QNTHE Vol. VI, 1986 Choices ISSUES Women's Medical Center, Inc.

WAITING THEIR TURN: Bella Abzug (Women, USA), Vkki Alexander, M D (Black Women'-. Health Network), Merle Hoffman (CHOICES), and Betty Maloney (Radical Women) were a few of the rousing speakers at the January 22 Pro-Choke Rally in Bryant Park, NYC- (Additional rally photos inside) The first two days find me in silent, the room dark. Familiar MERLE HOFFMAN Amherst, Massachusetts at the images rush past on the screen— "First Annual Nursing Conference on click-click—a breast—a crotch- ON THE ISSUES Violence Against Women" presenting leather—guns—knives—little November, 1985 did not come a workshop on "Abortion: The Poli- girls—sex and violence—Playboy and quietly for me. It was a month of tics of Violence." Hustler one after another. It goes on immersion in violence and confer- The opening session of the con- for almost an hour—the presenter's ences. It was also a month for Quiet ference sets the tone for two days voice overriding—calling our atten- Heroines. to come. The audience is hushed and tion to the subliminal and not so sub- © CHOICES, Women's Medical Center. Inc. 1986 continued on pg 2 continuedfrom pg. 1 liminal sexism in the cartoon images. that this expression of sexuality was be dangerous in its seductiveness. Seeing this for the first time, the a particular genre of male mental- There is a possibility that the con- woman behind me moans and groans ity—didactic, dualistic and mechanis- sistent collective expression of our audibly. Later, she makes it a point tic. S oppression in prose and verse may to tell me she has two small children WRIT LARGE. obviate our individual responsibility and from now on will be ever vigi- The evening conference enter- for changing it. Anger, frustration lant, ever careful—insuring her chil- tainment is a showing of issue films. and rage turned inward becomes dren's eyes be protected. For myself, There are only about eight women depression. There is a pervasive I had seen this show many times attending—mostly 50 and older— sense of helplessness—augmented before. It could be a pornography they sit quietly, watching shadows by media propaganda proclaiming workshop, battery, rape, child of young girls describing molesta- the death of the women's movement abuse—take your pick. It could actu- tions—no comment, very engross- that seems to permeate women's ally fit in just about anywhere in a ing. One of the videos doesn't fly. It consciousness. The comeback of feminist conference. depicts two women arguing while a tight dresses, high heels, the touting At lunch, I make it a point to man lies quietly on the couch seem- of a "style wars" as if it really mat- tell the two academic women beside ingly impervious to them. The audi- tered. The inescapable reality of the me that I had recently purchased ence's impatience grows—"When is long duration and difficulty of the Hustler and Playboy. They are he going to get off the couch and do struggle. The realization that things aghast. "You mean you actually something?" "Change the tape—not may never change in your lifetime, bought those things?" I recount the enough action." This becomes the fear of growth, the anxiety of story. It occured in a small delicates- extremely disturbing to me. It seems change, the loss of dependency, the sen beside a picturesque country as if even in the study of violence challenge of responsibility, the pain road in upstate New York. They sold and its devastation there is an of knowing you are alone. The com- homemade lasagna, luncheon meats, underlying sense of excitement. ing of age and aging, the lack of con- detergents, cigarettes and newspa- crete answers and the monotony of A particular image remains in the same questions results in the pers. A little country store, open till my mind. It is the final day of the 10 p.m. to give the houses nearby movement too often reflecting on conference and I am standing in a itself and diffusing its own energy. access to necessities. The magazines long hallway. There is a TV. camera were kept behind the counter. You and a reporter interviewing a It is a measure of the times could just make out their titles. The woman. She is somewhat nervous. and the social reality that makes for cashier was blonde, young, and ner- "Do I look all right? This is the first Quiet Heroines. She says she is 24 vous. I bought three magazines—he time I'll be on television. Don't ask years old—very small, short dark could barely conceal his blushes. He me hard questions." He is reassuring. hair worn in a punkish style—she started to put them in a brown The assistant helps fix her hair. "Roll had sat silently during the two hours paper bag. "That won't be neces- Cameras." Question. "Why are you of my presentation on abortion clinic sary", I said, as I picked them up attending this conference on vio- violence; meeting my eyes for short along with my newspaper. "Have fun lence? Answer—"I'm here because intense moments. When she speaks, tonight" he murmured as I walked I'm working in the field and I wanted she is barely audible. The story she out. to network with other professionals tells is not unique. She was 19 years Going through those magazines to find out what everyone else was old when she found herself preg- was an adventure—something akin doing." Question—"Is it successful?" nant, living in a small Catholic to reading Popular Mechanics. No Answer—"Yes, so much so that I town—no one knew—not her par- real sensuality or sexuality—merely hope there will be one next year and ents, not her lover and certainly not descriptions of events, orifices and the year after that." the priest. Alone, all alone, she made mailing addresses. It occured to me I feel myself getting that famil- an appointment at the nearest abor- iar anxiety in my stomach—the anxi- tion clinic. She had no transporta- ety I get when my reality directly tion, no support, no "significant conflicts with the collectives; Now, I other". After her abortion she had to "ON THE ISSUES" thought, violence against women walk alone for 10 miles to get back will be thoroughly institutionalized to her house. Alone, afraid, but not IS ON THE AIRI academically and professionally. pregnant. She walked. And today at There will be university programs. Amherst, in this small classroom— Beginning February 9th, Merle Ph.D.s in violence, and a new profes- here with 15 other women—she Hoffman brings feminist issues sional journal to house increasing speaks about it for the first time. to TV on her weekly cable talk research on the issue. There is, it She speaks, and I listen. Listen as her show "M.H. On the Issues',' Sun- seems an unspoken assumption that words break the silence. A Quiet days, 11 a.m. on Manhattan and violence against women will con- Heroine—enough courage to put her Group W Cable Channel J. tinue, is an accepted part of our life on the line—enough guts to go For more information or for social reality and will be here today through the abortion alone. Walking taped copies of "On the Issues" and for many tomorrows. through darkness, but unable to contact Anderson Productions, It comes to me that the wom- speak about it. Unable till this 51 West 81 Street, New York, NY en's movement is in therapy. The moment to say the words "I had an 10024. Telephone: 212/769-2501. constant verbal and literary analysis abortion." As if the words verify the that pervades much of the politics of act—as if not speaking about it the current feminist movement can makes it go away. continued on pg. 18 THE NUCLEAR THREAT ble peace. He told the press at the advisers are telling us the full story. close of the Summit conference: It is a mad mad race. And it can A Woman's Perspective They're not going to understand be stopped; but not unless women By Betty G. Lall missile throwweights or what's hap- are able to participate along with pening in Afghanistan or what is men. Women and men generally are happening in human rights. Some socialized differently. There is no women will, but most women... question that throughout history, believe me, your readers for the with a few exceptions, it has been most part if you took a poll... would men not women who prepare for rather read the human interest stuff and wage wars. of what happened." In this nuclear age, we women Women care deeply about pre- have been frightened by our respec- serving the values that are funda- tive governments whose leaders con- mental to the achievement of a trol most of the information about more peaceful, secure, and just the intentions and capabilities of the world, but we have not been given adversary. If we thought the other effective opportunities to inject our side genuinely wanted to reach views into policy-making decisions. agreements to stop building stock- We have not been given choices. piles, would we agree to support the Considering the facts, our par- expenditure of hundreds of billions ticipation certainly couldn't hurt. each year for weapons and prepara- In the past 13 years, not a sin- tion for war? Did Soviet leader, gle arms control agreement between Mikhail Gorbachev, stop the testing Where are the women? It is an the Soviet Union and the United of nuclear weapons and anti-satellite interesting fact that women have States has been ratified by our gov- weapons because he wanted to lull been shunted aside when high-level ernment though there have been the United States into a trap or discussions turn to issues of arma- three important ones signed: the because he decided this might ment—especially interesting since SALT II Treaty, the Threshold Nuclear improve chances of reaching an women have been at the forefront Test Ban Treaty, and the Treaty on agreement for both sides to stop the as activists where nuclear arms con- Underground Nuclear Peaceful Explo- arms race? Wouldn't our two coun- trol is concerned. Yet when push sions. A fourth, a Comprehensive tries be more secure if we stopped comes to shove, we are the ones Test Ban Treaty, was in the final testing these weapons? being shoved—away from the nego- stages of negotiation before being Despite the claim of the White tiating table. abandoned by the United States. House, data available from the U.S. For many months the United Why do we tolerate our govern- Department of Energy and the States and the Soviet Union have ment spending so much of our Swedish National Defense Institute been negotiating on three separate money for destruction—over $300 show that there was no sudden armament issues, but on the large billion dollars this year alone? Both acceleration of Soviet nuclear tests negotiating teams of each side, sides insist on utilizing at least half in the months before the Soviet there were no women at the policy of their best scientific and engineer- leader announced a unilateral Soviet level. At the Summit meeting last ing talent to develop, test and pro- moratorium and invited the United October, one female policy maker duce weapons. Since 200 to 500 States to follow. appeared from the U.S., Ambassador strategic nuclear warheads are The Republican Chairman of Rozanne Ridgway, Assistant Secre- enough to destroy most of the popu- the Senate Intelligence Committee, tary of State for Europe and Cana- lation and industry of each side, why David Durenberger of Minnesota, dian Affairs. There was none from are billions of dollars and rubles remarked: "If the United States and the Soviet Union. spent to produce over 10,000 such the Soviet Union could not test their Why? After all, women repre- warheads each? Why don't we com- nuclear devices, neither country sent over half the populations of plain that we are borrowing far into could make potentially destabilizing these two large, heavily-armed and the future, saddling generations to qualitative improvements in their mutually hostile powers. Can it be come with this enormous Federal nuclear weapons...A comprehensive men are afraid of us? Afraid that debt, to wage a wasteful and dan- test ban treaty would stop menacing women might be less inhibited in gerous military competition with the Soviet developments while preserv- overcoming almost 70 years of Soviet Union? ing the technological edge the United mutual hostility and suspicion and be The answer in part stems from States enjoys in their nuclear war- willing to negotiate reductions in our the fact that we tend to trust the heads." (Bulletin of the Atomic nuclear arsenals? Afraid that we pronouncements of our government Scientist. October, 1985. page 9). would opt to cooperate peacefully to in Washington—a government that Should we believe our present avoid the possibility of a world-wide is populated predominantly by white President who claims such agree- holocaust? males. When they describe our main ments cannot be verified or should President Reagan's Chief of adversary in the worst possible we believe our past arms control Staff, Donald Regan, puts down terms, we believe our leaders and negotiators who, under both Repub- women by claiming we are not inter- tend not to question their "facts" or lican and Democratic Presidents, ested or knowledgeable about ways their judgment—to say nothing of negotiated for such agreements? to avoid war and achieve a more sta- whether or not our President and his When we have such enormous over- conttnued on pg 11 MASSACHUSETTS EMPLOYMENT MAN-MADE AND TRAINING CHOICES PROGRAM- REPRODUCTION By Dr. Janice Raymond an ON THE ISSUES exclusive interview By Naomi F. Chase Within the last decade, many new reproductive technologies have been developed. Indeed, doctors and scientists have claimed that a verita- ble biomedical "revolution" is under- way. What are the new reproductive technologies? The most well-known is in vitro fertilization, more popu- larly called test-tube babies, by which egg and sperm are joined in a petri dish, and the fertilized egg can then be