The Montana Women's Resource, Circa 1975

University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana The Montana Women’s Resource, 1975-1986 University of Montana Publications 1-2-1975 The Montana Women's Resource, circa 1975 University of Montana (Missoula, Mont. : 1965-1994). Women's Resource Center Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/womensresourcecenter Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation University of Montana (Missoula, Mont. : 1965-1994). Women's Resource Center, "The Montana Women's Resource, circa 1975" (1975). The Montana Women’s Resource, 1975-1986. 36. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/womensresourcecenter/36 This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Montana Publications at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Montana Women’s Resource, 1975-1986 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Montana Women’s Resource The Montana New Rural Feminist It is important to define tally, emotionally, and physical the above terms and explain why ly I so carefully chose them for a As strange as it may seem, title. I believe that what I am the physical aspect is the reason about to discuss is very unique many of us have moved to rural to the state of Montana because settings. We get pleasures in Montana is a very unique state. various ways which may sound There are few places left in this pecular to our city sisters. country which allow for such pri Some of us really enjoy carrying vacy. This is primarily due to a fifty pound pack up a steep the small number of people and mountain, just to look off into the great distances between cities. the distance at the top. Others This, combined with the fact that prefer a warm comfortable house Montanans do not tend to be very with the knowledge that they accepting of newcomers, can quick helped build it from beginning to ly turn privacy into isolation. end; from the pouring of the first When speaking of Rural, I am re yard of concrete for the foundation, out with lots of aches, and are ferring to women living more than to nailing the last soffit on always finding new muscles, most twenty miles from a good sized the roof. Others endure the of us feel better for all of the city (Havre, Billings, Helena etc.) long days and tight restrictions experiences. The real harm is and living on a farm or ranch of having a milking animal, to that the physical drain leaves or developing a small parcel of be rewarded by the taste of cool, us less strength to deal with the land. The word New carries with fresh milk and rich creamy butter. mental/emotional aspects of our it two meanings. In part I am Many spend days and nights garden lifestyle. speaking of the people who have ing (which isn't easy in Montana), A significant drain on the chosen to move to Montana from harvesting, canning and preserving, woman is the sheer stress of other areas and are not living in order to experience the pure learning to live in the new life here because of birth or marriage. joy of sitting down to meals all style. The multitude of knowledge New also implies that these wo winter with the knowledge that required, which is taken for grant men are experimenting with life everything before them was pro ed by the person who has done it styles and are attempting to com duced by them and their loved all of their life, is just over bine the old traditional values ones. whelming. From the very "simple" into their lives along with learn There are many more physical question of the different water ing new skills and developing aspects that don’t have such clear ing troughs and feeders required new role patterns. For the pur cut rewards but must be accepted for sheep, horses, cows, chickens, pose of this paper I will define as part of the lifestyle. Put and pigs; to the correct temper a Feminist as someone who is very simply, it is a fact that atures for canning fruits and actively working for the equality you cannot buy services in the making cheese (cottage,colby,etc.); of the sexes and views this as a country. Even if one could to learning the correct way to primary aspect of her life. afford it, there is usually no tamp a fence post and stretch a With the above definition in one to do the work. When the fence; to the more complex aspects mind I would like you to stop and septic system backs-up, it is of building, wiring, and plumbing think of all the women you know you who dig down to the tank and a house; right on out to figuring who would fall into that cate then cheerfully (?) shovel the why that chicken died or how to gory. If you come up with more shit. When your water line freezes butcher that rabbit. (Test your than ten, please go back and check you either figure out how to selves; How many words or ideas my qualifications. Better yet, thaw it or you carry water for about country living that I have please send me their names and the rest of the winter. When a mentioned do you know anything addresses. As I have travelled flood washes out your driveway, about?) The means of acquiring around the state for the past two you get a shovel and haul loads the knowledge is often by trial years to various feminist functions, of gravel and then and error because the books are I find very few women who can re be prepared to have some means of not written for the real novice late to my life. I consider my clearing the snow in winter be (even if they say they are) or self extremely lucky to have some cause the county doesn't do pri they are inaccurate or incomplete. very meaningful relationships in vate driveways. It is one thing Combined with the entire process this little town which didn't to feed hay to your animals in the of attempting to acquire the skills even make it onto the state map the winter, but quite another to which we have been deprived of due this year. Seriously though, the buck 80 pound bales onto a truck to our sex, is the necessary and fact of the matter is that there and then again into your barn. very difficult procedure of estab are a scant few of us. The rea The problem with this physical lishing new ways of sharing our son, stated very simply, is that aspect is not that it harms the knowledge. it is a very difficult life; men body. Although we generally start continued on next page page 1 continued from page 1 If one is experimenting with joyable, providing them as a base To begin this process, anyone who new manners of life* the woman support for our sisters in the city. is interested, write me with your is ultimately subjected to in Needless to say, our methods, ideas. We could begin a letter/ sult and hurt from the people with tactics and manner of behaving are literature/idea exchange and de- whom she comes in contact. The very different from the traditional velope a chain visitation program. man who laughs in your face when view of a feminist. We cannot If there is enough response we you are the only one there when he start luncheon seminars and we may be able to get a little room comes to make the concrete pour. cannot negotiate with the legisla in this paper for a column or The electric repair man who quotes ture. We can provide new role mo develope our own newsletter. you a price, takes a check from dels for the women around us. The We are all doing what we are your hands signed by you, and then small town living allows them to doing because that is what makes makes out a receipt and hands it to see how a different lifestyle op us most happy. That is reason any man present. The family who erates and shows them what it is enough that we should share our will not let their child come out like to live in a mutually respect energies and help each other over to your home to play with your child ful relationship. We cannot open the difficult spots. because there is a male at home women’s centers, but we can monitor One final sobering thought preparing the evening meal. The the local press which is the major about this matter. From my ex men who visually undress and rape means of misinformation to the peo perience, all evidence indicates you because you have chosen to ple. We can counteract the sexist that women who move to the rural have your body free to bend and (and every other ”ist”) articles, Montana areas as feminists and lift. Any deviation from the norm and try to get accurate informa then are frustrated and demoral of marriage, children, pies for tion to the women. We could not ized by their role, do not leave every sale and regular volunteer have a rape crisis line, even if the country. Rather, they remain ing for 4H is grounds for isola only for rape, because the “local” in the country and cease being tion.

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