You’re lucky they don’t blots . . . to the social worker, with her femininity . . . like pinning a collection of old saddle-stitched luggage. Yours, Clara bum witches anymore.” suggestion of scholarships . . . to the en­ insects, almost autistically, onto a board. Barton? Her father, blinking out of skinny docrinologist, with his: “It isn’t even legal” “I’ve found a pretty good way to get hunched shoulders like a worrybird, open­ . . . they become searchlights plowing, “A hut tew an’ a hut four!” Willo along,” says Kentucky. “1 just play like it’s ing his Bible to the Book of Paul, says, repeatedly, the cloudloam . . . back to the becomes a ballerina obeying Tchaikovsky. Halloween every day.” “Surely, Little Sister, we are living in The gym teacher, with her shrug . . . to the On the deck, written in luxurious script Last Days.” suigeon, with his “No!” . . . to the psy­ At the U.S.O. “Blondie! Blondie!” on a piece of paper, Willo finds a patchwork chiatrist, with his fee (“Why don’t you try honks through the jangle of the juke box. sonnet: “. . . No wonder the otters have Pete’s parent, ponderously picking a Hollywood?”) . . . back to the social “Terrific!” toot the seventy-one. covered their eyes” . . . “Survival is a lipstick to match her scarlet slacks, says, worker, with her smile and scholarships “Blondie! Hey, Blondie!” luUabye.” Quickened by this purple feather, “How sweet. Ask Willo up for the week­ . . . fiiey become wanderers, prowling, Under her purr . . . under her fluff. . . she traces it to a crow-nest creature so end.” octave by octave, this peripheral music the mascot restrains her claws. cadaverous that his Adam’s apple looks like Thus, each girl, in that kiss, has thrust until a beak. His onion-eyes awaiting her praise an antenna into a baffUng Otherness. they are twenty, and in college. Pete, the “A hut tew an’ a hut fore . . .” Wool seem to lurch like a chameleon’s. Practical, dreary from drifting, needing a gaze catches silk gesture . . . and clings. “A She darts back to duties. Where was 1 High on the school firescape they sit, Job, coaxes her what-the-heU swagger into a hut tew an’ a hut forrrre! Geeeeet when they passed out compassion? . . . Pete’s hard gabardine thigh against Willo’s slightly softened stride, and becomes, for a onnnnnnnnn yer lepppppp!" Come, Walt Whitman, comfort your buddy. gingham one: Pete’s Girl Scout ring, sized season, amphibious. Yet, daily, in mess hall, at calisthenics, down with string, is a bumblebee on Willo’s With one rush up the rocks, she enters, at bed check, at dog watch, each salutes the After two months of massaging bristly finger. Pete’s thigh presses so hard that stammering, the Accepted Idiom. other’s magic with the averted eye. shoulders with bright blue alcohol, of tot­ Willo (praying: Oh, wait for me, Mr. Across the campus bruised with hya­ ing, like a reverse-waitress, jugs of foaming Dreamman!) springs alive like starched or­ cinths, Spring comes again, like a census- Back to the U.S.O. . . . this Saturday urine and steaming pans of excrement. . . gandy under a hot iron. taker to record re-births, and Willo, re­ marathon through honk and hoot and glare. all the while watched with junglo^yes, sponding with a cipher-smile, watches the “ Sommmmme enchannnnnnnted awaited with anaconda-arms . . . of being Kissing was their springtime. Lying to­ fly on the warm window, wringing its eeeeevening . . . you may seceeee a marionetted from one end of the ward to gether, whispering, sighing, in their elabo­ hands. straaaannnnngerrrrr . . . acrosssss a the other by that chorus: “Blondie! rate web of wanting, other lips grow frantic crowwwwded rooooom.” She yearns for a Blonnnndie!” . . . of signing each buttock, for kissing . . . and the ripe, burning bud, HI learned man, a protector, a friend . . . a morning and evening, with an exclamation like an electric button, shoots summer into “Twenty-One” professor, perhaps, or better, a psychiatrist, point of penicillin . . . masqueraded al­ their luminous limbs, and beyond. More “This is no place for a Garbo,” the whose language of precision and surprise ways in that angel-smile . . . she is rescued . . . and more . . . and more . . . until WAVE recruiter had warned her. will dive into this deep waiting. . . by a priest they ate afraid of so much genius. Thus, without valence, Willo endures But on and on, this juke box. The Father, also marine, also embla­ seventy-one barracks mates out of the zoned with a scar - his, a gorgeous flash The genius has its price: Pete, watching factories of Ohio, out of the department A summer of lecturK and films and from temple to jaw - is more of a Tyrone Willo hand an eraser to a boy across the stores of Pennsylvania, out of the offices of demonstrations and tests on “Nursing the Power than a Walt Whitman. “You have the look of a refugee,” he and warns her away from that beautiful around . . . except with me, and he doesn’t do, too. And he’s gentle with them. She and tells her. devil, Plato. go to meetings to talk about it. 1 don’t I do more roughhousing with David than he He orders her transferred, at once, to She flutters around Zen. think he talks about it with anybody, does. So who’s making a man of David? the Dependents’ ward. “Butterfly!” he scolds. except maybe with her. 1 don’t know about And she dNew York University. was almost like prohibition days - you had black men. She threw in a few black women the civil rights movement and the white After the first semester I earned a to know somebody who knew somebody in for good mea.sure. If 1 had kept such a busy candy asses who were in it, 1 found some­ scholarship and in that way I finished my those groups. 1 didn’t know anybody, so 1 schedule, I think I would have been too thing out that was sure to disquiet the education, an education designed to process gritted my teeth and stuck it out with the exhausted to walk into her office. She administration of the university. Many of you into the white, heterosexual male, golden girls. 1 sat at the general meetings hinted in heavy tones that in addition to the ramshackle buildings in the black com­ middle class world. and said nothing. Eventually a woman did my numerous sexual perversions 1 was also munity were owned by city and university During the week I would sometimes go talk to me. I questioned her on the Lesbian a communist and was “stirring up the officials. The occupants paid double for gas into gay bars. The women 1 met were issue and she bluntly told me that the word nigras." In a burst of anger 1 cracked her and electricity. Water was drawn from a interesting. Many were tied into establish­ Lesbian was never to be uttered. “ After all, with, “ How dare you accuse me of Lesbian­ welL Two or three families were crowded ment jobs and others were secretaries trying that is exactly what the press wants to say ism when you are a Lesbian yourself? You into the building and there were many to look like the women tied into the we are, a bunch of Lesbians.” She then persecute me to protect yourself, you children. If rent was not paid on time, the establishment jobs. New York’s old gay, went on to patronizingly say, “What are broad-assed sow.” Rational discourse col­ landlord’s lackeys removed the front door Lesbian worid has as many rules as the you doing worrying about Lesbians, you lapsed. She put me under house arrest and I regardless of weather conditions. Most of tsarina’s court. Most often 1 was struck by must have lots of boyfriends.” Okay, sister, couldn’t leave the dorms at night. 1 was the people had menial jobs at the university the isolation the women enforced upon have it your way. I kept silent for a few checked hourly by the resident counselor in and were paid scratch. A few of us were each other. Oppression runs deep and more months. Finally N.O.W. had what it the dorm and 1 had the pleasure of report­ preparing to write an article on our dis­ among out own we sometimes act it out on termed a rap session for new women. It was ing to the university psychiatrist once a day covery for the student newspaper. It is each other with as much viciousness as the at the apartment of a woman lawyer and and if 1 didn’t the campus guards went out more than likely that Lesbianism was the very culture which produced the oppres­ was full of stockbrokers, editors, art direc­ looking for me. My psychiatrist couldn’t way for the university to throw me out and sion. It was in gay bars that I learned that a tors and others of similar professional privi­ speak good English but he was a whiz at quash the issue. After all, who is going to world of women can only work if we lege or aspiring to similar professional privi­ Turkish. I couldn’t speak Turkish. He had, listen to a Lesbian? destroy the male value system, the male lege. I showed up to o , minus the privilege, however, perfected one English phrase with Southern hospitality does not apply if pattern for human relationships (if you can but 1 figured that I was a new woman and remarkable enunciation, “You sleep with you are a Lesbian and if you dared to wink call it human). These methods employ role that’s what counts. Anyway, maybe I’d get women?” He had a habit of embracing me an eye at civil rights. 1 couldn’t get a job. play, economic exploitation, dominance vs. the chance to open my mouth without after our half hour of international ex­ My scholarships were suspended so I passivity, and material proof of your social standing up and orating about Madam change. I question whether those embraces couldn’t go back to school In other words, rank. These things can only keep people Chairwoman and points of order, etc. The were part of my therapy since he always I couln’t go home again. I arrived in New iqiart and fighting with each other. As long tap session droned on. Women bitched had a hard on. York City after a long series of adventures. as you work within that system of values, about job discrimination, the pill, etc. Here All of this happened during exam I felt as though I were in the hanging you can never really know anyone, least of let me insert a note about my character. I period. One night I was busy cramming for gardens of neon. Home now was an aban­ all yourself. am not a silent, retiring woman. I kept 18 I silent up until this meeting because I was silent sisters than at these incredibly rude, unfamiliar with the organization, because 1 peering, titillated heterosexual wonders. touch with the “radical” groups and when I the issue and also publicly resigned their mentioned my interest in these groups, a was born poor and remained poor and 1 was Lesbian silence is nothing new to me, but it offices, surrounded by privileged women who took never fails to piss me off. I know all the By this time, I had discovered some of raising and the pro-woman line. Redstock­ food, housing and education for granted. reasons to be quiet in front of the straight the other groups. I went to Redstockings, ings was not too pro-woman when it came Lastly, 1 did not want to jeopardize other enemy, and I find thiem false. Every time an organization which pushed consciousness to Lesbians. They could empathize with the Lesbians. By this time 1 had had a few you keep your mouth shut you make life woman on the Executive Board told me prostitute, support the housewife, en­ courage the single woman and seek child months to review the political issues at that much harder for every other Lesbian in they were all a gang of unclean girls who care for the mother, but they wouldn’t stake and to come up with the firm this country. Our freedom is worth your hated Lesbians and who talked about their touch the Lesbian. The token Lesbian once conclusion that N.O.W. was, to make a long losing your job and your friends. If you personal hang-ups. 1 asked her if she had story short, full of shit. A woman’s move­ keep your mouth shut you are a coward; ever been to a meeting and she said that she more, I became more and mote depres.sed. At least, I had enough insight to realize that ment is for women. Its actions and con­ you silently assert heterosexual imperialism; hadn’t. However, she assured me that she this wa.s not my personal problem. It was siderations should be for women not for you allow it to go on by not fighting back. had heard this on very good authority. and still is the crucial political is.suc, the what the white, rich, male heterose.xual The women in that room were cowards. As women began to be comfortable with first step toward a coherent, all-woman media finds acceptable. In other words. They thought they could pass for straight. me and see that I was a fairly decent human ideology. But when there is just one person Lesbianism definitely was an important In the last three years since that meeting, being, they began to turn on to me. It was pushing an issue that one person becomes issue and should be out in the open. every one of them has been brutally purged very painful for me because when they (Editor’s note: N.O.W. has adopted a from N.O.W. - and they are still silent! experienced warm or sexual feelings they the issue, she becomes a Cassandra of sorts. Lesbianism is the issue that deals with national supportive policy toward Lesbians In that room, somehow, a few women b^an to treat me as a man. All these women reacting positively to other women. and Lesbianism as of October, 1971, See got beyond the labeL Lesbian, and tried to women knew was men. The old seduction The Ladder for December ’71/January see me as a person. At the next general game we learn in pre-school sex-role training All other issues deal with men and the ’72.1 meeting, some of them came over and - that’s what I was getting. 1 can’t respond society they have built to contain us. The I stood up and said something that went talked to me. They were trying to break to that kind of thing. Some of the women real questions are why are women afraid of like this: “All I’ve heard about tonight and down the barriers between us. The N.O.W. were hurt, some angry and some vicious. one another? Why does the straight woman throttle the Lesbian? Why do women keep in the other meetings is women complaining leadership was another story. They would Then there was the most manipulative about men, in one form or another. I want in no way recognize the issues of Lesbian­ woman of aH, the one who was going to insisting this is a bedroom issue and not a political issue, when in fact this issue is at to know' why you don’t speak about other ism as relevant to the movement Secretly, a liberate herself on my body. She could then women? Why you deliberately avoid Lesbi­ few of them called me and “confessed” to pass herself off as a right on brave feminist, the bottom of our self-image? If we cannot anism and why you can’t see anything but being Lesbians themselves. They were because she had slept with a woman. It was look at another woman and see a human men? 1 think Lesbians are ahead of you.” (At ashamed of their silences but their logic pretty confusing. As you can .see, the being worth making a total commitment to that time 1 believed the Lesbian politically was, when in Rome do as the Romans do. women still thought of Lesbianism as a - politically, emotionally, physically — superior to the heterosexual woman, and I They were very busy playing straight be­ sexual activity only. This is the way in then where the hell are we? If we can’t find still do although now 1 recognize there are cause they didn’t want to lose their posi­ which men define it. The women couldn’t another woman worthy of our deepest such gaps as apolitical Lesbians and political tions in the leadership. They asked me not understand that Lesbianism means a dif­ emotions then can we find ourselves worthy heterosexuals.) Wliat followed my short to reveal them. There were hints that 1 ferent way of living. It means, for me, that of our own emotions or are all commit­ remarks resembled a mass coronary. One could have a place in the leader.ship if I you dump all roles as much as possible, that ments reserved for men, those that benefit woman jumped up and declared that Les­ would play my cards right (shut up). This you forget the male power system, and that by our oppression? It is clear that men arc bians want to be men and that N.O.W. only kind of buy-off is commonly known as you give women primacy in your life - not reserving their deepest commitments wants “real” women. This kind of thing being the “token nigger.” They got a real emotionally, personally, politically. It for women, otherwise we wouldn’t be went on for a b it Then the second wave set bargain with me. Not only was 1 a Lesbian, doesn’t mean that you look at girlie maga­ raped, butchered on abortionists’ tables, in - the sneaky, sly curiosity that cul­ but I was poor, 1 was an orphan (adopted) zines or pinch the bottoms of passers-by. jeered at in the public streets and denied basic rights under a govenunent that minates in, “Well, what do you do in bed?” without knowledge of my ethnic origins. At Difficult as all this was, worse events were (I paint myself green and hang from the the time, 1 saw the co-option but 1 had to follow. A N.O.W. national officer of preaches equality. We are taunted in the streets, in the courts, in our homes as rafters.) After approximately one hour of nowhere elso to go and it didn’t occur to much fame made a clumsy pass at me. Not though we were nothing more than walking being the group freak and diligently probed, me then to start a Lesbian movement. 