broadsheetNEW ZEALAND'S FEMINIST MAGAZINE # SEPTEMBER 1982 NO. 102 S1.80

l’EACHERS COLLEGES /

! 6 SEP 1982

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"All political parties will talk a great deal about their ‘w om en’s policies’. Unfortunately most will be little more than window dressing. National’s plans go far beyond this.” “Women’s Rights — A National Cause” — the National Party’s 1975 manifesto on women.

The Sonja 6avies Story continues • Black Australia and the Brisbane Games • The end of the E.R.A. era • Health Bonanza! Broadsheet looks at Thrush, Depo Provera, Black Women and Diabetes, a Rape Victim’s Struggle,.and how to defend yourself agarnst the office lecher. /

. Registered at (tie GPO Wellington as magazine .. / FRONTING UP

are urged to participate too, because we can BROADSHEET OFFICE REPORTERS NEEDED learn from our “failures” as much as from our “ successes” . What new structures, pro­ is at: 1st floor, Gane Building, We NEED badly, women who can report on cedures has your Collective devised. How do 43 Anzac Avenue, Auckland. all sorts of things for us. Mainly these are you handle interpersonal conflicts, “hiring” and Office hours: 9-4, Monday to Friday Behind the News and In Brief items. What you “firing” ? Is your collective closed or open, Phone number: 794-751 need to do this: writing skills, but not why? Does consensus decision-making always Our box number is: necessarily professional ones, experience of work? Have you been forced to vote? What PO Box 5799, Wellesley St, feminism (say working in a feminist group and about power? How do you run meetings? All Auckland, New Zealand reading). Ring and talk to Sandra if this in­ these and many other crucial questions are terests you. rarely discussed openly. By sharing our pro­ DEADLINES FOR FUTURE cesses, we can build stronger organisations. UPCOMING ISSUES ISSUES We have plans for Special Issues later this year APOLOGIES Deadline for November issue: and early next. For December we plan a visual We have joked (red-faced) that Broadsheet September 10 issue and this is an open invitation to you to should publish a regular column called Deadline for December issue: contribute. We want this issue to explore how “ Apologies to Donna Awatere” . In the July/ October 10 we get across political ideas in a visual form, August issue of Broadsheet, we made an Display adverts, classified adverts, small an­ could be cartoons, collages, photographs, awful mistake with her heading (again!) It nouncements, “What’s New” and news can whatever takes your fancy. We’re not just talk­ should have read “ Korerotia Wahine Ma” . We reach us up to two weeks after this date. ing about beautiful graphics but expressing are very, very sorry to have once again mess­ feminist political ideas visually. The feminist ed up Donna’s article. movement has often been accused of being ENVELOPING too wordy, too intellectual, academic etc. This JOB AT BROADSHEET Enveloping of the October issue will be on Sun­ is a chance to try getting ideas across in day, 26 September. All women and children another medium, so please help explore this Unfortunately, our layout person, Julie Downie welcome. The bookshop is open during stuff­ concept. is leaving this month. We are therefore look­ ing which starts at 10 am and usually finishes For March next year, we are aiming for a ing for a feminist with layout and design skills about 2 pm. Even an hour or two helps us. feature on collectives. We want collectives to to take over this job and join the collective. See share their experiences, ideas about collec­ Classified Ads page for futher details. This is tives etc, with Broadsheet. Defunct collectives a paid position. THE ROADSHOW ______Broadsheet’s Travelling Roadshow was greeted with wild enthusiasm wherever it went (see a few of the congratulatory letters in this month’s letters pages). Consequently we’re talking about Roadshow No. 2 already, and hope to have something on the road by March next year. For those of you who missed it, or who have nostalgic memories of it, writer Renee Taylor will share her view of the show with readers in the October issue of the magazine. VOLUNTEERS WANTED Desperately needed, regular volunteers at Broadsheet. As times get bad, more and more women are getting jobs. Consequently our pool of student and unemployed helpers has dwindled . . . to vanishing point. We are beside ourselves trying to cope with the volume of work that goes through the Broadsheet magazine office and the bookshop, so please offer your services. Although we most want -f? regular helpers — that is, people who can £ come in say one day a week or fortnight - w e = also always have plenty of work for women ō who can just drop in on a casual basis. So q please don’t hold back! These are some of the o jobs you can help us with: typing, filing clipp- c ings and overseas feminist magazines, dispat­ ching book and magazine orders to mail-order customers, typing address labels, pasting up copy, filing photographs, looking after buyers BrOAdsHeeT bjRthdAY MuRaLj in the bookshop, stock-taking in the bookshop, recycling envelopes, processing new subs. Julie Downie, our layout person, especially can As a Birthday Gift to Broadsheet Claudia Pond Eyley designed this wonderful mural — that's do with a regular helper. This person, or per­ Claudia putting it on the wall in the photo. Vanya Lowry, Louise Rafkin and Helen Courtney sons, can learn past up, which is an interesting helped with the painting. You certainly can’t miss Broadsheet now. As you climb the stairs and useful skill to have. A person who already onto floor one of 43 Anzac Ave, you are greeted with this full-colour depiction of feminists has these skills would be snatched up and in struggle. Over by the bookshop door there's another painting, and inside are some especial­ cossetted right away! ly stroppy women breaking free from their chains. And a BIG women’s symbol. Thanks Claudia! Broadsheet, September 1982 1 grateful. Thanks to the other High on Woman Congratulations to Broadsheet, Saying Thanks Power______Renee, the cast, and all those who readers who’ve already helped us helped to bring us in “the sticks” Dear Broadsheet, in this way. Dear Broadsheet^ a breath of fresh air. Please find enclosed $5 to pay We are writing to thank you Rewriting herstory I hope the breeze increases, and for the extra cost of the special. for bringing your Revue to that more of such productions Also to pay for the increase in Dear Broadsheet, Napier so providing us a wonder­ come this way in the future. Well price of the other magazine since We all know how much fun ful night out. We enjoyed the done, a truly grand effort. I last paid. I am not sure if this men have rewriting history but I women who performed for us Yours in sisterhood, is enough, and will send more if think women should stick to the and appreciated their message, Kay Junge not enough. facts. their talents and vivid per­ The special has just arrived and The first United Women’s sonalities so much. Tauranga Dear Sisters, looks good to me. I really enjoy Convention in 1973 was accor­ For both of us it is the first op­ Last night I attended your your magazine and look forward ding to Judith Aitken (Ju­ portunity we have had to get travelling Roadshow, I cannot to it. ly/August 1982) organised by together with other women and describe how fantastic and en­ “Deidre Milne, Toni Church and more importantly, with women L. Duncan joyable it was. The writer and the Margaret Wilson”. This is less who are like-minded. There were Westport actors were wonderful. With a than 1/3 correct as Deirdre Milne about 100 persons present and I lack of the New Zealand-wide Ed note: Thanks L. Duncan. The was based in Wellington when was awed by the tremendous conventions as were held in the special anniversary issue of the Convention was being power and energy that radiated past this was a much needed Broadsheet (July/August) cost a organised in Auckland, Margaret through the whole theatre all the meeting of out-of-town sisters and lot more to produce than normal Wilson was a speaker at the Con­ time and couldn’t help thinking a reminder of what we are still issue of the magazine, hence the vention, not an organiser, and that if women could but unite the fighting for (if needed). cover price of $3.50, as opposed many other women not mention­ world over with that same power Margaret Blay recited a poem to the normal $ 1.80. A full-colour ed helped to make the Conven­ and togetherness, we would be called “Old Woman”. 1 wonder if cover, better paper, extra pages tion possible. invincible. it would be possible for you to and a larger typesetting and prin­ As is noted in the UWC 1973 So thanks to those of you who print this or let me know if it is ting bill has put Broadsheet out Report (p7) the Convention ac­ made it possible, we came home printed elsewhere. of pocket to the tune of several tually grew out of an enormous­ as high as kites on nothing more Thank you Broadsheet, and thousands. Although the cover ly successful one-day seminar than Woman Power! congratulations. price was raised for shop sales, “Women in the Modern World” Yours in sisterhood, Yours in sisterhood, subscribers got the magazine as sponsored by the WEA and Kate Collyns and Jan Joy Gillespie, a bonus, as part of their subscrip­ organised by myself. The feeling tions. We’re pleased to be able to at that seminar was so positive Freemantle Christchurch Hastings do this for our loyal supporters, and exhilarating that 1 wanted Ed note: Margaret’s poem will be but if any of you feel moved to Dear Broadsheet, women from all over the country printed in an issue of Broadsheet send a little extra money (even a to know what we had experien­ What a magnificent show! in the near future. dollar will help) we’d be very ced that day. It was the fact that

Generations of his appeal against this sentence in politics. She has been in strug­ was quashed in July. Soon after Marx Jones' fighters gles aH her life. First in Scotland Broadsheet received this letter and then in New Zealand from Statem ent and statement from Marx Jones ’ 1920 on. Her husband (my dad) During the protests against the mother. last rugby test between South was jailed twice for political My sentence has nothing to do reasons. Africa and New Zealand at Dear Broadsheet, with dangerous flying, as many I have been fighting for a bet­ Auckland on September 12, Enclosed is a statement from of the deviants involved in the ter world since I was five. My 1981, we demonstrators were in­ my son Marx who is at present prosecution well know. sister and I walked around credibly bouyed up by the actions serving his eight months’ jail It is an attempt to knock the Palmerston North in 1925 with of two men who flew a small sentence at Hautu Prison Farm. spirit out of people who are a tobacco tin collecting money to plane continuously over Eden I am a very proud mother to challenging the trend in this coun­ send to America to help Sacco Park for the duration of the know that Marx is carrying on try to fascism. No amount of and Vanzetti who were wrongly game. As we tramped, ran and the fourth generation of fighters “deterrent sentencing” will pre­ convicted of murder. struggled in the streets around the for better conditions. vent ideas and activity which will My mother, sister and 1 were Park, our spirits lifted and we His great-grandmother and her eventually crush the real batonned by mounted police in cheered everytime the plane mates went from Dundee to criminals — those who seek to the 1934 demonstrations in resolutely bombarded the park France to work in cotton mills. justify apartheid — and, in fact, Palmerston North. with leaflets, smoke and flour When they arrived in France all those who mistakenly think it I received a conviction for pro­ bombs. The plane, with its even­ they found that they were to be their right to oppress workers, testing at Papakura against the tual trail of pursuing helicopters, scabs and work in place of black or white, all over the world. South African softball team. made over 60 circuits of the Park, French women who were on Whether the fight is against So I feel that as a “woman in forcing the game to temporarily strike. They refused, of course, racism, wage cuts, or imperialist struggle" 1 can ask that you stop on more than one occasion. and demanded and got free wars (and even if all the planes publish Marx's statement please, One of the men in the plane, passage back to Dundee and a are grounded) people must, and Yours in struggle. Marx Jones, was eventually week’s wages as well! will always find a way to fight back. sentenced to eight months im­ Marx's grannie (aged 87) is still Margaret Jones prisonment for this action, and full of vigour and very interested Auckland Marx Jones

2 Broadsheet, September 1982 her partner. It is primarily she the W EA (at this moment being of ‘to cap or not to cap’... To take Fay Weldon’s in­ South Auckland Women’s ferences seriously is to believe who takes responsibility to see given the boot by the present that the relationship “works”! Health group has a small supply that marriage between a man and government for doing too good a Fay Weldon may well “have a of cervical caps in the smaller a woman is the only relevant and job of opening people’s eyes) was much better conversation with a sizes. So if any Auckland woman meaningful relationship for adult prepared to risk its resources on woman who had lived through a a women’s gathering that made is told that she cannot be fitted women, the only one we can terrible marriage than with a girl the Convention possible. The for a cap by her FPA clinic learn by and grow in. One would (does entry to womanhood de­ W EA was also unstinting in its because they are out of stock, also be led to believe that all pend on being in a long-term rela­ would she like to contact me at women are either in a long-term willingness to offer advice and do tionship with a man!) who had 278-2682 and I will arrange to see marriage with one man or, in a necessary clerical work. Apart been living with six different that she can have access to our series of relationships with a from this help I battled on most­ men”, but perhaps that could be supplies. 1 can also put Auckland number of men. ly alone for the first six months attributed to the fact that she trying desperately to get a wide women in touch with a clinic I have lived with one man for herself identified more with the spectrum of women involved. I which has someone who is skill­ eight years. We were in a relation­ woman who was married on the could not see the point in small ed at fitting caps if your local ship, one to one, for six of them basis of aspects they had in com­ clinic seems unfamiliar with this and married for four. Prior to that groups of already-converted mon other than the fact that they type of barrier contraceptive. I had been in a series of relation­ women gathering together. The were both married. Perhaps their May I repeat the point that the ships with different men for vary­ only way to “break-out feminism” marital status was a result of cervical cap is not necessarily ing periods of time, not an was to get “that feeling” to more those factors in common rather women. Marcia Russell and suitable for all women, however unusual pattern for young than the converse. Surely, these Cherry Raymond were a con­ it has an important place in the women in their late teens, early are very superficial ways of siderable help. Rosemary Ronald range of barrier contraceptives, twenties going through an impor­ describing these women, in terms and we believe that all women tant process of experimentation. worked heroically on the moun­ of only one aspect of their lives, should have the opportunity to I am now, partly by circumstance tains of paper work piling up as i.e. how they relate to men. try it just as much as any other and partly by choice, single and the Convention built up momen­ Perhaps this is Ms Weldon’s type. celibate. I do not consider myself tum. Others who should be men­ way of rationalizing her own tioned were Sandra Coney, Eve I am updating an information to be living in an emotional vac- choice, whereby she attaches Bourke, Barbara Morris, Miriam sheet on contraception (from a cuum. I relate to and interact such importance to her relation­ Jackson, Rosemary and Jenny consumer viewpoint) and I should with a number of people in a ships with men within her own be happy to send a copy to meaningful way, probably plac­ Mackintosh and Tiiu Mason. life. At the same time she ap­ anyone who wants one when ing greater emphasis on the suc­ I had many a moment as I parently needs to discount the dif­ they are printed (in about a cess of more than one relationship battled through that pre- ferent choices other women Convention year when I month). In the meantime, I must since I no longer have most of my make. wondered if I would ever succeed make mention of and praise the emotional needs being met I support Ms Weldon’s in getting others to see my vision. books put out by the Emma primarily by one person. freedom to draw conclusions bas­ It often looked to me as though Goldman Clinic — The Cervical Currently, as a single woman, Cap Handbook, Self-Health Fer­ I am learning to value those other ed on her observations of life, but I was merely putting in jeopardy I don’t accept that she can apply tility, Birth Control and Hints for relationships for the stimulation a qualification bitterly fought for these conclusions so generally under difficult conditions — I Successful Breastfeeding. and diversity they provide, and would be hesitant now to put all and superficially to the rest of the was trying to write a thesis at the Sue Neal female population. same time. my emotional eggs into one Papatoetoe basket. I am also learning to value But luckily, other women did Shona Stewart glimpse the vision, the possibili­ more what is individually me! Celibate and satisfied Wellington ty, and did eventually rally. So At the same time, I know that I was after the event able to Dear Broadsheet, women who do work hard on Down with dope call it “a women’s miracle”. I Was Fay Weldon merely being themselves, as Ms Weldon ad­ could not and would never again fatuous when she told Sheridan vocates, to fit in with their part­ Dear Broadsheet, give so much of myself to Keith (Broadsheet June issue) ners in marriage. It seems to me I have seen practically every anything. But I feel fortunate to that she regarded marriage as a that many of them do so to the aspect of women’s oppression have been the right person in the higher form of life compared to extent that they compromise covered within your pages, with right place, for once, then. being single? If not, 1 can only themselves as individuals, far one (to me personally) notable May I suggest that when we assume that being single has not more than their men seem omission. Is that because it comes write about past events we go to too close to home with many been a satisfying or fulfilling ex­ prepared to do. the original sources rather than middle and upper class feminists perience for her. “Growth”, along with other rely on our memories or who can afford to buy their dope Does Ms Weldon only validate virtues such as maturity, impressions? without having to scrape the bar­ her life in terms of her relation­ tolerance and commitment, are ships with men? It would appear valued highly in our culture and rel or go without? Toni Church I hate drugs — soft and hard. Auckland that she does when she indicates have long been a way of legitimiz­ that having men fall in love with ing the subordination of women I have seen the results of soft and Cap-tivatinq______her in greater numbers is the within such relationships. In­ hard drug use on people around me, including the gradual mental Dear Broadsheet, reason life has been more fun for variably, it is often the woman deterioration of a regular user of Further to the continuing saga her in her forties. who needs to “grow” more than

QUOTE OF THE MONTH 'As I stand here on Pennsylvania Avenue, I have the sensation of a parade of all the toys of men advancing towards me — guns, tanks and. " airplanes — and all I have to hold them at bay is a baby carriage." ^ Social worker Grace Abbot in 1932

Broadsheet, September 1982 3 marijuana. I’ve heard the generation immigrant women some helpers over the Conference Women are mothers too. A arguments — can even agree about why they have come to weekend to register the women as strong mother has strong children with some of them particularly New Zealand, what their expec­ they arrive, direct people and help well able to hold their heads up the comparisons with alcohol tations have been, what their con­ with displays etc. We also need and carry on the many fights that abuse. I can and have made a per­ cerns are relating to identity and volunteer billets for women com­ bind us in sisterhood. sonal choice not to use or support status. I would also like to talk to ing from out-of-town. This Conference is for all them, so I’m okay. second generation women to We have come in for our fair women. We have kept the costs But I’ve also seen the groups establish changing attitudes and share of criticism — classist and as low as possible and the $15 of kids mooching around the ci­ values, whether bi-culturalism is racist for having a Professional registration for three days is not ty — no work — nothing to do important or irrelevant, whether Symposium at the Big I — too unreasonable. Strangely, the Big — ripe for mischief — incredibly there are pressures and conflicts moderate from some of our sisters I was the cheapest of a small vulnerable — always that have to be resolved. I hope exploitable...... — too radical from potential sup­ range of choices. The Teachers’ to interview women who arrived porters. It’s not easy trying to College is very reasonable too. What about the young girls in New Zealand long ago and keep everyone happy and run a But the surroundings don’t mat­ who work in strip joints and others who have come more successful Conference without ter . . . the women that come do! massage parlours, and have to go recently and compare their ex­ treading on toes! So please . . . Anyone who cannot afford the on working in those exploitative periences to get an overview. places mainly to support an ex­ don’t say “no” to this sister. We registration can have a reduced Anybody interested to discuss pensive habit.... can make some very exciting rate and we will arrange billets to with me my work, having sugges­ How much ill health, degrada­ things happen if everyone con­ keep costs down. Meals will be tions for how to contact in­ tion and death has been caused tributes. I’m not a professional available, but you can bring some dividual women in the communi­ by the drug culture? Women are conference runner as it happens, sandwiches and a flask too. ty, wanting to be interviewed or victims just as much as men. I’m a South Auckland housewife interested in receiving a written P.S. Thank you to Donna Well, we talk a lot about uplift­ who doesn’t say “no” when questionnaire, please contact me Awatere for her brilliant article ing women, improving their someone says something has to be on 398-499 (W), 768-588 (II) or on Maori Sovereignty which has minds and their health. My done. write to PO Box 6117, Wellesley helped me immeasurably to feminist pride helped me to stop If women are not healthy, they Street, Auckland. understand. I grew up in smoking cigarettes after many are in no condition to fight for Australia where racism was years of dependence. Do we need any cause be it work, the environ­ vicious and hidden, but I came Miranda Jakic ment, or feminism. The bulk of to look now at women and drugs? here to New Zealand with a naive Auckland injustice and insensitivity in our Do we need to ask ourselves ignorance of Maori history and present, health system hits work­ whether we are supporting an in­ Thanks for the Maori oppression. I suspect that dustry which indirectly leads to ing class and black women the there could be quite a few women the degradation of women? memory hardest — so in challenging the like me, who just don’t know very Last night I attended the present system, we not only fight much! Broadsheet revue. It was fan­ Dear Broadsheet, for a better slice of the cake we tastic, there was a lovely feeling I am writing a book on paid for in our taxes, we also give Sue Neal there and we were all very hap­ working-class people of nine­ racism and classism a setback. Papatoetoe py. I get my kicks from being out teenth century New Zealand, in with people I like and trust. I can particular on the lives of domestic get high on singing and dancing servants and unskilled workers. — I don’t need booze, I don’t Through your columns could need tobacco and I don’t need I ask if anyone could assist with pot. I do need my friends. research material or general infor­ mation? Such things as old Sue Neal diaries, letters, rent books, ac­ Papatoetoe counts are invaluable. Also, memories and reminiscences from Immigrant Women grand-parents (especially grand­ Dear Broadsheet, mothers) are most useful. I would The Auckland Regional Autho­ be delighted to hear from any rity is sponsoring a project which readers who might care to contact looks at the personal experiences me: 25 Mortimer Tee, Wellington of immigrant women in relation 2. Tel. 848-617. to New Zealand’s changing social Sincerely, development. The project will at­ Julia Millen tempt to portray what it has been like to come here from a different Wellington. culture at various times over the last 50 years or so. It will discuss A plea for help how women adjust and cope dur­ Dear Broadsheet, Prison for Anti-Tour protester ing this process, how immigration Have you noticed that asser­ affects their emotions, personal Hinengaro Davis was sentenced to six month’s imprisonment tiveness training has given most identity and whether they actual­ Auckland High Court for unlawful assembly on August 1 2. She h of us the disconcerting habit of ly achieve a sense of belonging in been a marshal in Patu squad for the final All Black/Springbok tesl being able to say “no” as easily New Zealand society. It is being Auckland on September 12, 1 981, and along with 1 2 others fac to our feminist sisters as to our high court charges arising from action in Marlborough Street. Hineng? done in recognition of the fact oppressors! and five of the men received prison sentences. Other protesters, that the experiences of women The National Women’s Health are unique and important to our eluding Rebecca Evans, still face trials in the District Court related Conference has been held up over understanding of where we have the same events. its application for incorporation come from and where we are Hinengaro is appealing against her imprisonment. Letters of supp< and PEP workers. Therefore, two going. can be sent to her at Women’s Division, Mt Eden Prison, Private Ba of us have been rather busy try­ Symonds Street, Auckland. Donations to help black people with politic As the researcher on this pro­ ing to organise for the Con­ charges can be sent to: Black Defence Fund, PO Box 61 085 Otai ject, 1 would like to talk to first ference. So I would really value Auckland.

4 Broadsheet, September 1982 The Falklands and Feminism The voices of women concerned at the threat children and relatives. They are now being used against of worldwide war prompted by the Falklands British soldiers. That she should be concerned with the Falklanders crisis, were drowned by the cacophany of “right to choose” is also a matter of convenience. There jingoists. Anita Garcia works at the Women’s was no mention of “right to choose” when the Nationality Centre in London, is an Argentinian and a Bill was passed, creating an increasing number of second- feminist. In this letter, originally published in class citizens in Britain and in territories under British the Guardian on May 21, she summarises a “protection,” including the Falklands. In fact both Galtieri and Margaret Thatcher are using feminist position on the Falklands. the “Falklands crisis” as a ploy to distract attention from As an Argentinian woman settled in Britain, I have opposition to their respective governments. Unemploy­ never noticed the British Government expressing any con­ ment, strikes, and riots have all been swept under the cern about Argentina’s military regimes. It seems rather carpet of the “Falklands crisis.” late in the day to discover the realities and horrors of such What about the price of war that Argentine and British regimes which have — with a few brief exceptions — rul­ citizens alike will have to pay? Galtieri has already im­ ed Argentina for several decades. posed emergency taxes to finance the war; Margaret That­ Considering our history, it is insulting and painful to cher has made it clear that “ . . . it is the future of freedom see the Argentine people portrayed by the British media at stake and the reputation of Britain. We just cannot as supporters of Galtieri’s policies. Since when has a look at it on the basis of precisely how much it will cost.” military dictatorship been equated with the people it was Why doesn’t this apply when money is needed to set up to oppress? Why is the media silent about the op­ finance peace instead of war? position to the dictatorship? This war is not our war. Women in Britain and in Argentine women in particular have a long history of Argentina are allies in a common fight against the war, struggle. They have organised demonstrations, marches, and against the poverty and unemployment imposed by pickets, and strikes against their government. For several our governments. years now women have held weekly rallies in front of the We all want the “right to choose” not only between Casa Rosada to protest against the “disappearance” of two governments, but also to decide how the money that their loved ones and to force the Government to stop this comes from our work and taxes is to be spent by those genocide. None of this was ever reported in Britain at governments. Women Against Rape Slogan, “Give any length. women the defence budget and we’ll defend ourselves,” That Margaret Thatcher should be concerned to ex­ has taken on a new significance and urgency. pose Galtieri’s dictatorship today is not a matter of prin­ In the same vein the nurses of Whittington Hospital ciple, but a matter of convenience: until two months ago carried placards saying, “Give Falklands money to our she had no principle against selling arms to Argentina. nurses.” These among others are women’s priorities for These same arms were used against women and men who Argentine and British money — not financing a war that actively opposed the military regimes, and against their nobody, other than our governments, wants. □ ^he Tainted (Leaf TAKAPUNA VILLAGE SHOP 21/26, PHONE: 496-925

Stockists of a wide ra n g e of: FEMINIST AND LESBIAN BOOKS including Virago and Womans Press We also carry: BROADSHEET • B.W.D. • CIRCLE PINK TRIANGLE • SPARE RIB Any Book we do not have we will onHe»nvr>ur to o b tain!

