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FEATURES ! WOMEN WITH DEAFNESS SPEAK 10 WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES 16 ALISON LAURIE — FROM KAMP GIRLS TO POLITICAL DYKES 20 YOKA NEUMAN AND LESBIAN MOTHERS 24 WOMEN IN LOCAL BODY POLITICS 28 BILL OF RIGHTS — MPs OR JUDGES 34 SEXISM IN CHINA 37 CHLAMYDIA 40 ARTS REVIEWS Clothesline Conversation/Equality For Girls?/Up From Under: Women and Liberation in NZ, 1970— 85/Your Pregnancy — To Haputanga M e To Whakawhanautanqa/Women’s Studies: A New Zealand Handbook 44 REGULARS LETTERS and FRONTING UP 2 BEHIND THE NEWS Family Violence Conference/Battered Refuges/Support for the Bill N eeded Now/Affirmative Action Sorely Needed/Miss Auckland Contest/Condoms Not a Joke/No Nuclear Dumping 4 WHAT’S NEW 43 ON THE SHELF 19 HOGWASH 42 CLASSIFIED 48 Cover Illustration by Judith. BROADSHEET COLLECTIVE Lyn Crossley, Heather McLeish, Claire-Louise McCurdy, Athina Tsoulis, Trish Taylor, Jenny Rankine, Judith Ammon, Pat Rosier. THESE WOMEN WORKED ON THIS ISSUE: Sharon Alston, Leonie Child, Alisha Popevis, Peta Joyce, Gini Parslow. LAYOUT AND DESIGN: Judith Ammon. BROADSHEET is published by Broadsheet Magazine Ltd, PO Box 68-026 Newton, Auckland; Registered Office: 485 Karangahapoe Rd. Auckland 1; and printed by Wanganui Newspap­ ers Ltd, 20 Drews Avenue, Wanganui. Published: 1 November 1985 BROADSHEET annual subscription $NZ27, overseas surface $33, overseas airmail Europe $51, America and Asia $43.50, Australia and South Pacific $38. Permission must be sought before articles m ay be reprinted. Broadsheet is on file at the Wom en’s Collection, Special Department, Northwestern University Library, Evanston, Illinois 60201, USA. ISSN 0110-8603 Registered at the GPO as a magazine. LETTERS

WOMEN POLITICS AND politician. regularly and discuss the ad­ surate with a male salary (or in POWER I’d like to see in Broadsheet ministration and treatment fact generally lower) some Dear Broadsheet more profiles of long-term given in hospitals and in the women can start to feel put I was totally unimpressed by feminist activists — those who community, to function also out. It seems that at this point the review of Marilyn Waring’s don’t usually make the head­ as an avenue where patients women slip into comparing Women, Politics and Power lines — and I’m still waiting for could make a statement of the Permanent Head’s salary jn the September Broadsheet. that solid assessment of her complaint or discuss such with what most women get for 1 have been hoping that the career as the “feminist” MP. treatment. their daily work — that is, no­ publication of her book would Debbie Jones At present, in New Zealand, thing. Now that seems a very occasion a real evaluation of Wellington psychiatric patients have no dangerous trap. I am aware legal rights, and there is not a that many women work a 15 her political career and I LIFE IN INVERCARGILL hoped to find it in Broadsheet. person, or group who is legally hour day and a 7 day week for Dear Broadsheet, Instead, the reviewer relies able to act as a safeguard for very poor remuneration or In reply to Judith Duncan’s let­ completely on Waring’s own patients. Psychological medi­ none at all. I am simply re­ ter published in your Sep­ report of her politics with no cine, is in fact, not covered by lieved when I find that a tember edition. “Yes, there is reference to her actual record. N.Z. law. It is very important woman working those hours is life in Invercargill!” This is a politician who very too, that women, have a say in at least being paid for them. WEL Southland has re­ early in her career was their treatment and the organi­ The new Permanent Head cently celebrated 10 years of selected by the media as a sation of hospitals which they of the Department of activities and we warmly wel­ woman’s movement “leader” do not have now. Women’s Affairs has an im­ com e visitors and new mem ­ — who had, at least at that There is nothing in the new portant task with a great deal bers. Act about psychiatrists or of responsibility. It must be ex­ time, minimal involvement in Our contact is P.O. Box 676 therapists in private practice tremely stressful to be in that feminism. Her own writings Invercargill. and no mention of voluntary position. She not only has and interviews with her have Pamela Whiteford groups such as Life-Line. At many men watching her with constantly stressed the W om en’s Electoral Lobby present in N.Z. a therapist can something, 1 presume, less hardships of her chosen Southland career. There has been a com­ do or say anything and get than wholehearted support — plete failure to put these in the MENTAL HEALTH ACT away with it, the patient is really but she seems to have the perspective of the experiences Dear Broadsheet, helpless. According to the same from some women. of committed and inspired May I suggest that you make a Year Book, 82% of the patients Mary O ’Regan is a feminist. entering our residential feminists who have worked in big fuss about this, as it affects That in itself is a fact to rejoice the feminist movement for so many women. psychiatric hospitals are vol­ in. And 1 know from personal untary patients and 75% of years — with no MP’s salary The 1969 Mental Health Act experience that being a and no media accolades. In a is in the process of being re­ these are women suffering feminist, even at a lowly level in from neurotic depression. highly privileged position, vised and altered. The discus­ the government isn’t much Waring has somehow been sion papers for this were writ­ The Mental Health Founda­ fun. How much more stressful tion says that much of the new able to sell the image of herself ten by Dr Basil James, the di­ will it be at the top? My guess is as a martyr to the cause. rector of Mental Health, I un­ Act appears to be quite un­ that she is well and truly earn­ realistic. Comments can be As a lesbian Waring has, derstand. These discussion ing every cent of her salary. obtained from the Legal Of­ since her resignation from papers which will form the So, “Hands off, sisters” I say. ficer, at the Mental Health Parliament, claimed in public basis for the new Act, were cir­ Josephine Lynch Foundation. her pride in being a member culated privately and com ­ Wellington Maijorie Morgan of the gay community, that ments were asked for and Rotorua FEMINISTS IN MINISTRY she had, “nothing left to lose”. given by various authorities in Dear Broadsheet, Why then did she not proclaim the field of mental health. TOP SALARY Mary O ’Regan was appointed her pride in her lesbian identity There is a list of these names Dear Broadsheet, as Secretary of the Ministry of then instead of remaining si­ at the back of the discussion I hear quite a lot of criticism by Women’s Affairs in June. I lent? She had a great deal to papers. women of the salary of the Per­ read the October Broadsheet lose, and she chose not to lose I was surprised to find that manent Head of the Depart­ and still there is no celebra­ it. Many lesbians make similar not one Women’s Group had ment of Women’s Affairs. It is tion, congratulation or even choices and this is their right been asked for information or as if some women consider recognition that a committed — but let’s not obscure the im­ comments. Seventy-five per that her salary should be feminist and long time loyal portant personal and political cent of the people using this shared amongst us all — that supporter of Broadsheet is in issues involved. Mental Health Service, are for any woman to receive such such a position. Waring has been a profes­ women. I also contacted such a salary (especially, I gather, Mary and other feminists in sional feminist, and her book Organisations as Rape Crisis, while working on behalf of the the Ministry will need lots of and the seminars she receives Life-Line, National Council of rest of us) is an offence against support and encouragement income from should be seen Women who had no idea that the principles of feminism. to stick in there, battle the sys­ in this light. I’d love us all to be the Mental Health Act was Now if sisterhood is the tem and use that avenue to paid for our feminist work, and being revised and had never principle upon which they bring about changes for 1 wish that all the courageous heard of this. There is a base their claims, I personally women. With Mary, and now and visionary feminists I have suggestion, that a Council of think that we could do with a Penny Fenwick as Deputy, the known would receive the be­ Mental Health be set up, com ­ little more genuine sisterhood. Ministry makes a good start by nefits Waring has received. We prising members of such How is it that women can be which we, as feminists, should must acknowledge that there groups as Rape Crisis, Pre­ advocates of equal pay, but be encouraged. are political reasons why this is gnancy Help, Maori Women’s when a new appointment is Danna Glendining not the case — and Waring is a Welfare, Life-Line, to meet made with a salary commen­ Martinborough 2 Broadsheet, November 1985 ISRAEL LESBIANS YEA! Dear Broadsheet, Lesbians have always been, and are a vital part of the Rebecca Judd’s letter (Sep­ feminist movement. Lesbians were involved in the first tember Broadsheet) with its women’s refuges, the first rape crisis centres, and are ac­ tone of complaint and its tive in trade unions, health issues, Maori women’s groups, drawing attention to “poor lit­ and lots more. Lesbians have been made invisible by tle Israel” is typical of the ap­ some feminists and society in general. peal for sympathy so often Lesbians and gay men do not have legal or social sup­ made by Zionists. Poor little port for their sexual choice; and they are bearing the brunt Israel receives more military of right wing hatred and attack. The passing of the and economic aid from the Homosexual Law Reform Bill unchanged will give basic United States than any other human rights to lesbians and gay men in New Zealand for country in the world. Some of the first time since the arrival of European settlers. that aid has been used in re­ Lesbians have always been and are a vital force in cent years to invade South Broadsheet. The collective is committed to self determi­ Lebanon, to bomb the Iraqui nation for lesbians and strongly supports the Homosexual nuclear installation in Basra, to Law Reform Bill unamended. The collective wants an end retain the occupied west Bank to all discrimination against lesbians and gay men, and and Gaza. One might question sees the passing of the bill as the first of many necessary who it is who is besieged. Vio­ legal and social changes. lence was implicit in Zionism Judith Ammon Jenny Rankine from the outset — Theodor Pat Rosier Hertzl the father of Zionism, Lyn Crossley Trish Taylor believed that Zionists should Peta Joyce COVER MISTAKE Claire-Louise McCurdy Athina Tsoulis acquire the land of their Heather McLeish choice by armed conquest. Dear Broadsheet, Rebecca Judd says many 1 am very upset at how the il­ Zionists support Palestinian lustration for the September claims for human rights. Broadsheet cover turned out. Perhaps some do but it seems Through an apparent misun­ a small gesture towards a derstanding the pupils of the people who have lost their eyes in the original drawing homeland along with those that was submitted were re­ rights. No doubt the con­ moved or “twinked” out. querors congratulate them­ The resulting work that was selves for showing some lib­ published makes the woman eral-mindedness towards look rather vacant, particularly those they have dispossessed. in view of the seated pose. But let no-one pretend it is My apologies to any reader more than that. Because Israel who thought that the whole exists Palestine does not and thing looked rather odd. no amount of sympathy from Yours sincerely, Israeli Jews compensates for Claudia Pond Eyley that loss. Virginia Edmond The Broadsheet Collective re­ Wellington grets that this happened.

STUFFING SUBSCRIPTIONS Debra Reweti, Jan FRONTING Stuffing of the December Some of our long-time sub­ Wharekawa, Fran Davy, issue will be on Saturday 13 scribers cannot afford to Ramona Papali'i, Aroaro UP November. We really ap­ renew. Women who are finan­ Hond, Wena Harawira and preciated all the help stuffing cially better off may like to Aroha Mead, for the transposi­ the last issue, look forward to fund those subs — any tion of two and a half columns WHERE WE ARE seeing you all again. women interested please write of Debra’s article about The magazine and the book­ to us. It helps if readers sub­ Polynesian Women in Televi­ shop are at 485-7 Karan- scribe, or buy from Broad­ sion. Also to Jan, Moana and gahape Road, Auckland. We COLLECTIVE CHANGES sheet Bookshop, as we have to Debra for misspelling their are open from 1 Oam to Sandi Hall has left the collec­ sell the magazine to other names. 5.30pm Monday to Friday and tive, Sandi did not want us to bookshops at a loss. The picture on the left of page Thursday until 9pm. Leonie say anything but we would like Women who find $27 too 25 was incorrectly identified as opens the shop from 10am to to express our thanks for her much to pay at once can sub­ Mt Eden Normal Primary. It 1 pm on Saturday. The phone work for the magazine and in scribe for six months at a time. was taken at Grey Lynn Prim­ number for the magazine is the bookshop. We have ap­ Another possibility is to share ary School. 794-751 and for the book­ preciated your warmth, energy a sub. with a friend. Lynne Gifford’s teaching his­ shop 398-895. Our box and enthusiasm, Sandi. We tory was incorrectly reported. It number is 68-026, Newton, welcome Peta Joyce to the APOLOGIES should have read that she lec­ Auckland, N.Z. collective. Peta has been help­ We are tightening up our tured at Waikato University for ing in the bookshop and writ­ proofreading system, which ten years. DEADLINES ing for the magazine as a vol­ last month fell apart. We are Joan Donley’s name was left Deadline for Jan/Feb is 9 Nov unteer. We look forward to very sorry for the mistakes that off her review of The Captured and for March, 9 Dec. working with you Peta. resulted. Our apologies to Womb, by Ann Oakley.

Broadsheet, November 1985 3 BEHIND THE NEWS K K FAMILY VIOLENCE CONFERENCE Forty two people working in the area of domestic violence met at the New Zealand Police College at Porirua at the end of September for a four day conference.