1 only do I not want to make passes at other sperm receptacles. poked and studied, these ladies bountiful became editor of New York N.O.W.'s news­ women, I don’t want women to make decided that, yes, I was human. Yes, 1 did letter. From that I moved up to being the passes at me. It all sounds like a football A few Restockings tried to deal with these issues. They received no support from resemble a young woman in her early administrative coordinator for the national game. Needless to say, I did not respond to the other women. By this time 1 was too twenties. Yes, 1 even looked like what organization, an appointed post. It sounds the woman. Within an amazingly short tired and too wise to spend much energy on young women in their early twenties were good if you care about titles but what it time, I was relieved of my duties at the the straight ladies. I left the group without supposed to look like. (1 had long hair and really means is that you collate, staple, and national office for lack of funds. While the recriminations and blow-ups. Those women was in a skirt. Now 1 have short hair and if 1 mail. Everything was fine as long as I did leadership was nervously casting its eyes from the group who have become Lesbians wear pants. I’m told I look like a young not bring up the Lesbian issue. After all, the about for someone to take on the burden of have also left boy. You figure it out) There were other issue was solved because I was in the power the newsletter, 1 decided to go down The next move was to the Gay Liber­ Le.sbians in the room and they too looked structure and I was a Lesbian. Being the fighting. 1 put out the January 1970 issue like what women are supposed to look like. token Lesbian, 1 also helped take the heat of the newsletter with a blast at the ation Front, a radical group for homo­ sexuals which began in 1969-70. It sup­ The difference between them and me was off the hidden Lesbians, It wasn’t righL I leadership for its sexist, racist and class posedly is for men and women. I knew that 1 opened my mouth and fought the knew it wasn’t tight but I couldn’t figure biased attitudes. Two other N.O.W. officers, straight ladies. I was even angrier at my out how to fight it. I still couldn’t get in fed up with the back room politicking and from my previous experience that I wouldn’t work with homosexual men again 20 high powered prison guarding, helped with 21 L J increased proportionally. Many Lesbians choice by default, not mine. have come to the conclusion that they can unless something wonderful happened have found out that I went that route in Separatism is what the ruling, rich, no longer work with straight women, white male wants: female vs. male; black vs. inside their heads and in their system of 1967-68. priorities. But there were gay women there In spite of their suspicions, they did women who remain tied to men ideo­ white; gay vs. straight; poor vs. rich. 1 don’t logically as wen as individuaBy. want to be separate from anyone - that with little women’s consciousness and I form consciousness raising groups. A sense This is a call for a separatist movement just keeps The Big Man on top of all of us.' thought maybe 1 could push a more of woman oppression was developed and of Lesbians? Yes and No. No, (speaking for But I can’t work with people who degrade feminist understanding among them. It many were well along the way because of myself) because 1 do not want to be me, don’t deal with behavior that is destruc­ would be a positive step for them as well as th ar increasing anger over how the gay men separate from any women. Yes, because tive to me and who don’t share their me as I needed to be among other Lesbians. mistreated them. They saw that Lesbian until heterosexual women treat LesUans as privileges. The last thing that 1 want is Gay Liberation contained women who were oppression and male homosexual oppres­ full human beings and fight the enormity of separatism. We can only achieve reformist highly politicized concerning homosexual sion have less in common than they former­ male supremacy with us, 1 have no option changes for our sub-group if we remain ’ oppression so if they could get a con­ ly thought What we have in common is but to be separate from them just as they separatists. Together we can change the sciousness of woman oppression and con­ that heterosexuals of both sexes hate and have no option but to be separate from men entire society and make a better life for nect the two, it would be a step forward. feat us. The similaiity stops there because until moi begin to change their own sexism. ourselves individually and collectively. There are good reasons why many Les­ that hate and fear t^ e on vastly different Separatism is the heterosexual woman’s - bians have no political consciousness of forms for the Lesbian and the male homo- woman oppression. One of the ways in sexuaL As the months rolled by, a few of which many Lesbians have protected them­ the homosexual women began to see that GAY AND STRAIGHT IN THE MOVEMENT selves from the pain of woman oppression is yes, I was human. Yes, I did resemble a to refuse to see themselves as traditional young woman in her early twenties, etc. By CHRISTINE MIMICHILD women. Society encourages this view be­ T hrou^ the work of those original con­ cause if you are not a traditional woman, sciousness raising groups, a new phase was When I first heard about Women’s Lib­ dared teU anyone my feelings, and the then you must be some kind of man. This is started in the struggle against sexism. eration, 1 wouldn’t have anything to do people from whom I hid my feelings most the other side of the male-identified coin: Women who love women began to get it with it. Aloud 1 said I was liberated and completely were the girls and women to Heterosexual women live through their men together. We are no longer willing to be didn’t need that stuff, but inside 1 was whom 1 was attracted. and thereby identify with them, gaining token Lesbians in the Women’s Liberation afraid people would think I was a Lesbian if 1 remember having crushes on girls when heavy privilege; some Lesbians assume a Front, nor are we willing to be the token I associated with aU those women. I had no I was in junior high school Even then, male role and thereby become male identi­ women in the Gay Liberation Front. way of knowing what other women were before I knew the word “homosexual,” the fied, although they receive no political- The first explosion from this new dir­ thinking because no one was even talking taboo on feelings for one’s own sex was so economic privilege. She wants her own life ection came at the Second Congress to about Lesbianism. This silence drove me strong that I never let anyone know that I but the only way to have your own life in Unite Women when the Lesbians (40 in wild with frustration. I had had strong cared for them. My feelings for girls were this society is to be a man (it also he^s to number) confronted the women there. For feelings for women all my life, and, al­ much too powerful for me to know how to be white and middle class); so many a the first time, straight women wore forced though 1 had never slept with a woman, 1 deal with them. Boys were only friends to Lesbian became an imitation man. Other to face their own sexism and their com­ had been sure for some time that I was gay. me, and, after puberty, boys aren’t sup­ Lesbians feel themselves as women, know plicity with the male power structure. But Women’s Liberation was publicly deter­ posed to be friends anymore. The result of intensely that they are no imitation men Since the Congress, in the spring of mined to prove that they weren't a bunch this was many years of isolation and lone­ but stay away from Women’s Liberation 1970, Lesbians have come out in ever of dykes and privately unable to deal with liness. At school and at work I was outgoing which could develop their political con- increasing numbers and the backlash has such a threatening topic. As a woman who and active, but 1 had few close friends. 1 •sciousness. They know from direct exper­ loved women, I remained isolated even in always held back from relationships, run­ ience that straight women cannot be trusted the movement. ning from people before I could be hurt by with Lesbian sensibilities and sensitivities. ) Secrecy has always been a fact of life for them. Most people, straight and gay, have Many of the women in GLF fell into that most Lesbians. Some find a lover or enter some defenses, but society’s taboo on group. They would rather work with male “the gay world.’’ While sharing their lives homosexuality added to my own fears of homosexuals and endure male chauvinism with each other, they are always dealing rejection and made it almost impossible for X than expose themselves to a more obviously with the very real consequences of exposure me to relate honestly to anyone. However, 1 hostile element, the heterosexual woman. of their life style. Others, like myself, are was always conscious of how much I More hostile because if her man suspects what I call “head gay.” Because we have wanted to communicate this one seaet part she is trucking with Lesbians she loses the not related to women sexually, we lock a of myself to others. privileges she gains through association with big part of our lives away from ourselves as At the age of 23 1 feU in love, l or the him. More hostile because Lesbians force well as from everybody else. Either kind of first time I imagined myself holding a her to face herself with no societal props. double life is painful, but the choice isn’t woman, making love with her, spending a More hostile because inside she knows and simply a decision between “coming out,”* lifetime with her. As 1 look back. I’m sure she hates herself for her fears. with all its personal rewards versus remain­ she returned the feeling, but we were both When I suggested consciousness raising ing “ straight” in order to avoid society’s in Peace Corps training and afraid to jeo­ to the women in GLF, they were sus­ censure. I never came out because I never pardize our chances of being selected. She picious. They thought I was a Pied Piper never said anything, and I never said any­ wooing them into Women’s Liberation in­ *“Come out” - for those of us who are thing. The saddest realization is that if only stead of fighting homosexual oppression by MV FEtlOW LOOOe anCri-HEKS, THIS IS tt «REMT “new gay,” this means to make love with a I had known how to break through those eooNTRV- «Kvotte W 4 m presidewt »e me working through GLF. They didn’t bother RKHORPOOR., vw rrE o n BLACK, m a l e woman for the first time. walls of isolation and fear, I would have to ask me much; if they had, they would OR MALE. 22 p

said, “I love you, and the Peace Corps can there was a willingness to discuss women’s go to hell.” feelings for each other, but women who had straight — talked about our feelings. “It’s so need any more trips laid on us by anybody. But I never did say “1 love you.” And it been in the movement for a long time still hard to be a woman in this society that I’m What we do have to force is discussion was a long time before I could even say out weren’t talking about the issue. Finally, in afraid to take on Lesbianism.” “I’ve been so and analysis of Lesbianism’s meaning for loud. “I love women.” In women’s groups, relaxed one-to-one situations, a couple of fucked over by men that I’m afraid to get ourselves and our movement. This has been we talked about orgasms with a hundred these wo!nen did say things like, “1 felt into that kind of relationship with women a painful thing to talk about, but that very people present, but discussions of Lesbian­ threatened. . “ 1 was afraid . . .’’ Grad­ whom I now trust.” “Has anyone noticed discomfort should be a signal that this issue ism never went beyond the mention of the ually, it became clear to me. It wasn’t that how many times people have gotten up and is one which must be discussed. First, moved around during this discussion? Could straight women have to learn to talk to gay word. Finally 1 got into a small conscious­ they wouldn't talk, it was that they ness-raising group where the women were cotildn 'I talk. that say something about how threatening women about Lesbianism. Your silence unusually supportive. It wasn’t easy, but 1 Despite all the difficulties in opening up this is to deal with?” hurts and angers us. It hurts because we finally said, “1 think I'm a Lesbian.” Their to each other about such a painful topic, The reasons for women’s difficulty in project into it society’s reason for silence - reactions were mind-blowing! A married there has been a slow, steady growth in talking about Lesbianism seem obvious condemnation. It angers us because we are now. However, my own personal hurt from woman: “That doesn’t seem like such an I understanding between gay and straight your sisters. We are part of the women’s impossibility for me.” Another married women in New Haven. Whenever we get the reluctance of the women’s movement to movement, yet in your efforts to support woman: “I’ve had feelings for women all depressed about dealing with the problems deal with Lesbianism held me back from particularly oppressed minorities of women, my life, and I even had a kind of affair in in this relationship, we think about so many recogneing that, although the levels of you have overlooked the ones you live and awareness were different, many women high school.” A single woman: “1 am a other cities where there have been ugly work with. Lcsbiaa” (She had come out all of one splits between gay and straight women in experienced the same kinds of fears as I All of US, straight and gay, have to had. I have learned that most women’s week before.) the movement. There has never been a consider the personal implications of Les­ indifference, hostility, or tension comes That night started a high which I’ve separate gay women's movement in New bianism. We have to be able to talk about from fear, and, for most of the women I been on for over a year now. Soon after Haven. This togetherness is due in part to sexual feelings for each other, about some have talked to, this comes down to fear of that meeting, two Radical Lesbians came the fact that we are a small city, which women’s desire to have a “gay experience,” their own Lesbianism. from New York to speak at a course on means most of us know each other person­ and about gay women falling in love with I have to keep remembering this com­ “Women and Our Bodies.” They stayed ally. We have the New' Haven Women’s straight women. We have to get over the monality of experience in order to deal overnight with me, and, for the first time in Liberation Rock Band, and New Haven hard parts and hangups so that straight and with the anger and hurt I continue to feel at 29 years, I poured out those feelings boiling women have always partied and danced gay women can be friends, each able to talk the subtle and not-so-subtle anti-Lesbian inside me to w'omen who understood, who together. Almost all w'omen are or have about her own sexuality without feeling put knew what 1 had been through. One woman been in consciousness-raising groups and, attitudes women still display. Straight wom­ down by the other. Ultimately, we have to en lessen this hurt by showing that they shared my bed. After two hours of tossing therefore, have developed a tradition of reach the point where each of us accepts as and turning, I finally said to hell with all listening to each other and genuinely trying understand where we are coming from and a possibility for ourselves a sexual relation­ the walls and asked her to make love to me. to be supportive and sisterly. There were a by opening up the subject of Lesbianism ship with a woman we love. themselves rather than always expecting gay I wasn’t in love with her. In fact, I hever few women who from the beginning reacted In the women’s movement as a whole, women to do so. The responsibility for saw her again, but I will always trea.sure po,sitively to the revelation that some of the impact of Lesbianism has been explo­ understanding Lesbianism belongs to all of sive. The resulting force is pushing us in two that night as one of those magical interac­ their friends were Lesbians. Although most tions that can occur between women when movement women in New' Haven have yet us. directions. Everywhere there is tension be­ In discussing Lesbianism, we are dealing tween gay and straight women. In some they are mutually open and honest. to deal with Lesbianism as an issue, they are with something very different from classism My life has completely changed since almost inevitably supportive of Lesbians as cities, there has been an open split between or racism in the movement. Our class and the groups. We are obviously in danger right my hidden self has become a part of the individuals. race are the backgrounds we come from, now of becoming two movements, one for whole me. For the past year, I have been The high point in New Haven’s gay/ and they’re not going to change. We must gay women and one for straight women. happier and more together than 1 ever straight scene came at a retreat in June of develop an understanding of our racist and would have beUeved possible. Hoping that 1971 when 80 of us spent a weekend Worst yet, because Lesbians’ total involve­ classist attitudes in order to eliminate them. ment with women gives them more time other women wouldn’t have to go through discussing our movement. We worked hard Lesbianism, however, is not something to the isolation and loneliness I had e.xperi- all day and partied exuberantly at night. On and energy to devote to the movement, the be discussed in order to be eliminated. The enced, a friend and 1 called a meeting of gay Sunday morning, it was the turn of the Gay more we talk about it, the more we are women in New Haven. The eight women Women’s Group to report on its activities. going to discover it is part of ourselves. who came included Lesbians who were not After a brief report there was dead silence. 