FACTS ON AIDS: NO MORE SCARE STORIES OR HOMOPHOBIA 3oi . ^ * o s

NEW ZEALAND'S FEMINIST MAGAZINE H M M - U4C6 W5' THIRTEENTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION DOG, HIG CAR MAY 1985 ISSUE 129 $2.50 &< M G G o t U G P V-FROMTG/, B e /AIN6, 6LOR/A, A U _ M IN 6/.

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Broadsheet MYRANICOL needs MOWER AND GARDEN CENTRE VOLUNTEERS 479 RICHMOND ROAD, in it’s ph 761-769 AUCKLAND. Auckland Full motor mower sales and service. office Indoor & outdoor plants, fertilisers, potting mix, seeds & garden tools. Please Only woman-owned and operated phone if you Auckland mower service. can help us- Free pickup and delivery service. 794-751 CONTENTS

FEATURES ROMANTIC NOVELS 14 AIDS - The Facts and The Homophobia 36 DEBENDOX 26 PUBLISHING MAORI MATERIAL 22

FICTION & POETRY Second-Hand Children 34 Offer To A Hero 25

ARTS REVIEWS Live Art/Limited Edition/Setting the Pace/Women and Russia/,Stone, Paper, Knife/The Reproductive Revolution/Sweeping Statements/Stepping Out of Line/8 Robes 42

REGULARS LETTERS and FRONTING UP ______2 BEHIND THE NEWS Rainbow Warrior/The Vancouver 5/Sexual Harassment/Gay Rights/ Disabled Women Work/“Always A Success Story’VHercus Assault 6 SET VIEWS 13 WHAT’S NEW? 39 ON THE SHELF 40 HOGWASH 33 CLASSIFIED ______... 48

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FRONTISPIECE Taylor’s Mistake - women’s alarm team, 1952.

BROADSHEET COLLECTIVE Sandra Coney, Lynn Crossley, Sandi Hall, Heather McLeish, Claire- Louise McCurdy, Athina Reay, Trish Taylor, Jenny Rankine, Judith Ammon.

THESE WOMEN WORKED ON THIS ISSUE Leonie Child, Jess Hawk Oakenstar, Catherine Lee, Kim Grant, Diana Nicholson, Errolyn. BROADSHEET is published by Broadsheet Magazine Ltd, PO Box 5799 Wellesley Street, Auck­ land ; Registered Office: 1st Floor Gane Building, 43 Anzac Avenue, Auckland 1; and printed by Wanganui Newspapers Ltd, 20 Drews Avenue, Wanganui. Published: 1 March 1985.

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Permission must be sought before articles may be reprinted. Broadsheet is on file atfne Women’s Collection, Special Department, Northwestern University Library, Evanston, Illinois 60201, USA.

ISSN 0110-8603 Registered at the GPO as a magazine. Broadsheet, May 1985 1 FEMINIST THERAPY Great Oxford Debate but Dear Broadsheet, Sandra Coney damned him We read with interest and hor­ with very faint praise in her ror Jill Abigail’s article on the Hew Zealand Times assess­ Feminity Peddlers. It would be ment. a pity if feminist experience of After nine years of repres­ such “personal growth” work­ sion of minority groups and shops reinforced a suspicion liberals we have travelled miles of other kinds of therapy and since July 1984. Dear Broadsheet, personal growth techniques. womyn workshop and wanted Whilst I don’t agree with We are writing with regard to There are many alternatives to to continue as a group, or on quite a few Jill Abigail’s horror story on Babette Hayes’ methods, al­ wanted to start up as a group things, the areas of justice and the femininity peddlers in the ternatives that fit well within a and later attend one or more peace are of major impor­ March Broadsheet. feminist perspective, and we workshops. tance to me. A nuclear-free We would like to let you and see that Jill Abigail mentions Last year our group ran a Aotearoa is a step on the way your readers know: both self-help therapy groups four-hour introductory ses­ to disarmament, and justice • that some of us have been and co-counselling as among sion shortly before several for the Maori people is 143 in a consecutive series of them. We would like to rein­ workshops for those who years overdue. Positive steps force her endorsement of both groups (therapy/personal wanted to prepare to go on have been taken towards of these. Co-counselling has a growth) in Wellington, not workshops, or for those who these goals. inspired by any particular philosophy of self help; the just wanted to find out about Of course it’s not perfect. Of book though we found “client” is in charge, sessions In psychodrama. We would be course we’d all like speedier Our Own Hands and are always reciprocal (ie one prepared to do so again this reforms, and stronger action Mother Wit very helpful; takes a turn as being counsel­ year if there is the demand for for change in all areas of • that womyn have brought a lor and client), and the net­ it. domestic and foreign policy. work itself is organised in a variety of resources of There will be womyn, and But political action in a demo­ these groups, to share and non-hierarchical way. lesbian, workshops in Wel­ cracy needs to take some note develop, and these include Feminists often fear that lington throughout 1985. For of all shades of opinion to en­ visualisation, elements of getting involved in personal information, womyn could sure that gains are not just growth will defuse their anger psychodrama, relaxation write to the address below. short-term. etc; and stop it being channelled Self help therapy group, I consider that the Labour • that the groups have been politically. This is not true. P.O. Box 11494, government has done really all-lesbian groups arising Often our personal distress Wellington. well, and the personality of out of all-lesbian psychod­ overcharges that anger, pre­ David Lange has ensured rama workshops and con­ venting us from being clear Dear Editor/s, popular support - an impor­ tinuing between them; about our strategies and all I enjoyed the letter entitled tant factor in getting re­ • that we organise all-lesbian too often making group pro­ “Everyday Feminism” in the elected. and all-womyn weekend cesses difficult. Being able to March issue. I read Broad­ I ask Broadsheet readers to psychodrama workshops deal with our personal distress sheet mainly because it is in­ be realistic; to give our govern­ from time to time; can make us clearer about formative and in some cases ment solid support. If you are • that some group members that other level of distress, educational. too destructively critical you which comes from our strug­ are working explicitly to ex­ The article that most “raised help the CIA in its plans to de­ tend their skills including gle to survive in an oppressive my hackles” in the last issue, stabilise Labour and to substi­ society. psychodrama director was The Femininity Peddlers tute National as a government training; Jill’s article has prodded us or more to the point, the inter­ which, with Jim McLay as into doing something we have • that last year marked, as far view with Rita bloody Barnett leader, will fall over itself to get thought about for some time - as we know, the first totally that was tacked on at the end. back into the nuclear club. organising a co-counselling lesbian psychodrama work­ I suppose she would teach basics course for women. It shop in NZ (ie including Peggy Ashton her two-year-old daughter Devonport will take place some time after lesbian - directed); how not to be sexually arous­ June, and anyone interested • that we are trying in the ing ... is this in fact included in can write to Juliet at 98 groups, and in the work­ the course under, maybe, COPING WITH SEXISM Marsden Ave, Mt Eden, Auck­ shops where we can, to “Coping with parental pres­ land 4. take the various therapies, sures and responsibility.” I Dear Broadsheet, In sisterhood, and by criticising and would like to say a lot more in a This is to express my agree­ Juliet Batten ^ analysing them from a heated and more articulate ment with Heather Al- Ruth Bonita g feminist perspective, to be fashion but as I have a frac­ derslade’s letter (March ‘85). I Auckland aware of stereotyping and tured collar bone and am typ­ have always wished that the use of power in ourse­ ing this with one finger on my Broadsheet would publish ar­ lves and in the training we left hand, it would prove too ticles that would give me some have had and to be aware frustrating! help in coping with sexism that too of the context of our Susan Allpress occurs almost every day in the lives - this is a hell of a lot of Auckland lives of most of us. work! For example, yesterday one There are womyn in our LEAVE LABOUR ALONE of my colleagues (male) and I present group who would be had a meeting with the per­ willing to help us facilitators or Dear Broadsheet, sonnel manager of a large in­ resource people to help I get really mad because of dustry. Our purpose was to groups get started for feminist nit-picking about the persuade him to permit the heterosexual feminist womyn Labour government in general firm s nurse to introduce hear­ if requested; whether these and David Lange in particular. ing protectors (earmuffs and 6-//, &ANL y womyn attended an all- I thought he did well in the plugs) to the workers. He had 2 Broadsheet, May 1985 injustice of pornography. It lished texts on was motivating and thought- painting. However, there is one provoking without being de­ unpublished study Pat does pressing. not cite and which interested However, Josephine Mazire- readers may be unaware of: a McLean and Jill Snoswell in research essay on Lois White the clipping “Stag Parties” written by Robyn Mason in dealt a real downer by actually 1981 for the Auckland Univer­ quoting pornography - they sity Art History Department’s wanted me to read some, Women in Art paper. The spreading the very stuff that I essay is housed in the Elam am trying to eliminate. I im­ Library, agine they did it to educate or Liz Eastmond to motivate anger but to me Auckland neither of these reasons jus­ tifies perpetuating pornog­ FIG HT BACK raphy. Dear womin, 1 know pornography is cruel The NZ Self Defence and I don’t want to read it. Teachers Inc are collecting I don’t have to be raped to

Broadsheet, May 1985 3 SNAPDRAGON It was decided that the best of transport. made for other new rape crisis Dear Broadsheet, way of doing this would be to In the event, many centres or sexual abuse counselling I am pleased to hear that your hold a residential workshop, also brought more than one services. magazine and bookshop have so that, as well as discussing representative to the work­ Yours sincerely, been able to find more suita­ funding distribution, centres shop. Despite difficulties, all ble and accessible premises. would also have the opportun­ who attended were fed and ac­ ACTING MINISTER OF Hopefully, this will mean that ity to talk about other areas of commodated. WOMEN’S AFFAIRS your financial situation im­ concern such as education The organisers did not “al­ proves and that the staff and and prevention programmes. locate” 45 beds, as the writer Dear Broadsheet, collective feel more supported On this basis, the sum of claims. There were only 45 The charges made against the by an increase in contact with $20,000 was allocated by the beds. That was it! Minister of Women’s Affairs, the community. However, I Accident Compensation Cor­ On the distribution of fund­ Ann Hercus, and the State Ser­ hope that this does not also poration to hold the meeting. ing, the distinction was not be­ vices Commission by Te The problem turned out to mean an increased sense of tween centres which were in­ Aroha McDowell in the Article be finding a sufficiently large competition from Broadsheet corporated and those which “Tokenism in the Ministry” venue for the numbers who towards the womin’s book­ were unincorporated. It was (Broadsheet, April 1985) con­ wanted to come. shop ‘Snapdragon’ now es­ between centres which were cern me very greatly. This was compounded by tablished in Jervois Road.l am currently operating and those Far from blocking the es­ the pressure of time, since the disappointed to hear that which were not. tablishment of a Maori funding had to be distributed In the process of compiling Women’s Secretariat within Broadsheet has refused to by March 31. the final invitation list, the or­ place an advertisement for the Ministry of Women’s Af­ The only suitable venue av­ ganisers received a large fairs there has been support ‘Snapdragon’ in the magazine. ailable had accommodation number of calls from centres for this concept from the out­ I understand that ‘Snapdra­ for a maximum of 45 people. which were in the process of set. gon’ is run on a collective and Since the first funding of being formed. None of these One of Ann Hercus’ first co-operative basis which $150,000 had been ear­ were invited to the workshop. acts as Minister of Women’s works towards breaking down marked by the Government All were told that, while they Affairs was to set up an advis­ the idea of capitalistic enter­ specifically for centres which could be eligible for funding in ory group to assist in the set­ prise and therefore compe- were already operating, a deci­ the next financial year, the ini­ ting up of the Ministry. tiveness. I had assumed that sion was made that only these tial $150,000 was to be used This group, which included worked on the Broadsheet centres could send a rep­ to help centres already provid­ Mira Szaszy and Louisa Craw­ same philosophy and wonder resentative. ing a service. ley, called for submissions why there is conflict in the idea In January, the coordinator The same policy was from any person or group with that the two resources can of the steering committee cal­ applied to both Maori and ideas for the functions and exist in a mutually supportive led every centre known to be non-Maori centres. composition of the Ministry. way. KiaOra operating. A member men­ The division of funding on a A submission, calling for the Anthea tioned other groups and these completely equal basis bet­ establishment of a Maori Auckland were then added to the list to ween all existing centres — Women’s Secretariat, was pre­ attend the workshop. each centre received $4,500 — sented in person by represen­ MINISTRY REPLIES In addition, the convener is considered to have been fair tatives of a group of Maori Dear Broadsheet, made a special visit to Rotorua and just. The Minister has re­ women in September 24. As Ann Hercus is presently to meet with Mereana Pitman ceived many letters from This was taken on board im ­ overseas, I am replying on her and seek her advice as to the centres enthusiastic about the mediately and indeed the only behalf to the article in your inclusion of Maori women’s grants they have received — in­ change suggested by the ad­ April issue, “Funding for groups working in the area of cluding Maori Women’s visory group was that the sec­ (some) rape crisis groups”. sexual abuse. Centre Inc., Hamilton. retariat should have a Maori The writer, Hinewirangi Letters of invitation were It was argued by some that name — which it will. Kohu, claims that Maori sent out in the first week of there were other Maori centres It is to be called Te Ohu women were discriminated February, and Ann Hercus which should also share in the Whakatupu. against at the meeting held by simultaneously sent a press funding — and this would cer­ The p^per, which was ap­ Ann Hercus and the Accident statement to all newspapers tainly have been the Govern­ proved by Cabinet on Compensation Corporation to which said: “If any centre has ment’s position too. November 19, stated: “The help decide on criteria for dis­ not received a letter, 1 urge However, despite requests Ministry will include a unit with tributing $ 150,000 of Govern­ them to call my office urgently from Ann Hercus for names specific responsibilities for the ment funding. so they can be included in this and details of the centres, priorities of Maori women.” This is demonstrably un­ very important meeting.” none was produced. It was also agreed that staff true. Some centres expressed It was, therefore, impossible for the secretariat should be The facts are as follows: concern that only one rep­ to include them. chosen by Maori selection The Government an­ resentative was able to attend 1 should point out that far procedures. nounced on December 20, the workshop. from being disadvantaged in The fact that this process last year that, for the first time, A group of centres decided the final allocation of funding, cannot begin until the Perma­ rape crisis centres in New Zea­ to convene a 2 day national Maori women’s groups re­ nent Head of the Ministry is ap­ land were to receive perma­ meeting in Wellington prior to ceived a considerable advan­ pointed applies not just to Te nent Government funding. the workshop and, in recogni­ tage. Ohu Whakatupu - it applies to The question of how the tion of this, Government A special grant of $23,500 all staff. money would be fairly distri­ supplied not an airline ticket was made to help in the for­ It is, quite simply public ser­ buted would be decided by (as is the normal procedure) mation and incorporation of vice procedure which the Government in consultation but a cheque for the amount new Maori women’s groups so Ministry of Women’s Affairs, with the 30 or so rape crisis of the ticket, so that centres that they could be individually like all other new government centres and other counselling would have the option of more included in the next funding departments, must comply organisations working in the members coming to Wel­ allocation. with. area of sexual abuse. lington using alternative forms No such provision was Te Aroha McDowell may 4 Broadsheet, May 1985 consider the setting up of a Maori Women’s Secretariat “tokenism”. I consider it a major and genuine step forward in the Government’s programme for the equality of New Zealand women. We all recognise that one of the greatest problems of women — who have been tradi­ tionally deprived of power - is to find ways of coming to­ gether from divergent starting points. The Ministry is committed to serving the needs of all women in the pursuit of genuine equality. It is good that these needs are being raised for solution, for remedies must be found. If instead we were simply to break up into warring groups the predictions of our most strident critics will be realised - and women will be the los­ ers. Yours sincerely, Margaret Shields ACTING MINISTER OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS Noif-drivinq contortion, Tutu fa to a. £>•<* 'O'. ToroneJci, /9/o '

FRONTING UP BOOKSHOP CONTRIBUTIONS APOLOGIES We are still offering 10% dis­ When submitting stories, count to schools. We will open W HERE WE ARE poems, articles, letters etc for after hours by appointment or publication, would you please Our bookshop is now situated bring a selection of books to remember to send a stamped at 485-7 Karangahape Road, Several mistakes were made your school by request. We addressed envelope with Auckland. We will be open in our April issue due to the dif­ also offer 10% discount to stu­ them. We will do our best to from 10am — 5.30pm. Late ficulties in starting a new de­ dents and beneficiaries. read them as quickly as possi­ night Thursday till 9pm and sign and layout worker not Please phone Trish 766-204 ble. Leonie will open the shop long before the magazine or Athina 796-397. went to press. from 10am — 1pm Saturday. We apologise to Gil Hanly, for The phone number for the BOOKSTALLS FREE BROADSHEETS FOR not attributing her photos on bookshop is 398-895. Broad­ FRIENDS pages 18, 20, 28, 29; to Te sheet magazine will continue We welcome the opportunity to show what we stock in the Send a stamped addressed Aroha McDowell, Mira Szaszy to operate temporarily from envelope and we will send Paparangi Reid, Ripeka Evans, the first floor of the Gane bookshop and of course it also helps us. If you are having a your friends a recent issue of Donna Awatere and Moana Building, 43 Anzac Ave, Auck­ Broadsheet. seminar, workshop or meet­ Herewini for not saying that land. Phone 794-751. Our PO they were some of the 16 ing please get in touch with us. Box number remains the PRICE RISES Maori women who made sub­ We have an excellent range of same, 5799, Wellesley Street, missions to the Women’s books in stock. Auckland, NZ. The cost of printing each issue Ministry for an autonomous continues to rise. We hope Maori Women’s unit; to Kathe- DEADLINES ADVERTISING RATES that the shift at the bookshop rin Luketin for mispelling her will continue to subsidize the Deadline for July is 10 May Classified $3.80 per col. cen­ surname; and to Ruth Bonita magazine for as long as possible. and for September 10 July. timetre, quarter page $70, half for our corrections in her letter page $140, third page $97 of two spelling mistakes in STUFFING and a full page $260. Inside quotations she used from the covers $360 and outside back NZ Women’s Health Net­ Stuffing of the May issue will covers $720. We offer gener­ work’s information. be on Saturday 27th April at ous discounts for contract ads 43 Anzac Ave. We would ap­ of 5 months or more. Contact preciate more help with stuf­ Trish. fing from anyone who can spare some time.