implanted in a female body. Any female body can gestate the egg, not necessarily that from which the egg is taken. In vitro technology depends on man-made ovulation in which, through the use of powerful Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis and Cheryl Liberatore, the 13, OOOth ET Choices Graduate. hormones, the ovaries are "coaxed" Massachusetts' phenomenally premise that given the opportunity, into producing numbers of eggs. successful Employment and Training people would rather work than be With the development of even newer Choices Program (ET) provides job dependent on welfare. Poverty, in forms of reproductive technology training, career planning, job place- Massachusetts as in most of the such as the artificial womb and pla- ment and critical support services United States, is increasingly a wom- centa, the fertilized egg can grow such as day care and transportation en's problem. Sixty percent of all entirely outside the human female for people on public assistance. Intro- poor families are headed by women. womb. duced in October 1983 by Governor We believe that employment training Another of these new repro- Michael S. Dukakis, ET is particularly can make a crucial difference to ductive technologies is sex predeter- notable for the route out of poverty them. Specifically, it's their leverage mination. Techniques currently being it has given single mothers. out of poverty. It gives people, developed separate x and y-bearing As of June 1985, ET had placed women and men, job skills and edu- sperm (gynosperm and androsperm) 16,000 participants, 77 percent of cation. It teaches them how to look to determine the sex of a fetus them women on Aid to Families with for a job. It makes welfare a tempo- before conception. Sex predetermi- Dependent Children in full-time and rary, rather than a permanent solu- nation can now take place after con- part-time jobs which pay at least tion, a permanent lifestyle. ception using amniocentesis or the twice, often three times, their pre- Chase: How is ET different in new chorionic villus method, a prena- vious welfare benefits. In May, 1985, the way it serves women? tal diagnostic technique that can be the program received the Public Demong: I think what makes it used earlier than amniocentesis. The Service Excellence Award from the different and unique is that it offers parent(s) can then choose to abort Public Employees' Roundtable, for women the support systems they the fetus if the sex of the child is saving Massachusetts taxpayers need. For example, along with job not the desired one. Research tells us nearly $48 million in welfare bene- training, it offers day care. That's what we already know, that in coun- fits, and for demonstrating, as Gov- terribly important. try after country, preference for ernor Dukakis says, that "good Atkins: It's interesting that of male children is the overwhelming management and compassion can be the women who have gotten jobs first child choice. For example, in a allies in the administration of gov- through ET, 18 percent of them have Chinese study on the Anshan aspira- ernment programs." children under six. Now, under cur- tion method of sex predetermina- For On the Issues, Naomi Chase, rent federal guidelines, these women tion, 100 sex predictions resulted in author of A Child is Being Beaten, with kids under six are the only wel- 30 abortions. Of these 30, 29 interviews Cheryl Liberatore, ET's fare participants who don't have to aborted fetuses were female. Other 13,000th placement, about her new sign up for some kind of jobs pro- studies confirm this preference for life; Department of Public Welfare gram—yet here they are. boy children in the West as well. Commissioner Charles Atkins, who Chase: Cheryl, you're 22 and Then there are the new repro- administers the program; and your son is two and a half. You're ductive technologies of freezing Division of Employment Security one of those who didn't have to sign sperm, and most recently embryos. Director Kristin Demonq, whose upforET. Why did you? Possibly, in the not too distant department provides job placement. Liberatore: I hated being on future, we will freeze unfertilized Chase: What is the premise of welfare. When I was a kid, I believed eggs. Melbourne. Australia, the pio- ET? all those stereotypes about how neering site of embryo cryogenics, Atkins: ET is based on the those women really liked sitting at made headlines when an American continued on pg. 15 couple, Mario and Elsa Rios, died in a of us. How can one continue a preg- plane crash leaving "their" (or what THE LIMITS nancy only to birth a baby to die? came to be revealed as "her") Surely there is no point to it. But embryo in frozen storage. The OF CHOICE By Barbara Katz Rothman, Ph.D. this thinking begs the most basic media's preoccupation became who and unanswerable question of them should inherit the Rios' substantial all: what is the point, the ultimate estate. Should the embryo be consid- meaning of life itself? How long ered the child of Elsa Rios, from must a child live for there to be a whose egg it grew? Or of the "point" to continuing a pregnancy? woman who might eventually give Advances, or what we are con- birth to it? Or is the embryo the tinually told are advances, in prena- child of the man whose sperm fertil- tal diagnosis now allow for a far ized it? More important, who deter- more detailed and sophisticated anal- mines the future of the frozen ysis of the fetus resulting in a much embryo? more sophisticated prognosis. Now Embryo transfer is also possi- we not only know about the fetus in ble. This is usually done by flushing utero but about the person it might an embryo out of the uterus of one become after it is born. woman and transferring it to the All of what we currently can uterus of another. The technique learn is inherently, inevitably, ambig- has long been used with cattle and, uous. Presently, the most common in 1984, was successfully used use of prenatal diagnosis is amnio- Barbara Kat: Rothman on women at the University of centesis for Downs Syndrome. A California. Choices always seemed to be fetus with Downs Syndrome will, we Embryo transfer may soon be the issue. Choice and information— can be reasonably certain, grow to achieved with surrogate mothers or the cornerstones of the women's have some level of mental retarda- breeder women. In 1984, there were health and reproductive rights move- tion, and some possibility of physical at least 16 American companies ment. Women needed to make problems as well. But how much engaged in selling the reproductive choices, and to make choices we retardation, how severe the physical services of women to couples who needed information. As simple as problems? That we cannot know. wanted to buy. At present, surro- that. Diagnosis of conditions like gate mothers contribute 50 percent New reproductive technology Downs Syndrome present us with of the genetic material to the resul- has changed things. We are now con- decisions which are difficult enough. tant child. It is important, therefore, fronting the limits of choice, the lim- But we are also facing these very to those hiring a breeder woman its of information. There are some troubling diagnoses of conditions that she be screened for physical, choices, we are discovering, that we that directly affect the length of life. intellectual, emotional, and racial may not want to make, some infor- Very soon we can expect to have pre- traits. John Stehura, president of mation we may not want to have. natal diagnosis of cystic f ibrosis, a The Bionetics Foundation, Inc.. a A woman can now learn that condition which kills not in preg- commercial firm that helps arrange the fetus she carries, in a pregnancy nancy or in infancy, but later in child- surrogate deals, talks about the she chose to have, will die before the hood or in early adulthood. We now future of "authentic" surrogates, end of the pregnancy. She terminates. have available diagnostic tools for total receptacles, who won't even There is no point to carrying the Huntington's chorea, a hereditary need to be very healthy. Once pregnancy along until the fetus dies. condition which does not begin its embryo transfer technology is per- A woman can learn that the killing until after the mid-point of fected, the surrogate industry will, wanted pregnancy she has will pro- the life expectancy: people with by its own admission, search for duce a baby who will die in the first Huntington's chorea usually do not breeder women in the third world days after birth. She terminates. become symptomatic until they are where, perhaps, one tenth of the There is no point to carrying the in their 30s or 40s. By the time it present fee could be paid. Since the pregnancy to term, only to have the manifests itself, those with the dis- genetic, intellectual, and racial con- baby die. ease have often produced offspring stitution of the surrogate will not be A woman can now learn that who may. in turn, have the disease a determining factor in choosing a the wanted pregnancy she has will and pass it on. Is there a point to breeder woman, the monetary issue produce the baby who will begin to continuing a pregnancy which will will be foremost. deteriorate by the time it is six give the fetus only a few months of As often happens, the public's months old, be dead by five years. life? a few years? a decade? half a opinion of these new technologies She terminates. There is no point to life-span? has been formed by the media continuing. This is the kind of information, orgasm surrounding test-tube babies The decisions these women and these the kind of choices, that and other so-called medical "mira- make—and women confronted with face women who would choose to be cles." What the public is told by the diagnosis of certain kidney diseases, mothers in these times. It is not the scientists, doctors, and media is that of anencephalus (absence of brain kind of information or choice most they are a gift to women, especially and spinal cord), of Tay Sachs dis- of us in the reproductive rights to infertile women who otherwise ease, do indeed make exactly these movement envisioned as empower- could never have children. In the choices—are understandable to most ing women. In my interviews for The

continued on pg. 7 continued on pg. 6 c In the U.S.. as elsewhere, the Limits of Choice com. from pg. 51 BLACK WOMEN poor health status of Black women Tentative Pregnancy (Viking, 1986) cannot be viewed as genetic or as an with women who chose amniocente- AND HEALTH individual's fault. It is a systemic sis for prenatal diagnosis in pregnan- By Vicki Alexander, M.D. problem, not in the medical sense of cies medically defined as "at risk" "total body", but in the social sense (most commonly because the woman of "total society". was over 35), and with women who A person's race, class and sex faced bad diagnoses, I was struck by determines their life, health, sick- how trapped these women sounded. ness and death experiences. Far from gaining more freedom by The poor health of many Black their new choices, these women Americans is due primarily to pov- often appeared to me to be incapaci- erty. Access to health care is depen- tated by both the choices and the dent on income level. When we increased knowledge. They had con- consider female-headed families liv- sciously sought information to make ing below the poverty level, we see rational decisions and ended up feel- that 71 percent are headed by Black ing caught, without choices. women. Indeed, in the U.S. one's race Consider the case of Deborah. determines their class status. When She was told when the amniocente- a woman is forced to live in poverty sis results came back, which is at by conditions out of her control, we approximately the middle of the can predict a poor health outcome. pregnancy (20 weeks), that the fetus was a female with an extra X chro- Virti Alexander, M D CASE IN POINT: Access to Health Care mosome. The doctors did not have FACT: more than one in four Prior to the legalization of abor- much information to give her, and Black women suffer or will suffer tion, in one year alone, 94 percent of the several days she spent doing from high blood pressure the deaths in New York from illegal research in the medical library added FACT: over the past 25 years, abortions were of Black and Puerto little. There was some possibility the incidence of cancer for Black Rican women. In Georgia, during the that Amanda (as Deborah had named Americans has risen by 34 percent, years 1965-1969, the Black maternal her) would be retarded. She would compared to only nine percent in death rate due to abortion was 14 be sterile. And according to one whites times the white rate. study, there was some chance that FACT: Black infant mortality These appalling figures are an Amanda would become schizo- rates are twice that of whites example of the fact that white phrenic. Deborah was told not to tell FACT: twenty-five to 30 percent women had access to abortion proce- anyone the diagnosis, for fear of of inner-city Black women receive dures by better-trained personnel, stigmatizing Amanda: the informa- little or no prenatal care even if illegally performed; or were tion was considered too dangerous. FACT a diabetic is most likely to able to stretch the law and obtain But how could it not harm Deborah? be a non-white, retired woman living "therapeutic" abortions; or had the She was overwhelmed. The retarda- in a city financial resources to travel to other tion was frightening, but manage- FACT Lupus is three times countries to obtain legal abortions. In able. The potential sterility was sad, more common in Black women than all these cases, the stratification of most especially to learn it now. while in white women women along racial and class lines Deborah and Amanda were held literally made