1 CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS? I don’t believe that all women are gay. active in the women’s movement, women had expected that because, although we I’m not even sure 1 think that all women are who had come out within Women’s Libera­ were becoming open in small groups, the If you are planning to move, potentially Lesbians because none of us tion, and women who were thinking about response of the movement as a whole was please let us know six weeks before have talked to enough women to really find their relationship to other women. This was still silence. Finally a woman said, “Why do changing your address. Please send out. It is certainly clear, however, that the beginning of the New Haven Gay we always make Chris the spokeswoman? your old address and your new many mote women would be Lesbians if Women’s Group. Why don’t we talk for ourselves?” Silence. address, clearly marked. You MUST this option were really open. This is my One of the things 1 did for several Straight woman: “ I’m really glad there are include BOTH your old and new zip own philosophy, and other Lesbians would months after I came out was to try to tell so many gay women here. It made it much codes. REMEMBER, third class mail probably disagree with parts of it, but I women they .sliould be thinking about easier for the rest of us to express physical is not forwardable. Send to CIRCU­ have never heard any Lesbian give substance Lesbianism, if only because many of them affection with each other.” And then they LATION DEPARTMENT, THE to the women’s movement myth that all weren’t relating to men. Interestingly, were off and talking. For two hours all of LADDER, P.O. Box 5025, Wash­ women should become gay. We have all among women new to Women’s Liberation, us - “old heavies,” new women, gay. ington Station, Reno, Nev. 8^ 03. been pushed around enough, and we don’t 24 women’s movement might become all gay. who “come out” or the possibility that mean here “Lesbians” for your chosen drawn characterizations. This would be a disaster for everybody and they themselves might be Lesbians. But word “homosexuals,” we answer you The FaU-Winter, 1971/72, issue of “The wc cannot allow it to happen. women ate struggling. thusly: We don’t like books that portray Little Magazine” calls itself “Special Double The only way to prevent such a schism If we can keep going in this direction, Lesbians dishonestly and inesponsibly, nor Women’s Issue” and editorially pleads for Ls to deal directly with Lesbianism and all then the impact of Lesbianism on the do we like anything mediocre. forgiveness for having ignored women in the its implications for ourselves and our move­ women’s movement will be fantastic. Wom­ Long before we go to school and are past. They are to be forgiven, provided they ment. This has been happening to some en are dealing with an issue so socially and assaulted by literature that tends to shape mend their ways, if only for this issue, degree already. The changes are not nearly personally threatening that, until recently, us into our “role” in life, when Dick gets all which is well worth the $1.25 price tag. fast enough, but, when we consider that in it couldn’t even be mentioned openly. In the action and Jane talks to dogs, cats and Cîood fiction is represented by only one just two years the women’s movement has rejecting the prohibition of Lesbianism, we dolls, we first see “fairy tales” . . . but short story, “ 51%” by Judith McCombs, a gone from active rejection of Lesbians to are rejecting one of society’s most strongly they are all pretty sexist too. Now we have parody on the raising of young women in formal support of Lesbianism as a life style, imposed taboos. If we can do this, we can a “fairy tale” for the young Lesbian: our society. There is a so-so interview with our progress has been phenomenal. It hasn’t do anything. SLEEPING BEAUTY: A Lesbian Fairy Denise Levertov - you can skip it - and been easy for women to deal with friends Tale, by Vicki, Atlanta, Georgia, Sojourner the rest of the magazine is poetry, most of extraneous things like blasting ADVCXÜATE Truth Press, 1971. Their address is 432 it good and some of it marvelous. The usual (a male newspaper) for running sex fetish- Moreland Avenue N.E., Atlanta 30307, and knowns are here. Marge Piercy and Joyce istic adds . . . which, after all, hasn’t the book is only 70c including postage and Carol Oates; but don’t miss Miriam Palmer’s anything to do with Lesbians and isn’t of handling. Vkki has done a good job of two poems, “Getting Into Focus” and “A any interest to them at ail. I agree with her rewriting the classic tale - and even if some More Perfect Union.” on the subject, but I fail to see its relevance errors in form creep in, it’s very highly Wonderful to be able to include a must in a book about women. She spends a good recommended. Illustrations are by Gail and book and one that will be popular with deal of time begging for tasteful and quiet caOigraphy by Ginny, and the printing is most readers. Those of you who have been magazines and newspapers; but the few better than almost any of the “little” reading in this field for years will feel a times she mentions THE LADDER, it is presses now proliferating in the women’s sense of déjà vu at the title, but ODD GIRL After quite a few years of silence, we with the usual expected venom. She men­ movement. Nice. OUT, by Elizabeth Jane Howard, N.Y., have a new book from Ann Aldrich, our old tions past issues (meaning 10 years ago) Iris Murdoch has always been one of my Viking, 1971, is in no way like Ann nemesis. The title is from the marvelous with deserved scorn perhaps, but she has favorite writers, and we may well get a Barmon’s 1957 novel, ODD GIRL OUT, Radicalesbian slogan, TAKE A LESBIAN seen at least as late an issue as February, review of her new book, AN ACCIDENTAL except in the ending. Into the insular and TO LUNCH. Publisher is Macfadden-Bartell, 1970, for she quotes from it . . . yet she MAN, N.Y., Viking, 1972, into this column upper-class world of Anne and Edmund 1972. You ought to be able to find this on still implies (in one case by deliberate — but if not, it will be in the next one. It comes the forlorn waif, Arabella, the titular your newsstands that carry wide paperback omission) that THE LADDER is about promises to be substantially Lesbian, which “odd girl.” Anne and Edmund, though selections. Most of you who have seen her where it was 8 to 10 years ago. She also comes as no surprise to anyone who has loving, are not in love; and with usual male earUer titles will want to read her poison- passes on a bit of scorn toward all Lesbian read her work. Her younger sister, Norma anogance, Edmund quickly seduces Ara- ou.s, but entertaining, new book. It is a organizations while praising the male- Meacock, whose short stories have been mishmash of gay liberation, personal re­ oriented groups, which is a bit much. We reviewed in past issues of THE LADDER, countings of her friends (who must be very have the same reservations about her “fic­ has a novel out, THINKING GIRL, N.Y., angry frequently), and some smidgens of the tionalized” portraits of supposedly real Dial, 1972.1 had really wished to be able to growing women’s liberation movement. As Lesbians that she knows on an intimate or say something good about it, if only be­ far as movement literature is concerned, friendly basis. The writer of this review cause of her sister. Then I remembered I this isn’t even an adequate look at the 1969 quite possibly knows a couple of thousand also have sisters and you probably do too, and on gay liberation movement; and where Lesbians - and has yet to meet or even and we aren’t anything alike at all. THINK­ she ends (with events that took place in HEAR about the “types” of women that ING GIRL is remarkable only in that its early 1970), women were just beginning to Ms. Aldrich apparently finds running ram­ heroine doesn’t think at aU, as far as I could separate themselves from men altogether in pant in the streets of New York City. There tell. She is a Lesbian, she knows she is a j Lesbian, she is even happy about it - but these organizations, and this is simply not is the ever-present underlying tone of nasty covered. Also ignored, of course, because of condescension - the slightly “sick” sense of before it is out, she has slept with half the the timing, is the entirely new look in her presence in these homes, where she unattractive males of England and married Lesbians when you consider the thousands clearly feels superior to her “friends” in one you wouldn’t believe if I described him. of women who have come out via women’s every way. So much for that. She can, grudgingly admitted, write rather well We hope she liberation. In closing Ms. Aldrich says: “Years ago, It is hard to figure out what she is trying when I first began reporting on homosexual grows up soon and begins using her skills. to do. She says as many of the expected life as an insider, it used to anger me when The subtle charm the English are famous nasty things about Lesbians as ever, though homosexuals wrote anything mediocre (by for is reflected in LATE IN THE AFTER­ she does add an apologia at the end saying my judgment) or irresponsible . . . or NOON, by Lettice Cooper, London, Gol- she had previously thought Lesbians (pre­ exhibitionistic. Nor could I fathom any lancz, 1971, wherein not too recently sumably including herselfi were all sick but reason for homosexuals announcing pub­ widowed Sybil Fairford discovers just why now has changed her mind. She also advo­ licly that they were homosexuals, wanting she has been so inordinately fond of her cates coming out of the closet, though not to many each other, adopt children. . . or former daughter-in-law. Quiet, slow moving, Elizabeth Jane Howard, author of ODD entirely. Whole chapters are given over to any of i t ” Well, Ms. Aldrich, assuming you pleasant reading with unusually sharply GIRL OUT Photo: Jill Krementz bella, who responds without commitment. and editing standpoint (good graphics, well mouth. New Hampshire 03801. No cost is ideology, is never even noticed by Marxists, When Edmund goes on a trip, it is immedi­ spaced, good margins, good paper) contain­ listed; write for information. let alone considered oppressive. It is time ately apparent to Anne and Arabella that ing, good and well known poets mixed with these ideology buffs ideologized about (Rita Laporte contributes the following] they are in love. Their affair is treated lesser works. It is only somewhat feminist, heterosexual chauvinism. Mitchell poses as graphically, erotically . . . and in very good sinpe the primary function of the collection WOMAN’S ESTATE by Juliet MitcheU, being terribly well informed about the taste. Edmund’s inevitable return triggers seems to be political and leftist. Pantheon, 182 pp, $5.95, is another Marxist United States' (she is English, though born the denouement. Very highly recom­ One collection everyone reading this ideology book, an attempt to fit heterosex­ in Australia). This country, she tells us, is mended. column will want, hopefully, is EDWARD ual women’s liberation into 19th century the cradle of imperialism, apparently forget­ Isabel Miller’s 1969 sentimental must THE DYKE and other poems, by Judy male thought For those who are already ting that Empire upon which the sun never novel, A PLACE FOR US, has been issued Grahn. Cost is $1.25 and you can get it believers, this book succeeds, as any book set and against which we had a little war of by McGraw-Hill in February, 1972, with from Judy by writing to 1018 Valencia would that puts Marxist ideology front and liberation back in 1776. Female Marxists the title changed to PATIENCE AND Street, San Francisco, California 94110. We center. Mitchell examines England, some ate the coldest, most heartless writers I have SARAH. If you have missed this, don’t go have mentioned the marvelous satire, “The western European countries, and the United read in connection with women’s liberation on depriving yourself — it’s major Lesbian Psychoanalysis of Edward the Dyke’’ in States with respect to the student move­ and Mitchell is no exception. In her zeal for and one of the best ever issued. these pages; and long time readers will recall ment, the black movement, and women’s ideology she drains life of all warmth and The first issue of THE FURIES, a we carried a selection of Judy’s poetry in liberation. Remember, in Marxism, the es­ humanity. We are all pawns in a theoretical Lesbian/Feminist .Monthly, is highly recom­ THE LADDER some years ago. Judy writes tablishment of the Socialist State takes superstructure - no, we Lesbians do not mended. If the quality of this first issue is that she is a “slow” worker, and this book precedence over the rights of any groiip or even rate that much existence, But then, we maintained, this is a newspaper most of you contains virtually her entire body of work. person. But Mitchell feels that women do do not in real life Marxism either - vide the will want to subscribe to. Available for $5 Don’t miss this; it’s more than worth the count, heterosexual ones, that is. The most USSR, Cuba, and China. per year from Box 8843, S.E. Station, $1.25. Include postage - remember there is pervasive ideology of them all, heterosexual Washington, D.C. 20003. They show no no profit margin on privately printed ma­ sample rate, but a single issue cost of 35c, terial. so you can probably get a sample for about In the last column we mentioned a good 50c to cover cost plus postage. story from REDBOOK, but we now have a TANQLED HAIR There is an ever increasing number of more amazing event to report. The Decem­ A REVIEW BY ELSA GIDLOW small women’s presses in the country. The ber, 1971, issue of COSMOPOLITAN con­ The publication in 1971 by Purdue poet of lesser talent than herself named latest, Violet Press, P.O. Box 398, New tains a very major Lesbian short story, York, N.Y. 10009, offers LOOKING AT University of TANGLED HAIR: selected Tekkan Yosano, also loved Tomiko “Love and Friendship,” by Edith Konecky. Tanka from Midaregami, by Akiko Yosano, throughout her life. The biographical ma­ WOMEN, poems by Fran Winate, Violet (A reader clipped and sent this to us . . . Press, 1971. Cost is 50c plus postage (be a Japanese woman born in 1878, reminds us terial contains this curious line: “Both girls thank you.) generous, make it 75c - there is no margin again for how long women worldwide have loved each other, and both wanted to share on publications like this). LOOKING AT Another New Lesbian newspaper is been struggling to be recognized as persons. Tekkan.” Tomiko was forced into a family- WOMEN is uncommonly good . . . strictly LAVENDAR WOMAN, from 7621 Sagi­ These beautiful translations from the Japa­ arranged marriage with a businessman. Hav­ a Lesbian collection. naw, Chicago, Illinois 60649. Volume One, nese by Sanford Goldstein and Seishi ing informed Akiko of its imminence, we Alta, whose name is becoming a house­ Number One is dated November, 1971 - Shinoda reveal a woman passionately at are told: “That night Tomiko and Akiko hold word, has a collection, POEMS AND and that’s all we have seen so far. Contents variance with the restrictions of her day, slept in one bed.” Tomiko became a widow PROSE, put out by KNOW, Inc., P.O. Box are uneven, but it’s a much better than courageously asserting personal, artistic and two