Broadsheet, May 1985 5 BEHIND THE NEWS RAINBOW WARRIOR GOES TO Marshall Islands, where atmos- Other forms of help could be ar­ heric tests by the United States ranging publicity with local MORCIROA ave been on-going for 30 newspapers, collecting mate­ years, radiation has affected rials or involving local schools. crop production and food So far three yachts are joining sources, leading to the deterio­ Rainbow Warrior and Green­ ration of the economy as well as peace III, with other possibilities to the suffering of the Marshal­ in the pipeline. Mr Rien Achter- lese people. berg of Greenpeace, Auckland The pending voyage to hopes to see at least a dozen Moruroa has several aims. Ulti­ vessels leave New Zealand. mately, it is hoped to halt all Waiheke and Great Barrier Is­ nuclear testing in the Pacific as lands have shown a great deal of an example to the world. As a interest in the scheme and the means to this end the voyage Waiheke Island peace group is hopes to reinforce existing anti­ heavily involved in raising funds. nuclear policies and establish For one group of prospective new ones. 1985 is an extremely voyagers, all is not going ac­ important year for several nuc­ cording to plan. A group of lear orientated reasons. Firstly, it Waiheke women who had is the third review of the Non­ hoped to take part in the trip nuclear Proliferation Treaty. don’t have enough financial However, to date the French backing and support. In addi­ have not signed the treaty and tion, the only offer they had for a have been exporting nuclear vessel was a trimaran. They had knowledge to Iran. The mission hoped it could be harnassed to hopes to persuade France to Rainbow Warrior, but that sign the treaty as well as rectify proved futile, as the trimaran the treaty to ban all nuclear test­ was too wide. ing. The women are still in full The moratorium established support of the expedition and RAINBOW WARRIOR' on nuclear waste dumping is would like to become a source also due to expire this year, so it of communication, based in RACMC PEACE VOYAGE, is hoped this can be reinforced. New Zealand, for the progress As well as these more con­ of the trip. crete aims, the campaign would According to Mr Achterberg, like to help the people of the New Zealand government Moruroa in the fight against the has reacted positively to the In September 1985 Green­ ter of seal pups. As a result of destruction of their island. campaign, although became of peace Mew Zealand plans to these protests, the slaughter of To achieve these results, controversy over the ANZGS al­ lead a campaign to Moruroa grey seals on Orkney Island off Greenpeace New Zealand has liance, they have not become fi­ Atoll in an effort to counteract the coast of Scotland was ban­ established an “adopt a yacht” nancially or politicly involved. the many nuclear threats in the ned and the EEC placed a ban scheme in an effort to recruit as The six month round trip is area, by non-violent direct ac­ on imports of seal products fol­ many groups as possible to sail considered to be a “closing tion. Two vessels, Rainbow War- lowing four consecutive years of to the Atoll. The idea is that one down party” to conclude the rier and Greenpeace III, will be active demonstrations against specific group adopts a yacht - Pacific voyage made by Rain­ leaving New Zealand in June or seal hunting in Canada. or several small groups to a ves­ bow Warrior in 1985. The July, to arrive at Moruroa late in Greenpeace III has also sel. They would work with the “adopt a yacht” scheme aims to August. The campaign hopes to played an active role in confron­ owner of the vessel to prepare recruit as many vessels as pos­ raise awareness world-wide of tations in the Pacific and has for the voyage, support him/her sible to exert a strong influence the major nuclear issues in the made four trips to Moruroa during the voyage, both in ac­ over nuclear policies concern­ Pacific, particularly in France, since 1974 when the French tion and on its return to New ing the Pacific, in a bid to the United States and Japan. were forced to put a halt to at­ Zealand. change hopes of a nuclear free Rainbow Warrior was built in mospheric tests after protests Groups planning to adopt a Pacific into realities. □ 1956 as a fishing vessel and was by various governments, trade yacht could help with fund rais­ converted in 1977 to be used as unions, peace groups and indi­ ing ventures raffles, stalls or Contact Greenpeace on the 5th the flagship for Greenpeace. It viduals. Unfortunately the concerts. Financial assistance, floor, Nagel House, 20 Cour­ has travelled world wide - a total French merely change tactics aside from fundraising ac­ thouse Lane, Auckland 1. Ph: of 100,000 kilometres - on vari­ and began underground test­ tivities, would also be welcome. 31030. ous peace excursions. Between ing. 1978 and 1984, the campaign The effects of testing is be­ was focused on the desperate coming more obvious in other plight of whales and the slaugh- areas of the Pacific as well. In the 6 Broadsheet, May 1985 and the Wimmin’s Fire Brigade have been a subject of con­ THE VANCOUVER FIVE And troversy in the Vancouver left wing and feminist communities. In this interview, Patty Gibson and Punam Khosla talked to RED HOT VIDEO Ann Hansen. The article was or- Two Canadian women recently received long sentences for their part in ginally published in the Van­ couver feminist magazine the sabotage of three mega-projects and the firebombing of three Kinesis. pornographic video shops. In retrospect, are you frustrated at not having been able to Julie Belmas plea bargained make a unified political state­ on her charges, but despite that ment right at the time of your was sentenced to 20 years in arrest? prison. The judge said that the No, not frustrated. We couldn’t case was criminal not political, have because everyone was in a but justified the harsh sentence slightly unique situation. There saying it was necessary as a so­ were so many charges. Some cial deterrent. Ann Hansen people were innocent on a legal pleaded not guilty to the level and others weren’t. charges laid against her, but was convicted and sentenced to You always have to weigh life imprisonment. Three men whether it’s worth it to take a who also took part in the actions total non-collaborationist stand received prison sentences, but with the legal system. There’s the women’s were longest. no point in just laying down and Belmas, Hansen and the dying. If you can avoid being in three men formed a group they prison by going through the called Direct Action. They dyna­ legal system then 1 think you mited the Cheekye-Dunsmuir should. You’re more useful out nuclear hydro substation and there than in prison. Litton Systems plant which On the other hand, if the odds of houses Cruise Missiles. Calling actually gaining anything by themselves the Wimmin’s Fire going through the legal system Brigade, Belmas and Hansen are very small then 1 think sac­ firebombed the three porn rificing your political integrity by shops. going through it is a very de­ The five were arrested in grading and depoliticizing pro­ January 1983 by police officers cess. posing as highway flag persons Some sections of the political on the Squamish Highway. A community have stayed dis­ feature of the case was the tac­ tant and fairly critical of your tics used by the police to ens­ Anne Hansen case. Criticism seems to centre nare the saboteurs. The Co-or­ on the isolated nature of the dinated Law Enforcement Unit capable of sabotage and ex­ were held at all Red Hot Video actions and their apparent dis- had commited illegal break-ins propriation and could work free outlets in British Columbia, with % regard for the needs of the to plant bugs in the defendants’ from police surveillance ... if an 700 people at one picket alone. broader-based movements. houses. Despite this, the judge effective resistance movement Petitions were organised, and How do you respond to that? pressure was put on govern­ allowed the wire-tap evidence. can develop, we can be subjects We never had an attitude of total ment and police to act against Julie and Ann had been under who determine history instead disregard towards the building 24-hour surveillance by the of reacting to every singularly the video chain. of the movement. The way we By the time the trials of the Security Service, and were obvious symptom of the sys­ saw it, you don’t just suddenly Vancouver Five came up the probably watched while they did tem’s disease.” end up one day with a militant the fire bombings. At the trials, witnesses gave media had had a field day. The movement without any kind of banner said “Julie, 21, In her address to the court, evidence of other actions which Sun's militant activity beforehand. We TERRORIST” in letters dripping Ann Hansen explained why they had been taken to express com­ didn’t see ourselves operating in with red ink blood. A later article took the actions they had. “It munity opposition to the de­ opposition to the legal move­ was captioned “Jailed Couple was because there was no legal velopments. Carl Rising-Moore ment, and we did consider it traded Punk Rock for Terror”. way to stop these crimes against gave a detailed history of years when we carrried out our ac­ This article began: “The anger humanity and the earth that I felt of futile community protest tions. I had to use the illegal actions to against the Cheekye-Dunsmuir of punk rock was not enough for But 1 don’t think people can say, do so ... At this dangerous point line and substation. Concerned Julie Belmas. So she laid down “We’re not going to do anything in human history, we have a citizens began by writing and her guitar, picked up a gun and illegal until the masses do.” lobbying. They were forced to started reading books with titles moral responsibility to stop the What are we going to do? Wait arms race, violent pornography escalate their tactics to include such as How Terrorists Kill.". for headlines someday that say and the destruction of the earth. pulling up surveyors’ pegs and Negative buzz words like “ex­ that 300,000 workers are tear­ This moral responsibility far civil disobedience to block tremist” "terrorist” and “anarch­ ing apart B.C. Hydro ... like sud­ over-rides any obligation to bulldozers attempting to enter ist cell” were frequently used denly, in a vacuum, 300,000 the site. He also outlined what when describing the actions. By adhere to man-made laws.” people are going to run out and the project, which is going the time the five went to trial, a “Even though I knew that a start tearing apart mega-pro­ ahead, would mean to the survey showed that 59% of resi­ few militant direct actions would jects? 1 think that’s a very un­ not make the revolution or stop people and to the environment. dents living in the area where Vancouver women’s groups the trial was held had formed realistic assessment of how these projects, I believed that it movements, or how history de­ was necessary to begin the de­ had organised long and hard the opinion the group were velops. velopment of an underground against the chain of Red Hot guilty. resistance movement that was Video porn shops. Mass pickets The actions of Direct Action How did you come to the deci- Broadsheet, May 1985 7 sion to pick the targets you but refused to recognize it offi­ more than 100 charges in total, ing, “1 wouldn’t do that... some­ picked? cially, because he wanted to be and five different people were body else must have done it,” Well, we did take into considera­ able to justify giving us a lot of involved. Some people were in­ when you did it. And then at the tion the legal movement, We time. There is no way he nocent of some very serious same time you feel hypocritical didn’t just wildly go out and blow couldn’t have picked that up be­ charges. What we tried to do for pleading guilty because you up things randomly. We had a cause he must have heard it (on was participate in the legal sys­ don’t feel guilty of anything. And political analysis that included a the tapes) ... There were about tem and bring out our politics as you don’t feel you should be lot of issues. five hours solid of just us going much as possible, within those punished for it. It’s a very hard The first action, Cheekye- over and over the hold-up scene limitations. But it’s very very dif­ position to be in when there is Dunsmuir, was chosen because itself, which we went over many, ficult. Your lawyers are con­ absolutely no harmony between we saw that in Canada the whole many nights, over and over and stantly telling you never to make your values and your perspec­ trend towards mega-projects over handcuffing the guard. one single political statement. tives as a whole and the and resource extraction was Handcuffing a live guard obvi­ When you want political ques­ perspectives and values of the going to be the economic trend ously. tioning to be carried out in the legal system. for the future and would be­ People have said that the kind courtroom, the lawyers are re­ Given all that's happened and come one of the real bulwarks of actions you took increased luctant because it jeopardizes the position you're now in, of our economy. We chose the amount of heat on the their professional image in front how are you seeing this up­ Cheekye-Dunsmuir for a lot of political community. How of the judge and prosecutor to coming phase in your life? reasons. For one thing it was a much responsibility do you be asking political questions We’re all going to be in federal project where the legal struggle accept for that? that the court sees as irrelevant. penitentiaries and we ll just con­ had failed and was no longer Obviously, what we did resulted ... Pleading innocent isn’t any tinue living. The prison be­ going to be effective. The same in increased repression. We more honourable than pleading comes your comunity and your was true for Litton and Red Hot were responsible for it to a cer­ guilty, when neither plea is valid life and most of us will learn Video. tain degree. The way you phrase and when you don’t think you’ve some skills or do academic The Red Hot Video action re­ it isn’t necessarily right, it really committed a crime. On study and be involved with the ceived a response in the com­ doesn’t bring out the real nature one hand, you feel hypocritical other people in prison. □ munity that neither the Litton of repression. Repression was pleading innocent. It’s like say­ nor the B.C. Hydro actions re­ there way before any of us did ceived. Why do you think that anything. I think that throughout was? Do you make a distinc­ the whole western world all the tion between the Red Hot tools of repression - rubber bul­ Video (RHV) action and the lets, bugging devices, methods other two actions? of surveillance - are all shared First of all, the RHV action was from one country to the next. not carried out by all five of us. When it's used and which com­ Regardless of what they say, it munity it’s used on depends on was a women’s action and what’s happening. If people are there were only women involved relatively obedient and are sim­ in it. ply stating that they don’t like 1 think it was more successful the way things are and are not because, for one thing, the issue acting on that in any serious of pornography is more under­ way, there’s no need for them to stood by the women’s com­ use repression. I think they’re munity than Cheekye- smart enough to realize there s Dunsmuir, mega-projects, or no point in shooting people who industrial development in B.C. is are peacefully demonstrating. understood by people in gen­ Once there are riots that are eral. The women’s community threatening the order then you has a higher consciousness of find rubber bullets and water their oppression and of what cannons being used. pornography means to them. Do you think you have been misunderstood by the broader Your heaviest sentence was left-community? not given for your involvement in the Litton, B.C. Hydro RHV We didn’t have time to com­ bombings. You received a life municate our ideas because we sentence for a crime you had were arrested so soon. Once we not committed - the plan to were arrested we got into this murder a Brinks guard. Was horrible problem of being gag­ that decision settled in your ged because we had taken a own mind? legal route. You can’t go through a legal trial and admit I don’t think you ever settled a that you did what you did, and decision like that in your own you can’t really talk about it be­ mind. Obviously, anyone who is cause what you say may jeopar­ involved in a robbery of an dize other people’s chances of armed guard has to be prepared being acquitted. to shoot, otherwise they will be Was it ever possible for you to killed. The planning of that rob­ make a clear decision as to bery was very very extensive to whether to go with a strict try and ensure as much as was legal defence or a political reasonably possible that there Original flyer from the Women's Struggle exhibition, shown one? would not be any shooting. in Adelaide at W.A.M., 1981. It was never totally clear, be­ Do you think that was under­ cause of the number of charges stood by the judge and jury? against us. There were 21 I think the judge understood it charges against each individual, 8 Broadsheet, May 1985 “ALWAYS A SUCCESS STORY”

Jenny Rankine catches up with the women’s self-defence teachers’ network.

most sexual violence to women and girls comes from men we know and trust. It sees harassment as what women feel we don’t like. The course can be divided into four two- hour classes over a month, or taught over a weekend. The minimum number is 20 women or girls, and the usual cost of $18 per adult is negoti­ able. Teachers in Wellington and Auckland are currently offer­ ing four-hour refresher courses for women who have already done the basic course. Many schools include the course as part of their cur­ Sue Lytollis self defence Plymouth, Hamilton, Auck­ riculum. Intellectually hand­ teachers’ network after a train­ land and Whangarei and can icapped, physically disabled ing week in May 1982. be contacted through the local and blind women as well as The 16 teachers have since YWCA. very old women and girls of taught their eight hour course The one Maori teacher, seven have all completed the in basic home and street fight­ Raewyn Parekotuku Moore, course. ing to more than 20,000 received $700 from the The 15 teachers meet twice women in Aotearoa. Six Women’s Ministry to hold a every year for three days to thousand of their leaflets have hui this year to train more share ideas for improving the been distributed with Maori and Pacific Island self course, talk about difficulties success story,” says Auckland Neighbourhood Support Kits defence teachers. Any in­ and support each other. They teacher Mary Irwin. Aspen, around the country. Fifteen of terested Maori or Pacific Island were incorporated in 1983 as who teaches in Christchurch, the 16 are still teaching self de­ women are welcome to con­ the NZ Self Defence Teachers’ is collecting success stories fence, but they face such a de­ tact her through the Wel­ Association Inc. They make where women were not afraid, mand that they have a training lington YWCA. decisions by consensus and or successfully escaped from programme underway for new The course trains women in work as a feminist collective. dangerous situations for a teachers. Teachers are based both verbal and physical self The teachers have become book (see letters this issue). in Dunedin, Christchurch, Nel- defence. It recognises that storehouses of success stories about women who fought off The stories do not have to or scared away an attacker. “A come from women who have been to a self defence course. Mary Irwin (all in white) and Liz Stewart get to grips during class doesn’t finish without a Jackie Young, a Whangarei practise at a self defence teacher's Catherine7. teacher, tells the story of a woman who was practising her new self defence techniques with her husband. She got the best of him and he started beating her as he had before. She punched him in the stomach and winded him so that he had to spend a couple of hours in bed. She said she saw the fear on his face that he must have seen on hers when he beat her. Jac­ kie saw the woman 18 months after the class and she had left her husband. The teachers emphasise that hitting back at violent partners usually leads to worse beatings and the best and safest way out is to leave the relationship. One nun whom Jackie taught could not bring herself to say anything stronger than scram in response to verbal harassment. But after three classes she said that for the first time she had walked to chapel without feeling afraid. □

Broadsheet, May 1985 9 SEXUAL HARASSMENT UPDATE The issue of sexual harassment going to have to run around all Linda Burroughs explained. “As to find out what structures there is not dead. It has been percolat­ their job sites pulling all these a result of negotiations the par­ are industrially for unions to ing away in the minds of trade calenders down. ties involved in the award talks work through on behalf of their unionists and the Human Rights “But equally there were male agreed to set up a working party members". Commission. delegates who got up to vigor­ to have a look at the union’s Recently it was brought to the ously support us and to get the claims on sexual harassment. fore again by the Clerical Work­ definition extended to include Both parties (union and ers Union’s attempt to get a pornographic material. We got employer) would report back clause condemning sexual that through conference and their findings at the next concili­ harassment and setting out the debate has proven to be a ation council. ways of dealing with it written valuable educational exercise in “We hope to have some suc­ into their award. that the issue is being broadly cess with that claim at the next Behind this initiative has been advocated other than just within award round. The Bank Offic­ a lot of hard work and persever­ the Clerical Gnion. As a result of ers, Shop Employees and ance by the Clerical Workers getting that into FOL policy ob­ Woollen Workers unions, Union. There was no problem viously the next stage for us was among others, will be looking to Stop press: An historic break­ incorporating a clause against to try and get something written us as their lead to get provisions through was made concerning sexual harassment into the into our award”. in their awards”. sexual harassment on March union’s policy and a remit The union wanted sexual The Human Rights Commis­ 12, 1985. The Clerical Workers against sexual harassment by harassment recognised and sion has also kept up steady Gnion after conciliation talks the union at the 1983 Federa­ treated as an industrial problem. work on sexual harassment. As with the Hotel Association of tion Of Labour conference was If something was written into the Frances Joychild, mediation of­ New Zealand got a clause on passed into Federation policy. award that would acknowledge ficer, from the Human Rights sexual harassment written into But problems arose at the sexual harassment as an of­ Commission said, “We take up the licensed hotel clerical work­ 1984 FOL Conference as Linda fence, the union hoped more complaints of sexual harass­ ers’ award. This is the first ever Burroughs, a Northern Clerical workers would come forward ment as sex discrimination sexual harassment clause to be­ Workers Union field officer, with complaints and then they under section 15 of the Act. We come part of an industrial award said. “An extension of the defini­ could expose the extent of it in say that under that section if a and states that — “The parties tion of sexual harassment was the workplace. Also it would get woman is being sexually haras­ to this agreement acknowledge put forward by our union to in­ employers to acknowledge that sed she is being subjected to that sexual harassment in the clude things like girlie pin-ups, sexual harassment does ad­ detriment in her employment. work place is totally unaccepta­ nude calendars and any por­ versely affect women workers. We have had an increasing ble and undertake that they will nographic material that de­ The union also wanted the number of complaints on sex­ take whatever steps are neces­ graded women. It regrettably clause in the award to act as a ual harassment from factories, sary to prevent such practices. came across a few problems deterrent to potential and actual offices and catering institutions. Where the situation remains un­ with some delegates because sexual harassers. And as the number of com­ resolved, the union and H AN.Z. for a lot of them the display of The union was unsuccessful plaints are increasing we want to will have discussions as soon as pornographic material on fac­ this time around — the clause work with unions and practicable, to satisfactorily re­ tory floors was quite common. was not incorporated into their employers to find out the best solve the problem.” They were fearful that they were award — but all is not lost as way of resolving them. We want Doreen Suddens

GAY RIGHTS (Cont’d.) Jenny Rankine describes recent moves on the homosexual law reform bill

but lesbians and feminists neutral or unknown, 11 were need to support this bill so that probably hostile and 9 were a similar opportunity for anti­ definitely hostile. Peter Wall, of lesbian initiatives doesn’t hap­ the Auckland Gay Task Force, pen again. says the bill will pass, but gays Right wing forces have thrown Norm Jones, National MP may not be able to stop an hall hire, they collected the their weight against homosex­ for Invercargill and one of four amendment to the age of con­ $175 by passing the hat ual law reform with the same MPs organising the petition sent. Some lesbians are wor­ around. Bill Logan and Alison dedication they displayed against the reform, thinks that ried that the human rights Laurie spoke, and the meeting against the women’s forums. parliament will pass the bill un­ clause of the bill will be drop­ passed a resolution in support Some have suggested the less there is huge pressure ped, along with the 16-year of homosexual law reform! criminalisation of lesbianism against it. (Norm has had ex­ age of consent, to appease its The Salvation Army, despite as well. When the bill was in­ perience in getting the names more conservative supporters. its policy of not getting in­ troduced into parliament, on the page - he helped to or­ The four MPs as part of their volved in political issues, is Hauraki National MP and Bap­ ganise the Save Manapouri anti-reform campaign, held a coordinating the anti-reform tist lay preacher Graeme Lee petition, which for years held a public meeting in Wellington petition, but not without inter­ said “there were sufficient size record for parliamentary in early April, which from their nal dissent. The army’s South grounds to consider a private petitions). A few weeks ago, viewpoint was an abject fai­ Pacific and East Asia depart­ members bill outlawing gay lobbyists rated MP’s at­ lure. More than half the people ment office has received let­ homosexual activity involving titudes as follows: 13 would there were lesbian or gay. ters of protest from army women”. This was threatened support the bill as it stands; 21 They demanded equal speak­ members and the public in the last time homosexual law only with a higher age of con­ ing time, and when Norm Aotearoa. The Assembly of reform was mooted. It is ex­ sent; 16 would probably sup­ Jones said they couldn’t have God, the Catholic church, and tremely unlikely to happen, port some reform; 20 were that without sharing the cost of the Lutheran church council

10 Broadsheet, May 1985 are also against the bill. The Statutes Revision Com­ Black PAX mittee will be reading and hearing the hundreds of sub­ South missions in Wellington. Some fr'ica n s Auckland lesbians have writ­ ten form letters to many liberal organisations, asking them to sign them and send them to the committee in Wellington. Many lesbians are writing sub­ missions for their groups. It is not known when the bill will be referred back to parliament, but Peter Wall expects the bill to have been passed by mid June at the latest. Submis­ sions closed on April 26, but there is still plenty of time for feminists and lesbians to lobby their MPs with letters * and visits. □ ______. Anti-tour marchers in ______