the difference together in the very experience In 1978, Black women reported between life and death. Amanda would never have. But the the lowest level of positive well In 1973, the Supreme Court schizophrenia—to have a child grow being of all groups surveyed in a ruled abortions to be legal and fed- up to become schizophrenic—is nationally-conducted Health Study. eral funding was set aside to aid the tragic. To wait for it to happen is tor- We Black women know that we are poor. But, in 1976, just three years ture. Deborah could not handle all of sicker than others, and in the words later, funding was discontinued- it. She terminated the pregnancy. of civil rights activist, the late Fannie affecting poor and minority women She grieved greatly the loss of her Lou Hamer, "We are sick and tired of most. In a situation where existing baby—for to her, feeling this wanted being sick." birth control is not always effective, baby grow and stir inside, Amanda the availability of abortion means a was her baby, and Deborah felt her- Some in this country have said self to be her mother. that all these ills have a "genetic" chance to continue school, to work- base, that there is an inherent weak- to build a quality life. Without a In her next pregnancy, Deborah ness or inferiority of minority peo- choice—it means no chance. carried twins, and because the doc- ples. Black women disagree. Such a tors were able to extract amniotic train of thought belongs more appro- CASE IN POINT Infant Mortality fluid from only one sac, they could priately to a system such as South An important indicator of the give her information about the con- Africa's apartheid where illness is health status of women is infant dition of only one twin. Deborah was clearly related to oppression and eco- mortality. A high infant mortality relieved, strangely happy. She could nomic exploitation. Your color deter- rate is the direct consequence of lack continue the pregnancy no matter mines whether you are "inferior" or of prenatal care, poor maternal what the diagnosis on the one twin "superior". nutrition resulting in low-birthweight they could test, for the sake of the

continued on pg. 10 continued on pg. 17 NYPro-Choice Man-Made coni.fnmpg. .51 West, and increasingly in other coun- tries, the new reproductive technolo- gies have been presented as therapy, preventive medicine, and as an expansion of options allowing women richer lives, lives free of the risk of producing defective or wrong- sexed children. We are told that in vitro technology, in particular, will enable women to exercise their "right" to bear babies. It will elimi- nate inherited diseases and birth defects by controlling which particu- lar eggs and sperm meet in the petri dish. It will expand the choices and RALLYING FOR CHOICE Members of Sew York Pro-Choice Coalition, meet with members of other options open to parents as to sex of interested organizations to discuss plans for massive rally on January 22 in Bryant Park, New Yurk City. their child and the timing of birth, and it will upgrade the human spe- cies by upgrading the gene pool. In short, the technologies will improve life for all human beings but specifi- cally for mothers and babies. How- ever, the most benevolent image of the new reproductive technologies is that they give infertile women the ability to reproduce. My work, and the work of the international feminist network on the new reproductive technologies previously called F1NNRET (but now re-named as F1NRRAGE—the Femi- nist International Network of Resist- ance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering) calls upon women to IVE TOOK BACK THE DAY: The NYPCC raise their fists in victory celebrating the successful turnout. January take a more in-depth and compre- 22 is OUR day—and we proved it! hensive look at these technologies. FINRRAGE challenges the scientific MONTHS OF WORK-DAY OF TRIUMPH The hard networking of the New York Pro-Choice Coalition and media portrayal of these tech- (NYPCC) produced these results on January 22, 1986. Nearly 1000 supporters for Choice attended the rally in Bryantnologies as beneficial to women and Park, NYC Media coverage was extensive. Abo in the works: a national mobilization pro-choice march on Washing-as part of the progressive picture of ton sponsored by NOW on Sunday, March 9 and in L A. March 16. Step-off for DC at 11 a. m., rally at Lincoln Memorial. Fur further details, contact your bcal chapter of NOW In Nav York City 212/H07-0721. Report on modern science moving ever onward rallies in Volume VII of On the Issues. and upward. Instead we are con- cerned about the ways in which they are damaging to all women. What are the reasons for this concern? Primarily, it is based on the reality of how these technological "advances" remove from women control over their own bodies and reproductive processes. They do this by chronically medicalizinq not only the processes of pregnancy and birth but women's very lives, often by intrusive and invasive procedures. More and more areas of a woman's life become the territory of medi- cine, and thus subject to medical control—to medical ideas about how women should give birth and to medical mandates of a "good birth." Finally, the case for concern about these technologies is based on their status as experimental. Thus they

continued on pg 13 - thought she was being exploited, or THE MEDIA, Of Love and Loss: if she definitely thought she was A Personal Remembrance of right and you didn't see things her THE MOVEMENT way. How wonderful that she wasn't Judy Lee Klemesrud: perfect. Because, to many of us, she AND WOMEN'S 1939-1985 seemed perfect—our Judy, the bright, the funny, the loyal—Judy, SEXUALITY the radiant shining star. -Results Of Memories of Judy flash Choices' Study through my mind: Judy, wishing she could meet "Mr. Right" and talking CHOICES recently conducted wistfully about the many "Mr. an in-depth survey of 60 abortion Wrongs"; Judy, playing the guitar patients which revealed that 68% of and singing in her high, sweet voice; the respondents thought that the Judy, playing hard at sports— and women's movement had made sex- playing to win! Judy, making and ual activity for women more accept- breaking lunch dates with me—as I able; media came in second, 64%. did with her—because we were both The study targeted, among other career women with demanding topics, attitudes toward sexuality, schedules and very busy all the time. feminism, media and abortion clinic I knew when Judy went in for violence. Judy Klemesrud her mastectomy. I knew the pain she Fifty-five percent thought mov- Only one moment of that Sun- went through afterward with che- ies and television gave the impres- day, October 13, 1985 is imprinted on motherapy. I didn't know she was sion that sex would be wonderful my memory: when I opened my New going to die. the first time, but 64% of those York Times to read "Judy Klemesrud, At the "Celebration" of her life found the reality quite different. 46, Is Dead; Reporter for Times 19 on October 29, 1985, many people As far as general attitudes toward years". After that, the day disap- paid tribute to Judy—colleagues, media influence on sex, 74% peared into a black haze. friends...Betty Friedan spoke of thought "there is too much sex on Judy, my dear, dear friend, was how much was owed to Judy by the TV today". 54% that "TV and other gone. But the loss of Judy was women's movement...Nancy media put too much pressure on beyond the personal—it was a loss Newhouse, Judy's editor, read women, whatever their age, to have for women everywhere. Judy—who excerpts from Judy's pieces, some sex"; 67% thought that "media chronicled the women's movement- humorous, some serious, and all makes sex seem a lot more attrac- Judy, who was the first to do a written in the inimitable Klemesrud tive than it really is". major feature article on abortion— style. Friends spoke of her warmth, Although 44% thought that on lesbian mothers—on so many top- her generosity. I was a little com- pornography encourages men to act ics of women's health and social forted, felt a little less guilty when I violently toward women, only 19% issues. Judy pioneered the reportage heard that no one knew she was thought that regular network televi- and others followed. But no one had going to die—Judy had kept it a sion programs do so. her style. secret from all of us. Perhaps we On the issue of whether they Judy was a very special person. should have been warned by her last thought there was media bias in If you asked her to cover something article, written shortly before her regard to the abortion issue, 61% with which you were involved, you death. She wrote of families with were "not sure". Merle Hoffman con- knew you were taking your life in terminally ill loved ones—cancer sidered this "an interesting finding your hands. Judy had a way of tell- patients—and types of support that seems to contradict recent ing it as she saw it, whether you groups available to them. Was she accusations from the right that the liked it or not—and whether you sending her family a message? Was media is totally controlled by the were a friend or not. Strangely she trying to soften the blow for all liberal left." enough, this never lost her any of us who loved her? I think so. It More than half the respondents friends—though there were times would have been her style. watched television at least three to when I wondered why not! I suppose Listening to everyone speak of five hours daily. because she had such honesty, both Judy, I discovered that we all knew As far as extensive media cov- in her writing and in her personal the same person. In a world of erage in terms of violent acts against relationships, that once you were her masks and undercurrents, Judy was the clinics themselves, the majority friend, you were her friend forever, right up front—there were no hid- believed it had no effect on women and that was that. den corners. Something that can be planning to have abortions or caused Judy received many awards for said of few people. them to change their minds, 92% her reporting but she was always Each day when I open my thought "anti-choice groups had a unassuming about it—self-effacing, newspaper, I expect to see her by- right to their opinion but shouldn't almost shy—as if she didn't believe line and have to remind myself it try to prevent women from having that she was a top reporter for the won't ever be there again. Each time abortions", while 92% stated that if major newspaper in this country. my phone rings or I listen to the there were pickets or demonstrators On the other hand. Judy had messages on my answerphone, I outside CHOICES when they came for a temper and made it felt if she expect to hear that special voice. My their abortions—(and there were, for 8 continued on pg. 9 many of them)—this would not, and day). As an MPF, Cynthia learned all did not, affect their decision to enter CHOICES PEOPLE about CHOICES—appointments. Front the facility. Cynthia Smith Desk work, check-ins, lab work, taking Sixty-nine percent had their care of O.R. equipment, auditing and billing. She took a special interest in first sexual experience with a male accounting, and when a position became partner between the ages of 16-19; available in that department, Cynthia of those, 19% had sex between the had another advancement. ages of 10-15. Forty-five percent Recognizing her abilities. CHOICES stated that at some time they had sent Cynthia to school to learn typing— been persuaded to have a sexual which she mastered in three weeks. experience they didn't want and Cynthia became Medical Records 15% that they had been sexually Supervisor in 1985 where she is not only abused. Of those who stated they efficient and capable but well-loved by were sexually abused, 80% indicated her staff. that the abuser was a family mem- "I look at CHOICES as a career, not ber, a friend or a friend of the family. a job," she said. "At CHOICES you have an opportunity to grow. Here they rec- Ninety-six percent believed that ognize ambition and accomplishments. "every woman has the right to have When they realize you can handle an abortion for whatever reason she responsibility, they give it to you. Work- chooses"; 77% of those stated they ing here has been truly a learning and have always felt that way. Forty-four growing experience, and I know I still percent thought that men—through have more ahead—I know I can reach a marriage, medicine, politics or the higher plateau." courts—should have no say in the Cynthia Smith All the responsibility plus being abortion decision. However, 92% did Intelligent, empathetic, capable, the sole support of herself and her tell the man involved they were ambitious, pleasant—a perfect descrip- daughter—whom she is raising single- going to have an abortion; 60% tion of CHOICES' Medical Records Super- handedly—would be enough for many stated the decision was "basically visor, Cynthia Smith. Cynthia evaluates of us. But Cynthia is the true Super- herself as "A feminist. A single parent woman in the best sense of the word. mine" and 34% indicated it was a She is also taking courses at night, joint decision. doing my best. I look at myself as a woman struggling hard to make things working toward a masters degree in A high level of activism was evi- better for my daughter than they were community health, and hopes eventu- denced by the fact that 64% stated for me." ally to go into administration. Her that if abortion was made illegal in Cynthia, eldest of seven children strong desire is to improve the quality the United States, they would fight in a family she describes as "very poor", of life for young women by teaching politically to retain their rights. Thir- was the only one to finish college. them preventive health care and family planning. teen percent said they would