Broadsheet, September 1982 5 P eftfria f Me-

PEACEMAKER POLITICS

DONNA AWATERE interviewed MEI HEREMAIA about taking the anti-nuclear protest to the Pacific Ocean.

Mei Heremaia has just returned from four months in the Pacific where she represented the Pacific Peoples Anti-Nuclear Action Committee on the voyage of the anti-nuclear protest vessel the Pacific Peacemaker on a voyage to Mururoa. “I was very sceptical about going on the Pacific Peacemaker because I’ve spent most of my life in Otara and I didn’t know any white people. Being with eleven whites was a strain. I had to put up with racist jokes and remarks and they didn’t even know they were doing it. When they asked me why I picked up on them all the time, I went over 1= the aims of PPNAC: to fight against i racism, sexism and capitalism, for the ® rights of indigenous Pacific people, as Mei Heremaia well as the nuclear issue. Halfway through the trip, after all stick up for what you believe in. When the racist and sexist put-downs, I miles away from Mururoa. The I lived with her she was always in French ship came towards us very started to become anti-male. court fighting for the land. I was justi­ Ian patronized me. At first I fast. We stopped and three gendarmes fying everything I said and I got ig­ came on board. They refused to take didn’t know anything about boats so nored. It was hard work but I’d jump I had to learn. When I didn’t know our letter. 3000 people work on in so they’d have to take note of what Mururoa and we wanted them to something, he’d say: ‘Geez, you’re a I thought. I got excluded a lot. Before black woman — I’d thought you’d be know why we had come. We began to we got to Mururoa we had a meeting head towards Mururoa and the able to do it.’ Put-downs and put- and they said: ‘Will you stay below downs all the way. I got so pissed off twelve-mile limit. La Bataille moved with the kids?’ I said I wasn’t a babysit­ alongside us again. We could see land I fucking punched him down. ter. I wasn’t going to stay below while Bill was the same. I don’t ahead. the people up top could be getting I was very excited because I hadn’t want to ever have to do a watch with done over. The only ones to under­ been away from land for so long a man because they always acted like stand were Lorraine and Alan they knew everything and they’d rub before. After all the hard times on in what they knew and were mean board it felt real good. But still we It took us thirty days to get to were worried about what the French about sharing what they knew. They Mururoa. When we were about forty made me feel like dirt. would do. miles away we got an escort. A French Night began to fall but we could see I had to hold mvself in all the way. reconnaissance plane started to buzz They even Had Penthouse on board. the land. We could see an old cor­ around overhead. On March 30th we threw them overboard. Bill asked: rugated iron building and concrete saw the lights of the French ship La ‘Where are my books?’ I said: ‘This block houses at crazy angles. A fifteen Bataille. We had a letter which we had kiloton bomb was exploded a few days is a political trip and they shouldn’t be prepared for the military commander on board.’ before so we knew it was dangerous. at Mururoa. It invited him and three As we got to the entrance of the On the watches you talked a lot and of his staff to come on board the there were a lot of questions about lagoon, the French ship cut us off and Pacific Peacemaker to talk about the turned flood lights on us. abortion. So I ran a workshop on it, reasons why we had come there. but the men didn’t want to hear about The next day helicopters came and it. Bill signalled to the ship that we had buzzed us. The French ship circled us a message for them. I learned from my grandmother to and a smaller boat joined it. On March 31st we were fourteen We headed for the entrance again

6 Broadsheet, September 1982 with the smaller boat ahead. La important. I learnt that you should and political instability, not to mention Bataille moved right in front of us. We listen to the old ones who have been the dominant emotions of our time — could see a large boarding party and fighting all along against the colonial unease, insecurity, fear and a a zodiac (inflatable boat) getting ready. oppressors. widespread malaise. We moved away to avoid crashing I met five Tahitian men who were into them and opened up the guard out of jail after a big frame-up. They rails. This is a signal that you will spent five years in jail before they even take on a boarding party. The French got to trial and then they were found ignored this and kept on coming. Their innocent. The French justice system crane smashed into our rigging and the oppresses them the same way that the mizzen mast was broken. whites here put us away at the first Their boat was three to four times excuse. bigger than the Pacific Peacemaker. What I learnt too is that you can’t We were stationary and their crane give up. There’s no place for Polyne­ was swinging. sians to run in the Pacific. It’s the col­ onial system all over. The white peo­ The eight of us adults were real ple have spoilt the Pacific. You’ve got agro. It was dangerous. We had the rip-offs and shit wherever you go.”D four kids on board, two of them under The Pacific Peoples Anti-Nuclear Ac­ the mast, and we were really showing tion Committee is at PO Box 61086, that we were angry with the Otara, Auckland. Phone: 274-7019. dangerous way they were carrying on. Two gendarmes and two legion­ naires came on board and put q tow on. We were towed out to the twelve mile area and then cut adrift. Because we had been rammed, our boat wasn’t seaworthy. The sea was rough and pitching high. We had to get the mizzen mast down, cutting the THE END OF THE E.R.A. wires, sixty feet above the deck with ERA the sea going wild. SUE KEDGLEY measures the Then we started for Tahiti. Another impact of the defeat on American Reprinted from Ms Magazine French ship, the Hippopotame, came feminism. along to escort us.We thought it would In such troubled times the tempta­ take five days to get there but it took The defeat of the Equal Rights tion is great, faced with a major defeat eight days because the boat wasn’t Amendment in the United States has like ERA, to drop out, abandon the really seaworthy. been greeted with delight by the Right struggle and retreat, bunker-like, to At Papeete the Customs and gen­ — “Feminism has fizzled!” and doom nurse old wounds and tend to separate darmes and all the others came and we and gloom among feminists. The ques­ and distinct realities. gave them some dud film. The real tion that hovers in the collective mind But it would be disastrous if retreat film was disguised in a biscuit tin on is — how serious a blow has the defeat was to be the response to the ERA the mast. Two days later, the real film of ERA dealt feminism in the USA? defeat. For while the feminist move­ left with Senator McIntosh from Will history repeat itself? After a ment in the States seems spent and tat­ Australia, and Mike Moore. decade of intensive activity to get the tered and war-weary, its opponent, the Another woman and I dismantled amendment written into the US Con­ New Right, is on the upsurge. Fired the mast. All the others left the boat stitution, will the 150,000 member Na­ by the ERA defeat and the general for a break. After 38 days, everyone tional Organisation of Women (NOW) climate of retrenchment — so con­ needed a break. which spearheaded the ERA move­ ducive to conservatism, the New There are twelve Independence ment, go the way of its predecessor Right is acting with a boldness and Movements parties and I spent a lot organisation, Susan B Anthony’s Na­ zeal as though it’s convinced its time of time with all of them. I lived with tional Women’s Suffrage Association has finally come. the people, talked about our struggles which, having thrown all its energy in­ And in a sense ERA did help the and learnt about theirs. I went to the to the drive for the vote, collapsed New Right gain its present strength outer islands — Huahine, Raeatea and once the vote was won in 1920 and and momentum. ERA provided the Moorea. was not heard again for another forty nascent New Right movement in the I talked to the old people who have years. . . . States (centred around the Moral Ma­ all fought against the French. The These fears are fuelled by present- jority, the John Birch Society and outer islands haven’t been corrupted day realities. For whereas in the early Phyllis Schlafly’s STOPERA) with a by the French so much. It’s all Tahi­ seventies feminism seemed to ride on concrete and tangible “Enemy” tian. They don’t use money and there’s the crest of a new wave of change, op­ around which to coalesce and mobilise food all over the place. timism and hope, in the eighties the their conservative forces. This is why I was happy to be with all of the old tide has turned. ERA developed a symbolic impor­ people who started the Independence Economic and political forces alone tance out of all proportion to its legal parties with a Tahitian spirit. The new make all efforts for social change an implications. A simple constitutional ones have got French rules and stuff. uphill struggle — against the power­ amendment calling for a constititional The two months I had with them were ful currents of economic retrenchment guarantee of equal rights under the

Broadsheet, September 1982 7 law was elevated into the Number feminist pursuits. When persuaded amongst the housewives of America One enemy of the New Right — a sporadically to work for ERA they did like a shark in water — appealing to symbolic battleground for the New so not out of deep conviction but rather their insecurities, exploiting their fears, Right’s fight against social change in the fear of the consequence of failure identifying with their distress. Where all its forms. At a time when so much for the feminist movement. So involve­ feminists seemed contemptuous of the was changing, ERA offered conser­ ment in ERA became for many a reac­ family hearth and offered security in vatives a chance to say “No!” and in tive fight against time and the New something as elusive as “equality”, this sense it played into their hands. Right, rather than a fight that was Phyllis Schlafly and her ANTI-ERA It gave them something concrete and fuelled by passionate conviction. forces promised security in the warm easily exploitable to rally around and Perhaps in the end ERA — or the (but illusory) protective cocoon of the mobilise in counter-attack — a phan­ pursuit of social change by legal means traditional family hearth. tom dragon they could slay. ERA was — did not deserve such an outpour­ ERA was an uphill struggle all the painted by the New Right as a sinister ing of energy and time. Perhaps it was way which polarised and divided and subversive force that would premature to take on something that American women — at their expense. legitimise feminism and threaten all would be decided in the national ballot Much was learned — especially about that the New Right stood for — the box. Certainly, by taking on the political strategy — but much was lost. family, patriotism, motherhood and challenge of ERA — which was bas­ Its too early to measure the full impact apple-pie. The intensity of the anti- ed on winning electoral support across of the defeat on feminism in America, ERA forces sprang from their convic­ the entire nation — feminists were tak­ but its fairly easy to predict that it will tion that they were fighting for their ing on something that required the have dealt the movement a severe lives. . . . and so the anti-ER A groups development of a mass movement psychological blow.D kept proliferating — FOE (Females with mass support. But instead of swit­ Opposed to Equality) WWW (Women ching tactics to build up a mass move­ Who Want to be Women) HAM ment, many continued to use the (Housewives and Motherhood): minority techniques of the barricade AWARE (American Women are — the radical outfront rhetoric that Richly Endowed) HOME (Happiness works as front-line shock tactics but of Women Eternal), all dedicated to fails to win majority support. Mao said defeating ERA and with it, feminism. that successful guerillas in a mass It is said that the measure of a swing struggle should move like fish in water. to the left is the subsequent swing to Feminists rarely developed that skill. the right. . . and in a sense the right- Instead, by “barricade behaviour” they wing backlash that defeated ERA is alienated the major bases — a serious testimony to the strength and depth of mistake when victory — in this case the feminist challenge to traditional the passage of ERA — depended on society. No political force of the size majority support. Many women in the and scope and implications of States claimed they accepted the feminism could fail to have, its op­ message of ERA, but were put off by ponents, and in this sense the backlash its messengers. Feminist rhetoric — was inevitable. But, by neglecting earnest treatises about their oppression FEMALE NATS STILL Mainstream Middle America and ap­ by men — failed to reach and find an HAVE STINGS pearing to ignore the family, feminists echo in the average American SANDRA CONEY examines women’s heart, so that what should / allowed the New Right to corner the the recent appointment of a woman market on the Flag and the Family have enlightened the average woman National Party President. and gain a huge foothold there. often seemed only to threaten and \ The passion and intensity of the alienate her. Nevv Right wasn't matched amongst Perhaps Virginia Woolf is right — feminists, in part because many were the main struggle is an intangible one, If a woman had dropped the A- divided in their faith in ERA. Many which is impossible to measure by con­ bomb, would it have felt better for the were sceptical that the passage of yet ventional techniques. “There is no people of Nagasaki? another law could result in fundamen­ mark on the wall to measure the Does it feel better to come up before tal change. They looked back to the precise height of women”, she wrote. Augusta Wallace than a male judge? consequences for women of getting Perhaps feminism in the end is a home- Did it feel better to be batonned by the vote and were unconvinced about front revolution, making its greatest the one female member of Red Squad the revolutionary potential of legal impact in our private lives. Perhaps during the Tour? change. Even those spearheading the Schlafly’s tactics worked so well These examples are by way of ex­ ERA campaign conceded that “no because she grasped the fact that the magic equality would come from plaining to those who think there can most important parts of our lives are be feminist Tories, that a Nat doesn’t ERA ”, and even the claim that ERA lived not on the barricades or in the was important as a symbol of public change its stripes by having X courts but in the home. Therefore, to chromosomes. commitment to equal rights for be seen to ignore the home and fami­ women lacked the fervour of In early August feminists were ex­ ly — as the movement was — was to pected to hail the appointment of conviction. ignore the main base. So many feminists in the US chose 30-year-old Sue Wood to the National It's certainly true that feminists in Party Presidency as a victory for not to throw all their eggs in the ERA the States _ under-estimated their basket and to get on with other feminism. In the wake of the govern­ enemy. Phyllis Schlafly moved ment’s recent rapid-fire attacks on

8 Broadsheet, September 1 982 Sandra Coney be good for women. They believe that that believe They women. goodfor be oa. la u politics”. up Clean awoman. “Elect slogan: feminist unfortunate will appointment Wood’s that believe women, it, in fact, raised more sneers sneers more raised fact, in it, women, hn smiles. than eine lal so ta conser­ that show clearly perience vative women do no such thing. The The thing. such no do women vative presence of Marilyn Waring and Ruth Ruth and Waring Marilyn of presence done nothing to prevent the health, indetailed health, cuts welfare and the education prevent to nothing done Richardson in the National caucus has caucus National inthe Richardson te atce i ti ise Ad why And issue. this in articles other hudi?Ntoa Pry philosophy Party National it? should is grounded in the exploitation of ine­ of exploitation the in isgrounded quality and the maintenance oj oj maintenance the and quality vr h “ek. rsmby people Presumably “weak”. the over privilege — the power of the “strong “strong the of power the — privilege wmn wo ok o it, lor work who aims. these to — subscribe women — say? to isthere more What Muldoon. with ty, for she gives it a falsely liberal face. liberalface. falsely givesa she it for ty, Par­ National the is benefit will ment lcoae SeWo s highlyin­ . . . is Wood “Sue electorate: about Onehunga the said for candidacy Muldoon Wood’s year last Late telligent, articulate, handsome, and a and handsome, articulate, telligent, n raet o u Parliament.” our to be ornament will she an and lady, nice very very, assets to the whole Party. □ Party. whole the to assets oe eiit, o, per to appear too, feminists, Some itr ad otmoay ex­ contemporary and History h ol pol Wo’ appoint­ Wood’s people only The u Wo hs ad h cn work can she said has Wood Sue Undoubtedly Wood willthese bring Wood Undoubtedly o to ikt o Mna Jl 18. July Monday on pickets two for Auckland women turned out angrily angrily out turned women Auckland gathered at the gates of the Rank Rank the of gates the at gathered At 11 am over 20 women andwomenchildren 20 over 11 am At front and embarrass a male worker worker male a embarrass and front who had a few days earlier beaten up beaten earlier days few a had who con­ to Ponsonby in warehouse Xerox a woman, the mother of his children. children. his of mother the woman, a Masked and carrying placards naming placardsnaming carrying and Masked enquired what the demonstration was demonstration the what enquired driverstopped van the and when company a warehouse the to drive the up move to groupthe wasabout man, the about. When told the name of the man the toldname of the When about. admittedinsurprise,me!”then “That’s assembled outside the warehouse warehouse the outside women assembled The speed. high at off drove he about, protesting were women the chanting and taunting the man for for man the taunting and chanting vr n or “oe n so us show and “Come hour: an over ih or ad u! A efe was leaflet A up!” hands your with now, muscles your handed out to staff saying that the the that by organised been had saying demonstration staff to out handed ilne n epann hw male how explaining and Against Women Violence and Women Black One of the Rank Xerox management management Xerox Rank the of One spoke to the group and soon after the the after soon and group the to spoke women. control to used is violence police arrived. They threatened to ar­ to threatened They arrived. police but since he did not appear, the police the appear, did he not since but manager, the askedby when leave not did they if group the of members rest erae, n so atr h group the after soon and retreated, 2 ,'p/c ,'p/c dav/ v a d a stf, K C... ”; “Come out out “Come ”;

dispersed having made their point. point. their made having dispersed staff lookednervous distinctlyper­and staff Both police and male Rank Xerox Xerox Rank male and police Both sonally threatened at the idea of of idea the at threatened sonally women publicly exposing male male exposing habits. domestic publicly women Mt Eden Women’s Prison and and Prison Women’s Eden Mt woman from her eight-weeks-old eight-weeks-old her from woman inTongan a of separation Station the at protest Police Central Auckland breastfeeding daughter when she was she when daughter breastfeeding held in Central Police cells over the the over cells Police Central in held weekend. She had been reporting to to reporting been had She weekend. the Wharf police weekly as an an as weekly police depor­ planned a to prior “overstayer” Wharf the ain n uy 1 bt hn she when but 21, July on tation reported on Saturday 17th together together 17th herchildren,fivewith shewas arrested Saturday on reported and her children taken away by Social Social by away taken children her and Welfare. After a complaint from from police the complaint Clark, Helen a MP, Labour After Welfare. to be with her, they then changed their changed then they her,with be to baby her allow to agreed initially had minds, giving as reasons that it would it that reasons giving as minds, be too stressful for mother and baby baby and mother for stressful too be and that the Central cells are too dir­ too are cells Central the that and ty for a baby. The woman was not not was woman The baby. a for ty transferred to Mt Eden Women’s Women’s Eden Mt to transferred the story hit newspapers and radio on radio and newspapers hit story the When weekend. the over women mit ad­ prisondoesnot the because Prison ran hot in indignation. About 30 30 About indignation. in hot phones ran women’s morning, Monday pushchairs, gathered outside the the and the at outside outrage babies their display to prison gathered with pushchairs, many women, state’s callous indifference to the the to indifference callous state’s welfare of the mother and her infant. infant. her and mother the of welfare women. The police were clearly clearly were police The women. disconcerted at both demonstrations demonstrations both at disconcerted many for demonstration first a was It by the presence of so many mothers children. mothers and many so of presence the by ada Coney Sandra At 2 pm. women gathered at both both at gathered women pm. 2 At % rsoa* UJ raset Spebr 92 9 1982 September Broadsheet,

Sandra Coney ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ m s m r

Women’s Peace Camp • Between 1980 and 1 981 the number of charged with criminal trespass during the Oc­ The Women’s Peace Camp set up to pro­ rapes reported to police increased 28%. A tober 1979, anti-trident demonstrations at the test against the proposed installation of Cruise police statistician reports that this reflects a real trident submarine base at Bangor, Washington, missiles at Greenham Common Air Base in increase in the incidence of rape and other has been sentenced to six months in prison. Berkshire continues despite the hard winter sexual crimes against women, not just an in­ Lowe told a crowded courtroom that it was and attempts to evict them. A Spring Equinox crease in reportage rates. her duty to protest the military installation at festival was held with a celebration of events • An 1 8-year-old American woman was Bangor because international laws require at each of the six gates on the perimeter of charged with an illegal abortion after shooting citizens to oppose the preparation for war by the base and thousands of supporters herself in the stomach, as was her boyfriend their countries. She also refused to assure a gathered to encourage the women in their vigil. who provided her the handgun. She apparently federal judge that she would never again break Recently 11 of the women peace campaigners had been unable to get an abortion because a law for political reasons. were fined for attempting to seal off an en­ she was six months pregnant. Lowe was one of 180 protesters on trial as trance to the base through the perimeter fence • When Tampax polled more than 1,000 a result of the October 1979 demonstrations which was being used by vehicles owned by men and women, ages 14 and up, 64 percent led by Live Without Trident and Ground Zero. contractors who are building shelters for 96 said that women at work should hide the fact Originally tried under the Youth Corrections Act missiles. The Cruise missile has a range of that they are menstruating; 36 percent said (applied only in cases where the individual’s 1,500 miles. Each missile can carry a 200 that women should continue their concealment age is under 26), Lowe appealed the kiloton warhead ten times more powerful than efforts in their own homes. In addition, 12 per­ sentence of up to 6 years probation and won, the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and cent of the men and 5 percent of the women pressing for her right to be tried as an adult. Nagasaki. It is planned that 464 of the ground- even thought that women should try to stay Of the 1 80 protesters who have gone to launched type will be sited in Europe, 160 in away from other people while menstruating. trial, 27 others have been sentenced for up Britain. Firing decisions will be taken in Her Say to 6 months imprisonment. Nebraska at US Air Force Strategic Command. Her Say The bases will be staffed by American person­ nel with British security guards. The women Deprogrammed at Greenham Common believe that like The Hamilton County (Cincinnati) Grand Jury Canada, Holland, Denmark and Norway, Bri­ has charged four individuals with kidnapping, tain should refuse to accept Cruise on their ter­ assault and sexual battery as a result of ritory. Messages of support continue to flow charges filed by Stephanie Riehmiller, a in from all over the world to the Camp. 20-year-old woman who was abducted on the Rhonda Petersen. street near her apartment. Stephanie’s parents allegedly paid well- Depressing facts known deprogrammer, Ted Patrick, $8,000 • In the US a recent report shows a shock­ to kidnap their daughter, and rape her daily for ing 1660 cases of toxic shock syndrome from a week so that she would stop being a lesbian. tampon use have been reported in the past Patricia Thieman, Stephanie’s roommate, notified police when she could not ascertain four years; 88 proved fatal. Tampon use drop­ ped 25% at the height of the controversy, but Patricia’s whereabouts. New Women’s Times is now down about 10%. Cases dropped from about 1 35 a month in mid-80 to 50 cases a Teach teachers month last year, but part of this reduction in HOT and COLD Self defence teachers are being trained by Sue reportage may be because TSS is getting less DOCTORS FILE Lytollis in January next year. publicity. The demand for self defence instruction has • Mary Patten aged 31 of Brooklyn became increased since Sue began her teaching three the first anti-Springbok protester convicted in Hot and cold file years ago and now she is planning to run her the US. Patten was found guilty of criminal What is it? It’s a new idea from Hecate training school through the YWCA in Wellington trespass and resisting arrest after a “ riot” with Women’s Health Collective in Wellington. Well­ from January 21 -28. police at Kennedy Airport. She could get up Sue wants to teach women who have a mar­ to a year. ington women can come into Hecate’s Boulcott Street offices and record their experiences tial arts and/or a feminist background. Train­ • One woman a week is killed by the man with doctors thus warning off other women ing will consist of rape politics, an evaluation she lives with claimed Doris and John Church, from negligent and mysogynist GPs and and break down of her eight-hour course, Christchurch authors of several books on wife specialists. Hecate’s put out a colourful little fitness development and advanced self battering and initiators of the Christchurch Bat­ pamphlet explaining the file and its role in help­ defence training. Only 25 women can do the tered Wives Support Group. ing women choose doctors. The pamphlet also Wellington course and it is hoped that a cross- • During 1 980 the average age at death points to the File’s usefulness in accumulating section of women from all over New Zealand for European males was 66, for females 72; concrete evidence about doctors who might will apply. Maori males die at 50, females at 51; Pacific become the subjects of formal complaints. The Eventually, self defence teachers will be Island males die at 38, females at 42! file can also help put in touch with each other seconded to YWCA’s throughout New Zealand • The WHO reports that more NZ girls than women who’ve had similar experiences with to work as a unit. Dorothy Culloty (Hamilton) boys smoke. 43% of Girls between 16 and doctors, or women wanting to begin self help has recently filmed an 80 minute video of Sue’s 18 years smoke compared to only 29% of or support groups. Visit Hecate at 6 Boulcott course to aid in this course. boys. Smoking is on the rise for both sexes Street, or phone 721-804. Any interested women should write to the in this age group, but the female increase par­ Auckland YWCA, 397 Queen St, Auckland for ticularly worries the WHO because of the in­ application forms and further information. creased risk of stroke and heart attacks Prison for anti-military amongst women who smoke and also take the protest Pill. Abortion victory in Spain A 23-year-old Seattle woman, who had been Spanish feminists are celebrating the outcome

10 Broadsheet, September 1982 of an historic abortion trial held in March in the Basque city of Bilboa. Eleven women and one man faced charges for abortions said to have taken place over 10 years ago. The trial had begun in 1976 and continued in 1979 and 1981. It was not completed because of strong international pressure and because not all the defendants could be got together at one time. Those arrested included Julia Garcia and her daughter who had been 14 at the time.