representing the Black Consciousness MovementMouement of Azania and Wanjiku, Kenyan nciess o f Azantaand Wanjiku, Kenyan n /U K * ^ ^ ^ ^ apartheid is scheduled for 3 May, with marches in most DISABLED WOMEN WORK centres. Belinda Wysocski interviews Jan Ingham about the setting up of a new Sydney agency for disabled people, Active Job Services (AJS). AJS? some cases, very sexist and helpful either, as most of the How did you come to be in­ members had strong political Basically the strong sexual volved in Active Job Services? antiquated in attitude. Luckily motivations, and were more pressure 1 was getting from 1 had been very ill with a the women involved at the be­ interested in them than in other male employees and metabolic illness for most of ginning had particularly helping disabled people. We employers. The visibly dis­ 1984. The local government strong feminist ideas. had very little help from the abled people in my office employment office suggested How were you able to help dis­ general public, particularly found it hard to accept that 1 1 interview for AJS. AJS was abled women? employers. had a serious metabolic illness created as a service that would With difficulty, unfortunately. which they could not see. Sex­ How do you convince find employment for disabled Most of the disabled women ual advances by other employers that disabled people. Many people in the who registered had problems employees in the office made people are suitable for work? community suffering from such as tenosynovitis, which it difficult for me to leave early both visible and non-visible has no known simple and di­ Generally by quoting cases as 1 was pressured into staying disabilities such as paraplegia, rect cure. Some also had his­ where disabled people have behind and drinking with the quadriplegia, diabetes, tories of mental illness, successfully held down jobs in powers that be. 1 was pawed in epilepsy and so on recover tumours and so on. Employer capacities equal to or surpas­ the car park more than once, sufficiently to be able to carry prejudice is very strong sing those of non-disabled and threatened that 1 would out useful occupations in the against women, particularly people. Like the computer lose my job if I told anyone. As community. Special Employ­ disabled women, and al­ programmer (a blind woman) the other women in the office ment Counsellors in govern­ though there were three other who won a job out of 60 other were more disabled than I was, ment agencies in Australia vocational development offic­ applicants, because she had 1 had no solidarity really. have long recognized the need ers besides myself canvassing the quality required. Also by Everyone was too busy trying for disabled people to have the Sydney area for jobs, the suggesting modifications to to keep her own head above their own employment agency inevitably male personnel of­ the workplace that employers water. Eventually I resigned - one that would encourage ficers tended to be extremely do not usually think of — a light but I made sure a woman took disabled people into the work­ prejudiced about the idea of system for deaf people work­ over my position as I knew force and help to stamp out employing disabled women. ing in areas where there would there were many who needed prejudice against employing Many only wanted to employ normally be audible instruc­ to work in such a job. However, people with disabilities. women so they could get the tions or messages. 1 still feel bitter about the use The office was eventually government’s disabled worker 1 successfully found work made of me by the visibly (dis­ set up with ten disabled subsidy for six months. This for several disabled women, abled men involved in the pro­ people, including a totally was obvious when 1 canvassed including an ex-drug addict, a ject and feel that it is important blind person, four people with large business organisations paraplegic woman with a back that women understand the injuries to legs and back, a for jobs for my clients. tumour, and a woman who particular dangers of sexual quadraplegic, a paraplegic, a What was the general public’s had had a long history of men­ harassment to disabled person with partial sight prob­ reaction to the setting up of tal illness. However, 1 was al­ women in the workplace. Or­ lems, a deaf person and my­ ways aware of the strong pre­ your office? ganization in this particularly self with a non-visible judice against employing dis­ male dominated area by metabolic illness. Unfortu­ There was a lot of prejudice, abled women, particularly women needs the solidarity of nately, the ratio of males to particularly from the govern­ those with non-visible dis­ ment department in the same feminists. □ females was about three to abilities. building. Our steering com ­ one, with the males, although What made you resign from quite severely disabled in mittee was not particularly Broadsheet, May 1985 11 through the mass of people as he feared for Ruth’s safety. HERCOS ASSAULT But this was not substantiated by other defence witnesses, in­ It is widely known that the Minis­ cluding the evidence given by The Minister realised Nihoniho feet, was in shock in the after­ Nihoniho’s daughters. ter of Women’s Affairs was must mean the young girl who noon, and her breasts were ex­ Cinder cross examination, struck at the Christchurch was very distressed, so she as­ tremely tender for about six Nihoniho agreed that it must Women’s Open Forum. At a sisted her to move out through days. In his cross examination, have been his arm which struck one day defended hearing last the barrier into her father’s McClelland repeated the word the Minister. March, Hikurangi Nihoniho, 5 l, arms. It is little wonder that the breasts several times, which In giving his decision, Judge a driver, was found guilty of Minister was shocked to receive many present found insensitive. Paterson described the incident common assault and fined as her reward a painful blow to He attempted to establish from as ‘a collision of sincere in­ $ 200. her breasts which winded her the photographs that Nihoniho terests’. The women firmly be­ The circumstances leading and she fell down backdowns. had reacted to her own ex­ lieved they had the right to hold up to this incident were very The hearing sought to estab­ tended arm. The Minister was a forum for women, and confused. Firstly, there was un­ lish that the blow struck was de­ aware of Nihoniho’s arm Nihoniho believed he had a certainty as to whether men liberate and that Nihoniho deli­ through her peripheral vision, right to attend with his wife and should be admitted. Secondly, vered it. The defence, led by bar­ which McClelland tried to dis­ children as a family. The judge immediately prior to the assault, rister Brian McClelland QC, credit as she would not say commented that he felt it might a difficult situation arose. As the began by ridiculing the ‘saw’. have been wiser if Mrs Hercus group inside the hall, containing women’s only forums and the However, the rumpolesque had left the enforcing of the rul­ youths and Nihoniho’s alleged unclear advertisements. McClelland was unable to evoke ing barring men to the organis­ daughters, began to retreat out Shirley Duffy, one of the or­ a flicker of response from the ers. But he said he did not know of the hall, simultaneously the ganisers, argued back, causing two student eye witnesses, Re- the extent Mrs Hercus felt per­ group of men outside the hall the crowded courtroom to linde Tap and Eva Findlayson. sonally responsible for the tried to force their way in. A laugh and the judge to smile, Both refused to make com­ forum. further complication was that especially when she said she’d ments, explaining only what However he found ample evi­ some women had formed a ‘womanned’ the entry door. they saw. Each witnessed the dence of an intentional forceful human barrier across the door­ The Minister’s presence in assault from different stand­ blow by the defendant to Mrs way. Mrs Hercus was standing at court ironically precluded her points, yet both were able to Hercus, and passed sentence. this barrier, telling the men out­ from introducing the amend­ physically demonstrate a simi­ The case has placed on re­ side to go away. Nihoniho’s ment bill establishing the lar blow to the one Ann Hercus cord that we live in a society daughters were caught in the Women’s Ministry. She de­ had described. To all intents where the most powerful crush of bodies pushing, shov­ scribed the conflicts with men and purposes, the case was woman in our political system ing, jostling and shouting and from the time of her arrival until proven before lunch. was struck by an ordinary man. Ruth, 12, became very fright- ' she was hit. The assault was Nihoniho, a driver, 5 l, said he This makes clear the degree of tened. No one could see translated into male terms. “It was a member of the Reformed opposition women face in New clearly what was happening in a was incredibly painful. It was, I Church, the beliefs of which Zealand when we move into very tense, explosive atmos­ rather imagine, like being were opposed to feminism. He positions of influence and phere. kicked in the testicles. I was described how he’d been turned power. Ann Hercus’s courage in Nihoniho, standing outside winded. I fell immediately away, and had stood with other laying a complaint, and appear­ the hall, looking through the down.” The Minister said she church members outside the ing in court as a witness so that maze of bodies, became very was on the ground for about 10 partially open fire door. He said justice was seen to be done, agitated, and began to shout seconds in acute pain, trying not that he'd moved into the hall should not be underestimated. that he wanted his daughter. to cry. She was helped to her and struck a blow to get back □ Diane McCarthy

< r v o * s t a k i r a

HOgWASH SPECIAL: PORNOGRAPHY fllCRT.

The brothers capture them and start their own hor­ Mother’s Day ror show while their mother watches with pride. (Roadshow) 91m This 1900 movie shocked the critics. Some were sick with the violence and theme. Two TV-fanatic brothers like to rape to kill “ just One or two commentators queried whether it was like I have seen on TV.” just an excuse for gore or meant to make us wonder Three young women, former roommates on an an­ about the effect of the media on society! nual reunion, are camping in the woods near the brothers’ home. Sent in by Jones — From Video News in Harbour News 2 6 '3 -$ o ___ fcyHigeC Horrocks W Broadsheet, SET VIEWS by Margot Roth The Cosby Show really scores, though, because 1 spy with my little eye some­ they’re all black. It’s so com ­ thing beginning with F. Here’s forting to know that nice black a clue: it’s about love and shar­ people are really just the same ing and caring and all that. 1 as us - living in big houses, must say how disappointed 1 planning on the most expen­ am with some of you girls sive education for all their chil­ giggling away at the back with dren, who are just the cutest your one-track, one-syllabled kiddies imaginable (so long as minds. There are some lively F they stay on the screen and words related to nature and don’t move in next door). nurture. How about Femininity There’s none of that rubbish e.g.? Or Friday (as in Girl F.), about racism and discrimina­ or Feeder (as in F.-Breeder)? tion and malnutrition. But the really loveliest word The message is clear: Nice of all incorporates the essence Women, who are Natural Con­ of all that’s best in our lives, sumers, need and deserve the tells us who we are, and gives support of well-paid men. us warm fuzzies about where (This is underlined by ‘com ­ we ought to be. You must have edies’ like Kate and Allie guessed by now, especially if which shows a couple of solo you watch TV because it’s mothers floundering along to­ there in front of you so often. gether looking for the Real That’s right, it’s FAMILY. Thing). Mothers sometimes Obviously it’s everybody’s waver, but in the end of each favourite because in a short episode they always Come time The Cosby Show Right by understanding the (American) has soared to the truly fulfilling nature of domes­ top of the charts, overtaking tic trivia. even Australia’s The Young The British, as is their wont, Doctors. And no wonder, point up class much more when this lovely family reflect sharply than the Americans in just ordinary neighbourhood promoting the message. down home folk. He’s an George and Mildred for obstetrician, she’s a lawyer example, are a childless and there are five children who couple (very telling), she a nag seem to have very very large of a mostly unemployed, un­ bedrooms to themselves in a skilled worker. Her aspirations big house. It’s just us, you are constantly frustrated by his know? sexual and financial inadequ­ The last bit 1 watched had as acy (not a real man you see); part of the, well, plot 1 suppose, but their basic comic appeal this family discussion about seems to rest on their ‘ignor­ which of the Ivy League uni­ ant’ working-class attitudes versities — i.e. those for rich and, even funnier, their lack of kids - one of the daughters money. Poverty is a great should attend. (It happens source of laughs on TV. every day with us.) Another So if girls emulate the Fam­ episode centred on the rotten ily Consumer Role they see on grades the son had on his the small screen they will grow school report card. This was up to be like those birds in the also the theme of a similar, dishwasher ad., graciously even more awful the older swanning around while a show called (1 think) Eight is (naturally) male voice tells Enough. These are very family them that every mother has re­ type families where heavy to­ sponsibilities, including dishes getherness and father’s high to be done after every meal level of involvement mask the which ‘take you away from exercise of power. Parent s your family’. (No roster?) The games (father cross with answer of course is a dis­ child’s poor grades, mother hwasher which ‘gives you coaxing him towards leniency) back to your family.’ express competitive anxiety And, one asks, for what pur­ about individual success. pose? □ Broadsheet, May 1985 13

Recently feminist literary critics have begun looking The Heroine ______at women’s popular fiction and have begun Secondly, I assumed that heroines of romances are considering the implications of the fact that there is a passive and docile. They’re not. They’re forthright, mass literature written by women, for women, and independent, with a strong conviction of their own about women which has remained remarkably worth. Again, Jane Eyre is the prototype. They’re consistent since the gothic novels of the late strong-willed and determined and they win the hero’s eighteenth century. And it’s a literature whose respect through this and through their refusal to readership has increased dramatically since the succumb to his power, or his virility. ____ sixties, during the period of the women’s movement. Here’s a characteristic first encounter between hero Mills and Boon have been one of the success stories and heroine. She is the governess of the Marquis of of publishing. In 1977 Harlequin (the North American Capel’s wards, whom he is neglecting. The novel is equivalent of Mills and Boon, who now in fact own The Devil’s Daughter, a Mills and Boon Masquerade Mills and Boon) had 10% of the total paperback published in 1978. (Masquerade is Mills and Boon’s market in North America. In one year (1979) Harlequin historical romance series.) She is wearing a shabby sold 168 million romances.1 Since most of these books pelisse, his splendid shoulders are covered in a coat are not kept but are borrowed or exchanged the of dark blue velvet and his white satin small clothes numbers who would read each copy is far greater and white silk stockings gleam palely in the gloom: than this figure suggests, and in a time of rapidly He tilted his wine glass in her direction. “And inflating book prices, romances with their huge what about you, you coppery-haired, green- circulation remain very cheap. Mills and Boon have a eyed, extraordinarily intrepid - wench? I find world wide popularity and sell in twenty-odd countries. your excessive obstinacy and the determination There are Mills and Boons written by New Zealand with which you tracked me to my lair today, authors with New Zealand settings (remote sheep commendable if one regards your activities in a stations seem popular); but where we’ve usually certain light, but otherwise quite irrational. You heard of Janet Frame and Keri Hulme, who in the could have come to tremendous harm if I had critical world knows the names of Ivy Preston, Rilla been somewhat otherwise than what I am - and Berg, Rachelle Swift or Gloria Bevan. Yet they reach far very much preoccupied with other matters! Did more readers and they’re translated in more that never occur to you?” languages. “Yes,” she admitted, “it did. But the situation was Because these women’s novels are not “great” or so serious that I had no other course open to even “serious” literature by conventional literary me,” she added, with a simplicity and standards the contextual and sociological questions straightforwardness which seemed to make their are more obvious, and they’re questions we tend to appeal to him. ignore in academic lit. crit. Who reads the works and “Gad!” he exclaimed. “You really are an why? What are the readers looking for when they extraordinary member of your sex. Something read? Because they’re formula works written to a tells me you would never give up easily, and I pattern, they tell us not about the unique vision of the believe you would fight like the devil if you author, but about the needs of the reader. Academic encountered serious opposition.” literary critrcs set up a hierarchy of texts classified as The shabby pelisse is an important marker. Heroines “good” or “great”; but the value of this popular are poor - if aristocratic their family will have lost its literature is assessed by its mass readership, not a fortune. If she is well-off, and it’s not common, she will small group of elite critics and readers. What interests be of a socially lower rank than her husband-to-be. me is the ideological perspective these novels are These women’s novels are about women gaining written from — what they tell us about the reader. power by getting the man with power. The man is got by gaining his respect through your intelligence and integrity, and by being unlike other women. There’s usually another women who is more beautiful, more socially acceptable; but so often it’s their very availability that turns the hero from them. There’s little in the way of sisterhood in these novels, and very few mothers. Mothers are usually dead - long ago. Or else, in the “gothics” they’re hopelessly common and embarrassing — not a role model for the upwardly mobile daughter. The Reader The novels do suggest thatlove is what motivates I had two misconceptions about women’s popular and justifies a woman’s life. The women in themselves literature; misconceptions that are common amongst have no power. The typical novel begins with her those who don’t read it. Firstly, that they’re adolescent being deprived of any power she may have had - reading. They’re not. A Harlequin market research often orphaned, the father usually dying leaving survey shows that the consistently heavy reader is debts. And typically it will end in marriage with the between 30 and 59, and that the readers come from man of authority and power, whom she gains by all sorts of educational and occupational refusing to succumb to him. Here is the blurb on the backgrounds. Visit any book-exchange centre and cover of a Sphere Gothic, The Arrogant Duke: you’ll see that the average user is middle-aged and When beautiful, high spirited Olivia Penrose will be exchanging a carry-bag full of books. entered the household of the Duke of Queensford, Romances are not being read by adolescents who she could readily believe the legends of are being conditioned by the dominant ideology into amorous conquest that had sprung up around believing in happy marriages and true romance. this handsome and wickedly fascinating man. Broadsheet, May 1985 15 But although she felt a powerful attraction to him Works I am calling women’s fiction meet three she refused to let her heart rule her head. conditions. They are written by women, are Olivia’s situation is certainly paralleled in addressed to women, and tell one particular contemporary romances. Here, the heroine of The story about women. They chronicle the trials and Moth and the Flame, a Silhouette Romance, orphaned triumphs of a heroine, who beset with hardships, at the beginning of the book, with a crippled brother finds within herself the qualities of intelligence, to support, confronts her employer: will, resourcefulness and courage sufficient to He muttered angrily, and his jaw turned rock overcome them - the plots repeatedly identify hard. “You apparently think I’m after every immersion in feeling as one of the great woman I meet!” “You do have a reputation - temptations and dangers for a developing there is talk about you.” “Well!” he said angrily. woman. They show that feeling must be “If that’s the case, I might as well live up to it!" He controlled, and the exalt heroines who have as reached out and pulled her close. She threw up much will and intelligence as emotion.2 her hands to stop him, but they were pinned These are novels written 1820-1870, but it’s still true of between them as he masterfully crushed her to those written now. Feelings must be controlled and him. One arm locked her against his tall, lean you get your man by hiding the fact you want him. Yet frame while his other hand came up to her hair the heroine is never trying to get her man. Marriages of and pulled it back, forcing her to tip her face convenience abound - but never for financial upward. reasons on the heroine’s part, unless it is to save fathers His breath was on Jier throat, his lips searing her or brothers from finanical ruin, or to support younger vulnerable flesh, pressing to the wild hammering brothers and sisters. It’s common for heroines to find of her pulses. themselves, for whatever reasons, marrying a man / won't give in, she kept telling herself. I won’t let they believe does not love them. All sorts of reasons him know that I’m dying to give him back his proliferate for such marriages, their credibility seems kiss, I won't give in! unimportant, what is important is that they create a But his mouth was working a kind of magic. His situation where it’s not marriage that’s the goal, but the kiss was burning more intensely with every man’s declaration of love. It solves the heroine’s passing moment, touching her eyes, her face, double bind - that marriage is the only end of these her lips, murmuring against her hair, seeking out novels and yet she must not want it. the hollow just above the V of her blouse. She wrenched out of his arms. The Hero “Let me go Julian! How dare you force yourself All the novels focus on the hero, and he’s remarkably on me!” similar in all of them, even down to physical Jane Eyre must wrench herself from Mr. Rochester’s appearance. He appears as near to page 1 as arms after she learns of his mad wife — her religious possible and he’s immediately identifiable as the beliefs leave her no choice. But in these novels prospective lover/husband. Part of the reading religion is never a factor. They’re psychodramas pleasure comes from knowing that whatever enacting a basic emotional tension. The male-female tribulations occur they are destined to end up in one conflict is central and all else peripheral or,more another’s arms. The hero is so easily identifiable often, nonexistent. The tension is how you resist him because heroes all share certain characteristics. until he says he loves you - until he commits himself to Here, on page 38, the heroine of Victoria Holt’s Mistress you; until he says, as the hero of The Devil’s Daughter says: o f Mellyn meets her new employer: “Whatever indiscretions I may have committed I knocked at the door. in the past you must take me for what I am, “Come in.” His voice was strong - arrogant, I Harriet, self-centred, arrogant, perhaps unworthy, called it even before I set eyes on him. but deeply, almost unbearably in love with you.” He was standing with his back to the fireplace and I was immediately conscious of his great height; he was well over six feet tall, and the fact that he was so thin - one could almost say gaunt - accentuated this. His hair was black but his eyes were light. His hands were thrust into the pockets of his riding breeches and he wore a dark blue coat with a white cravat. There was an air of careless elegance about him as though he cared nothing for his clothes but could not help looking well in them. He gave an impression of both strength and cruelty. There was sensuality in that face, I decided - that came through; but there was much else which was hidden. i He did not advance to meet me, and his manner seemed insolent as though he was reminding me that I was only a governess. The Plot TreMellyn has all the essential qualities - tall, dark, lean, sensual, arrogant, older and in authority. How In Women’s Fiction, A Guide to Novels by and About the hero dresses is significant. The hero of The Moth Women in America 1820-1870,the American critic and the Flame is described like this: Nina Baym summarizes the basic plot of the woman’s No man ever looked so perfect in evening novel then: clothes. The impeccably cut coat draped his M Broadsheet, shoulders in a casual but splendid way. The “Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, dark tie and ruffled shirt made him seem all the plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You more virile. think wrong! - 1 have as much soul as you, - and Clothes represent style; they also represent power full as much heart! And if God had gifted me and authority. Heroes are never shabby, and they’re with some beauty and much wealth, I should always au fait with the social mores of the day. And have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is they seem arrogant, mocking, cruel. Like TreMellyn now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you they have a hidden self; their motives are incalculable now through the medium of custom, and often mysterious. conventionalities or even of mortal flesh: - it is my spirit that addresses your spirit.” I loved Jane Eyre because Mr. Rochester, the master, older, richer, powerful, recognises and loves Jane for her intrinsic worth. He chooses her above the rich beautiful accomplished society women. Like all the other readers, like Bronte herself, I identified strongly with Jane. The other book that moved me deeply was Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca - originally published in 1938 and popularised by Hitchcock’s film in 1940. Again the poor, badly dressed, unsophisticated young heroine attracts the wealthy, sophisticated older man. He hasn’t a mad wife in the attic, but it turns out he’s killed (with extenuating circumstances) his previous wife, and his patriarchal home burns down at the end. It’s obviously modelled on Jane Eyre, as are most of the contemporary regency gothics. Jane Eyre was successful on its first appearance, and the faithfulness The House with which its successors repeat its basic pattern The male is one constant in both historical and shows that it must fulfill a deep need in the readers. contemporary romances, the other constant in the Queen Victoria recorded in her diary sitting up late to historical romances is the house - not any old house, finish “that intensely interesting novel Jane Eyre".4 but the hero’s patriarchal family mansion. Foxglove Thirty years later she read it again and writes that she County takes place in “brooding Tremannion House delighted in the character of Mr. Rochester - “a very in the desolate Welsh hills.” The blurb of Holt’s Mistress remarkable one", in the mysterious maniac’s nightly ofM ellyn describes the “cold brooding house and appearance - “awfully thrilling”, and in Jane Eyre’s her arrogant employer Con TreMellyn”. The man is personality - “a very beautiful one”.5 Queen Victoria hateful and lovable - arrogant, sensual, but gentle in in her late thirties, a wife and mother, and later in her his final declaration of love. Titles reflect this: Enemy late 60’s, was a not uncharacteristic true romance Lover, Beloved Tyrant, Fond Deceiver. So also the reader. house, cold, brooding, arrogant, is made into a warm Jane Eyre was Charlotte Bronte’s first published home by the heroine. novel, but through her teens she had written story after The man and the house are two constants in the story about Zamorna, Duke of Douro, dark, handsome, historical romances, and they’re the two constants in powerful, middle-aged, and about the women who most women’s lives; the two areas where she can gain fall passionately, helplessly in love with him. Zamorna influence and control. These novel^are products has a string of past mistresses and wives and the whose resemblance to each other is an essential virginal young heroines succumb to his power. The feature, a major asset. They provide familiarity, an young Bronte writes obsessively and repetitively of expected pattern. The reader does not expect, or Zamorna’s sexual conquests. Her last romance want the novel to be innovative or original. Caroline Vernon was written when she was 22 and When I was thirteen my mother and I used to borrow increasingly she felt guilt and sinful for escaping into voraciously from the local lending library - we were what she describes as ‘sensual dreams’. Eight years both addicted to Georgette Heyer and I read and later she writes Jane Eyre. By then she has gained reread them. When in the mid-sixties Heyer was issued sufficient insight into and control over her fantasies to in paperback for her first mass distribution in the be able to use the desires they embody to create that American market the cover of each novel proclaimed most enduring of true romances, and to create a it to be ‘in the tradition of Jane Austen’.3 Subsequent heroine who masters both herself and her Zamorna, historical romances (the genre called regency Mr. Rochester. romances) have been described as being “in the I returned to my teenage reading as the result of tradition of Georgette Heyer”, or it might be “a teaching a 1976 novel by the Canadian Margaret compelling story of romance and love in the tradition Atwood, Lady Oracle, the protagonist of which writes of Victoria Holt”. Victoria Holt comes a near-second to “costume gothics”. Sections of these regency Georgette Heyer as the Queen of romances. romances are interlaced with the text of the novel I stopped reading Heyer in my mid-teens. In my late Lady Oracle. The heroine hides her activity - she’s teens I discovered Jane Eyre. I loved it. I read and ashamed of it and of what her husband will think: reread it and thought I’d forgotton it, until recently “Why did I never tell him? It was fear mostly. opening it after twenty years I found those dialogues When I first met him he talked a lot about wanting between Jane and Mr. Rochester were so vivid, it was a woman whose mind he could respect, and I like reading something I’d written myself. It gave me knew that if he found out I’d written The Secret of the thrill of power, of selfhood, I had felt then: Morgrave Manor he wouldn’t respect mine. I Broadsheet, May 1985 17 wanted very much to have a respectable mind. relates to or solves the problems or self-doubts of the Arthur’s friends and the books he read, which had reader, but because it provides an emotional pattern; footnotes, and the causes he took up made me a psychodrama of acceptance and gaining power. feel deficient and somehow absurd, a kind of The happy endings confirm the gaining of satisfaction, intellectual village idiot, and revealing my fulfilment and worldly power. So the process of profession would certainly have made it worse. courtship is repeated indefinitely in book after book These books, with their covers featuring gloomy, after book. The happy endings also confirm that love foreboding castles and apprehensive maidens is central in a woman’s life; that through love a in modified nightgowns, hair streaming in the woman gains power. The very narrow limit of the wind, eyes bulging like those of a goiter victim, action suggest a limited arena in which women’s ' toes poised for flight, would be considered trash power is achievable, but within this the romances of the lowest order. Worse than trash, for didn’t repeatedly re-enact the mastery of the masterful, the they exploit the masses, corrupt by distracting achievement of control, power and acceptance. and perpetuate degrading stereotypes of For their many women readers these books provide women as helpless and persecuted? They did a necessary antidote to their lives - lives in which they and I knew it, but I couldn’t stop.” are not masterful, not in control, in which they lack Do they though? Women are only too willing to power and need acceptance. flagellate themselves, but some of the students I The expected feminist viewpoint might be that taught, closet romance readers themselves, after the romances keep women quiet, deter them from taking relief of being able to confess their hidden addicition, control over their own lives and changing their began wondering why they read them, and whether environment. A more contentious feminist interpretation they could discuss them in academic critical terms. could be that they contribute to women’s emotional So we began reading, and often rereading those health - they’re tools to help them survive. □ novels written by women for women about women. Why do these novels provide such a satisfying and Bibliography infinitely repeatable reading experience? The Female Gothic ed. Juliann E. Fleenor, Eien Press 1983 Loving with a Vengeance, Mass-Produced Fantasies for Women, The choices facing the heroine are simple and Tania Modleski, Archon 1982 predictable - there’s none of the complexities and Women’s Gothic and Romantic Fiction. A Reference Guide. Kay problems of our lives. It’s through her integrity and Mussell 1981 intelligence that the heroine wins power. She has no "On reading trash” in Sex, Class and Culture. Lillian S. Robinson 1978 “Conflicting Images of Women in Romance Novels” Josephine A. special training or abilities: in fact it is essential that Ruggiero and Louise C. Weston. International Journal of Women’s she is not experienced - her youth is an essential Studies Vol. 6 No 1 Jan/Feb. 1983 factor. The man represents maturity, wealth, Footnotes sophistication and complete self-certainty. His 1 Ruggiero and Weston ‘Conflicting Images of Women’ p. 19. arrogance is that of the confident ego. 2 Nina Baym, Women’s Fiction, p. His admiration of, and final succumbing to the 3 Robinson “On Reading Trash” p. 207 heroine represents the world “out there” recognising 4 Queen Victoria, an unpublished portion of her diary, quoted The Brontes, The Critical Heritage ed. M. Allott, p. and accepting her-the reader. It’s an infinitely 5 Queen Victoria, The Letters and Journals of Queen Victoria ed. G.E. repeatable reading experience, NOT because it Buckle and A.C. Benson, Vol. Ill, p. 259 Georgette Heyer and me saying no. Classic male versions of female fantasies. I also set limits, of a sort, on the quality of the romances I read. Barbara Cartland was the author who introduced the idea of quality into my romantic reading, because she hadn’t any. Usually the bad writers couldn’t sustain the necessary plot with enough conviction for me to finish the book, although sometimes I still found myself reading what I knew to be rubbish because I needed the fix the romantic formula provided. The ones that I most enjoyed reading were the historical romances, often set in the England My mother introduced me to house in the employ of a of George IV’s short regency, or in Georgette Heyer when I was 14. She commanding man who seems to slightly later or earlier times. The had not read one of Heyer’s want to kill her, but turns out to love middle ages were too early to romantic novels for over 15 years her instead. The heroine was too seem relevant to my life, and the and she talked about them with a passive in these for me, and the plot twentieth century gave the heroine mixture of remembered enjoyment too limited. too many choices. My addiction and disapproval. They were The confession magazines were was very specific. apparently both fun to read and full of contemporary stories about As I became more feminist and bad for me. I’d devoured Enid women who broke moral codes, woman oriented, romance novels Blyton’s various squeaky clean repented after the (inevitable) became another club to beat group novels, the Biggies sagas, consequences and lived on, myself over the head with. Feminists and Burrough’s Tarzan stories. But burdened by their guilt, in model don’t read romance novels, they’re my first Heyer novel, The Black Moth, heterosexual relationships. I shied just sedatives for the masses, it’s a written when Heyer was a teenager, away from the punishment and male conspiracy to keep women began an addiction to the blame these women always in their place, pornography for women’s historical romance novel suffered for their timid affairs. women. But my reading rate genre that hasn’t stopped. Contemporary romance novels remained steady, and since by this I read them steadily all through often made moral judgements time I’d exhausted most of the my teens, through university, which restricted the heroine in ways available good authors of regency unemployment and developing I wouldn’t accept for myself. (I romance, I found myself reading feminism, going on reading binges started being (hetero) sexually more of the dregs. during exams and other stressful active in my late teens and had no Then after a year of feminist times. For most of this time, I tried intention of getting married or activism I decided to be a lesbian unsuccessfully to stop reading, to having children). Some authors and came out. I didn’t feel the need fight their compulsive attraction. I obviously saw marriage as a trap for a romance novel for three whole saw myself as weak for giving in to for men, with women witholding months. “Hooray, I’m cured!" I such an addiction. My reading was sexual favours as bait. I couldn’t thought, but no such luck. After three done in toilets and parks away from bring myself to finish these. months the addiction was back as the disapproval of my family and Then there were what I call the strong as ever. This worried me. Did the questions of friends. “sexual romances”. I very rarely this mean I was a closet I realised early on that I was one bought any of these, preferring to heterosexual, not a “real” lesbian? of a huge number of women from skim them at the book counters of I found a couple of other lesbian teenagers to 80-year-olds, Woolworths and the like. In these feminists who admitted privately to exchanging several romances novels the heroine was raped from d similar addiction, and one who every week. I remember continent to continent, by Mr Right kept a complete collection of overhearing several old women among others. These expressed the Heyer’s novels and was “out” about avidly discussing the long awaited most negative attitudes towards her leisure reading. She arrival of Heyer’s latest novel, in one women, and I felt most ashamed encouraged me to accept my of those now rare private libraries and disgusted with myself when I addiction, rather than putting where you pay small sums to take read these. Women didn’t have myself down for it, and we had long out books. They had the same clitorises in these books, they had raves about them. I’d been thinking appreciation of her wit and orgasms from thrusting alone, and for years about why these books dialogue that I had. there was no, or minimal “foreplay”. were so compulsive for me and At first I experimented with the Sex was finished when the man millions of other women, and had different sub-genres of the romance came, and heroines always had collected a thick folder of bits of novel - the “gothic” novel, whose bodies that gave in and got academic articles, Mills and Boon heroine travels to a commanding excited when their minds were statistics, and my own notes. Broadsheet, May 1985 19 It was very clear that I turned to of his class who hold the same understand, because sex with the them when I was stressed; when I attitudes he did about such hero and with the assorted villans felt a conflict that affected the independent/bossy/plain/ is identical.) direction of my life, when my wish intellectual women before he So the novels I liked described for independence was battling began to love her. She shares all his my dilemma — how to survive with my feelings of dependence on privilege and status, although the emotionally as an individual male iovers, when I felt generally conventions of the times prevent her woman — and solved it. It’s the old unhappy or lonely. There was one from wielding his political power. individual solution again — find the novel, two novel and three novel Marrying him gains her both the right man, and he will counteract stress. The never ending stress was independence she wanted and the effects of a sexist society which having to chart my own life, by the affluent lifestyle she couldn’t limits your role and behaviour. He myself, not relying on anyone else. earn for herself. The books I liked will share the responsibility for your When I was 151 decided I didn’t painted realistic characters that I life, as you will his, but he will also want to have children; when I was could imagine spending a lifetime let you be independent if that’s 17 I realised that I didn’t want to get together, enjoying each others what you want. The patriarchy is the married. That left me supporting company, and making decisions problem and the solution. myself all the rest of my life, together. This didn’t mean that I These novels are unashamedly because I always paid my own wanted to do this. I needed to racist and classist. The heroine is way when I was with a man. When briefly escape to a world where always white and born to the I came out as a lesbian, all this there wasn’t the endless conflict aristocracy. Blacks are only became even clearer. between the conventional mentioned as servant/slaves, and I read novels for two reasons. I feminine role and what I wanted working class people are figures of wanted to retreat to a world where my life to be. fun, doting servants or plot devices. I could identify with the heroine’s (In the “sexual romances” it is not But their readers are not all white eventual reliance on the hero, love that changes the hero at first. It and middle class. A Mills and Boon without guilt. In the historical is sex. Something about the survey of their readership showed romances I read, impoverished specialness of sexual intercourse that most finished their education women of the upper classes had with the heroine makes him treat her in their mid teens, and half have few choices. They worked differently and brings him to love office or retail jobs. About two-thirds thanklessly as drudges in their own her. This is of course difficult to were married and one third single. or other people’s families or they married. Marriage to practically any man in their social circle gave them such an improvement in their standard of living, compared to the WOMENS PRESS only work they were allowed to do — govemessing, being a paid Announce their new Science Fiction Series companion or teaching a school by women authors — that there was no comparison. So basically their choice was not JOANNA RUSS 1 between a man or something else, but between men. The women in the novels I liked had not yet taken the conventional path and married because of their plainness, outspokenness, intellect, wish for independence or other handicap. They meet a man and build a friendship, starting sometimes from a seeming dislike and sometimes from a shared s c ie n c e fic tio n sense of humour. Obstacles arise The Female Man Extra-Ordinary People and are removed until the two admit their feelings for one another m and decide to many. O' The difference between this i< relationship and others around ■CO­ them in the novel is that his love for 'S her brings them to the same level.1 a> He will not beat her, ignore her, be A unfaithful, make decisions for her, O curb her unconventional habits or '5 > treat her as other women are < treated, because he lovesher. The differences between them of social status, wealth, power and physical The Planet Dweller The Wanderground strength are eliminated by his love. This leads him to identify with her Distributed by Hutchison Group (NZ) Ltd, plight, and to defend her to others P.O. Box 40086, Glenfield, Auckland 10 2 0 Broadsheet, About nine percent of Americal romantic novels is that they are will. Harlequin readers were black. erotic for me. They are, especially During the last year, I have read The initial feminist response to the “sexual romances”, male romances very seldom, usually these novels and their millions of versions of women’s fantasies, but during times when I feel conflict readers was dismissive and they are also my fantasies. I didn’t between my feminist ideals and judgemental. I get angry when know what my fantasies were until what I’m actually doing. When I people dismiss the whole genre as more than ten years after I started was rereading some of my favourite trash, because Heyer is a witty and reading them, but when I regencies to write this article, I accomplished writer of comedies discovered the roleplays in my became bored, and had to push of manners, who would have been head, it felt like they’d been there myself to finish them. This decline in recognised long since if she had since I was bom, and will be my addiction has coincided with written purely historical novels. unchanging till I die. “All fantasies finding work that will earn me Heroines are sometimes depicted directly express the social structure enough money to live and which I in the plots of historical romances from which they are formed—every can enjoy. I have also been feeling writing comedies of manners in fantasy has some elements of either more confident and positive about secret under a pseudonym. The ruling or submitting.’’2 myself. Non-exploitative work are authors of these novels, unlike their Contemporary romances are relationships are not yet available heroines, have gained economic including more and more sexual to the majority of women, despite independence from writing novels scenes. Romances are the erotic the work of feminists and union for women, with female scripts for women in a patriarchy. activists, and until they are, women protagonists, and women’s feelings It is inevitable that women will keep turning to romances for an and dilemmas as the subject. brought up in s sexist society will escape from their emotional Treating the writers and readers of internalise our role and that power dilemmas.n romance novels as morons who will in some way be attractive and Jenny Rankine have been duped by a patriarchal erotic for us. Repressing these plot will not get us anywhere. fantasies, whether in our heads or 1 Nancy Peterson gave me this idea. Some authors have introduced written as romance novels, doesn’t 2 “Phantasy Revolution” Charley Shirely overtly feminist ideas into their plots, change this. Giving women more in Lavender Culture ed Karla Jay and very clearly dealing with the power over our lives eventually Allen Young conflict between independence and dependence with impels their readers. Lola Burford, in Vice Avenged wrote about the power difference between men and women. The novel fits within the romance formula, although it was not published as part of the WOMAN-CENTERED romance ghetto. An aristocrat with PREGNANCY & BIRTH nothing better to do bets with his takes birth out of the arena friends that he can rape a virgin of his own class and get away with it. of the technological event He does so, her father finds out and and enables women to plan forces him to marry her. The father for a safe, supportive, then pulls a few strings and gets him empowering, woman- incarcerated in the Bastille, where centred - experience. he rots for several years until the mob liberates it. He finds his way to A fully illustrated some French peasants, and works .W o m a n ! sourcebook the land for a year, his mind now which examines completely shed of its masculine LC entered normal pregnancy upperclass abuses of power. When as well as the his wife finally finds him he is sufficiently humbled for them to ommon problems, have an equal life together, step by step. By Ginny CassUfy-Brinn, R H ., Ftancie something Burford clearly shows Hantstdn, and Carol Downer Also includes Federation o f Fem inist W om en's Health Centers would not have been possible H ta tH oai by Sazans Gage Dioneering information when they were first married. It on donor insemination seems that Burford and Charlotte $34.50 Bronte are both saying that an and getting pregnant. equal relationship is not possible THE WHOLE BIRTH CATALOG: A Sourcebook For Choices In Childbirth between a man and a woman A copious resource of birth related information with an unless he is damaged in some emphasis on exploring alternatives to the medical model major way. I think more and more of pregnancy and childbirth. $ 39.95. feminist authors will use the Distributed in New Zealand by romance format to explore these issues in ways that will stretch the genre and link it finally with ] Benjon Ross mainstream feminist novels. P.O. Box 33-055 Takapuna, Auckland 9, New Zealand The other reason that I read Broadsheet, May 1985 21 PUBLISHING MAORI i---- 1 MATERIAL —