They came from the refuge resources for the network of countable to our own people... movement, rape crisis and refuges and early intervention, “The community group to other community agencies, arrest and referral to treatment which an offender would be government departments and of violent men. It emphasised referred, would themselves be the police. The conference the need for Maori, Pacific and forced to address the whole was coordinated by Rosemary other cultural perspectives, issue of domestic violence. Ash of the National Collective and wide ranging education The acceptability of violence of Independent Women’s Re­ among support agencies and in general amongst our fuges and Inspector Vic Hew- in the wider community. people would also have to be son of the police. Funding was Maori women presented questioned. As an education provided by the Police and So­ their perspective to the confer­ process the offender would cial Welfare Departments. ence: Kia maumahara tatou not be the only one to benefit, One of the purposes of the he ahua ano to te iwi Maori (Let should the marae/community Section of Cover from book, conference was to “bring to­ us all remember that Maori group model be adopted. The Fresh Start gether the various groups and people have their own way). development of the education “This should include the individuals involved in dealing They supported the national of our people on domestic vio­ realities of sexual abuse, cul- with family violence, so that collective’s demands but said, lence is Whare Wanganga tural/rascism awareness, ex­ networks can be established “the process of rehabilitation (house of learning). amination of personal at­ and coordinated strategies de­ must take into account cul­ “There are Maori people in titudes and beliefs about sex­ veloped”. tural and social factors. the community who are famil­ ual abuse — especially power The national collective pre­ “Maori people occupy the iar with the concept Te Whare beliefs”. They also want, “in­ sented a paper, “Dealing With lowest socio-economic strata O Te Tangata, which encom­ cest and child sexual abuse Domestic Violence” in which in Aotearoa, therefore fines passes the traditional view of survivor homes that affirm and they identified domestic vio­ only further impoverish our the relationship between men recognise the ability of lence as the “physical, mental people. It is the family of the of­ and women. Sonny Waru, a women’s support in rebuilding and sexual abuse primarily of fender that “pays” the fine. kaumatua from Taranaki has self-esteem and self worth.” women and children, by adult Furthermore, the effective­ held Whare Wananga on Te Rape crisis and related males”. Police receive about ness of fines as a deterrent is Whare O Te Tangata, em­ groups also called for public 15;000 domestic calls for help questionable. phasising the respect ac­ education about the causes of each year and refuges admit­ “Those of our people who corded women in pre-contact rape that includes the provi­ ted 4,762 women and 4,952 have been subjected to the time. Maori people with this sion of support for survivors, children in the 16 months en­ pakeha judiciary system pro­ knowledge are rare, so it is im­ preventive education for all ding February 1985. They also vide appalling statistics in that perative that resources be children and parents, and self helped another 4,288 families. area. Racially, we are dispro­ made available for the pur­ defence classes for all female The first refuge was opened in portionately represented in pose of Whare Wananga deal­ secondary school students. Christchurch in 1973/4 and prisons. The high incidence of ing specifically with the issue Their statement concludes, there are now 40 country wide. re-offending among our of domestic violence. If the “These needs are greatly over­ “The refuge movement has people is evidence that this Justice Department is serious shadowed however, by the grown in response to the system is ineffective as a puni­ about changing the status quo necessity for male responsibil­ needs and numbers of women tive measure.” resources must be made av­ ity for rape and sexual abuse. It and children being abused,” They argued for a system ailable to the Maori commun­ is men who rape; it is men who said the paper, “especially as for dealing with violent Maori ity to deal with this issue in our must stop raping.” raised public awareness has men modelled on the pilot own way”. The police made available encouraged women to seek scheme at Hoane Waititi Rape crisis and related to conference members their help and trust that they will be marae in Auckland. “The suc­ groups are in the process of written training materials. This helped”. cess of this alternative can be forming a national collective. included a large-format book­ The paper makes the point attributed to the most basic of Maori and Pacific Island let given to policemen, Child that the work of refuge, help­ Maori ideology: group ac­ women’s groups are forming Abuse, Everyone's Problem ing abused women and chil­ countability. Traditionally our their own national collectives and a unit from police exten­ dren, deals with only the ef­ people did not recognise the and the three bodies will coor­ sion studies, Rape and other fects of the problem of male rights of the individual over the dinate nationally. The rape sexual offences. violence. “A focus on the vic- wider social group. Any of­ crisis statement to the confer­ A set of recommendations tim/s only, silently condones fence committed by an indi­ ence asked for training of all are being prepared to go to the violence and supports the vidual implicated his/her people (eg social workers, Ann Hercus as Minister of abuser”. The national collec­ whole tribe. Therefore Maori nurses) who come in contact Police and Social Welfare and tive pressed for an increase in people must be made ac­ with survivors of sexual abuse. Women’s Affairs. (Three-in- 4 Broadsheet, November 1985 one!) Those attending the “People put their interests understanding and accep­ The BWSG left the national conference had varying levels aside and got down to working tance by those there of the collective over several issues of optimism or cynicism about together really quickly.” “1 was priorities and perspectives ad­ — allocation of funding, dis­ how much difference they very affected by the Maori vocated by refuge, such as agreements about having to would make to what actually women’s presentation. It was recognition of the real prob­ have the mother’s consent to happens, but there was a lot of rea I ly consciousness-raising lem as being the violent male report child abuse, and all de­ positive feeling about being at for me.” “The men listened, and the need to deal with that”. cisions having to be made by the conference itself. Some and said ‘I’m sorry’ when the Some progress seems to women, among others. They comments were: women picked them up on have been made at this con­ also felt their view had no “1 became aware of the real things.” “The police accepted ference. Violence against more chance of being heard, isolation and frustration and criticism and, the ones there women is now squarely on the and members of the group felt pain of people working in the anyway, seemed to really want agenda and one minister and intimidated and personally at­ area, in refuge, rape crisis, to change things.” “Rosie Ash some police officers are listen­ tacked at meetings. government departments. was a brilliant facilitator. She ing to the experience of sur­ In all groups working There is no general recogni­ took everyone seriously and vivors and activists. Changing against male violence to tion or understanding of the gave everything of herself.” “1 general attitudes and institu­ women, feminist or non­ problem and a terrible lack of got close in some way to tions like the police and feminist, the role of men has resources.” “What happened everyone there”. judiciary is a long hard slog.n been hotly debated. Feminist here needs to happen on a re­ Raewyn Good chairperson Pat Rosier groups are usually women- gional level — we must have of the national collective said only, so that we can gain new resources to organise this.” she was “pleased at the level of skills, and learn to use the power and provide the leader­ ship which men often keep for themselves. (John Church has been a BWSG spokesman, BATTERED REFUGES and written almost all their publications for eight years.) Jenny Rankine looks behind the split in the women’s Our society says groups of refuge movement. women together can’t do any­ thing, they’re ineffectual and plore what they call the women as a group-is not part always fight. In feminist “takeover of New Zealand re­ of their philospohy. groups, women can learn the fuges by separatist and lesbian They identify the causes of opposite. The BWSG do not separatist women.” They write: what they call “violence see the process of women “Initially established by caring against wives” as: men lacking supporting each other and women to protect the victims control over their violent im­ acting for themselves as part of domestic violence, the re­ pulses; society not helping the of empowering battered fuges in most English-speak­ battered woman to stop the women. Men are involved in ing countries have gradually violence; and women failing to feminist refuges, but in a sup­ been taken over by the “terminate the relationship”. portive role, helping with separatist wing of the feminist But this merely describes what childcare and showing a non­ movement”. This is a particu­ happens, not what causes violent alternative to the vio­ larly nasty way of saying that men to be violent. They never lence of the children’s fathers. women working in refuges are say that men should take re­ The Churches’ booklet In August, the Christchurch neither caring nor providing a sponsibility for male violence. mines a deep vein of homophobia. They say re­ Battered Women’s Support service for abused women. It And they say that connect­ Group (BWSG) resigned from also denies the history of the ing violence against women to fuges are being used to recruit women to the radical feminist the National Collective of Inde­ refuge movement here. Les­ the power men hold in society and lesbian separatist cause. pendent W omen’s Refuges, bians and heterosexual is simplistic, because if it were This is another version of the and gained a lot of media pub­ women with the political views true it “fails to explain why only licity. The spokespeople for the Churches dislike were ac­ some men beat their wives myth about homosexuals “seducing and corrupting” the group, Doris and John tive in the first independent while the great majority do Church, have published a 30 women’s refuges, Halfway not”. But men as a group be­ people. They refuse to see that many battered women are les­ page booklet, The Future of House in Auckland and the nefit from the violence of Refuge in New Zealand, in Christchurch refuge, which some men, because it creates bians. And that working in the which they say why they left stimulated the formation of fear among women, which area of male violence to and discuss the way they see others. The book continually helps to maintain male control women for any length of time is encouragement enough for the refuge movement. implies that “separatists” are over women in general. The booklet constantly talks never ex-battered women, or The Churches see refuge in some women to turn to other about “separatist” women, “victim-oriented.” a very narrow way. They women for support and love. who “believe that all men are Using labels like “separatist” analyse “cost-effectiveness” The Churches are unable to potential wife bashers who be­ and “moderate” also ignores by working out the “cost per distinguish lesbians from what lieve that women are the differences in feminist new case” for each refuge. they call “ordinary women”, everywhere oppressed by philosphy, and the non­ They take no account of edu­ and overestimate the number men, and who believe that re­ feminist women working in cation programmes, time of lesbians at meetings. They fuges should be actively en­ the so-called “separatist” re­ spent supporting women who say that “lesbians fondled gaged in the ‘struggle against fuges. have left the refuge, political each other without regard for male oppression’ ...The distin­ Throughout the booklet, action against objectification the feelings of those who find guishing characteristics of separatist, radical lesbian and of women, lobbying for law this kind of behaviour objec­ separatist women are their ex­ feminist are used as inter­ and police changes, and other tionable in public”. This as­ treme and inflexible political changeable terms. In the post- activities of refuges. Since they sumes that heterosexual re­ beliefs, their very strong “anti­ sript, confusingly, the BWSG disagree about male power fuge workers are not affection­ men’ attitude and their belief describes itself as feminist. Yet over women, they do not rec­ ate with each other; and only that there is no role for men obviously a basic feminist un­ ognise much of this other people who fear and hate les­ within the refuge movement.” derstanding—that men as a work as “helping battered bians find their expressions of affection objectionable. Doris and John Church de- group keep power over women.” Broadsheet, November 1985 5 The Churches want the gov­ counselling is inappropriate feminists and lesbians in the changes in society that would ernment to fund telephone for them. The booklet doesn’t refuge movement feeds make refuge redundant. They counselling and advocacy ser­ mention the need to arrange homophobia and gives am­ are going beyond a sticking vices before refuges, reduce support and counselling from munition to the right wing plaster approach. □ the number of feminist re­ women of the same culture as forces they say they don’t want fuges to 20, give money for the abused women, and the to be asssociated with. How­ operating expenses rather BWSG objects to having to ever, no woman should feel in­ than salaries, and for the educate its workers about ra­ timidated, unable to state an money to be allocated in cism. The BWSG uses and ad­ unpopular opinion, or be per­ rough proportion to the vocates motel accommoda­ sonally attacked at a feminist number of new cases each tion for battered women, gathering. But the Churches’ service deals with. which can isolate them from booklet denies the caring and Maori and Pacific Island one another at a time of loneli­ support of feminists and les­ women have made it clear that ness and crisis. bians for battered women. an emphasis on telephone The Churches’ attack on Feminists are going for the SUPPORT FOR BILL NEEDED NOW Supporters of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill can help detailed reply. One of the book's points is that if it through parliament. homosexuality is made legal it will result in an increase of bians and gay men. Nearly tion against anyone on the numbers — because young everyone in the march ended grounds of their sexual orien­ men will be “seduced” into it up carrying something, a bal­ tation, has had less public at­ and because there will be an loon, a banner and in one case tention than the changes to influx from overseas. Three a large wooden cross. the Crimes Act. At present sources of evidence are given Heterosexuals Unafraid of landlords can refuse as ten­ for the seduction idea — two Gays (HUG) was there, trade ants or evict anyone because of them originate from Paul unions, peace groups, Christ­ they think they might be les­ Cameron and the third from ians for homosexual law re­ bian or gay. And employers the Irish Catholic Bishops. form and many hundreds of can refuse to give someone a Paul Cameron’s work has individual supporters. Auck­ job or fire them for that reason been thoroughly discredited land’s Friday night shoppers alone. Passing the second part — he was expelled from the lined the footpath and of the bill would remove this American Psychologists As­ watched the parade go by. As threat — for everyone. But it sociation in 1983 for lying one of the organisers said, would not prevent anyone about research on sexual be­ The Homosexual Law Reform “The only down part was that from arguing or preaching haviour — yet they continue to Bill is back in parliament for its there was no media coverage. against homosexuality if they use his work. second reading. Opinions vary And we had at least 10,000 wanted to. We have seen all the argu­ about how long it will be be­ people there!” The right to work and hous­ ments before, in newspapers, fore a final vote is taken. As a It was the same in Wel­ ing are very basic ones. Les­ advertisements and pam­ private members bill it will be lington, thousands of people, bians and gay men should phlets. This presentation is heard only on Wednesday af­ banners, songs, balloons and have these rights too. Fran pernicious because it gives the ternoons and every member a gay old time. But no media. Wilde said in parliament at the appearance of being reasona­ of parliament has the right to Two thousand came out onto opening of the debate for the ble. But they are the same ar­ speak on it for twenty minutes. the streets in Christchurch and second reading, “Many New guments, that arise from a be­ If they all claim this, and if 800 in Dunedin. People were Zealanders living quiet and lief that one group has the there is blocking at the com ­ marching for lesbian and gay productive lives in the towns right to decide what morality’is mittee stage, it could take rights, they were happy, soci­ and cities of our nation are re­ and make everybody behave months. However, the more able, high-spirited. It was a lying on this House to vote to in the way that they think is optimistic supporters of the celebration so the press took give them their basic rights in right. Sexual morality (in their bill outside parliament are no notice. If it had been a law.” terms) is more important for hoping that the vote will be punch up they would have Members of Parliament opponents to the bill than jus­ taken in four to seven weeks. been there! have all been sent a 55 page tice for everybody in, for exam­ Auckland Gay Task Force is The now famous petition, book The Social Effects of ple, housing and work. angry at the way National Party with its claimed 815,249 sig­ Homosexuality in Hew Zea­ Now is a crucial time for lob­ MPs are playing what they call natures, has been presented land, put out by the Coalition bying MPs with handwritten “political games” with the to parliament. The actual pre­ of Concerned Citizens in letters and visits. Fran Wilde, issue and using a private sentation was a full scale Christchurch. The book and other MPs who have been member’s bill as a “political evangelical production on the claims that it “says it all. It working for the bill all the way football, ignoring the stress on steps of the beehive that looks at the arguments for and through need continued sup­ people’s lives" of anti-gay evoked some uncomfortable against legalising homosexual port. Others, particularly the propoganda over past memories of Germany in the acts.” In fact it gives a two and women and all those in Auck­ months. 1930s. One of the banners of a half page list of some of the land will be affected by the The mid-September the pro-bill group that was arguments for law change, numbers of visits and letters marches throughout the there read, “2 Vs million New with no discussion or sources. they get in support of the bill. country in support of lesbian Zealanders can’t be wrong.” The rest of the book deals with The next few weeks are cru­ and gay rights provided some These are the people who did arguments against the bill, in cial. If every bill supporter affirmation. In Auckland Gni- not sign, in spite of being given detail, with copious footnotes four letters and visited one MP versity Gays had made dozens every opportunity to do so! and references. These are it would make a difference.□ of banners bearing the names The second part of the bill, being checked: Wellington and pictures of famous les- that would outlaw discrimina­ Gay Task Force is compiling a Pat Rosier 6 Broadsheet, November 1985 stitute also ran a course, New Opportunities for Women, for AFFIRMATIVE ACTION women returning to work, which gave them a look at a wide variety of possibilities. SORELY NEEDED Employers are a major target for the positive action Anne Brown writes about the Labour Department’s for women programme. In Manukau their response has Positive Action Programme for women in employment. been encouraging. Male employers have an underlying The positive action for women ing with Rotorua and and promoting the positive ac­ code that women are not suit­ programme began five years Tauranga; Annaseth Kew, tion for women programme. able for certain jobs. However, ago when submissions were Wellington and surrounding Unemployed women are en­ when they take on women made to the Minister of Labour districts; and Alison Kagen, couraged to apply for all the they find it a positive experi­ on the position of unemployed Christchurch. vacancies on the job self ser­ ence and are happy to employ women in New Zealand. From The Manukau District Posi­ vice board, not only the limited more from that point. 1981 census statistics and ex­ tive Action Programme began range of options which Personally targetting tensive research it was clear in January 1985. It’s objectives women usually consider. employers and encouraging that some form of positive ac­ are to: Training courses in non tradi­ them to give jobs to women tion programme for women in ■ Increase the employment tional skills such as builders will one day lead to some form employment should be intro­ potential of women regis­ labouring, metalwork and of quality for women in the duced. tered as unemployed; heavy traffic licences offer workplace. It is a two­ A pilot programme was set Encourage employers to further encouragement. pronged attack — the up in the Taranaki region, take on more women, A Try and Trade day at Man­ employers must be made wil­ amidst extensive “Think Big” especially in non tradi­ ukau Technical Institute was ling to take on women and the projects and trained and tional jobs; an opportunity for young women must apply for the placed many women into non ■ Increase the awareness fourth form students to get jobs. The programme is de­ traditional jobs. From the suc­ among employers, pa­ hands on experience at a veloping well in Manukau and cess of this programme four rents, women and girls, trade. This type of awareness will be extended to other areas senior employment officers and the community at is important for young women in the future.□ were appointed within the De­ large of the need and choosing a career. Careers ad­ partment of Labour to prom­ scope for wider job oppor­ visors and teachers are en­ Women interested in non ote positive action in jobs for tunities to be made availa­ couraged to tell young women traditional work could con­ women. These officers are: ble to women and girls. about jobs which are “at risk” tact any of the women refer­ Anne Brown at the Manukau Labour Department staff when considering career red to above, their local office, responsible for the Au­ have had training and con­ choices and to encourage Labour Department Office, or ckland region; Alana Edson at sciousness raising about the women to consider all job op­ any Vocational Guidance Of­ the Hamilton office, also deal­ need for equal opportunities tions. Manukau Technical In­ fice.