On the day of the trial the courtroom was Pro-abortion demonstrators/Newsweek packed and the square across the road full of protestors carrying banners: “ Legalise abor­ tion in Spain!" and “ I too had an abortion.” They chanted and sung non-stop till the trial ended at 11 pm. Julia Garcia gave evidence that all the ac­ cused women lived in Basauri, one of the poorest suburbs of Bilboa, and that they had only paid as much as they could afford. Marge Berer for The International Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Campaign, said that 95.000 women had come to London from Spain since 1970 for abortions and 5,000 more went to the Netherlands. A social worker from Bilboa spoke about a study she had recently completed in Bilboa, showing that of 24.000 women in the province of Vizcaya who of young women was discussed, in particular fighting for others, who are only looking out had had abortions, 80% had tried to abort by those who felt that emerging leadership was for Number One, drop out. They put all their themselves first and she detailed the holding back because of a traditional reliance anger in a box and shut the lid up tight. dangerous methods they had used: plants, on a few keynote battlers. The stresses of Maori sovereignty was discussed by all the sticks and chemicals. She said that she herself leadership, especially victimisation by the white women’s groups before the Hui. The session arranged for women to get to London and that left, students, the trade union movement and was introduced by Donna Awatere and then women had been referred to her by doctors, the police, were raised. Solidarity was express­ discussed in workshops. Pacific Island women several major political parties and even ed by all for those women singled out by had their own workshop on the topic. Maori magistrates. When the prosecutor tried to stop various white groups for special shit. Sovereignty came out as a major direction for her speaking the courtroom erupted and a hus­ Black Women’s Huis are always exciting, the Black Women’s Movement. Another is band of one of the accused women was for­ buzzing and challenging and this one was no nuclear testing in the Pacific. cibly removed by police. All the women in the exception. Black women have high ideals of There wasn’t any smoking or drinking and courtroom began to clap and chant in unison not shitting on other black women and suppor­ healthy foods were eaten to affirm our com­ with the women outside. ting each other through all the hard times. Also, mitment to black women’s health. All the Demonstrators outside were attacked by black women who lead attacks on the power­ children had activities and a weekend arrang­ police with rubber bullets, and demonstrations ful become very strong politically and in ed for them by the Whakahou, Ponsonby and and occupations of buildings which occurred themselves. Because of this everyone is ex­ Tama Tu men’s groups. This left all of us clear throughout the Basque were broken up by pected to take a strong line on fighting oppres­ to relate unhindered to each other with our sion in all its forms outside and inside your own police. spiritual, physical and emotional beings. □ All the accused faced prison sentences; the life. Sometimes women who are not used to prosecution had originally asked for a sentence of 60 years for Julia Garcia. The judge pardon­ ed or found not guilty all the ten women stating that “They acted in a state of need.” The man was found guilty of arranging two abortions and sentenced to one month which he’d already served. Julia Garcia was found guilty and given a sentence of 12 years and 10 months, but the judge recommended an immediate pardon and said she should not have to serve at all. The pardon is almost definite — she is not in jail. From a report in the June issue of SpareRib by Marge Berer. Black Women’s Hui Ninety black women attended the Auckland Black Women’s Regional Hui at Nga Tapuwae College Marae in June. Contingents of women came from Christchurch, Wellington, Tauranga, Rotorua and Awhitu. The Hui looked back on the development of the Black Women’s Move­ ment and reviewed the political leadership which black women are providing for the Maori Movement and for the Black Peoples’ Move­ ment. The role of experienced leadership and the development and support of the leadership

Broadsheet. September 1982 11 m c u itA

Are the cuts a simple cost-cutting exercise? ANNE ELSE thinks not. In this article she discusses the philosophy behind the cuts.

There is no coherent, planned, rationally conceived mechanical ingenuity, or bold entrepreneurial ventures. philosophy behind the Cabinet’s current cost-cutting deci­ The television series Landm arks was a fine example of sions. There is not even, despite the evidence to the con­ their view what this country is about. Women were all but trary, a conscious determination to do down women and invisible.1 children. The Cabinet had its attitude shaped by the war and the I So how are we to explain what is going on? believe we post-war era. For the troops, women were good for only must look, first, at the attitudes of the men in Cabinet, and one thing. The fact that the women left at home proved how these relate to the myths of New Zealand’s social and themselves capable of taking over from the men in virtually economic history. every sphere was conveniently ignored, both by the retur­ The experience of those now in power is that women ning men and by the history books, which on the whole exist to provide a support system for men, enabling them chose instead to concentrate on the folly of wartime to get on with the real and important work of building and policies which allegedly took so many men off the land running the economy. They have a strong though not often that they imperilled essential supplies. conscious belief that New Zealand’s finest sons are always After the war, a concentrated propaganda campaign, pioneers of one kind or another, bringing the land to heel similar to that shown so well in Rosie the Riveter, was and shaping it to their purpose, through solid manual mounted; its aim was to get women back home, breeding labour, large-scale technology and its associated skills, to replace the slain and leaving the jobs for the boys. This Helen Courtney

12 Broadsheet, September 1982 was the background to the early careers and home life of flicting society, such as neglected children, homeless old the men now making the decisions. It has produced an people, broken homes and, most importantly, male outlook well summed up by the cover of the Finance unemployment. Houses Association Annual Report, which shows “ten col­ Female unemployment, even in traditional areas, is total­ our pictures of sheep, deer, freezing works, a logging truck, ly irrelevant. This is demonstrated by the completely male- kiwifruit, a fishing boat, two shiny Lancer BXes, twenty- oriented nature of the various schemes, actual or sug­ gested, to tackle the unemployment problem, from military- seven men, and no women.”2 So where do the invisible women fit in? Their place is based training to sponsored apprenticeships to the “Think at home, looking after children and servicing men. They Big” projects themselves. All women have a job — it is to are also useful to fill those low status, low paid areas of work at home for a man and in return be supported by work which it does not, on the whole, suit men to do, him. This attitude is confirmed because the drastic effect and/or which are an extension of women s role in the the cuts are having on female-intensive areas of employ­ home: cleaning, sewing, clerical and shop work, nursing ment has not been the subject of much protest. It is the and teaching (especially young children), social and charity effect on those served by these areas of work, not the loss work, and decorative positions. Their wages, if any, are of women’s jobs, which has caused a reaction. for extras and pin-money, and are therefore not essential to the family, unlike those earned by men. Sex is something which nice women are not really very Anything to do with young children, girls interested in, except as a means to having babies. Any and women is likely to head the execution woman who allows a man to have his way with her out­ side marriage deserves all she gets and probably led him list. on. Even young girls are not quite beyond suspicion witness the frequently heard explanation for incest, that the child is unconsciously trying to seduce her father. The The cuts do of course affect women in general, not just sole exceptions to this attitude are the very old, since any those who have stepped out of line in some way. But this man who has or tries to have sex with such unattractive too is consistent with the attitudes we are examining. objects is clearly sick. Interestingly, the old are also the Right-thinking and acting women need not think that ap­ only group of female beneficiaries who can live in sin with a man without fear of Social Welfare snooping. This proval of their role means the State is willing to support them in their unpaid labours of love, by providing is not just because they have “earned” their pension but preschool or childcare facilities, further education, a because they are also assumed to be “past it” and therefore realistic child benefit, tax relief, cheap housing, or effec­ not trading sexual favours for financial support. tive price controls. On the contrary women at home are Underneath all this lurks a Puritan attitude to women expected to be skilled managers, make do and mend (as as evil sexual creatures with the power to lure good men into perdition. Because this is so, they must be kept firm­ their mothers did), and take on more unpaid work in educa­ tion, health, and social welfare. This would allow tax­ ly under patriarchal control. Above all, they must be payers’ money to be shifted from the “unproductive” areas prevented from becoming financially independent, and invested instead in worthwhile economic develop­ especially if they have children. Independent childless ment, public or private. If women will not do more volun­ women are more acceptable, because the system need not change to accommodate them, i.e., they can be expected tarily, then cuts in social services will force them to. The cuts now being made can only be explained in the to work under the same conditions and hours as men. light of such views. Ministers do not, however, make deci­ Their lack of children reinforces the idea that they are sions about resource allocation in isolation. In attempting deprived, not real women at all. However, they are more to explain their behaviour, factors relating to the political likely to take jobs away from men, and therefore in hard process and the role of the bureaucracy must also be taken times they ought also to be penalised, if possible, by deny­ ing them access to reliable fertility control, thus making into account. In order to know what their options for action are, if difficult for them to be practising heterosexuals and keep Ministers must consult their departments. They also rely their jobs. (If they are sleeping with a man, why isn’t he heavily on their departmental officers for advice about the supporting them?) Lesbianism must continue to be probable consequences, both functional and political, of stigmatised so as to make it abhorrent, and unacceptable their decisions. By and large, the areas most likely to be as a lifestyle. (In fact the majority of Cabinet would Jik e Queen Victoria, have difficulty even imagining h as an cut are those which affect those groups least able to de­ fend themselves; or those groups least likely to be defend­ alternative.) ed effectively by others. For example, old age pensioners These attitudes are not verbalised or even conscious, but do not have much actual clout as a lobby group, but the they underly all policy decisions. But it is not women in national superannuation scheme is a political sacred cow. general who are under attack. Indeed, members of Cabinet Any overt tampering with it would be extremely damag­ would pride themselves on their concern for and chivalrous stance towards the fair sex for instance, the ing politically, since it would be universally condemned.3 Recipients of the DPB, on the other hand, are fair game, Minister of Education is on record as saying that he will since they are even more defenceless and almost univer­ not have teachers, especially women teachers, harassed sally disapproved of. The Minister of Social Welfare never­ by louts in the classroom. Moreover, in times of affluence theless thought it advisable to disguise the latest suggested the real attitudes go underground, and deviance of all kinds attack on them (lowering the age of qualifying dependent is tolerated to some extent. But when times grow hard, de­ children by several years) as a concern for solo mothers’ viant women who refuse to remain in their proper place welfare, claiming it would get them onto the job market are hit hard. Such attacks are consistent with the at a younger ageTBut why bother with the disguise? stereotypes; they are justified by a logic which lays ° n de­ Besides the desire to'hide their real motives from viant women the blame for many of the “ modern” ills af­

Broadsheet, September 1982 13 themselves, governments must still get elected in this coun­ this is the factor that “the dominant values shaping the try, and this one must therefore keep an eye on its consti­ manner in which (the bureaucracy’s) purposes are pursued tuents, not all of whom share its outlook. Ministers general­ are those of efficiency and economy — the imperial ad­ ly occupy safe seats and are less subject to electorate ministrative values.”6 The concerns most central to women pressures than back-benchers. They may well be very large­ and children in our society are hard to fit neatly into such ly out of touch with the lives and problems of many voters. a framework. They are therefore all the easier for Ministers have also figured out how their departments bureaucrats to ignore, or fail to support, when cuts are call­ operate. Asked for suggestions on cuts, officers are inclined ed for. to mention areas where cuts will, they know, be political­ Whatever we may think about what is being cut, is it not ly unacceptable, hoping that as a result no cuts will be still true that cuts must be made? Well, yes and no. Cer­ made and their empires will remain intact. Ministers may tainly, the economy is in a very bad way, and its state is not believe them, but may not be sure of their own judge­ not entirely due to the policies of successive National ment either. governments. But it is not true that spending on social areas has grown so large that it must be pruned. The reality is that New Zealand spends less on health, education and When times grow hard, deviant women social welfare, as a percentage of GDP, than any other who refuse to remain in their proper place OECD country except Greece and Spain. The main growth are hit hard. area in government spending over the last six years has been in income transfers, which now account for 47.6 per­ cent of expenditure. Comparing 1973-75 with 1979-81, transfers to lower income groups and consumers have There is therefore a need to test the political water. To fallen from 21.5 percent of this amount to 13.2 percent, mix metaphors, the way this is usually done is by “flying while transfers to producers and the private sector, a kite” — that is, letting out word of an actual or potential generally have substantially increased. But the idea that cut and waiting for the reaction. Sometimes Ministers find public spending as a whole is a bad thing, and that the they have made a mistake and decide it is best to do a rapid amount spent on propping up the poor and on unproduc­ about-turn. That appears to have been the case with the tive social areas has got completely out of hand, is simply charges on prescriptions and also the Maori language and a myth which the government has been very successful science publications for primary schools. Women, in reviving — so much so that women have been heard however, have not so far been successful in preventing or to agree that they must take their share of sacrifices, to rescinding any cuts which affect them principally (this ar­ help the country out. ticle was written before the Budget so the full story is still not known). Instead, there are some signs that Cabinet is growing more wary and intends to rely more on the fait Those who rise to senior positions in the accompli where women are concerned, rather than put up civil service are virtually obliged to have with the noise if they let the cat out of the bag too soon. the back-up of a complete (female) home Ministers have also got into trouble for not even going support service. As a consequence they are through the motions of consultation, particularly with their unlikely to have very few doubts about the own creation, the Advisory Committee on Women’s Af­ fairs. But it is what they do, not what they say, which traditional division of roles. betrays their real stance. Clearly, they are not frightened of female pressure groups nor of losing women’s votes. The role of the bureaucracy is not confined to putting The fact that such things can been said, and that the up unacceptable suggestions. Administrators, particular­ government believes it can move against women with im­ ly those at the top of their trees, are on the whole cast in punity, can be seen as due to the failure of the feminist the same attitudinal mould as their masters. In addition movement to date. But how far this is true, and what might they have their own positions to protect. “Bureaucratic be done about it, is the subject of another article.□ ends never serve some neutrally defined ‘public interest’. Some interests and needs, including those of the Notes: bureaucracy itself, will be favoured over others”4 — and 1. Several essays in Women in New Zealand Society (Allen and never more so than when crucial funding decisions are Unwin, $9.95), notably those by Phillida Bunkle, Penny Fenwick to be made. Therefore senior officials are likely to put on and Jock Phillips, analysed and elaborated on the formation of the block those programmes and policies which interest mainstream attitudes towards women, men and their roles in the or concern them least, personally and professionally. country’s past and present. 2. The Women’s Press. Wellington, July 28, 1982 Anything to do with young children, girls or women is like­ 3. Pakeha women do quite well out of national superannuation, ly to head the execution list. Those who rise to senior posi­ since they are the longest-lived group. But as Donna Awatere has tions in the civil service, besides being almost invariably pointed out, Maori women, and men, usually do not live long white middle class males, are vitually obliged to have the enough to get much from the scheme at all. At present there is back up of a complete (female) home support service. As pressure to retire earlier, particularly on women becuase they are a consequence they are likely to have very few doubts about unlikely to have accumulated enough in other types of pension the traditional division of roles. to cost much, and leave jobs for the young — this can only be done They are also likely to have very little contact with thanks to the super. serious social strains and stresses. “The bureaucrat and his 4. R.J. Gregory, “Understanding Public Bureaucracy” in Public Sector, New Zealand Institute of Public Administration, Vol. 4 or her client live in two different worlds, separated by a Nos 2/3 (double issue). vast perceptual gap.”5 Advice to the Minister is often bas­ 5. See Note 4. ed on ignorance as much as on conservatism. Added to 6. See Note 4.

14 Broadsheet, September 1982 enormous sum of $6,000 p.a. During its brief life it has in­ itiated the Teacher Career and Promotion Study, presented papers to relevant departments on such issues as career education, child care and transition from school to work­ ing life, and kept a watch on policies and conditions of service in education. Mr Wellington has never consulted the committee of his own accord. Judith Aitken, the Chairwoman of NACWE, had the unenviable task of making reports to him and attempting to get him to unders­ tand women’s concerns in education. His view of the significance of the Committee can be seen not only in his decision to axe it, but also in his manner of doing it. Judith Aitken received a personal letter informing her the Com­ mittee was disbanded the day before the June meeting. As a sop, she was personally offered membership of the Ad­ visory Committee on Women’s Affairs. None of. the nominating bodies of members of NACWE had been given the courtesy of being informed of the Minister’s decision. The decision to disband NACWE could not have been made on the grounds of cost as it costs such a pittance. The only conclusion is that the Minister sees no reason for its existence. Strap-happy Minister of Education, At that same meeting, NACWE members learnt of the Merv Wellington gets stuck into the disestablishment of the position of Education Officer, Women, which had also been instituted at the 1975 Con­ teachers. HELEN WATSON reports. ference. Mary Garlick was appointed to the position in Twice this century women have lost advances they had 1979 and has battled since then to vet practices and deci­ made and which they thought to be secure — first in the sions in the department, to promote the interests of women Depression, and then after the Second World War. It looks in education. She has organized management courses, in­ as if the third time may be upon us, unless we resist with itiated non-sexist resource material and helped educate great determination. teachers about sexism. The official line is that these func­ Women are facing restriction in many areas but very ob­ tions will now be carried out by other officers “at a lower viously in education. Attacks on women’s interests have level” and Mary is free to apply for other jobs in the govern­ come so thick and fast in the last few weeks, it is no wonder ment. So once again, cost could not have been the reason we feel a bit punch-drunk. Training College student for the disestablishment of the position, because her salary allowances, Student Community Service Scheme, National will still be a cost. The decision is obviously a political one. Advisory Committee on Women in Education (NACWE), The Minister has shown no interest in or concern for Education Officer, Women, Workers’ Education Associa­ women’s issues and has taken the opportunity of a so-called tion (WEA) subsidy, Pre-school Education Advisory Com­ cost cutting exercise to eliminate people whose opinions mittee — all disappeared with a wave of the Minister’s and judgements he does not accept'. hand. Another advisory committee to receive the death Minister of Education, Merv Wellington, has repeated­ sentence was the National Advisory Committee on Pre- ly demonstrated his belief that he has no need to consult School Education. This, along with the shelving of the with groups his decisions will seriously affect or destroy. report on child care, is a serious setback to the struggle He administers his portfolio by edict. If the victims of his for high quality child care. The National Party has never decisions attempt to put their cases to him, he is likely to supported the provision of child care so these actions are refuse to even discuss the matter. quite consistent. The Government is discouraging married The cuts in education spending already announced will women from working in a belief that it will make affect women more than men and I do not think this has unemployment statistics look better. It is also a popular occurred by accident. Women, having less power, are less myth that working mothers are responsible for truancy and likely to make much protest and women’s concerns have juvenile delinquency. The fight for good freely available always been regarded as unimportant. Also some of the child care will be a long and bitter one. areas cut like NACWE and the WEA could be classed by Wellington has also taken his slasher to school publica­ the government as undesirable because they are subver­ tions. He announced that the new kitset on the Changing sive — they challenge and question. The cuts also reflect Roles of Women, for Form 4 Social Studies, will not now be the government’s state philosophy of “the user pays , published. The new kitset was to replace an older un­ regardless of whether the user is likely to have any money satisfactory one. As the new kitset is ready to go, the money to pay. saved by this decision is tiny, although the Minister claims The cuts in education fall into four general areas — ad­ cost is the reason for this decision. The only conclusion visory services, resources, student allowances and conti­ one can come to is that he doesn’t think the topic should nuing education. be studied. NACWE, which was summarily dismissed on the 15th The third area of cuts clearly established the “user pay” June, was set up as an advisory committee to the Minister principle, despite the fact that belief in equality of educa­ of Education after the 1975 Conference on the Equality tional opportunity is deeply held by most New Zealanders. of the Sexes in Education. It had representatives from all The changes in student allowances and the elimination areas of education, met for five days a year and cost the of the Student Community Service Scheme will seriously

Broadsheet, September 1982 15 affect the ability of women to undertake tertiary study. classes at secondary schools, classes at community col­ Evidence already exists to show that women have more leges, classes at WEA. He has said there will be a differen­ financial problems while at university, are more likely to tiation between vocational and hobby classes. His assess­ study part-time and are more likely to give up for finan­ ment of worthwhile education is so narrow, his understan­ cial reasons. The holiday jobs women can get are paid less ding of the processes of education so Victorian, it is than those available to men and the range of jobs available humiliating to acknowledge him as an ex-member of the is greater for men. My student son has been able to get teaching profession. A Minister of Education ought to labouring jobs in the last two holidays for $160 per week, believe in education in the broadest sense. excluding overtime, while his girlfriend had to make do with minding a cattery for $10 a day and working as a waitress on Friday nights for one holiday and was unable to get anything in the last one. The Minister said that students would be encouraged by the cessation of the Com­ munity Scheme to find jobs in the private sector. He must know there are few jobs for students in the private sector which is why the Student Scheme was set up. Does he believe that jobs will magically appear?

I do not think it is over-reacting to see in these cuts a backlash against the recent articulation of women’s needs and desires.

The result of such miserliness will inevitably be that the only people able to attend university full-time will be those whose parents can afford to subsidize them. The complete removal of allowances for training college students and their replacement with the Standard Tertiary Bursary (STB) will also affect women unfairly. Training College students have been paid reasonable allowances because they are regarded as teachers in training. The c maximum amount available under the STB for a student i living away from home will be about $50 a week, with $200 o pa for expenses. c Students were guaranteed employment for three years -S after graduation to fulfil their bond. Trade for the >, allowances received. Teaching has traditionally been the ^ profession most sought by women and many have gained ■.§ degrees while training for teaching. Training College at- S tendance will now become out of the question for many .2 women. Not only does the Minister wish to cut the number of teachers trained by reducing quotas, he also wants to The classes he sees as so unimportant have provided op­ cut the number of applicants, to train teachers at minimal portunities for personal growth and satisfaction for expense and to refuse to give any guarantee of employ­ thousands of New Zealanders, particularly women. For a ment on graduation. Who will bother to apply for Train­ women at home working for her family with little adult ing College at all? Training College students will be drawn contact, attendance at a night class means mental stimula­ from the ranks of the european middle class and be those tion, development of skills, friendships, increased self- whose parents can support them. Our schools need confidence and enjoyment of life. It is unbelievable that teachers from all socio-economic groups and all cultures these classes should be regarded as so unimportant that to deal with the range of children in them. they can be placed out of the financial reach of most peo­ If ever there was an opportunity to reduce class size it ple or forced to disappear entirely. is now. There is constant public criticism of schools for The Workers’ Educational Association has offered failing to teach children to read adequately. If teachers had classes to the community which no other agency does. Its smaller class numbers they could give more individual at­ aims have always been to help people to think for tention and children would have fewer learning dif­ themselves and to develop themselves. Many of its classes, ficulties. But the Minister has stated that he will not reduce such as those on women’s studies and Maori and Pacific class size and cites research to prove smaller classes do Island issues, aim to question what happens in society. It not promote better learning, although NZ class size is large is therefore not an organization likley to be warmly regard­ by Western standards. The argument used in the past ed by politicians. The subsidy it received from the Govern­ against reducing class size, was the unavailability of ment, $165,000, is not large. Therefore the decision to teachers. That is not true now so the decision not to act remove it begins to appear more a punitive and repressive must be purely economic. action than a cost-saving one. Since Mr Wellington has stated that his priority (apart Another agency involved in community education which from integration) is first chance education, he has target- is at present under threat from another Minister, the ted second chance education which encompasses night Ministry of Health, Aussie Malcolm, is the Family Plann-

16 Broadsheet, September 1982 ing Association. The FPA undertakes some education in vices of special benefit to women have been eliminated. secondary schools and holds community classes on sub­ Means by which women could become more assertive and jects such as menopause. No one else is doing such work gain more power over their lives are being taken away from or is available to take over. It is quite obvious doctors do them. I do not think it is over-reacting to see in these cuts not like anyone except themselves offering health infor­ a backlash against the recent articulation of women’s needs mation. TM general level of sex and contraceptive infor­ and desires. It is so much easier for those in power to be mation among school pupils is very limited and often in­ able to ignore women and as they have found out, women accurate. Many schools are frightened to institute program­ are so ungrateful for the crumbs they have received they mes on such subjects because of the CS & A Act and the keep on asking for more. So to avoid listening, it is better hostility of the Minister of Education to the whole subject. to try to shut them up again. He has written twice to school boards in the last six months The total amount of money saved by all the cuts so far warning them about written material used in schools. The announced is very small when placed against the cost of brunt of ignorance of contraception and human biology an exercise like integration. The Minister is very suppor­ is borne by women. tive of integration and it is in the government’s political interests to promote and pay for it. It is difficult to assess the whole cost of integration but the tens of millions we Attacks on women’s interests have come are paying for it makes the amount saved by the cuts look so thick and fast in the last few weeks, it like peanuts. is no wonder we feel a bit punch-drink. Money saving cannot be the only motive. Once more women are having pressure put on them to retreat to their homes, to accept their lot, to stop making demands, to keep When the cuts in education which have already been an­ out of education. Women must resist that pressure and nounced are looked at in toto, a clear pattern emerges. Ser­ make sure the cycle of history is stopped.□

^/bm an against the Q its

In April a Women Against the Cuts group was form­ ed in Wellington in response to the Government’s 3% cuts. In this article, reprinted from the Public Ser­ vice Association Journal, Suzanne Antill reports on the issues discussed at the group’s first public meeting. Women and families on low incomes will be hit the hardest by the Government’s proposed 3% cutbacks in education, health and social welfare, according to speakers at a public meeting of “Women Against the Cuts” held in April. Over 200 people, mainly women, attended the meeting organised by the women’s sub-committee of the Wellington Trades Council, and passed a remit calling on all women to use every means possible to fight the cutbacks. Irene Brorens said she was angry that workers were pay­ ing more in tax and the cutbacks meant they would get fewer services. “Over the last 10 years the share of taxes paid by workers has risen from 47% to 67%. Big companies are paying hardly any tax at all.”