MAORI A Photographic and Social History M ICH A EL KING

Te Aroha McDowell has written proper monocultural context. notoriety and even propaganda of before in Broadsheet about Copyright and authorship have any taonga. the politics of publishing Maori their parallels in matters Maori or In the pakeha context, the writer material. After reading The tikanga Maori. A product of some­ as individual is sole owner of the Birth o f Maui, she wrote about one’s intelligence comes not from product of her labour and intelli­ the politics of copyright and that person alone but from the col­ gence. Her pakeha tribe is unlikely authorship. Te Aroha is from lective intelligence. It is called a to hold her accountable for her in­ taonga and is subjected first to the Ngapuhi and Ngati-Hine terpretation unless it transgresses scrutiny and judgement of the tribe the laws of libel, decency and tribes, with distant affiliations and then to its protection. Maori makes money. Any other transgres­ to Kahungungu and people conduct our own process of sion is minor, or permissable in the Maungatautari. review which is searing and rigor­ name of literary licence, even if it ous. Copyright and authorship ruffles deeply-held cultural values. Although initially asked to review being central to a Maori kaupapa, So a pakeha writer does not have to The Birth of Maui myself, I asked are cultural imperatives. Both are declare her cultural membership or Joan Walker to review the book as answerable and accountable. investment and then be publicly a printed resource for Te Kohanga Group ownership is closer to be­ accountable to it. Reo children and bilingual primers. longing rather than possession. This is immediately noticeable in I will restrict my comments to the Keri Kaa referred to these values The Birth of Maui when the author politics of publishing Maori mate­ in her review of Donna Awatere’s declares her children’s cultural rial. I want to comment specifically book. A tribal care for a created membership but not her own. I read about the copyrighted authorship thing is an appropriate response to something else in that. Are only of this book and put my views as ask for and receive. Responsibility Maoris accountable? Maoris are only one Maori. is of course attached to that tribal exploitable and require no consul­ We have to deal with copyright, care. The tribe decides the purpose tation? authorship and Maori self-determi­ that taonga is permitted to serve. A If Glenda is Maori it would be ap­ nation in the light of pakeha interest process of collective review con­ propriate for her to indicate her in Maori material and resources. siders and confronts the altruism, genealogy in some way, as a mat­ We need to examine all pakeha benevolence, charity, prestige, ter of pride and tribal accountabil­ motivations and place them in their power, integrity, scholarship, ity. In the pakeha context, collec- 22 Broadsheet, May 1985 five censure is generally a nega­ long time. Ittakes some vigilance to aroha is open to exploitation by tive, not a positive sanction. When a look at the ways publications are pakeha who may call on the Maori Maori writer writes with a conscious promoted to Maoris, and to chal­ from time to time for a bit of verifica­ awareness of her group identity lenge every motive, stated or un­ tion here and there. Aroha was a and responsibility, these come ac­ stated. We have had to develop a concept once practised by the ross clearly as proud acknow­ tradition of sorts to deal with years of Maori which had an economic ledgements of her origins and of her assaults on our culture. structure to sustain it. Today personal endeavours. Such There is an ongoing debate in monocultural exploitation of it al­ acknowledgement is necessary to Maori circles about whether we ters important cultural principles qualify the endeavour in the eyes of should be reinforcing the oral way and values. It shackles the Maori her people. This process is called of transmitting social knowledge as more firmly into accepting thanks, whakamana. If Glenda is not Maori, against the written way. We are compliments and gold dust in by borrowing some Maori tools, she concerned about the dissipation of place of due payment for due has made herself accountable to the power of the human voice and labour. Aroha demanded that in its us. its oral culture in the exchange of traditional form. But aroha A dedication to one’s children is knowledge. Maori self-determina­ exploited becomes the myth of giv­ not a Maori way of investing in a tion through writing is encumbered, ing and giving only. That is wrong Maori future. To be concerned only shackled, compromised and mis­ but effective for monoculture to get for our immediate children is very represented by publications such Maori volunteers doing unpaid monocultural. The pakeha way of as The Birth of Maui, however harm­ work under the guise of giving in a making wealth permanent or con­ less it may look. Potential buyers true and appropriate Maori way. tinuing one’s prosperity—making a should be very clear about what is The politics of publishing come will — is individualistic by law, and a Maori initiative before they con­ back to the deployment and conflicts with the Maori way and sider supporting it monetarily. If exploitation of Maori resources and form of making wealth permanent, they are unclear, they should just social knowledge, rightly there for and of perpetuating important cul­ borrow the book from the library, Maori life first. This is only one tural memories. talk to people about it and judge economic implication. The publi­ White pakehadom makes the for themselves by all the criteria I’ve cation of books on Maori themes by present invest in the future for cer­ raised. I simply put these concerns pakeha writers must confront the tainty and security, Maoridom for further debate. oppression of the Maori to which makes the future invest in the pre­ Because the book is aimed at Te pakeha writers are active parties. sent for its certainty and security. Its Kohanga Reo, it demands a chal­ To do something about that, symbols of wealth and passage lenge to the author/s about the be­ pakeha writers have to stop writing are not very valuable in a monetary nefits that ensure from individual books on Maori themes, or enable sense but are irreplaceable in a authorship and copyright. Why is Maori writers to write the books so cultural sense. They are per­ this book not dedicated to a Te they may claim authorship and sonalised and alive. Unveilings, for Kohanga Reo so it benefits from the copyright in their own right on their instance, are very important cere­ revenue? Te Kohanga Reo hap­ own merits. monies. pens to be the poorest Maori initia­ I made comments like this in a It is unfortunate that the tribal affili­ tive! It is struggling to survive largely previous Broadsheet review of ation of Glenda’s children is not unsubsidised. Should the parents Whina and received a response accompanied by an informed who pay full fees for an education from Michael King which did not consideration of Maori cultural prin­ service which monoculture will not answer my criticism. Soon after, ciples and etiquette. Glenda risks support be enthusiastic a bout these King received yet another national bringing her children’s tribe and books? This monoculture operates award for a book he wrote on yet tipuna into ridicule for reasons that in waves. It aims to take its due, one another Maori subject. The award they may not have had the oppor­ way or another, as well as in the ignored the literary impact and tunity to anticipate and consider. end! standard of an exceptional indi­ These are subtle but weighty re­ It is noticeable that the Maori genous work — The Bone People by sponsibilities. translator is not a copyrighted au­ Keri Hulme. It all focuses on the per­ Every culture must propagandise thor. That means she may not claim petuation of this possession of and socialise by the educating part of roya Ities, or vet the use of the Maori material, and bears out my word, and commercialise both to text in further publications or re­ original, as yet unanswered criti­ stay alive; that’s okay. But pakeha prints. How far does the author’s pro­ cisms. It is also a very fine example commercialism turns a revenue­ fessed interest in Maori people go? of how monoculture likes to pat it­ earning, job-creating process into Does Maarara Te Tai get a royalty, self on the back. some hungry animal with its own in­ or does she get a one-off fee? Why It would be timely for Broadsheet tention — a consuming obsession is she not a copyrighted author to inaugurate a Maori editorial with material objects and their along with the other two if her con­ committee to screen all works on monetary value. Pakehadom dif­ tribution is equally significant? Who Maori subjects and to make its fuses its own cultural designs gets the money is the dirty question. opinions known. Only recently through our culture, and would The reason why Maori ability is sup­ Corso issued a newsletter promot­ have us believe that its activities pressed is white authorship. The col­ ing some books including The Birth are for our benefit. Like Hinemoa oniser still speaks first, and does not of Maui. Considering Corso’s pro­ and Pania, it is first domesticated trust that Maori woman’s words will fessed support of indigenous initia­ and then prostituted to titillate suffice to convey the beauty of a tives, its promotion of this book does foreigners. story that was originally hers any­ not ring consistent. Maori people have been chal­ way. Literary colonisation must stop lenging pakeha publishing for a The myth and sincerity of Maori now.D Broadsheet, May 1985 23 The Birth of Maui Te Whānaunga Mai o Māui by illustrated by 19 February 1985 Glenda Kauta W *?^F Janet Piddock

Dear Broadsheet,

Enclosed is my first effort at poetry - (can 1 hear them say­ ing “obviously”?). And my age shows (over half a century) because I’ve tried to make the thing rhyme - (can I hear them saying “obvi­ ously”?). Maori translation by Marara Te Tai And “obviously” I’m feeling very vulnerable about the whole thing. Most books about Maui’s words to Maori words. The The words just seemed to well birth name his mother translation authors trans­ up, pushed into existence by Taranga - hence the name late concepts rather than the enormous feelings of rage and impotence that this out­ Maui-tikitiki-a Taranga. Has words. This is impossible. I raged women’s death brought this book consulted experts acknowledge that word to me. This feeling was rein­ on Maori mythology? I matching provides clues forced by the appearance of question the role of Tan- for understanding. But the enclosed photo in the Star. garoa in this version. Who original texts should not be To Ann Evans (Nov. issue is Glenda Kauta? Where is used as rigid guidelines. 123) who may object to the language, if this thing gets she from? This may explain The quicker the language printed, all I can say is that I’ll the version. W ho is Marara learner thinks in that lan­ stop using “raping words” T e Tai? No hea ia? Should guage, the more success­ when men stop raping and not the book introduce her ful he/she will be in the use treat fucking (or even loving) in the proper manner as a of that language. Having with the respect that she so m em ber of a tribe with a bilingual texts like this rightly points out, it deserves. In the meantime I am bound to real existence? slows down the learner’s recognise and acknowledge 1 figure from the cover progress thinking in that that there are men in our soci­ that the English text is the language being learned. ety who use women’s bodies original which leads me to Although this is one of to jerk off in. comment on the English the better translations from My message to them is to “go first. English to Maori that 1 have find a quiet comer and have a good pull. Come back only My understanding of the seen, where neither lan­ when you’ve learnt to behave Kohanga Reo Kaupapa re­ guage is stilted, 1 would not in a civilized manner! ” nders the English in the as a teacher of Maori, re­ Ever the optimist, I am enclos­ book useless. A kohanga com m end this text. ing a stamped, addressed en­ Reo slogan is “Korero The setting out of pic­ velope in case anyone has got Maori” (i nga wa katoa). tures and words is very the time to offer some criti­ cism and/or advice to a little Kohanga Reo aims at good, easy to see, easy to old, gray-haired lady who monolingualism; that is match; bold by bold print is might be contrary enough to Maori. English is not en­ good. Coloured pictures continue writing poetry. couraged at Te Kohanga are more appealing than In sisterhood, Reo; it is not the threatened black and white. T o som e language. extent the black and white Daphne Terpstra Bilingualism. One lan­ pictures seem ed to inter­ CHRISTCHURCH guage cannot be perfectly rupt the attention to the translated into another lan­ story. guage. The words, the Na Joan Walker thoughts, are not inter­ changeable. 1 favour two Joan is a Maori language separate books, and that teacher and researcher people who use them do from Ngapuhi and Ngati- not try to match English Hine tribes. 24 Broadsheet, May 1985 OFFER TO A HERO C’mon you ’effing hero Show us your ’effing face Such modesty ill becomes you You’re really not in disgrace There are mates who will applaud you From North Cape to the Bluff For really showing a woman How you could strut your stuff.