Danielle Frost tried to get a motor mechanics’ apprenticeship. This is her story.

Once upon a time — don’t ask having any. He laughed nerv­ Illustration from book, The Greasy Thumb Automechanics me when as 1 don’t know — I ously. A fake smile plastered Manual for Women decided to become a motor on his face. I wanted to spit at mechanic. 1 thought this deci­ him. sion would lead to a career, He was worried; 1 was the but now it seems it will remain only applicant so far. He told a dream. For I am a woman. me that if someone else On Wednesday I went to a (male) applied, and was qual­ garage who was offering an ified, they would get the job. apprenticeship. I sat in a chair, He did not say how qualified. facing a man who wore a tie He did not say more qualified and a false smile. than me. For 1 am a woman. He told me I was bright. He He thanked me for applying, asked me why I wanted to be a and told me that if it was up to motor mechanic and not a him he would hire me. His secretary. eyes were shifty as he spoke to I stared at the man with a me. He told me he would ring false smile — and imagined I me back; that they would hold was strangling him with his tie the position open for a few — and tried to answer politely. nore days, weeks, to see if any He told me that the foreman one else appied. might want to talk to me, show He showed me to the door me around. He told me to wait of his office, and 1 made my in his office while he went to own way down the stairs. 1 talk to him. When he came searched out the eyes of the back he wore his false smile man who could have been the and laughed nervously. foreman. But no-one would He explained that the fore­ look at me. The man who had man didn’t like the idea of me ignored me when 1 asked working there. For I am a which office to go to was hid­ woman. ing beneath a car. They would He used the example of not accept my anger. For 1 am “strength” and women not a woman. Broadsheet, November 1985 7 Women Against Pornography stood — paraded in the street picketed outside the Miss Au­ in look-alike masks and their ckland contest on 28 August. best dresses. The winner, As the spectators went in they Misogyny, in an emotional had to walk past a picket line speech said how he was the and a mock competition. real winner of all beauty com­ “Contestants” — Miss In­ petitions because he got free formed, Miss Abused, Miss housekeeping, childcare, Conceived, Miss Rep­ higher wages, sex on de­ resented, and Miss Under­ mand...

As a contraceptive con­ doms are 90% — 98% effec­ CONDOMS NOT A JOKE tive, depending on which re­ search study is quoted. Ninety Pat Rosier writes about attempts to erase the grubby percent is the figure most image of rubbers. often referred to if they are used without a spermicide. When combined with a sper­ Women who wanted them National Abortion Action keted by Salmond Industries micide the effectiveness rises usually went to the doctor for a Campaign (WONAAC), Fam­ has monopolised the New to the higher figure. The pre­ prescription — about 7000 ily Planning and the Health De­ Zealand market for years. sent campaign to make con­ condom prescriptions were partment. Dr Margaret Spar­ Lifestyles, the one now in doms more readily available written last year. Men bought row of Family Planning has supermarkets, is made by An- and widely used does not in­ more than three million from said, “W e’re very pleased that sell International of Alabama clude putting spermicides be­ chemist shops. the ‘hush-hush’ and clinical and marketed by Smith and side them, unfortunately. Con­ Now condoms are coming aspect of the condom is going Nephew. Also trying to nudge doms have no effect on a out from behind the chemist’s to be a thing of the past. It its way into the market is Ulti­ woman’s menstrual cycle, counter and on to the self ser­ should be regarded as a mate, made in Korea by Medi­ blood pressure, body fluid re­ vice shelves of grocery stores household commodity.” cal Industrial of Australia and tention or the milk of breast­ and supermarkets, with the Durex, made by the London marketed here by Stevens Dis­ feeding mothers. They are a encouragement of Women’s Rubber Company and mar­ tributors. safe (that is, free from side ef- fects) contraceptive. would go a long way towards headlined, “First shots in the with long hair and makeup, Another benefit is the op­ changing attitudes enough for' condom war” (the war being a him clean cut and very neat, portunity they give for some condoms to be less of a joke financial one among rival pro­ out of focus backgrounds; the women to get their partners to and more of a real alternative K ducers) and had a cartoon whole romantic bit. She’s even share responsibility for con­ to indirect methods. where she, pushing a super­ holding flowers in one. It all re­ traception and, as a condom A more likely motivation to market trolley, is saying to minds me of pantyhose adver­ has to be put on an erect use condoms is the present him, “When 1 said a ‘six pack’ 1 tising. The test of the com ­ penis, it creates a situation fear of AIDS and publicity didn’t mean beer, love”. That pany’s magazine advertise­ where the participants need to about the rising incidence of article also has a list of slang ment makes no reference to talk about it. Anything that en­ sexually transmitted diseases names for condoms and refer­ sexually transmitted diseases. courages people to talk about (STDs). (See the article on ences to the various market­ It would be great to see the sex they are having to­ chlamydia in this issue of ing managers as “prim”, “not some mass promotion that gether is positive. Unfortu­ Broadsheet.) The risk of coy”, “very proper”, or “rather mentioned condoms' effec­ nately some women, particu­ catching an STD can be re­ racier”. I guess it’s our national tiveness in preventing STDs larly if they are young, find it re­ duced by 70%— 90% with the prurience and inability to deal and as a contraceptive, as ally hard to be assertive with use of condoms. This is not with sexuality that makes a WONAAC’s does and por­ male sexual partners and de­ total protection but it certainly contraceptive as up front as trayed more people than the cide that they don’t like either improves the odds. Surpris­ condoms the butt of an inevit­ young and lovely as potential the idea or the reality of using ingly, very little is made of this able outpouring of jokes. What users. Maori and Pacific condoms. Taking the pill, hav­ information in AIDS publicity. is wrong with that is that the women are excluded from the ing an 10D or even using a Since 16 September when young and easily embarassed advertising yet again. People diaphragm can be kept quite they appeared on supermar­ are put off using them. with disabilities, fat people and separate from actual sexual ket shelves, over three million Smith and Nephew claim of old people have all been lost in activity. Before women can condoms have been sold — Lifestyle condoms that they the nice image. deal with the process of using the equivalent of total sales for are “marketing the product in It used to be the cocksure condoms they need to have a the last year in three weeks. a restrained and responsible would-be man about town certain level of confidence in Reporters have had some manner”. A variety of pictures type that drove around armed their right to talk about con­ trouble writing about this. in the advertising and on the with a packet of aging rubbers traception with their male They seem to be unable to packaging all show a white, in his glove box. It's about time partners and make demands. separate the jokes from the heterosexual couple (okay, so condoms were reclaimed as a Open discussion of sexuality, marketing coup by the com ­ lesbians don’t need them, but useful, safe-for-women con­ of the rights and respon­ pany who got the initial prom­ what about homosexual traceptive, ready, next to the sibilities of everyone, and of all otion. A recent New Zealand men?) hugging, fully clothed, tissues, to be plucked off the the contraceptive alternatives Times article, for instance, was smiling or laughing, slim, her supermarket shelf.ta ------1 NO NUCLEAR DUMPING Two women from the North­ dependent Pacific maintained ern Marianas Citizens Cam­ a daily colourful and musical paign Against Nuclear Waste presence on the pavement Dumping (CCANWD) re­ outside the convention, at the turned from a successful lob­ International Maritime Organi­ bying visit to Britain in Sep­ sation, overlooking the tember with the news that an Thames in the heart of Lon­ international body governing don, and talked to some of the the disposal of toxic wastes at delegates outside the entr­ sea had voted for an indefinite ance. moratorium on the dumping However, Jacoba and Maria of nucelar waste, until it’s are not convinced that their proved to be safe. worries are over. The GSA and Jacoba Seman and Maria the GK (which was the world’s Fengalinan, secretary and tre­ biggest dumper before the asurer respectively, were in­ present moratorium) were vited over by the women’s net­ amongst the six nations to work for a nuclear free and in­ vote against the decision while dependent Pacific (an initiative Japan abstained. of Greenham women) to Their country, which is al­ lobby against Japanese plans most 100% against nuclear to dump between 5,000 and dumping at sea, does not have 10,000 barrels of nuclear an independent voice, as their waste a year from their nuclear agreement to be a GS Com­ power industry, 600 miles to monwealth as part of the the north of their coastline. break up of the GS adminis­ The Pacific Ocean, they stres­ tered GN strategic Trust Territ­ sed, is their source of food and ory of Micronesia, gives the GS livelihood. control of their external and They joined the interna­ defence matters. tional Friends of the Earth ob­ During a visit to Japan in servers delegation at the five March this year, the CCANWD day gathering, the GN London were told by government offi­ Dumping Convention, where cials that they would not dump 39 countries out of the 60 sig­ without a regional concensus. natories were represented. With the GS still holding sway Women from Greenham in the Western Pacific, Jacoba Common, black womens asks, “Will they listen to us, or groups, and the women’s net­ to the GS?" □ work for a nuclear free and in­ Sigrid Shayer______"7iJ

Audiologist Susan Grimsdell interviewed six women who have close experience of deafness.