years later when her husband died of 10197, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15232. This is a average beginning. Cost is 25 c for this first sexual freedom, expressing her sensuous tuberculosis. The notes lay considerable purple bound paperback, printed on laven- issue. No subscription rates are shown . . . affirmations in poetry and in her life. This emphasis on the jealousy Akiko was be­ dar paper, very attractive but practically write to them and ask. in nineteenth century Japan when she could lieved to have felt because of Tekkan’s impossible to read. Most of the poetry has Colin Spencer has written a good many be (and as a young woman was) locked into continuing devotion to Tomiko after his been in other collections of Alta’s work. books with Lesbian characters, and some of her bedroom at night by her father and marriage to Akiko - a union apparently Cost not listed in book . . . but it cannot them we have been able to recommend. His forbidden to go out at any time unless brought about by her insistence - whether be too high. latest, PANIC, London, Seeker and War­ accompanied by a relative or attendant. through love alone, or to be free of her A group called Friends of Malatesta, burg, is quite a substantial study; but it is a One can only guess at the strength it father is not clear. On the ambivalence of Box 72, Bidwell Station, Buffalo, N.Y. very poor novel, hanging coincidence and required under such circumstances to assert the actual emotions involved in this uncon­ 14222, has a book (very modest paperback) sensationalism together apparently without and win independence and as poet break ventional three-way relationship we can caUed A SELECTION OF WOMEN’S POE­ regard for the suffering reader. This one is with tradition to inject life into an art form only speculate. TRY. Copyright isn’t listed and neither is to be ignored, even when it comes out over dying of rigidity and cliche. The ample and fascinating appendix the cost . . . but again, this has to be 50c here, as it inevitably will. Into her twenties before she escaped notes to each of the 165 Tanka (five-line or under. Contents are uneven, though Taking a page from the WHOLE family dominance, Akiko lived a heterosex­ poems) assume that the suffering expressed some very well known women are included EARTH CATALOG, a women’s group in ual life as wife and mother; but the bio­ in many of them confesses to Akiko’s - Marge Piercy and Martha Shelley, for New Hampshire has issued Volume 1 of graphical notes prefacing the poetry suggest resentment at not having Tekkan’s undi­ example. THE WHOLE WOMAN CATALOG (Fall, some degree of variance. She had a devoted vided love; but one cannot help feeling that Diana Press, 1854 Wyoming Avenue 1971). Contents are primarily a listing of friendship with another woman, Tomiko the complex feelings of this remarkable N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009, has issued the many women’s publications and groups Yamakawa, also a poet, lasting until the woman may have been oversimplified by REFLECTIONS, a very well done collec­ all over the country, and it is useful for this latter’s death at twenty-nine years of age. her commentators. The volume presents the tion of poetry from the technical printing reason. Address is P.O. Box 1171, Ports­ The man who became Akiko’s husband, a poems in their original Japanese and also in Romaji renderings; so anyone with a knowh an example of the kind of poetic content edge of Japanese might delve for different that, coming from a woman, shocked Lesbian Literature in 1971 interpretations. Akiko's generation. An Annual Report For this reviewer the beauty, the sensu­ ous strength, the freedom of the poetry is And this one: By GENE DAMON rewarding enough. We are told that the “Evening of departing spring translations are faithful to the original. As How alive poetry in English they communicate satisfy- The sutra ingly and most often with a haunting Chanted by the insane girl 1971 was a very good year in many Biography fans were rewarded by the beauty. There is one trick that bothered Under the temple wisteria” ways, with 51 titles outside of the plethora appearance of CARRINGTON, edited by this reviewer: the repetition of adjectives. fllustrating a choice of subject matter for of paperback tripe that we no longer even David Garnett N.Y., Holt, Rinehart and Once or twice it is effective in suggesting poetry that projects this daring innovator give statistical space to. Forty-ffve of these Winston, 1971, yet another chapter in the intensity, as: into our own times. were hardback books and the others quality book of the Bloomsbury group. Elizabeth “A thousand lines The book itself is handsomely made, paperbacks. A few of these titles, primarily Mavor’s delightful THE LADIES OF Of black black hair one that any lover of poetry would prize; English books, haven’t yet been reviewed. It LLANGOLLEN, London, Michael Joseph, All tangled, tangled - and, as book prices go these days, a bargain takes up to 6 months to get a book from 1971, is the long needed study of a rather And tangled too at $5.95. The notes that occupy about a England, so there is a long delay between fabulous pair of Lesbians in our “herstory” ; My thoughts of love.” third of the volume are an education in my hearing of these titles and being able to and Richard Bridgeman’s GERTRUDE But we find it again and again: “Drab, drab Japanese customs (many of them still alive bring them to you. Thus, some 6-8 hard­ STEIN IN PIECES, N.Y., Oxford University green;” “A white, white mare;” “Her long today); although one can be left with the back novels that belong among the counted Press, 1970, more or less diminishes lesser 51 haven’t yet appeared in the regular long/Waistband/Longer than her long tantalizing feeling that different interpreta­ studies of Ms. Stein, though it is hardly the sleeves;” and “That pink band/Wom/To tions of the genesis or inspiration of some column. Those of you wlio have been final word. bind her hair in front/Ought to have been/ of the poems might be made. There seems reading THE LADDER since at least the There has been so much Lesbian poetry Bright bright red.” This is a minor cavil. to be a tendency to make them too Apiil/May, 1971, issue have seen the year’s published in the past year that we hardly titles, so we are going to only list some The majority of the poems come to one specifically autobiographical. Poets are not believe it. Anyway, here are the major overt musically as just right in the directness of as a rule as literal as that. especially fine books. If you would like and most recommended of the lot: Elsa more complete information, we invite you Gidlow’s MOODS OF EROS, Druid Heights their portrayal of a vast range of experience (Reviewer Elsa Gidlow is a long time in simple and sensuous language. to purchase back copies of THE LADDER. Press, 1970; Harriette Frances’ SAPPHO LADDER contributor in the poetry The better novels include THE BIRD ’71, San Francisco, Donahue/Arlington, A few examples: line and as essayist. First to describe “Inside the coffin OF PARADISE, by Lily PoweU, N.Y., 1971; WATCH OUT BROTHER, I’M the moving and now famous women's Knopf, 1971: Jane Rule’s AGAINST THE HERE, by Heather, Berkeley, Calif., Shame­ Of my beautiful liberation meeting in San Francisco i Friend SEASON, N.Y., McCalls, 1971; Joan Hag­ less Hussy Press, 1971; and Rita Mae where most o f the women in the gerty’s DAUGHTERS OF THE MOON, Brown’s THE HAND THAT CRADLES The flowers audience stood when asked by the A riot of color.” Indianapolis, Bobbs-MerriU, 1971; and pos­ THE ROCK, N.Y., New York University Lesbian speaker how many o f them sibly Monique Wittig’s LES GUERIL- Press, 1971. Less major, less overt, but very could admit to having felt erotically LERES, N.Y., Viking, 1971, though the last literary and very necessary to all com- Another: drawn to another woman, Elsa is best “Disregarding right and wrong named is difficult reading and is basically pletists is Phyllis Webb’s SELECTED known as a fine poet. Her recent book, about women’s liberation. Monica Dicken’s POEMS, 1954-1965, Vancouver, B.C., The next world MOODS OF EROS, is still available Fame THE END OF THE LINE, Garden City, Talonbooks, 1971. We have to mention from Druid Heights Press, 685 Camino N.Y., Doubleday, 1%9, 1970, a carryover Lynn Lonidier’s marvelous THE FEMALE We face each other Del Canyon, Mill Valley, California Loving and loved.” from an earlier year, is also highly recom­ FREEWAY, San Francisco, The Tenth 94941 at $2.25.) mended - we were just late in finding and Muse, 1970, though it is not exclusively reporting it Lesbian or even exclusively women’s libera­ Secondary novels, not necessarily lesser tion. from a literary standpoint but less major in Statistic nuts may be interested in VWR ISO UNTO MiN AS MtN their treatment of Lesbians, include knowing that you have to go back to 1967’s OO UNTO WOM£N. DESTROY SHE SAID, by Marguerite total of 46 hardbacks to find a year with a Duras, N.Y., Grove, 1971: Marie-Clair higher count. On the other hand, there is no Blais’s THE MANUSCRIPTS OF PAULINE question that much more material by and ARCHANGE, N.Y., Farrar, Straus & Gi­ about Lesbians is available now than at any roux, 1970; A.B. Guthrie, Jr.’s ARFIVE, time in the past, what with the constant Boston, Houghton-Mifflin, 1971; Richard coverage in most women’s liberation media Dougherty’s WE DANCE AND SING, Gar­ and generally increased public interest. den City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1971; and a Cut-off date for this count was November couple of titles that might properly belong 15, 1971 - and we are already seeing signs in the paragraph above: THE LOVE- that indicate 1972 will be a much bigger KEEPER, by Colin Gibson, London, Chatto year. and Windus, 1971, and MLLE. SAWLLl?, by Suzanne Prou, N.Y., Harper, 1971. It does so matter where you live! If it’s a Labyrinth for amazing tenants Or a chalet with bay windows P oetr L| Facing out to a Wyeth view. Green chiffon drapes, on golden hoop loops; Three wicker coffee tables; a Gauguin island print; One climb high bookcase filled with the sequence of time. Wendy, age 9, of the Kauchema Community There’s also a grandfather clock in the corner near her vine; I heard it chime. I like her house better than mine. We had a dinner there at twilight once. Two girls, missing nobody, with Puccini arias ^Oo And incense to surround. Whispers and cats and hydrangeas in the night. She wore a straight blue shift with white polka dots And ran barefoot to the hearth to put the deer above the fire. Venison in the mountains. Flameshadows spilled magic on her cheeks and eyelashes; around Her an aura of secrecy and charm. I knew That she had found herself in another. Mutual indwelling Sound in the whorls of a concha shell. The one he sent from the island of Tarawa. On the window sill in her bedroom. It will always give me pleasure to see her smile. THEN I WILL. So sad she was through all those ntoon-nights while I sketched her eyes on hair In that rented garret flat on the edge of the city near the pier Where she wrote me her first word poem. (Because before that only sounds - of bells and cymbals and gypsy tambourines) "Sylvia, You Should See The Clouds Parade, Showing Themselves Off— So Transparent, Light, Free; Elise, age 7, of the Kauchema Community The Wind’s Blow Their Insides Away. Sylvia, M y Flesh Is Heavy On M y Bones, My Shadow Droops." p \ v e V ' V o h e a ^ It does so matter where you live. (À If it's away from mystery and your only friend. Now on the other side of men. Pcrsc^n -fo p\^y\^|\'\n I live in a panelled tomb, lost, lost, and at the end of a dream. Rochelle Holt

P o e K ) T Û Alicia we can’tl/’’we can." d K c y - j - a colored coats on windmill children a X dancing laughers greyed by rain, pastel paintings racing gulls, and dragonflies of lonely dreams . . . "Alicia is me!" giggles from "before" alone takes wing and innocence is yellow hair ED/TOR'S NOTE: KAUCHEMA COMMUNITY CONSISTS OF ADULTS OF BOTH SEXES AND CHILDREN. AN INTENTIONAL cheeks flushed by winter's sting. I turned (breath hard CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY LIVING AND GROINING tides flooding fast) to run. TOGETHER. \NE ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THEIR hands caught me spun me round CREATIVE G RO W TH WITH ALL OF YOU. strength cutting red marks on sweatered f lesh,-the eyes were blue intense to haze her words, steam on my face- "you realize that dust is dust and only angels sing." Alicia Langtree 33 flesh is as grass you are my private meadow The House by the Sea free to blow and grow and take root where you will by I close the gate around myself Ann Sheldon and rest my cheek upon your fragileness a prisoner to what I can't confine In England over the endless sea bound because I chose to call you mine (I dream, my darling, for you and me: while winds I won't control Tomorrow if not today) carry love's seed through fences out of my reach There stands in Devon by the sea. your flesh is grass In the gentle airs of the West Country, save me with silence one season's all I need of love A house that is tall and grey. Option your "n o " can defy gravity and nature understands by I won't ask the question A n old grey house beside the sea. Ann Sheldon Susan Staff and if m y private war becomes an issue And there two ladies live merrily. don't enlist. Most merrily and gay. "M en," said the wise old woman. be that silent majority Are like that. omnipresent Two willows near and a great oak tree I always loved my man unsuspecting. Trace starlight patterns of fantasy. Rut I knew, knew about the others. and if I fall - And spring in the breeze by day. Accept it, dear. I've been deceived though it is by your roadside, by groups of letters clumped pass by me at a distance, These ladies go walking by the sea. I suppose I'll have to. And, of course, and clotted on bold pages it's my own conquest Their hair in the wind blows light and free. I, too, could have — well, others. by accents, tones and dialects save me with silence And their lips are kissed by the spray. Only, I love him, I guess. and phrases trite or obsolete I am the aggressor Why is it that we women by epitaphs and eulogies Let me be the only casualty. And they stroll in the lane and follow the bee. mocking with insincerity Love like this - solely? They lie in the grass beneath a tree, by oaths and creeds Susan Staff Attd they sing as they wander away. No, I don't see that women's liberation broken — out grown Helps, Sisterhood and that. and saints turned mortal overnight. At dusk they turn to the house by the sea. Of course, I believe in freedom. So if I come to you in silence Lightly and gaily trot home to tea. promising nothing And I'd get into it more, except They carry a bright bouquet. He's so against it. and am not prone to praise yourself or pledge myself with words. Still, w h a t has it to d o A SENSE OF PRIORITIES IN ELMHURST A n d they stop at the church quite faithfully With whether he loves me? Understand that I love the best in silence And sweetly together they bend the knee — And how I, a woman. And while I sit by you speechless, What's the matter with you. Oh it's thanks they give as they pray! Love him? Maybe And when I walk away without goodbyes, Why are you behaving like that. The fault's in me. Know that you mattered more than words I just lost my best friend. Mother. Sometimes they dress most prettily And I still pray for you. Well, stop that crying. And go up to London Town to see But that girl from liberation without amens. Why are you crying like that New frocks and frieirds and a play. Said a strange thing. She said, Crying like that over some girlfriend. "Yes, men really are like that. Susan Staff I must say: And twice, 0 Oxford town, to thee: And women do want to love for keeps. You always have been peculiar. First for the joyful ecstasy So for you the freedom Stop that at once. Of the dreaming spires and the may; Of a guy's flitting about But Mother, Is hardly freedom, is it? You left yesterday She's my lover. A ik I then in soft winter dusk to be Yet freedom is options, and for you and today I'm still looking I always thought there was In cold empty streets without a key There's always the other one." for scraps of paper with your writing Something about that girl I didn't like. Yet never alone or astray. on them. You mean to tell me. And then she said. "B u t only you When I find them by accident, You have kissed her on the Then home to the tall grey house by the sea Can put it all together the shock hurts. Mouth. To sit close by the fire and read poetry And choose a woman's liberation." Almost as much Oh, many times. Mother. A s long as the night will stay. as you saying you may not remember Well this has got to stop. "Call me, love," she said. me Well you had better stop this. Just so in England right merrily two years from now. Running around with freaks. These