That woman she was stupid Her presence was an affront Living at peace in her own home The sow, the bitch, the cunt You showed her who was master You put her in her place You robbed, you raped, you killed her You’re a hero to your mates

C’mon you ’effing hero Show us your ’effing face When the chaps from the parole board release you And send you to your place We’ll need to be a “ presence” who will influence your fate We’ll need to set an example as a message to your mate

And when we meet on your ground Maybe we’ll keen for her death And maybe we’ll show you bastards that we are women of strength Maybe you’ll learn to respect us Maybe we’ll show you grace Maybe you’ll have to face death before you concede That everywhere is our place

So c’mon you ’effing hero Show us your ’effing face Such modesty ill becomes you Although you’re in disgrace For when we meet at your plac We’ll need to know who you are — We’ll need to recognise you To sort you out from your mate

So c’mon now Show us your face ;

daphne Feb./1985

rcier Is led to a ooli.ce car at i I ouri today Or what They Don’t Know Won’t Hurt Them: How Drug Companies and “Scientific” Reports Fool the Public ■ Christine Bird In industrialised Western countries there is virtually an considerably lowered. Dr Palmer, head of the University of epidemic of birth deformities. Limb reduction deformities Miami School of Medicine Pharmacology Department, have increased by 30% in New York and in Germany there testified that in re-examining the experiment he had found has been a 100% increase in certain defects. Why has this that half of the litters had contained at least one abnormal happened when people are living longer, with supposedly kit. Of the 48 rabbit young, the number of abnormal births better nutrition, sanitation and health services? What factors was one in eight, not one in 24. Perhaps most alarming is are endangering the health of these women and children? that Staples had found the same skeletal deformities in the To see how lightly their interests are considered you need Debendox rabbits as had appeared in Thalidomide rabbits. only look at the Debendox story. Between 1963 and 1980, Merrell Dow withheld these When Debendox (called Bendectin in the OS) was results from the FDA, despite a law requiring developed in 1953, Dr Pogge of Merrell Dow’s Drug pharmaceutical manufacturers to report any indications of Research Development had considered the profit to be adverse effects of a drug. Merrell Dow has still not been made from a market of 3-4 million pregnancies in the US charged for this violation of a drug safety law. The alone. He wrote in a memo: “About half of the pregnant FDA pharmacologist responsible for Debendox’s review, Dr women I used to see in the pre-natal clinic complained of Da Costa, said that had she seen the original report, she enough nausea and vomiting to justify writing a prescription would have recommended suspending sale of the drug for some safe and probably effective medication.” This was immediately. the only reference to safety in Pogge’s entire memo. Later research led the American Medical Association to conclude Debendox came to market four years that in fact less than 1 % of pregnant women need medication for nausea.” before Thalidomide, sailing through the Debendox came to market four years before Thalidomide, sailing through the 1950’s New Drug 1950’s New Drug Application process Application process in only 28 days. After the Thalidomide in only 28 days. scandal (Merrell-Dow is a subsidiary of Richardson-Merrell, makers of Thalidomide), a new drug’s safety and After the company began marketing Debendox, doctors effectiveness were supposed to be proved before official from Canada and the US contacted Merrell Dow sanction was granted for its manufacture. Debendox was describing birth defects in children born to Debendox approved again, on the basis of Merrell-Dow’s supplied mothers. It was later discovered that the company had their studies by a Dr Staples. In the middle of his first experiment medical officers contact doctors requesting that the “adverse the temperature in the lab dropped suddenly and all but two reaction reports” they’d produced be rephrased to sound like of the rabbits died. Staples allowed the two Debendox rabbits an “inquiry”. Inquiries don’t have to be reported to the FDA; to carry to term and found no deformities in their offspring. adverse reaction reports do. Once the inquiry was made the He repeated the study on a larger scale and reported company answered the doctor’s letter, underlining the fact deformities in two of the 48 offspring. In his opinion, these that the doctor had sent an inquiry, not an adverse reaction results did not prove conclusively that Debendox caused report. Merrell then informed the doctor that it had no similar birth deformities, or could cause them among humans, “adverse reaction reports” on file. however he did say that further experimentation was For example, on March 25, 1971, an English Doctor necessary. Staples original report was never shown to the reported that he had delivered a baby with two missing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - the drug registration fingers and that possibly the deformity may have been body - nor were the experiments repeated by Merrell-Dow. caused by Debendox. A doctor from Merrell wrote back five Instead the company submitted a reworked version, minus days later saying, “I should like to reassure you that there is Staples’ crucial recommendation. no record of Debendox being associated with such Almost 17 years later, this study surfaced in Florida in a abnormalities.” In fact there were at that time letters in Debendox product liability trial, suggesting that either Merrell’s files from five separate doctors reporting 11 cases through incredible carelessness or manipulation of children bom without fingers. Clipped to at least one copy of raw data, the number of abnormal foetuses had been was a copy of Merrell’s denial of other existing reports. 26 Broadsheet, May 1985 Another such letter was sent to Dr Buckley of Boston’s The first scientist to review Debendox felt that more Children’s Hospital. Buckley and her associates had information was needed. The second, Dr Scoville, after observed not one but hundreds of suspicious births involving seeing Merrell’s new four-way study, had the feeling that the Debendox. Between 1968 and 1977 more than 3,000 babies statistics had been “picked and chosen” to Merrell’s at Children’s were born with severe cardiac problems. Nearly advantage. Statisticians had called the study incomplete and one-third had been born to mothers who had taken inadequate. Scoville questioned whether any of the Debendox. Buckley reported her observation to her ingredients contributed to its effectiveness. He wondered associate, Dr Shirley, who then filed a Physical Side Effect whether the drug “should be allowed to remain on the market report with Merrell. In a subsequent letter to Buckley, Merrell at all”. confirmed an understanding made with Shirley, that "he had The next question raised in the FDA concerned one of meant the sheet coming to us as being an inquiry and not a Debendox’s three ingredients, doxylamine sucinate, an anti­ report of a problem” - thus saving the company from having histamine. It was marketed separately as a sleep aid and to report a possible 1000 Debendox birth anomalies to the allergy remedy, Decapryn, and was under review by FDA’s Dr Belton. After surveying Merrell’s studies on Decapryn, FDA. A statistical clustering is the repeated occurence of one Belton told the company it would have to revise the drug label kind of defect, and it’s just this kind of report Merrell most to read: “Warning: — adequate reproduction studies have not fears. In Buckley’s survey, the reoccuring defect was severe been performed in animals. There is insufficient information heart abnormalities. More common were reports of limb on whether this drug may affect fertility in human males or reduction and skeletal deformities. In fact what stands as females, or have a teratogenic potential or other adverse strong evidence of Debendox’s teratogenic (birth deforming) effects on the foetus.” effects, is the fact that 72% of the complaints Merrell received In 1974, under Marion Finkel, the FDA’s associate on the drug concern limb reduction defects. This proportion director of New Drug Evaluation, the new warning of limb reduction reports far exceeded that of any other drug requirement was dropped. The next battle was over a except Thalidomide. A statistical clustering is the first sign second Debendox ingredient, diclycomine hydrochloride. that a drug may be a teratogen. (The third ingredient was vitamin B6 - pirodoxine). Studies had shown that Debendox was actually more effective without dicyclomine. In 1976 Debendox was given He said, “I have never seen a new drug approval, under Finkel, to be manufactured in its two- ingredient version. She gave it the highest rating possible — application so badly handled by the FDA “effective”, despite a scathing 14-page memo by Dr Lipman and the drug company from both the of the review panel. procedural and scientific viewpoints.” f0 h oh / There goes ■f[\e neighbourhood/

ii ii Broadsheet, May 1985 27 Two years later, the British Medical Journal published a Investigations. An FDA medical officer, Dr Rosa, had also report by two doctors of three cases of babies born with an discovered that 219 cases of deformities had been omitted. extremely rare combination of deformities. Two had their from Merrell’s Adverse Reaction Reports. intestines and one had both liver and stomach, outside their In mid-82 came another serious limb reduction case, the bodies, one had a grossly foreshortened left leg and the other Wood case, with 12 Canadian and 100 GS lawsuits pending. two had no left legs. There were other defects as well. The The GS House sub-committee on Science, Research and common link between the three mothers was the taking of Technology had uncovered new evidence of the drug’s Debendox at an unusually early stage of pregnancy — from possible teratogenic effects, and possible irregularities in the five and a half to six weeks. FDA’s handling, since 1956, of its scientific review of With continuing criticism of Debendox, and side effect Debendox. The first animal studies done independently of “inquiries”, came the FDA’s first proposal in 1979 thatMerrell Merrell showed an association between Debendox and heart include in Debendox packaging a leaflet for patients saying defects and diaphramatic hernia (holes in the diaphragm that any medication during pregnancy was a risk and that wall). A third private report, using data from the GS Centre non-drug remedies were preferable. Then in 1980 came the for National Health Statistics, also linked anti-histamines with first lawsuit against Merrell, the Mekdeci case. Betty an increase in the rate of diaphragmatic hernia. The Mekdeci’s son was born with a malformed arm and a caved- Committee chairperson met with FDA’s Commissioner in chest, and her investigations led her to believe that Hayes and the GS Surgeon General. After that meeting Hayes Debendox was the cause. The trial was a battle of the experts agreed to intensify the reviews of Debendox. but it exposed the whole shakey foundation of drug testing and safety standards. If lasted eight weeks, with jurors struggling to penetrate the fog of medical and legal data, jargon and opinion. The verdict refleted their stuggle. They It was then shown that either through found that Debendox “caused or contributed to” David incredible carelessness or deliberate Mekdeci’s deformities but only awarded $20,000 for medical expenses, nothing for compensation or punitive damages. manipulation of raw data, the number of A retrial was later ordered over the inconsistency of finding abnormal fetuses had been for the Mekdeci’s but not awarding damages, and in 1981 the retrial reversed the verdict. Betty Mekdeci’s experiences considerably lowered. led her to found the Association of Bendectin Children. Of her efforts to find out about Debendox she commented, “If you write to medical people as the mother of a deformed The Sub-committee’s conclusions were: child, they think you’re a neurotic, unbalanced woman. So 1 • That no convincing studies showed Debendox’s safety used to sign myself Betty Mekdeci R.A. - research assistant. or effectiveness; And it worked like a charm.” Ironically, during trial testimony, • That the FDA had failed to do its job of evaluating Marion Finkel was quoted as saying that Debendox was only Debendox’s safety and effectiveness; 20 to 25% more effective than a placebo. • That FDA chief Hayes be asked to answer charges that Merrell Dow and Richardson-Merrell (Merrell Dow corporate predecessor) failed to report “known evidence Between 1963 and 1980, Merrell related to the risks of Debendox” in a timely and complete manner; Dow withheld these results from the • That the manufacturers provided the FDA with FDA, a repeated violation of a law inadequate records of Adverse Reactions Reports. The shit had finally hit the fan — 26 years of corporate requiring pharmaceutical profit later. manufacturers to report any indications The sub-committee also criticised the Staples’ report and Merrell’s withholding of his conclusions from the FDA. It also of adverse effects of a drug. pointed out that Staples’ rabbits were given dosages of Debendox only 15 times higher than those prescribed for humans, though in his tests on Thalidomide, birth defects That year the Public Citizens’ Health Research Group, didn’t occur until they were given doses 60 times higher. headed by Ralph Nader, called on the government to halt (Women are 700 times more sensitive to Thalidomide than Debendox sales. The FDA continued to recommend it for hamsters. Higher doses are also necessary to simulate large nausea and vomiting. Merrell however recommended it just human populations.) for nausea as this increased the marked. As another example of the fallibility of “scientific” studies, In 1981, worried about studies showing a possible the committee also criticised another Debendox cornerstone association between Debendox and congenital heart study—the Bunde study, which had been used in official FDA defects, cleft lips and palates, a panel of advisers to the FDA and Merrell statements about Debendox. Dr Bunde urged the agency to instruct doctors that Debendox be used (Richardson-Merrell’s Medical research director) matched only for significant nausea and vomiting unresponsive to 1,109 pregnant woman using Debendox with the same non-drug therapy, and that a patient be given an information number of pregnant women who were not using it. The sheet as the FDA had previously proposed. By now, the FDA survey showed that more women who were not taking was facing hearings on its handling of Debendox by the Debendox gave birth to deformed children than did the drug House of Representatives’ Sub-committee on Oversight and users. But consultants to the sub-committee questioned the 28 Broadsheet, May 1985 fairness of Bunde’s pairing of the women. They suggested The National Women’s Health Network, which had that, for example, a healthy 20-year-old who was prescribed received hundreds of inquiries fr om Debendox mothers of Debendox was paired with a 35/40-year-old who had a deformed children, said, “We would prefer that the FDA history of pregnancy difficulties. FDA reviewing officials withdraw approval of the drug rather than that the company critical or this study, had asked Merrell to submit the raw data. take the step of withdrawing the drug. As it now stands, the The company ignored the request, but used the survey to company could put the drug on the market again with relative advertise Debendox. Retired FDA medical officer, Dr Nester, ease.” wrote to the committee that in his opinion some of Merrell’s However, the Vice-President of the American College of tests “did not constitute reasonable evidence of safety”. Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr Flowers (who had done He said, “I have never seen a new drug application so consulting work for Merrell Dow), said that Debendox’s badly handled by the FDA and the drug company from both withdrawal “creates a significant therapeutic gap”, and that the procedural and scientific viewpoints”. Dr Nester was one the decision was based “more on law than science”. of a long line of FDA officials whose doubts and fears were By now Merrell faced 300 GS lawsuits. In the FDA’s Drug ignored by those higher up. Later research by a legal Bulletin of November ‘83, an article described three studies executive, Patricia Tony, showed that records from a doctor’s on Debendox and a risk of pyloric stenosis (a heart wall practice which provided a third of the studies’ data, were defect). Two of the three studies found an increase in the suspect. Mothers were listed, sometimes twice, as taking defect among Debendox mothers, one fourfold. But such Debendox when they had not. A child was listed as normal information was swamped by articles in medical journals when it had a congenital heart defect, and in about 100 cases, defending Debendox and condeming “trial by anecdote” the word Bendectin (the GS term for Debendox) had been (testimony by affected families). They mentioned typed on the record at a later date by the same typewriter. Debendox’s “effectiveness” though studies on its The sub-committee urged the FDA to order new animal effectiveness hadn’t differentiated between mild nausea and tests from Merrell and to inform the public “as soon as severe vomiting, and even then its effect was not far above possible” about possible risks. The Public Citizens Health placebos. They talked of “uncontrolled” case reports of a Research Group petitioned the government to immediately teratogenic link, though apparently happy to accept, and remove Debendox and all doxylamine sucinate drugs from previously uncritical of, badly done and biased company the market. studies. Strangley enough, it didn’t. A year later a jury awarded The Canadian Medical Association Journal in an $750,000 in damages against Merrell for Debendox-caused editorial chose to cite a study of Milkovitch and Van der Berg. deformities to Mary Oxedine, a 12-year-old girl with a When the company discovered that they were to study deformed, nearly fingerless, right arm. Four months later, in Debendox it offered assistance, meeting regularly with a retrial, a judge cancelled the award. But a month after Milkovitch throughout the research period. Van der Berg, Merrell was ordered to pay damages, the President of Merrell according to a Merrell memo thought any direct personal Dow announced that the manufacture and distribution of grants to her could not be acceptable at that time but Debendox would stop immediately, citing bad publicity and suggested that a designated “gift” could be made to the heavy litigation costs as the reason. He said that present stock Gniversity of California School of Public Health for her use would remain on the market for several months but that the at a later time. In the meantime she suggested that Merrell company would set up a programme for the return of unused come up with $7,500 for consultants. Merrell didn’t cough stocks. He called Debendox “a victim of these litigious that up, though it did make a $3,000 donation to that School times”. of Health, designated to be “available for research which is now under the direction of Dr Bea Van der Berg and Lucy Milkovitch”. Their study showed no link between Debendox and birth deformities. The Canadian editorial quoted a study of the rates of exposure to Debendox of deformed babies, grudgingly admitting that increased exposure to Bendectin was found in three types of defect groups. The editorial ended, “The availability of drugs should nc be regulated by the media, litigation lawyers or public hysteria, but should continue to be a result of careful examination of scientific evidence. Litigation proceedings and press coverage have led parents of malformed children to believe that they have a case when in fact they appear to have none. This has resulted in an excessive economic burden on the drug company in the form of legal fees and insurance premiums. The net result is that a product well studied for use in pregnancy will no longer be available to patients requiring antiemetic medication. This will force physicians to prescribe and pregnant women to take, medications for which we lack the large amount of reassuring data on teratogenicity that we have for Debendox”. This was pretty much the quality of the argument throughout drug company and medical hierarchies, Broadsheet, May 1985 29 including those in this country. Sydney which matched the pregnancies of mothers of limb The Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy journal’s deficient children of 155 Australian women, between 1970 editorial of November ‘83 talked of a “wealth of evidence and 1981, and the pregnancies of mothers of unaffected showing the lack of teratogenic effects of Debendox” but the 'children. It could not difference in the use, dose, or date of reports he cites are all pre-1979. It said that the FDA starting use of Debendox between either group. considered Debendox the preferred antiemetic (anti-nausea/ In July ‘84, when more than 700 lawsuits against vomiting) drug in pregnancy because it was well studied, but Debendox were pending in the GS alone, Merrell set up a that was the agency’s position in 1981 before the House of fund for a group settlement. It was of $120 million, 40 million Representatives’ Sub-committee had slated the FDA for its was to be paid straight away, another 50 million in the first poor job in evaluating Debendox’s safety and effectiveness. three years, then $2 million a year for 15 years. The editorial ends by echoing Merrell Dow’s description of Settlement of the current cases could take $100 million, Debendox as the innocent “victim” and insinuates that the and since Merrell did not recall the drug, or suggest women lawsuits against Merrell were prompted by parents “mourning destroy their home supplies, many more cases will surface sickness”. The lay person has a lot to learn about scientific in the future. objectivity from such medical journals which are well Payment has been restricted to GS residents only, so at supported by, and supporting of, the drug industry. present Debendox affected parents’ groups throughout Australia, Britain and New Zealand are fighting for damages from the company for their children. Their lawyers are A statistical clustering is the repeated currently appealing against the GS court decision stopping their cases from being heard. Legal aid has been refused occurrence of one kind of defect, and it’s British parents wanting to sue Merrell. Of 150, only a third just this kind of report Merrell most were able to get government assistance. In Australia, Debendox Action Groups are looking at fears. In Buckley’s survey, the taking legal action against federal or state health authorities reoccuring defect was severe heart for neglecting to inform patients of doctors of the risks associated with Debendox. However, New Zealand citizens abnormalities. More common were can’t sue government officials. Neither do they qualify for accident compensation. Pre-natal deformities aren’t reports of limb reduction and skeletal presently covered by the Accident Compensation Act. deformities. The Reassurance Department’s (What am I saying?) The Health Department’s Director of Clinical Services, Dr John Phillips was quoted in the Christchurch Star in October last How did the medical establishment react in this country? year as saying that the department had told Merrell to amend In March ‘84 the Adverse Drug Reactions Committee issued their advertising in 1981. The company had advertised a statement in the NZ Medical Journal. A carefully worded Debendox for “nausea and vomiting of pregnancy” and the paragraph says that the two-ingredient Debendox was department asked that the words “pregnancy” be dropped. marketed for a year before production stopped. Since Dr Phillips was reported as saying at the time that the dicyclomine was withdrawn from GS supplies in 1977, the department would be happier if the drug were not used by assumption must be that dicyclomine wasn’t withdrawn from NZ supplies till mid-1982, the same time as in Australia. The committee also regretted Merrell’s refusal to market doxylamine as a pregnancy nausea remedy. It included comments on the questionable ethics and morality of activists “which resulted in the loss of an efficacious medicine”. “At present, insufficient evidence exists to support recommendation of an alternative medicine for this indication.” (Where, oh where are the huge company grants to test common foods and dietary changes for nausea?) It was signed by John Maling who also made media statements in support of Debendox. That month the Australian Medical Journal published a letter by Dr William McBride, who in the 60’s proved and fought for recognition of Thalidomide’s deforming side effects. He mentioned experiments on chick and rabbit embryos which had proved both dicylamine H and doxylamine S to be teratogenic. He believed that the earlier study on dicyclamine (and its ineffectiveness) may have influenced its withdrawal from the formula in 1982. By that time Australasian women had been taking for five years a drug which was not only unnecessary, but that (he had proved) was teratogenic. Another statistical study was done at the University of 30 Broadsheet, May 1985 though it was the final answer to consumer pressure, shows a shocking indifference to public health. If a largely unnecessary drug “may” create deformed children, that in In March of this year, a woman rang itself should be enough to take it off the market. Trying to five Christchurch pharmacies and was prove it safe on a human experimental population, in the hope that there won’t be some unforeseen disaster - is that told by four of them they still had stock. what a “scientific approach” offers? Amazingly, they seem not to understand how the public may view the situation. When in 1982 a Christchurch women asked a prominent gynaecologist whether there was any possibility that Debendox could harm the foetus, she was denied the truth. pregnant women. However, in New Ethicals, a catalogue of She and her limb-deficient child paid the price for that prescription drugs which every doctor has sitting on their doctor’s denial of it. desks for constant use, the drug continued to be advertised as for pregnancy for several years after 1981. There was never a hint in New Ethicals that it could be teratogenic. “If you write to medical people as the Debendox is still available in this country. In August, 1983, Salmond & Spraggon, the distributors of Debendox wrote mother of a deformed child, they think to the National Chemists Guild saying that the drug had been your’re a neurotic, unbalanced woman. discontinued and that they were out of stock. In March of this year, a woman rang five Christchurch pharmacies and was So I used to sign myself, Betty told by four of them they still had stocks. Patient inserts listing Mekdeci, R.A. - research assistant. And alternative treatments and the risk of birth defects, was still not included in the packets. it worked like a charm” . Dr William McBride (of Sydney Women’s Hospital and Director of Foundation 41, a medical research organisation) recently gave evidence for a GS trial of 100 lawsuits against I hardly know how to sum up this article, the indifference Debendox. He reported that his new studies on doxylamine and callousness shown by the drug companies, and many S on NZ white rabbits, showed that it caused malformations of those in the medial and health hierarchies, is so massive. in 29% of the foetuses. They included limb reduction in 6%, Antipathy towards women, greed - regardless of human an eye deformity in 23%, and one case of urogenital cost, medical arrogance and opportunism, and contempt deformity. An untreated control group did not have any for the public’s intelligence and right to know; - have malformed foetuses. He also tested the drug on Marmoset combined to create a crime against babies. monkeys. They all aborted, and so early that it was impossible Those who read this will draw their own conclusions so I to tell whether there were any deformities. McBride found that won’t add more, except to list a few practical and achievable Debendox acts on nerve functions, affecting the eyes, heart, goals that I can see. bowels, limbs and cerebro-spinal system. In line with the 1. In line with most Western countries, any woman who 1978 British report, he said that if Debendox was taken in the feels that she may be pregnant, should be able to go first seven weeks of pregnancy, the rate of deformed births directly to a laboratory for a pregnancy test, instead of rose 2-3%, but after eight weeks, no effect was apparent. It having to wait for a doctor’s appointment, and then wait was a long demanding trial, stacked with conflicting medical for the result. Many women put off getting a test until they studies and resulted in the jury finding for Merrell Dow. The feel more sure about their symptoms or dates because company’s attorney called Debendox an innocent bystander of the cost of a doctor’s consultation. (The first and said there had been no studies between the drug and appointment regarding pregnancy must be paid for, birth defects. The plaintiff s attorney has requested Judge thereafter it’s free). Women have also been reluctant at Rubin to order a new trial or to reverse the jury’s decision. If times to go to medical centres for reasons of privacy, Rubin refuses, an appeal will be launched with the GS Court (the nurse is a neighbour etc). Consultation for a of Appeals. pregnancy test should be free. How much evidence of teratogenicity is necessary before 2. Warnings about harmful drugs from such publications consumer protection becomes an issue? Probably about as FDA’s Consumer Gpdate, and Drug Alert Interpol, two-thirds of the studies showed no association with birth should be relayed to the public, with the suggestion that defects, and of those studies that did show a link most affected users contact their doctors for information and concluded that Debendox was only a “weak” teratogen. discussion. Gsers and dispensers would then have more (Weak in numbers, not its effects). There may be significance occasion to face and evaluate the costs and benefits of in the fact that very few studies looked at the earliness of treatments, which could only lead to a greater Debendox use or had large numbers of women who had understanding of health and less suspicion of medical taken it before eight weeks. secrecy. One of the strongest criticisms of the withdrawal of 3. The Health Department should widely distribute to Debendox, from medical journals and individuals, is that of doctors and women, a leaflet on non-drug remedies for the part that lawsuits played. That damages could be pregnancy nausea. awarded on the “reasonable belief’ that Debendox may have 4. The Health Department should demand independent caused deformities, was an affront to “scientific certainty ”. testing and reviewing of drugs, here, and from overseas This major argument, which they delight to produce, as distributors, and should put a priority on independent Broadsheet, May 1985 31 testing and reports, beyond those of company studies. Ultimately, a drug should not be distributed to the public, if its only been tested by those wishing to sell it. 5. The Christchurch Debendox Action Group has many Separation criticisms of the present methods of collecting birth Is this freedom? defects statistics and of the inaccurate or scanty records In making my choices kept by many GP’s. The Health Department should work Must I suffer your responses? with such groups to improve the situation, instead of I wanted only to live my life ignoring their experience and advise. Step out of your shadow One final note. In the only reference I’ve been able to find into the sun so far, Richardson-Merrell made 160.4 million dollars profit But your dark vengeance in 1977 from their Mexican operations alone, and in 1980, Dow Chemical’s total profit was $481 million. □ hangs over me obscuring my view like an angel oak tree, cold and damp across the forest path. And though I cannot see the way, I’ll stumble on, catching the glimpses of light which filter through the dying leaves.