It’s hard to imagine what Susan Grimsdell. Photo: Gil Hanly. it would be like to be deaf. grasp of language stems We can gain some insight the idea that people with into the problems of blind­ deafness are stupid. For a ness by closing our eyes, long time it was believed but there is no way we can that a definite relationship experience deafness. Wear­ existed between hearing ing earplugs is not the impairment and mental re­ same, because genuine tardation. This was dis­ hearing impairment is not proved long ago, yet the ef­ just a simple reduction of fects of it linger on in public sound, but a distortion of prejudice against people sound as well. Speech be­ with deafness. This extends comes muffled and unclear to those who are only par­ because the beginnings tially deaf, and to those and endings of words (the (like most of us) whose consonants) cannot be hearing becomes impaired heard. The person with later in life, even though hearing loss is aware that this group has excellent someone is speaking but language and speech abil­ can’t make out the words. ity. Most hearing loss is partial, but a small percentage To the average member of the public people with of people are born profoundly deaf. This is one of the hearing loss are slightly stupid, slow to catch on to worst of all disabilities. Children born deaf have to be what’s going on, and therefore of limited competence. taught language word by word instead of absorbing it This attitude is reflected in employment statistics naturally the way that most infants do. It is very which show that the majority of people with deafness difficult to teach syntax, slang, abstract concepts, verb are employed in semiskilled or unskilled occupations. tenses and other complex aspects of speech to a child Most people patronise people with disabilities. The who has never heard language being used in a underlying assumption is that they are inferior, not natural way. Thus people who are deaf almost always really equipped to take full part in running our society. have a limited understanding of a language and their This thinking is very similar to the prevailing attitude ability to communicate is therefore very restricted. towards women. Most adults with deafness have a reading age of eight It’s difficult to separate the effects of being a woman because material written for older age groups uses from the effects of being deaf. A recent Hew Zealand language structures that are too complex. survey compared the wages of hearing and hearing A further handicap for people born deaf is poor impaired young people. Most of the girls (56%) fell speech. People with deafness speak the way they into the low wage category whether they were deaf or hear, and because their hearing is so limited and not. Only 17% of the boys were low-waged. Women distorted, their own speech is very difficult for others to are at the bottom of the heap anyway. The handicap understand. From this poor speech ability and poor of deafness can’t disadvantage them much more. 10 Broadsheet, November 1985 Has your deafness affected you as a mother? Weather Brown (not her real name) has Definitely. It’s the only reason David is not with me now. I’ve never been able to be a normal mother to him be­ otosclerosis. This is a hereditary disease that cause 1 couldn’t hear what he was saying unless I sat him produces gradually increasing deafness. It can be acceler­ down and made him speak slowly and loudly. Kids just ated by certain circumstances, one of which is pregnancy. don’t do that. Our relationship is nothing like anyone (A leading Auckland ear specialist told m e that it is not his else’s that 1 know. But I love him and 1 miss him. 1 just think policy to warn women with otosclerosis of the danger of Trevor can give him so much more than I can. A lot of pregnancy because he doesn’t want to exert a negative in­ people say, “She just took off and left her son. How could fluence on a woman’s decision concerning motherhood.) she do that!” But I did it for David’s sake. Before her child was born Heather had only a very mild Have you made any male friends? hearing loss. At the age of 24 she had a baby and three The way I see it is that men will put up with my hearing loss weeks later the hearing dropped in both her ears. Heather if they think they can get something out of me, but if they becam e permanently, profoundly deaf. don’t get what they want that’s the last I see of them. Be­ Did you know that there was a risk of this happening to cause I can’t converse with them they think, “What else is you? there to do? What else is there to her?” The only way I can No. My ear specialist had not warned me about this when I converse is in a quiet place if the person talks loudly. 1 try went to see him two years before I became pregnant. If I and put people at ease, but you can’t casually socialise had known, 1 wouldn’t have taken the risk because neither when you’re straining to hear. I have on occasion invited 1 nor my husband Trevor were that dead set on having a men back to my place so I can talk to them and get to baby. know them, but they interpret this as an invitation to go to Were the people around you supportive? bed with me. My husband didn’t know how to handle it any more than I I joined a wom en’s support group, but 1 found it hard be­ did. He was just a young man. 1 was shattered and depre­ cause when the women were sharing experiences that ssed and so was he. My mother went off the deep end in a had been very distressing to them they spoke quietly. panic. My specialist have me a pamphlet on the Hearing They’re baring their souls so naturally they don’t speak in a Association and told me I’d soon learn to lipread. I’ve tried loud voice, and I just can’t hear them. Married women to learn, but I can’t lipread and not many people can. friends that I used to have don’t know quite what to do with me, and kept on good terms with Trevor. Can you blame ..men will put up with my hearing loss if them? — he’s a real asset, but I’m just a burden. 1 do feel bitter, though, that women 1 thought were my personal they think they can get something out of friends have turned out to be more interested in Trevor’s me.. company. I’ve never been on my own before. I went straight from my parents to my husband. 1 was caught up in the conven­ Did your deafness have anything to do with your marriage tional pattern, of directing my life towards getting a hus­ breaking up after 13 years? band, being the dependent woman at home with the Absolutely. The enormous difficulties in communication strong man to look after me. Then it became a trap be­ at home put a big burden on my husband. Now that we’re cause 1 went deaf, my marriage gradually fell to pieces and apart Trevor says that he feels so free. When 1 was with him I had no resources to cope on my own. I had no hobbies, I he felt under a lot of pressure because he had to organise just went along with Trevor’s interests. 1 saw myself as no­ my affairs for me because I couldn’t communicate with thing without Trevor. I even feel that now. I’m nothing with­ people. I was so depressed that a lot of the time I just went out him. I have to push myself every day to go on living. I’m to bed and couldn’t force myself to get up and look after trying to make a life for myself, but now I’m finding that my things. 1 think he’s lucky to be rid of the whole problem. deafness holds me back at every turn. It’s worrying me He’s made several women friends since we’ve sepa­ more now than it ever has before. rated. W om en com e in and do his housework, they invite him out, they find other eligible women for him. I find I get so jealous of Trevor. He’s in a highly paid job, he has had Joan Saunders, now aged 55, has been the house so far, and he has our son. I left David with Tre­ severely deaf since she was about four years vor because I felt it was better for him to be with his father old. In school, she was treated as mentally retarded, un­ who can hear, than to be with his deaf mother. I let Trevor able to learn because she was unable to hear. She left stay in the house for David’s sake too. Trevor has every­ when she was 14. In May this year Joan received her mas­ thing, and he can start a whole new life. Most of all, he has ters degree in education from Auckland University. his hearing. As for me, I’m on my own in a cold little flat in a What made you want to go to university? neighbourhood where 1 don’t know anyone and can’t get I was telling a friend one day that I wished I had some edu­ to know people because of my deafness. It’s been like this cation, and her response was, “Do something about it. for eight months, but both properties will eventually be Enrol at Massey and do some papers.” I was very hesitant. I sold. I have a clerical job at a basic wage with not much was so ignorant that 1 had never even heard of Massey. 1 prospect of advancement. had had no education, and didn’t know what an essay was I started to help at the Department of Health on a volun­ — my first one was half a page! But I enrolled and once I’d tary basis just to give m e something to do and get m e out passed one paper I knew 1 wasn’t the dunce, the idiot I’d of the house. Then the department employed me in a been made out to be all those years. temporary position under a disabled persons scheme. Re­ I had som e very strange reactions. One lecturer, for cently 1 applied for and got a permanent job with them. It’s example, seated me in a favourable position then ruined it very basic clerical work, but at least it’s secure. by eating carrots and apples during the seminars so that it Broadsheet,.November 1985 11 me with the same patronising air as they have always done. A lot of them haven’t come to terms with my deaf­ ness even though they’ve known me for years, and they seem to get a shock when they realise l really haven’t un­ derstood what they’ve said. Som e men are very patronis­ ing, and treat me as though I’m empty-headed. With som e older men it’s a waste of time tryinq to chanqe their at­ titudes. a a Deaf men seem to find it harder to accept their hand­ icap. They have usually been out in the community play­ ing a dominant role and they find it hard to change their perception of themselves. They still want to be powerful and to dominate. They feel that tô be caring and sharing makes them less of a man. Women accept their Toss bet­ ter and get on with their lives. My w om en friends and I sup­ port one another. Men don’t get that from their friends. How do you feel about yourself? Has your own self-image changed? I was brought up to think that the only thing that mattered was getting a husband. There was nothing else in sight ever. I felt I was poorly equipped for this because of my deafness. My husband’s father didn’t want him to marry me because I was “that deaf girl”. I had no self-image; to myself I was a nonentity. Now each day as I develop more in my skills I gain confidence and I have a good self-image, but I still find it hard to think of myself as a professional be­ cause I was so ordinary for so long. People treat me diffe­ rently now because I have conversation which I never had was impossible for me to read his lips. Most lecturers before. I read a great deal and have things to talk about. I m ade som e attempt to help m e but they couldn’t change feel good and I feel I have a lot to contribute; each day is a their whole style just to help me, so it becamdVery impor­ new beginning. tant for me to find a student to write lecture notes for me. This I found very hard. I was very shy, very withdrawn, and Helen, aged 29, was born profoundly deaf it was not easy for me to bring myself to ask som eone to and as a result her speech is a little difficult to help me. Many refused because they thought I was lazy understand. She is one of the few people who were bom and trying to crib their knowledge. It was quite some deaf who went to sixth form. Her success owes much to weeks sometimes before I found someone who under­ the dedication of her mother, Diane, who devoted her life stood my problem and was willing to help. 1 found univer­ to Helen’s education. sity unutterably lonely for a very long time. What help did you receive in school? What was your husband’s reaction to your attendance at I went to the school for the deaf until I was ten, and then a university? hearing school with a deaf unit. Every day after school m y All my life I d been Peter Saunders’ wife, an appendage. 1 m other would g o over m y hom ew ork with me. W e m ade a was uninteresting. I couldn t hear so 1 had no conversation dictionary of all the words I didn’t know, and my mother ability. My husband had protected me, had made most of explained them to tne. 1 got four subjects in school certifi­ my decisions for me, partly because of my deafness and cate, and achieved grade A trade board exams in typing. partly because of the climate of the time. It was hard for When you finished school were you able to get a job? him to get used to the idea that 1 wanted to be an indepen­ I had an interview with Winstone’s. I went into the office dent person. He had to give up the reins on me. At univer­ with the personnel manager, but as soon as he heard my sity I met many older women whose marriages had bro­ speech he didn t know what to do. He stood up and ken up because their husbands couldn’t adjust. My re­ pushed me out of the room to where my mother was wait­ lationship with Peter came under a lot of stress and strife, ing. He said, “We can’t employ her. She’s deaf. She can’t but he has com e through it with me and now we are grow­ talk. 1 was very, very hurt and humiliated. I didn’t want to ing and developing together. try anywhere else. My mother phoned the Post Office and After I received my B A I tried for many jobs in govern­ the man she spoke to said that they’d employed a deaf ment departments but all the doors were tightly closed. I person before and had problems so they didn’t want had three strikes against me: I was deaf, I was too old and I another deaf person. However, a few days later he phoned was a woman. 1 have been teaching privately, but now I back. He must have checked my high school records be­ practise as a stress counsellor using biofeedback. cause he said he was willing to give me a chance after all. 1 1 can t see many jobs for young deaf women at the m o­ worked there for 15 months, but I didn’t like it. Later on I ment. There is no help for deaf students at the tertiary level decided I wanted to travel so 1 left New Zealand. I went by and until there is there will be little chance for them to suc­ myself, then joined a bus tour in Sydney to go overland to ceed at university. A deaf woman 1 know is a teacher now, London. , but she had to overcome enormous obstacles to qet When I came back 1 had an interview with Air New Zea­ there. land. They gave me some tests and said they’d give me a 1 find that som e older m en o f m y acquaintance still treat chance. I ve been there for seven years, operating com- 12 Broadsheet, November 1985 puters. I was told that 1 wouldn’t be eligible for promotion being a parent than just begetting a child. to the more complex computers because of my deafness. Do you see any changes in men’s feeling of responsibility 1 think they should give me a chance. How do they know 1 towards the daily care of children? can’t do it until they let me try? Yes, to som e extent. I’m back in the hospital scene now, 1 have been out with hearing men a few times, but it and I’m happy to see men attending ante-natal classes hasn’t worked because they’re afraid of my deafness. with their wives. This involvement may make them play They don’t want to get involved. 1 have had many experi­ more of a role in looking after the children. In my time, ences where 1 have been rejected. I have been sitting in a men wanted all the pleasures and comforts of married life pub with a friend, and two men have com e over to talk to while retaining the privileges of being single — the free­ us, but when they found we were deaf they just walk away. dom to go out with their friends when they wanted, the Do women react in the same way? freedom from responsibility for the work involved in child No, not at all. 1 have many women friends with normal hearing. My deafness doesn’t worry them. 1 met my fiance last year at a reunion for school for deaf pupils. He has a hearing loss but he is not profoundly deaf. I’m glad, because he has hearing friends as well as deaf friends, so 1 can join both worlds. 1 like to know hearing people because they extend me. Do you see a difference between deaf men and deaf women? Deaf women have more get up and go. Deaf men feel more embarrassed about their deafness and are not so outgoing. 1 have many marvellous deaf women friends, but not so many male ones. How do you feel about yourself? 1 have worked very hard. School was so hard, and so much work. I have had times when I’ve been very down, but now is a very good time of my life. I’m getting married next week and I’m very happy.