try to "I pushed myself through high activate other women by talking school and college." says Cynthia. "My "I want to go into the field and work with them. Help them understand about it personally with them. mother helped a lot. She always encour- aged me to go on. She couldn't go as far how to take care of themselves in a pos- Ms. Hoffman thinks the activist itive way." response "can be attributed to the as she wanted without an education and she didn't want the same thing to Cynthia's other major desires are high degree of publicity given the happen to me. She gave me emotional to see her daughter, now 11. go through abortion issue as anti-choice forces support all the way." college; and for the two of them to be have resorted to more direct, violent, Cynthia originally had wanted able to have their own home. and overt tactics against women to be a nurse and took a number of "I guess I'm an optimist." she says. and abortion clinics." courses in nursing, "But." she laughs, "I believe good things come to those "chemistry and biology did me in." who wait. I'm just hanging in there." The questionnaire consisted of Cynthia isn't one who waits—she 70 multi-part questions. Additional With her usual adaptability, she "saw alternatives" and took her major makes things happen. And she's one of topics covered attitudes toward CHOICES very special people. second trimester abortion, birth in Community Health and Education at control, men, and the medical York College. After college, in 1982, she came to establishment. All respondents were work at CHOICES as a file clerk, with having first trimester abortions and "hopes of advancement". She advanced were administered the questionnaire rapidly to an MPF (Medical Person Fri- oo on the day of the abortion, after being seen individually by a coun- Of Love and Loss com. from selor. Demographically, the majority finger still dials her number when friend: the "Celebration" of your life of the survey population was Catho- another number begins with the was from 12 to 2 p.m. on a day that lic or Protestant; Black: 44%, His- same three digits. I think of Judy was very busy for me—the kind of panic: 22%, White: 26%, Other: 8%. and my mind replays the words of day when I probably would have The age range was 13 to 42. Edna St. Vincent Millay: "What's this phoned and broken the lunch date. of death from you who will never Hey Judy, I made it... and my die?" tears and my love are with you— Judy, from all women to whom wherever you are. you gave so much, "Thank you." Judy, from me who was your —Beverly Lowy 9 Black Women ami frompg Is the traditional practice of dat- ing in America dangerous to women's babies, and poor infant nutrition WE'VE health? As reported in Parade Magazine, during the critical first year of life. a survey of 408 students at the Univer- The Black infant mortality rate is COME sity of South Dakota reveals that of 247 more than twice the white. females in the study. 20.6 percent said In addition to infant survival, ALONG they had been raped on a date; 48 per- low-birthweight babies have an cent said they had been sexually increased risk of such handicaps as WAY??? assaulted by men who held, kissed or cerebral palsy and mental retarda- fondled them against their will; almost 10 percent reported they had been tion. According to the Public Health physically abused by men in one or more Service, the incidence of low- relationships. birthweight babies stopped dropping And if the woman reports the in 1980. The proportion in the United rape or abuse, chances are she won't be States is 6.8 percent of live births- believed because it happened on a date. higher than the rate in at least 12 other developed countries. The Insti- tute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences cites current financial restraints, including Medi- caid restrictions on the number of From the New York Daily News: allowable prenatal visits, as a major Xanthe Johnson of New Braun- barrier to adequate prenatal care. fels. Texas rescued a kitten from the Guadalupe River after she spotted it Yet it is a fact that far from saving A news item from the New York money by denying poor women and being thrown in by a man, who had first Times: The Massachusetts Supreme tormented the animal by waving it in their babies adequate care, the Court upheld the right of the Christian entire cost of prenatal care is less the faces of two unfriendly dogs. John- Science Monitor to dismiss a lesbian son was fined $200.00 after she admit- than that of a singie day of hospital- employee who refused to participate in ted cursing the man in public for his ization in the intensive care nursery a church-ordered healing. Church doc- actions. A charge against the man of for a low-birthweight infant. trine holds that homosexuality is a disturbing the peace was thrown out of 'deviation from moral law" and requires court. members or employees to "heal" them- CASE IN POINT: Social Services- selves. The court held that the Monitor Apparently, the price of decency is Black Women and Health was a valid activity of the church, which much higher than that of barbarity! The current cutbacks in social adheres to a policy of employing "only programs—under President Reagan members of the church": therefore, the —have effectively eroded the quality court said, "the decision to fire [Chris- of life for poor and, particularly, tine Madsen] because of her sexual pref- Black women. The right of all people erence can only be construed as a of access to decent health care, edu- religious one. made by a church as Are women being taken to the cation and living conditions regard- employer." cleaners? According to columnist Beverly Stephen, a class action suit was less of income has been taken away. In a separate opinion. Justice filed by a group of women in Oakland. Since women assume a heavier Francis P. O'Connor said Ms. Madsen did not prove damages entitling her to a CA. who alleged that cleaners through- responsibility for childrearing and new hearing. He also contended that out the state engage in discriminatory family maintenance, any cutback in her dismissal did not involve religious practices by charging anywhere from 50 social services that might begin to doctrine, making use of the First cents to $1.10 more for laundering ease that burden constitutes a blow Admendment argument inappropriate. women's shirts than they charge for to women. It sounds like a double bind to us: men's. Stephen's own spotcheck around The provision of health care and a no-win situation for Christine Manhattan and Brooklyn revealed that services to poor and minority com- Madsen. cleaners in New York City, for the most part, do the same. The reason most munities is inadequate in the best often given for the difference is that of times. The programs that are shirt forms are made for men's sizes designed to serve these communities and that women's shirts must be ironed are understaffed and underfunded— According to the United States by hand. Asked Stephen: "Why is this ill-equipped to maintain the health of Census Bureau, only 15 percent of fabled shirt form a man's size? Why the population at its current level, America's 62 million families fit the old- don't you make a form for women's much less to improve it qualitatively. fashioned stereotype where father goes shirts too?" During economic crises like the cur- out to earn the bread while mother Probably goes back to women sup- rent one, even these piddling pro- stays home to bake it. In fact, in almost posed to be able to iron while men grams get the axe. The gutting of 22 percent of families with children, "don't know a thing about it": therefore the WIC program "Special Supple- both parents are wage earners: in 11 men "have" to send laundry out and percent there is only one parent: the mental Food Program for Women, women can do it themselves. Tradition remaining families have no children in dies hard—so do stereotypes! Infants and Children" is a case in the home. point. WIC provides food supple- But what they all have in common ments to about 2.2 million people, is that the wage-earning woman still including low-income pregnant and makes 62 cents on her male counter- lactating women who are at nutri- part's dollar.

onlinwd on 16 10 Violence is often a family affair. Nuclear Threat com. from pg .3\ Family members killing each other are kill in nuclear weapons and their so that the arms race can be waged responsible for 20 percent of all homi- means of delivery, can't we afford to relentlessly. cides. Nearly a third of the slain women are murdered by their husbands or boy- strengthen our national security by Women can especially appreci- friends, according to U.S. Attorney Gen- making the sensible decision toward ate that national security is much eral's Task Force on Family Violence. At a more stable and peaceful world more than raising and equipping mili- least one of every five women treated to take a small but crucial step by tary forces or developing and deploy- for injury is battered. Wife beating, reaching a modest agreement? Must ing large-scale nuclear weapons which cuts across all ethnic, racial and we not consider such steps, not for poised for instant attack. The social boundaries, affects anywhere ourselves alone, but on behalf of strength of the economy, the degree from two to six million women a year— those who one day will be in our of our social cohesion and domestic in fact, it's considered possible that as shoes? tranquility as a people, as well as many as half of all married women will relations with our allies in Europe be assaulted at some time—and these If we are not a part of policy- are considered to be low figures. making decisions, what can women and many other parts of the world According to the F.B.I., battering is even do? We can speak out and know that are extremely important. more underreported than rape. we are not alone. There are millions To define national security Why don't the women get out? waiting for our courage. this way does not mean weakness. For many the choice is between staying The most significant area in Women recognize that weakness and being hit or, perhaps, killed, or leav- need of progress in limiting nuclear cannot be tolerated when a well- ing and being impoverished. weapons concerns the effort to pre- armed adversary exists. But over- Thanks to the Reagan Administra- vent a new round of the arms race in arming and refusal to negotiate tion, with employment-training pro- space. Gorbachev has proposed that seriously, and trying to out-spend grams that might empower women the United States and the Soviet the opponent will be counterproduc- being cut, and equal opportunity Union agree not to attempt to tive in the long run and could lead employment being chipped away. develop and deploy a ballistic missile to disaster. women will have even fewer options. defense system in space. If the Women participating actively United States could agree to this, in the national debate, using both the Soviets indicate a willingness to knowledge and common sense, can agree to deep cuts (along with the make the difference in whether the United States) in strategic offensive United States moves safely toward nuclear weapons, such as the U.S. arms control or dangerously toward MX missile and the Soviet SS18 the development of new threatening From a variety of informants from missiles. and destabilizing weapons. California: The United States position has One-third of the Senate and all Medicaid funding for abortion is been against limiting the develop- of the House of Representatives are being threatened by two possible ballot ment of a system (called the Strate- measures that would amend the Califor- up for re-election in 1986—this com- nia constitution. The first, which is gic Defense Initiative or "Star Wars") ing Fall. The time for women to scheduled to appear on the June, 1986 that might have some capability to speak up is now and for the future ballot, is a proposal to prohibit the use defend a part of the U.S. strategic and beyond. Otherwise, in the not- of state funds for abortion except when nuclear arsenal against a Soviet too-distant future, there may be no the life of the mother is endangered attack. It would not be able to defend one left to speak at all. and would direct those funds into pro- cities or populations. grams to aid disabled children and pre- The benefits of both sides stop- mature babies. The second proposal, ping the "Star Wars" effort would Betty Lall. named by UNESCO as one of the which anti-choicers hope to get on the be incalculable. The construction of worlds three leading women experts on arms November. 1986 ballot would not even control; political economist, urban strategist, include the exception to save a woman's the entire "Star Wars" system is esti- labor educator is Director. Urban Affairs and life. mated to cost the United States Public Policy Programs, Cornell University. NY. hundreds of billions of dollars. She is a director of the Arms Control Associa- The measure states that public Most of the funds appropriated tion and a dedicated fighter for the ERA, funds shall not be spent for "killing of reproductive freedom and pay equity for innocent human individuals from fertil- by Congress for the "Star Wars" women. ization until natural death". effort (several billions have already Which means either that a wom- been appropriated but not yet spent) an's life is not a human life, or that a could be used to reduce the deficit preventable death due to pregnancy is a and also to fund some of the impor- natural death. Either way, this disregard tant domestic programs that have for women's lives can only be considered been cut or wiped out in order to inhuman. give priority to the military. Child care programs, assistance to women living in poverty, counseling and part-time jobs for disadvantaged youth, housing for the elderly poor and the homeless, and better health care for the working poor are among the worthy programs starved by the OO Reagan Administration and Congress oc 11 taneity, or dosing my body with unnatural chemi- "I would like to thank you for your thoughtful cals . Why should a 30 year-old woman not he able review of my book Lillian Wald of Henry Street. to make a choice for sterilization without a hassle? Lillian Wald, the woman, remains locked away Do doctors really believe that they will be sued sev- except that her public life became increasingly her eral yean later because the woman 'really didn 't private life. Personal letters have not surfaced that know what she was doing' when she asked for the might reveal the private person. There is about procedure-1" Wald, as about Jane Addams and the women of Nancy Nicholson the period, a lack of hard facts about their inner Brooklyn, NY thoughts. Perhaps scholars today are unearthing material that will illuminate private conflicts and