Cherry A

t i

The child the girl child planted incorrectly (by mistake) grew up slightly to one side Non-drug Remedies for Pregnancy Nausea like a ghostly shadow ■ Eat small frequent meals and avoid fatty meals - it’s thin and weedy it grew over the years easier on your stomach. occasionally splashing a large leaf ■ Eat dry toast or crackers in the morning before rising - to make a statement perhaps with a cup of tea. that was really a bid for space. ■ Carrot juice or fresh raw grated carrot is also helpful, as In the shadows is peach nectar. it gave birth B Vitamin B6, especially if taken when trying to get spilt barren seeds into the earth pregnant, can also help. But after taking it for two and lost what precious space was there. months, break for a couple of weeks. (Its not good to Through marriage take any vitamin tablets month after month). Taking only I learnt one vitamin in the B complex can affect the absorption of the others, so it’s best to take B vitamin complex as why the world belongs to one sex well as added B6. Avoid sugar and white flour as they through housework drain the body of B6. I learnt ■ Chewing root or crystallized ginger can help, or mince everything has its time and place 1/2 teaspoon of root ginger and brew in a china teapot through gardening with boiling water for about five minutes, adding honey I learnt if you like. Some health stores stock ginger in capsules that which is pruned if you can bear the taste but they’re a bit pricey. Filling grows. your own capsules with ground ginger is a cheaper alternative, if messier. Linda Grey

32 Broadsheet, May 1985 77 1 a n k z t o a // C ontributors . pfetsc ucc(r confribcchcns tp : 'HcCtViACH,' T3rc*ds/*e*? B o X * 7 9 1 fluck/

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Broadsheet, May 1985 33 Her mother told her she’d better say her prayers very carefully that night, saying things like that! ‘I’ll pray it never rains again so I S e co n d h a n d don’t have to wear ugly ginger pud­ ding Betty’s ugly ginger coat.’ She awoke next morning to the sound of rain on the roof. On the ceil­ ing the brown mark shaped like a cot­ Children tage loaf was damp. That meant the The Logan children are rain was from the south and would by Heather Marshall probably last three days. She poked growing up during the Betty, who’d com e uninvited to play out her tongue, heavenwards. Mrs depression years. Chrissie in with Cynthia, showed off a new Logan helped her button the coat on particular is conscious of the expensive coat. To calm her when it was time to leave for school class system, the rich and conscience over the waste of money and gave her instructions for the day. poor, and the importance it Mrs Rivers donated the ginger coat I’m going to the relief fund meet­ to the bring-and-buy in aid of the ing this afternoon and 1 won’t be has in the attitude of adults to unemployed relief fund. The coat home when you com e in after school. children, children to other survived the bring-and-buy, priced at You can cut yourself a piece, just one, children. She is afraid of being five shillings, and four subsequent mind. And not too much butter. And classed with the “ poor” but jumble sales in the same good cause, don’t cut the loaf crooked. Marmite, finds herself drawn to them as reducing eventually to ninepence. At now! No digging into the cold meat. children to love and trust. At its last appearance Mrs Bridges, with That’s got to do another meal. Off you her trail of ill-clad children, said she’d go or you’ll be late. Don’t dawdle.’ home Mrs Logan struggles to take it home and burn it, if Mrs Rivers Chrissie stamped off, treading in keep up old standards and the would give her a pound of tea for her every puddle to make her shoes wet children, although too young trouble. to pay her mother back. She wished to realise it, make their own Mrs Rivers reclaimed her donation she was like Bea Bridges. She liked decisions. and made a special trip to Mrs Logan, wearing other people’s cast-offs. A because, she said, she'd noticed at boy from her class rode past her on Chrissie Logan stood on the three- church that Chrissie’s coat was his bike. legged kitchen stool hating getting very thin and Betty’s coat ‘Hullo, Chrissie. I thought you were everything and everybody. Her would be just right for her. Ginger Betty at first.’ mother knelt below her on the floor ‘Don’t thank me, Mrs Logan. It’s a She kept her head down but as shortening the length of horrible pleasure to help a widow with five soon as he was out of sight she tug­ Betty Rivers’ horrible ginger coat to children. “In as much as ye do it unto ged off the belt and dragged at the fit her. one of the least of these my brethren buttonholes until the buttons slipped Til never make my children wear ...” well, you know the rest.’ through. A glance each way and the hand-me-down clothes,’ Chrissie Mrs Logan didn’t thank her with coat was in a hole in a hedge. She ran said. much enthusiasm but she didn’t want the rest of the way to school in the ‘I hope you’ll never have to,’ her to offend the minister’s wife and she, heavy rain. mother answered. ‘And take that too, had seen Chrissie shivering in The head lady teacher saw her as expression off your face.’ church. So Chrissie was standing on she squelched through the main Chrissie didn’t see how her mother the stool while her mother worked on school doors. could know what expression she had the hem. She twisted and turned in a ‘Chrissie, you’re soaking! Come on her face since her eyes were on m ood not far from mutiny. into the teacher’s room and I’ll dry the level of her knees. ‘It’s warm, isn’t it?’ her mother you off a bit. Why didn’t you wear a Betty Rivers’ coat becam e well demanded with a mouth full of pins. coat on a day like this?’ known when Betty wore it to school ‘Stand still, Chrissie or you’ll fall off.’ ‘I haven’t got one, Miss Brown.’ and Sunday School soon after her Chrissie agreed it was warm but Two other teachers were in the mother bought if for her. One of the she’d rather freeze to death than wear room and she heard one of them say, kids in Betty’s class said the colour it. Betty was twelve and big for her age ‘Her mother’s a widow with five chil­ reminded him of his mother’s ginger and she was only ten. With the skirt dren.’ pudding with golden syrup poured turned up the large pockets sat on the Chrissie felt ashamed that they over it and from that day Betty Rivers hem line. Chrissie saw her reflection were talking about her poverty but was called Ginger Betty. She hated in the window and wailed. she’d rather endure that than wear the nickname and refused to wear the ‘God’s got no sense. Why didn’t he Betty River’s cast-off ginger coat. coat. In the Rivers’ household Betty’s make stupid Mrs Rivers give it to Miss Brown towelled her hair. Try word was law and her mother bought som eone it fitted. It would have been to keep warm, Chrissie. Put your her a new coat. just as kind a thing to do and some shoes and socks on the heater. I’ll see ‘From her private means, no use. I suppose he lets her do as she if I can get you a coat from some­ doubt,’ Mrs Logan said bitterly after likes because she’s a minister’s wife.’ where before you have to go home.’ 34 Broadsheet, May 1985 Five thin boys huddled over the and made him more careful about Before she could say another word, noisy water pipes that kept the clas­ what he did and said in his daughter’s the children were distracted by a loud sroom warm. They were the home presence. Tales of drawers stacked whoop from a scarecrow of a girl in a boys. All were barefooted. They with bundles of five pound notes and black silk dress. At the mention of her shifted from one foot to the other and visits from prominent men of the name, Bea Bridges had leaped to her tucked their hands in their armpits to town. But her marmite days were few feet scattering her threepence worth keep warm. Chrissie didn’t know how and the beef and ham days fairly reg­ of fish and chips and waving the to talk to the home boys. They were ular. Today she was bored and turned newspaper they’d been wrapped in different. Their misfortune embarras­ for entertainment to the girl sitting above her head as she circled the sed her. next to her. shed in an exuberant Indian war Rex Adams moved aside to let her ‘Louise, you’ve worn that dress dance. Her dress had been designed near the heater. ‘How did you get so every day this year,’ she said. ‘1 bet for a middle aged matron. Bea wore wet, Chrissie?’ your mother washes it out every the unsuitable clothes supplied by the ‘I haven’t got a coat.’ weekend so’s you can wear it again relief fund committee as if every day Tve got a coat,’ Dick Kelly said. on Monday. Fancy only having one was a great fancy dress parade and ‘Yes, he has,’ Rex backed him up. dress!’ she had an endless supply of exciting ‘He’s got an aunt who com es to see ‘It’s not my only dress,’ Louise de­ costumes. Chrissie didn’t join in the him sometimes. I’ve got a father. He fended herself against this attack that clapping and laughing. Today she doesn’t com e to see m e but he sent could undermine her social standing wasn’t in the mood for Bea’s defiant me a cricket bat at Christmas.’ which balanced between acceptabil­ entertainment. Continue. p A ! ‘1 haven’t got a father,’ Chrissie said. ity and the ranks of the poor kids. Tve She felt the hom e boys open up got two dresses the same. Mum liked their ranks to her and for the first time the material so much she got enough she saw them .as individuals. Proud, to make two dresses. So there, Olga!’ intelligent Rex. Silent unhappy Billy. ‘They’re awfully pretty, Louise,’ Dick, Allan and Mickey. She didn’t feel Chrissie said because she’d always uncomfortable with them any more. admired Louise’s yellow dress with She was sorry when the school bell the white ric-rac braid around the rang and broke the feeling of com­ sleeves. panionship. ‘She hasn’t got two dresses. Gee, Chrissie’s class and Cynthia’s class you’re dumb, Chrissie. You’re a poor shared the girls’ shed at lunchtime. kid like Rosie Jarden and Bea Bridges ... Chrissie wanted to swap her lunch. She opened up her packet of mar- mite sandwiches and looked around to see if any of the girls had anything unusual or interesting. Apart from two girls who hadn’t brought any lunch, because they weren’t hungry they said, there were just the usual jam or marmite or pickle sandwiches. Al­ though she had little to trade with Chrissie joined in the swapping and bargaining. She could sometimes get a cheese sandwich for two marmite sandwiches. Mrs Logan was known to be less skimpy with the butter than some mothers. The girls who had no lunch did their trading with offers of help with homework or the promise, ‘I’ll tell you a secret.’ Only Olga Dickens never swapped. Gwennie sometimes did to bribe her way into gam es or gossip groups. But not Olga. O lga’s father was one of the town’s bookies and her lunches var­ ied with the alertness of the local police force. When her father had been arrested, convicted and heavily fined, Olga too had marmite sandwiches for a week or two. At other limes she told the girls stories that would have shocked her father Broadsheet, May 1985 35 reason for the low number of female deaths. The dramatic rise in the number of cases of AIDS, especially among the at risk groups, suggests that the virus is transmitted by sexual/blood con­ tact. The pattern of the syndrome also suggests that social behaviour is a major factor in susceptibility to the in­ fections that eventually kill. The exchange of body fluids (like tions of the USA population, includ­ blood and sem en) is a high risk situa­ THE FACTS ing male homosexuals. tion for AIDS. Types of sexual contact Haitians coming to the USA could Sarah Calvert demystifies that lead to this type of exchange (for have brought AIDS, and American example anal sex) may explain the the latest sexually tourists returning home may also have carried HTLV3. Because certain high rate of AIDS among male transmitted disease. homosexuals. The role of other body groups have less resistence to im­ fluids like sweat, saliva and vaginal Acquired Immune Deficiency Syn­ mune system diseases, there is a secretions is not known. No known drom e (AIDS) is a term that has sud­ rapid spread of the syndrome. AIDS cases have been traced to the denly sprung to prominence. Along THE SYNDROME exchange of saliva. with a scattering of medical facts, Individuals with a damaged im­ homophobia and moral judgements AIDS is a profound and irreversible mune system seem to be more likely have confused issues and reality. collapse of the body’s immune sys­ to get AIDS. AIDS sufferers are twice AIDS is a syndrome that occurs tem. This is coupled with the occur­ as likely to have had syphillis or when a person is infected with the ence of life-threatening infections. hepatitis. They are also likely to have virus known as LAV/HTLV3. This virus These include herpes, pneumomia, had other sexual transmitted dis­ damages the immune system and types of rare cancer (including eases. People with a healthy immune the person is vulnerable to a variety of Kaposi Sarcoma) and other infec­ system may be infected with LAV/ life threatening diseases. tions. HTLV3 but usually seem to get ARC About 10-20% of those exposed to Approximately 80% of diagnosed not AIDS. The use of drugs, not just LAV/HTLV3 will develop AIDS. Others victims will die within two years. AIDS, intravenous drugs, also seems to will develop ARC or Aids Related however, does not kill them. The loss lower the body’s resistence to infec­ Complex, get some of the symptoms of a functioning immune system tion. Malnutrition, disease and stress of AIDS but will survive. does. In the same way the prolonged may all also lower the body’s resis­ AIDS has a very long incubation use of chemotherapy may cause a tence. period. It is thought to be between cancer victim to die of a common three months and five years. For this cold. SYMPTOMS OF AIDS reason there has yet to be a major in­ The AIDS virus, LAV/HTLV3, is one • fatigue (unexplained) crease in the number of cases in New of a family thought to be cancer- • night sweats, fevers, chills Zealand. However, in New Zealand as causing and thought to affect the cel­ • recurring infection with the rest of the world, AIDS will lular immune system (which operates • weight loss (unexplained) eventually spread rapidly. in individual cells of the body). LAV/ • nausea It is now thought that AIDS has HTLV3 is also associated with • headaches been around for a long time. It is pos­ another syndrome, PGL, or persistent generalised lymphadenopathy. • swollen glands sible that som e of the unexplained • pink or purple raised blotches or epidemics of the past may have been Because of its method of transmis­ bumps that do not go away (not AIDS. Certainly in parts of equitorial sion AIDS has usually occurred in common in women) Africa, AIDS is endemic, that is, well-defined groups. At risk groups • persistent cough. chronically common. include equitorial Africans, Haitians, In diagnosing AIDS it is the persis­ In areas where AIDS is common, it male homosexuals, bi-sexuals, in­ tence of apparently minor problems is usually a syndrome of the travenous drug users, haemophiliacs that do not go away that is significant. heterosexual population although and those in close, usually sexual contact with an infected person. In the more men than women become ill PREVENTION and die. Many of the contacts of Euro­ GSA the figures are male homosexu­ pean AIDS victims have come from als 70%, drug users 17%, Haitians A number of simple acts will help to equitorial Africa, especially Zaire. The 11%, haemophiliacs 1 %. prevent AIDS. Firstly, the healthier source of the USA infection could be W om en may be less at risk be­ you are, the less likely you are to get it. mercenaries who left Zaire in the late cause of our general resistence to dis­ Maintaining a healthy body by eating sixties and early seventies and moved ease, thanks to our genetic heritage. well, getting plenty of rest, and not to Haiti. There they transmitted AIDS Some of the at risk groups are male abusing your body will be a major to the general population. Haiti is a only, while som e have limited contact safeguard. popular holiday resort for some sec- with women. This may be another Avoiding recreational drugs of all