D iane} Helen’s mother, described what it was like for her to be the mother of a child with deafness. Did you have much help or support with Helen? No. The view at the time was that child-rearing was wom en’s work. My husband shared that view. When I dis­ covered that Helen was deaf 1 cried every night for at least a year. 1 hid my tears because the attitude was that crying didn’t do any good. 1 couldn’t grieve properly. I had to keep Jen ny Allen became the mother of a child it to myself. Few of my friends could understand what it was like. It was a great relief when my parents came to visit with deafness 30 years after Diane. Her exper­ us because they would take Helen out for walks and talk to ience is, however, not so.very different. Her son Michael is her. Apart from that, 1 had the responsibility for Helen by now 21 months old. myself. What are the special problems of coping with a deaf Did you get much help from the Department of Educa­ child? tion or other services? I think that no one can understand what it’s like except No, not at all. 1 heard about an American programme for another mother of a deaf child. Michael’s understanding deaf children so I wrote away and received monthly les­ of language is so much less than my daughter’s was at the sons to use with Helen to teach her to lipread. 1 made same age. Kristy only ever had two or three tantrums be­ Helen my number one priority, perhaps to the detriment of cause when she saw that it didn’t get her anywhere she my husband and other daughter. But I knew that Helen found other ways to express herself — usually verbally, couldn’t learn anything on her own because of her deaf­ and 1 could reason with her to some extent. But Michael ness. Her achievement in life would depend on my efforts. has no other way to communicate so he has terrible tan­ When 1 took Helen out of the school for deaf because I felt trums and there’s nothing I can do. There’s enormously her potential would be better achieved at a normal school greater effort and work involved with him than with Kristy. the principal told me, “On your own head be it. I think We have an adviser from the Department of Education, you’ll regret it.” There was a great burden of responsibility but because his caseload is so huge we hardly ever se$ on me and a lot of guilt. him. I’m pretty much on my own. Did you ever feel resentment that you had to abandon all When Michael’s deafness was first discovered, the ad­ prospect of a physiotherapy career for yourself? viser came a few times. 1 was told I had to spend 20 mi­ Yes, at times. 1 would have liked to have been able to share nutes talking directly to Michael five times a day. There the responsibility, but that wasn’t possible so 1 made my was no way I could do that. For one thing babies don t sit decision to give everything I could to Helen. It’s only re­ still for periods of time in that way, and for another thing cently that men have begun to realise there’s more to Kristy couldn’t be expected to play quietly by herself at the Broadsheet, November 1985 13 age of 20 months for five 20-minute periods! I couldn’t do when I was 15, and that was okay with me. I’d been on my it and 1 went through a lot of guilt. Finally 1 cam e to terms own and independent since I was four. I have my friends, with it and accepted that 1 could only do my best. but when I have problems I sort them out myself. 1 hate Do you get support from your husband? leaning on people. A lot of people come to me when Yes, as much as he can, but he works long hours and is they’re in trouble and I give them advice and try to help away from home from 7.30 to 6.15 so I’m on my own all them. day. Sometimes I wish he could be hom e at 4.30 when I I never wanted to get married. After I’d been working for need him. I just get to the end of my tether, totally a while I decided to have children, but I didn’t want to get exhausted by the end of the day. Once or twice when my married. I saw how my mother had been ground down in husband came home I’ve just had to leave the house and her marriage, and 1 saw so many of my friends getting di­ go for a walk. vorced and being under such pressure. I didn’t want that. 1 had enough money because I had worked for a long time, “But Michael has no other way to com­ I had a car and 1 had a house, and I didn’t need anyone to support me. municate so he has terrible tantrums Has it been hard to be on your own? and there’s nothing I can do”. It was a lot of work when the children were babies, but Goia is four now and Shona is two, and it’s a lot easier. I don’t let them walk over me. I have my children as my Does your husband understand why you get so number one priority, but I also have my job, my friends exhausted? and myself. I keep my life in balance. He has had the children by himself a few times when I’ve Do you get help from the children’s father? gone out for the day on a weekend and since then he Oh yes. They have different fathers, but they both give me realised that it can be quite horrific. He has said quite a few maintenance, and pay money into the girls’ bank ac­ times that he’s glad he goes to work during the day and counts. The children have never seen their fathers. 1 see doesn’t have to spend all day with the children. 1 could see Shona’s father around, and I wave to him. He said that if 1 fathers walking out and I can understand mothers doing ever need help I only have to phone. I like him, but he has a that too. There have been times when I’ve thought that’s drinking problem and I knew if I tried to settle down with the only way out, but 1 could never bring myself to do that. I him his drinking would ruin our relationship. I’ve been in­ know that quite often the men just can’t handle it. dependent too long. I like to stand on my own feet. I have one friend who is also the mother of a deaf child. Has your deafness made things difficult for you? The times I haven t coped and have been close to a nerv­ No, not at all. I’m a good lipreader and I’m not scared to tell ous breakdown, if it hadn’t been for her I probably would people I’m hard of hearing so they slow down and speak have gone over the edge. Without that friendship I would clearly. I don’t think I miss much. have given up a long time ago. Do you have friends who are deaf? Do people recognise the difficulty and the worth of what Yes, and a lot of them have problems. Many of them have you’re doing? broken marriages. Their husbands don’t understand their Yes and no. Close friends can see progress in Michael and deafness so they leave. If two deaf people get together it realise where it’s coming from because a deaf child works better. doesn’t learn on his own. My husband’s friends whom I How do you feel about yourself? don’t really know, aren’t interested. I m okay. I have a good time with my kids. I have men when If you could choose the support you needed, what would I want them, on my terms. I am my own person and I do you want? what I want to do. Som eone who understands what I’m going through, who knows all the agencies and services available to me for All of these women have had a hard struggle. Their help. Som eone who can give advice when it’s needed. achievements have come largely through their own Just someone to be there, to say, “I understand. 1 know it’s efforts, with little help from the men in their lives. terrible, I know it’s driving you mad. I want to help you.” Assistance from outside agencies is little better today than it was 20 or 30 years ago. āKnne Marriott is a 28-year-old Maori My impression in talking to these women was that any disadvantage they experienced was due more to woman with moderate deafness, and the their sex than to deafness. mother of a child who is partially deaf. Anne was sent to If women were not confined in stereotyped roles, if the School for the Deaf as a boarder from the age of four. responsibility for income-earning and child-rearing She left school at 14 and left home at 1 5 .1 expected that were shared equally with men, the lives of these she would have had some problems in her life. women would be very different. Did you have any difficulty finding a job when you were Heather would have developed her own interests and 15? skills and be better equipped to cope with her disability. No trouble at all. I’ve never had any trouble getting a job Joan would have recognised and realised her potential because I’m a person who’s willing to do any job and work much sooner. Jenny would not be carrying the very hard. I’ve picked tomatoes, done gardening and now responsibility for her son s progress all by herself, and I m working as a housemaid in a motel. If you want to get Diane may not have had to cry alone all those years anywhere you have to take what you can get and work ago. Anne and Helen would still have worked very hard. hard, but chances are they would have been a lot Have you had help and support from your family when better paid. you needed it? fiothing will improve for deaf women until change 1 didn t need it. My mother told me I had to leave home comes for all women. □ 14 Broadsheet, November 1985 SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DEAFNESS

TWENTY YEARS AGO... For adults with hearing loss: • There were no qualified au­ GOOD NEWS diologists to fit hearing aids. • an $81 subsidy on the cost of • the government subsidy on hear­ hearing aids ing aids covered the whole cost of • a rehabilitation service through the aid the Hearing Association, whose • most attended schools for chil­ 35 branches offer lipreading clas­ dren with deafness as boarders ses and advice on ways of coping from the age of five. Today less with hearing loss than 5% have to live at the schools • field officers for people with deaf­ • there were no services for adults ness in Auckland, Wellington and with profound deafness at all Christchurch. These officers help • services offered by the Hearing people with profound deafness Association were much more li­ with jobs, bank accounts, places mited to live and other everyday things • there was no financial help for pa­ • interpreters for people with deaf­ rents of children with hearing loss ness, using sign language • Accident Compensation funds for deafness caused by too much noise GOOD NEWS • all hearing aid expenses • a weekly allowance of $14.50 to help with other expenses involved in caring for a child with a disabil­ ity • advisors on children with deaf­ ness to guide parents and look after the child's hearing aids • three schools for children with deafness • residential courses for parents at these schools • special classes for children with BAD NEWS deafness in ordinary schools • hearing aids cost $200-$280 in • itinerant teachers or teacher aides hospital clinics, up to $800 from for children in ordinary class­ retailers; many people need two. NOW... rooms There is no help with other ex­ • special kindergarten teachers penses — batteries, amplified The government provides for where there are enough children telephones — and these costs are all people with hearing loss... with a hearing loss to warrant it not tax deductible • The Hearing Association’s mem­ GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS bership is 6,000; less than 5% of • audiology clinics in hospitals • There are 20 advisors for the the 250,000 people with hearing where hearing can be assessed 2,500 children with hearing loss. loss and hearing aids fitted With 100 children to see, it is im­ • there are five field officers for over • hospital ear, nose and throat possible to spend much time with 32,000 people with severe to pro­ clinics for treatment of ear disor­ each one. The responsibility for found deafness. The Department ders the child’s development in the of Social Welfare pays 75% of crucial preschool years is largely their salaries; the balance, and all BAD NEWS left to parents (for “parents” read other expenses have to be met • the waiting list for hearing aids in “mothers”) through fundraising. The service some areas is as long as two years • in school, many children, particu­ has had government funding for • hospital waiting lists for ear, nose larly those in outlying areas, see only the past couple of years. In and throat departments are prob­ an itinerant teacher as seldom as areas outside the three main ably worse than for any other de­ once or twice a term cities, people with profound deaf­ partment. In 1982 there were • in areas outside the big cities, it ness have no one to help them. 2,456 people waiting for ear treat­ would be rare to find enough chil­ • there were three interpreters in ment in Auckland, 674 in W el­ dren with deafness to warrant a September, 1985. Before that lington kindergarten teacher there were none.D

Broadsheet, November 1985 15 Women With Disabilities

These photographs by Erin Forrest come from the book Ability Differ­ ences Auckland's Awareness, com ­ piled by Maria Monet and published by the Independent Living Centre (ILC), a voluntary organisation in Auckland. The book describes 96 groups and or­ ganisations, both local and national, which provide support and services for people with both visible and hidden disabilities in the Auckland area. It is the most comprehensive current di­ rectory of organisations in this field. It covers support, rehabilitation and resi­ dential organisations, and the areas of mental health, children, recreation, education, work, funding, transport and lobby groups. The first print run was 1,500, sponsored by Winstone, and the long term plan is to get the book reprinted and distributed around the country free to health workers and other people who need to know more about people with disabilities. The centre, book is a fundraising project and is av­ imunity rrv ailable for $2 from the Independent Living Centre, 14 Erson Ave, Royal >> > u v m r Suntary helper for Oak, or $3 by mail. Write to P.O. Box e Dale (left)■ 24042, Auckland 3. cs uaith Carma.

Language about people with dis­ Respecting the uniqueness inaccurate as well as demeaning. abilities is often loaded with negative and worth of the whole indi­ Avoid referring to a person as a post­ assumptions. It is important that polio, a stroke, an epileptic, a parap­ vidual, and because a disabling people without disabilities recognise legic, and so on. Say, instead, the per­ and change the words we use and condition may or may not be hand­ son who had/has polio, had a stroke, icapping, use the word disability the way we think about people with has epilepsy, whose legs are rather than the word handicap, but disabilities. The phrases that will re­ paralysed, and so on. place current cliches and put downs refer to the person first. Say person/ may seem awkward and longwinded individual with a disability, or person/ Avoid categories that are only at first. Male linguists and writers individual who has a disability. W hen used correctly about technical infor­ complained bitterly at the first talking about more than one, use mation — for example hard of hear­ feminist suggestions about non­ people or individuals. Avoid using the ing, deaf, partially sighted and blind. sexist language, because they pre­ word disabled as a labelling adjective When talking about people with these ferred simple men-only words to as in disabled person, person who is disabilities, say person/individual more complicated phrases that in­ disabled because this implies that the with a partial hearing loss, person cluded women too. Able-bodied person, as a person, is disabled. Also with a total/severe hearing loss, per­ people may have taken for granted avoid using disabled as a noun (the son who has limited/partial vision, the negative ideas behind the words disabled), because it implies a state of person with total/severe loss of vis­ about people with disabilities, and separateness or total disability. Som e ion. getting rid of these goes against people with disabilities prefer to refer Avoid all negative or years of habit. These guidelines for to themselves as physically chal­ judgmental words and labels, lenged, or differently abled. writing and speaking about people and replace them with objective de­ with disabilities are not fixed; usage The person is not the condi­ scriptions. Som e examples: will change and becom e clearer with tion, so reference to the person in • afflicted by/with — say the person time. term s o f the condition she or he has is has 16 Broadsheet, November 1985 • cripple/crippled/the crippled — object in error or at fault, such as a • patient — acceptable for individu­ say the person with a disability/ defective printout or a defective als under medical care or treat­ person with a disability caused piece of equipment. Degrading ment only. People with disabilities by/people with disabilities and offensive when used about may be clients or consumers of • drain/burden — say condition people. Say problem/condition; particular services; none is ever a needing additional or intensive instead of birth defect, use differ­ case. care ence in physical structure at In overall portrayal, Try to • homebound — say person birth, or lack of formation of ( • Epmhasise the uniqueness and whose ability to leave the home ), or disability present at worth of all people, rather than dif­ is limited birth, or born with ( ). ferences between people. • homebound employment — say • Diagnose — accurate only when • Keep the individual in perspective; employment in the home used in connection with a condi- avoid emphasising the disability

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angina CliniC' have nc 'Hdustrial jobs atAbi,, i VMCA W S S e

• inflicted — say caused by tion or a disease (the condition to the exclusion of individual qual­ • invalid (literally “Mot valid”) — say was diagnosed as osteomyelitis). ities and achievements. the person who has a disability A person is never diagnosed, but Show the person with a disability resulting from may be found to have whatever doing something independently • lame — say person with a limp/ the condition or disease may be. or for som eone else — as parents, person who has difficulty walk­ disease — acceptable when clas­ community leaders, teachers, ing sifying some causes of some dis­ business owners — and as par­ • restricted to/confined to — say abilities (like polio, Parkinson’s ticipants and decision makers in uses a wheelchair/uja//cs with Disease, meningitis) which are their own rehabilitation. crutches diseases. Misleading and inaccu­ Show people with disabilities in • wheelchair bound — say uses a rate to believe or imply that all dis­ the least restrictive environment, wheelchair abilities are the result of diseases participating in activities in a way • unfortunate, pitiful, poor, and or that all people with disabilities that includes them as part of soci­ other words which are value judg­ are chronically ill or sick. Although ety. Show them acting with ab­ ments; deaf and dumb, blind as a a disability may be caused by a lebodied people in ways that don’t bat, crip, spastic, freak, de­ disease, the disability is not the foster the attitude of “one of them” formed, and other cliches and disease itself, and can never be versus “one of us". labels that stereotype and offend contagious, as is often mistakenly Show the typical achiever as well — no replacements. thought. as the superachiever.a normal — acceptable for statisti­ This is an adaptation of the National Be careful with, certain words cal norms and averages. De­ Easter Seal Society guidelines to por­ that can reinforce negative attitudes meaning when used about people traying people with disabilities, origi­ towards people with disabilities. without disabilities. Say people nally printed in Broomstick, a San These include: without disabilities/ablebodied Francisco magazine by, for and about • defect/defective — describes an people instead. women over 40. Broadsheet, November 1985 17 Horizon Gardens