HEALTH Antill Susanne “Cuts are being made in hospitals in crisis,” said Liz From left: Liz Truell, Therese O’Connell and Irene Brorens Truell, cleaner at Wellington Hospital and member of the Hotel Workers’ Union executive. “Ambulance services at is also to be cut. This will affect people who’ve had leg Wellington Public Hospital are to be cut by 1% this year, amputations, for example. They must learn how to walk and 3% next year. again. You can’t just walk away with your new leg and “First they’ll get rid of double-manning. This is learn at home. The elderly come in for physiotherapy and something the ambulance officers won after a terrific strug­ occupational therapy and they need the ambulance service gle two years ago. Double-manning was for emergencies. very much. It meant that people’s lives could be saved on the way to “Not only do they need it medically, but it’s often their the hospital. only lifeline to the outside world.” “The use of ambulances to take outpatients to hospital The sinking lid policy is beginning to hit Wellington

Broadsheet, September 1982 17 Hospital’s staffing levels very hard. “Nurses are two to three short in every ward. You can BROADSHEET imagine what it’s like for patients to have two or three nurses too few, and the nurses are run off their feet. BRINGS YOU GOOD HEAITH “Since last year we’ve also lost 20% of the orderlies.” The following back issues of Broadsheet Cleaning services have been cut back by a third but the contain articles of health issues. cleaning staff still have the same amount of work to do. FOLLOWING ISSUES 60 cents “To add insult to injury, our hours have also been cut.” No. 44 November 1976: Nursing; Historical perspective on As a result the standard of cleanliness has dropped, abortion struggle. although many of the cleaners try to maintain standards No. 45 December 1976: Cystitis. by working unpaid overtime. No. 47 March 1977: Vaginal infections. We come in, most of us, and work an hour early. We No. 48 April 1977: The politics of childbirth; pioneering health work through our lunch hours and after work is finished. workers. We know it’s against every trade union principle. On the No. 51 July 1977: Sex and violence — the new pornography. other hand we are also human beings and we don’t like No. 54 November 1977: Depo Provera. to see the patients in unhygienic conditions.” No. 58 April 1978: Shock treatment and women; Menopause part 2. At Auckland Hospital 15 trained radiographers were No. 59 May 1978: Menstruation part 1. recently dismissed. “It cost $20,000 to train each of them,” FOLLOWING ISSUES 90 cents. says Truell. “The work is there but the hospital couldn’t No. 60 June 1978: Menstruation part 2. maintain them.” No. 61 July 1978: ECT. EDUCATION No. 63 October 1978: The pap smear. “Not one cent should come off the education vote,” said No. 64 November 1978: Your cervix. Edna Tait, president of the Post Primary Education No. 66 January 1979: Lesbian health. Teachers’ Association. No. 67 March 1979: Sterilisation. “In the Education Service we’ve been taking cuts for No. 68 April 1979: Self-help health; Hysterectomy. No. 69 May 1979: Foetal monitoring; Self-help health 2; years. Even at the beginning of the ’70’s when this Women discuss their bodies. economy was a little less shaky than it is now, we were No. 70 June 1979: Postpartum depression. fighting to provide the basics. And by basics I mean No. 71 July/August 1979: Self-defence for women. classrooms and teachers. No. 72 September 1979: Genital mutilation. I can see the time coming when teachers provide all No. 74 November 1979: Incest; Mental illness in women. their teaching resources,” said Tait. “At the moment we No. 75 December 1979: Depo Provera. probably provide three-quarters.” No. 76 Jan/Feb 1980: Depo Provera trials Parents may be forced to pay for textbooks and school FOLLOWING ISSUES $1.00 trips at the full rate, and will have to play an increasing No. 77 March 1980: Herpes; Rubella vaccine. No. 78 April 1980: Iron in diets. role in fundraising activities. No. 79 May 1980: Sexual abuse of children. Cuts in education will compound the affects of the fall­ No. 80 June 1980: Older women; Women’s health move­ ing rolls, and worsen the things already happening in the ment — the reason. secondary service. No. 81 July/August 1980: Genital mutilation. As a school roll declines, so do all the services based on No. 82 September 1980: Infertility. the roll. FOLLOWING ISSUES $1.20 “You eventually reach a point where a person has to be No. 83 October 1980: Depo Provera. put off. And who do most of the ancillary work in secon­ No. 84 November 1980: Tampons; Anorexia. dary schools? Women.” No. 85 December 1980: Tampon controversy; 3rd World bot­ tle babies Similarly if a school roll falls to the extent that a teaching No. 86 Jan/Feb 1981: Feature on fitness. position has to be terminated, the first people to be laid FOLLOWING ISSUES $1.20 off will be relieving .teachers and part-timers. No. 87 March 1981: Sexual harassment at work; Venereal “Part-timers have no security of tenure, neither do reliev­ disease. ing teachers. And guess who form the bulk of these posi­ No. 88 April 1981: Women and Alcohol; Sponge tampons. tions? Women, they go first. No. 90 June 1981: Occupational health — office, dental and If we cut out the non-essentials in the curriculum, girls’ meat workers. choices are going to be considerably restricted. And of No. 91 July/August 1981: Contraceptive failure. FOLLOWING ISSUES $1.60 course the kind of employment they can go into will be No. 92 September 1981: Cervical caps. limited. Girls must have a solid educational background No. 94 November 1981: Painful periods. if they are to compete equally in the future. No. 95 December 1981: Patients’ health rights. “Declining numbers of women teachers mean that secon­ No. 98 April 1982: Endometriosis. dary school girls will have a decreasing number of role No. 100 June 1982: Breasts models, particularly at the senior management level. Please send me back issues Nos.______“Girls are going to suffer with the 3% cuts,” said Tait. “And let’s not pretend that they aren’t.”□ I enclose Reprinted with permission from the June issue of PSAtJournal. Women Against the Cuts, 56 Maida Vale Road, Wellington 3. My name: Phone Hazel Armstrong 845-515 or Marion Cadman 849-717. Address: _ A similar group has been formed in Auckland, its first action be­ ing a march up Queen Street on July 23. Contact the Auckland group through Working Women’s Council, PO Box 68480, Newton. Send to Broadsheet Back Issues, PO Box 5799, Auckland. Or ring Doreen Suddens, phone 884-385.

18 Broadsheet, September 1982 Women in Prisons and Maori Sovereignty professional massage & bodywork ALSO Part 2 of Sandra Coney's classes in basic & advanced massage article on women in prison has HILARY BROWN Certified Masseuse & a specialist been delayed for space in Trager Bodywork reasons till the October issue. "A Healing Touch" Donna Awatere’s continuation For information on classes or for an of Maori Sovereignty will also appointment, or all appear in the October issue. 547-102 (Auckland)

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Broadsheet, September 1982 19 & love of the

Australian Aboriginal activists have served The Noonkanbah community also put forward a settlement notice on the Fraser government that they intend proposal for protection of sacred sites. Western Australia's to stop the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane premier, Sir Charles Court, saw this as treating Aborigines as a separate group and creating problems that would delay in September to draw attention to their drilling for six months. grievances on land and racial issues. In New At the same time, Central Australian Aborigines scored Zealand Prime Minister Muldoon announced that a victory when the Tennant Creek Council returned a boulder to a sacred site. The Tourist Promotion Council and he would look at withholding passports from Peko Mines Ltd. had moved this from among the Devil's Maori protesters who had stated their intention Marbles and set it up in the town. to give a hand to protesting black Australians. In mid-1980, apartheid cropped up when Queensland Aborigines planned to send representatives to African Com­ In this article, MOLLY ELLIOTT explains the monwealth countries seeking a boycott of the Brisbane background to this bitter dispute. Games. They would regard African countries' presence as During last year's Springbok tour, Australian Prime support for Queensland's own apartheid, said Michael Miller, Minister Malcolm Fraser's anti-apartheid stance struck many Queensland Land Council chairman, while Neville Bonner, New Zealanders as hypocritical. Certainly, many Australians Australia's sole Aboriginal senator, described the support Aboriginal organisations, but the majority, voicing Springboks' New Zealand tour as "stupid and selfish", bitter jests and helpless resentments, regard Aborigines with The fire broke out in a fresh spot when Smoke Creek, a a lack of affection that borders on the heartfelt. It comes dry Kimberley riverbed, became the world's richest diamond as a shock to hear some adopt the stance of the geriatric field and prospectors poured into Kununurra. The Aboriginal right and suggest the transfer of the Aboriginal population Land Council accused Ashton Joint Venture, the main pro­ to an uninhabited island, there to await extinction by aerial specting company, of destroying sacred sites. To improve bombing. The gorge also rises when an Australian visitor, relations, the company appointed an Aboriginal Affairs Of­ with an expression of reliable rigidity, whispers, "Do you ficer who paid one group $300,000 for mining rights. This have much contact with your blacks?" turned the Aborigines on each other in a welter of details, Recently, Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's data, and despair. The Kimberley contains a third of Western Union paper, People's Voice accused Australia of sending Australia's Aborigines and half its full-blood population. Pro­ Aborigines to fight alongside Rhodesians in the bush war. specting has had a serious impact in ill-health, and cultural Dying like flies, they represented a solution to Australia's malaise. racial problems, declared the paper, which also described A few days later, Prime Minister Fraser received a call Aborigines driven to barren areas as mining companies, and to intervene in a dispute over protection for Aborigines, farming cartels bought traditional lands. following Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen's replace­ A prime target for backbench bombardiers, the land rights ment of reserves with a leasehold system, thus endanger­ battle goes back to 1966 when 200 Gurindji stockmen on ing protection of sacred sites. This followed a government Wave Hill station struck ostensibly for better pay and con­ move to allow mineral development of Aboriginal land. ditions but actually for the return of traditional lands. Simultaneously, Mr Justice Tuohey, Australian Government Though not naturally cultivators, Aborigines have a Land Commissioner, rejected 90% of Aboriginal land claims spiritual attachment to tribal lands. This has intensified as for the Northern Territory's uranium-rich Alligator River area. oil, uranium and diamond prospectors have invaded sacred Although Pan Continental Mines, the principal mining regions and culminated two years ago at Noonkanbah sta­ company, agreed to protect many sacred sites, the Minister tion in Western Australia, purchased in 1976 for the of Aboriginal Affairs, Senator Baume, said land right Yungngora community. When an oil rig set out from Perth, legislation required consideration of several angles including Aboriginal rights campaigner Don Mcleod with supporters detriment to other parties. from the Kimberley and Pilbara, blocked the highway in a Increasingly desperate, Queensland Aborigines planned Horatius-at-the-bridge action. Police escorted the rig through a UN protest. North Queensland Land Council represen­ while roadmaking machinery demolished a blockade at the tative, Shorty O'Neill (recently in New Zealand to study pro­ homestead. But 14 drillers refused to work until the mining test techniques) said they hoped to bring enough pressure rites and sacred sites question was resolved. to bear to stop state governments from turning reserves in­ The Australian Council of Trade Unions voted for in­ to mining and tourist areas. They wanted not 50-year leases, dustrial action at Noonkanbah while Jim Hagan, National but freehold title and self-management. Unless the govern­ Aboriginal Conference chairman, led a delegation to ment saved Aborigine-occupied land, no Commonwealth Geneva to give evidence to a UN sub-committee hearing Games would take place, he declared. It seemed the govern­ discrimination claims, even as the West Australian govern­ ment would grant leases to individuals, leaving families ment granted two more Noonkanbah mineral claims near vulnerable to speculators. Mining and mineral control would a sacred site. remain with the state government, especially since the

20 Broadsheet, September 1982 Lockhard River Reserve uranium discoveries. the Aboriginal Land Fund Commission bought Collum Col- Les Perkins, Aboriginal Development Council chairman, lum Station. Aboriginal Affairs Department deputy secretary and the In 1972, the Labour Government, established the Prime Minister's special adviser on Aboriginal affairs, said Aboriginal Land Fund to concentrate on land outside Aborigines planned to stop the games, seeing protest as their reserves for Aboriginals with little opportunity to buy land sole chance for a stand. for themselves. By 1979, it had acquired 45 properties The World Council of Churches' report, "Justice for valued at round $5 million. Taking account of Aborigines' Aboriginal Australia", listed land rights as a primary de­ spiritual attachment to the land and their prior occupation mand and branded Australia as racist in every aspect of of the continent over 40,000 years, it gives them the right society. Refusing to read the report, Bjelke-Petersen cited to refuse prospecting permission. the council as a well-known Aboriginal Land Council sup­ As an election plank, the Liberal-National Country Party porter. His government would never grant Aborigines in 1975 promised development and employment oppor­ perpetual land leases. Mining magnate Lang Hancock add­ tunities near lands. Strictly controlled mineral and prospec­ ed fuel to the fire with a recommendation for the sterilisa­ ting development would allow protection for sacred sites; tion of half-castes by means of drugged water supplies, a royalties would benefit Aborigines with a proportion paid statement as clangorous as a firebell. into trusts. The Australian Mining Industry Council launched a cam­ Minerals on Aboriginal land, however, remain Crown pro­ paign to convince Australians that Aboriginal land rights perty with permission to explore or mine granted only with had gone too far, claiming that over half the Northern Ter­ Aboriginal consent but — the government may over-ride ritory could come under Aboriginal control and that explora­ refusal should it consider this against the national interest. tion and mining constraints were unreasonable. The Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry report notes Aborigines hold about 27% of the state. Granting current that large numbers entering their areas constitute the main claims would increase this to 52% ; later claims would raise threat to Aboriginal welfare. It recommends strict limitations the figure to 90% . In 1977, the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) on the size of mining towns and tourist use plus Aboriginal Act granted ownership of 249,013 km2, about 18% of the lands' incorporation into the Kakadu National Park, set aside state. Some Aboriginal Land Trusts received title to several in 1979. parcels. At that rate, Aboriginals could eventually own 30% In 1980, the government earmarked $13 million to ac­ of the state. The first legislation expressing cultural values, quire land, help Aboriginal enterprises and improve hous­ this would provide a model for other states. ing. Representing the Aboriginal Development Commission, But the mining industry views land rights legislation as a task force has covered the country, talking to groups, seek­ discriminatory in that it favours a minority. Nevertheless, ing ideas. South Australian Aborigines acquired 300 kms2 when their Yet, the Aboriginal land question will probably take years development commission bought Mt. Serle Station. to come within dreaming distance of resolution. Meantime, Aboriginals also run the 20 ha. Baryulgil Square and the the Aborigines believe that, if their land is destroyed, so are Bunjum Co-operative, a reserve set aside in 1917. In 1979, they.□ lsrto b Rbn Conway Robyn by llustration

Broadsheet, September 1982 21 Bruce Connew/Listener 22 Bodhe,Spebr 1982 September Broadsheet, 2 .2 school at the age of 13. So at the age of 40 Maureen moved left Maureen had of40 she age the after at So 13. years of age 27 the at school schooling, her ap­ continue she to year her enabled which that InGrant Study Aboriginal an 1970. got forand plied till there lived and Queensland atni cin omte delegate. Committee Action Waitangi f utai t te et f h wrd W ma t com­ to land ofAboriginal mean destruction the We Australia, world. Black to rights the of rest the to Australia of with the Black Protest Committee (the group co-ordinating co-ordinating group (the Committee Protest Black the with could be given to the Aboriginal people. Below are excerpts excerpts are Below people. Aboriginal the to given be could experiences informationand activitist rights land Aboriginal municate that we are protesting against the refusal of land land of refusal the against protesting are we that municate racism the expose to opportunity usan with provide Games from a report of the visit made by Hilda Halkyard, the the Halkyard, Hilda by made visit the of report a from in support kindofinternational demonstrations, what ascertain to and Tour Games, Commonwealth anti-Springbok Brisbane the foragainst protests preparation from learned and culture, racist aspects of the white Australian Australian white the of aspects ourto ofhuman rights racist denial consistent the and psychology, culture, and protests against the Games). She explained: 'The Brisbane Brisbane 'The explained: She Games). the against protests From all over Australia, Aboriginal people will be rallying rallying be will people Aboriginal rights. land Australia, of over favour in all is From radical most the to conservative from mostEverythe Aboriginal campaign. rights land for the people.' leaders can expect to be picked up at any time before the before time any at up picked be Aboriginal to areas. expect can 'approved' in leaders held them. be only between can metre Marches one with walk must Marchers chest. be must Placards protest. of form any curb to laws special t rsae o a utrl etvl n demonstrations. and festival cultural a for Brisbane at 8 b 1" n crid ewe te oe admn and abdomen lower the between carried and 18" by 18" are Wto ws on n sal onr tw in town country small a in born was Watson Maureen In July, a Maori delegation visited Australia to share with share to Australia visited delegation Maori a July, In The Black Protest Committee is optimistic about support about optimistic is Committee Protest Black The workswho woman Maori a by met were we Brisbane “In Queensland Premier, Bjelke Petersen has introduced introduced has Petersen Bjelke Premier, Queensland eln h a tory" § eal R the Jelling International Solidarity for Aboriginals sought Aboriginals for Solidarity International without trial or sentenced to a mental institution during the the during institution mental a to orsentenced trial without Games under 'emergency' legislation. Police could be be could gas. tear Police and guns with armed legislation. and horses on imprisoned 'emergency' mounted be under can Games 'dissidents' Aboriginal Any Games. eety otd ln rgt cneec wih ald for called which conference rights land a hosted recently on student and staff use of facilities. For five of the weeks weeks the of five For facilities. of use staff and student on the during athletes Griffith cam­ the accommodate universitytoclose plans The administration to campus. Games. the on expected is centre protest campus a of up setting the test. International support and solidarity is important and and important is solidarity necessary. and support International test. access open denied being are they as accrediting course cam­ of part the any use to passes to carry have willstudents placed be will restrictions which during weeks forpusnine o lcs f study. of places to automatic demanding are Students days. specified on pus Maureen's sons have many talents to bring to the Gallery. Gallery. the to bring to talents many have sons Maureen's gle, using her talent at "storytelling'' to reach people of all all of people reach to "storytelling'' at talent her using gle, with her five sons to Brisbane to spend a year at college do­ college at year a spend to Brisbane to sons five her with h tls s o political. too is tells she what as last the Commissions be possibly may she feels she receive School and to woman grant this a Aboriginal first under the was Maureen school Grant. many visiting ing", ages. strug­ Aboriginal involvedin the became In she university. years same at the sociology and science political philosophy, Aboriginal Gallery for Arts and Crafts to encourage city city encourage to Crafts and Arts for Gallery Aboriginal Eldest son Tiga manages Us Mob, an all-Aboriginal band band all-Aboriginal an Mob, Us manages Tiga son Eldest n Uiest Entrance. University ing black Sydney suburb of Redfern, she continued her"storytell­ continued sheSydney suburbof Redfern, black brgnl ad ihsad h Cmowat ae. □ Games. Commonwealth the and rights land about Aboriginal speaking and storytelling centres NewZealand other children's for use to bushland in Aboriginal in acres real education workshopspolitical and camps, 130 buy help to a travelling caravan will take the Gallery around Australia. Australia. around soon Gallery the that take will successful so caravan been travelling a has This crafts. other and ing opn, o h crvn il e oiia a wl as well as political be will Dance caravan Island and educational. the so Aboriginal the Company, be will travelling Also caravan. with go willthe ofsome these films and Aboriginal writingand songs political and rock heavy on concentrating eec o Moi rit ad rtr. are rvle to travelled Maureen writers. and artists Maori for ference con­ Gisborne the to her whoasked Grace Pat met Maureen Writers, and ofArts Festival Adelaide recent the At history. lcs o eeo sil i sre pitn, otr, weav­ pottery, printing, screen in skills develop to blacks all their own material. John promotes and distributes distributes player. and didjeridu magnificent a promotes and storyteller a is John Michael material. own their all We talked to a group of students at Griffithwho University at ofgroup students a to talked We The Aboriginal people want a democratic non-violentpro­ democratic a want people Aboriginal The E ZAADR CAN: ZEALANDERSNEW ad rights; land brgnl ad ihs Bx 4, Ldtara, AucKlang 14U, 1 6 Bex for Rights, Group Land Support NZ to Aboriginal Send Games. the to delegatior 9; October and 30 Aboriginal of support in Games the boycott to them ing rsae Australia; Brisbane, • send donations to help send a black New Zealand Zealand New black a send help to donations send • September between inyour area action protest • organise ask­ athletes NewZealand competing all to •letters write • send donations to Black Protest Committee, GPO 786, 786, GPO Committee, Protest Black to donations • send Two years later Maureen and her family opened the first the opened family her and Maureen later years Two her familyand When Maureen movedpredominantly tothe From 1972-75 Maureen took courses in anthropology, anthropology, in courses took Maureen 1972-75 From The Gallery is also hoping through sales made on the road on the made sales through hoping also is Gallery The WOMEN A SELF-HELP GUIDE TO GOOD HEALTH

SARAH) CALVERT HEALTHY WOMEN A Self-Help Guide to Good Health Sarah Calvert This book is designed to give basic information about health for all women. It is written in the belief that good health is something that we create for ourselves, and that good health care begins with access to information. Sarah has written regularly on women's health for Broadsheet since 1976. The book will be launched at the Health Conference, 19 September. 192 pages, $12.95 NEW ZEALAND HERSTORY 1983 Hamilton Women's Collective Focusses on contemporary women. 112 pages, $8.95 NEW WOMEN'S CALENDAR 1983 Last year's has been so good to have on the wall we thought we'd do another one! It again features good historical photographs o f women. One photo per month. $8.95. ALL TO BE PUBLISHED IN SEPTEMBER Available from your local bookseller or from Broadsheet NEW WOMEN'S PRESS is a new independent publishing house organised by women from the book trade with Wendy Harrex as editor. NEW WOMEN'S PRESS P.O. Box 47-339, Auckland tS S tS s Z

Broadsheet, September 1982 23 THE DAVIES DOSSIER

In the third part of her story SONJA DAVIES talked to SANDRA CONEY about her political life in the sixties in Nelson, the City Council, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the Labour Party ....

The 60s were an incredibly busy time for me. It was a time was asked to be the Nelson Secretary. that politicised a lot of people. There were a lot of issues. SANDRA: What was the urgency for the CND at that time? I had always been very involved in the Peace Movement, SONJA: I had really been interested in peace from the begin­ and there was a backlash against nuclear weapons. In 1960 ning of the Second World War and I really passionately there was the "No Maoris. No Tour" issue. We had absolutely believed that war wasn't the answer. We lived just over the massive meetings in Nelson. I remember one where I was hill from the Riverside Community, a pacifist community in up on the church steps with the Bishop of Nelson and the Nelson. Even though Charlie was a returned serviceman, whole of Trafalgar Street was jam-packed. The member of they were the ones who lent us their tractor. We made a lot Parliament, Stan Whitehead, and the LRC chairman were of friends there and we did adult education courses with in favour of us sending a team — any team — they were in them and drama groups. They had taken a Peace Caravan the Rugby Union. But the Labour Party itself and the rest right through the South Island, with Arch Barrington and of us were on the other side. It was a very dramatic time. Merle Hyland, visiting railway workshops and factories. I was on the Hospital Board and the City Council. I poll­ When I was asked if I would be the Nelson Secretary for the ed very high and I ought to have been Chairman of the CND I agreed and that launched into a really busy time. Works Committee. But because I was a woman they gave It was the beginning of the nuclear arms build-up and we me electricity. At the time they were amalgamating the Elec­ tricity authorities in the area, so I really had a very tough knew because of Hiroshima it would mean the end. We wanted to get politicians involved because we thought New job. I was elected to the Electricity Supply Authority's Ex­ Zealand had a unique opportunity to be non-aligned and ecutive. I was also Chairman of the Gas Committee and had to go to the Gas Conference. I was the only woman and the take a very independent stance. chair person would say, "Gentlemen, and er 'er . . ." We had a petition seeking a nuclear-free zone, and, in I was appointed to the Central Advisory Committee of Nelson, per capita, we collected the highest number of Broadcasting, what's now Radio New Zealand. I was on the responses. Going from door to door, we found that people National Executive of the Labour Party. I was just into were genuinely concerned. There was very strong support everything. All through the 60s I was very involved in the within Nelson, although there were the usual rednecks and anti-Vietnam War Movement. The Campaign for Nuclear returned servicemen who felt that war was the only way to Disarmament was really getting going with Mary Woodward go. Charlie supported me in this as he felt as strongly about as National Secretary in Christchurch, and Elsie Locke. I it as I did.

Sonja Davies and Charlie — wedding photo from 1946. The young Sonja Davies — aged 1 5.