M Broadsheet, May 1985 types is also a general preventative AIDS and its long incubation period. AIDS. This makes now a good time to deal with the problem of the illegality rpeasure. TREATMENT Specific preventative measures in­ of homosexuality. A more tolerant clude avoiding all contact with body There is no treatment for AIDS. Some community would help to contain fluids during sexual contact, espec- people who get ARC will recover but AIDS, would make it easier to get in­ cially blood and semen. The use of most with AIDS will die of one infec­ formation to those who need it. barrier type contraceptives (like con­ tion or another. An AIDS sufferer re­ Health workers also need informa­ doms) is recommended. It is also quires intensive hospital care costing tion. There has been som e hysteria thought that having multiple sex up to $100,000 and the normal hos­ about nursing AIDS sufferers, giving partners is to be avoided. pital procedures required when deal­ mouth to mouth resucitation and so AIDS spreads very rapidly. Eight ing with an infectious disease. on. Proper nursing procedures and thousand new cases are likely in the general health principles will ensure NEW ZEALAND USA this year. The number of cases that health workers are not unneces­ doubles roughly every six to nine AIDS poses special problems in New sarily at risk. months. The peak of this epidemic Zealand because male homosexual Feminists can help to spread accu­ may not be reached for som e years, acts are illegal. It is difficult to spread rate information about AIDS. They possibly not until 1990. It is thought health education when the main can comment on the moral bigotry that the rapid spread of the disease target group is underground. present in our community. They can among gay men in the USA is due to AIDS will become a serious prob­ demand that health services work to three primary factors; the high lem in NZ. Three people have already help those at risk. □ number of sexual contacts among died here, all of whom contracted the male homosexuals; the long incuba­ disease overseas. In NZ many male AIDS Support Network Auckland of­ tion period when it is unknowingly homosexuals have a public image of fice, Ph. 31124. passed on, and a high level of suscep­ married happiness; AIDS may spread National AIDS Hotline, Ph. AK. 395- tibility due to previous infections. through them into the wider popula­ 560. (With funding it is hoped to Screening tests presently de­ tion. make this number toll free). veloped are expected to have only li­ Homophobia and moral righteous­ The ASN welcomes volunteers. mited value because of the nature of ness do not solve the problem of

