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Newsletterto Keep Women’S Words, Women’S Works, Alive and Powerful — Ursula Leguin

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Newsletterto Keep Women’S Words, Women’S Works, Alive and Powerful — Ursula Leguin Vol 29, No.1 — February 2018 NEWSLETTERTo keep women’s words, women’s works, alive and powerful — Ursula LeGuin cast of quirky characters such as the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat hold greater sway now in my mind than Alice. Then there was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and Wendy from Peter Pan and Wendy. Quite nice girls but there was little about them being a girl with which I could identify or which reflected the insecurities, fears and anxieties I faced during my transitional years from child to adulthood. George (aka Georgina) the tomboyish character of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series, is without doubt for me, Blyton’s stand-out girl character. But had Blyton extended her fictional character into adulthood George would surely have been pressured to ‘outgrow’ her tomboyishness as it seems that masculinity is tolerated in girls only as long as they ultimately conform to gender expectations in adulthood. Fortunately in comparison with past eras, we are now living through a golden age of girls’ fiction. The book industry has finally discovered that girls read. Unfortunately there Congratulations to Jozefa Sobski, Library Chair, awarded an AM in is still a plethora 2018’s Honours List for significant service to women’s rights and of pap written for migrant advocacy, and to higher education and skills based training. girls with paper- thin characters whose ‘issues’ are Great girls of fiction ‘resolved’ in candy- This year, for the benefit of our members and Newsletter floss epiphanies and readers, our Library is creating a booklist of ‘great girls faux ‘growth and of fiction’ as a guide to choosing books for teenagers change’ moments. and young women. This booklist will be posted on our Sometimes Facebook page and website. when searching for We are inviting you to participate in this initiative by great girl characters we have to set aside our prejudices, sending us titles which fit our criteria for ‘great girls’, for especially with books that have suffered from sappy inclusion in our list. Our criteria are: television or film adaptations. Two books which have been • authors are preferably but not exclusively unfairly stereotyped are Heidi by Joanna Spry and The Secret Australian women writers; Garden by Frances Burnett. Resilient Heidi and tough, • central characters are strong adolescent girls and brave little Mary Lennox are challenged with loneliness, young women neglect and indifference but they ultimately rise to shine • the story enables the girls to grow and develop (in through the darkness. self knowledge, empathy, understanding of others and The Library Book Club chose to start 2018 with Jessica community responsibility) Anderson’s Miles Franklin award-winning book Tirra Lirra • the characters establish a clear identity. by the River. Iconic indeed, a high literary masterpiece, When I think back to the classic stories I read as a girl I which, to paraphrase Anna Funder, provides astounding recall virtually nothing of Alice’s identity in Louis Carroll’s insights into how some of the deepest impressions and Alice in Wonderland. I remember her having blonde hair, tastes which shape our personal, social and sexual identities wearing a blue dress and constantly being thrown into are formed, retained and instinctively followed during difficult situations over which she had no control. Carroll’s adolescence. continued on p 2 Membership Renewal Renewal is by calendar year – see page p 7. Thank you to those who have already resubscribed for 2018. 1 Jessie Street National Women’s Library Book Club report Australia’s National Women’s Library is a specialist library, At the end of 2017, we expanded to include two more its focus being the collection and preservation of the literary members bringing the total to thirteen, all keen to come and cultural heritage of women from all ethnic, religious and together in a spirit of camaraderie that defines the Book socio-economic backgrounds. Club’s shared journey of reading enjoyment. With Aims occasional unavoidable absences, this number should • To heighten awareness of women’s issues provide a comfortable quorum for discussions at 3pm • To preserve records of women’s lives and activities every fourth Wednesday in the Library. • To support the field of women’s history The last three months have featured the following • To highlight women’s contribution to this country’s books: development October – Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms by Anita Heiss (Simon & Schuster 2016): a novel which uses the Cowra Patrons prisoner of war camp and its famous breakout by inmates, Quentin Bryce AD CVO, Elizabeth Evatt AC, Clover Moore to contrast with much less widely known contemporaneous Lord Mayor of Sydney, Laurence Street AC KCMG Aboriginal lives on the nearby mission, in conditions which Board of Management in many respects were just as restricted and impoverished, if Jozefa Sobski, Chair; Suzanne Marks,Vice Chair; not worse. Most contemporary Australians (including book Jean Burns, Treasurer; Secretary, Sherri Hilario group readers) were unaware of the deprivations endured Michele Ginswick, Diane Hague, Robyn Harriott, by Aborigines at that time, so a seemingly simple love story Barbara Henery, Beverley Kingston, Valda Rigg, Marion was a clever device by indigenous writer Heiss to educate as Shaw, Beverley Sodbinow well as entertain. To quote Heiss, ‘you catch more flies with Editorial Team honey than with vinegar.’ Kris Clarke, Editor; Katharine Stevenson, Graphic Designer; November – Testosterone Rex by Cordelia Fine (Icon, 2017) Jessica Stewart a popular analysis of a range of scientific studies over many years into differences in the brains of men and women. continued from p 1 Popular gender stereotypes are re-examined in the light of Teenagers’ and adults’ reading and exposure to social findings and myths debunked by citing contrary evidence and mass media shape these early impressions which, with in the studies. the limited insight of their formative years, can determine In fact, Fine found the main biological differences critical life choices. discerned were the obvious reproductive ones. The group How fortunate were the girls doing the HSC in the did not all complete this book due to the complexity of its subject matter, 1980s to have had Anderson's book as a set text, along but it did with Christina Stead's The Man Who Loved Children. The provoke lively central characters of both books, again to quote Funder, discussion. are ‘teenage misfits whose encounters with both terror and The group truth may raise doubts in the minds of some as to their decided not suitability for teenage girls and which, of course, is exactly to meet in what they need and even crave to read.' These HSC texts December, but are a far cry from the one novel I studied for the old Leaving for January Certificate in 1966 – A 2018, elected History of Mr Polly by HG to read Jessica Wells – which left virtually Anderson’s no impression on me. book Tirra Lirra A treasure I have by the River which discovered is the Good Night won the Miles Stories for Rebel Girls by Franklin Award Elena Favilli and Francesca in 1978 and Favallo, suitable for readers was included on from late childhood to school study lists early adolescence. It contains 100 bedtime stories about for a number of years. Most of the group had not read Tirra the lives of 100 extraordinary women from the past and Lirra nor other Jessica Anderson books, of which there are many, so agreed to choose another to compare and contrast present, rewritten as fairy stories and illustrated by 60 with it. female artists from around the world. Not an Australian A must-read for 2018 in the ‘classic’ category should be book admittedly but a fantastic mine of 'great women' role Come In Spinner by Dymphna Cusack and Florence James. models for shaping young girls’ identities. This book was highlighted by our recent Lunch Hour Talk We trust that our criteria are broad and flexible and presenter – Dymphna Cusack’s biographer, Marilla North look forward to receiving titles that you feel will encourage (see report, p 5). positive self-images that will influence our young girls’ The Book Club selection for 28 February 2018 is Louisa growth and development as confident, self-activating and by Brian Matthews. compassionate adults. Enquiries: [email protected] Suzanne Marks 2 Australian women’s songwriting rediscovered At the Library’s end of year get-together, we were entertained by two of our members, Kerith Power and Dale Dengate. The Library filled with the lively voices of the two singers, accompanied by guitar, with members enthusiastically joining in the chorus of Upwardly, Socially Mobile. A songwriter-singer since 1966, Kerith has been involved in promoting and seeking out women’s music in Australia since International Women’s Year 1975. In 1982 with feminist colleagues she organised a women’s concert in her home town of Lismore NSW featuring Margret Roadknight. It was Kerith’s initiative and coordination that brought about the First National Women’s Music Festival in Lismore in 1985. The lead performer was Judy Small. Three festivals followed on a biennial basis, staffed by women volunteers and featuring a range of performers Dale and Kerith (standing right) entertaining the volunteers at including Jeannie Lewis, and in the final festival, the end of year party international artists and a women’s film festival curated The ballad of women I sing by Susan Murphy. Kerith established contacts all over The ballad of women I sing. Australia through the festivals and the sale of her cassettes Liberation Road (1983) and Birds of Passage (1985). We were privileged to hear her sing. A Heroine of Mine Judy Small She was a high born lady from the gentry of the land Kerith’s story follows: She never had known poverty, but she seemed to under- In 1989 the Australia Council funded me to compile stand the First Australian Women’s Song Book.
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