24 Broadsheet. September 1982 We marched from Ngauranga to Parliament and collected Engineer and said "Tell me about all this. Tell me what I 175,000 signatures. need to know. Help me do it" and they were excellent. They SANDRA: What was the goal of these actions? never give councillors presents when they go, but this is one SONJA: We hoped to convince parliamentarians that they of my most proud possessions . . . that's an electricity cable, should be actively promoting a nuclear-free world, but it one of the ones we put in while I was there. It s got fell on deaf ears. underneath what it is. I was more proud of getting that than SANDRA: What happened to the Campaign — did it just a tea service. dribble away? SANDRA: So the 60s were a very active and idealistic time. SONJA: We were all intensely active during the 60s, and SONJA: I seemed to be always trudging around with a peti­ I think we just ran out of steam. We'd done everything we could think of. As with all campaigns, there were only a few tion. One weekend Jerry Skinner rang me and said could doing the organising and actual leg-work. So after years of I get as many signatures as possible against New Zealand activity we felt terribly disappointed that we weren t get­ joining the International Monetary Fund. From the Friday ting anywhere, and we were tired of being called com­ night till the Sunday night we got 2,700 signatures. I was munists and that sort of thing. It wasn't that we stopped always standing on the church steps or going to Wellington and standing on Parliament steps, or marching, or trying believing, we were just exhausted. SANDRA: Fighting against something that's invisible is pret­ to promote things through the Labour Party. SANDRA: What attracted you about the Labour Party? ty difficult, isn't it? SONJA: It is, because you're saying to people "We believe SONJA: It seemed to me at the time that they were closer that this will happen" and they want tangible pictures in to my socialist beliefs than any party there was. I didn't want front of them. We could get to them when we showed them to join the Communist Party, although I agreed with some pictures of Hiroshima. In the recent campaigns against of the things they said. So I thought, foolishly or not, the thing nuclear warships coming into Wellington Harbour, you could to do is get into the Labour Party, and, in the areas where I didn't agree, try and change them through the proper say "If there's an accident, and you're living in Johnsonville, you'll lose one layer of skin, and you'll go deaf, or if you live channels. in Khandallah, this will happen". People can relate to that, SANDRA: When you say "foolishly", is that a more recent because you've got factual evidence from what's happened realisation? in other areas. But the whole question of nuclear dumping SONJA: What I didn't realise then is that New Zealand is and testing — to the average New Zealander, it's not hap­ a very middle class country, and the Revolution is very unlikely to start here, and that among the political parties pening here. — Kirk was the last of the Labour leaders who had an inter­ I think the concept of Oceania, that we who are in the national vision as well as a vision for New Zealand. I didn't Pacific have all got to get together, means we have more agree with a lot of his domestic policies, certainly as far as chance now, but the forces against us are just as strong as women and day care were concerned, but he was the only ever. They've started a CND here in Wellington again, but one with the charisma, the belief, the principles, that really I find it quite depressing because they're doing all the things swept people along. So it seemed to me that the Labour con­ we did before. They still have faith that politicians will listen stitution, their aims and objectives, were the sort of things to them. I think what depressed me most was that on the I felt more comfortable with. I would have liked them to have Hiroshima March last night there were a thousand people, been more radical, but I thought that we younger people yet this morning thousands lined the streets for the Ranfur- coming in could change all that. ly Shield Parade. Politicians aren't going to be impressed SANDRA: While you were involved in all this political ac­ by a thousand. On the other hand, what's happening in tivity, you had quite young children. So your experience of Europe heartens me. There the problem is more immediate, marriage and motherhood wouldn't be the typical ex­ people can actually see the build-up of weapons. In Holland perience of New Zealand women. Can you imagine having they actually lay across the railway lines to try and stop had a more conventional marriage? nuclear warheads being transported backwards and for­ SONJA: No, I don't think so. I think right from the beginn­ wards. They are turning out in their hundreds of thousands. ing I had strong views that I wanted to do other things as I do believe they've had an impression on politicians. So far well. Though I wanted a big family. I was quite convinced it hasn't stopped Reagan from instituting his policies, but I wanted six children. I think it shook him. SANDRA: When did you abandon that? SANDRA: What was happening with your political ideas SONJA: After I came out of the hospital for the final time about women during this time? with tuberculosis they said I couldn't have children. That SONJA: It really wasn't till the 70s that I really solidified was really why I flung myself into a whole lot of outside ac­ that. It wasn't till I met the next generation down. Because tivities. I thought, I'm not going to suffocate Penny with a I was a political person I always believed women could do whole lot of over-mothering which will drive her mad. I didn't anything. I often went to conferences where I was the only realise then I was already pregnant with Mark. Then after woman. Mark, I had a second ectopic, and I can remember lying SANDRA: Were you aware you were blazing a trail for on the operating table and saying to the surgeon, Dr Lowie, women in a lot of these places? "Does this mean I can never have another?" and he said, SONJA: No, I didn't realise. I was doing my own thing "Well for 99 percent people out of 100 I'd say 'Yes', but see­ because I felt it had to be done, and often putting up with ing it's you I'll say, 'Probably not'." a lot of prejudice that was quite unpleasant. SANDRA: You must have found motherhood a positive ex­ SANDRA: You seem to have avoided the trap of being perience to have wanted six, because you'd had Penny by shovelled off into "women's issues", welfare issues? then, hadn't you? SONJA: I fought very hard on the Council not to be. When SONJA: Yes, but you see that wasn't a natural, ordinary sort I topped the poll, that person is always Chairman of Works, of situation because I was away from her till she was three. but the Mayor said the men wouldn't hack that. I said I didn't SANDRA: Did you feel you had missed out? want Reserves because that's where women were put on any SONJA: Oh, yes. I'd had to go away again, right,up till when city council. That's why I took Electricity. she was nine. She says that one of her memories of me is SANDRA: Because of women's training they often feel very seeing that thin hand waving out of the window of the am­ much at a loss in taking on those areas. bulance when I was being taken away, and wondering SONJA: No, I'll tell you what. I looked at those men, and whether I would ever come back again, and the kids at I heard them talking and thought, if they can do it, so can school saying, "Your mother's going to die, isn t she? and I. If I have to learn things, I'll learn them. I went to the City tucking that away inside, and I think that must have done

Broadsheet, September 1982 25 something to her. SONJA: Oh yes, I was criticised for that. I remember when I do regret that I didn't have Mark at a time when you I went up to Hawkes Bay to stand for Parliament in 1966, could have a much more relaxed birth. My doctor put him it was the women who said that I had six children at home beside me in a basinette and he put his hand out and we and that they were barefoot and had fish and chips three held hands — well, he held my finger, but then he was whisk­ times a week. Who was ironing my husband's shorts and what ed away. We had a very close relationship and Charlie, who sort of woman could I be? But I felt we had to have more had missed out on Penny's early childhood, just simply took women in Parliament, I still do. over. He just loved small things. He used to get up at 6 SANDRA: How did you decide to stand for Parliament? o'clock in the morning and take Mark out when he was two- SONJA: I was Stan Whitehead's campaign secretary and he weeks-old to look at the cinerarias which were all in bloom, said to me, "Are you going to make a run for Parliament," so that he could remember from the very beginning, and I said, "I'd like to." So we decided on Rotorua and the beautiful things. He was a very hungry baby and Charlie Labour Party people up there and the union people said they was the one who used to sit up with him at night. They were would support me. So I went up there, and I was petrified, just friends all the time. I was so naive. I mean women who go into selections are SANDRA: So he didn't subscribe to the customary New much more clued up now than I was. I went up there with Zealand male role and leave it all to you? this set speech that I'd polished and repolished and because SONJA: Oh no, no. Because of his job there was no ques­ Wellington airport was out the selection committee had to tion of shared roles, but he was a good cook. He was come by car. And when they finally arrived, they said marvellous when you were sick, with trays with little tasty "You've got to cut your speech down to one minute because things and flowers. I always had breakfast in bed on Sun­ we've got to go onto Tauranga after this." I was the first per­ days and he taught Mark those things. I remember those things son to speak and it just threw me. I had a whole lot of things and his incredible support all those years when I was ill. I wanted to say about issues I believed in and I had to cut SANDRA: Were your children involved in your political life? it down to one minute! I could do that now, but then I was SONJA: Penny was growing up, but Mark was born in 1957 inexperienced, so I didn't get it anyway. and he was involved right from the beginning. When he was Then I tried Taupo and I went to Tokoroa for that and eight he came and went on the March with his littly lollypop stayed with my parents. Rono Stephenson was the Member CND badge and when he was three-and-a-half, when Stan and my father was Treasurer of the National Party and my Whitehead was standing for Nelson, there he was at the cam­ mother was President of the womens branch. They both said paign on his tricycle, pedaling furiously round the street cor­ to me, "Of course you know that if you get the selection we ner meetings saying, "I'm in favour of Labour's 3% loan for can't vote for you." I said "No, I didn't expect that." They housing" without being prompted. did tell me that the party was really worried because Rona In their late teens they revolted against it and became Stephenson wasn't a good speaker, wasn't very articual. I almost a-political. I think that's inevitable because in your knew I could better. adolescence you have to find your own identity, and if you've been brought up in an incredibly political household, you We went off to the selection and we drew lots and once tend to turn your back on it. again I had to speak first. You weren't allowed to listen, you As Charlie became more involved in the Trade Union had to sit out the back where there were just long wooden Movement he had a lot of annual meetings and annual con­ forms. One of the candidates had two toddlers and he ask­ ferences out of Nelson, and he became a National Councillor ed me to look after them while he spoke and another can­ on the Federation of Labour and was Secretary of the Trades didate kept striding up and down the ladies loo declaiming Council. He was away an incredible lot. Trying to fit his speech. But halfway through Barry Gustafson, one of the everything in so the children didn't suffer became extreme­ candidates, challenged the selection committee, said they ly difficult. We used to sit down at the kitchen table at the had made false allegations against him. So the whole com­ beginning of the month with our diaries and say "Now where mittee was changed in midstream. Now I would simply have are you going to be?" Often it would be "I'll come back on said, "This isn't on", I would have really performed, but then this plane, and if you bring Mark to the airport, I'll take him I was quite phased by the whole thing. At two o'clock they him home, and you can go off on that plane." came out and said Barry had got it. Barry was a secondary SANDRA: What did that do to your relationship? teacher up there and pretty well-known — I guess I was SONJA: It really just strengthened it. Charlie really believ­ carpet-bagging. Then we went home in the teaming rain ed in me doing those things. I think it's fair to say I didn't from Tokoroa. threaten him in any way, because he was doing a job that SANDRA: How did you feel about that? satisfied him. He was immensely proud of me and very good. SONJA: Very, very unhappy, because I knew I could win, We had to fit in things like Council meetings at night, and and I didn't believe Barry could. I got back and my parents I had weekends down the coast for area Labour Party were sitting with a bottle of gin, a bottle of whisky, and a meetings. bottle of brandy and a sort of expectant look on their faces. SANDRA: And there was an acceptance that you had a right And they said "Did you get it?" and I said "No," and Dad to do those things? said, "The bastards." I said "But you weren't going to vote SONJA: Yes, Charlie loved his home and he loved his for me" and he said, "Oh well ..." and put his hand over children. It was never a chore for him to be with them. What his mouth. Then he said "Oh well, we're going to be quite it meant was that we didn't have a social life together. So pleased about that" and of course that was it. Then I was what we did was go away for weekends. We found cottages persuaded to stand for Hastings, it was a very split electorate up the Whangapeka Valley, or Baton Valley, and finally in and everybody kept saying "Heaven help who stands there." Golden Bay, and I would often meet him with the car at the SANDRA: You must have been feeling a bit jaded by then. airport with Mark, and Penny if she was home, and the dog SONJA: I was, and I thought I'm not going to get it because and the library books and off we'd go on Friday night. We Duncan McIntyre was in his hey-day. He'd been there six always had that time together and that I think was one of years and he kissed all the babies, and he'd gone to all the the most important things. Every marriage has hiccups, every smoke concerts. I knew Hastings likes its member of Parlia­ marriage has its moments, but by and large Charlie was in­ ment to be very attentive and he had been, so I thought it credibly supportive. I mean the telephone would go all the would be an academic exercise. So I went to the selection time, during meals, early in the morning, and late at night. and there was only one other person and I got it, so there we were. I had a hectic campaign, 92 street corner meetings. It wasn't your ordinary run-of-the-mill marriage. I told the Party that I would fight it on the war in Vietnam, SANDRA: Certainly not at that time when women were very I wanted to make it a Vietnam campaign, I said who I much expected to be at home. wanted to come as speakers, including Norm Kirk, and they

26 Broadsheet, September 1982 "Did you see how I got a score over him?". They got very angry with me when I used to say "You know, really, out­ side that's totally irrelevant." SANDRA: When you say you became disillusioned with the hope of being able to push things through, were there par­ ticular events that contributed to that? SONJA: Kirk was very conservative on women and issues like child care and Bill Rowling followed on with that. Equali­ ty for women was very dear to my heart and I knew there weren't enough people in there to help me pull that along. I didn't feel there was enough commitment. The whole abor­ tion question turned me off in a big way. When the women within the Party submitted the Working Women's Charter and they were persuaded, because of Clause 15 [for abor­ tion, contraception and sterilisation], that there should be a referendum on abortion. I am so cynical about referen- dums, because who's got the money and the television time? I do not believe that that was a subject for a referendum. SANDRA: Did you feel that those women didn't really believe in a referendum themselves, that it was a political compromise? SONJA: Well, I think a lot of women did. I met women in the street who were in tears because of what happened. I think that very good women, under a good deal of political pressure, were persuaded that to keep the Charter as it was would be bad for the Party's electoral chances, and that just happened to be the way the men in the Party felt. So they SANDRA: How did that go down with the citizens of were willing to put the Party's good before women's issues, Hastings. and even then it might have been the wrong decision. SONJA: Not terribly well. It's a fairly military conservative I had to keep saying to myself, that this Party wants to sort of place. Here's Duncan, a military man, much more get into power, but it seemed to me that they weren't behav­ their cup of tea. So I thought I'd challenge them with a whole ing very differently to what National Party politicians would lot of views which are Labour Party views, but which hap­ on women's issues. pen to be mine. SANDRA: Do you think that politics by its nature has to be SANDRA: Do you think you'd be too principled to be a fairly unprincipled? That it's opportunist . . . politician. SONJA: Yes, I think political parties have to be opportunist. SONJA: I'm not sorry now I didn't get it. It seems to me, sad­ You know if you look at women's issues, or foreign affairs, ly, that if you're going to be part of the Party team, and I or monetary issues, there's not a politican there who doesn't believe in being part of the team, you've got to toe the line. know what has to be done. But if you're wondering how that's From the very beginning you've probably got to put your going to effect the accountants in Timaru, or the farmers foot on the path of compromise. in the Waikato . . . Politicians may feel it's arrogant, but I think probably at this stage in my life I can understand I feel you've got to know what your principles are, what your why the hierarchy weren't madly keen about me getting in­ central theme is, and you stick to it. to Parliament. They knew I would be a prickly customer and SANDRA: By the final time you stood for Parliament, you'd they knew I would have all sorts of hassles within myself and actually left Nelson. How did that happen? find it difficult to toe the party line. SONJA: All through this time I hadn't been working for SANDRA: You didn't try again after that? money and then my husband had one heart attack after the SONJA: Yes, I did, when Stan Whitehead died. But by that International Labour Organisation Conference in Geneva, time I had really gone off the whole idea and I left my run and then another one, so he couldn't work. So we reversed too late. I didn't go down to Nelson till the actual day of roles. But no one wanted to employ me when the time came. the selection and it was really quite horrific because there'd I'd hassled so many people. They said, "Oh, you won't have been a lot of politicking going on and a whole lot of rumours any trouble getting a job", but nobody wanted me. They about me that weren't true. What had really happened was remembered how much I'd pushed them round when I that during Stan Whitehead's time the party itself had wanted something. I applied for and got a job in Hawkes diminished in numbers and the people who were left were Bay as District Organiser for the NZ Meat Processors Union older, more conservative people. So they chose Mel Court­ and the Wellington Clerical Union. They'd never had a ney, he was a businessman with supermarkets in the town. representative up there. In the meantime Mark got men­ I was just so affronted, I was really so angry they could be ingitis. It was a truly horrific time. I had Mark on the bot­ so stupid as to choose him, and of course, I was right. He tom floor of the hospital and Charlie on the fourth floor. I was bad for workers and for women. had to clean out the house and get it ready to sell. Twenty SANDRA: When you embarked on that particular path, what three trips to the tip with all my City Council agendas. The did you think you could gain by getting involved in day I left Nelson was one of the most horrific days. I had Parliament? to resign from the City Council, from everything — all those SONJA: I knew that every policy, everything we're aspir­ farewells. I drove over to the ferry with the vacuum cleaner ing for, in the long run has to have a political decision. and all the things that hadn't already gone, and when I got You've got to have laws to carry out that policy. I thought there, they wouldn't take the car on. I had to leave it with in the early days that possibly if I was there I could influence some friends. I can remember sitting up on the top of the Caucus. I must say my years on the National Executive rather ferry and putting dark glasses on and just bawling all the diminished that view. way across to Wellington. I was like an oyster being winkl­ I also believed it was time there were more trade union ed out of its shell. Looking back at the South Island and people in ther , is parliamentarians because of the thinking nothing would ever be the same again. □ sheer volume of worx ana the way Parliament is run, become divorced from real people. Politicians turn inward. I used Next month: Trade Union work in Hawkes Bay, the first visits to be sickened by the narrowness of point-scoring. You know, to the FOL conference ....

Broadsheet, September 1982 2 L TAKING OUR PULSE —4 — \ SANDRA CONEY talked to the four women behind this month’sonth’s National Women’sWomen ’e Health Conference

The National Women's Health Conference Collective (left to right): Sue Neal, Sarah Calvert, Heather McLeish and Sue Lytollis.

Four feminists with diverse backgrounds are behind this Sue Lytollis sees the Conference as a chance for women month s National Women s Health Conference planned for to get together, and hopefully generate action. The 1979 the weekend of September 1 7 — 19. The initial idea came United Women’s Convention in Hamilton did that for her from Tauranga feminist Sarah Calvert, a practising clinical and she saw other political groups like Feminist Teachers psychologist, but probably better-known among feminists emerge from that gathering. “Since 1979 nothing has as a writer and speaker on women’s health issues. “We catered for feminists on a national level. If we share ideas haven’t had a national women’s health conference since and political aims, we can then go out and hit women in the 1977 government-sponsored Women and Health Con­ the community.” ference,’’ explains Sarah. “That Conference was very The Government cuts in health spending have chang­ establishment and not particularly feminist. We need a ed Heather McLeish’s vision of the Conference from “a feminist statement about women’s health. Health is one practical exercise” to a more political one. “Working as of the most critical areas for women. It contains issues a nurse as 1 am, I’m aware of grassroots activities in the like rape, incest and sexual harassment, as well as bet­ hospitals. The cuts are affecting women dramatically, you ter known health issues like contraception and abortion. can see it in the hospital. The health service is winding A national conference is a good way of focussing atten­ down.” tion on these issues.” So the Conference has been planned with the dual pur­ Sarah was early joined by the three other women who pose of education on women’s health issues, and to form the organising group: self defence teacher Sue generate political action. Lytollis, South Auckland health activist and founder of Feminists have reacted with surprise and sometimes the Campaign Against Depo Provera Sue Neal, and disapproval to the plan for the Conference’s first day. A psychiatric and psychopaedic nurse Heather McLeish. professional symposium at Auckland's plush Big 1 hotel will When I talked to them at a recent planning meeting, each cater for health professionals (and interested lay people) woman expressed a different reason for her involvement of both sexes. Papers will be presented on mental health, in the Conference, and a different hope for the outcome menstruation and menopause, and violence against of it. women, with the aim of informing those providing health Sue Neal hopes the Conference can provide practical care with a feminist persective and women’s feelings on help for women, answers to questions that won’t be these topics. The first Friday paper will set the scene: answered through conventional medical channels. “A lot Medical School researchers Lyn Gilmour and Judith of feminism is pie in the sky, ” says Sue “to women who Madarasz will describe the results of research on women are at the kitchen sink where I am. These women are con­ in the health care system based on a study of 1000 doc- cerned at how to get through the next week. Hopefully tor/patient relationships in the Hamilton area. it 11 be a place where women can ask questions and get At the close of the day Phillida Bunkle will present the honest answers.” results of her research into the contraceptive injection,

28 Broadsheet, September 1982 Depo Provera, and the New Zealand Women’s Health and in many different languages. The BWHC has also publish­ Contraceptive Study funded by the drug’s manufacturer, ed Ourselves and Our Children on parenting, and Chang­ and Donna Awatere will speak on Maori Women’s Health. ing Bodies, Changing Lives, on sex for teenagers. The In answer to criticisms that time at a national gather­ Collective has spoken widely and taken an active role in ing would be better spent working only with women, and the US women’s health movement. “We wanted one of not focussing specifically on professionals, the organisers the Collective,” says Sarah, “because it is true to say that defend their programme by pointing out that feminist the Collective started the women’s health movement, and health workers have been criticised for excluding doctors their book is known throughout the world, they have and men. Sue Neal: “So we’re providing an opportunity demonstrated a commitment to feminist principles for ten they can use if they want to. We’re going to tell them what years.” women are saying. The women 1 know use doctors, so we Talking to the organisers in mid-July, two months have to make some attempt to educate the doctors.” before the Conference opens its doors, I saw that these Sarah Calvert believes that feminists have tended to be four women have taken on an enormous task. They hope elitist, providing alternative health care for women who to get 500 women and have to organise everything down are often economically privileged or not in relationships to meals, billets and transport. with men. “Most women’s reality,” she explains, “is that All has not, so far, gone smoothly. Some existing health they live with men. Maori and Pacific Island women get groups have felt alienated by what they see as a lack of socked by the health system. Realistically these women consultation about the form of the Conference. Some even aren’t going to drop out of the health system and it is run question the wisdom of big, national get-togethers, ask­ by men. We have to deal with that as a reality and try to ing what they achieve that smaller locally-based gather­ make the system listen to our ideas and concerns.” ings can’t do better. The group agrees the venue may be alienating for some women, but believe they had to arrange the setting to ac­ Money was, and is, a problem, with the group still commodate the people they’re hoping to reach. They believe waiting to hear whether various grant applications have it’s the first time feminists have really tried to talk to health been successful. Attempts to incorporate the Women’s professionals. They agree it mightn’t work. So far, lay Health Network have been held up because a right wing women have shown as much interest in the professional group with a similar name has opposed the application. symposium as professionals, although some suburban “It has been disorganised,” says Sue Lytollis, “but we’ve GPs and nurses have already enrolled. had two people trying to do ten people’s work . We For the Saturday and Sunday the venue shifts to the thought we’d get two PEP workers through what we ex-North Shore Teachers’ College with numerous thought was a supportive organisation, but it withdrew.” workshops and symposiums for women only. Several sym­ Will the National Women’s Health Conference “create posiums will focus on actions and strategies for the future, and support our own healing ways in order to give women in line with the organisers’ wish that this should be “an choices . . . and work for change in the existing health action, not just a learning, Conference”. system” as its publicity optimistically claims? Will the Highlight of these two days will undoubtedly be the par­ Conference succeed in attracting the women of differing ticipation of Norma Swenson from the Boston Women’s class and racial backgrounds the organisers would like Healthbook Collective The BWHC first published its to see there? Will some political action be spawned by women’s self-help bible Our Bodies Ourselves back in this coming together? September 19, Women’s Suffrage 1973. Since then the book has been updated and printed Day will tell the answer to this brave experiment.□

ZL „ ,l D o w e rfu l

Norma Swenson, a member of the Boston Women’sLT Health Book Collective, authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves, is guest speaker at this month’s National Women’s Health Conference. In this article, condensed from an article in New Roots, Bev Eaton discusses the growth of the Collective. The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, authors was not an isolated experience — many women shared of Our Bodies, Ourselves, originated as a discussion the same discontent. Members of the group were young group at a Boston women’s conference 10 years ago. They women in their twenties and thirties. Most were mothers. called themselves “the doctors’ group”, and conversation All were working women — an art historian, an artist, a focused on issues such as natural childbirth, contracep­ teacher, a masseuse, a psychotherapist. tion and abortion. One of the first tasks they set upon was Each chose a topic of personal interest — abortion, a reference list of good doctors that could be distributed childbirth, venereal disease, sexuality, rape, masturbation, among other women. anatomy — and tried to find out as much as she could But as tney compared treatments, the group realized by going to textbooks, doctors and other women. They that no such list could be made. All they could share were wrote papers on each topic and shared them with one “horror stories” of the insensitivity each had suffered. another. They also realized that they lacked the information to At the end of the sessions, the papers were describe the sort of health care they wanted. mimeographed and some of the women decided to put Realization led to action. They confidently began lear­ up $1,500 for publication of the papers by a local alter­ ning the dimensions of good medical care. They were, by native publisher, the New England Free Press. An impor­ and large, middle class women with diverse university tant addition was the decision to include the personal training, although none of them were in health-related pro­ thoughts and reactions of women in the text. This fessions. They also recognized that their dissatisfaction newsprint edition, called Women and Their Bodies, releas-

Broadsheet, September 1982 29 ed in late 1970, was sold around the Boston area tor 75 Each time the book is translated, a group of native cents. women are called together to provide their health ex­ “Every day orders flooded the office of the Press,” said periences and make changes so that the book is more ap­ Judy Norsigian, recalling the phenomenal underground plicable to their country. Profits from foreign sales of the success of the first editions. “Women in the Boston area book are used to support health education projects in each sent it to their friends all over the country, who sent it country. to their friends, and within 2 years, 250,000 copies were sold without spending a cent on advertising.” Also that year, six of the collective women who had At the same time, the group recognized that a core of young children joined with a half a dozen other women women had been working together at a steady and fre­ to research a book about parenting. Ourselves Our quent pace. It had become a close personal support group Children, published by Random House in 1978, follows as well as a research group, and they elected to close the the Our Bodies, Ourselves pattern. collective with membership of twelve. The phenomenal success of Our Bodies, Ourselves has By 1972, with sales of the newsprint edition ap­ had a positive and politically productive effect on the proaching 250,000 copies, it was clear that their book ap­ Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. pealed to a wider national audience than a small press Until 1974, no one in the collective was paid. They then began paying themselves a wage. The members of the Boston Women’s Health Collec­ tive have a spartan sense of pride, and are the antithesis of publicity-seeking authors. They have channeled their financial success into many health-related projects. The collective oversees an almost awesome number of productive health projects: they are constantly revising Our Bodies, Ourselves; they give 30 to 40 workshops, lectures and classes a year in nursing homes. YWCA’s, col­ leges, medical schools and hospitals, and even congress. They support Healthright, a national women’s health newsletter; the National Women’s Health Network; a menopause questionnaire project; the Women’s Com­ munity Health Centre in Cambridge and the Somerville Women’s Health Project; and they helped produce the film, Taking Our Bodies Back.