merely the first to come in lead about their suitability. The THE HOMOPHOBIA contact with the disease. implication was that children Last year when children and and heterosexuals didn’t de­ Jenny Rankine traces Tablet editorial says that the heterosexual adults in Au­ serve the disease, but that gay “homosexual community stralia were exposed to the dis­ men did. AIDS may be sexu­ the reaction to AIDS must accept SOME of the ease (from blood donated by a ally transmitted, but that in Aotearoa. blame for the development gay male donor before he doesn’t mean that having sex and spread of AIDS”. knew he had AIDS), the Au­ created the disease. Every suf­ As the AIDS panic washes over The homophobic assump­ stralian media erupted into an ferer is innocent us from New Zealand media, tions behind all this mythmak­ orgy of gay bashing. The The way New Zealand gov­ lesbians and heterosexual ing are breathtaking. For a Queensland government hur­ ernment money has been allo­ women will probably be feel­ start, about 10,000 AIDS suf­ riedly passed a law providing a cated to fight AIDS shows its ing silently relieved that we are ferers live in central Africa, maximum two year jail sen­ heterosexual priorities. The not in danger. But AIDS, which more than there are in the Un­ tence or a $NZ17,000 fine for AIDS Support Network (ASN) combines sex, homosexuality, ited States at the moment. donors who knowingly mis­ was formed in June 1984, and death and drug addicts in a They are almost all heterosex­ sub editors dream, is affecting ual, roughly half women and lesbians and feminists right half men. AIDS is probably ^ k a S a P & e W now. spread there by heterosexual Any attack on gay men intercourse, blood rituals and damages lesbians. If Jerry Fal- possibly by biting insects; this hV eS- well had tried to think of some is not certain. AIDS is a sexu­ way of isolating gay men and ally transmitted disease, not lesbians and increasing just a disease transmitted by people’s fear of us, he couldn’t gay men. have come up with anything Another assumption is that much more effective than the male gay lifestyle is infi­ AIDS. The media has pumped nitely more promiscuous than out all kinds of stereotypes a heterosexual one. Normal and false generalisations. The Norman may live in a New Zealand Times called it monogamous relationship, “the fatal, homosexual-related but many of his heterosexual disease”, it was “the incurable compatriots don’t. The classic homosexual’s disease” in an one night stand occupies a lot Auckland Star editorial; a NZ of article space in the glossy Times supposedly factual magazines for heterosexual backgrounder was headlined women, not to mention ‘“Straight sex’ could defuse Playboy and the like. The AIDS bomb”; and of course a American gay community was Broadsheet, May 1985 J7 in August it suggested the All this media misinforma­ British Airways is apparently pathetic and unlikely to raise ' Health Department employ tion has created an automatic considering making new staff lesbianism as an issue in cus­ Auckland coordinator Bruce assumption that all male gays sign a declaration stating tody cases. But it would not be Burnett as a liaison officer with have AIDS. This flows, on. In whether they are gay or bisex­ wise for lesbians to use semen the gay community. Then Australia, when several les­ ual. As the scare mounts, from gay men. Lesbian-or­ came the big blood scare, bians went to give blood, they many other companies may ganised artifical insemination which raised a risk for anybody were turned away by staff who do the same. networks in the USA have in Aotearoa, not just gay men. obviously believed the “gay The AIDS Support Network been badly affected by the This forced the department to plague” scare stories. here advises gays not to have AIDS epidemic. act. They have promised the In Aotearoa, the disease is their blood tested for the AIDS Heterosexism is also being Auckland blood transfusion more likely to spread to the antibody unless it is for a re­ reinforced by AIDS testeria. unit $500,000 to expand local heterosexual and lesbian search project which guaran­ The Mew Zealand Times arti­ production of blood factors for populations. Some tees confidentiality, or to con­ cle touting “straight sex” was haemophiliacs, and an esti­ haemophiliacs have already firm longstanding symptoms. merely repeating what Norm mated $1.7 million to intro­ been exposed to the AIDS The test is not very accurate Jones, Geoff Braybrooks and duce blood screening tests. virus through infected blood anyway. A negative result may other right wing anti-law re­ They also sent two govern­ from Australia. Gay men are mean the infection is too re­ form campaigners have, been ment scientific officers to Au­ more closet here than in gay cently contracted to show up, preaching. They give the stralia to learn about antibody ghettos in America. Some les­ while a positive result tells you monogomous heterosexual testing. bians come out through re­ only that you have been ex­ nuclear family a spurious ap­ That money was all spent on lationships with bisexual men posed, not whether you will ac­ pearance of health, since they the one to two percent of po­ who later become gay. Our tually get AIDS. Medical per­ ignore wife bashing, rape and tential sufferers (GS figures) brothers, fathers or sons may sonnel in Aotearoa have re­ murder, incestuous rape and who could catch the disease get AIDS, and so may we. We fused to give assurances of child bashing, for a start. If the from blood products. What need to educate ourselves total confidentiality. Another homosexual law reform bill is about the other 96%? The about how to avoid it, how to witchhunt is in the offing. passed, it will be more difficult ASM raised the money to print care for sufferers in our com ­ Lesbians who were plan­ to enforce its anti-discrimina­ and distribute more than munities, and we need to ning to conceive a child tion clauses. AIDS is hard 30,000 pamphlets to the gay combat the lies. through artificial insemination enough for an illegal com­ community about AIDS. Then But before any indigenous may be personally affected. munity to cope with. AIDS-re­ in December the Health De­ cases of AIDS are diagnosed Gay men have been the pre­ lated testeria will make it ten partment employed Auckland in Aotearoa, we will be hit by ferred donors in the past, be­ times worse for all of us. □ coordinator Bruce Barnet to the backlash of AIDS-related cause they were more sym­ do liaison work for six months fear and hatred of gay men at clerk’s wages. In mid-April, it and lesbians. We’ve already announced that it was spend­ heard here about the reactions ing nearly $3 million to fight of traffic officers, police, hospi­ AIDS(-) $2.6 million on hospi­ tal medical and domestic staff, tals and transfusion centers, firemen, ambulance staff, em- Virago Modem Classics and the other $400,000 on balmers, pathologists, Air Mew education and counselling. It Zealand staff and prison was deliberately vague about guards. In the United States, who would receive the families of AIDS sufferers k' C $400,000. often can’t find funeral homes Lesbians are invisible in all which will bury their dead rela­ this testeria. We are a low risk tives. AIDS sufferers get hate group, but you would never mail in hospital. People who know that from the way we are have merely been in contact included willy nilly in the head­ with the AIDS virus have been lines. Of 340 women in the denied insurance. The Natio­ United States with AIDS, none nal Gay Task Force in America SackviUe-West were characterised as lesbian has documented cases of dis­ or bisexual. Slightly over half crimination in housing and were intravenous drug users, jobs against people with AIDS, Maureen Duffy and over one third have had or working with AIDS patients. Sylvia Ashton-Warner sexual contact with men in risk AIDS-related panic will groups or received blood create a lot more oppor­ * Most titles unavailable in any edition for transfusions. tunities for discrimination The secretary of the against gay men and lesbians. many years - some for nearly a century Haemophilia Society, Tony Dr Peal Ma, an AIDS “expert” Goodwin said “we think that from Mew York’s St Vincent's * High quality paperbacks all homosexuals should be Hospital said “the first step is excluded from giving blood”. It for doctors to ask all male pa­ * Beautifully designed full colour covers would be a good anti- tients if they’re homosexual.” homophobic tactic, and show In England there is political solidarity to gay men, for les­ pressure to make it compul­ Virago books are available bians to publicly give blood in sory for AIDS sufferers to re­ BOOK REPS from your bookseller. groups around the country. port to the health authorities, Our automatic inclusion in and there has already been (New Zealand) LIMITED statements like this shows talk of storing the names of 48 Lake Road Northcote (P.0 Box 36-105 Northcote Central) Auckland 0 how all gays are tarred with the Mew Zealand AIDS sufferers same homophobic brush. on the Wanganui computer. 38 Broadsheet, May 1985 Contact Trish Mullins, Stop WHAT'S Sexual Harassment Confer­ ence Collective, P.O. Box NEW? 9047, Courtenay PI, Wtn., ph 856-669. EXHIBITIONS ETC NATIONAL ART GALLERY WORKSHOPS WELLINGTON - An exhibi­ MEETINGS tion of Prints by influential COURSES nineteenth century artists, until May 5. WEA — Courses Starting June. Womens Studies — Wednes­ AUCKLAND CITY ART GAL­ day, June 6 (8 sessions) 10am LERY - Claude Monet: Painter - 12 noon, Highbury House, of light until June 9 Pauline Birkenhead. Tutor — Claire- Rhodes - Intensums ‘85. The Louise McCurdy. For details first opportunity for Auckland phone 485-279. to see the work of this talented Twentieth Century Women N.Z. sculptor, until May 13. Writers Discussion Group & Workshop — Wed. June 6 (6 sessions) 10am — 12 noon, ANZART - Artists’ Books WEA, 21 Princes St. Tutor - Exhibition - May 15 - June 2. Louise Rafkin. Incest & Child Abuse Seminar REAL PICTURES GALLERY - - A one day seminar, for sur­ Photographs by Marie Shan­ vivors and other interested non, until May 10. women. Saturday June 9, 10- 30am to 4 pm, WEA, 21 Pr­ ANZART in Real Pictures is an inces St. art event, involving N.Z. and For more information phone Australian artists, until May 24. WEA 732-030. DOWSE ART GALLERY - is WORLD CONFERENCE ON organising an exhibition about Women in N.Z. Society 1884 — WOMEN IN NAIROBI Illustration from the book, Lesbian Sex; See book review 1985. The exhibition will run Scheduled for July 15-26 in (On The Shelf). Nairobi, Kenya, this confer­ from May 17 to July 21. Any ence celebrates the progress groups who could lend post­ WOMEN’S SHOPFRONT IN­ made during the U.N. Decade ers, pictures or artefacts show­ FORMATION SERVICE for Women, (1976-85) and ing changes in the lives of N.Z. (CANBERRA) - assisted in the looks toward achieving equal women are asked to contact launching of the Directory of partnership between women the Dowse Art Museum, Box Research on Women in Au­ and men by the 21st century. 30396, Lower Hutt. stralia: 1984 on International Women’s Day 1985. A further INTERNATIONAL FEMINIST ‘BUY NEW ZEALAND FOR publication, Australian Women in Newspapers has CONFERENCE PEACE’ INFORMATION KIT The 2nd International A ‘Buy N.Z. for peace’ informa­ also become available. To purchase either publication Feminist Conference in Japan tion kit for Americans has please contact the Women’s will be held on June 1st and been financed by the Wel­ Archives, Hist Dept., Arts Fa­ 2nd at the National Women’s lington Women’s Studies As­ Education Centre in Saitama. sociation and the ‘Washington culty. A.N.U., G.P.O. Box 4, Fifteen different workshops Post’ Peace Ad. group. It con­ Canberra 2601. will highlight issues of tains (1) A leaflet explaining women’s history, health, sexu­ why Americans should buy NZ THE ARTS COUNCIL IN THE ality, education, spirituality, ra­ products and telling them COMMUNITY - United Na­ cism, self defence and what products are available in tions Decade for Women women’s image in the media. the US (2) A sheet of names 1976-85. Women interested in finding and addresses of NZ politi­ The QE II Arts Council Re­ out more can call Christine cians and newspapers they source Centre offers a variety Boatwright evenings in can write to expressing their of information on women and Japanese or English at (03) support for NZ’s anti-nuclear the arts, plus slides showing 793-6241 Japan. stand (3) A background infor­ the work of many women ar­ mation sheet about NZ — the tists, and are planning an STOP SEXUAL HARASS­ people, the economy, politics, audio/visua! programme that MENT CONFERENCE FOR our alliance with the US, and will be available for loan. A PEOPLE IN EDUCATION details on our anti-nuclear wide variety of information re­ Aimed at students, teachers & stand (4) Nuclear Weapon lating to organising and pub­ organisations in education, Free Zone NZ stickers and licising an arts event can also who want to deal with and pre­ map. be borrowed. Contact: The Re­ vent sexual harassment. From If you would like a kit please source Centre, QE II Arts 3-5 May, in Wellington. $25 send $1 (per kit) to P.O. Box Council, P.O. Box 6040, Wel­ waged, $10 unwaged/student. 9523, Wgtn. lington. Broadsheet, May 1985 39 THE LIFE & LOVES OF A of one of the most influential ON THE SHELF SHE DEVIL______figures in NZ history. This new Fay Weldon edition contains information What can a woman do when that has come to light since her husband accuses her of first publication. Hodder & BOOKS FOR YOUNGER trying to forget the hopeless­ being a ‘she devil’ and leaves Stoughton pbk $ 12.95 READERS ness of their lives. Puffin pbk her for another woman? Read WHINA______$8.95 this novel by Fay Weldon, EMMAS’S BABY BROTHER compelling satire. Coronet Micheal King MISCHLING SECOND DEGREE Gunila Wolde Pbk $8.95 Dame Whina Cooper is one of - MY CHILDHOOD IN NAZI the most visible and controv­ A book with colourful and sim­ GERMANY ______ple illustrations. Emma thinks MORE WOMEN THAN MEN ersial Maori leaders today. Use Koehn This book based on interviews her baby brother is funny, Use Koehn was 6 years old PASTORS AND MASTERS cuddly and nice. Sometimes over a period of two years de­ when she became a Mischling, BROTHERS AND SISTERS picts all the highlights of her she thinks he is a great big nui­ Second Degree citizen in Nazi Ivy Compton-Burnett sance. H & S hbk $6.75 public career and the excite­ Germany because her grand­ These three books, novels by ment and argument that ac­ mother was Jewish. The hor­ Ivy Compton-Burnett are the companied them. Hodder & rors of war “as it really was” are work of a remarkable and un­ Stoughton Hbk $ss.95 Emma’s baby brother strikingly conveyed. A true usual writer. Madly comic, en­ story. Puffin plus pbk $3.95 gaging and wise. Alison & THE ANATOMY OF FREEDOM Busby pbk $9.50 $6.95 & Robin Morgan COMEBACK______$10.95 This bocW is an uncom­ Marjorie Darke promisingly personal state­ As Gail Knight carves an iden­ MORE WOMEN TH AN MEN ment about the future of tity for herself through her skill a aovtfj by feminism^ fascinating narra­ at gymnastics, she developes Ivy Oanpton-BunMt tive that interweaves autobiog­ two burning ambitions: to win raphy, parables, physics, polit­ an Olympic Gold Medal and to ical theory and imaginative discover who her parents meditation. Martin Robertson were. Puffin plus pbk $4.95 pbk $21.95 BASKETBALL GAME______THE IDEOLOGY OF THOMAS BAKES A CAKE Julius Lester MOTHERHOOD______Gunila Wolde A moving story of deeply Betsy Wearing This book show’s Thomas rooted prejudice in Nashville, The purpose of this book is to baking a cake by himself, he Tennessee in 1956, as Allen demystify motherhood by in­ invites his mother and father and Rebecca who like each vestigating exactly what the to a party to taste the delicious other must keep apart. Puffin mothers of young children be­ result. plus pbk $4.50 lieve about mothering, how H & S hbk $6.75 they experience it and how the DORRIE AND THE WIZARD’S FICTION______current ideology of mother­ SPELL THE BONE PEOPLE hood affects their lives and their roles in the family and in DORRIE AND THE GOBLIN Keri Hulme THE TRANSIT OF VENUS DORRIE AND THE BIRTHDAY society. George Allen & Gnwin An extraordinary novel blend­ EGGS______Shirley Hazzard pbk $35.95 ing reality with dreams, meld­ Two sisters, Grace and Caro All by Patricia Coombes ing Maori and Pakeha, weav­ Bell, emigrate to England These are delightful books for IMAGES OF WOMEN IN ing strange and hurtful pasts from Australia in the 1950s in ANTIQUITY 5 - 7 year olds about the little into strangely bright futures. search of new lives. This chal­ witch Dorrie, her cat, Gink, and Ed. by Averil Cameron & The book you have been wait­ lenging novel is a brilliant exp­ her mother the big witch. They Amelie Kuhrt ing for. Spiral & Hodder & loration of love and its power all live together in a house with The growth of the women’s Stoughton Hdb $26.95 Pbk to transform and transcend. a tower, and have many excit­ movement has opened up $18.95 King Penquin pbk $10.95 ing adventures. Young Puffin new perspectives on many pbk $3.50 each OUT ON THE PLAIN ______subjects, and the surviving evi­ dence of classical and Near Frankie Finn NOISY NORA______Eastern antiquity has been This first novel by Frankie Finn Rosemary Wells found particularly rich in concerns the developing links This delightful story is about a suggestive material on the role between four women; Re­ girl mouse who is feeling neg­ of women. Croom Helm pbk becca, a painter; Jane, a pa­ lected, as her little mouse $35.00 tient in a mental hospital; brother needs a lot of atten­ Helen, a university student; tion. In rhyme form, it is well il­ WOMEN CONFINED______and Elsie, the woman who lustrated. A favourite with 2 Ann Oakley cleans her campus room. An year olds upwards. Picture The focus of women confined increasingly animated Lion pbk $4.95 is on the social and medical dialogue develops between treatment of woman as the characters and the author childbearers. Ann Oakley BOOKS FOR OLDER as she sits composing the READERS shows that particular social manuscript aboard a house­ and medical circumstances CATCH THE SUN______boat on the Thames. The Wo­ make depression after birth Erica Hale mens Press pbk $13.25 more likely and she em­ Fed-up with her drunken step­ phasises that lack of adjust­ father and her dead end job, NON-FICTION______ment to the life event of Lennie runs away, she finds TEPUEA______childbirth is a common occur­ her friends drifting into drugs Michael King ence, given the present posi­ and desperate relationships, TePuea is a classic biography tion of women in modem in- 40 Broadsheet, May 1985 After school Miss Brown beckoned dustrialised societies. Martin AMATEUR CITY______(Gontcl- P % ) Chrissie into the teacher’s room. She Robertson pbk $23.70 Katherine V. Forrest Ellen O’Neil has antagonized was holding a tailored grey coat. her lover by taking a job in a ‘It’s the best I could do, Chrissie. It’s Los Angeles highrise office rather thin but there’s som e warmth building - only to find herself in it. Try it on and see if you like it.’ the sole witness to events sur­ It was a pretty coat. It had a velvet rounding a baffling murder. The Naiad Press pbk $22.95 collar and velvet trim on the pockets and cuffs. If fitted snugly into Chris- SCIENCE FICTION______sie’s waist. It was the sort of coat Olga Anne McCaffrey wore. Chrissie’s eyes shone with de­ Dragonsong $6.95 light but Miss Brown wouldn’t accept Dragonflight $6.95 any thanks. She was very happy, she Dragondrums $6.95 Dragonquest $6.95 said, that Chrissie liked the coat. The White Dragon $7.95 On her way home from school The Ship who sang $6.95 Chrissie collected the ginger coat Decision at Doona $5.95 from the hole in the hedge. She knew Get off the Unicom $6.95 Dragonsinger: Harper of Pern what she had to do. The grey coat $6.95 wasn’t as warm as the ginger one and The Survivors (Dinosaur her mother would make her wear the Planet II) $7.95 warmer coat as long as it existed. LESBIAN Mrs Logan was still at the meeting LESBIAN SIX when Chrissie let herself into the JoAnn Loulan house. She took off the grey coat and This excellent book about Les­ smoothed it over the back of an up­ bian Sex was written by a Les­ holstered chair. Cynthia had gone to bian counsellor. Spinsters Ink play at Fiona’s place and Freda’s two- pbk $25.95 mile walk from school meant she was seldom home before four o’clock. She had the house to herself. She went to her mother’s sewing box and took out the large dressmak­ ORDER FORM ing shears. The ginger coat was wet Please send these books: and the material thick. Her hands were sore before she’d finished hack­ ing and ripping. Her punishment was certain to in­ clude being sent to bed without her tea. She went into the kitchen and took the loaf of white bread from the bread tin, then to the safe for the but­ ter and the meat intended for the fam­ ily’s tea. She tried to cut the bread in My name is ...... even slices but the loaf sloped away to My address is: ...... ••••"...... nothing by the time she’d cut half a dozen. She buttered the slices and PATIENCE & SARAH ______I enclose (including 50c packing and postage per book) $ added chunks of roast beef. She ate Isabel Miller until she could eat no more. She put This is a love story based on on the grey coat and sat in the centre ‘ the lives of two women, the of the dining-room sofa with her feet painter Ann Willson and her SUBSCRIPTION companion, Miss Brundidge, I would also like a $24 subscription for myself □ . for m' neatly together on the floor. The who farmed, lived and loved friend □ . to sustain Broadsheet ($35) □ . other rates on ginger remnants lay in the doorway. together in the early While she waited for her mother to the Contents page:...... nineteenth century. The Wo­ com e home she snuggled her chin mens Press pbk $7.50 into the grey softness of the velvet collar. CLENCHED FISTS, BURNING CROSSES______My name is: ...... This excerpt from Second-Hand Cris South My address is: ...... Children by Heather Marshall is pub­ This gripping story moves us lished with kind permission of Hutch­ through brutality, pain, anger, and frustration — to resistance Send to Broadsheet. PO Box 5799 Wellesley Street, inson of New Zealand and Heather Marshall. Second-Hand Children and action. All within the con­ Auckland, or call at 43 Anzac Avenue between 9 -5 1 - text of women loving women. costs $18.95 (hbk) and is available Weekdays. 10- 1 Saturdays. Phone 794-751 The Crossing Press pbk from Broadsheet bookshop. $25.95 Broadsheet, May 1985 41 St r o k e s a n d aRt a tta c k s to help you either. Bleah! and Society: an Analysis of LIMITED EDITION I am confused about the in­ Community Art” is thoughtful tentions of Jane Kent and and stimulating, despite its ARTISTS’ PAGES: Anne Marsh in producing this rather difficult style. Original artworks by book. In their editorial, they say But this section of the book Australian women the idea was triggered by a trip is also confused. Suddenly the artists, includingjhe to California in 1981, when reader stumbles upon an arti­ book SETTING THE PACE: they interviewed a number of cle on Australian performance feminist artists. The book is art by a man called Neil Howe, THE WOMEN’S ART aimed to “generate a cultural and wonders if she is still read­ MOVEMENT 1980-1983 exchange within the alterna­ ing the same book. The article I must confess to a prejudice tive art world.” Thus American concentrates almost exclu­ against loose-leaf folders of and Australian material on sively, not only on male perfor­ unbound pages; I suppose performance art is brought mance artists, but especially you are meant to put them on between the same pages so the masochistic body school the wall. The technical quality LIVE ART: that a “comparative model” (hair-pulling, biting your of these pages is variable. It Australia & America: might be established. friend’s arm till you draw ranges from the poorest But how can you set up Performance Art, blood, eating live threadworm smudgy grey to the crisp comparisons when the Ameri­ eggs and other such thrilling Reviews, Criticism etc., photo-text of “Four Women can section is devoted exclu­ events), and nothing but a on a WAM Page,” a fun image edited and published by sively to feminist artists (apart passing mention of Jill Orr’s by Michael Kluvanek. Some of Anne Marsh & Jane Kent, from the strange inclusion of and Bonita Ely’s ritualistic the images are downright dull, 442 Morphett St., Micheal Peppe) and the Au­ ceremonies, or the work of but others stand out: Jane stralian section is not? The Au­ Adelaide, Sth Australia other women. There is Kent’s poster, which folds out, stralian section, moreover, in­ another article by a man, a 5000 breaking the deadly cludes three performances by Californian, on performance monotony of A4, Angela Mac- Why read a book about perfor­ men one by a male group, and art in San Francisco, but once Kenzie’s photos which are mance art? Surely if you mis­ two by a male/female pair. again it is a critique of male art. clear, simple, human images sed the performance, you’re How are we supposed to com ­ Why include it? that speak out of the grey, and not going to get much out of a pare feminist artists like the The book is a confusing Ailsa Maxwell’s funny ro­ half-page description and one Waitresses and Betye Saar hotch-potch, but there are mance, with text and photos of black-and-white photograph? with the Australian duo Lyn some real gems in it if you are a woman making love to a Well, I think there are ways Hearne and Geoff Miller, prepared to take the trouble. vacuum cleaner. Sara Sims’ of documenting performance whose performance “Keeping □ Juliet Batten piece is a nice example of ar- work so that the documenta­ in Touch" consists of this: “We tion becomes, not a substitute grip each other by the hair as for the actual event, but a new tightly as possible. Each at­ event in itself. It’s all part of the tempts to pull their head from mythologizing process, and the others’ grip. We maintain one that I am very aware of in this action for as long as possi­ documenting my own pro­ ble, until we can no longer jects. American feminist art stand it.” This kind of stuff be­ performers are, on the whole, longs to the male-dominated very good at it. Some of their masochistic school of body slide sets and “stories” of per­ art, which Moira Roth points formances can send shivers out, is the very antithesis to the up your spine. Mary Beth Edel- feminist performance tradi­ son, Feminist Art Workers and tion (see her excellent book Suzanne Lacy come to mind The Amazing Decade: here. Women & Performance Art in The best descriptions of art America, 1970-1980). performances in Live Art are The other part of the book the American ones. The worst consists of critical essays and are the mystifying accounts of interviews. I found the inter­ some of the Australian perfor­ views interesting, since Jane mances. In some, only a photo Kent and Anne Marsh ask or two is provided; in others American feminist performers there is a text that only adds to questions that reveal a similar the confusion. No concession cultural bias to New Zealan­ is made to the reader; there ders. Particularly good is appears to be an arrogant at­ Nancy Angelo on her Incest titude involved: if you weren’t Awareness project, Kanakiya, untitled, Linocut Print, 42 x 60 cm. See Setting the at the performance, then hard and Lucy Lippard on political Pace. From Setting the Pace; see Arts review. cheese, you’re just not going art activism. to understand. And we re not Anne Marsh’s article on “Art 42 Broadsheet, May 1985 tist’s typography, and Michelle short, factual accounts and Detail from bookcover, Women and Russia Stanley’s photo of exhuberant workshops and other events. loving women walking down But there is also the odd arti­ an alley is warm and lively. It is cle, and these pockets of also a clear image, being analysis are especially bright printed on glossy paper. spots in the book: Ailsa Max­ 1 am sure other readers (vie­ well’s provocative challenge wers?) will like different im ­ on the iconisation of quilts en­ ages, because of either their titled: “Quilts: Sentimental visual or political content. With Feminism?”, and the ensuing 38 pages to choose from, dialogue; Pamela Zeplin- there is a good chance that Waite’s account of “A Decade anyone could find enough im­ of Australian Women and ages to cover her wall. Theatre” and dialogue from Lucy Lippard’s workshop on Political Art Activism, in par­ ticular. The book is lavishly illus­ trated in black and white. Amongst the most striking im­ ages are linocuts by Aboriginal women, on sale from the WAM shop (238 Rundle St, Adelaide). It’s good to see this kind of documentation being so well Of course, women in Russia put together and made acces­ WOMEN AND RUSSIA sible to a wider audience. So have been allowed to work, not Feminist Writings from through a belief in women’s Women's Art Movement many of the issues raised are 1980-1983. ones we have grappled with in the Soviet Union______equality but because a mas­ sive loss of men in two world This unpretentious, highly in­ New Zealand. The overall im ­ Edited by: Tatyana pression is one of a lively, art Mamonova, Basil______wars and the backward state of formative book has been Russian industry necessitated compiled by Jane Kent, using movement, surviving since Blackwell.______their employment. The cover contributions from dozens of 1978 through all the ups and The 1917 Russian Revolution of this book has a lovely photo women. It is a documentary downs of feminist struggle provided the opportunity for of women snow cleaners. account of the activities of the that we know so well. It is an in­ the emancipation of women What women haven’t had is Adelaide women’s art move­ spiring example. Vz from the near feudal bondage the support of the state ment. Most of the pieces are Juliet Batten in which they lived. Women through the provision of good A Kanakiya and Margo Brown, Artist in residence from such as Vera Figner, Vera child care and easy shopping. indoor Indulkana Arts, see Setting the Pace. Sasulich and Inessa Armand Neither have they had the sup­ had been just as active as men port of Russian men. It takes in working for revolution. more than a political revolu­ Women had been part of all tion to change attitudes men 19th century revolutionary have held for centuries. Offi­ groups, had been imprisoned cially Russian women have and exiled along with men. equal lives and feminism is The woman who saw most unnecessary. Look at the clearly the need for women’s magazine Soviet Woman av­ lives to be changed and who ailable in book stores to see had a vision of a free life for the propoganda. This book, women, including sexual free­ written by many brave women, dom, was the elegant and aris­ gives a different view. tocrat Alexandra Kollontai. Ini­ In 1979 a group of women tially she was able to organise published a samizdat feminist and educate working urban journal Women and Russia, women but gradually the male an Almanac to Women which Bolesheviks edged her out of brought down the wrath of the the inner circle. Their idea of authorities on their heads. All women’s role is better illus­ of the original group are now trated by Lenin’s dour, sup­ in the west and one of them, portive, hard working wife, Tatyana Mamonova, has Krjupskay. Kollontai wrote a edited this book. Her introduc­ brilliant novella called A Great tion tells the story of the Al­ Love (Virago) about the manac and she describes her egocentricity of Russian male interviews with the KGB over it leaders. It is said to be a roman later in the book. de clef about Lenin and Inessa Mamonova has collected arti­ Armand. cles from women all over the Broadsheet, May 1985 43 Soviet Union and from many occupations. Many are written under pseudonyms. They are grouped under headings, some of which are: Working What’s the smell in the kitchen? Women, Women, Birth and the Family, Women and the All over America women are burning dinners. State, Between Women, It’s lambchops in Peoria; it’s haddock Women and Peace. There are in Providence; it’s steak in Chicago; a few fictional pieces. The tofu delight in Big Sur; red majority of the articles are writ­ rice and beans in Dallas. ten in the first person which All over America women are burning makes you feel as if you are food they’re supposed to bring with calico meeting a group of Russian smile on platters glittering like wax. women who are opening their Anger sputters in her brainpan, confined hearts to you. They tell of their but spewing out missiles of hot fat. lives, experiences with institu­ Carbonized despair presses like a clinker tions such as hospitals, mar­ from a barbeque against the back of her eyes. riage, lesbianism, grand­ If she wants to grill anything, it’s mothers, in simple, straight­ class responded with the her husband spitted over a slow fire. forward language. It is refresh­ laughter of recognition. But l If she wants to serve him anything ing to read prose that is free of avoided writing the review, be­ it’s a dead rat with a bomb in its belly jargon, overwriting, ready cause these poems say what ticking like the heart of an insomniac. made ideas and emotive lan­ they mean, in accessible lan­ Her life is cooked and digested, guage. 1 read about the lives of guage, and as a critic I felt nothing but leftovers in Tupperware. these brave women with admi­ nervous confronted with such Look, she says, once I was roast duck ration and grateful thanks that honest poems— what was my on your platter with parsley but now I am Spam. I live in New Zealand. interpretative function? And Burning dinner is not incompetence but war. Most of us in the west know perhaps the only appropriate too little of life under Soviet to­ mode of reviewing them is to talitarianism. This book gives let you read some of them. fascinating glimpses of Rus­ They’re poems about a re­ Song like a thin wire sian life and illustrates once lationship breaking up and Not even the female mosquito more the fortitude and dedica­ about the growth of a new tion Russian women are capa­ whining its song of lust love. The first poems are pain­ over your pillow wants you ble of. It also helps to explain ful, cynical, often wryly humor­ why religion has retained such as desperately as I, with only ous. The later ones are mov­ my tires whining on the treadmill an attraction for people who ing poems of love and re­ of pavement through the galloping have almost no way of expres­ growth: they’re about her sing their frustrations. □ dark as my hands clutch hard lover, Woody, being in love; on the wheel, waiting to close Helen Watson they use natural imagery — upon you. animals, plants, her garden — STONE, PAPER, K N IF E ,___ strong, fecund love poems. □ Poems by Marge Piercy Aorewa McLeod Pandora Press, THE REPRODUCTIVE seems more relevant. asked interested parties to Routledge & Kegan Paul, REVOLUTION:______This book is not written make submissions on possi­ 1983 $14.25 NEW WAYS OF MAKING from a feminist perspective; ble legislation in this area, this many things that we would book makes a good reference. Marge Piercy has written eight BABIES______wish to see addressed — such If you have strong feeings novels and her S.F. Woman Peter Singer and Deane as the real long term impact about these issues but feel a on the Edge of Time has be­ Wells Oxford University on women’s lives — are only little at sea in the more techni­ come a classic — a classic in­ Press. 1984, Melbourne sparingly addressed. None the cal aspects then this book will dictment of her society and a less, this book does cover be very valuable. blueprint for a possible future. Feminists have a major in­ ground that is not well covered I also liked the use of perso­ But she’s also published eight terest in new biological elsewhere. The relevance of nal commentary by people volumes of poetry and this is technologies because they will these issues to issues like who had been involved. It is her best collection yet. Her have their greatest impact on abortion is also explored. clear from the general selec­ poetry is direct, tough, acces­ women, women’s lives and on The book covers in-vitro fer­ tion that the authors are sible — it needs no explica­ the crucial areas of women’s tilization, surrogate and artifi­ biased in favour of this new tion, simply to be read (prefer­ identity and power....mother­ cial motherhood, cloning, technology. However, the per­ ably aloud). I was given this hood. Any book which at­ genetic engineering, ethics sonal comments do give a feel volume to review almost a year tempts to address the major and moral issues. It is all rather for the people who are actually ago, and immediately started philosophical, ethical and so­ technical, not written in a man­ involved in the process.^ reading poems from it in lec­ cial aspects of these issues is ner that makes it easy holiday Sarah Calvert tures. They’re personal poems welcome. For New Zealand reading. This is an excellent but they speak to every women this book is also useful bibliography and the book is woman who has struggled because it focuses on Austra­ well referenced. with a relationship, and the lian work and ideas and thus Since the government has 44 Broadsheet, May 1985 sexuality, some women hav­ “proud” title, well suited to a ing seen some sort of salva­ book setting out to encourage tion in lesbianism, others in personal and political change. the so called “ g” spot. This SOOL is an action oriented section tries to assess where resource book based on the ex­ we have got to, both as les­ periences of three white Cana­ bians or hetrosexual women, dian women and their com­ and what these issues mean munities in British Columbia. SWEEPING for us politically. The authors state that “it is in­ STATEMENTS Racism in the UK women’s tended to de-mystify feminism, Writings from the Women’s Liberation Movement 83 movement has come to be a lesbianism and political ac­ wide and divisive issue, affect­ tivism.” It does this by describ­ ing not just relationships bet­ ing how lesbians feel on a vari­ SWEEPING STATEMENTS. ween white and black women ety of issues on personal and WRITINGS FROM THE____ but Jew and non-Jew, Jew and political levels, how they acted WOMEN’S LIBERATION Arab, Indian and white and so on those feelings and what you MOVEMENT, 1981-83 on. The material in this anthol­ the reader can do. It tells us that we’re not alone; that we share Hannah Kanter, Sarah ogy attempts also to address the basis of these differences. 1 hearts, souls and minds across Lefanu, Shalla Sha and was sad that possible solu­ water, time and space; that we Carole Speddlng, The tions were not canvassed but have every right to define ourse­ Women's Press, 1984, perhaps we need a time of air­ lves and our needs; to satisfy $17.50 ____ 1 ______ing the problems before some them; to challenge those who solutions come to mind. It is oppress and threaten us. Both While the American feminist clear that the women’s libera­ those who do so actively (the movement seems to have tion movement has suffered MPs currently trying to make moved towards individual writ­ because women find them­ lesbianism illegal) and those ings about many issues, the selves caught up in this major who do it passively by saying European feminist movement issue. The short length of we’re not a feminist issue - continues to publish excellent many of the contributions these writers tell me once again anthologies, it is a long while make for easy reading, and the that no woman is free to be since I enjoyed reading one as cover is really fun. All in all this heterosexual until she is free to much as I enjoyed Sweeping is a book worth reading and be a lesbian. Yvette Perreault finding it unacceptable in a Statements. worth taking notes from.a The book places a lot of em­ Here is a book which ad­ phasis on personal experience, book that so actively challenges Sarah Calvert dresses issues of concern to letting a variety of individual the status quo in so many other all feminists everywhere but women tell their own stories. It’s areas. does so in a way that gives us a good to see a variety of images I’m sure the task of producing real insight into those women - photos, graphics, artwork. the book was exhausting, but active in the movement in the However, l could have done with more effort should be made to UK. I have felt for years that as the print being broken up by include racism, class and disa­ a movement we tend to be too more images, as the words were bility in more than this token much influenced by the de­ a bit overwhelming at times. I way. Using their own suggested luge of material and ideas that wonder whether this won’t put tactic, they could have given flow from the USA. All too some women off reading the these groups money and con­ often it seems as if that is the book. trol to contribute their own sec­ women’s movement. This The book begins with a clear tions to the book. book reminds us of the differ­ contents page and an introduc­ SOOL makes a strong case ences from the outset. We tion detailing the herstory of the for politics speaking directly tend to call ourselves feminists project making very clear its from experience. Where are the and our movement a feminist feminist underlay. This is fol­ experiences of that percentage movement; women in the UK lowed by a workshop script on of the Canadian population that have continued to use the lesbianism and feminism, notes is non-anglo, non-franco, non- term women’s liberation STEPPING OUT OF LINE - on setting up and running work­ ablebodied? This book lets itself movement. A Workbook on______shops and finally herstories, and us down by not including more of the experiences, per­ 1 found the first section on Lesbianism and analyses and resources from violence against women really many women on a wide range ceptions and dreams of these excellent. Of greatest interest Feminism by Nym______of topics. women. were the articles which dealt Hughes, Yvonne Johnson I found it disturbing to read in Each chapter of the book with the deaths of women at and Yvette Perreault, the introduction a warning of in­ contains an analysis of the topic, the hands of men and the le­ Press Gang, $20______adequate coverage of material ideas of how to get organised on racism, class and disabilities. suggestions for action, con­ nient way in which they are approx. 1984______dealt with. This was followed later in the sciousness raising points — the Other sections which im­ First off l liked the title - it con­ book by an apology to women emphasis is on how to change pressed were those on sexual­ veyed the spirit l feel as a lesbian of colour for not giving sufficient and get things changed. The ity and the last section called of being out of step with the re­ space to their needs/organisa- groups listed in the resourses challenges. As the anthology quirements and regimes of tions/experiences. As a white won’t be of much use, but now points out, we seem to have heterosexual society - both as a woman, I cringe at this all too there’s a mainly lesbian book­ left aside our debate about choice and a challenge. It is a passive and familiar excuse, shop in Auckland — Snapdra- Bfoadsheet, May 1985 48 gon — there should be no prob­ ing” mechanism of people who lenging with similar ideas, Aotearoa. lem getting hold of the listed aren’t supposed to exist. The strengths and imagination to us Lesbians will value this book books. A suggestion for any book offers encouragement in Aotearoa. Glad to see another for its solidarity and support, bookseller stocking this book— and ideas for breaking these link in the global network of les­ heterosexuals use it for informa­ how about attaching an appen­ habits and patterns. bian identity, herstory and vis­ tion and understanding. It tells dix of lesbian organisations in The last section, “creating ion. An incentive to all of us to us all that lesbians are here and New Zealand to each copy sold. communities” struck a special make the next lesbian resource we are going to do more than The workshop guide (script) chord for me. It’s to do with book we pick up one about our just survive — watch outFo on lesbianism and feminism at breaking down the barriers experiences and dreams in Marianne Doczi the beginning of the book obvi­ which isolate lesbians from ously comes out of personal, each other. It offers ideas on practical experiences and the how to gain strength and unity reader is encouraged to be flex­ without sacrificing proud and ible in using it as a resource. The essential differences. pages are divided into two col­ I enjoyed the chapter on “se­ umns — on the left are explana­ eing ourselves politically”. I’ve tions of each part of the process, often felt uncomfortable with directions for exercises and the divisions in our com­ suggestions for dealing with re­ munities between “political” sponses. The right hand side and “non-political” dykes. I has a word for word script that know of women who are reluc­ can be read aloud by a tant to, or just plain don’t want to facilitator. I think I’d feel rather call themselves feminists be­ strange sitting in a workshop cause they see women who being read to or reading out carry these labels as being page after page (a bit like get­ mainly white, middle-class and ting all the ingredients for a intellectual. 1 know women meal together and reading who feel that the only way to be them out the recipe instructions political is to be “organised” and from a cook book!). However, it to analyse society in an intellec­ does contain lots of useful infor­ tually precise way. We need mation and suggestions for more open discussion about anyone holding a workshop what is political, about the im­ looking at the myths and portance of people’s gut reac­ realities of being a lesbian in this tions. Ignorance, fear and arro­ society. gance, among other things, Like the “organising for have held us back from under­ change” section which follows, standing each other, frormap- its emphasis is on encouraging preciating the diverse but “women to see their individual equally “political” thoughts and situations in political terms and feelings that activate the many to work with other women to women who all call themselves find solutions” — to build com­ lesbian. munities and create social SOOL ends with thoughts on change. By linking lesbianism building a strong lesbian move­ and feminism this book focuses ment, “not as a traditional, for­ not so much on lesbianism as mal organisation, but much “lifestyle”, but its potential as a more as a sense of identifica­ challenge to institutionalised tion, source of information, of 8 ROBES the works were displayed as heterosexuality and the oppres­ access to other lesbians, of wall pieces, Hollis McLeod’s sion of women. political, emotional and practi­ Exhibition by Sally Hollis large-scale works - loosely The next section deals more cal support.” I was moved by the McLeod, RKS Gallery, based in format on the directly with the everyday ex­ passion and intensity held in this Auckland during March kimono - were shown as an periences of being lesbian — chapter, by the strength and de­ 1985. ______installation: walk-around fab­ how to tell (yourself and others); termination of the voices speak­ rics suspended from the ceil­ emotions and sexuality; who’s ing. I too want no lesbian to feel Sally Hollis McLeod’s exhibi­ ing. Although initially effective out to get us — the law, alone, ashamed, victimised. I tion of ‘large fabrics’ 8 Robes in enhancing the presence of homophobic employers, want lesbianism to be a positive (RKS ART March 1 5 -2 9 ) had these rather stately pieces, schools, psychiatry, the medical choice available to any and much in common with other they were not worked on both system, religion, etc (no, surely every woman. We must claim shows relating to the Fabric sides. I found this disappoint­ not the whole world!); how to our right to be heard as lesbians, Art Movement seen recently in ing given the enormous po­ create and survive within a les­ in our own communities, in the Auckland. These include the tential of the concept and title bian community. feminist movement, in all British Fabric and Fibre exhib­ of the show, Robes, with its It deals powerfully with the groups fighting for social ition at the City Art Gallery, strong suggestions of three- way we as lesbians turn outside change. shows like Juliet Batten’s dimensionality. Nevertheless oppression onto ourselves I felt a sense of solidarity as I Mending Memories, pieces these works displayed an in­ through physical and emotional read this book, knowing that by Carole Shepheard, Philippa triguing and lively approach to violence, drink and drugs. Basi­ thousands of miles away Blair, Don Driver. However un­ the use of materials and stitch- cally the self-destructive “cop- women were feeling and chal­ like these exhibitions where ery, which like Shepheard’s 46 Broadsheet, May 1985 and Batten’s seek to draw at­ ingenuity and wit, to me the tention to women’s traditional show as a whole tended to lack arts eg. embroidery, patching, impact. Was this because a quilting, appliqu'e, to re­ familiarity with something of evaluate these and to inven­ the range and richness of the tively stretch conventional “international” Fabric Art boundaries of usage. Some of Movement over the last ten McLeod’s often delicately years or so made Hollis scattered imagery held par­ McLeod’s exhibition seem not ticular associations for as exciting as it might, in for­ women: the small patches of mal terms? Was it because the “mending”, the pouch-like wide-ranging nature of Hollis pocket in Ova, the woven McLeod’s interests meant that central area-vulval?-in Dura the impact of any one area was Mater, the dominant triangle somewhat diluted (the mend­ in My Words. However, these ing motifs, the collage, the were not the only notions female symbolism, the explored. Her pieces also dis­ stitched words ...)? Was it be­ played a variety of “gender- cause the essentially two-di­ neutral” collaged objects and mensional qualities of the an individual quirkiness and works disappointed when ex­ humour: the stitched outline pectations were raised by the of a hand writing the begin­ show’s title Robes with its ning of a word “TH” in Biblical suggestions of a more fully Rain; the piece entitled My sculptural presence ? A major Words containing the letter M part of my response to this lying on its side facing an up- exhibition was of works dis­ sidedown E on its left - an odd playing many lively experi­ and very individual “me”? ments in many directions, but While I enjoyed this exhibi­ none pushed quite far tion, the sombre quality of the enough. □ works and the artist’s formal Liz Eastmond GARDEN MAINTENANCE & PAINTING & WALLPAPERING '> BUY NEW ZEALAND Contact Stephanie or Carol NUCLEAR FREE GOODS Westmere 760-530 50c/25 STICKERS WOMEN’S BOOKSHOP To order send payment & 202 High St Christchurch CARDS & POSTCARDS stamped SAE: Feminist Art Networkers, X full- Weekdays 10am — 530pm Eastern Suburbs Peace Group colour postcards $3.50 or 45c each. Friday 9pm — Ph 790-784' 68 Alexander St Howick Visual Artists Against Nuclear Feminist, lesbiarT-feminist — Arms (VAANA). X b/w postcards Ph 535-5579 theory, novels, health, poetry $3 or 40c each. 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