"The group that I founded as mine, UAfOJA, exists for the support of lesbians who are raising Beatrice Siegel kids with problems. If I had fell the way that New York, NY many women feel at this time, I would have aborted my daughter, Azalea Crystal, from day "I think your publication is great.1 I'm passing it one Not only is she severely handicapped, she is along to my daughter and her friends so they can also autistic and was bom of a sexual attack. Sure, find out the real truth. They all attend a Catholic it's hard as hell raising a handicapped child, but school and this is the only issue we differ on to there are so many rewards that I don't feel I'd get dale." with a 'normal'baby. Her love is unconditional — Rhea Jane Diamond she needs me. By aborting fetuses, we often kill not Toledo, OH FEEDBACK the oppression of men on our reproductive systems, but someone who can't do anything to protect itself In all my years in this Black/Brown skin, I have never seen such numbers of women killing babies as "I thank the woman who gave me On the Issues. I "/ am writing about the short item on page 10, I do now." generally find the media a heavy burden. I have no Vol. V of On the Issues. The writer is, of course, Lou Blackdykewomon TV. The over-saturation of the printed word leaves essentially correct about the oppression of animals Columbia, S. C. little room for the imagination or the time to think and of women, a subject I explored m considerable things through and make choices on the issues. depth in Ah Magazine (August, 1983). I must When 0.1.1. is placed on the reading pile, some- object, however, to the sweeping and undocumented how the words are different. It wasn't easy finding statement that all religious fundamentalists oppose "I am against abortion, but I am compelled to read a well-written work on the topic of women's animal rights and that all feminists support them the views of those who are for. I must know what health." This is simply untrue. I further object to what you opinions they are imparting to society in general. Leslie Kotin, Director have to say about the 'Old Testament'. . . which we Normally, no woman with an unplanned or The Feminine Cycle Workshop Jews call the Torah. The author of this item unwanted pregnancy is supposed to want an abor- New York, NY apparently never read the Torah or she would have tion if there is the normal respect and reverence for seen the proverb, 'A righteous person understands human life; and if society has a sensible under- the soul of his animal'. The quote about 'dominion' standing and pragmatic attitude toward such preg- "A friend gave me a copy of On the Issues with the is from a very early source By the time we get to nancies. A morally sound society is one where Flo Kennedy interview. I haven't heard anything the Prophets, that idea has evolved into stewardship unplanned pregnancies seldom occur and when they from or about Flo in five or six years. I am so of all creation. Kindness to animals is an impor- do, abortions are never sought. Tragically, our delighted to discover your publication — it is ter- tant—though relatively unknown—part of the society is morally bankrupt. All of our institutions rific. " Jewish tradition" are under the control of sinister forces, allowing a Margaret Levine Aviva Cantor legion of evils to be perpetrated. And the Moral Flushing, NY New York, NY Majority is a stupid and phony organization that does nothing but waste its members money!" Luis Emmanuelli On the Issues replies: Brooklyn, NY "I appreciate your sensitivity, feminism, education The item quoted was from "We've Come A and good solid information on health care topics. Long Way???" Those items are printed ver- It's too bad most professional journals can't offer batim from already published material, with what you do." sources cited. Only the underscored por- tions—the commentaries —are ours. The Anne Warner, R.N. piece referred to was excerpted from an Chico, CA article on animal rights written by William Severini Kowinski for the DailyNews Magazine (April 14, 1985). "Yours is an excellent, well-written publication. Coming from a lint-picking writer like me, that's a real compliment." "/ am a 30year-old woman, no children, and am Charlotte Schwarz looking for a feminist gynecologist in order to have New York, NY a tubal ligation. I have just begun to ask questions about finding a doctor to do the operation, and the initial responses have been most discouraging. I am "When I finish reading your publication, I give it too young (what do I have to do — wait until meno- to our librarian at the senior high school where I "On the Issues is a fine publication. pause?); I have never had any children (some teach. She clips articles for a vertical file used for Merle Hoffman is one great woman." women don't WANT children). I feel that I have a research projects." David van der Griff right to enjoy my sex life without constant fear of Marjone A. Simmons Gay/Lesbian Support Services pregnancy, or messy gadgets which upset the spon- Coos Bay, OR University, AL 12 "Thanks for recharging my battery. What you're Man-Made ami frompg /^^^^^^^^^•l doing is important and unique." constitute unethical medical experi- vention is often a Caesarian section. Cate Bowman mentation on women, even if Thus we are not talking about quick Brooklyn, NY women submit to them voluntarily. and easy medical procedures. We are Take the case of in vitro fertil- witnessing the kind of medical inter- ization. Most of the women who vention that rules a woman's life for "What an exceptionally well-presented, well-writ- seek salvation in clinics doing this years, and which causes an enormous ten and well-received publication. The articles are procedure are so-called infertile amount of pain and discomfort. both extremely informative and sensitively written. women. By the time they reach the What chance do women who I am pleased to become one of Choices' People." in vitro stage, they have already endure all these procedures have of Diane Geract undergone multiple medical tests becoming pregnant? The probability Maine, NY and exploratory procedures to deter- of getting a live birth once a woman mine and treat their (or their hus- has been selected for egg recovery is bands') infertility. With many "extremely small." This is the conclu- infertile women, tubal irregularities sion of Dr. John Biggers of Harvard, or obstruction are responsible for an IVF expert. Sometimes eggs can- inability to conceive. So carbon-diox- not be "captured"; even if an egg is ide gas is injected into the uterus, or obtained, the probability of achieving doctors often "blow out" the tubes a pregnancy moves up to only 0.044, every four to six weeks. This is a and the further actuality of a live procedure in which pressurized liquid birth is even smaller. is forced through the tubes in order In July, 1985, Gena Correa, a to maintain a limited opening. One journalist who has written exten- woman, interviewed in People maga- sively on the new technologies, and zine, who had undergone this treat- Susan Ince, journalist and genetic ment, and who considered in vitro counselor, did a study on the success fertilization her last hope of conceiv- of IVF clinics throughout the United ing and bearing a child, was quoted States. They found that clinics con- as saying: "When I have the therapy, tinue to report larger success rates I put a towel over my head and cry." because they measure success not in If a woman is accepted for terms of live births, but in terms of treatment at a clinic, in vitro proce- eggs recovered, chemical pregnan- dures follow upon years of infertility cies, or non-viable pregnancies. "work-ups". These procedures ini- But suppose techniques for egg tially include laparoscopy to search collection and embryo transfer were for a mature egg. The doctor uses a completely perfected? Even then. laparoscope equipped with lens and Biggers calculates, the procedures light, and inserted through the might have to be repeated about navel, to look for eggs. The egg is four times for pregnancy to occur in "I have just read my first copy of On the Issues and then removed by suction from a 50 percent, and eight times for suc- am thoroughly impressed. As a graduate of an Ivy needle. During laparoscopy and cess in 70 percent of the women. League women's college, I have always thought of needle puncture, the ovaries are myself as a well-adjusted feminist and have been Within the last 15 years, partic- sorely disappointed by most of the periodicals that traumatized. ularly in the West, there has been an I've been introduced to. On the Issues is right on The egg is then fertilized with enormous increase in Caesarian sec- target. I look forward to reading your next edition." sperm in a petri dish after which it is tions, the use of ultrasound, amnio- Wendyll Behrend implanted into the uterus of the centesis, and fetal monitoring—to Wellesley, MA women. Trauma to the uterus can the extent that a birth without high also result from the cannula, or small tech has become the abnormal birth, tube used to introduce the embryo and a birth surrounded by the imple- into the womb. When the ovaries are ments of this technology has become "On the Issues is probably the best thing I have surgically manipulated, as in the normal and indeed "natural" for seen and I certainly want to support your efforts. I laparoscopy and suction procedures, women. The technologies of in vitro just received a $10 birthday present so I think this they may not secrete the proper fertilization, embryo transfer, sex is a good way to treat myself. In Volume VI was particularly struck by your article on medical power amounts of estrogen or progester- predetermination, and surrogacy can for women. This was a battle I took on personally one required. Exogenous hormone only add to making the abnormal about five years ago when I decided I had been treatments then become necessary. normal, transforming women's prodded and poked and talked down to for the last In addition to extraction and power to give birth into man-made time. I went on a doctor interviewing campaign implantation, a number of other reproduction. Many feminists are until I found my present physician, who treats me biomedical procedures are performed also concerned that it may soon be like a real person, listens to what I tell him, inves- on women. Amniocentesis is most illegal for a woman to refuse a Cae- tigates my condition and gives me medical options often done, as well as amnioscopy to sarian section, fetal monitoring, or for treatment, telling me what I can expect from determine the normality of the arriniocentesis after a certain age, or each one. Then the two of us decide what would be that women who do refuse may be best for me." fetus. Ultrasound is often used to gain information and certitude about prosecuted for child abuse, as has Lorice O'Keefe already happened in some states. Tulsa, OK normal fetal growth. The final inter- continued on pg. 1/ 13 Room at the Top