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Broadsheet, November 1985 19 Leah Poulter interviewed Yoka about her five years with the Lesbian Mothers Defence Fund (LMDF). I spent the first ten years in New Zealand doing my explain to her that this was something you felt personally, motherly thing, being playcentre secretary, setting up a and had no genetic effects at all. house. In 1972 I joined the Dunedin Collective for Unless someone knocks me over the head I’m not Women. That was like the sunburst in the east for me, ev­ going to stop fighting for women because too much erything came together. 1 was involved in all the early needs to be done, and a lot of it by women like myself who things in 1972. Since then my life has really taken off. My are prepared to stand up and say “T o hell with you, I’m a forties were really neat. (1 was born in 1928, I’m now 57). 1 lesbian, so what?” I can do that because I’m not reliant on was involved in setting up a refuge for women in Dunedin, a paid job. and stayed for four years. The children had to give up an How did the Lesbian Mothers Defence Fund start? awful lot of my time because there were always endless I was angry at a radio announcement in late 1979 about phone calls, picking up battered women, and sometimes the Guardianship Amendment Bill. They said there was women with their children staying at home. The children this grave danger of totally the wrong people being given have been involved in all my feminist activities from the custody of their children. You know, solo mothers, par­ very first moment. The refuge is an experience that has ticularly lesbian mothers, gay fathers. I dashed off a sub­ shaped my thinking and made me a perpetually angry mission under this made-up name, and it got a lot of pub­ woman on behalf of women. licity. What I said was that lesbian mothers and gay fathers I spent 1978 at highschool getting my sixth form certifi­ don’t get custody of their children because they are gay or cate, because I didn’t have any highschool at all in Hol­ lesbian. land. It coincided with 1944 and most of the highschools A few years later, when 1 looked through the submis­ in the towns we were evacuated to had been bombed sions, the only one they had found necessary to follow up away. I really, really enjoyed 1978. That proved to myself was ours. They made a request to the parliamentary legal and the kids and anyone else that I could do it! research bunch to find out if there had been any real dis­ The kids were great that year; they gave m e great advice crimination against lesbian mothers as such in New Zea­ and helped me. And next year when I came back from the land courts. They cam e up with some cases, a couple of United W om en’s Convention, and said what I always which had been fairly bad, and said considering the situa­ thought I was, was true — I was a lesbian— they said that’s tion in Australia, there was room for improvement here in wonderful, that’s good. Now you know what it feels like, New Zealand. That was really rather nice to find out. Eric said to me when I was pacing up and down waiting for I have a great, enormous bundle of New Zealand a telephone call from my lover in Wellington one day. My background cases about lesbian mothers and custody, daughter said at one time, I suppose I’ll have to be a les­ with everything 1 could find on positive custody material. bian as well. I thought my god, it’s even got to her. I had to That’s very important, because there’s some grotty stuff 20 Broadsheet, November 1985 about. But there is now, and has been for a long time, a lot the time because they’re engaged in bringing up their chil­ of really positive material that says it makes stuff-all differ­ dren. I’ve had to do it mostly myself. I’d like it to be much ence for a child to be brought up in a lesbian household, more shared. or a solo mother’s household. In fact, the ones in lesbian It's called the Lesbian Mothers Defence Fund — do you households are likely to be better adjusted than the ones actually have a lot of money? in solo mother households. All that positive information is $38.68! That comes from the odd time when I get some available — the only problem is that no-one knows about money for a pamphlet. I haven’t had time to do fundrais­ it. ing. And I have a problem; I don’t necessarily want to send There are about ten custody cases that stick out, but the pamphlet or the booklist out to just anybody. 1 got a let­ one of them was particularly horrific, because it was to do ter from a Mr O ’Neill in Christchurch, saying dear friend, with access. The lesbian woman lost custody of her send me your pamhplet, here’s money. And I’m not going daughter, because of the lesbian relationship she was in. to, yet. I’m going to write him a letter, saying who are you; I She was only allowed to have the child one day in the want to know who I’m sending the pamphlet to. weekend and definately not overnight, because of the dreadful influence a lesbian relationship might have on ...a lesbian mother was awarded custody of the consciousness of that impressionable poor little child. her children — with the provision that she was She did go for further and better access, and she now has under no circumstances to live with or even the child for the whole weekend; there is no legal reason meet her partner... ___ why she shouldn’t have had that in the first place. There was another case of a woman who was reduced Have you ever had any substantial funding or grant in to looking over her shoulder and not going to women’s the last five years? groups anymore. The judge said when giving her custody No funding. I applied to the Advisory Committee on (because the husband was a disaster anyway), I will review W om en’s Affairs for money to print the pamphlet. It’s cal­ this custody arrangement if you ever live with or meet Miss led Children of Lesbians — A Case for Custody. It has A, and Miss A was, of course, her lover. That was com ­ practical advice for anybody worried about custody fights, pletely out of line as well. It made her a wreck because she and information about what has happened in New Zea­ didn’t dare go out anywhere, she didn’t dare have women land courts. to the house, and it ruined her relationship. What are your plans for the next five years? To go on doing what I’m doing now; giving out informa­ ...the father’s extra-marital heterosexual tion to lesbian mothers when they want it, and concentrat­ relationship was dismissed as unimportant by ing on lawyers, judges, medical professionals and social a Supreme Court Judge, while the lesbian welfare workers, to make the concept of lesbian mother­ relationship between the mother and her hood acceptable, or at least something they have to take partner were condemned with moral into consideration. indignation... I’m very interested in self insemination and the counsel­ ling that goes with that. It’s important for women in a re­ (from the submission to the Guardianship lationship who want to have children together to know Amendment Bill) what the pitfalls and the implications are. What sort of thing would a lesbian couple who went There was one rather nice success story. A woman who along to a doctor about artificial insemination be faced was so good at pleading for herself because she was street with? "< ' wise and a born cynic; she got total custody of the children They would be faced with extreme scepticism. If they were and the judge even disallowed the husband’s move to lucky and had a liberal doctor, they would still probably force her to live in Dunedin because he would have easier have to face immense hurdles. If two women are in a re­ access to the children. She was allowed to m ove to the lationship and one of you wants to have a child, you have North Island, which was really good. to make number of visits to a sympathetic lawyer and sort In another one, the judge said access arrangements the whole custody bit out beforehand, with really ironclad were in no way to be impeded by the husband or the hus­ arrangements. It’s happened in the past that when a band’s family on the basis of the woman’s lover, because it woman died, the child was automatically taken over by the was a steady and normal love relationship. These stories wom an’s parents, and there was no consultation with the are heartening, but unfortunately the horror stories are in lover at all, and she had made the mistake of not going to a the majority. lawyer and couldn’t do anything about it. Have you noticed any improvement in the attitudes of I do know a lot about the way that judges think, and their professionals? convoluted ways of activating their prejudice while sup­ They feel morethreatened.They don’t like being told there posedly giving out liberal and considerate opinions and is all this legal information available, because they haven’t access arrangements, because they do have to be seen to come across it before. It’s different if you get the client to be impartial. But they’re not, they're very much against the bring it all in, because then they can be patronising about concept. it and quietly read up on it. But if I, from the LMDF, say Have you noticed proportionately more lesbian there is all this positive medical and legal information and mothers coming out over the last five years? it’s been written up in America, England and Australia, Yes, a great many. It’s wonderful to have the backing of a they don’t like it very much. lesbian community. They’ve not always been as open with Have you had much support in your work, or is it their children as you would like them to be. Once you are largely a one-woman activity? open with your children, in my experience, they will accept Unfortunately, it is, because lesbian mothers haven’t got it. It’s mostly older children, young men, who can’t cope

Broadsheet, November 1985 21 with my being a lesbian. Mind you, my boys think it’s per­ just horrendous. fectly normal. My mother said to my son — he was only 15 Were they this active when you started up the LMDF at the time — when we were all together once, “Do you ap­ five years ago? prove of all those things your mother does with other No, it’s much easier to cope with Patricia Bartlett than this women?” Which was ridiculous, because 1 only had one lot, because they get so much funding. It’s the world-wide lover. And he sort of looked at her. He said “It’s her life. She American right wing that is so very very dangerous, be­ can choose whoever she wants to and it really hasn’t got cause they not only fund the right wing here, they also give anything to do with us. W e would have run away from them instructions. They tell them to hold tupperware home if she had com e home with a man.” It was marvell­ party-type gatherings, and spread anti-lesbian, anti­ ous. women misinformation. All that Jerry Falwell backlash is What about that friend’s child who went to school one directed against the radical lesbians, and it is carrying over day and was being taunted by some kids? into the lesbian community at large. Everyone now is There had been an immense row when the marriage jumping on the bandwagon and slinging off madly left broke up, and the new arrangement with the lover was right and centre about lesbian activists and separatists perfectly okay. The child went to school and someone who hate men. 1 get bored with that because I’ve been tel­ said to her, “Oh, your mum is a lezzie.” And the child said ling people that I don’t hate men, I just don’t think they fi­ “So what, she doesn’t beat me up”. Her dad used to. That gure in my life very largely. Furthermore, if you have two very definitely squashed any reactions from the kids and large sons, it’s a bit difficult to hate them. she never had any more trouble at school. But you can’t expect children to be that quick off the mark normally. A lot of them have had difficult times. ...the Supreme Court Judge ignored several I’ve had a far out wierdo of a teacher, who took aside the recommendations to grant custody to the mother of a girlfriend of one of the children and said, “Do mother, said in his summing up that a lesbian you realise that Anne’s mother is a lesbian?” And the could not be a fit mother, and awarded custody mother instantly yanked the kid away from staying the to the father... weekend, which she normally did, and from any playing at Anne’s house. That was a bad teacher experience; when they are bad, they’re really bad. That was really depressing The only thing is to fight back against the right wing the for the child, because she was done out of a good friend. way we are now — by pamphletting, talking endlessly over What about the very well-organised right wing element and over about the same thing. Monday next I’ll be urging in blew Zealand? people outside the Moray Place post office to write to their The first time 1 was well and truly aware of them was when I MPs about the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. 1 am old was asked to be on the programme commemorating ten enough to feel a chill of recognition when 1 see that cere­ years of gay rights activity in New Zealand, representing mony on the steps of parliament, with those young fresh- LMDF. The interviewer, trying to be fair to everybody, went faced kids carrying banners and the national anthem rig­ to Pat Bartlett asking what she thought about lesbian marole. It was really scary, exactly like it was in Holland, mothers. That was when she said lesbian mothers were a with all these marches of the Hitler youth and the pam­ contradiction in terms. Apparently if you had known the phletting and the ceremonial, flagwaving and nationalism. delights of a penis, and children and a family, then you Many of my friends went to the gas chamber, and there couldn’t be a lesbian. was a lesbian woman who was a friend of my best friend’s The right wing is very, very strenuously geared against aunt, who wore a pink triangle. She never came back. That lesbians, because men don’t like being deprived of cus­ really, really horrible facism is here again, thanks to the so- tody or say over their children. They see this dangerous called moral majority. situation of two women who don’t need a man, are not 1 keep on trying to get lesbian mothers known and writ­ even sexually dependent on men, and are actually manag­ ten about. I’ve been trying for years to get an interview with ing to bring up children. This is why the right wing is so the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, because that lies fiercely busy in trying to pare down alternative lifestyles, around for years in doctor’s waiting rooms and other because they threaten the whole concept of family. All the places, and has a very wide readership. I had an interview lesbian mothers who live with children know very well that about three years ago with one reporter with photos and they are in a family. everything, but nothing came of that because someone Ring wing people write letters to me. The more pathetic higher up killed it. 1 got som e very interesting letters from ones are quite literally like heavy breathing on paper. the editor of the Weekly when 1 said they’d had an article When 1 talked to the ones with the petition, and say you ask about gay husbands and fathers and why can’t 1 have my my children; they’ve grown up to be very nice people, article about lesbian mothers? Basically it was “Your time they’ve had a lesbian mother and they haven’t missed out hasn’t com e yet.” The latest response is that they’ve been on anything, they get very abusive and violent. having a lot of bits and pieces about feminism lately, so The most dangerous plank for lesbian mothers and po­ they want to put it off till next year, so that’s probably going tential lesbian mothers, is their opposition to lesbians and to be buried like the other one. gay men adopting children. The danger there from a legal I’m going to try to write something for Race, Gender point of view, is that if they manage to enshrine in law that and Class, when and if I have the time. The Advisory Com ­ lesbians can’t adopt children, I’m quite certain they will mittee on W om en’s Affairs have been helpful. They have move on to the fact that lesbians have children anyway, always given me photocopying facilities, and !’ve carted and they’ll try to make that illegal as well. So moving away endless photocopying whenever I’m in Wellington, against adoption for lesbians is really just the back door or they’ve sent it back to me. All these small financial for their other plans, which are anti-lesbian, anti-women, holdbacks are really inhibiting. I spend more time on fi-

22 Broadsheet, November 1985 women lawyers who I’ve known for years feel intimidated CHILDREN OF LESBIANS when I keep handing them new material that’s really im­ portant, because they feel it’s a reflection on them not A Case for Custody finding it themselves. If I want any really good support, I get it from my kids. They go around at parties saying did you hear my mum on the radio. They’re terrific supporters, they rebut all the things that their friends say. It’s really nice to know they do that whenever the subject com es up. I couldn’t possibly have done what I have done over the years without their support. I was involved in rape crisis in Dunedin from the begin­ ning. Many, many gay rights meetings and conferences. (About 900 people came to the pink and black Friday gay rights march; for Dunedin that is absolutely unheard of. That was a whole lot more than the number of people who marched against ratification of the GN convention on women.) So many lesbian mothers I’ve been involved in advising. Lesbian visibility week every year. There is som e­ thing practically every day of my life, and that’s how I want it. I have all these lovely lesbian books, and I haven’t read one of them; I lend them out. I sent a whole lot of stuff up to Zoe Catherine Alice in Hamilton for her Lesbian Herstory Archive. I don’t think l could possible live an ordinary life, be­ cause I’d die from boredom. Women have given me my life and I like to give my life to women, because it’s a cause that never, never loses its impetus.n 4 Pamphlets and book lists are available from LMDF, P.O. Box 11009, Dunedin