ladies so lightly live and, seel I'll bet you haven't cleaned Hands linked as they go their way. Elise Kirk Your apartment in weeks. Orte lady, my darling, looks like thee; Mickie Burns The other lady, dear one, is me — And to dream can be to pray. I love the rain D L Cnl anJ tlie By JENNETTE LEE for the memories it brings back 9 with each tree-shaking gust that rattles around the windows She had been up this morning at four friends with seniors, for instance, except by and the eaves of the house. o’clock, and had crept out through the gate, invitation - and a senior was very high up! I remember these sounds almost guiltily, and off across the fields for The curtains parted a little. The girl’s and your steps a long walk. There might be nothing wrong eyes glanced quickly. A firm hand pushed clicking on the kitchen tile, in taking a walk at four o’clock in the back the curtains and a figure stood be­ thudding on the rugs. morning; perhaps no one would have stayed tween them looking out on the morning. Staying home, her in her flight through the college gates, The Ufted head bote a mass of reddish hair or driving through a summer storm, munching her bit of crackers and cheese, gathered carelessly, and the light that fell I remember your face had they known. But no one knew. She had on the tallest peaks and gables of the lit by the neon-glow of a storm last August. carefully not inquired . . . college touched it with gold. To tlie fresh­ SCULPTING YOU FROM MEMORY She had had her walk, with the freshness man, gazing from her walk, it was as if a Let it rain, Excess flesh I need the memory. of the spring luring her on, up Redmond goddess, high-en.shrined and touched by the Slides down palms. Hill, down the slope by Boardman’s and rising sun, stood revealed. She gave a ga.sp Pulses homeward. Elise Kirk along home by the road, gathering from the of pleasure. bushes on either side the great masses of It had been a glorious walk out in the Small thumbs lift your forehead; trailing vines that draped her head and dew and sunri.se, and now Annette Osier Sturdy cliff. shoulders and hung swaying from her arms. was gazing from her lower window - not Carnival lights It had been a wonderful walk - pulling the on the girl on the college walk, to be sure, , Blink below. vines from the bushes, shaking the dew but on the world of wonder. from the clustering blossoms and drenching She looked up adoringly at the figure in Middle fingers stroke temples; herself in freshness. the tower of South Parker. And the girl Down cheekbones, The blossoms were a faint, greenish high in the window turned a little and Jawbone frames white and, with her green-and-white-striped looked down. There was no one in sight - Locked smile. skirt and white blouse as she stood in the only the quiet light of morning on the gateway looking in on the coUege halls, the campus and the wind rippling shadowy Pliable, moist flowers and the twisting stalks of leaves waves in the ivy leaves on brick walls. A CYPRESS TREE WORLD Flesh responds; twined about her and framing her in, she little rippling wave seemed to run from the Lips purse, open. might have been the very spirit of the walk to the high tower window, and with a An unfamiliar place is this; outdoor world peeping shyly in at the halls gesture of happiness the girl on the walk Trees have breasts. I cast you in bronze. of learning, curious, wistful and tiptoe for turned toward the entrance of Gordon Hall. Bark softens to my touch. flight. Her pulses sang as she went, her step danced I crawl into the branch-bed Jane Chambers 1970 She stood a moment gazing up at the a little, hurrying up the stairs and along the Pillowed in musk-moss. great masses of brick and stone that made corridor to her room. She opened the door Twining fingers in down. up her college world. The side of the quickly. Nuzzling the damp. WOMAN buildings neatest the lodge gate was in Across the room by the window, her shadow and the vines and the dull red of roommate, surrounded by books, was tak­ I will nest here. I am caught up in her; the bricks seemed to hold for her something ing notes, dipping in here and there svith Secret from shaded earth. A child at seaside play mysterious and strange. She went slowly up alert pencil. She looked up in swift surprise. Open only to the Sun's Lifted by the tidal wave. the brick walk, holding in check a sudden “Why, where have you - Oh, how lovely!” Polka-dot love. longing to turn back, to flee once more to Her eye caught the green-and-white blos­ Jane Chambers 1970 I am possessed by her; the fields and the Uttle brook that ran soms and she sprang up. “Here - I’ll get the Jesus' eyes in a painting gurgling by Boardman’s and make a day of pitcher!” Follow you. it, out in the free world. She brought a pitcher from the bed­ It was mysterious and wonderful - this room, and Mora placed the vines in water, She wraps me in her belly college where her name was enrolled: standing back to survey them. They trailed From “Flora Bailey, 1920." But there was some­ down over the window sill and onto the Across the room. thing overpowering about it. The great walls seat below. She touched them with quick that looked so gracious in the fresh morning fingers. “That will do. We’ll arrange them Jane Chambers 1970 light had a way of shutting one in, of after breakfast.” hampering and binding the movements of Her companion had gone back to her freshmen. There were so many things one task of scooping up notes with flying must and must not do within the gracious pencil. She suspended it a minute and walls! Her eye glanced up to a tower of looked up. “Do you remember Bainnuter?” South Parker, high up to a window where she asked absently. silken curtains hung in even folds, and a “Bainnuter?” repeated Flora. “I don’t sigh escaped her lips. One must not make seem to remember - was he on the Yale team?” Flora’s face was scarlet. “I don’t cate if Her loom mate stared. Then she it is!” she murmured. chuckled. “He’s ancient history, Flora dear! “Be a sport. Flora! You can’t have a F,arly Egyptian. I was wondering if Doxey crush on a senior-” would ask us about him. Do you suppose he “It is not a crush!” said Flora vehe­ will?” mently. “I just want to know Annette Flora wheeled. She regarded her with because she’s the kind of girl 1 like. And if I startled eyes. “History exam! This morn­ get on the team, she’ll notice me; she’ll have ing!” she gasped. “I foigot - oh, I forgot!” to notice me! There isn’t any other way to She seized her books from the table, hunt­ get to know a senior, is there?” she de­ ing out a stub of pencil in haste. “I hate ’em manded. all - everybody that’s had any history done “You're too aspiring,” said Aspasia. She about ’em. I hate ’em!” she said savagely. gathered up her books and notes. “Come on “Why, 1 thought you liked history! You to breakfast. There’s the bell.” did splendidly in the February exam. “I’m not going to breakfast,” said Flora You’re such a clever thing! I wish I were!” fitmly. “I’ve got to study,” She sighed deeply and returned to her Her roommate reappeared from the bed­ scooping and dredging. room. “You’re a weak, sentimental fresh­ The roommate’s name was Aspasia — man!” she remarked casually. Aspasia Elton. That was another of the “I am not sentimental! I want to know perplexing things about college, living night Annette Osier because she’s a great, glorious and day with a girl named Aspa$ia. It made creature! So, there! Let be teasing, life topsy-turvy. No one at home'had ngmes Aspasia.” out of history books. i “ ‘Let be teasing’! I must save that for Aspasia glanced at her casually. “Better Professor Goodwin. Funny English! Did cram on Ramescs II,” she said kindly. you get it from your grandmother, honey? “They say he’s dippy on Rameses!” He’ll be sure to ask the ‘source’, you The room was quiet. No sound came know.” from the corridors or from the rooms above “Go along!” said Flora crossly. or below. She was left alone, and there was only The two girls turned leaves and the sunlight falling on the green-and-white crammed notes. Now and then one of them vines in the window and traveling to the sighed. Sounds began to come from the scattered books on the table. She looked at corridor - hurried feet in slippers, and them a minute; then her arms dropped to splashings and calls from the bathrooms, the table with a little gesture of defeat, and and bits of conversation floating over tran­ her face dropped to her arms . . . soms. A bumblebee hummed in the window Flora closed her book with a little shrug. and went away. She put a pencil carefully in the place. It may have been the blossoms. “Doxey gave me warning last week,” she She lifted her face and looked at them said. balefuUy. If only she had known enough to Aspasia looked up. “What a shame!” get up at four o’clock to study instead of “No-o. It’s all right. / knew I wasn’t going off for that miserable walk! And doing anything; only 1 hoped he didn’t suddenly the sunrise as it came over R ed­ know. I thought the February exam had mond Hill flashed back to her; it brought fooled him - maybe.” the song of a bird that trilled softly out of “Anyway, you don’t need to worry. the woods. Your February mark will carry you Her face seemed to listen to the fluting through.” call. Then it grew thoughtful. If there were “Yes; but it won’t put me on the team. some way, some legitimate way, of attract­ That’s all 1 care about, all I’ve ever cared ing the attention of a senior! Annette liked about,” she said slowly. the things she liked. Often she watched her Aspasia nodded. It was sympathetic and setting off alone over the hiU that led to the vague. “Well - you can live if you don’t fields. And because she was a freshman she make the team. Other folks do.” might not hurry after her and say: “Come "/ can’t!” said Flora. on for a walk with m e!". . . And suddenly Her roommate looked at her reflec­ she looked at i t Why not? Why not go to tively. “It’s Annette Osier,” she atmounced. her, this very morning, lay the case before “Just because she’s captain, you w ant-” her and ask her to go for a walk? Why not? . . . The history exam might as well be cut; - the delicately lined dome that her fingers on “The Curious Case of Prudence Small.” Curious Case of Prudence Small” would she was bound to flunk anyway! She explored and the shining roots at the door She began to read. And as she read her come out “There!” The doctor put aside pushed the books aside with a look of . , . Her thoughts traveled rebelliously to cheeks glowed and her eyes danced. She the basin. “I don’t think it will be dricoF distaste. She would do it - and do it now! the infirmary - “weeks perhaps,” Aspasia looked speculatively at the librarian. The ored now. How do you feel?” She was There was a sound in the hall. She said. bbrarian was a small woman, and there were looking down at her critically. picked up her book and opened it swiftly to When she came in from her walk she only two other girls in the room. Better Flora’s face flushed. She recalled hastily Rameses 11. went directly to the library and asked for wait? She shook her head. She would never how she felt - and stretched out her arms The door swung open on Aspasia, one medical books. The librarian bent a keen, have the courage if she waited! She opened and rubbed them a little. “I feel better,” elbow holding careful guard over a glass of spectacled inquiry on her. the book again to “The Curious Case of she said slowly, "only there is a little milk and two large slices of bread and “I want them for fiction purposes,” Prudence Small” and read the details once buzzing in the top of my head, and the bu tter. explained Flora, “for local color.” more — and looked up. soles of my feet are slightly paralyzed, I Flora sprang up. “You dear!” But when the musty books were laid The green-shaded reading lights in the think.” Aspasia set the milk on the table and before her, she had a period of depression. dim room made little ghastly circles about She said it neatly and glibly and lay with turned, a little breathless. “What do you She attacked them in a little gust of the two girls bending over their books; and closed eyes, waiting for what might happen. think? Annette Osier has sprained her discouragement, selecting the most mod­ the librarian, mounted on her platform, The doctor’s swift eyes studied the ankle! They’re taking her up to the infirm­ em-looking one with colored plates and seemed like some priestess of knowledge passive countenance. “I think we will keep ary now!” diagrams and opening it at random. The waiting for mystic rites to begin. Flora you here tonight,” she said quietly. And Flora looked at her with a foolish, charts and plates held her. Next to outdoors fixed her eye on her and stood up. The She touched a bell and gave directions half-startled smile. “Now isn’t that a stupid could there be anything more fascinating librarian went on counting out cards. Flora to the nurse. Her fingers rested lightly on thing to do!” she said slowly. “How long do and mysterious than the human body? Why scraped her chair a little on the floor; and Flora’s wrist. “We will pul her in the ward,” you suppose she will have to stay in the had no one ever told her about these things! then, as no one paid attention, she gave it a she said, “next to Miss Osier.” She started infirmary?” She looked down curiously at her own shove that upset it with a clatter and and glanced sharply down at the wrist “Oh - ages!” said Aspasia carelessly. “A hand resting on the book. It seemed to her brought the spectacled glance full upon her under her fingers, and then at the girl’s sprained ankle isn’t a thing you get over in a a new hand, one that she had never seen and a look of annoyance from the girls placid face. day, you know. She’ll be there weeks before. The network of blue veins fasci­ across the room. She held the wrist a minute and dropped maybe.” nated her; they were little branching trees Flora lifted her arms slowly. She gave a it slowly, her eyes on the face. “I shall look And Flora looked down at Rameses II. or the delicate veining of leaves. She had long, low moan and subsided gently to the in again before I go to bed. She may need a “ How stupid!” she said to him softly. not guessed people were like that, as won­ floor. quieting draft to make her sleep,” It had seemed so simple this morning to derful as trees! - like trees really, with all There was a fluny of green-shaded From her desk on her platform, the go to Annette. And now she might have those branches of muscles and nerves and lights, a glimpse of the librarian’s startled librarian peered over at the doctor, who was been a thousand miles away, for any chance veins. face; then the sound of running feet, and standing looking down the green-shaded, there was of getting at her. Perhaps they were trees once. the two girts were bending over a rigid quiet room. The history examinations came and Her mind dreamed on happily. She figure and lifting it from the floor. “Tell me just what happened,” the went in a maze of gloom. She had flunked knew how it felt to be a tree, swaying in the Five minutes later, in the consulting doctor said briskly. of course. She did not care particularly wind with the rain on your leaves. Perhaps room of the infirmary, the college physi­ And while the librarian recounted the about the flunking, but it was embarrassing she was a tree once, and grew on a hillside, cian, summoned from a comfortable game meager details of the story, the doctor’s to meet Professor Dockery on the campus and the squirrels ran up and down and of whist, bent above the rigid figure. thoughtful face surveyed the ¡vacant room next day; and she made a little skillful nibbled at branches. She gave a little Flora’s eyes rested trustfully on the and the table where the brown books lay. detour to evade him - only to see him chuckling laugh in the silence of the library, physician’s face. She had recovered con­ “It might have been studying too soon coming toward her along the path by the and the librarian looked over reprovingly sciousness almost as soon as they had after eating - don’t you think?” inquired elms. from her platform. deposited her on the infirmary couch. Five the librarian helpfully. He stopped as she came up and looked Flora made a gesture of apology and minutes the book said; she Judged it must “I don’t thhik anything,” said the doc­ down at her consideringly. “You wrote a plunged again into her search. But it had be about five minutes - and she opened her tor. “I’m puzzled.” She walked across to good paper yesterday; a very good paper changed now from .seeking to dallying eyes and gazed pensively at the perturbed the table and picked up one of the books. indeed!” enjoyment. Why had no one told her? And faces that surrounded her. “What was she reading?” she asked. “I did!” cried Flora. she read on till the librarian touched her on The physician dismissed them all with a The librarian flushed. “She said she “1 shall