WOMEN PHYSICIANS-CAREERS, STATUS AND POWER by Judith Lorber (Tavistock Press. N.Y., $22.50 cloth. $9.95 paperback) Judith Lorber has ostensibly written a book about women physicians and indeed her piece is based on a 20-year longitudinal sur- vey along with personal interviews with many women doctors. But. in reading Lorbers book. I became Choice Books acutely aware that this is more than just a different and so irresistible that we must study of ambitious, intelligent, accomplished I had a number of problems with recommend it. Although the plot is predicta- women who face multiple kinds of overt and TRANSFORMING BODY IMAGE by Marcia Ger- ble, the characters are not—especially the covert discrimination in their chosen profes- mame Hutchinson, Ed, D. (The Crossing Press. two heroines who are active, vibrant women sions. Women doctors may be viewed as a Trumansburg, NY, S24.95 cloth. $8,95 with distinct and very different personalities. prototype of highly successful women who paperback), although it would be difficult to It is a tribute to the writer's skill that are trying to make it in a mans world—and disagree with the premise that we must although these women are in their 70s they the world of medicine is an especially bright learn to love ourselves as we are. Studies never become stereotypes of what "older reflection of the world itself—that is domi- have shown that women distort their body women" are supposed to be (never mind that nated by the system, politics and thinking images in a negative way, usually as far as they seldom are the way they're supposed to of men. weight is concern—even those who are of be). Age is not ignored—each woman has her It is Lorbers contention that women normal or under-normal weight tend to feel own way of adjusting to it—but the crux of are systematically kept out of the power overweight. Our all-Amencan pastime of con- this novel is love: love that is sexual, love hierarchy of the medical establishment, and stant dieting . exercising and medicating our- that is longtime friendship, love that is pos- as result, have very little chance to impact selves to achieve what we consider the sessive and love that requires activism. Chris- positively (read feminist agenda) on the pro- ideal' body has for many women graduated sie and Margaret are feminists—Chrissie fession. into a dangerous obsession. Even those who more obviously. Margaret more subtly. Both Lorbers analysis leads her to view gen- don't feel "fat" often have negative body are brave, independent women who have had der discrimination as the root cause of the images: breasts too small, feet too large, to make their own way in life and have met problem. She analyzes the established ritual- nose too long, etc. Therefore. I had hopes of all the challenges. The strong friendship ized social interactions and professional pat- reading about some kind of positive break- between the women that transcends their terns that result in limited career through in this book which has the sub-title different personalities and viewpoints is real- opportunities for women in medicine. Learning to Love the Body You Have. Instead. istic and fulfilling, much more so than Marga- Quoting sociological research on career I found what is to most of us "old news" ret's brief love affair turns out to be. It was development to underscore her thesis that mixed with pop psychology. What was most also a pleasure to read of an older woman sexism in the male medical establishment disturbing is that 100 out of 138 pages in the having a sexually exciting affair—something (rather than any real gender or consciousness paperback edition are dedicated to exercises, that few writers have considered as a topic. differences) is the cause of achievement dif- worksheets, "seed" questions, etc. The exer- Most of all, this is a novel of humanis- ferentials between men and women, we see cises are not the usual "trying to tone up" tic values, without fluff and with a lot of that unfortunately, women doctors suffer kind—they are sensory, meditative, reflec- substance. Best of all. it's a good read. from the same myths that all of us (both tive, etc. But what struck me was both the professional and non-professional women) time involved and the concentration on one- WOMEN. DRINKING AND PREGNANCY by face. i.e.. the "good girl" phenomenon. They self that could become overriding unless han- Moira Plant (Methuen, Inc.. New York, N.Y.. truly believe that if they are smart, brilliant dled very carefully by a trained professional. $32.00 cloth) is an up-to-date, comprehensive or really accomplished, they will be and Dr. Hutchinson says. "It's a tragic waste of and critical review of information on the indeed should be rewarded. But. according to human potential... If you could harness one- fetal alcohol syndrome. Ms. Plant points out Lorber. "interactive processes, not individual tenth of the energy you spend being that although we may consider this a prob- talents and choices, still keep women physi- obsessed with your body and use it for some- lem of modern times, in fact it has been a cians in their supposed appropriate place". thing that furthered your personal develop- problem and much debated since ancient The "male gatekeepers" do not believe that ment and goals, just think where you could times, with strong admonitions against women are trustworthy colleagues—either be!" Yet this book creates its own obsession. drinking during pregnancy in writings from due to their inherent femaleness or their Yes, "it's a tragic waste of human ancient Carthage and Sparta, the Bible. Plato. competing roles as wives and mothers. potential" but why is the emphasis on "your Aristotle—up to the present day. Although Lorber writes that even though this personal development...where you could the book may be considered too in-depth for current period in history has opened up many be"? (Underscore ours). Once again, the con- the average reader and geared toward health more career opportunities for women, they centration on self. In a world that so desper- professionals and researchers, there is much continue to be kept in the lower or middle ately needs people working for change, a fascinating information for anyone inter- levels of medical careers by both formal and world where women and children are strug- ested in this topic. The studies involved the informal barriers. gling simply to survive, just a small portion results of smoking and drugs as well as alco- It seems that the male medical estab- of the energies expended on these exercises hol—and the results should induce any preg- lishment—like any other established power could make a difference to so many. This nant woman to stop smoking! As for alcohol, order (governmental, religious, etc.) has cant happen as long as women view their according to these studies, moderate drink- evolved and developed specific formulas to mirrors as the whole of society. Someday, ing does not appear to cause harm, but the insure the maintenance of its position— hopefully, a step-by-step worksheet book will question is raised as to what is moderate "Power concedes nothing without be written on how to move away from the drinking. In the study cited, it would be one demands."—There is no impetus for the mirror, forget about self-improvement and or two units a week—a unit is equal to a half establishment to change—and any opening self-help books to concentrate on the real pint of beer, a standard wine glass of wine or up of opportunities for women is "a priori" issues. one shot of whiskey. Most drinkers would threatening to the establishment. As a Meantime. Transforming Body Image consider this "light" rather than "moderate" result, patronage and sponsorship, the two will join the proliferating ranks of similar drinking—one of the dangers of drinking at most powerful vehicles for achieving a promi- books that are inundating bookstores nation- all. This book is non-alarming, non-judgmen- nent medical career, are withheld from wide. tal and very well presented. In its reasoned women. —Beverly Lowy way. whether you're pregnant or not. it may In every part of the analysis, the We do not usually review fiction, but keep you from reaching for that drink. And woman physician loses—she loses psychologi- WINTER'S EDGE by Valerie Miner (The Crossing with alcoholism rising among women, that cally for she is always trying to be someone Press. $16.95 cloth. $7.95 paperback) is so might not be a bad idea at all. she is not. trying to please, to dance to the

14 right tunes so that she will be accepted. She as these women move through their careers Massachusetts com. frompg. 4 loses family-wise—even in a two physician and through all the various steps involved in home doing nothing. I thought they family—the woman is still expected to give attaining positions of power that they will, more time to the children, and ultimately she by their mere presence and numbers, change were abusing the system, and I loses as a careerist because no matter the the system. looked down on them—like, who level of her personal ambition, it is likely to Lorber quotes a woman physician in would work if you could sit home be thwarted by the informal or formal orga- her 40s who said "I am encouraged by all the and collect your check? nization of established medicine. In fact, it is young women who are going into medicine, Well, it's terrible. Being on wel- Lorber's strong feeling that no individual but we'll see where the power goes." Lorber woman doctor's career can be seen in a vac- says that "paradoxically" women must act fare makes you feel terrible about uum, but that each reflects the fact that politically as a group in order to defuse gen- yourself. Everything I owned when I professional development is as dependent on der as a status. was on welfare. I got in second-hand the actions of colleagues and superiors as on 1 do not find this to be a paradox at the individual woman concerned. stores. I mean, they were as nice as I all—the power establishment itself has col- could find, but everything was sec- This is particularly evident in the lectified women, devalued and labeled them choice of a specialty. An analysis of the most even as they allow a few to rise. It should not ond hand—my clothes, my furniture, common specialties chosen by women (pedi- be a paradox that women must recognize, my son's things. It was very boring, atrics, psychiatry and anesthesia) appear to reclaim and redefine their status as a GROUP very depressing to sit home all day. be the ones that are most commonly recom- and CLASS in order to effectively irradicate And it's bad for kids when their mended for them by others. The criteria used gender discrimination. mothers are obviously depressed—it include: short training periods, non-competi- Lorber uses Elizabeth Blackwell and tiveness, and women's inherent sensitivity to Mary Jacobi (women physicians at the end of gets them down. too. I remember relate to others. Oddly enough, not one of the 19th Century) to elucidate the political one women in the program said her the above really fits these specialists—too choice for feminists. Blackwell felt that child was really whiney and cranky. much sensitivity can be a negative in pediat- women should be iri the profession not of the Well, I think that child was whiney rics, while psychiatry involves a rather exten- profession. A cultural feminist and separa- sive training period. Lorber contends that a tist, she held that women had special respon- because his mother was depressed. woman's choice of a specialty is a result of sibilities in evolving a higher social and moral So, I'd sit there saying to "positive reinforcement and conflict avoid- order; while Jacobi, an integrationist and myself, "How can I get myself out of ance", rather than any real drive or specific liberal feminist, believed that women and this situation?" And going into a men should unite in the profession and work orientation. store with food stamps—people look She goes on to demonstrate quite towards objective, demonstrable professional strongly that men are much more likely to criteria in the search for truth. at you and say things under their follow their preferences in career choices But it was Blackwell and other women breath, or they say it right out loud, while women are not. Even more interesting physicians who organized clinics and hospi- things like. "They should have a spe- is a study quoted that shows there is "little tals to serve what they perceived to be the special needs of women patients. Much of cial line for you people." I knew evidence that women medical students are women who wouldn't use their food particularly nurturant and male medical stu- the effort in the women's health field has dents are particularly aggressive'." In fact, one been directed towards redefining the basic stamps because it was so embarrass- study found that when students evaluated assumptions of organized medical practice, ing for them in the store. But on their personalities—"females rated themsel- especially as it relates to reproduction and $75 a week, you couldn't eat and ves significantly higher than males did on gynecology. pay your bills. self-confidence, autonomy and aggression, But, for some women doctors, femi- while males rated themselves higher than nist concepts of medicine are not to their Chase: What is the average wel- did females on nurturance. affiliation and liking—and as a result, they do not ally them- fare grant in Massachusetts? deference ". selves with the movement. For them, their Atkins: The average grant, in M.D. is far more important than their Ms. But. as is the case so often in studying Lorber strongly feels that for women physi- cash, depends on the size of the fam- the women who have chosen to enter male- cians to achieve any real organized effective ily. Cheryl got $75 a week. As she dominated professions, we are left with evi- power base, they must band together, creat- dence of shattered dreams. Case by case is says, on $75 it's hard to eat and pay ing networks of support and sponsorship. presented of women in their 3Os and 40s and your bills. The cost to the state of She believes, as I, that personal solutions are 50s who, even with good training and great the average annual AFDC grant, with important for individuals, but for society and ambition, did not achieve the rank or status systems to change, collective, political, orga- food stamps and Medicaid, is some that they desired. Comparatively, most men nized action is necessary. She fears, as I, that $7000, while the average cost to the looking retrospectively at their careers could as soon as some women physicians enter high see the steps on the ladder leading very state of an ET placement, including levels of the established power structure, clearly to where they were sitting at the training, day care, transportation they will be co-opted and forget their sisters. present time and had a much higher sense of Lorber's ultimate goal is idyllic—men and administration, is $3000. In satisfaction with themselves for achieving. and women working together in a non-gen- other words, we can get women The women physicians interviewed der based culture where all that really mat- back to work for less than half of had to deal with issues such as working extra ters is humane issues and the search for hard to prove to their male colleagues that what it costs to keep them state truth. She is aware that the road of this rev- dependent. having a newborn baby was not going to cut olution is long if not interminable, however, into their professional commitments, or. in offers no insight as to