The responsibility the collective feels toward their work has been a cohesive force within the group. The women admit they have had leadership problems, that they have a hard time staying together, and that they are not all “best friends.” But, according to Esther Rome, “Our commit­ ment to each other has grown. I’ve seen people in the group change, become more tolerant, less critical. One benefit of being together for ten years is that the process is smoother and many things do not have to be said.” But if a member of the group has a personal problem, that has precedent over any business. Deadlines must wait un­ til the group talks it over. Negative backlash to the book began roughly three years ago, when the American Library Association nam­ ed Our Bodies, Ourselves as one of the 10 all-time best books for young people. As additional libraries began ordering the book, vocal objections to its frankness — including the chapter on gay women — increased. At­ tempts to ban the book occurred in Niagara County, New York; Ludlow, Massachusetts; Prince Georges County, Office mascot with English and foreign language editions of Our Maryland; Rockford, lllinios; Plainview, Texas; and Helena, Bodies, Ourselves. Montana. The censorship struggle amounts to an illuminating could serve. Judy Norsigian recalled, “Going to a capitalist sidelight in the phenomenal success of Our Bodies, publisher was one of our biggest struggles, but it was the only way to reach a mass audience.” Ourselves. Its impact goes much deeper than the best seller list tabulations. In measurable ways, it has widely The collective demanded tight control over the promo­ tional process. They wanted a final say on the book’s altered women’s relationships to their bodies. The book has gone beyond affecting the individual lives layout and price. They also wanted unlimited copies at of women. Many professionals in the health field credit 70 percent discount for distribution at non-profit women’s clinics. it with inspiring the burgeoning Women’s Health Move­ After nearly a year of debate on whether any of these ment which has spawned more than 1000 clinics and education groups dedicated to women’s health. issues could be compromised, the collective reluctantly side-stepped consensus to take a vote. Belita Cowan, executive director of the National Women’s Health Network said, “I truly believe Our Bodies, in 1972, the collective incorporated as a non-profit Ourselves has touched the life of every woman in the private foundation and began revising Our Bodies, country, whether she realizes it or not. It changed our Ourselves for the mass-market Simon and Schuster edi­ thinking so that we could regard birth as a normal func­ tion. When the 2nd edition was published in 1976, it made the best seller list, where it remains today. Now in its 19th tion, not a disease. It allowed a national network of groups printing, Our Bodies, Ourselves has sold more than to develop. The knowledge in the book is very powerful. 2,000,000 copies and has been translated into 13 foreign It gives women that sense of entitlement, that they have languages. the right to know.”

30 Broadsheet, September 1982 Thrush is caused largely by the yeast organism Can­ by marked by one attack of thrush at the end of it. And dida Albicans, which can start thriving in the vagina for there was a year-and-a-half until the next one, and now a large number of reasons. The medical profession is it is a year-and-a-half since then. In the future I expect I divided as to whether or not Candida Albicans is always will get the odd attack of thrush, but with care I feel they present in the vagina. Some feel it is there only when there will be very occasional. are vaginal symptoms, which however may be so slight As well as having sex only when both my partner and as to be unnoticeable to the woman. There are several fac­ myself are 100% keen I have changed my style of dress. tors which may predispose one to thrush including 1 wear skirts of cotton or wool (not synthetic) with a cot­ pregnancy, the Pill, diabetes, and antibiotic and steroid ton petticoat (unobtainable in shops, therefore home­ treatments. Also associated with thrush, though not quite made) and I never wear underpants, trousers or pantyhose. as specifically, are emotional stress, tiredness, and a This lets the air flow in the vital area as nature intended. generally run-down and unhappy condition. For warmth in the winter I have below-knee skirts, As a chronic thrush sufferer one tends to feel slightly sometimes an extra petticoat, and knee socks, football on edge and almost be waiting for the next attack; unable socks, or stockings and suspenders. As far as food goes, to believe one is really free of it. For after two days, two I don’t eat too much sugar and 1 drink herb teas. I try not weeks, two months . . . invariably it comes back. At first to get too tired and also try to do somehting I really want one is unbelieving and then . . then . . there is no doubt. to do each day. Compared though to the part sexual in­ Back to the doctor again, or the douche, or the yoghurt tercourse has played in my thrush these changes are or the gentian violet. Then follow weeks of sexual minor though positive. abstinence and a treatment, which tends to be messy and The real problem now becomes how do we ensure that unpleasant. And all the while one is hoping, though not we have sex only when we are drippingly ready for it. The very realistically, that this time it will be cured for good. pressures on us from outside make that tricky sometimes. Gingerly one has sex again . . and again . . and To say “no” to a sexual offer is sometimes difficult sometime, there it is, back again. because our self-esteem, so fragile and so dependent on After years of that routine, the treadmill became too our partner’s opinion of us, is at risk. If we co-operate we much for me and I started thinking seriously about my get strokes and approval, and if not we can sometimes repeated attacks of thrush. Years before my doctor had be made to feel inadequate and a bit of a failure. Thus the said, relax when you are having sex, but the tranquillisers fear of feeling inadequate means we ignore our own needs he gave me to make me feel relaxed at bedtime had me (or lack of them!) and we force ourselves to do something asleep within five or ten minutes. They would have saved we would really rather not do. Thus sex can become an me from thrush if I had kept them up, possibly only act of submission which seems necessary at the time to because there was no time for sex before 1 was asleep! maintain or bolster our self-esteem. But though I was unready to hear his advice at the time, Our self-esteem, it seems to me, is the crux of the mat­ it probably started me thinking on the right track. ter. As long as it is largely dependent on the opinion It began to dawn on me, over a few months, that a others have of us, we will keep having to bend our own thrush attack was almost always preceeded by sexual in­ desires to fit those of others instead of being able to free­ tercourse one to two days before and that the two were ly express ourselves. And we will keep on having sex related. And as I thought more about it and noted what wnen we don’t really want to, and we will keep getting happened it became clear that thrush followed sex which thrush. If we can build ourselves up enough to coDe with was abrasive for one reason or another. Perhaps I was not the reaction to “no ", we have begun to cross the bridge really in the mood, or we sustained our pleasure for longer over the chasm — the chasm between personal power and than we should have . . . and so for one reason or another the lack of it, the chasm which divides the strong and in­ 1 ended up with an irritated vagina. dependent person with the ability to express her real needs The whole thing began to crystallise for me and what and feelings from the submissive and dependent person I began to see made common sense. A healthy pink who depends totally on the opinions of others for her view vagina, a wet, dripping lubricated vagina and sexual in­ of herself. Of course we all have bits of both in us. Our tercourse go together. They need each other and are good job is to ensure the dependent, submissive part of us does for each other. A vagina in a state other than dripping not remain in control; it is to ensure that we gain, or wetness does not go well with sexual intercourse. A vagina regain, control of ourselves. And we can help each other, which is dry, tight, inflamed, sore or simply un­ by giving each other positive feedback, so we may all grow willing does not go with sex and they are bad tor each in stature. other. The sex is not good and the vagina gets annoyed. Saying “no”, and of course “yes”, at the right time for Sex only with complete and dripping wetness became ourselves, is an act of creative power and an expression my rule. And gradually 1 found the time between attacks of our true self. To be able to say no kindly and fearlessly of thrush lengthening. A year went by and I realised I had is a positive and creative achievement which may prove had only three attacks during the year. Another year went the death knell for your thrush. □

Broadsheet, September 1982 31 illustration by Jan O’Connor

The 5 to 10 million shots of the contracep­ puts the figure at 100,000 which is consistent tive injection, Depo Provera, given world-wide with research that shows that while it is used each year, amount to mass experimentation on by only 4% of current users, nevertheless about women. So contend PHILLIDA BCINKLE and 15% of pakeha and nearly 25% of Maori JUDITH ACKROYD. women of the fertile age range have used it. Women advised or persuaded to use Depo, Feminists have long held grave suspicions are often given no more information than that about this progesterone-only drug, which they their periods will dry up. But women actually contend has been released for use on women suffer a range of troubling and debilitating side- without proper testing. Animal tests had shown effects, ranging from weight gain to excessive up cancers. Because of this Depo is still bann­ bleeding. About one woman a week is admit­ ed for contraceptive use in over 80 countries, ted to Auckland’s National W omen’s Hospital including the USA, home country of Depo’s with uncontrollable bleeding. And no one warns manufacturers, Upjohn Ltd. Recently, the women that at least two women have nearly British Health Minister, Mr Kenneth Clarke, died from anaphylactic shock at the time the again refused to approve Depo for use in that Depo injection was administered. country, saying that the possible risks Through Hecate W omen’s Health Collective outweighed the benefits. (Lancet, 1 5 M ay, in Wellington, a group of feminists began 1982). But Depo is used in New Zealand. Just gathering case histories of women who’ve us­ how widely is difficult to ascertain. The Minister ed Depo. In this article, Judith and Phillida of Health suggested in Parliament that 40,000 discuss some of the little publicised, but shots a year are used here, but a company leak distressingly common, effects of Depo Provera.

Hecate heard many alarmed inquires from women they have had with this drug. We want to share what about the effects of Depo. A group of us decided to take women have told us about their experience. We are our these anxieties seriously and set out to understand the best resource. Collectively we can begin to create the Depo situation. The first step was to find and evaluate the knowledge that is relevant to us and take control of our medical information. The second was to gather informa­ lives. tion on a questionnaire from women about the experience In carrying out this project we have had a lot of sup-

t32 Broadsheet, September 1982 port from women but have had mostly hostile reactions and women are expected to “put up with them”. If we com­ from the health system. Our demand for access to full in­ plain about these disabilities we are fussing or neurotic. formation is treated with suspicion. Not being scientists We have found however that many women experience or doctors we have been made to feel that we have no these “side-effects” as utterly disabling. Among the areas “right” to such information. We have been told that we ignored in medical research the four most often mention­ are incapable of understanding the information, or that ed to us have been effects on bleeding, weight, sexual we may not interpret it in the way that experts would like pleasure and mood. us to. One doctor’s response was to demand the right to edit what we wrote about women’s personal testimonies. BLEEDING Above all they are afraid that we women will be frighten­ “Within 24 hours of the injection I started bleeding, it ed by sharing information and understanding what is hap­ flooded and went on for 14 weeks.” pening to us. We are seen as unbalanced for being in­ I took Depo 8 years ago and my cycle has never return­ terested at all. Our health and our bodies are seen as none ed to normal. I have never had a period since then unless of our business. I took the Pill.” I had two shots of Depo 7 years ago. I have not had a period since. 1 have recently had some treatment. I hope Because Depo does not require action on it will make me fertile again as I am sure being made in­ fertile was one reason why my relationship broke up.” the woman’s part, doctors seem to feel that The medical literature recognises that Depo will disturb they do not need to explain anything. the menstrual cycle, but the extent of the problem and its effect on women is not acknowledged. Only one medical study has made careful measurements of bleeding. The World Health Organisation set out to As a group of women we have had to learn to unders­ discover whether women’s reasons for discontinuing Depo tand and evaluate a lot ot technical and statistical infor­ were “valid”. Only measurable physical effects were ac­ mation. But learning to crack the medical code, which is cepted as “valid” but, nevertheless, WHO found that so often used to manipulate and mystify us, has given us discontinuence was correlated with bleeding episodes of confidence. Medical jargon is used to reinforce the experts 80 days or more. They made no evaluation of what these monopoly on information. Doctors are trained to believe “episodes” meant to the women who experienced them, that they are superior because only they can interpret the or how long the bleeding eventually continued, but it was information. In doing this work we have really had to at least medical acknowledgement of the problem. The question doctors’ roles as experts and to work towards effects of severe bleeding on women’s lives is ignored. a way in which we feel in charge of our bodies and lives. “The heavy bleeding made me tired and affected my work. I had to take days off work and after three months Our attempts to initiate our own feminist research has 1 had to take a month off work. The bleeding prevented been hindered by lack of resources such as time, money, me from going anywhere that wasn’t close to a toilet.” and facilities. Denying women even basic resources ex­ Bleeding disturbances have the added danger that they cludes us effectively from the creation of knowledge. We may prevent the diagnosis of other conditions. Women have no credibility, and our research is totally dismissed who do not bleed for a long time after coming off Depo by the bodies that make money available for research. Our worry that they might be infertile and that they are preg­ application to the Medical Research Fund of the Lotteries nant. Some do not realise that they have conceived. Con­ Board was dismissed without any reason, while incredibly, tinuous bleeding may mask other serious conditions: ACWA (Advisory Committee on Women’s Affairs) asked “When I was on Depo I had spotting. I feel it was a doctor working for Gpjohn for an evaluation. Listening very dangerous, as several years later I had to women, taking what we say seriously, is an activity en­ spotting and had cancer of the cervix, and the tirely without credibility in a world of medical science. doctor may not check up like that when a woman Women’s experiences are seen as “subjective” and is on Depo.” unreliable as a source of knowledge. Only quantifiable ef­ THE SEXUAL TURN-OFF fects are accepted as real; they are assumed to be physical, “Loss of sex interest makes Depo self-defeating.” everything else is “just in the head.” We have repeatedly Over half the women who have discussed their Depo been told that effects like depression or loss of sexual en­ experiences with us have said that they lost sexual interest joyment cannot be investigated at all because it depends or pleasure or lubricated less. This effect has been total­ on believing what women say rather than measuring ly ignored in the medical literature and many doctors do something. It is a short step to the idea that because not recognise that it may be a side-effect of the drug: depression can’t be measured it isn’t “caused” by the “With the loss of sex drive and lack of lubrication medication. These are powerful assumptions minimising 1 was made to feel frigid. The doctor didn’t make problems and reinforcing doctors’ underestimation of the any link between this and the injection.” serious effects of this drug. We have found that few women The only comment we have found in the whole of the who have experienced problems with this drug have official Depo literature is one by a Brazilian doctor who returned to the doctor. This was partly because it was explained that they gave up experimenting with double prescribed through clinic, prisons, mental and maternity doses because it caused “a rather marked regression of hospitals, and partly because these women were often the internal genitals that was accompanied frequently by disillusioned and angry that they had been given such poor libido and lack of orgasm, a matter that meant some minimal information about its effects and safety risks. conflict with the husband.” When feedback is so limited, women who do complain Loss of sexual pleasure is regarded as so unimportant are even more likely to be dismissed or to find their pro­ that there has been no investigation at all into this “side- blem attributed to themselves or their situation. Women effect”, yet it can be devastating to women’s lives: with persistent problems, including those returning to The relationship between M. and her husband gynaecologists and psychiatrists; were offered little treat­ became increasingly strained. They saw the doc­ ment anyway. tor and went to marriage counselling, but it was A distinction is frequently made between “serious” not until they got to the sexual dysfunction clinic threats, such as cancer, which are at least worth investiga­ that any suggestion was made that M’s. sexual tion and “side-effects” which are trivial, unimportant and turn-off could be due to Depo. “The relief was not worth researching at all. ‘Side effects are inevitable enormous. Just knowing what it was. I really

Broadsheet, September 1982 33 5 think if we hadn’t found out the marriage would depression to something “in” the women or “in her situa- have broken up.” M’s. sexual feelings and respon­ tion. A number of women however, felt better when the siveness returned about a year after her last effects of the drug wore off. injection. WHOSE CHOICE? Depo is an effective contraceptive for men, but it makes Many abuses related to Depo centre on the question them impotent. Some GS clinics use it as chemotherapy of choice and informed consent. Advocates of Depo cite for sex offenders; but the fact that it removes a man’s sex the fact that it requires little motivation on the women’s drive is sufficient reason for not using it as a male con­ part as a major advantage. It is the contraceptive least con­ traceptive. Not so for women. The fact that it causes a sex­ trolled by women; the potential for abuse is therefore ual turn-off for many women is regarded as so unimpor­ great. Just about all the women we talked to complained tant that it remains uninvestigated. Who then is sex that they were poorly informed or misinformed about it. fo r. . . ? Not for ourselves it would seem. Is contraception Because Depo does not require action on the woman’s for women, but sex for men? Sexist science lauds the part, doctors seen to feel that they do not need to explain chemical castration of young women as a technical anything. Doctors are especially likely to prescribe it for advance. women whom they consider unreliable or of low in­ telligence, or whose lives are full of problems or who will not toe the line. Sometimes it seems that Depo is the new Sometimes it seems that Depo is the new eugenics; preventing the breeding of the “socially unfit”; handed eugenics; preventing the breeding of the out in prisons and mental hospitals and abortion clinics “socially unfit”. and given to Maoris twice as often as pakehas. Depo is not accepted as a contraceptive in Australia, but is given to Aboriginal women; it is stringently limited in Britain Two women who told us they thought Depo was a good but prescribed extensively for West Indians; and it is ap­ contraceptive also said that they lost interest in sex. Some proved for use on Black but not white women in South women are so concerned about pregnancy that they find Africa. being turned off an acceptable price to pay for secure con­ traception. That some of us do not feel free not to have sex we do not enjoy is probably a comment on how closely We have found that few women who have sex is associated with our dependence on men, rather than our pleasure. It is a telling measure of our powerlessness experienced problems with this drug have in a sexist society. returned to the doctor. WEIGHT GAIN Although weight gain is easily measured, this is another effect about which there is little information. One study of malnourished third world women showed average gains Sometimes there are important medical reasons for us­ much smaller than those reported by many women we ing Depo, but sometimes the doctor’s reasons are quite have talked to. The average may not reflect the extent of trivial: the problem individual women experience. The average My new doctor in Auckland “convinced me that also may include the weight loss experienced by women my previous method (a diaphragm used suc­ with continuous heavy bleeding. cessfully for 20 years) was dirty and unsatisfac­ Quite a lot of women are really distressed by very large tory. . . He refused to prescribe diaphragms to his weight gains which they find particularly hard to loose. patients.” For some women this was associated with a sense of For some women the fear of pregnancy is so strong that helplessness and contributed to depression: the use of Depo seems preferable. Generally methods “I wish 1 had never taken it really. It was so bad which prevent conception most effectively cause the most for my body, and my image of myself as a changes to our bodies. Repressive abortion policy in New woman somehow.” Zealand exerts a real pressure on women to use methods It may make more sense to investigate weight gain as that are the most certain to prevent conception even if part of a whole syndrome of distress. In particular we they carry the greatest risk to their own health. notice that the reactions that begin most quickly after an Many women we spoke to used Depo because they had injection seem to be the most severe and report the been unable to get the contraception they wanted. It was greatest weight gain and depression. especially suggested as a substitute for a sterilization they were denied. But the overwhelming reason most women DEPRESSION use Depo is that they cannot solve the contraception pro­ “I was on Depo for three years while 1 was in blem. For most of us who need birth control there is no Porirua Hospital. . . if 1 had refused the injection answer to the problem. All the other methods demand that they would have locked me up. In Porirua they we face the conflict over and over again, everyday. Here just put everyone on it — every women who is in at last is a method which means we will not have to face the age group getting pregnant — practically all the problem for a few weeks. No wonder it sounds the young women were on it.” attractive. Most women recognised that it was difficult to tell For some women Depo will indeed be a boon. It may whether Depo was a “cause” of their depressed mood, solve their immediate contraceptive problems satisfactori­ although some said that they had never felt depressed ly. If they are informed these women might choose to ac­ before taking Depo. Quite a few women had treatment cept the long-term risks and effects. For some women it for depression while taking Depo. Women who are given might be the ideal choice. The difficulty is that it is im- Depo post-natally may have weight gain, sexual turn-off ossible to predict who will be devastated and who will and depression anyway, but Depo isn’t going to help the e unscathed. For the women who are badly affected, this situation. These women may have to struggle harder to gglobal experiment in drug safety is a disaster. □ climb out of their condition. Depo is frequently given to women who are experiencing difficulties. It is given FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DEPO OR IF YOG routinely to many mental hospital patients. No one knows HAVE GSED DEPO PROVERA AND WISH TO SHARE how much it may contribute to keeping them in this state. YOGR EXPERIENCE WITH GS CONTACT HECATE In the absence of information, doctors tend to attribute P.O. BOX 11675 WELLINGTON PH 721-804

34 Broadsheet, September 1982 NOT WHITE, NOT BLUE BUT RED-HOT-UNDER-THE-COLLAR WORKERS! an article on occupational health by Sue Lytollis. The disease: Sexual Harassment

Have you ever been introduced to a group of new began suddenly to answer back to lewd comments found workmates and one of them says — “Wow, they’ve got a looker this time.”? that the men began treating her with more “respect and intelligence”. She questioned them on the change and Have you ever been “approached” by workmate, boss, they said she wasn’t like the other “girls” anymore. The headmaster, caretaker, in a secluded place and you had to talk/ask/pray/fight your way out? office wolf even went so far as to stand with his hands in front of his crotch when he spoke to her. She said her job Have you ever been called “frigid, bitchy, a bad humour, enjoyment improved. nasty, uptight” because you refused to put up with the A woman can try and develop her ability to fight back jokes/bum pinches/lewd comments and sexual advances of the above? by preplanning her defence. A great tea break conversa­ tion is to talk about how you could react to certain sex­ So, please, count up the number of times the “above” ual harassment situations and to gauge from other women have made you feel angry and insecure. Count up the whether the same man is doing the same things to them. times you walked away pounding your fists into your hands saying “1 should have said this, done that.” If this has happened to you — you suffer from the disease — sexual harassment in the workplace. poyooThinK heV/|[ HeSpreHy Now we can start preventative medicine. Sexual harass­ ment is one of the great silent attacks of our time. It is gev— Itve nriessa^J|fhiC|< responsible for job stress, unnecessary resignations and the gradual destruction of self-worth and self-confidence 0 | a n c h £ in thousands of New Zealand women. It is responsible for doesA' vj) the insidious growth of male power and oppression. It is responsible for unannounced and unreported rapes in the workplace. So far, traditional medicine has not grasped the issue of sexual harrassment firmly in its teeth to give it the shakeup it so well deserves. Instead, traditional condition­ ed ways tell us that sexual harrassment is only sexual har­ assment if the woman says “no”. It tells us that a few wolf 1 DO whistles at work are harmless fun. It totally underestimates WA«Tl and undermines the serious nature of sexual harassment. l luw f\*c This article is about preventative medicine. A booklet published recently by the Federation of Labour suggests Yes, it does help to group together with other female ways of dealing with sexual harassment on a union level, workers. Man One and Two are likely to harass more than i.e., “record each sexual advance in a diary, record your one woman. Public group or individual pressure to own work accomplishments, go to your union”. management and even higher can work, just as physical Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, it does not suggest group pressure can work. For instance, surrounding him immediate ways of dealing with a particular advance. at the loos; all making remarks about his small penis/bad Understanding the mentality of the “sexual harasser” is breathe or revolting personality. It depends on the important when planning your physical/ver- situation. bal/psychological reactions to his harassment. Yes, a diary record and union notification are all essen­ Sexual harassment tends to develop in three stages. tial for each stage of sexual harassment. Dealing with Stage One is the overly vocal man who delights in saying Stage Three men tends to warrant more serious activity. rude and sexist things to you and/or any woman nearest If he makes a verbal approach your reaction should be him. He is likely to be the random bum pincher who relies forthright: If you mean what you say, Bill, my opinion on peer attention for positive reinforcement. of you has been lowered considerably,” or “I wouldn’t Stage Two man is more cautious. He will be an expert touch you with a forty foot barge pole” or “I am not in­ at making lewd innuendos like “you’re not wearing bras terested, never shall be and if you suggest that once more today, your breasts look so much nicer like that”. He is 111 go straight to your superiors/union.” Secret memos a wandering hands type. to the boss’s wife may also work. Stage Three is by far the more direct and dangerous If Stage Three makes a physical approach then physical character. His technique is definite and planned. Waiting retribution may also be required. Leaving him with to catch you after work/in the darkroom/when you next bruises, a bloody or broken nose or a black eye is excellent apply for a wage increase or promotion. He will be direct as a collaboration to the attack. It is much easier to com­ with his demands or he will merely attack physically after pare his bruises to your indignation when you go to the a breaking down period. police or union. It is much more difficult to compare your There are self defence methods for each of these men. depression and nervousness with his denials. Percentage wise — Stage One and Two men are most So, there is hope, there are things that can be done on common. They tend to test prospective victims to see how a personal level to combat sexual harassment. Fighting much they can get away with. If a woman is firm and quick back to these attacks can improve a woman’s confidence, to hit back with verbal aggression (especially in public) her ability to grow in her chosen career. It is also one step there is a high chance she will be avoided and treated in towards the eradication of female oppression in the a “different” manner. workplace. Remember, paper clips can be dangerous if used in the One office clerk who did a self defence course and correct way.D

Broadsheet, September 1982 35 Sexual Harassment and the Human Rights Commission, by Sandi Beatie In April the Human Rights Commission issued a policy something more than occasional acts or uncouth statement on sexual harassment as a form of sex behaviour or mere banter”. Surveys undertaken in New discrimination. According to the Commission sexual Zealand by the Public Service Association and the Ad­ harassment can stretch from light-hearted banter to in­ visory Committee on Women’s Affairs, gave respondents sistence on sexual intercourse. But this definition stops the opportunity to state how they felt about sexual well short of what sexual harassment really is for women. harassment and what forms were most common. Clear­ Sexual harassment is everything from leering and ver­ ly the most common forms of harassment were sexual bal comments, to subtle pressure for sexual activity, at­ remarks, teasing and touching. These advances were tempted rape and rape. It is aggression and violence considered to be offensive and demeaning, very few towards women, as in most cases the perpetrators of found them flattering. The samples showed that harass­ ment, whether considered mild or otherwise, was a harassment are men. I object very strongly to the Commission’s assertions serious social problem within the New Zealand that “sexual banter in some form is to be taken for workforce. granted” and that “one must not become narrow and The high points of the HRC policy were the acceptance there must be a reasonable acceptance of people as they that “to constitute sexual harassment it is not necessary are”. The Commission displays a total ignorance of the that there be either actual physical involvement, or that power roles inherent in male/female dealings whether there be an overt threat of reprisal if the sexual advances they be as co-workers, boss/employee, friends or sex­ are not acceded to”, and in the admission that employers ual partners. “Sexual banter” could only be construed should take some responsibility for preventing harass­ as “slightly pleasurable” if invited and where a power ment occurring. But this could only operate if the imbalance does not exist, it should not be regarded as employer was not personally involved with the acceptable or a normal part of living. These assertions harassment. are also based on the assumption that to most people an awareness of and interest in the opposite sex is a nor­ Broadsheet readers should obtain a copy of the HRC mal part of living. I would question what is normaland policy and comment about it to the Commission, the why the HRC has taken so long to accept lesbians and Government and to Opposition MPs. Cases of harass­ ment of women in the paid workforce should be reported gay men. It is not enough for the Commission to state that tor to unions, and unions should be pressed to pursue sexual harassment to amount to unlawful sex discrimina­ harassment cases, to take them seriously and to make tion through affecting the conditions of employment or sure that the employee or person complaining does not subjecting someone to any detriment there must be end up being victimized further. □ ______