withdraw my opposition to your the shoulder and she looked up, blinking. curt gesture. She brought a basin of water, wanted them for fiction purposes; English being on the team,” he said kindly. “The bell has rung,” said the librarian with a bit of ice tinkling in it, and began to A, I suppose, don’t you?” Flora gazed at him mutely. “Now isn’t reprovingly. bathe the girl’s forehead with swift, sopping But the physician did not reply. She was that a shame!” she said swiftly. And she “Oh-h!” breathed Flora. “ Yes; 1 want strokes. looking at a page that had fallen open in her hurried on to the fields, leaving him to them again, please!” And she hurried off “I fell,” murmured Flora dreamily. hand, perhaps because an energetic elbow extract what sense he could from the wail. blithely. Doctor Worcester nodded. “You will had held it pressed back for half an hour. She tramped far that afternoon. A new It was only as she was making ready for have a good-sized lump. I’m afraid.” She “The patient said, on inquiry, that her head bird lured her on; and she found a curious dinner that it occurred to her she had not went on sopping with skillful strokes. still buzzed a little, and the soles of her feet hummocky nest on the ground, with a found what she started out to seek. Flora’s eyes closed meekly. She felt a were slightly paralyzed.” breakfast of shining roots spread out before But in the evening, in the library again, little thankful for the bump. She had never She shut the book with a laugh. “ I’ll it. She went down on her knees - a field she came on it. She had almost given up her seen Doctor Worcester before, near to, and take this along with me. No, I don’t think mouse probably - or a mole perhaps. She search and was only looking idly at the there was something in the face bent above it’s serious - a case of nerves maybe.” wished there were someone to share it with oldest of the brown books when her eye fell her that made her wonder how “The Her face wore a thoughtful look as she 40 The senior glanced back. “Yes?” she depends. I have to find out first just what’s said. the matter with you. It seems to be - a gave directions to the night nurse in the trailed away into a dream world, carrying “Did you - did you ever happen to see curious — case.” infirmary and looked over charts. She did the mole’s nest and the little roots with her - a mole’s nest?” a^ed Flora. It came in a The words came slowly, and one small not go to the ward, and she left no far down into her sleep . . . little jerk, almost a cry of pain. ear emerged above the bedclothes and directions for a sleeping draft for the new When she opened her eyes they were patient. “A mole-s - nest?” The senioi paused cocked itself with almost startling alertness. gazing straight into a pair of gray ones doubtfully. “I don’t think so. It sounds The doctor gazed at the ear attentively. The nurse wondered afterward if the framed in a curious cap. The gray eyes interesting!” But there was a laughing note “If you get on all right, of course you will doctor could have forgotten. But there was smiled. no sign of restlessness in the ward when she in the voice that brought a quick flush to not have to stay long, not more than a week “Hello!” said the senior. “Did you drift the freshman face. or so -” went in a little later. The new patient was in in the night?” “It might have been a field mouse,” said There was a movement of the clothes asleep. There was only one other patient in And Flora smiled back shyly. No need the ward, a senior vyho had sprained her Flora weakly. and a muffled sound from beneath. to talk or make advances now. There would The senior’s eyes were laughing now and “But of course if you are foolish and I ankle a few days ago. She had been asleep be a week - a whole week - when the new patient was brought in. The she nodded kindly. “I hope you won’t have cry-” The senior sat up and reached for a to stay long. But they’re awfliHy good to The handkerchief moved briskly and nurse stepped very softly and passed out of purple robe that hung at the head of the the shaded ward, drawing the door to you here — take the best care of you!” And drew back from one eye, and the eye gazed bed and drew it about her. It was a she nodded again and was gone. down at the doctor intelligently. After a behind her. gorgeous robe with tracings of gold running I'lora of>ened her eyes. Through the And Flora gazed for a moment where moment it dropped and traveled downward over it; and, as she gathered it about her the purple doud of glory had been. It and reached - the brown book, “o-h-h!” chink of door a light burned dimly. And shoulders, a lock of the reddish hair escaped through the open window beside her the vanished into a misty blur; and ^ e sub­ said Flora. She sat up swiftly and wiped from her cap and fell across it. She made a both eyes and gazed at the book. moonlight streamed in. The infirmary was sided, a bundle of sobs, under the tumbled royal picture for watching eyes. The doctor’s hand rested on it. She at the top of the building, and she could clothes. She tucked in the escaped lock with Doctor Worcester appeared in the door­ nodded quietly. “Wouldn’t you better tell look down on the sleeping world and off at half-apologetic fingers. “Stupid, to wear a the great clouds drifting and swinging way. The hunched-up figure in the bed by me all about it?” she asked. cap! But my hair tangles so!” Flora gazed from the window at the against a blue-black sky. She turned her the window was very quiet Oidy a damp “I like it,” said Flora promptly. “I think great clouds traveling by. Her short upper head a little. The senior was asleep, one handkerchief pressed tight over two eyes it looks - quaint!” lip trembled. “1 just read about her - in the hand tucked under her cheek, the reddish was visible, and a tumbled mop of hair. “Thank you!” said the senior. She The doctor came in, glancing about the book.” She waved her hand. “And so I - I hair gathered into a quaint cap; the moon­ turned a smiling glance. A little look of light, touching the quiet face, made it seem sun-fllled room with a look of pleasure. The did it.” surprise touched it. “Why, you’re the wood “Yes; I’d got as far as that myself,” said like a child’s. Flora gazed with devoted infirmary ward was always a cheerful place, nymph - green and white!” she exclaimed, the doctor. “But why?” happy eyes. The little pricks of conscience but never so attractive as when all the beds “i saw you the other morning, didn’t I, The two souls were silent. The doctor that had stirred in her under the doctor’s were vacant - or nearly all. The fewer coming in, before breakfast!” had brought up three daughters. There was inquiring gaze subsided. She felt happy and heads on pillows the tetter, to Doctor “I’d been for a walk,” said Flora. something about this alert-eyed freshman at home for the first time in her college life. Worcester. She was a tall, motherly woman, “You were a little bit of all outdoors!” with snow-white hair and a little stoop of that touched her interest - and her sense of Something flew across the window, said the senior laughing. She stretched her the broad shoulders that seemed to take humor. shutting out the moon, with great flapping arms in a restful gesture and looked about something from the keenness of the “You didn’t do it because you wanted wings. She turned quickly; a bat maybe - the sun-filled room. “Glorious day, isn’t it? straight-glancing dark eyes. She wore a to meet me, did you?” The shot was closer no. too large for a bat! . . . The doctor’s Perfect — for the game!” She glanced at white dress of soft material and in her hand than die knew, and Flora cast a quick keen eyes flitted before her, and she sighed Flora kindly. “Too bad you’ll miss it. A re she carried a book, an oldish-looking book glance at her. a little and moved restlessly and caught a you in for long?” in brown covers. “I didn’t know about you. If 1 had. I’d glimpse of her hand lying on the coverlet. “I don’t know,” said Flora happily. She sat down by the ted and the brown have done it maybe.” Her eyes had a look How pale it was in the moonlight! She “They haven’t found out yet what’s the book rested unobtrusively on her lap. For a of shy pleasure. lifted it curiously and gazed at the delicate matter with me.” She stopped short. time there was silence in the room. The The doctor laughed out. “Pretty good - strangeness of it - all the little veins and The senior had thrown back the covers doctor’s chair creaked a little as she rocked. for a freshman!” She held up the book. bones and tissues. They .vere made of and was sitting on the edge of the bed, Outside the window great white clouds “Was it reading this put it into your head?” moonlight! Charts and diagrams floated gathering her robe about her. were floating; the sunshine in the room had “I thought of it first, and then I hunted before her - filmy lungs, delicate branching Flora’s startled gaze held her. “You’ll something of the same cloudlike quality of in the library. 1 didn’t know she was there. I nerves, all the mysterious network of won­ hurt your foot!” ethereal lightness. Only the huddled figure was just looking for a disease - a disease der. “My foot?” She glanced down at it and on the ted was darkened with grief. that was quick and easy to have, you know Then her mind flashed to the mole’s thrust it into a purple slipper by the bed, “They tell me you didn’t eat your - and I came on Prudence.” nest and shining roots. And she gazed again and stood upright - on both feet. “I didn’t breakfast,” said the doctor tranquilly. “I thought so,” said the doctor with a at the pillowed head in its cap. Tomorrow hurt it at all — not really. But they thought “I diihi’t want any.” It was muffled and look of satisfaction. “Go on, please.” she would tell Annette! Tomorrow - and a I’d better be careful Rest for a day or two subdued. So, little by little, the story came out, whole week to come! She was not senti­ — on account of the game. Too bad you “It would have been better to eat it,” sometimes in bold sweeps and sometimes mental! She only wanted to know Annette can’t come!” said the doctor. with Flora’s back half turned and her eyes - and take long walks - with Annette. Her She had knotted her girdle about her “How long do I have to stay here?” following shyly the great white clouds that eyelids drooped a little. She tried to prop and was moving toward the door with asked the voice from the clothes. went billowing by in the sky. She told it all them open, to gaze at the beloved face. She vigorous stride. The doctor’s chair creaked. “Well, it — even to the catastrophe of the mole’s wanted to show Annette the mole’s nest “O h-ah!” gasped Flora. She waved her and the breakfast-of-roots . . . And she hands in a helpless gesture. L 42 Flora leaned forward, breathless. “To the next reserve. 1 thought of you” - she nest, Annette’s laughing exit and her own nothing and it became shining, a crystal ball holding life in its roundness. study, with you!” looked teasingly and dubiously. Then she tragic grief. smiled. “Well, go along! And remember The doctor was a scientist. To her also “Wen - study, or caU it what you like. 1 But a little smile touched the words as you’re to come to me Saturday.” the human body was mysterious and won­ am working there Saturdays, and I generally she ended. “And that’s all,” she said. have a student with me to help and look on. She went toward the door. She turned derful, and often she seemed to graze the “You’re not looking at it sentimentally Sometimes she experiments a little herself.” and looked back. “I forgot You are to edge of truth and catch a glimpse of the any more,” said the doctor practically. “Oh!” It was a sigh of pure joy. report at once to the captain - in her unity that binds life in one. She looked at The face flushed. “1 wasn’t sentimen­ “It’s usuaUy a senior of course. In fact, I room.” the girl, who had finished speaking and was tal,” swiftly, “not e.xactly sentimental, 1 liave a senior now.” She was watching the Ten minutes later, in the morning of lying back watching the sky and the clouds guess. Only it’s hard sometimes to tell. glowing face. “Annette Osier is helping me clouds and wind, a small figure in knicker­ moving in it. “Which of your studies do you Your feelings get nii.\ed up so.” this year.” bockers and blouse, with hair in a braid She glanced inquiringly at the doctor, like best?” she asked gently. Flora’s face flushed; then the joy in it down its back, was scudding along the walk who nodded with amused face. “That is one The girl turned. “1 hate ’em all,” swiftly. laughed out. “I don’t deserve that, do I?” that led to South Parker. The braid of hair of the discoveries of science,” she replied. “History’s worst, 1 think - studying about she said softly. was tied with green-and-white ribbon and it Mora looked at it. She shook her head. Raineses II and mummy things!” She threw The telephone sounded in the next swung gayly behind as the figure scudded “You’re not making fun of me?” she out her hands. “It’s wicked - when there’s room and the doctor left her a moment. on. inquired timidly. all outdoors and all the beautiful things When she returned she glanced at her with a “Not in the least!” said the doctor. inside of us!” little smile. “Do you think you are feeling (THE CAT AND THE KING first “Anyway that’s the way it was. I She had spread both hands across her well enough to get up?” appeared in the LADIES' HOME wanted to know her. She’s so beautiful! chest, as if to cover as much territory as The girl sat up with a swift glance of JOURNAL in October, 1919. Al­ Don’t you think she’s beautiful?” possible; and to the doctor there was hope. though the world keeps changing, ob­ “Yes,” said the doctor gravely. something almost tragic in the gesture. Her The doctor nodded. “It’s from the team. viously human emotions do not.I Flora nodded. “And she likes walks, the eyes dwelt on the small figure - the Someone has given out; they are calling for way I do. But it was the mole’s nest. Maybe disheveled hair and round eyes and red­ it was a field mouse,” she said reflectively. dened lids. September dry clung to her brown denim “.Anyway, 1 wanted to show it to her. It “You’d like to study biology, 1 sup­ thighs. She had spread her wool plaid jacket was so wonderful!” She sighed softly. “It pose,” she said reflectively. Wildflower Woman tablecloth-like and set it with a profusion of seemed as if 1 couldn’t stand it not to have “Everything that’s alive,” said Mora lake cress, unhatched milkweed pods and her sec it. And 1 was lonely, looking at it all promptly. By SU SAN STAFF samplings of daisies and berries too com­ alone! You see it's all mixed up.” She “ Perhaps you’d better have your break­ mon to identify. Some were back yard looked appealingly at the doctor. fast now - and keep alive yourself.” I stumbled over her. Well, nearly. Hardly weeds - the kind Kevin carried in - that “ 1 see,” said the doctor. And Flora ate it, propped against the a minute from the freeway where I planned find their way into juiie glass vases and go “The little roots were shiny and laid out pillows, the brown book lying on the foot to leave the car idling and let who would wilted into the disposal after he has gone to for breakfast, as if somebody was coming of the bed. Now and then she cast a swift, find me sleeping the final sleep, I crashed bed. back in a minute. And it wa.s all still resentful look at the book. But she was into her domain. “You must be a biologist.” I rambled, around, and the light in the sky just hungry and the marmalade was good and it I was thinking, of course. Every system despairing that I couldn’t lure her into the growing pink. It almost hurts you when was a wonderful day. of my computerized body is programmed comfortable abyss of conversatioru The lake things are like that. You can’t help being And then she glanced at the window and to motion. Changing Tracy’s diapers, pack­ lapped noisily among the stones snickering lonely.” She had forgotten the doctor and remembered suddenly the game that she ing Kevin’s jelly sandwich, posting Rob at at my embarrassment. Grass rattled about the infirmary. She seemed to see only the was not to see! the train station - I’ve been committed to my feet. Birds screamed at me. Wind shining roots and the little nest on the The doctor had returned and was stand­ motion for so long that I have out-pro­ whispered inaudible criticisms from the ground. “1 guess it’s because it’s like me, ing by the bed, looking down and smiling. grammed myself. dark trees boxing the meadow into the lake. inside,” she was saying softly, “the way 1 “All through?” she asked serenely. Unable to sit still long enough for She didn’t notice. am inside - all little branches and bones Flora nodded. “1 was pretty hungry,” prescription drugs or monoxide gas to stop “Bring me a bit of that candy root, and shining things.” she acknowledged. the motion, 1 fled from the car and ran