how to prevent the Chase: Cheryl, you say you kept the case of one woman who was not doing leaders from getting lost along the way. asking yourself, "How can I get out well, feeling she had been too "feminine" in This is an issue for all of us to ponder. medical school and as a result, had not been of this?" What actually made you get recommended for a post-graduate training —Merle Hoffman into the program? post. Liberatore: Well, I saw the bro- But it is in the last two pages of her chures for ET in the welfare office. I book that Lorber addresses the main issue, wanted something that would get the core of the problem—and that is that any individual woman's achievement is just that, me back to work quickly, and the individual—and as such, is built on brittle program was short—it's 16 weeks. glass. There is the assumption among many The most important thing, though, feminists today that all that is needed to end was the day care that ET offered. sex discrimination is for the numbers to be equalized—more women in more powerful Chase: Cheryl, why was day positions—in all areas. It is also assumed that care so important? cont from pg 16 15 Massachusetts mm from pg 15 Liberatore: Because there was Chase: How does ET fit into the much about it. The defense budget no way I was going to leave my son general economic scene? is $160 billion. That's pretty close to alone at home, and I could never Demong: Well, we've been build- the growth in the deficit, which is have afforded day care myself. ing up a real data base here, and get- $150 billion. Chase: What was the group you ting some figures on who is poor. As Chase: What do you think trained with like? I said before, the answer is mainly of Reagan's efforts to reduce the Liberatore: Everyone became women, and not only people on pub- deficit?. friends. There weren't any cliques. lic assistance. Nearly three-fourths Atkins: Well, I object to their We could sit down and talk about of unemployed teenagers in Massa- trying to reduce the deficit at the our problems. We had a reunion on chusetts are women. expense of crucially-needed domestic May 15. Chase: Does ET make your task programs. The WIN (Work Incentive) Chase: Could you describe some of job placement easier? Program which funds ET has an of the women you worked with? Demong: It sure does. You see, entire budget of $267 million. The Liberatore: Well, they ranged in women on AFDC develop some ter- New York Times mentioned recently age from about 18 to 50. A few were rific management skills, which they that the Navy spent $232 million to daughters of women on welfare. can be trained to transfer to differ- build a destroyer at Bath. Maine. In Some were high school drop-outs, ent areas. The fact is, a lot of poor other words, one destroyer would others had some college, like me. We women are excellent managers, but just about pay for the WIN budget. were all in the same situation, though, most of them don't think of them- We could probably get along with of trying to improve our lives. selves that way. Any one who can one less destroyer. Chase: And your lives did feed a family of three on $4300 a improve? year is accomplishing a significant cb

Liberatore: Definitely. I'm work- management task. ET channels per- Black Women mm from p? ing for Mass. General Hospital now, sonal talent into an employable pro- • tional risk, and children up to five as a secretary to the Environmental file. As you can imagine, that builds years old. WIC has already been cut Services Department, and they're a lot of confidence in the partici- back substantially and Reagan has going to pay for me to go back to pants, as well as giving them mar- proposed further slashing. college. I had to stop before, when I ketable skills. had my son. One of the other women Atkins: I think that's a crucial CASE IN POINT: Sterilization is a secretary for a construction point. Programs like ET are the only Increasing numbers of group. One works doing computer route out of poverty that I know of women—both women of color and programming. Another is an assist- in this country. Reagan claims that a white women—freely choose sterili- ant for a nutritionist. rising tide lifts all boats. But there zation as a form of birth control. Chase: What did you do with are no boats for the people who are That sterilization has become an your first paycheck? discouraged job hunters because integral part of family planning and Liberatore: I bought a new they don't have skills for jobs in the birth control practices is not in itself, dress and shoes, and bought my son workplace. They have to get help so the problem. For those in a position toys. For a while, every time I got a that when the tide rises, there's a to make a fully informed decision, check, I bought him a toy. My sister boat to get into. uninfluenced by social or economic was saying that it looks like Christ- You asked me about the aver- coercion, sterilization should remain mas all the time. age grant a few minutes ago. Massa- an option. But, "free choice" in the Chase: You mentioned day care chusetts is among the top 10 states context of oppressive social relations before. What are some other aspects in the amount of money it gives in is often not free choice at all. There of the program that were important welfare benefits. Despite that, we have been examples of physicians to you? can only give $4,440 in cash, plus untruthfully informing indigent Liberatore: Well, nobody I know $1,800 in food stamps—that's Black women that Medicaid would who went through the program $6,240 for a family of three. Mean- not pay for another birth and that would have been able to get the job while, the federal poverty level for a their only option would be steriliza- they're in without the skills training family of three is $8,850. That's why tion. In other instances, very young we got through ET. Most of them I think the only way out of poverty is Black women—some in their early were planning to go back to school ET-type programs which can help teens—most living in rural communi- eventually, but this speeded up the women get off welfare and into ties, have been sterilized during process. Also, the career counsel- jobs. You know, the average AFDC other surgical procedures, such as ing—showing us what kinds of grant is $4,400. The average ET full- appendectomies. Because the major- things we could do. I remember time job pays $9700. I'm in the ridic- ity of these women are unaware of noticing how women around me in ulous business of running a poverty their legal rights, they are easy vic- the program were feeling more and program. tims for unscrupulous conduct. more independent, less depressed if Chase: What do you think is the By 1982, some 15 percent of they didn't have a husband or a boy- answer? white women were sterilized as com- friend to help them out. ET gave us Atkins: It's a national problem. pared to 24 percent of Black women, the confidence to go on to bigger There's a gap between the official 35 percent of Puerto Rican women and better things. And we all needed poverty figure and what poor people and 42 percent of Native American it. Without it, people can't better are getting on welfare, and I don't women. The disproportionately high themselves. think President Reagan cares very percentage of minority women ster- 16 Limits of Choice com. from pg. 61 Man-Made comfrompg 13 other they could not test. In the prenatal diagnosis used the rather Many physicians are now referring to absence of full information the strange phrase: "my only choice." such high technology births as "pro- responsibility for choice had been Whatever choice they made, it was tected pregnancies". The social fall- taken away. If either twin was often experienced by the woman as out of both the new and "old" retarded, sick, disabled in some way, an "only" choice—the choice one reproductive technologies for it would be sad, but it would not be makes when all other choices are too women is that it changes the whole Deborah's fault. She would cope with terrible to contemplate. cultural image of what it is to give what came, accept the twins as they Choosing to end a pregnancy birth. It is a technology by which were. one wanted, with a baby one had women are disempowered. Having the ability to make begun to prepare for and even to FINRRAGE maintains that the some choices about the condition of love as it moved within, is never an new reproductive technologies are a our children has begun to take away easy choice. One may do it to spare political issue. That is, they are an the choice to simply accept them as the baby suffering, one may do it for indication of the power or lack of they come. If we can know that a good and strong reasons, but one power that women have over our child might suffer, or even die before always does it in pain and sorrow. bodies. What happens in the female its time, can we knowingly allow it Choosing to continue a pregnancy, body determines human life. And if a to be born? We make ourselves in knowing the child will not lead a full woman does not have control over some sense responsible for its suf- life, this too can only be done in pain her body, this is a very basic yet all- fering. Once the information is and in sorrow. encompassing lack of power. And it there, choice is inevitable. There are no solutions to these is an age-old condition of women's Many of the women having dilemmas, but there are steps we oppression. When women as a social can take. Along with our work for group, in most parts of the world, informed consent and for more lose the power to reproduce, or not ilized conveys the tell-tale message choices and for more information, reproduce in a woman-directed way, of racism. It is noteworthy that the we must now also consider the this is not only an individual wom- federal government assumes 100 rights of informed refusal, including an's loss. It is the loss of political percent of the cost of sterilization the informed refusal of information. power. It affects all of us. under Medicaid, while, at the same Deborah had amniocentesis to test In the larger context, why do time, federal, state and local abor- for Downs Syndrome. Had she these medical miracles require that tion funds are cut off. known a diagnosis such as Amanda's women adapt to painful and debili- The fact that Black women and was possible, perhaps she would tating intervention? Why are women other women of color are in a quali- have chosen not to learn it. Some channeled, at such a cost to their tatively worse position than white women would not want to know if bodies and themselves, into repro- women is easily proven, as is the their children were going to die of ducing? Why do these techniques relationship of this poor health sta- cystic fibrosis. Some would not want reinforce the bio-medical view that a tus to life conditions of an individual to know if their children were going woman's reproductive system is based on race, class and sex. to die of Huntington's disease. Not pathological and requires an enor- As progressive health providers all of us would want to know if our mous amount of intervention? Under and concerned individuals, this children seem slated never to see old the cover of a new science of repro- awareness oftentimes makes us age. Perhaps sometimes it is not duction, is the female body being depressed, demoralized, and at a loss knowing that frees us. fashioned into the biological labora- for what to do. Providing health Many science fiction, fantasy tory of the future? And finally, will services and patient education are and horror stories have been written the ultimate feat of these technolo- important, but its impact on society about being able to tell the future. gies be to remove not only the con- as a whole is limited. Most end with the crystal ball trol of reproduction, but repro- To effectively transform the smashed, the power too terrible to duction itself, from women? existing social ills, we must support use. Knowledge may be a certain and participate in the growing num- kind of power, but foreknowledge Janice Raymond is Associate Professor of ber of organizations and self-help can also be the very opposite. We Women's Studies and Medical Ethics at the birth all of our children into the pas- University of Massachusetts. Amherst. She is clinics that are addressing these the author of The Transsexual Empire and A social questions. sage to death. How much do we Passion for Friends, both published by Beacon I encourage all of us to "Change want to know ahead of time about Press. the World." their journey? Vicki Alexander, M.D.. Obstetrician/Gynecolo- Composed of over 700 women from 30 dif- gist with the Maternal-Infant Care-Family ferent countries. FINRRAGE members include Planning Projects in Brooklyn; Consultant, Barbara Katz Rothman. Ph.D.. Associate Pro- scientists, health activists, lab technicians, Montefiore Family Health Center in the Bronx fessor of Sociology. Baruch College and the physicians, lawyers, government ministers of is a long-time women's health care activist. Graduate Center. City University of NY. is health, writers, engineers, journalists, com- Her political organizations include the Black author of The Tentative Pregnancy: Prenatal munity health workers, ethicists. demogra- phers, sociologists, psychologists, women Women's Health Project; National Campaign Diaonosis and the Future of Motherhood who have undergone infertility treatment, to Restore Abortion Funding; Coalition to (Viking Press. 