(Lesbian Mothers Defence Fund) L.M.D.F., P.O. Box 11009, Dunedin. We are there to help you. THEATRE CORPORATE

nancial shortcuts than I should. The LMDF is mentioned in the new Our Bodies, Our Selves, it’s in Out magazine, Pink Triangle, and Auck­ Opens Wednesday land’s Lesbians In Print (LIP), I hope. W om en are invited to send for the booklists. I charge money only to lawyers 13th November 6.00pm and other people I think can afford it. I don’t charge money for anything much to lesbian mothers. In Dunedin there’s a surprising amount of support for Michele Hine in a lesbian mothers for the simple reason that by jumping up and down a lot, I’ve made them visible. I’ve had an inter­ return season of view in the paper; the article was good but the headline said “Children of lesbian mothers need not turn out de­ viant.” Deviant! Not even in inverted commas! I’ve been into the office of the Otago Daily Times editors and spo­ ken to both of them. The head editor had the bloody nerve in a 20 minute debate to say he was entitled to his pre­ judices, and that lesbians weren’t Christians, were they? WOMEN On both occasions l brought in material on lesbian mothers, and on both occasions it was not printed. The only way l can ever manage to get into the paper is in the letters column, and even then they abridge out important bits like the name of the defence fund and the post office ALONE box number. It’s fairly typical, I suppose. “Dazzling solo Act Rivets Audience” I have been on a number of talkbacks, as have a lot of others. But only once did l really get a lot of time. You can’t Auckland Herald just march up to them and say this stuff the right wing is saying about us is not true, because they’ll say we had “An artist of extraordinary quality” someone on last year or six months ago about that. Daily Telegraph London There is a lot that can be achieved by just going to visit judges and lawyers on the local level. Even feminist

Broadsheet, November 1985 23 :ROM KAMP GIRLS TO POLITICAL DYKES

A personal view of 30 years as a New Zealand lesbian. by Alison J. Laurie

PART ONE I began my unrelenting search for the “others” when I My new friend didn’t know. She wasn’t much use at all was fifteen. It was 1956, and I had heard the word “lesbian” really. She didn’t know any “others” and said that she and identified with it. I had been having kisses, cuddles wasn’t “like that”. She said she only made love to and crushes on other girls since I was ten. women sometimes. The first word 1 had found was “homosexual”. In the School finished. 1 went to Auckland. 1 stayed with typical ignorance about sex of the fifties, 1 had been writers and artists — friends of the bohemian coffee bar trying to get a sex education at the Wellington Public crowd in Wellington. 1 asked them about lesbians, and Library. I discovered Freud in the Reference Section, and grew bolder. I now said that “I thought I might be one”. learned that the “others” who were attracted to their own At last I met a man who took me to the Ca d'Oro. It sex were all either in prisons or in mental institutions. was early 1958. The Ca d'Oro was full o f fluffy young m en This was not hopeful. in chiffon scarves and make-up. I felt that I had com e There were of course “others” at my all-girls school, hom e. among both the teachers and the students. But we were The young men and I went everywhere together. I all afraid, and there was no way to discuss this subject. wore a tie. The streets were dark and dangerous. People Coffee bars began in Wellington. They were daring often chased us, and tried to beat us up. “Queers!” they and new, “bohem ian” . Th e first one was The Man would shout. I was a fast runner. I had gone in full drag to Friday, followed by The Sorrento, the Picasso, the Casa a Trades Hall Dance, passed as a boy, and danced with Fontana. Writers, artists, unusual people went to them. I girls. Afterwards I had to run ten blocks to safety, pursued went every night. But there were no “others” there. At by a gang of milk-bar cowboys. every opportunity I asked if anyone had ever met som eone The young men did not know any other lesbians — “like that” . 1 did not say that I thought I was one. except for two who had gone to Sydney. “That’s where It was now 1957, and I was a sixth-former. I played all the Kamp girls are”, they said. I liked being a “Kamp hockey every Saturday. In the morning 1 played for girl” . I learnt a new vocabulary. It was called “the palare” . school, and in the afternoons for Old Girls. I was sure that som e of the Old Girls were “like that”, but I was only PALARE used by Kamp boys and girls until sixteen, and they were cool, distant, guarded. the late sixties) Homi — man One day someone at the coffee bar talked about a Polone — woman “dreadful woman" who had made a pass at her. J found Homi-Polone — homosexual out the woman’s name, and where she worked. Kamp — homosexual, derived from police She worked on the pattern counter of the D.I.C. store records abbreviation for Known as Male Prostitute. in Wellington. I went to see her, and wore a tie so that Used colloquially for both sexes. she would realize 1 was “one”. She invited me home. We Bona — good made love. She lent me a copy of The Well of Loneliness. Naff— bad I thought it was a wonderful book. It meant that there On jon wa — over there were indeed “others”, and that they were not in prisons Square — heterosexual or mental institutions. They wore tweed suits and lived in Trade — sex London. Since they lived in London, perhaps some Tough trade — sex with “squares” might live in Auckland? It was a much bigger city than Butch — sexually “active” W ellington.... Bitch — sexually “passive” 24 Broadsheet, November 1985 British queens off the Home Boats had brought the of them meant you got beaten up. 1 learned to fight — Palare to Mew Zealand. Port cities like Auckland and the instruction was very similar to a Sue Lytollis course, Wellington had regular influxes of foreign queens, who except that it was free, informal, and for real... brought news of “others” in every port in the world. They As “squares” were always trying to bash up Kamps, it influenced the Mew Zealand scene profoundly in those was vitally necessary too. Som e of the Sydney butches days before general air travel. were amazingly good fighters. Dutch Kerry, Motorbike But they brought no news of other Kamp girls in Mew Bobby, Young Jerry were especially good. Tramtracks, Zealand. Still, I was able to return to Wellington with Big Jan, French Jackie, Flake were useful, but not as contacts for the Kamp scene, and to mix with Kamp outstanding. boys and go to parties. This was a great relief. Everyone had “butch names”, just as the Kamp boys 1 looked everywhere for Kamp girls. Anyone 1 thought had their “Kamp names”. They were called things like might be, 1 put on my tie and went to visit. I went to The Countess, Gigi, Big Bertha. My butch name was Christchurch, made an appointment to see Mgaio Marsh. “Mew Zealand Bobby.” She was polite, and we discussed theatre — my stated The police raided the Rex often. 1 became an expert at reason for seeking her out. I was too nervous to bring up eluding them — leave through the front bars before they the hidden agenda directly. . locked the glass doors at quarter to ten (closing time at At last 1 heard about another Kamp girl. W e were ten), or climb the iron fence, run like hell. They charged

arrived in Wellington. She knew no-one else, either. W e “habitually consorting with known (not convicted) began to live together as lovers. 1 was seventeen. criminals.” Mine “consorting bookings”, and you could go One day we were out driving by Central Park. W e saw up for two years. 1 only ever got four (in South Australia). two young women walking. They looked “different”. We Otherwise there was always vagrancy (few Kamps could stopped the car, and asked them for the time.- W e all had get regular jobs); drunkeness, obscene language, dinner together. W e moved into a flat in Watson St. resisting arrest, or even “being in possession of a stolen together. This flat becam e a centre for the “funny” hotel glass” — after they’d pushed you out the gate with parties. Kamp boys came, and bohemians. Som e it. They were the Sydney Vice Squad, and they ruled the women came sometimes who said they “might be like Cross, hunting homosexuals and prostitutes. Lesbians that ” The police raided our parties. W e kept on having were seen as prostitutes — (som e were) and as sexual them. outlaws, who had broken all the rules, and should be We heard about two others in Auckland. We able to be arrested for something. They treated us like immediately jumped in the car and drove there to meet hunted animals, our visibility angered them, and they them. Mow we were six. wanted us to disappear. It was Movember, 1958. We Wellington four decided As for us, we saw the police as a natural catastrophe to go to Sydney, where all those others were. We sailed — like floods, fires, earthquakes. There was nothing you on the Monowai , our friends holding streamers as the could do about these things except to try and escape boat hooted away with the entire known Wellington them. W e had no analysis, no understanding that society lesbian community. W e went straight to Kings Cross. could be changed. W e simply tried to survive, as The beer-garden behind the Rex hotel was full of ourselves, as Kamp girls, natural rebels. W e did not feel lesbians. Som e wore ties and suits and others frilly that the police might not be entitled to hunt us, but dresses. accepted them as inevitable. “Are you butch or bitch?” asked Young Jerry, tall and 1 was beaten up once, for suggesting that a woman tough. It seem ed more prestigious to be butch, so I ask for a lawyer. It was seen as a stupid — even dangerous, opted for this role socially, and remained bitch in bed. 1 suggestion. Fighting back with threats of lawyers would kept this a secret. It was frowned upon — called “turning”. only make the police even angrier at us. But part of me There were a lot of rules in the sub-culture. Breaking any felt that what was happening was unfair and unjust, Broadsheet, November 1985 25 though I had no idea how things could ever be different. train when we were on it, in order to take us off and find Melbourne and Adelaide were exactly the same. The out what the notorious Anna was doing in their Lyttelton! public lesbian scene was dangerous and difficult. There As for me, 1 broke up with Anna and went to work for were many other New Zealand lesbians around too. In Broadcasting, trying to be more closety by now. The spite of everything, 1 loved it. The “mateship” was police still raided our parties, so we tried to establish a amazing and close, important enough for any risk. And pub for lesbians. Very important, because drinking was the freedom to be ourselves, to be real, to be queer vital — women weren’t supposed to, so it was a rebellion affirmed us. and an affirmation of our denial of conventional There were private, closeted scenes too, but they were femininity. W e did not identify with square women. There hard to find, and cliquey. They were fearful of being were us Kamps — both “boys” and “girls” — and them, all those heterosexuals. If anything, we had more contact with heterosexual men, some of whom were quite friendly to lesbians. Most heterosexual women were uptight and nasty to us — especially the “fruit-flies”, the square women who hung around Kamp boys. W om en couldn’t drink in public bars in those days of six o ’clock closing — in fact, some hotels did not admit women at all. This meant we couldn’t drink at the Royal Oak, where the Kamp boys went, unless we managed to sneak in wearing drag. Finally we found The Western Park, a scungy unpopular pub then, which agreed to allow lesbians to drink there. It was 1961, and there were about 15 of us in Wellington, maybe the same number in Auckland, which we visited frequently, driving all Friday night in ancient Fords or Morrisses at 40 mph top speed, to socialize together for a Saturday. W e also knew lesbians in Christchurch — about five of them, and we would take the overnight boat to Lyttelton on Friday, returning Saturday night as it didn’t sail on Sundays. Inter-city relationships were the rage, given our small numbers in each plac^ and most of our weekly wages were spent on travel. Som e Australian Kamps visited here too, inspired by the large numbers of New Zealanders living over there. Motorbike Bobby and Little Hank made a great impression as they toured in full drag down Queen Street, Lambton Quay and in Cathedral Square. These were great events in our lives. There were by now quite a lot of rules in our New Zealand sub-culture.

Don’t spring your mates at work or with their families and square friends. Always be loyal to all other Kamps, especially your best mate. Tell the police nothing. "sprung”, by Kamps who were too obvious. They were Be butch or bitch, and if you do turn , don’t mainly older women. 1 knew som e of them, learnt many admit it. things from them — like how to behave in a nice Maintain you were ‘born this way if you want to restaurant if you are taken to dinner. But they too had no be accepted as a real Kamp. sense of anything being able to change — exept for the Never sleep with men, unless you do it for one strange woman who danced naked to Beethoven, money. and lent me de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex. She sowed Know how to fight, don’t ever be a coward. some wild ideas, more than a decadei too early for them Drink a lot, take your shout at the bar, be drunk to make any sense. often. 1 returned to New Zealand. There were a few more Dress with Kamp style, always press your pants lesbians around. I had an affair with Anna Hoffman. Anna and iron your shirt, don’t be sloppy. was a woman constantly harassed by the police. She Be very clean, shower a lot, and keep your had hit New Zealand headlines as early as 1956, when as fingernails very short or you’ll hurt someone — a sixteen year old she had been deported home from wear short hair too. Australia, as a social menace. She d had a lesbian affair Learn to dance the latest (It was The Twist). with artist Rosaline Norton, billed as “the witch of Kings Don’t break up couples. Cross , sensationalized in the Sydney press. After this And most importantly, learn to lead a double both the New Zealand police and press hounded her — life, if you want to hold down a job. Dresses at including the police actually holding up the Lyttelton work (pants were totally unacceptable for any 26 Broadsheet, November 1985 job then) and high heels. Learn to tell lies, to They thought subscribing to such a magazine was really monitor yourself constantly, to always hold risky, and what was the point, anyway? back. Lesbians get fired, kicked out of flats — By now the crowd was much larger. The Royal Oak always, if “they” find out. had opened The Bistro Bar, and women could drink And so we lived. But 1 was also a socialist, involved there. With a greater urban drift, there were now many with Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). The Maori Kamps who had com e to Wellington. 1 had an socialists kicked m e out, afraid that 1 was a “security risk” important relationship with a Maori woman from Nelson, — queers can be blackmailed, you know. CND didn’t whose Mormon family, though initially welcoming, finally seem to mind as much — but they were mostly very tried to break the relationship up. But Wellington much fringe people themselves, then. I read a lot, and seemed safer than it had been just three years earlier — began to believe in social change. there were more of us, and we now had a place to meet. I read a book: The Homosexual in America, by But I thought it was important that we organize, as Donald Webster Cory. A Kamp man had smuggled it in they were doing overseas. 1 put ads in The Evening Post, — no such books were available on open sale in NZ for “The Radclyffe Hall Memorial Society”. I did get then. This book spoke of social acceptance. It also listed replies, and met a few more lesbians — but no-one the addresses of some American homosexual wanted to start a branch of the MRG in New Zealand. organizations — One Incorporated, and The Mattachine. The Kamp boys were quite numerous by now. They I was very excited. 1 wrote away immediately for their started The Dorian Society. W e held a meeting with magazines. Through these, I discovered The Daughters them, but they refused to let women join. W e were very of Bilitis — the American lesbian organization started in disappointed. 1958 by Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. It was hard to get 1 decided that I must go away, to where there was an foreign exchange in 1963 but 1 was able to change some organization that I could join, and be part of something pounds on the street with a OS sailor for American that might work for som e kind of change. So in late dollars, and to subscribe to Daughters of Bilitis’ 1964 1 left for London — and the MRG. publication, The Ladder for a few issues. (One and I sailed from Auckland on the Castel Felice, and the Mattachine had luckily sent their sample magazines entire Auckland lesbian community came to farewell me free). — all 25 of them by this time — holding the streamers Through The Ladder, I found out about The Minorities and singing the songs in what was once an important Research Group, (MRG), Britain’s first lesbian leave-taking ritual, for all those New Zealand Kamps who organization, started 1962.1 wrote to them, and went permanently into exile “overseas”. subscribed to Arena Three, their magazine. I passed it 1 was sure, then, that 1 would never return. round the crowd, but very few others were interested. Part Two will appear in a future Broadsheet.______HAGLEY HIGH Women’s Writing @ ENGINEERING Running Backwards COURSES 1986 Over Sand STEPHANIE DOWRICK ENGINEERING is an occupational option WOMEN A stunning women’s find difficult to accept. Is it because it’s grimier than novel from the co-founder woodwork or horticulture which are more popular of The Women’s Press. NZ or is it because women need more support to enter born Stephanie Dowrick it? takes the reader from her If it is the latter, then women are being offered that heroine’s childhood in NZ support in a new course in ENGINEERING being to her bohemian youth in London and Berlin. offered next year at Hagley High School, Christ­ church. It is for WOM EN and taught by a WOMAN Viking Flardback $22.95* — Claire Wood who is a trained engineer. It will offer an introduction to draughting, workshop Woman’s Experience skills and technology and will lead into the fields of draughting, design, apprenticeships and cadet­ Of Sex ships not to mention home workshop skills. SHEILA KITZINGER Two courses will be offered next year: For women and lovers of Course 1 February — June women this is one of the Course 2 July — November most important books of Tuesday To Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. our time. At last available in For more details ring Ros Heinz, Principal, Hagley paperback. Sheila Kitzinger sensitively explores women’s High School, P.O. Box 3084, Christchurch. Phone sexuality at all stages of life. 793-090. . Penguin Paperback $16.95*