please.” She didn’t raise her head. I looked The doctor leaned forward to catch the “1 thought so.” The doctor removed the blindly over the edge of the freeway until about babbling my apology for standing in words. Perhaps she asked a question or two. tray. she stopped me. and walking on the ratty little pink weed Her steady eyes watched the girl’s face as “How long do 1 have to stay here?” She was conspicuous because she sat she mentioned. She picked a bloom close to the story went on -- the discovery of the meekly. motionless offering no pseudo smile in my shoe without looking up. I resented that charts and diagrams, and the swift response The doctor sat down. She seemed to response to my “excuse me”. My voice rang - not because she displayed any self-satis­ and delight in them. ignore the question. “I’ve been thinking impersonal, like the tone you use when faction at knowing the name of the weed The doctor sat very quiet. This was the about a biology course for you. There isn’t you’ve bumped a shopper with your mart she picked. It was her way; the air of sort of thing one sometimes came on, once any class you could go into just now.” basket or trampled an anonymous toe in a kinship with the flower she held more in an age! And the child had supposed she “No,” Flora sighed. “I didn’t suppose crowded elevator. I heard myself chattering tenderly than I carressed Tracy or Kevin or was playing a prank - getting to know a there would be. Perhaps I can do it after syllable!!, words, meaningless phrases. They Rob. senior! .And the books she opened were I’m through being educated.” She said it sounded louder in her presence than on the The flower seemed contemptible in that life! The doctor had watched girls come and with a gleam of mischief, and the doctor freeway. She didn’t try to smile or answer instant. I hated her too. I waited needing go, reaching out to choose some nothing. laughed out. them. her to notice me when she looked up from And now and then it .seemed to her a gentle “How would you like to work in my Shreds of meadow grass seeded and what she was doing. hand reached down and touched the chosen laboratory, once a week?” 44 Minutes of shrieking silence allowed me light on the wildflower she showed me. front and tear. Pills in purse, monoxide felt awkward remembering her plain face to study her rabbit colored hair, coarse and “There aren’t many left, you know. cop-out flowing freely from the exhaust and even gaze. harshly chopped across the back of her Lovely, don’t you think?” pipe, 1 traced the route from Tracy’s Odd that I who nursed and nourished neck. I knew that the face she buried in her Her gray eyes penetrating evenly, persis­ nursery school to Kevin’s bus stop, the nature inside me did not possess her tender­ business would be broad, plain and strewn tently. pharmacy, dry cleaners, supermart. ness for living things. I always crashed with fifty years of crow’s feet. “We must be more careful The little At home, over the screaming dish­ through thickets and trampled wild flower. I knew her type - unfeminine and things are passed over so easily. There aren’t washer, television, Kevin’s toad racer noise, Tangled by talking and tarnished with tasks anti-frills, thrusting their brashness into the many left.” and the sound of dinner cooking too - taking out, changing, picking up and public eye; out-braining, out-brawning and She watched the fishermen, letting their slowly, I watched her vanishing at the lake carrying in, I had overlooked tenderness as outlandish in their criticisms of the male canoe pass quietly from her, reabsorbing the rim. Mental nosegays of wild candy root subtly as I lost her image passing the rim of dominated world. I knew her before she weed samples on her plaid jacket. more delicate than crystals took me gently the lake that fall morning. looked up. Her face was their faces mocking “What are you doing with those?” My through dinner. Feathery and feminine, 1 me through television screens and news voice cracked like clumsy feet in a thicket. magazines. Something hormonal in her tone spoke “There aren’t many of these left,” she more of spiritual depth than masculinity. .said. “They’re lovely, don’t you think? She shpped some grasses into the pages of a More delicate than crystal?” dark-bound ledger. The wild asters and I looked at the weed she handed me candy root she gathered into a small nose­ TOKENISM, WOMEN IN BUSINESS, Montreal (this is a strongly Catholic and avoiding gray eyes studying my face as gay. She proved herself to me - rising from WOMEN IN RELIGION, ETC. We stiU conservative city and that is an amazing deliberately as they examined wildflowers. 1 broad haunches and pulling her seedy jacket receive about 20 clippings each 60-day turnout) and front-page publicity was the felt unmistakable vibrations - the kind of over wide shoulders. period between issues of THE LADDER in mle rather than the exception. Good for telepathy Rob and 1 share when Tracy and “Nothing.” She shrugged noting the each of these general areas. Articles concern our Northern’sisters. Kevin are in bed and dinner was just right. weeds she had wasted on the ground with a some 20 or so women who have become DO YOU BELIEVE THIS? New York, Her proximity reminded me that I was smile of tender apology. She studied me something women weren’t allowed to be­ December, 1971. A Roman Catholic law unkempt, bmnch dress and house shoes with the same tenderness, more profound come a few short years, weeks or days ago. professor has had himself appointed guar­ dashed on in the rush to make Rob’s train, than a myriad of poetic regrets. “ I just An example this time is law professor Ruth dian of the unborn fetuses of New York Kevin’s bus and drop Tracy at the day enjoy them.” Bader Ginsburg, who has become a full City in an effort to force women to have nursery. I knew her type: rough-featured, bois­ professor at Columbia University for the children whether they want them or not. So “We must be careful now,” she went on. terous, angry, aggressive. I felt her dissatis­ first time in the institution’s 114-year his­ far the courts are bucking him as much as “The little things get passed over so easily. faction intruding upon the orderliness of tory. And about 20 clippings about women assisting him, but if you ever wondered just There aren’t many left.” my living room. She knew me too - soap creeping slowly into church positions (very how sexist the human male is, think about Three fisherman idled by us canoeing and supermarket, wet diapers and brocaded slowly) and the latest “tokenism” in that this development. close to shore. They saw us half hidden in sandals; a perfumed, pipe-and-slippers with the increasing difficulty in attracting SHIRLEY WHEELER FIGHTING FOR tall grass and squat dogwood bushes. Was it mouse unwilling to stand up with her. top male graduates into the fields of busi­ HER LIFE: Daytona Beach, Florida, De­ obvious from where they sat - what she She lumbered along the lake rim, her ness and business related professions, some cember 4, 1971. 23-year-old Shirley was? Of course. The mistake would be gentle gestures lost in walking, leaving her women are being recruited. We are happy to Wheeler is still fighting being sent to jail inevitable from that distance. She looked trace of softness in the discarded nosegay of see this and encourage even more clippings, following her conviction for having an that masculine. asters and wild candy root. Vibrations but we doubt progress in these areas has abortion. 1 felt secure while the canoe was in lingered from the pressure of her gray eyes, any wide meaning for women in general MORE ON SESAME STREET: Jane sight. Always, I find isolation unbearable. strong enough to drag me down the lake’s The trend toward fitting a black woman Bergman of the NEW YORK TIMES (Janu­ It’s like I don’t exist if there is only my edge after her disappearing shoulders. (killing two birds) into a previous male post ary 2, 1972) wrote a stinging indictment of reflection to prove it. She didn’t crowd my My coded, carded self eased the car onto continues, i.e., the recent election of Dr. the viciously sexist program. Sesame Street, isolation - not like the fishermen and clots the freeway flashing chrome bumper smiles Wynona Lipman to the New Jersey State which is being force fed to virtually every of friends and contacts I conversed with Senate. young male and female child in the coun­ daily in rounds of verbal confusion. AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S LIBERA­ try. The damage that the image of women She was like that early morning silence TION UNDER ATTACK: Sydney, Aus­ (or rather, the almost total lack of women CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS? when 1 wake up nervous and the clock-radio tralia, May 10, 1971. We have just learned as other than mothers or housewwes or hum becomes a nightmare - when I take that the Postmaster General of Brisbane has children pretending to be either mothers If you are planning to move, pills to lull me into breakfast bedlam. She closed the women’s liberation movement and/or housewives) on this program does to please let us know six weeks before was like the lake noises mocking me, the post office box. Reason for this was a mild the already luckless female child seems changing your address. Please send wind whispering so I couldn’t heat it, like pamphlet on abortion and female sexuality likely to be extensive. Do we have to your old address and your new disquieting bird screams. circulated by the group. If you think its tolerate this? address, clearly marked. You MUST I tried to imagine her buzzing down the rough in the U.S., thank your stan you WE’RE OUT OF THE CLOSET: CHI- include BOTH your old and new zip freeway or talking cross-legged at a cocktail don’t live “down under” . CAGO DAILY NEWS, January 7, 1972. codes. REMEMBER, third class maU party. I pictured her shouting from a WOMEN MARCH IN CANADA: No­ More and more of the young, whose in­ is not forwardable. Send to CIRCU­ television newsreel. 1 slipped her coarse vember 20, 1971. We received a good comes caimot be jeopardized by their state­ LATION DEPARTMENT, THE countenance into every slot my computer selection of Canadian clippings about the ments, are making public acknowledge­ LADDER, P.O. Box 5025, Wash­ imagination could conceive. One pattern demonstration for abortion law reform in ments of their Lesbiaiiism. Susan Kahn and ington Station, Reno, Nev. 8^ 03. wouldn’t compute. It was her heavy hand, that country. Over 2S0 women marched in Linda Shear, co-editors of LAVENDAR WOMEN, a Chicago Lesbian paper, were rental of Woman’s body. The victim is the interviewed by Patricia Moore. Very posi­ woman. The victim is all women. If one tive material showing the wisdom of Les­ man can buy a woman’s body, then it is bians sticking with women’s liberation and presumed that all women are for sale. What not with gay liberation is included in the is Sex? Sex is something that men want interview. from me and are willing to pay for. What MOTHERS WORKING TO END SEX­ price whoring? Fifteen years ago 1 learned IST EDUCATION: New York City, January that with my youth, my looks and a good 8, 1972. Mothers whose children attend aying act, I could command $150 on the Woodward School in Brooklyn have formed sex-flesh market, the body commodity ex­ a group called the Sex Roles Committee to change. Top dollar for a half hour of my try to keep their children from being time and a serviceable vagina. ABC, NBC, educated into traditional sexist roles. NEWSWEEK or the VILLAGE VOICE BLACK WOMEN MEET: Chicago, Janu­ never paid me as much. It is no accident ary 9, 1972. Over 200 black women from that the best paid women in America today all over the country met for a two-day are not corporation executives, baseball symposium to discuss their differences from players, or ‘elitist writers’ but a handful of the overall women’s liberation movement. movie stars, models and high-priced white Emphasis was placed on the fact that call girls. Replaceable, interchangeable ob­ middle class black women tended to over­ jects of sex. Next year’s broken toys.” look the more numerous lower class black BERNICE GERA MAY YET WIN: Al­ women in much the same way that many bany, N.Y., January 14, 1972. The New middle class white women tend to ignore York State Court of Appeals has ruled that both blacks and lower class white women. the Professional Baseball League (of New New York, January 30, 1972. This day York/Pennsylvania) has practiced illegal dis­ saw the forming of the Coalition of 100 crimination in refusing to employ Bernice Black Women, though actually more than Gera as an umpire. This case has been going 200 women belong to the group. Intention on since 1967. The decision definitely is to gain political leverage, and, since opens the doors to women in this previous­ Representative Shirley Chisholm is a leader ly all-male field. in the group, they might just get it done. NOT MANY BOOKS FOR GIRLS: LI­ H.E.W. REPORT SURPRISING: Janu­ BRARY JOURNAL, January IS, 1972,1 has ary 12, 1972. The Department of Health, a good article, “Reducing the Miss Muffet Education and Welfare, surprisingly, pre­ Syndrome”, on the paucity of books for pared a report on the status of American girls that present girls and women in other women and indicted itself as being rampant­ than idiot roles. A fairly good bibliography ly biased. Sadly, it reports that from college is included for librarians and others charged campuses to doctors' olTices, discrimination with supplying good books to younger against women exists in virtually every women. aspect of life. We know this, and we do not SOME BAD-ASSED DYKE: VILLAGE need it proved . . . we need it stopped. VOICE, January 20, 1972. That marvelous AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELE­ heading could come only from the pen of GRAPH IN TROUBLE: The nation’s largest Jill Johnston, though it is, in this case, not single employer, with over one million too relevant to the column which concerns employees, is under attack from the govern­ a quickie course in Emily Dickinson, some ment over its sexist (and racist) policies, Sylvia Plath, a bit of Nina Simone, and if and is also being attacked by many of its you haven’t started reading Jiil Johnston female employees. We do not know the you should. (The January 13, 1972, col­ outcome, but the noise in the press is surely umn, “Stamp Out Clitoral Imperialism”, is helping. worth a look too.) WHAT PRICE WHORING? VILLAGE CHILDREN NOT NECESSARILY VOICE, January 13, 1972. Writer Susan AWARDED TO MOTHERS: TIME, Janu­ Brownmiller, one of the organizers of a ary 31, 1972, reports that anywhere from New York City “Womans Conference on 8% to 25% of custody cases now are ending Prostitution” which ended in a brou-ha-ha with children being awarded to fathers. This discussed and rediscussed in VILLAGE is a substantial change from the not .so long VOICE and other newspapers, provided the ago practice of awarding children auto­ following: “Prostitution is as old as slavery. matically to the mother regardless of finan­ GENE DAMON (left) and ROBIN MORGAN Prostitution is slavery. Prostitution is Man’s cial or other circumstances. NATALIE CLIFFORD BARNEY IS to start with, and then she had to be argued DEAD: Palis, February 3, 1972. 