Raewyn Wiki and Christine Leef outline at Otara health project which aimed to educate black womin about diabetes and nutrition. In August 1981 a group of black womin attended a six- the discussion. We recognised that we are always blam­ week course at Kokiri Te Rahuitanga to learn about nutri­ ed for being in the ill-state, and the real factors con­ tributing to our health are ignored. We discussed how the tion and diabetes. Dr Mary-Jane Reid who took the course medical profession does not properly inform womin about informed us that maturity onset of diabetes was on the increase among black womin in Otara, and that this was important health issues. We prepared and cooked lunches together for whoever particularly marked because of the concentration of was at Kokiri at the time. Our_main task was ^ p rep are blacks living in Otara. We learned how nutrition was im­ meals'that were nutritious as well as appealing to the portant in preventing diabetes and other chronic illnesses hungry onlookers. We did, however, get the odd remark which are increasingly creating health problems for black such as “pakeha food” and “rabbit scraps . We had to ig- womin. nor these remarks and entice people to taste and see for During the course written information was always given themselves to discourage this mythical attitude. After all, hand-in-hand with practical knowledge. This was a very Maoris were natural herbalists long before whites introduc­ effective method as womin understood everything a lot ed processed foods and beverages. better. Womin’s own experiences often came out during

36 Broadsheet, September 1982 Later we decided that to educate blacks about nutrition we had accumulated over the past few weeks. The we should have something visual to show what nutritious resposne from black womin was quite good. However, foods they could include in their barely affordable grocery Mary-Jane felt that there were a large number of black lists. A group member, Raewyn Wiki, was also a member womin who needed continuing medical attention. of South Auckland Video Education, and she used her Although they were told this at the time, some were ap­ skills to record a session at a local supermarket. The rest prehensive about talking it out in full, even though they of the group compiled notes for a cassette tape commen­ had already taken advantage of the service we were pro­ tary to be later dubbed onto the video. The local volun­ viding free. Most said they were in a hurry to get to other tary worker, Zena Tamanui, supported us and posed as places. But even in the short time we spent in the Mall, the key shopper for our video. we could see how serious the whole health problem was We are still working on the video and contemplating among black womin. a few changes before we offer it as a visual aid to black At the end of our six-week course, Patty Minola- groups. Matafeo, a co-ordinator for Community Volunteers, of­ Towards the end of the course we did practical tests on fered her assistance. Two womin from the group decided locals at the Otara Shopping Mall during the Otara they would commit themselves to a community health Festival. We set up a table with simple gadgets for blood project and Patty undertook to seek funds for it. At pre­ pressure tests, scales to check people's weight, blood sent we’re waiting to hear if our application to the Mental glucose testing, and our brains filled with knowledge that Health Foundation has been successful. □ iiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiaiiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiincaniimiiiiianiiiniiiiianmninuaininmmammmmafUMtMMHam GUIDELINES ON GOOD AND BAD FOODS

Foods to avoid: Sugar, Jam, Honey, Lollies, Chocolate, ice- Eat liberally: Cabbbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Leeks, Cream, Tinned fruit, Cakes, Sweet biscuits, Sweetened condensed Silverbeet, Radishes, Lettuce, Tomatos, Green beans, Puha, Car­ milk, Fizzy drinks, Cordials, Beer, Wine, Fried foods, Fat meat, rots, Swedes, Onion, Green pepper, Garlick, Coconut milk, Fat bacon, Chips and batter, Cream, Oil, Dripping, Lard, Butter. Vegemite, Marmite, Clear soup, Tea and coffee (unsweetened). Cooking: Eat in moderation: Meat (fat cut off), Skinless chicken, Fish and shellfish, Eggs, Milk, Cheeses, Yoghurt, Taro, Green bananas, • Foods are best grilled, baked or boiled wrapped in tinfoil. Yams, Corn, Potato, Kumara, Parsnips, Coconut cream, Raw fruit, • Avoid cooking in dripping, oil, batter, margarine and cream. Spaghetti, Bakes-beans, Bread, Cabin bread, Porridge, Weet-bix’ • Three meals a day — no feasts or fasting Cornflakes. • Exercise — balance food intake with energy output, never laze Takeaway food (meat pies, fruit pies, Kentucky fried chicken, around after a meal. Eat plenty of roughage to avoid bowel problems eg. wholegrain hamburgersiiainuuiycis — onceu i i l c d a weekweeK only.oruy. . ui i, • ,7,------\ 7 ------LlHiailllllllllliaillllllllliinilliiiiiiiiiniiH H iiH iiDgM iiiiii,,I,ū |||,,,||t|)to J tta,)|||(S|j0 j° ^ |||||C|^ u||a^ r||||Q P^0|^ |^ t|1°|l^u i||n

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Broadsheet, September 1982 37 Linda K. w a s threatened with her life, and with rape. But that was only the beginning. . . Louise Rafkin reports

RAPE"aIn February of 1981, eighteen-year-old Linda case K. (not her ofThe procedure took over an hour and Linda describes real name) was raped. In a car, on a deserted road. Violent­ it as “more painful than the rape”. , ly, with threats against her life. The doctor couldn’t insert his speculum into Linda s At 2.00 am Linda walked to a nearby farmhouse. She vagina, and was noticeably annoyed with her for not co­ was taken home and the police were summoned. She was operating”. After much “shoving”, he resorted to using a gloved finger to obtain a sample. His report to the police: safe. that Linda must “be making the whole thing up” because Or was she? Since February, Linda has been fighting numerous legal being so tight there could not have been penetration. He battles against the rapist, against the doctor who perform­ told the police she was probably a virgin. ed the post-rape examination, fighting for Legal Aid, Linda was taken back to the police station. After a con­ fighting for Accident Compensation. The physical ordeal ference with the doctor the police asked her if she “had which lasted two hours has brought her into a mental really been raped”, told her that many women make up ordeal which means fighting a society which treats rape stories to gain attention. During the five hours which it victims as sub-human, like criminals themselves. The took to make her statement (still without a washing, or following is the account of Linda’s experiences from the a change of clothes), they asked her intimate details of time the police arrived “to help”. the rape, how, where, as well as subjective questions: Why After re-visiting the scenes of the assault with the police, were you walking late at night? Why were you in the car. Linda was taken to the local police doctor. A friend with Why didn’t you fight? In short, why did you let it happen? whom she boarded was at the station but was not allow­ Linda made her statement in the presence of two ed to comfort Linda or accompany her in any way. In the policemen: no policewomen. Still in her dirty clothing, presence of a policewoman, the doctor proceeded with having stayed up all night, they again took her back to his examination, hardly speaking to Linda and giving no the rape scenes while taking her home. By this time it was explanation as to his procedures. The required forensic 8.00 am. Once home, she was allowed to shower and see examination of a rape victim, which the doctor then car­ her friend. In the morning, her father telephoned, called her a ried out, includes: • Fingernail scrapings; “fucking slut”, telling her it was her “own fault”. She hung • Samples of pubic hair (30) plucked from the body; up on him. She called her boss (she was a receptionist), told him • Samples of head hair (50); • Vulval swab — external and internal; she had been raped and would not be coming into work. • Sample vaginal contents, including insertion non- His comment, “When will you be in then, you ve left me lubricated speculum; in a tight spot.” The friend with whom she boarded told her not to tell • Sample and swab cervix; anyone, no one wanted to know about those things. • Blood sample.

38 Broadsheet, September 1982 Later that morning she went to a local GP. He gave her VD pills, morning after pills, spoke to her for about ten making or reporting a complaint to this Committee to minutes. He was extremely businesslike, she felt like he seek an explanation that a colleague may have of his wanted her to leave as soon as possible. He did not ex­ actions before proceeding to complain or advising a amine her. She thought he did not know what to say to patient to complain. It is not sufficient to proceed her. solely on the basis of a patient’s condemnation of a doctor’s actions. In the afternoon the police came to check over her state­ The doctor was found not guilty of the charge of con­ ment. This took three hours and included a photo session. duct unbecoming a medical practitioner. The Committee In a few days the police rang up. A man who fitted her found that “due to Miss K’s shocked state” she could not description had picked up another woman, tried to rape properly remember the exchange between herself and the her and admitted to her that he had done the rape in East doctor. In defense of his suggestion to the police that Lin­ Tamaki. da was not raped, the Committee commented: “In such At the deposition hearing, the police prosecutor helped examinations a police surgeon has not only a duty to the her through her statement, re-telling all the details of the person he is examining, but one to the police in the course rape. The rapist was his own counsel and was allowed to of investigations of a reported crime that may require his cross-examine her. He asked her all about the rape, ask­ immediate advice of even tentative conclusions.” ed her if he had "put his penis in” her vagina, implying Linda applied for Legal Aid to pay for her unsuccessful that she enjoyed it. The court thought this hilarious, know­ battle. She was refused. ing that he was surely sabotaging his own case. A joke at whose expense? The District Legal Aid Committee found that (a) despite The deposition was adjourned so that the rapist could having been told to obtain counsel, hers was not a case attend court for burglary. The Supreme Court date was that required a lawyer’s services. She was acting as a set in three months time. During this time Linda found witness to the case, she was merely putting “forward jobs hard to hold, relationships hard to handle. While evidence to substantiate the complaint she had made.” friends were telling her to “forget” she knew that in three And furthermore, (b) “She could have no material interest months time she would be back on the stand, repeating, in the result of the proceedings before the Disciplinary again, every detail of that two hours. Committee: and therefore could not be said to “suffer The day before the case the rapist changed his plea to substantial hardship if aid were not qranted”. (Section guilty. There was no need for a trial. Linda felt let down 23(2Xe)(ii) of the Legal Aid Act 1969). and cheated. An anti-climax to a lot of worry, and prepar- Linda aDDealed to the Legal Aid Appeal Authority, in tion. He got seven years (of a maximum of fourteen). Wellington. They refused her appeal. After lengthy letter­ Linda had gone to the Rape Crisis Centre during this writing the Disciplinary Committee eventually paid Lin­ time and was working things out mentally with the help da’s costs. of Susan St Clair. During their talks, Linda commented Linda is still fighting. She has applied for Accident Com­ on the treatment she received from the police surgeon. pensation for the mental and physical anguish she has suf­ Susan recommended that she see another doctor for a fered over the last year-and-a-half. She was sent to a complete examination. This doctor told her of the Medical psychiatrist for another three hour interview about the Practitioners Disciplinary Committee. Susan and she rape, the details, again, and how they have affected her composed and sent a letter to this group describing the life. handling of her examination. The Committee replied to Men and bureaucracies, men and power. Linda has Rape Crisis saying that “the complaint amounts to a grown up a lot over the last year. She is stronger, more charge of conduct unbecoming a practitioner ... it is self-assured, more angry, more aware. She now works at desirable and in the public interest that it be inquired the South Auckland Women’s Refuge Centre. She is do­ into.” The Committee advised that she would need a ing the MIT Community Workers’ Certificate Course in lawyer to represent her at the inquiry. They assured her Social Work. She is still scared of the dark, finds if hard that her feelings will receive the greatest possible con­ to sleep with the light off, hard to drive alone, or stay home sideration and she will be fully protected against any form alone. She admits to being slightly “paranoid”. of humiliation.” As a result of her ordeal, things have changed, if ever The Committee suggested that Legal Aid would be so slightly. Surely the police doctor, each time he faces available for her legal representation at the inquiry. a rape victim, will recall her examination, and perhaps On the basis of these assurances, Linda decided to go hopefully, soften his tactics. Sir Randall Elliot, a member ahead with the inquiry, represented by a feminist lawyer. of the Medical Displinary Committee, gave an address to On September 25, seven months after the rape, the a meeting of the South Pacific Federation of Police Committee met. It was made up of three middle-aged surgeons in which the treatment of rape victims was his male doctors and one retired Brigadier General. The chief subject. He urged changes in the existing legal police doctor had legal counsel flown up from Wellington system, and stated, “in any case of violent assault, and for the hearing. Linda described it as a “Kangaroo Court particularly in sexual assault, it is the doctor’s duty to en­ — no way to win”. sure that provision for treatment of the victim is his first She was put on the stand again, and asked about the priority.” A change from the verdict of the Committee, rape by counsel. He bullied her, played a guessing game (the first duty is to the police) — Better late than never? with her (When did the doctor do this, that?). Asked her Linda has hopes. Hopes for better, fairer laws. Hopes about her sexual background. She broke, finally, into tears for a more humane legal system. Hope for women doc­ and resumed the stand after a break to cope with more tors as police surgeons. She is a very brave, optimistic of the same line of questioning. determined woman.□ Susan St Clair was put on the stand and attacked as iiiiiiiiiiiofiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiiiiiuiiiiaiii “feminist”. The lawyer followed the age-old practice of questioning her “expertise”, training and qualifications. In mid-July Linda was told by Auckland Accident Com­ The doctor who had advised Linda to complain, gave evidence and was told that he should have consulted his pensation Commission that her case had been decided “colleague” before suggesting that Linda lodge a upon and she had been awarded $500. She has filed for complaint: a review . . . The Committee takes this opportunity to state that it is of the firm view that it is the duty of any doctor iiiiiiiiD iiiiiiiiiiiiD iiiiiiiiiiiia iiiiiiiiiiiia iiiiiiiiH iiQ iiiiiiiiiiiiQ iiiiii,

Broadsheet, September 1982 39 MY HHMM» UuRPZmGTxtfiM S I

40 Broadsheet, September 1982 Well, hes not my husband, actually. He's a wicked magician who kidnapped me here with his false promises of movies once a week, a subscription to The New Yorker. ("What nonsense is she writing now?" her father asked, looking over her shoulder, but how could it be her father, her father had been dead seventeen years?) Anyway my husband is taking out his aggressions in the garden. As for me, I'm in the kitchen with the tombstone blues. If I have been unfair on him, The Magician, how can I forgive myself? And yet, standing in the kitchen over a tub of hot thumping washing, my hands on my hips, staring out the window at The Magician, I hate him. For he will not let me go. I have become the old caged bird again. I keep thinking I hear The Monster crying in his bedroom. But he's far away, miles and miles, safe in The Monster Hospital. If only I hadn't had The Monster! Where would I be today? Certainly not standing here like Daphne Withers waiting for the sheep to come in. The sheep would have a bit of struggle getting up the back stairs, wouldn't it. But anyway I'm not Daphne Withers, am I? I'm just me. Today I am on leave from Yorkington Psychiatric. So why am I standing here doing the washing while he's silent out in the garden? He should be talking to me, shouldn't he? Today is the day I'm going to kill myself. After I ve hung the washing out there in the grey moist air, I'm going to swallow my saved-up pills and wash them down with copious glasses of water, while The Magician will be attacking the feijoa tree with his hedge clippers. I have to leave this place. I can never stay here again. I would hear the cries in the night, and lie frightened beside the sleeping t Magician till the birds began to wake to a million dawns again. I'H lie down to sleeP alone- ni wear my old frilly white nightgown and my thick white bedsocks. They can crem ate me in that. What if They take no notice of my last request? What if They put in me in a great wooden coffin that the worms can crawl into and feast on me? I couldn't bear it! I'd have to though, wouldn't I. Whose hairbrush and whose toothbrush will they brush my hair and teeth with one last time? Mine? Whose? Will they put embalming fluid in me, lipstick on my lips? Will there be the Dead Room, really? Will all the Dead be having a wonderful Party when I arrive? Or will being Dead feel just like being asleep only more so. Without dreams, of course? This time tomorrow I will be dead. For lunch we had tomato soup with onion rings, followed by tea and peanut brownies. I didn't know what to say to The Magician. So I just listened, or pretended to, while he told me the plot of a movie he'd seen on telly. I ate politely, watching him. I remembered the week that I lay in bed crying, telling him. I wanted to die, or go and stay at Yorkington. He was finally persuaded, by friends, that I had to go into Yorkington. He drove me there. I wore my long black dress with flowers on, or did I? The flametrees were in bloom in front of ADMISSION. A nurse took me away and weighed me and gave me a tiny bath while The Magician talked with the Sister. "I'm not mad," I explained to the Nurse, "I'm just depressed, I'm just suicidal, that's all. I'm not mad." The Magician left. I said I didn t want to see him for a while. The Sister gave me some heavy drugs. For dinner was a sausage and some bread, and tea, but I wasn't hungry. After dinner I had to do an IQ test in a corner of a dormitory where two ladies were fighting over a pink nighty. I got 126, but might have got higher if I hadn't been so drugged. My eyes were heavy already from the week of crying. There were some interesting and intelligent ladies in that place. I've even made friends with some of them, swapping addresses and phone numbers as if we meant to keep in touch afterwards. A month passed. The Magician came to see me. It was nice to see him. He was allowed to take me home for an afternoon visit sometimes. Like now. First I am going out to have a look at the dark purple irises along the side path. Later. The washing is out. I've said goodbye to the purple irises. When I ve taken all the pills I m going to lie down on the high bed, and cover myself with the tartan rug When he comes in from the garden, when the last light is gone, he will find me there and think I am just sleeping. Won t he get a shock when he tries to wake me up. I have to go now. I won't leave a note, after all. What is there left to say? Except forgive m e.ū

Broadsheet, September 1982 41 Dear What's New? Connoisseurs, Marlborough Emergencey Refuge, It was a struggle to compile the Blenheim or R. Good, PO Box column this month. Material for it was 16-079 (Women’s Refuge), slow to come in. So if any feminist out Wellington. there in the wilderness of Muldoon Access Radio 783Kh, 9.00 am - Land has anything for the October 4.30 pm every Sunday and 6.00 pm issue please write and tell me about - 10.00 pm every Monday. it. I need you. Not all of the reasons Women’s Suffrage Special, 19 for the problems of compiling the September; Women’s What’s On, column can be laid at the feet of Sunday 26,1.30 pm. The program­ other people. I must take my share mes on Women Making Music Mak­ of the blame. For besides being in­ ing Women was so successful they volved in two or three political are continuing till September 12 at groups, adjusting to people coming 2.00 pm. Order the Access and going in my life, I now have a newsletter and free booklet on us­ job. It is as a PEP worker to help ing Access Radio from PO Box organise the National New Zealand 2396, Wellington. Women’s Health Network Con­ group with varied levels of commit­ Vanya Lowry, Rotorua Art Gallery, CHRISTCHURCH HEALTH ference. So come along to the Con­ ment to religion and the women's Government Gardens, Monday 23 CENTRE FOR WOMEN ference in September and see if I movement. Interested Hamilton August — Sunday 12 September. have been doing my job properly. If The Health Alternatives for Women women Ph liana 66-854; others This well-known artist has put is a women’s health centre in not, feel free to tell me. I may hate wanting to form a similar group write together some amazing shopping you forever, but at least I’ll know the Christchurch which concentrates on to Rebecca Judd, 8 Balmoral Street, lists for all to contemplate and ad­ preventative health care for women. truth. See you in September. Hamilton. mire. Check your lists with Vanya’s. We do this by sharing women's DOREEN Mediawomen Wellington, meets knowledge and healing skills believ­ regularly at 108A Able Smith Street. Bea Maddock, National Art Gallery, CONFERENCES Next meeting Saturday, 2nd Oc­ ing that in this way we promote self- National New Zealand Women’s Wellington, 12 August - 26 help. THAW is organised by a col­ Health Network Conference, tober. For details, ph Secretary Jo September. Prints by this interna­ Cameron 793-375. lective of women who make deci­ September 17-19. Friday: Profes­ tionally known Australian painter and sions by consensus and we are sional Symposium, Hotel Intercon­ Feminist Workers in the Social printmaker done between 1960 and always very happy to have women tinental (Ballroom). Saturday and Services, Wellington. For meeting 1982. join us. Sunday 18/19: North Shore details Ph Trish Hall 721-000 ext The health centre comprises four Teachers’ Training College (Women 2758. rooms — office, reading room, Feminist Librarians, Wellington, GROUPS only). Speakers from the Boston Supportline is a 24 hour a day, 7 massage room and meeting room. A meet first Monday of each month at Women’s Health Collective, and days a week answering service for variety of groups meet here for ex­ workshops including lesbian 5.30 pm at the Women’s Gallery, ample, compulsive eating, anorexia 323 Willis Street. battered women. It is run by women mothers; rape; breasts; menopause with personal knowledge of and bulimia support, health for and patients rights. $15.00. In­ Women in Schools in Education women over 40, pregnancy support, (WISE), Wellington. Next meeting at domestic violence. Supportline can quiries to NZWHN Conference, 12 give emotional support, legal advice, consciousness raising, co­ Hayward Road, Papatoetoe, the Correspondence School Con­ counselling, incest. We have a large ference Room, Portland Crescent, legal, medical, and emergency ac­ Auckland, or Ph 580-782Auckland. commodation referrals. Also help range of pamphlets on most areas of National Black Women’s Hui to be 25 September, 10.00 am. For women’s health and we do urine details Ph Lynn Jowett 842-148. dealing with departments such as held in Porirua or Otaki in November. Social Welfare, the courts, and the pregnancy tests at the centre and For information contact Nga COURSES police. Supportline needs volunteers have the forms for RIA blood Tuahine, Cl- Peta Siulepa, Cl- 17 Non-violent Action Training with experience of domestic pregnancy tests. We provide abor­ Aro St, Wellington, or Ronnie and Weekend, 17-19 September. violence for their phones and women tion information and referral but no Hilda, Ph 274-7019, Auckland. Venue: Karanga Youth Camp near without that experience to help in longer do pregnancy counselling Rape Symposium Wellington, Swanson, Auckland. Includes work­ other areas. For all inquiries and con­ though we provide a sympathetic ear September 11-12, 1982. Possibly ing in groups, choosing tactics, tact with Supportline phone for any woman wishing to disucss an at the Conference Room, Sharella building strategies, role playing and 794-482 or write to P.O. Box unplanned pregnancy. Elizabeth is Motel. Sponsored by the Depart­ theories of non-violence. Cost: 56213, Dominion Road, Auckland. our masseuse who will make times ment of Justice, ACWA, Mental $15.00 plus food to share. For fur­ to suit individual women and we can Health Foundation and the Institute ther details ph Karen Johns Hecate Women’s Health Collec­ refer to women skilled in shiatsu, of Criminology, Victoria University 601-162 or WEA 732-030 tive, 6 Boulcott Street, Wellington. acupuncture, reflexology and Wellington. Contact ACWA, C/- Auckland. Pre-enrol WEA 21 Drop in Monday, Wednesday, Friday naturopathy who have at times work­ State Services’ Commission, Private Princes Street, Auckland. 10.00 am - 3 pm. Currently meeting ed at THAW. Most women find our Bag, Wellington. Play Back Theatre Workshop, 6 are self-help groups on anorexia; fat hot and cold doctors file particularly National Symposium On Child September - October 11 on Mon­ as a feminist issue; menstruation, useful because they have difficulty Abuse Prevention, Palmerston days from 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm. Six endometriosis. New women finding a GP who will listen, who will North, November 9-11. Contact the sessions at the Ponsonby In­ welcome. Depo Provera project still understand their point of view and Mental Health Foundation, P.O. Box termediate School Hall. Play Back collecting information on women’s won't immediately resort to prescrib­ 37-438, Parnell, Auckland. Theatre is a new form of drama experiences, send or ring for ques­ ing drugs. We have the resources to EVENTS which involves the audience who re­ tionnaire. Hot and cold file on Well­ offer workshops on topics such as Te Reo Oranga o te Moana nui a count stories, memories or dreams ington doctors to consult and add to. self-defence, massage, premen­ Kiwa Hui, November 5-12. 1982 and watch the players act them out. Natural menstrual sponges available strual tension, breast examination, send $2.70 plus postage. For Venue: Tatai Hone Marae, Khyber Tutor Marilyn Sutcliffe. $10.00 Pre­ back pain, stop smoking, stress, details on all of the above Ph Pass Rd, Auckland. Suggested pro­ enrol at WEA, 21 Princes Street, children’s health, women and the 721-804. gramme includes: movement for in­ Auckland. Mixed courses. law, pregnancy, health for women dependence in the Pacific, eg. New CULTURE Wellington Women’s Refuge, over 40, yoga, nutrition, assertive Caledonia and Vanuatu; indigenous Setting The Table, a play by Renee volunteers badly needed, training skills and many others. We are also peoples concept of land in the Taylor to be presented in Mercury 2, given. Monthly meetings. For details offering workshops at the Bishop- Pacific; militarisation of the Pacific; 9 France Street, Newton, Auckland. Ph 736-280. dale Community Centre as part of an and forging a Pacific identity. For September 27 - October 9. Outreach Programme and are very more information contact Grace Women’s Gallery, 323 Willis Street, willing to take workshops to any in­ PUBLICATIONS terested groups. Women can buy Robertson of the Pacific Peoples Wellington. Hoping to have new Mediawomen remind you to watch Anti-Nuclear Action Committee, P.O. speculums, Hersay, cotton knickers, work by some of the original the first Awards for Women pro­ Box 61086. Otara, Aotearoa. Women’s Gallery Collective badges and pamphlets from the members, 10 September - 6 Oc­ gramme on Suffrage Day, Sunday centre. MEETINGS The Health Alternatives for Jewish Feminists, this Hamilton tober. Nuclear exhibition on 10 Oc­ Sept, 19, 7.00 - 7.45 p.m., TV2. group meets one Friday a month for tober - 20 November, this will focus National Collective of Independent Women, PO Box 884, Christchurch. a shared lunch in a member’s home. on Women's Disarmament. For infor­ Women’s Refuges Inc., Annual Ph 796-970. Hours — Mon - Fri Children welcome. It is a support mation Ph 850-179. Report. For copy write to R. Ashe, 9.30 am - 5 pm.