1986). Previous work includes women who have counseled infertile women, Fight Infant Mortality; Alliance Against Wom- In Labor: Women and Power in the Birth- philosophers, librarians and students. en's Oppression. place, published in paperback as Giving Birth. t CO CO 17 Hoffman-ISSUeS amlimu-H (ram p« _' •••• Abortion, such a major part of itself on small flames. A world of been torched two weeks before by my life for so long, so politically com- dualisms—of politically correct and anti-choice fanatics. She doesn't fortable, yet still having the power incorrect behavior, of good girls and seem terribly upset, not proud, sim- to amaze me. Today at Amherst, this bad, of homo and hetero, of femi- ply accepting this fact as a "given"— woman faced herself and the reality nine and feminist. My consciousness as if coming home and finding your of her choice. I had helped make that exists in prisms—I am bound by a car in ashes is just something to be happen, had been a catalyst, ena- natural necessity to see events expected for a front line fighter. For bling her four year secret to be told through multiple reflections, even- a Quiet Heroine. safely in this room among women— tually allowing for even an under- Dinner is a typical Californian among peers. Hearing herself speak standing of my enemies. vegetarian meal. I speak to them must have given her some measure The ultimate passivity of about abortion. Yes, I have had an of comfort, for her voice became women finds its apex in the act of abortion. Yes it was difficult. And to stronger as her story unfolded. Noth- abortion without its acknowledg- my left, a woman gets up and ing new here, the terror of the abor- ment. 1.5 million women have abor- begins: "I've never told anyone about tion itself, the sense of depersonali- tions every year. How many of them it, but five years ago I got pregnant zation, the medicalization of choos- speak about it? How many keep this and..." I love every minute of it. I am ing, the profound relief. I had heard reality inside themselves like some into the politics and the power—the all of it many times before, but her dark bloody secret; something to be small awakenings and profound telling made it special. hidden, to be ashamed of? How beginnings. THE PERSONAL IS THE Quiet Heroines. Another voice. many women defy their post-abor- POLITICAL. She had been a prostitute, on wel- tion instructions not to have inter- Afterwards, I stand at the lec- fare—doing sex to get by after her course for at least three weeks tern, taking questions. They ask me second marriage. All screwed up, fall- because their lover or partner knows how I deal with my opposition and ing back on the only skill she did not nothing about it? How many submit the direct attacks. I respond by say- have to learn or practice. She tells to infection to keep their secret? ing that I have come to judge my me this as we walk the quiet cam- Keeping quiet, like keeping your legs accomplishments more by the pus. Her eyes do not move from the together, is a major part of the strength of my enemies than the road—her voice betrays no change in mythology of being a "good girl". force of my supporters. theme from politics to life. Matter of Quiet Heroines—careful not to be Make no mistake, I tell them, fact, on welfare—prostituting. I too abrasive, too strident, too abortion is the buzz word, the ban- react inside and say nothing. Just aggressive. ner, the visible cue for all who would listen. She says she is 40 but looks Todos Santos, California. I am to oppose women's equality. Abortion much older. Her life had left mes- be the keynote speaker at a profes- is the fundamental freedom for sages on her face for anyone who sional women's conference. The topic women. The right to choose whether could read to see. Feminists are is "Women, Power and Choice'.' They or not to be a mother, whether or made, not born, churned and hewed told me this was heavy stuff for the not to bring a child into the world is in the fire, radicalized by life, not West Coast—so much so that the the non plus ultra for the women's theory. Now she is political and bour- main newspaper in the area refused movement. Without reproductive geoise. Her son will make something to interview me or carry the fact freedom and access to safe legal of himself, "respect women" As for that I was speaking. Fears of pickets abortion, any discussion of equality her, she sits on approximately four and violent protests in front of the for women is groundless. boards of directors—pillar of the hotel do not materialize. I am ready. I am bringing the issue to life. community, blue skirt, blouse with a These women are hungry for inspira- I am the physical and political repre- neck ruffle and tie. Sex for her now tion. They came to their feminism sentation of the theory. By speaking, is politics. Not something that one the hard way—not on college cam- by testifying, I become. The others— does to survive, but something to be puses or in consciousness raising the silent ones—are also heroines analyzed for the struggle. She, too, groups but through marriages. Most but cannot be counted in the ranks has had abortions. But hers were of them are divorced. I am a lighten- or the struggle, for they make no more of a type—an occupational haz- ing rod for these women—I "put my representation, demand no response, ard to be expected. Looking and lis- life on the line" after all. I get a sub- create no anxiety. The movement tening to her, I feel a sense of awe liminal message that they love and must challenge and create conflict- and wonder. fear me for it at the same time- otherwise it exists only in dialogue. On the plane to San Francisco. know they have to be awakened, Another voice breaks the Going to the 70th Annual American need to hear the message, but some silence—"It was such a difficult Medical Women's Association Confer- part of them wants to keep sleeping. choice for me to make. The mother ence entitled: "Violence—DxRx." One woman has driven an hour in me wanted so much to have it, to Physicians also now studying and to hear me speak. About 35, she is love it, to see it grow. The other part analyzing violence against women. I thin, pale, with eyes that seem rest- knew it was impossible." The "other" pick up the New York Times and see less. She has been in the struggle part, I thought. It occured to me Betty Friedan's "How To Get The almost 15 years and like me does not how very male defined our definition Women's Movement Moving Again?" really remember when she hasn't of mother has become—selfless and It occurs to me that I often experi- been involved. She has been—still self-sacrificing. But I knew the ence the movement in black and is—an executive in an abortion facil- truth—that abortion—the act of white—the colors of depression, a ity. Very matter of factly, almost choosing whether or not to have a kind of bloodless passion that kindles abstractly, she tells me her car had child—is in and of itself a mother's 18 We have received a number of requests to reprint pieces from On the Issues. We will honor such requests whenever possible. 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Choices Women's Medical Center, Inc. 97-77 Queens Boulevard Forest Hills. New York 11374 There is no charge for On the Issues. If you wish to help defray the costs of publication and mailing, $10.00 makes you one of CHOICES' People. This enti- tles you to back issues (while the sup- ply lasts); our booklet Birth Control: The Choice Is Yours; our yearly calen- dar; and any future publications within the upcoming year. Birth Control: The Choice Is Yours examines and evaluates all methods, with special consideration to effectiveness, personalities of individ- ual users and the best method for each. $3.00 each (1-10 copies); $2.50 each (10-25 copies): $2.00 each (over 25). • Enclosed is $10.00 to help defray costs. • Enclosed is for copies of Birth Control: The Choice is Yours

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Choices Women's Medical Center. Inc. act. Abortion is so often an act of PATIENT POWER love—love for oneself, one's family, In the early 1970s, Merle Hoffman, they are entitled to get what they pay for the children one has. An act of founder/president of CHOICES, devel- for, know what they're getting, and love and survival. oped the concept of Patient Power, understand all their options for treat- The next morning, I am on my based on the principle that patients ment. The following "12 Tenets of way to a radio interview. The white (mainly women) are consumers of medi- Patient Power" will help you understand limo moves smoothly throughout the cal treatment rather than passive (and this philosophy and ultimately practice it Napa Valley—pastoral scenes—cows, often victimized) recipients. As such, in your own medical care. horses, vineyards. The driver is quick 1. Patient Power is the right to ques- 7. Patient Power is knowing all your to point out the likeness to Falcon tion your doctor. options. Crest. I, dressed in white, sit in the 2. Patient Power is not being intimi- 8. Patient Power is being informed of back readying myself for the adven- dated by the medical establishment. your rights and responsibilities. ture—a kind of feminist lone ranger 3. Patient Power is making medicine 9. Patient Power is comparison shop- riding into town to lay my raps. work for you. ping for doctors and drugs. She is about 28, a stockbroker, 4. Patient Power is knowledge of the 10. Patient Power is being an informed bright, attractive, intelligent—came power of your own will to health. consumer. 5. Patient Power is awareness of availa- 11. Patient Power is integrity and to her feminism through an indepen- ble medical choices. responsibility. dent hard life. She is supporting her 6. Patient Power is assertive question- 12. Patient Power is a discipline of self newly married husband in his stud- ing of the medica! system. awareness. ies. She will be my guide to Northern California. The radio station is expecting me. Heads snap up as we walk in. The DJ. is real tough. He has my literature in front of him—it ONLY looks well worn and well read. He •traditional thrusts the mike in front of me and We're we are on the air. 1 flatter— stopping Ma\ pracfice "Well Ms. Hoffman, how are the production. the other insurance 5\7o can Mets doing?" "They're some kind of We can't 90-to ball team aren't they," I counter. He money Podunck is completely nonplussed and can anyrnore-— only respond with a question con- V cerning whether or not Geraldine Ferraro had made promises to me in return for that he thought was my heavy financial contribution to her campaign. It is truly Reagan's Amerika. His questions are not new nor is his attitude. "Aren't women really being selfish? After all, they are killing babies for their own Somehovy reasons." I think I'm The last few minutes of the losing my program I take calls. A woman GVx>ices describes herself as a "young 70". Her question echoes in my mind. "Why are all these women getting pregnant in the first place?" debate between Merle Hoffman and Whose Life Is It Moral Majority leader Dan C. Fore; a 13- Why indeed?! year-old girl rattles off anti-choice rheto- December, 1985 did not come Anyway? ric, unthinkingly parroting what she has quietly, either. The first week "Most women make the decision of been taught; and much more. brought with it letter bombs in Port- abortion.. .out of love...for family, chil- This film puts the focus of the land, Oregon sending messages of dren... often a selfless decision."—From abortion issue back where it belongs—on hate and destruction to clinic person- Abortion: A Different Light produced women. It is the ethical rebuttal to "The nel—more Quiet Heroines. December by Merle"Hoffman in 1982. Silent Scream" and a useful tool for pro- 10th brought a violent bomb attack This 28-minute videotape explores choice activists to use in their communi- against a New York City abortion the ethical, religious, political and socio- ties. Available in Beta. VHS or 3/4" logical aspects of abortion with honesty cassettes. Purchase price: $350; rental; facility. The bomber made three $75; in special cases of fledging or strug- phone calls alerting staff to evacu- and candor—even allowing equal time for the anti-choicers to present their gling feminist organizations we will ate. The bathroom, waiting room side. Seven former abortion patients at waive the cost except for $25 to cover and equipment were damaged. CHOICES are "silent no more"—they tell postage and handling. Violence... their stories movingly and honestly: pro- Contact: CHOICES. 97-77 Queens It gets closer. choice activists and attorneys are inter- Boulevard. Forest Hills, NY. 11374. viewed in depth; there is a vigorous 718/275-6020. Ext. 467. oc 19 t Choices- Choices We Offer Many? Published as an informational and educational service of CHOICES Women b Medical Center, Inc We are CHOICES, one of the most progressive and com- 97-77 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills. New York II374 prehensive ambulatory women's health facilities in the nation Since our founding in 1971 as an outpatient abor- ON THE ISSUES STAFF: tion center, we have become a role model in the field of Merle Hoffman .Executive Editor ambulatory women's health and surgical care, and offer Beverly Lowy Managing Editor the following services: Anne Walshe Associate Editor Dolores Alvanno .Assistant to Executive Editor • Pre- and Post-Natal Care • Female Sterilization Maureen Domingo .Assistant to Managing Editor • Full GYN Services c Full Laboratory Services Florynce Kennedy Contributing Editors • Family Planning VD Testing & Treatment Irene Davall • Walk-In Pregnancy Tests Workshops for the PatSnibbe . . .Art Director • Abortion Community Irene Lipton .Assistant Art Directors • Diagnostic Sonography Counseling Stephen Marena • Vasectomies Project Outreach Art Graphics Litho .Printing Dawn Typographic Services Typesetting A New York State Licensed Facility

Choices Women's Medical Center, Inc. BULK RATE 97-77 Queens Boulevard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Forest Hills, New York 11374 Long Island City (718) 275-6020 New York Permit No 378