94-year- about by the male celibates of the Roman Catholic Church for a long time before they old Natalie Clifford Barney, American ex­ k patriate, died at her home in Paris. Her decided that a little error had been made death marks the end of the literary circle and she was really a saint and not a sinner 1 she established in the early 1900’s in her (except for that old original sin). Now * r ' " 18th-century pavilion on the Rue Jacob. comes a male Oxford University Professor, Famous as the lover of poet Renee Vivien, one F.E. Kenyon, who has assured us of painter Romaine Brooks and other equally something else that worries males and the 1 famous women in the arts more than as an Roman Catholic Church quite a b i t ...... artist, Ms. Barney did publish a book of namely, he has relieved us of the uncom­ poetry, essays, a novel and some remini­ fortable suspicion that Joan might possibly scences. Only one of her works has been have been if Lesbiaa What he says is: “The translated into English (her poetry) and this warrior Saint’s predilection for men’s is unobtainable or so expensive as to be out clothes was for protection when she was of reach. A later issue of THE LADDER with troops and in male company.” He goes will contain a biographical article about on to say: “Despite the Frendi heroine’s Barney and her circle. transvestism, physical prowess and apparent WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON ‘masculine’ drive (sic), there is no very YOUTH DISAVOWED BY ADMINISTRA­ convincing evidence in her history of overt TION: In April, 1971, in Estes Park, Colo­ Lesbianism.” He does concede that Joan rado, a group of young men and women had a girl-friend Haviette, but “their habit met to discuss their political views. In of sleeping together was a common custom January, 1972, the U.S. Printing Office at the time” . Is that so? published the report of this meeting, but ORDINATION OR SUBORDINATION: ROBIN MORGAN Special to THE LADDER. “Historically,” there was little o^ no publicity because holding national and regional meetings. If embarrassed administration officials had so writes Faith Rituale, an Episcopalian seminarian working toward priesthood, there is any hope for the Episcopal Church, disavowed the results. Among other things, it must come through equal opportunity for the group felt “all social sexual oppression “the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican Churches have always welcomed women’s all members or die.” of homosexuals and Lesbians must end”. money and housewifely back-breaking HOT PANTS SI, LONG PANTS NO: BURIED IN FALSE SIGNATURES: Robin Morgan, Editor of SISTERHOOD IS chores around the Church but have never Washington, D.C., January 1972. House of WOMEN IN ART: A January, 1972, article POWERFUL put a woman in an equitable light, although Representatives rules forbid women em­ by Jacquin Sanders of Newsweek Features Jesus Christ did. The recent ordination of ployees to wear long pants but not hot appeared in several new^apers. Evidence is examine all women’s attitudes about them­ two matronly-type Anglican women in,No­ pants. Major reason cited being that the increasing showing that many paintings selves and other women. vember, 1971, in Hong Kong is not really a Representatives like to look at legs. Whose attributed to various male artists were the POLITICS POLITICS: January and Feb­ break-through but rather a perpetuation of representatives? work of lesser-known women artists (lesser ruary, 1972. All over the country wOhien the type of woman men will ‘allow near’ WOMEN’S LIBERATION AND INSUR­ known only by virtue of their sex and not are forming political alliances with each the altar and the priesthood. The first ANCE: One of the blessings of liberation their talent, as proven by the attributions other on varying levels to get more women woman ordained to the Anglican priesthood now being prematurely visited on young themselves). The most outstanding example into the system as it now stands. We aren’t in 1944 was divested of her priestly author­ “singje” women is increased automobile is the evidence that many so-called “Tinto­ sure how useful this action is, but it is at ity before she ever had the opportunity to insurance. Note that we get the disadvan­ retto’s” are probably not by Jacopo Tin­ least helpful to some extent. Truly Margaret exercise it, having been ordained to minister tages but not the advantages. Articles on toretto, the father, but by his daughter, Chase Smith needs company and Washing­ to the incarcerated in a war-time concentra­ this particular subject appeared in newspa­ .Marietta. ton’s “Women’s Action Alliance” and New tion camp in Hong Kong. Throughout pers from both coasts during January, SAN FRANCISCO DAUGHTERS OF Jersey and New York’s “Women’s Political history there have been Christian women 1972. BILITIS SURVEY: January, 1972. A study Caucus” might just accomplish this. priests, generally transvestites, although MALE SCIENTIST URGES “LET of women, done by women, is now being AMAZON WOMEN REALLY DID their Mstory is obscure. The ‘Church’ is the WOMEN RULE THE WORLD”. Dr. Peter conducted by the San Francisco D.O.B. EXIST IN SOUTH AMERICA: Gene Savoy, last vestige of male chauvinism and for the A. Coming of the Institute of Behavioral with the financial assistance of N.O.W. a 44-year-old explorer, has discovered fairly misogynist male to surrender his cassock Genetics at the University of Colorado, (National Organization for Women). If you convincing proof that the centuries old tales and db (long skirt-like vestments) to a argues that women would be much better arc willing to be part of this research, write of a tribe of tall blonde women warriors in woman is a crushing blow to their ‘mythical suited to handle the world, and put an end to: Dr. Ruth McGuire, 1005 Market Street, the Amazon jungle were more than just masculinity’. On the U.S. scene. Episco­ to war and other similar male goodies. Room 208, San Francisco, Calif., 94103. legend. A larger group of anthropologists palian women preparing for ordination have COMPUTER CHAUVINIST PIG: Stan­ You will receive a pre-questionnaire de­ and archeologists will be returning to the banded together into an organization ap­ ford University has a computer that talks to signed to examine women’s attitudes to­ site located by Savoy this next year, to try propriately called “The Episcopal Women’s men, but will not talk to women. Of course, ward Lesbians and you will be asked for to uncover more evidence. Caucus” which maintains instantaneous male programmers decided this particular your opinions on the validity of the ques­ SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW: communication with its membership and bit of foolishness. Excuses? Well, women tions. These questions will then go into Joan of Arc has long been a bothersome potential members, issuing a newsletter and “have a different way of speaking”. Yes, creating a final questionnaire designed to woman. She had to be burned at the stake 50 200 Lesbians met to work on some of the University of Missouri-Kansas City on this yes, they do, and a different way of problems of Lesbian liberation. Women day, enabling THE LADDER editor to heat everything else. Praise be! from all over the midwest and both coasts her for the first time. Indeed, to hear any LINITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST were represented and while we have no prominent spokeswoman for women’s liber­ SEARCH: The Unitarian-Universalist Gay formal report, informal reports would indi­ ation. Any notion any of you may have Caucus is looking for U/U Lesbians all over cate a successful and enjoyable meeting. A about being too “into” the movement, the U.S. East of the Rockies contact Julie second conference is tentatively scheduled perhaps too blase to enjoy a basic talk on Lee, P.O. Box 62, Fanwood, N.J. 07023. for the weekend of May 21, 1972 at Ohio the things we all know too well about our West of the Rockies contact Rev. Richard State in Columbus, Ohio. oppression, might be happily surprised to Nash. 3338 Adrita Street, Los Angeles, ROBIN MORGAN SPEAKING VARI­ forget that idea and go and hear Robin (and CaUf. 90065. OUS AREAS: Kansas City, Missouri, Febru­ others who tour and talk) if you get the DR. ESTELLE RAMEY URGES WOM­ ary 16, 1972. Robin Morgan spoke at chance. EN “TAKE OVER THRONE”: Stop being the “power behind the throne” and take it over altogether, .says Georgetown University Medical School gland specialist. Dr. Ramey, PRACTICAL SELF-DEFENSE it will be recaUed. became nationally promF (BARE HANDS, NO GIMMICKS) nent when slic made an ass out of a prominent male doctor over his assertions that women were biologically unsuited to We offer these protective measures with the knowledge that in every city in the U.S. every some employment. Since that time Dr. day . . . hundreds of women are assaulted, robbed, raped. This won’t solve all the Ramey has been on a national speaking problems but it might help if a few of us learned a little about caring for our safety without circuit, working for increased political power for women. help. GLADYS DIAZ REFUSES A PRIZE: Chilean Woman journalist, Gladys Diaz, refused the SSOO Helena Rubenstein Foun­ To prevent trouble: c. groin dation award saying that the cosmetics 1. have a good dead bolt lock on your 2. Clapping both your hands over his ROBIN MORGAN industry “exploits” women and she doesn’t door. ears at the same time (practice by wish to be associated with it. Considering 2. when out at night alone hold your cupping your hands over someone’s what $500 in U.S. dollars can buy in Chile, Lesbians are into women’s liberation. Ac­ head up, stay alert. If you walk with ears - allow no space for air. This this was a considerable refusal. cordingly, PROUD WOMAN will be a 12 your head down, unaware, you look creates a vacuum when you hit and F.E.M. ANGLE. CHICAGO SUN page bi-monthly newspaper deahng with TIMES (Feature). A number of clippings Lesbian and women’s liberation material. like a good victim. causes brain damage or kills.) Be from this small column have been sent to Cost has been raised to $5 a year, regular careful practicing this, don’t actually us. Each day they run a letter showing some mail, $6.50 airmail. If attacked; make contact because a slight hit minor bit of sexist treatment of women. LET’S GET TOGETHER - A newslet­ 1. don’t hit the man in the chest or even on one car can cause damage. Some of them are so blatant we wonder ter for women temporary employees who arms because there is too much 3. Hit him on the back between how the women can tolerate the incidents. work for agencies. The newsletter will be muscle there. shoulder blades with both hands in a WOMEN AT ANNAPOLIS: As this is made up from letters from temporary em­ 2. don’t try to pull your arm loose if he rabbit punch. This staggers the heart. being written there is much publicity sur­ ployees citing fact cases of injustice which grabs it because he’s stronger and 4. Kick in the groin. rounding the possibility of two women cannot be legally proved. Write us a letter. 5. If grabbed from behind, look back being appointed to Annapolis despite the We will wait on response before making this you would be wasting time, instead hostility of Chief of Naval Operations Ad­ a subscription item, but the first copy will attack. If you surpriK him with a and locate his foot, stomp down miral Elmo Zumwalt. Both women are be 35c. Address: Winifred Gandy, 2425 blow you may get a chance to free hard on top breaking bones in his qualiFied, and their sponsors, Michigan Con­ Riverside Place, Los Angeles, California yourself and run. Don’t try to fight foot (Don’t stomp wildly - look). gressman Jack McDonald and New York 90039. 6. If he grabs you around the neck, Senator Jacob Javits are pushing the issue. SEVEN OUT OF EIGHT: February, Blows: grab his wrist with one hand to WOMEN TOP STUDENTS: Columbia 1972 Sapporo, Japan. It took 12 men to 1. chop with the edge of hand (keep capture it and with your other hand University Law School class o f 1973 con­ win the Silver medal for hockey for the hand taunt). take one of his small fingers and tains 368 students, and of these 46 are United States. While they were doing this, Chop to: bend it backward, breaking it. women. The three top students in the class six U.S. women were winning seven other a, adam’s apple arc all women. medals (one greedy girl won two of them) “MOTHER” NOW “PROUD WOMAN” : at the Winter Olympic Gamek. b. bridge of nose (kills by driving PRACTICE so that you can react The Lesbian newspaper, MOTHER, begun TWO HUNDRED PLUS ATTEND LES- tissue thin bone into brain). immediately with some useful defense. just last year, has changed its format and BIAN CONFERENCE; YELLOW editorial policy and name. Formerly primar­ SPRINGS, OHIO, February 11-13, 1972. ily Lesbian, but slanted towards gay libera­ Yellow Springs is a small Ohio town more tion (males), MOTHER was finding it diffi­ or less centered around Antioch College. In AAAAA cult to attract an audience since most this unlikely middle western setting over no obstacle when speaking for the entire ? 't! ^ Lesbian movement, and can be heard say­ ing, along with the Radical-Chics, that CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS? If you “many Lesbians are bisexual,” which is a are planning to move, please let us know six weeks before changing your address. monstrous contradiction in terms. Please send your old address and your For reasons that should be apparent, new address, clearly marked. You MUST include BOTH your old and your new women from many of these groups now THE LESBIAN zip codes. Remember, third class mall is find themselves in the forefront of the Gay not forwardable. Send to Circulation Dear Ms. Damon: IN LITERATURE Department, P.O. Box 5025, Washington Lib movement. 1 resent these women speak­ Station, Reno, Nevada 89503. I maintain that some women now claim­ ing for me! They have a vested interest in ing to be Lesbians are, in fact, not, and I maintaining the status quo: the Masochist a Bibliography by have divided these pseudos into four to keep being shit on; the Rebel to have W O M E N ... WOMEN groups. Eliti.st and snobbish as this sounds, something to flaunt; the Radical-Chic to Gene Damon and Lee Stuart the types are readily recognizable. have a Cause; and the Experimenter to have READ The first group are the Ma.sochists. a ready supply of new kicks. Overtly or $2.25 from THE LA DDER Certainly, Lesbians can be masochists too, covertly they are undermining my cause; but these people are non-Lesbian maso­ they are holding me back; they are sullying chists who say they ate Lesbians because my love as much as any straight man’s leer. they’ve discovered that that’s the easiest, 1 don’t need you, si.sters. Please, for your fastest, and most rewarding way to get sake and for mine, get out. kicked in the teeth. The.se women were previously content to shock and alienate (Editor's Note: Most authentic and family and friends in heterosexual ways, SISTERS concerned Lesbians have left Gay Lib but as homosexuality gained publicity (or A MONTHLY MAGAZINE for women’s and Lesbians' liberation as their supply of family and friends ran BY AND FOR LESBIANS ena groups.) out), they found that they had to lead gay Poetry-G raph ics-News- Events movements in order to get their gratifica­ tion most directly and intensely. It is these FROM SAN FRANCISCO DOB (usually uninformed and zealous) creatures Dear Gene Damon: $5.00 per year three A SPECIAL MONTHLY who make such statements as “ Lesbians Perhaps there does seem to be a prepon­ always think about sex because society derance of married women belatedly claim­ 1005 Market Street, Room 208 PUBLICATION FOR WOMEN. forces them to,” or “Yes, most Lesbians ate ing interest in Lesbianism. If the letter from San Francisco, California 94103 25p (U.S. .subscribers send $9.60 for one sick" (except of course 1 and thou). Julie Lee of New Jersey (the Ladder year. Sea Mail delivery), The next group are the Rebels. These Oct/Nov 1971) is representative of the address: bem .seahorse London WCI England women are rebelling against authority, thinking of many of your readers, however, daddy, or whatever, and have found that it might be well to take issue with it. First, 1 calling themselves Lesbians is the easiest, suggest that D.W., of the small midwestern fastest, and most rewarding way of kicking town, and the many others like her hope to E V E R Y W O M A N society in the teeth. These people enjoy find understanding, not pity. Second, I 2083 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles. California d002b contend that they probably had an altern­ CvEHVWnUAN erK>K£.UMUZINCS.H>5r$AS av A K U r ANOFOR WOMEN . being in the front lines because there they CVtOrwOMAM NCWVAftn FtMtHlST Ntwsm viCW S riCTlON SEM >7bCfM TSF0RSA*nkCCnrJ can offend best, and it is these very women ative rather than a choice. Alternative im­ SueSCai^iOM SaFOMMiSSUF*:^ who slate that Lesbianism “would be no plies a necessity to choose one and reject fun if it were legal.” another possibility, while choice suggests A third group is the Radical-Chic. When the opportunity or privilege of choosing black was in vogue, they kinked their hair; freely. No one under pressure from what­ when hippie was in vogue, they didn't ever source is in a position to choose freely. bathe; now' that gay is in vogue, they sleep Finally Julie Lee, whatever el.se she may with women. As soon as another Cause have forfeited, still has her self-esteem. comes along, they’ll be straight again, ever Women like D.W. are already filled with after to claim that they’re bisexual and self-reproach. 1 doubt if they are in any way incidentally leaving some true Lesbian be­ helped by being told, “We did it - you hind wondering w'here she went wrong. could have done it too if you weren’t so The last group are the Experimenters, gutless”. sometimes confused with the Radical- It behooves us all to pull together and Chics. Now that free love (heterosexual) never mind who is more deserving. and drugs are old hat, the latest kick is gay, M.H. and the Experimenters are willing to use Wyoming any convenient (and lonely) Lesbian along the way. Usually these women maintain that they are bisexual, but they see this as 54 This beautiful Lesbian jewelry is all ster­ ling silver. To order, send ring size(ask at jeweler) or buckle width, with a check or money order and the # of the item you want. Postage is included. Send your or- ders to LAMMAS, 115 8th, SE Wash. DC 20003

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