42 Broadsheet, September 1982 A f e (\ 6 your > confribuHorv? fo r fhe 'Ho$v\iafh p d 6 e to BroTOiheef °p.o.6ox 5 W thick-skinned ^ u c K i a n d . SECRETARY * Negotiable salary * 3 -month review * Luxurious offices ■tt Legal training office ///

experienced dicta-Typist, 25-plus. WaiKatoTime-? 29/5/82 ,fe n r in by Rebecca - 7 Judd / Cons«pa>ed he! “It’s wrong to say Australians are prejudiced against anyone, he con­ tinues expansively. Take “that part- Aborigine tennis star Evonne Goola- Chrif/church ^ S S s s s s ^ S t gong — “she's a real pin-up girl”. Pre^,2(f/7/s2 Nz Zifhener dent in by KeepSlOT®easy to please, cause 'sbe'Paso*|ne ^ ^ cPan9ed her 19/6/82, fe n t in bu Chrij Beard^ejr hVer hairstyle in 10 V ms w,th you cjudihh/in^eli though. I and s i* -us. Phone or call hair then com ^ p0(ntrnent today •

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Broadsheet, September 1982 43 PLAYING WITH A DIFFERENT SEX A Feminist Arts Festival Field at Auckland University, June, 1982 Despite a few snags, the Feminist Arts Festival recently held at Auckland University was a huge success. It showed that the feminist population in Auckland is alive, active, enthusiastic and reasonably large. Throughout the week’s festivities the Maidment Theatre was nearly always packed, and for one of the film evenings which featured two explicitly lesbian-oriented films, women had to be turn­ ed away and a second showing was arrang­ ed. Kerridge-Odeon should take notice. Undoubtedly the films were one of the festival highlights. Chosen through a Sydney- based women’s film collective, they covered a wide range of topics and mediums, from the documentary style of Age Before Beauty which presented a particularly positive view of ageing, through to the animated short film The Housewife, a lovely cartoon showing a housewife’s daily routine. Daughter Rite us­ ed distorted, re-filmed home movies to sym­ bolically suggest the difficult and strained rela­ tionship between mother, daughter and sister. Thursday evening brought Marie Ashley, an American filmmaker, to show her films and talk about women in filmmaking. Her documentary, slick and American-styled for TV, awed most of the audience. It showed the first all-woman climbing expedition to Annapurna in the Himalayas. As part of this group, Marie talked about the need for women to have heroines, to take risks, and document the lives of women making truly courageous leaps into male- dominated realms. Sell-out crowds that night were caused partly by Holding, a sexually explicit lesbian film. Advertised as “women-only” , the film evening was well publicized, thanks to a complaint to the Human Rights Commission citing discrimination against men. Because of the crowd, a suggestion was made that men in the audience should give up their seats to the women outside unable to get in. A few did, but most stayed. (Before Holding two teenage blond nymphets who “ acted" in was a personal view of her mother. This they were asked to leave, and all did)' During the film did not exactlv show a full picture of beautiful, poignant view of a New Zealand Holding there was an awed silence, and lesbian life. On the other hand, A Comedy women inspired many who questioned the though many criticized the film as being nothing in Six Unnatural Acts which showed a possibilities of New Zealand filmmaking. other than soft-porn, the fact that it showed heterosexually-defined view of lesbianism Monday, the Topp Twins played to capaci­ lesbian love-making was accepted as a (“foot stomping dyke” , “ child molester” , ty audiences, their humour and song combina­ breakthrough in itself. The film was a little “ teenage wallflower” , etc.) had the audience tion making their cabaret a popular show. Tues­ heavy on the double montage effect of the two in fits of laughter, and was perhaps more pro­ day brought the opening of The Whirl Wind women walking through the forest, running on vocative and challenging in its own way than Women’s War Wound Show (or fuck me the beach, and most women realized that the Holding. Shereen Maloney’s film, Irene, 59 dead), a startling account of women’s contribu-

44 Broadsheet, September 1982 tion to the male-dominated realm of war, writ­ ten and presented by the women from the Diploma of Drama course. Angela and Helen Boyes-Barnes presented Zits-Bits and Bows, a feminist cabaret. Their amazing voices brought new meaning to such “ old favourites as Itsy-bitsy-yellow-polka-dot bikini and My Heart Belongs to Daddy. One of their best received songs was a piece about women who had killed their husbands. From the confines of a barred scaffold they sang He had it coming and It was a murder and not a crime. The performance evening provided a wide range of entertainment. Renee Taylor’s play Secrets (see review this issue) performed by Elizabeth McRae, had the whole audience rallied around Elizabeth as “everywoman” . She is the woman who works at the cafeteria, the woman who cleans the men’s toilets, all women who hold secrets inside ranging from the wounds of incest to confusions and hostilities against the patriarchal institutions Hanly Gil which confine us both physically and mental­ ly. Barbara Doherty’s solo dance Allow Me was a lovely piece of well thought out mime and movement. She explored “ machismo” need for feminist, political art rather than art heterosexuals felt that the anti-male sentiment through an amazing monologue of mime which made and performed by women. This produc­ was an affront to them also, many had brought left the audience screaming and cheering. ed some backlash. What was political, feminist, male friends to the open performances and film Later in the evening Juliet Monaghan and Diane and who made this judgment? This proved to evenings. Jenny commented, “ Personally I Boss stunned the audience with their trapeze be a major conflict throughout the Festival and didn’t see any evidence of ‘Lesbian and acrobatic act. The stage was well used was the failing point with the art exhibition. Separatism’. There were vocal feminists there that evening! After soliciting artists, questions arose about which many women may have seen as such. The concert which wrapped up the week how the work was to be hung in the space Asking men to leave at the film evening to give was more like an open stage affair, there was available. The Little Theatre did not offer women seats was a suggestion, not a de­ everything from folk songs to heavy metal, with enough wall space to do justice to the amount mand.” She adds, that, “ Any man who claims a sing-along in between. Freudian Slips of work expected, but many felt that no selec­ to be a feminist isn’t. A whole lot of ex­ brought the concert and Festival to a close and tion should be made because that would be periences together make a feminist, getting left most women tired but inspired. embracing patriarchal standards of judgement. your bum pinched, being sexually harassed. Behind the Scenes Was all work by women relevant to the show? They may be supporters, but not feminists.” On top of this, the women artists had not been Jenny herself notes the lack of older women Jenny Renals and Debbie Tohill were the told there would be any selection. forces behind the week and they met with involved and attending the festival, also the An all-night session the night before the scarcity of black women. She told of her dilem­ many organizational and ideological problems. opening saw the conflict deepen between the ma of patronizing black women to try to get Jenny organized last year’s Women’s Festival organizers. Jenny felt that all the work should them involved, offering funds for a performance and wanted to do something again; Debbie be displayed; Debbie thought that each work teamed up with her. By way of a Student Com­ developed by black women. She adds that she needed respect and space, therefore a selec­ didn’t take a risk in this area and that the munity Service Programme, they received sup­ tion was necessary. port for three months (Dec/Jan/Feb) and the National Black Women’s Hui was held the same Using the criteria “feminist and political” , a week. rest of the time worked voluntarily. Grants selection of 21 works was hung and came from the Committee on Women and the Perhaps, despite these problems the impor­ catalogued early Saturday morning. This still tant thing is that women were given space to Northern Regional Arts Council. bothered the other contingent who felt that Because Jenny felt that last year’s Festival perform, a format to work towards. Angela and although perhaps not political, other works Helen said it moved them to action, having use was “slack” , she had a vision for the 1982 ver­ were still valid. Eventually all the work was sion. Both women felt that the festival had to of the Little Theatre for the week was an op­ displayed, though not catalogued, which led portunity that brought about Zits, Bits and be feminist rather than, as it was before, a to Debbie leaving the festival. It was a problem women’s festival. Debbie wrote that “we think Bows. Because all the performers were paid which ran though all the work in the festival and for their work, most met their costs which was there is a clear distinction between art made one which she could no longer comfortably by women and art made from a political one of Jenny’s hopes. A video of the week was deal with. done by Julie Lambie and Carole Stewart. This perspective” , and “The feminist festival, we Unfortunately the exhibition suffered hope, will demonstrate the potential for feminist should be edited and ready to view sometime because of the problems, and the fact that the in the next few months. Having been present art to make a powerful contribution to the Maidment Theatre space was used nearly women’s struggle to raise political con­ throughout the week, Julie saw an incredible every day for rehearsals and performances amount of positive input from the performers sciousness for radical social change” . Jenny’s made it virtually impossible to view the works vision was “to bring diverse feminists together, but felt there was a lack of focus throughout at all. It is a problem still unresolved and one the festival. Performers didn’t get much chance feminism being the common denominator” . which will no doubt be among those raised She wanted the festival to “stir women,” to “in­ to talk to one another, the audience had little before next year’s Festival (assuming there will time to mingle with the performers. She felt cite them to action” and was planning to bring be one!). on speakers before the films and performances there was a lack of cohesion, and felt that Another unresolved problem was that of perhaps a space was needed to convene, to using the opportunity to revitalize the feminist “ lesbian separatism” . Attendance by a large population. bring disparate groups together. number of lesbians coupled with a large Together they sent our letters to performers Backstage some problems, frontstage a suc­ amount of portrayal of lesbianism in the various cess, next year promises much.D and artists in the community stating their performances led many heterosexual women ideological perspective. They stressed the to question their space in the festival. Some Louise Rafkin

Broadsheet, September 1982 45 SECRETS by Renee Taylor, Performed by Elizabeth McRae at the Maidment during Feminist Arts Festival, June 12-19th; and at the Mercury, July 9-17th

I have a friend who very seldom goes to the theatre, because for her, nothing really hap­ pens up there on the stage. She never gets to suspend her disbelief long enough for the magic to come through, the magic which turns the actors, whose faces you know and whose lives you’ve heard tiny bits about, into total strangers, who you then learn a hell of a lot about in a short time. But my friend is also an ardent feminist, and I wish I could have persuaded her to come to see Secrets, because I think the click would have happened for her there. For one, she would have instantly recognis­ ed the set, which was a kitchen. It isn’t a kit­ chen like her own kitchen, which is a plants- at-the-windows, fat-jars-of-spic.es, lovely-old- tiles-on-the-sink-bench one; this kitchen is one of those sour-smelling off-cream ones, one of those State-owned ones lived in by people that life has flattened. The Warders of stove and refrigerator stand guard on either wall, waiting for the Woman. My friend the feminist knows about kitchens like these, as do most feminists.

They lie in the back of the minds of all women Gil Hanh who have taken responsibility for their lives into Elizabeth McRae their own hands — as an awful warning of how it’ll be if the system beats you. My friend the feminist would recognise the locked her into her bedroom until she was forc­ comes, is born out of the wit of the lines and Woman who enters too, as you are able to do ed to piss/shit in the room. Then he made her just a fraction of release at the recognition that When you’ve been around for a while. The clean it up. He was good at lessons, was Dad. this Woman is very different from the one we strength of the Woman’s mature body is lump­ He taught Daughter the Secret. You know, the met before. ily obvious under the traditional disguise of one that you have to learn when you start go­ This woman is the fighter, the indomitable spirit who labours under massive burdens, but shapeless dress and sweater. But the strength ing to school? Daughter didn’t like it much, but is not broken. Renee Taylor has drawn a in her eyes is that borne from hanging on past everyone knows that Father Knows Best. the point of knowing why, hanging on grimly But there is something she can’t quite work woman of wry wit and iron perception. What from the single urge to survive. You see eyes out — something that flowers awfully when she knows about men is not really very plea­ like that a lot if you spend much time in the Daughter becomes Mum and gives birth to sant, and she tells it as she cleans the urinal, world of women, which my friend the feminist another Daughter — then realises that her own making connections between her work and the problems that beset women who are “ past it” does. husband is now Father, who of course will want as far as a man’s world is concerned. The Woman’s movements are at first strange to climb into bed of an evening with his As good entertainment, perceptive perfor­ and then, as the play expands like acrid body Daughter, now that she’s at school, and teach odour in a hot room, terrifyingly familiar. As she her the Secret. Which will make Daughter dir­ ming, and as political theatre, both of these talks, she goes to the stove, takes a clean ty, after all these years Woman has spent monologues shine. Here are not polemics or glass out of the oven with tongs, brings it to the keeping her darling clean. theory; here is the reality of two women's lives, familiar in many ways to women who know the table, fills it with sherry, sits and talks and Elizabeth McRae was this Woman, with the world of women, but invisible in the so-called drinks. When the glass is empty, she takes it force that only superb application of the craft “ real world” . No stereotypes anywhere, and to the stove, places it in a huge cauldron on of acting can supply. I feel sure that my friend gut-punchingly effective because of that, the top, opens the oven door, gets another the feminist would not only have suspended glass, takes it to the table, fills it, sits and drinks her disbelief, but would have shared, with the because of that. The performance at the Mercury was not and talks. rest of the audence, the release of enthusiastic She talks about her day to her daughter, who applause from the taut reality of that Woman’s directed by Renee Taylor, and suffered slightly is just a photograph in a frame. And recoun­ life laid bare before us by Taylor’s words and as a result. There was, for me, a paring down ting her day includes talking about her past, McRae’s acting. of the truth, a wavering from the attention to set details that detracted from the power of and here the sheer brilliance of Renee Taylor’s The break between this piece and the next the initial performances at the Maidment. words pulled from a slightly nervous mixed au­ is one surely needed by McRae, and some of dience the absolute silence of attention that the strength for the next characterisation is I am looking forward to another Renee Taylor is an unmistakable sign of excellence. The given, at least in part, by the next Woman she presentation. I hope this one will coincide hap­ Woman’s constant allusion to the Secret keeps becomes. pily with the activities of my friend the feminist, signposting the conversation she’s having with This time the set is of a men’s public urinal. because I shall invite her to a meal and a sur­ her daughter, surfacing from the routine of At the performance at the Maidment, the deft prise, which will be the theatre. I have total faith cleanliness like the promise of a reward. set change in subdued lighting was a pleasure in Renee Taylor’s work. And my friend the It was her father who taught her to be so to watch, and the two women who made it feminist has both a magnificent perception and clean, to worry about the dirt and filth that flies were applauded by the audience. Gliding a very good taste. It’s quite likely that there can bring into a home. She remembers his refrigerator off the stage is not effortless, but hasn’t been any really compelling theatre that lessons well, for the way in which he taught these women made it seem so. would suit her until Taylor’s work arrived. □ them to her mother was memorable: when The audience is more respectful at the Mum forgot and let a fly into the house, Dad beginning of this piece. The laughter when it Sandi Hall

46 Broadsheet, September 1982 The Mile-High Staircase Toni Jeffreys,______Hodder and Stoughton, Auckland 1982, *$14.95 Books about the personal experiences of in­ dividuals often fail to move beyond the personal experience of the writer. Toni Jeffreys’ The Mile-High Staircase is both a personal ex­ perience and a discussion of much wider issues. Toni Jeffreys, a New Zealander with ex­ perience as a medical researcher, suddenly found herself the victim of a mysterious and totally debilitating illness. Nothing in her own personal experience had prepared her for what was to follow. This book details that journey. Along the way Toni Jeffreys collected a series of horrifying memories of encounters with the medical profession. These would be amusing if the reality of her illness was not so horrify­ ing. Eventually Toni found an accurate label for her illness, a rare and extremely serious viral infection — myalgic encephalomyelitis. This account of personal suffering is of special value because of its wider implications. ME is now recognised as a disease that is quite widespread in any population. It is difficult to diagnose and identify. Many of its symptoms are seen as “ neurotic or psycho-somatic” by medical and psychiatric professionals. Toni The Auckland Society of Arts gallery became world were found in the chicken-wire “mother” Jeffreys explores the implications of this, not the venue for a co-operative three dimensional and the “ relationships” box. The first gave a only with regard to ME, but also for others who creation thatwasthefinaleofal O-weekcourse graphic feeling of sticky clutching hands and suffer from difficult to diagnose disorders. called “ Women Make A World” . The opening the exhaustive duties of mothers of young The attitudes of some of the medical profes­ of the exhibition was on Tuesday evening, May children; the second used thick fuzzy wool sionals Toni came into contact with are nothinq 25, with upwards of 200 women crammed into crossing and re-crossing in dozens of ways to short of barbaric. It is clearly time that the wider the Society’s main gallery. After poetry and visually describe the intricacy of relationships. community began to exercise some measure song, facilitator Juliet Batten, who was also Missing in this world that had been made by of control over the accountability of the medical facilitator for the 10-week course, made an in­ Juliet Batten, Joan Buller, Claudia Pond Eyley profession. cision in the white gauze that hid the display. Lidija Cukor, Helen Hagen, Christine This book should be required reading for all Huge vaginal lips were revealed, and the Lawrence, Val Nicoll, Shelagh O’Shea, Hellen doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers women began to flow through them into the Pollock, Carole Shepheard and Gill Ward was and psychologists. People who suffer from un­ world these eleven women had made. any depiction of our woman’s world of work, diagnosed physical illnesses will also find of career and creativity — and our struggle for solace and help within it. For throughout her Asacreativeillustrationoftheworldthatmany recognition as adult citizens. If the 1 0-week long and lonely struggle Toni maintained her women inhabit, with the accent on childbirth, course that Juliet facilitated has a sequel, active interest in the wider world, her courage child-raising, and softwork decorations for the perhaps this other face of our world will be in­ and her belief in herself. □ home, the exhibition was excellent. The cluded in its finale. □ Sarah Calvert strongest comments on the restrictions of this Sandi Hall ‘ Available from Broadsheet

Broadsheet, September 1982 47 •classified ads-

SITUATION VACANT Arms Linked Technical editor — Women Against the Broadsheet Magazine From the end of September the Tour position of technical editor will poetry & prose be vacant. The job involves edited by MOUNTAIN WIMMIN responsibility for the production Mag Freeman and We are a group of wimmin trying to of the magazine, design, marking Rosemary Hollins carve a place of work for ourselves & up copy, and paste up. The per­ Limited numbered others like us, where we have some son in this position must be able write to: control over our conditions. to work to deadlines and work "Arms Linked" Present skills include with volunteers. This is a paid P.O. Box 2436 Painting (inside, outside, roofs, position and the appointee would Auck 1 $5£)0 and 50c postage fences . . .) paperhanging join the Broadsheet Collective. (money with orders please) Lawn mowing, gardening, hedge Some background in magazine or clipping, section clearing & newspaper production is rubbish removal Anyone interested in Tree trimming necessary. Training in graphic Some carpentry and design work through a forming a conscious Leather work (to order) technical institute would be an raising group. Truck & bus driving advantage. The person will be a Ph: 833-7752, Nora Horne Reasonable rates, quality work feminist and preferably have had (evenings) All jobs considered some experience working in Phone 892-814 feminist groups. This is a challenging and creative job, re­ Elderly bach at Whangaparoa, quiring hard work, but giving , stunning views, close transport much satisfaction. For further and shops, $20 per week, short or details contact: Broadsheet, PO long term, ph 502-618. Uj W om en's % Box 5799, Auckland, or phone ^BooK shop Ahd.:P 794-751. AUCKLAND WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTRE 202a High Street, Christchurch Feminist Theory Seminar 63 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby. Ph. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Women's Studies Ass. 764-506 Feminist, lesbian-feminist — Auckland (Inc.) Mon - Fri 9.30 - 3.00 theory, novels, health, poetry, SUNDAY 3rd OCTOBER journals, magazines, cards, women’s art etc. Auckland Society of Arts (Eden Cres., Auck.) 9.30 - 3.30 Anyone interested in setting up Members: $2.00 a co-operative, small business, Non-members: $3.00 health food, coffee bar, please Please bring a contribution to fs tS ff- phone Carol 762-734. a communal lunch BUTTON A — W itch — black on red □ 28 Webber St, Westmere 2. Queries: BUTTON B — Warning! Schools Pat, Ph: 458-072 Spread Sexism — green and white □ Margaret, Ph: 606-774 Equinox BUTTON E — W om en’s symbol — Custom -made clothes ALL WOMEN WELCOME! black on white □ and one offs BUTTON G — First you sink into his for women and arms ... then you end up with your arms in his sink — black and pink □ men. 526 K'Rd THERAPEUTIC BUTTON I — Support lesbian mothers MASSAGE — pink, black and white □ Name ______Ph 735-506 relieves muscle tension and pain; reduces stress, anxiety and Address FLATMATE depression. Phone Judith Lloyd Woman wanted to share house 605-227 with lesbian mother. 22 Wallace St, Herne Bay. Send to: Broadsheet, PO Box 5799 Ph 836-3552 Auckland.

48 Broadsheet, September 1982 30okshop

NEW ARRIVALS published an extract in our Breast issue. New from The Feminist Press But Some of Us are Brave: Black Women’s New books have been pouring into our offices, so we can’t Studies ($13.50). Contains contributions from black women possibly list the dozens and dozens of titles that cram our like Michele Wallace, Alice Walker, Barbara Smith, and the bookshelves. Here’s a selection. Combahee River Collective on subjects under the headings Arms Linked Women Against the Tour ($5.00) is a Searching for Sisterhood, Combatting Racism, Dispelling the New Zealand collection of poems and prose by women writ­ Myths, Creative Survival, and Black W omens’ Literature. Also ten after last year’s Springbok Tour. Rachel Bloomfield is well- newly reprinted by The Feminist Press is Paule Marshall’s known amongst New Zealand feminists for her non-violent Brown Girl, Brown stones ($10.50) a classic story of a black training workshops. Now s h e ’s put her know ledge in a book. teenager growing up in Brooklyn during the Depression and Called People Organising for Power ($6.50) it describes World War II. An ideal school library book. A number of novels what non-violent action means and looks in detail at some by acclaimed black women writers are getting through to New specific non-violent campaigns. Just arrived Bobbie Jacob­ Zealand. One such writer is Toni Cade Bambara. Her The Salt so n ’s The Ladykillers ($7.50), subtitled “Why Smoking is Eaters ($5.95) is a brilliantly imaginative novel. a Feminist Issue’’. This is the book on smoking, a subject that’s received scant attention among the feminist media. Look out VIRAGO MODERN CLASSICS _____ too for an article on the topic in Broadsheet soon. The Se­ We must have the most com plete range of Virago Modern cond Stage ($22.50 hbk) is Betty Friedan’s newest book. Classics in New Zealand. We have shelves and shelves of Have Friedan’s idea evolved, or has she simply sold-out? Read these beautiful books with their familiar forest green covers. it and m ake up your own mind. Picador’s Sweet Freedom Latest arrivals include: May Sinclair’s The Three Sisters ($6.95) is finding a lot o f readers. Anna Coote and Beatrice ($11.95) a novel of three sisters living on a high Yorkshire Campbell, both active UK feminists, have undertaken the moor and struggling to free them selves from the yoke of their mammoth task of evaluating feminist progress and grim repressive father. In a new edition Agnes Smedley’s achievements. The Last Resort: A Women’s Refuge ($9.05) classic working class novel Daughter of Earth ($11.95) fic­ is a compilation of politics and experience from the workers tionalises Sm edley’s own life of rural poverty and struggle for and residents at a Sydney Women’s Refuge. At last in paper­ intellectual, political and sexual freedom. If you saw South back, Women Who Kill (11.75) by Ann Jones, discusses Riding on tele you might like to know more about the work why women murder. A feminist book on sexuality, For of author Winifred Holtby. Her books are enjoying a great Ourselves ($14.95) by Anja Meulenbelt, looks at sex from revival at the moment. Virago has Anderby Wold ($9.95) and every angle with tons of info, cartoons, photos. Lesbian The Crowded Street (9.95). New in Virago is Radclyffe Hall’s Health Matters ($5. 75) is back in stock. Pluto Press (UK) classic lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness ($11.95). If has just published Your Job in The Eighties: a Woman’s you’ve liked Margaret Atwood’s other novels (all also in Virago) Guide to the New Technology ($9.50) by Ursula Huws. A you’ll enjoy 19 76 novel Lady Oracle ($5.75) in which timely book looking at how the new technology will affect jobs American Joan Foster fakes her own death to shed her old in many areas. Tons of photos etc make it a good book for life and start anew. Come in and s e e the full selection of Virago school libraries. novels. New titles are arriving constantly, but we keep as up- Did you s e e Memoirs of a Survivor in the Film Festivals? to-date as we can with the full range. Or Quartet ? Both are based on famous books which you can get from us. The first by Doris Lessing costs ($6.95) and the ORDER FORM second by Jean Rhys is yours for $4.95. Finally, Persephone Send to: Broadsheet Books, PO Box 5799, Auckland. Add 50 cents Press have just published Nice Jewish Girls ($13.50) a les­ postage and packing per book. bian anthology edited by Evelyn Torton Beck. Persephone publications are always top-notch so don’t miss this meaty Name: ______book. Address: We’ve also got a huge selection of paperback pre­ school kids books from non-sexist publishing houses in America, Canada and the UK. They present strong resourceful girls, quiet thoughtful boys, solo dads and mums, lesbian Please send these books: mothers and other people not usually seen in kids books. Come in and see. 1 .______WOMEN OF COLOUR______A new section in our bookshop displays books for black women, and other women of colour. Amongst them are black lesbian feminist poet Audre Lorde’s The Black Unicorn ($8.95). We have several books by this distinguished writer including The Cancer Journals ($6.75) from which we enclose $. DjVe jNjo BroA^sHeeT-' Send this form to BROADSHEET MAGAZINE .. P.O. Box 5799, Auckland. 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