Broadsheet, November 1985 27 WOMEN IN LOCAL BODY POLITICS The connection of Aotearoa’s In Victorian England it was a blatantly present day culture with Eng­ stated opinion held by the men that land’s swings between violent women should be kept out of political refusal and a kind of fusty fam­ activity. This still holds true today, in ily pride. But for women it is Aotearoa and England, indeed for Aotearoa that has led the way, every country in the world. As the achieving enfranchise­ suffragettes were fighting for the ment twenty-five years vote in Britain, their struggle before the women of was intensified by England. Nonethe­ published govern­ less, the actions of ment opinions such women in one part of as “W om en are a m aj­ the world — even a re­ ority in England. The mote one — affect the Government fears lives of women every­ that the balance of where, since as Vir­ political power would ginia Woolf says, “As a be seriously affected woman I have no if all w om en over country. As a woman, twenty-one could my country is the whole VOte. Auckland Public Library -% T photographic collection. Elisabeth Yates ► WOrld. % V» From the Herstory Exhibition.

You bet your sweet life ‘the balance of would picture to themselves’’ — pre­ business is carried on. There is, both power would be seriously affected’! It sumably because she had succeeded in borough councils and in Parlia­ is for this reason, and this reason in being elected! She said herself, “1 ment too, a great deal too much talk. alone that nowhere in the world do have always taken an interest in poli­ Men often get up and talk at these women hold equal power in parlia­ tics and borough affairs and cannot meetings just to waste time, as they ment; it is for this reason, and this say that any special event ever turned do in Parliament.” reason alone that the lawmakers are my attention that way. When Mr Yates She was in favour of many reforms, reluctant to write our right to equal (who had been mayor for four terms) including instituting women warders power - holding into the law; but retired, consequent on ill-health, 1 at the police courts, and women as women will not be denied, and more thought of standing for mayor, but police wardens, both of which she and more of us are going into local my husband did not care that I should saw as “real necessities.” She was body politics, a field where the do so at that time.” However, the fol­ prepared to go to Parliament if people women of Aotearoa can claim lowing year she was asked to stand wished her to go. “If they do, 1 shall another first. and was elected. She received a tele­ certainly go. 1 think women are quite Aotearoa had the first woman gram from Premier R.J. Seddon as well able to legislate as men... mayor in the hystery of the Empire. which said: “The NZ Parliament has (and)... there are no questons which Elisabeth Yates was elected Mayor of led the vanguard in granting the cannot be discussed in a proper man­ Onehunga in 1893, the same year franchise to ladies. It was reserved for ner by a mixed assemblage.” that women got the franchise here. the burgesses of Onehunga to elect Although she was properly elected Queen Victoria was on the throne. the first Lady Mayor in the British Em ­ on her own merits, and a full year after Mrs Yates was installed in the pire. I heartily congratulate you hav­ her husband had retired, by 1961, Onehunga mayoralty in December, ing attained that great distinction.” main media had translated her 1983, and was interviewed by the Elisabeth Yates was also the first achievement to “succeeded her hus­ New Zealand Graphic magazine. The woman in Onehunga to record her band as Mayor... thereby claiming to man who interviewed her took great vote under the new Franchise Act. be the first woman mayor in the Em­ pains to point out that “Mrs Yates is Her opinion of the changes re­ pire.” not by any means the masculine­ quired will seem familiar: “1 am most Over the last few years, women looking personage most people anxious to make a change in the way have been seeking and gaining local 28 Broadsheet, November 1985 body political seats in increasing nance to the uninitiated); Employ­ unsuccessful bid for the mayoralty in numbers. Auckland’s most promi­ ment; Planning; Works; Abattoir; T raf- 1983; and Jenny Harris, Ruth nent example is Cath Tizard, who fic; Property and Housing; Parks and Gottleib; Tala Clevelly; M. Bonner; tried for the mayoralty in 1980 and Library; Recreation; Community De­ and Hazel Bibby. Helping our Cath was denied her seat by a media ploy velopment; Art Gallery Board Man­ around her council table are that was both dirty and effective. One agement; and a Sister-City Commit­ Elisabeth Currie, Denise Henare, of television’s most respected women tee. A thirteenth committee also Marie Quinn, Pat Tauroa, Patricia journalists had made a programme exists, the Civil Defence Joint Com ­ Thorpe and Juliet Yates. How exactly about women standing for local body mittee, but this committee’s needs helpful they are is a moot point, since office. Cath Tizard was featured there seem to be so slender that it has not nothing says that because a woman is — and a complaint about bias to met for 15 months. Every councillor a councillor, she will share the same TV’s top management was instru­ who holds the chair of a committee point of view as her companion mental in having the programme pul­ becom es the spokesperson for that woman councillors. led. Complaints from women about committee. As well, each of the above Be that as it may, there is no doubt programme bias have little effect on committees have sub-committees — that women are finding it easier to TV’s top management. Cath, who is 12 are currently operating. Council­ stand for and gain seats in local body also Dame Commander of the Most lors receive their honorariums for at­ politics. Mayor Philippa Cunningham Civil Division of the Most Excellent tending sub-committee meetings as of Mount Eden in Auckland stood be­ Order of the British Empire, was a late well as committee and council meet­ cause she was urged to do so by men entrant into the 1983 mayoralty race. ings. friends who said she had what it takes. “What forced me into the race was A survey of the country’s most And while she had no interest in being that 1 had always preached that populous centres reveals that women deflected from the career her law de­ women, if they were free of family re­ have for many years been seen as ac­ gree could earn her, she stood be­ sponsibilities, should be prepared to ceptable city or borough councillors, cause she didn’t think she had a take the risks to succeed.” Taking that and that the resistance to us being in chance, and became a mayor before risk again in 1983 brought her the the top position is weakening. In In­ she was 30. mayoralty, and she will follow vercargill, Mayor Eve Pool is a long But is it a worthwhile experience? Elisabeth Yates into the record books, standing member of the council, hav­ “It has its ups and downs, and some being the first woman to hold the ing served as deputy mayor for some of the male councillors are incredibly mayoralty in Auckland. 15 years before acceding to the pompous and boring,” says one Eva Poole and Joyce Ryan will be mayoralty. She has one other woman councillor, “but it is fascinating to see listed alongside Cath Tizard, as they member of her council, Councillor it from the inside, so to speak. 1 re­ are the first women mayors of their Joan Roche, who has served for two ckon it’s about as interesting as being particular cities — Ms Ryan in Whan- previous terms. a plumber, if you see what I mean.” garei and Ms Poole in Invercargill. Mayor Cliff Skeggs of Dunedin Why not let me use your name in this Whangarei has the most equably ba­ finds it “quite O K ” to share his thir­ article, I asked her, do you fear repris­ lanced city council in terms of equal teen member council with three als? “No, but I’d be called a feminist. representation. Five of Whangarei’s women — Jean McLean, Iona Wil­ And though I am, if they think you are, thirteen seat council offices are held liams and Joyce Herd. Christchurch’s not only do you never hear the last of by women, one of which is the mayor­ city council of 20 members, headed it, it damns your whole credibility in alty. Councillors Eunice Patterson by the knight of the shining hair Sir their eyes. You can point to things like and Joyce Ryan have been on the Hamish Hay, has seven women on it: better child care, incest awareness council since 1974. Sheama Vicki Buck, Molly Clark, Ann Evans, programmes, improved health Shephard and Betty Morgan were Helen Garrett, Kathleen Lowe, Nola facilities and all the rest as the made councillors in 1980, and Ann Massey and Louise Moore. achievements brought about by Berghen in 1983. Yvonne Donnellan has been with feminists pushing. But they don’t be­ City or borough councillors do not the Levin City Council for five years, lieve it, and never will. It’s not only actually get a salary for their work, but and was joined two years ago by the women who point with pride to us first are paid an honorarium for each day only other woman member of the 11 having the vote in the world. And they attend a meeting. Councillors member council, Eileen Bolitho. there are plenty of men who give tend to be on two or three commit­ Hamilton has Margaret Evans as De­ themselves credit for it.” □ tees, which means attending each of puty Mayor, and five other women on Sandi Hall that committee’s meetings. And each their sixteen member council: Kate The next local body elections will be councillor must attend the monthly Reid-Tooke; Barbara MacDonald; on 11 October 7 986. Public notice city or borough council meeting. Fai­ Shirley McKay; Betty Mowbray; and asking for nominations is given in lure to attend four consecutive meet­ May Woodcock. the newspapers 42 days before that ings means an automatic dismissal One of Wellington’s councillors and there are then eight days for for­ from the council. who will be familiar to women outside mal nominiations to be made. Can­ City and borough councils by and Wellington is Rosemary Young- didates usually decide to stand and large attend to the domestic matters Rouse, who contended Wellington begin campaigning well before of their areas. Auckland’s city council Central against Fran Wilde, and made nomination time. Anyone who is a has twelve committees, which are a personally damaging appearance resident in a local body area and a staffed by its 21 city councillors, in­ on television campaigning in last New Zealand citizen can be a can­ cluding the mayor. The committees year’s election. Also on Wellington’s didate. Ring your local council for are: Resource and Organisation (fi­ council is Helen Ritchie, who made an more details. Broadsheet, November 1985 29 ON THE SHELF

BOOKS FOR YOUNGER What would you do if you the local laundrette mysteri­ NIGHT RACE TO KAWAU READERS knew there was a lion in the ously kidnapped by two very Tessa Duder meadow, but your mother odd ladies? But Doreen’s cap- Sam and her family have done WATCH ME wouldn’t believe you, and gave tors have not reckoned on her lots of sailing in their keeler, Pamela Allen you a matchbox with a dragon bravery', quick wits and agility. they’ve even gone as far as the We all know the story of the in it to scare away the lion, and Her glorious escape makes Bay of Islands, but they have boy on the bicycle who says the dragon was there too? Puf­ the royal show of the century never sailed at night. They take ‘Watch me, no hands... watch fin Books, pbk $4.50 and will confound your very part in the night race to Kawau me, no feet . . . and so on. own eyes. Sheba Feminist Island, but things begin to go There is a nice twist to this Publishers, pbk $9.85 wrong. Sam, her younger sis­ story, without text, which illus­ ter and her mother are left to trates the perils of showing off. ELEPHANT ROCK sail the boat alone through the Hodder and Stoughton, hbk Caroline Macdonald night. Their many adventures $6.95. This powerful novel is an ex­ make exciting reading for ten traordinary feat of the imagi­ to fourteen year olds. Oxford BERTIE AND THE BEAR nation, a tale both simply and University Press $14.95 Pamela Allen profound, which lingers in the A ‘noisy picture book that is a mind long after it is read. A perfect combination of words heart-warming story, sparkl­ and wonderful illustrations. ing with originality. Hodder Lively characters and the and Stoughton pbk $6.95 sounds they create explode in a riot of colour. Hodder and LETTY Stoughton, hbk $12.95. Avril Rowlands DIFFERENT PETER AND Meadowbank Children’s EMMA Home has all kinds of kids in it: Gunilla Wolde quiet, noisy, shy and extrovert, Emma and her friend Peter but none has been there as explore the differences bet­ long as Letty Boot. Born dis­ ween them — in lifestyle, fam­ MARTY AND THE DRAGON abled and confined to a wheel­ ily, and appearance. Delight­ Frances Weston and Graeme chair, Letty is irrepressible — a fully illustrated. Hodder and Kyle source of delight and dismay Stoughton, hbk $6.95 An exciting collection of to everyone she knows. Puffin stories, poems and activities Books pbk $3.95 FRIEND TROLL, for 7-11 year-olds. Practical, FRIEND TANIWHA informative, entertaining, and IHAKA AND THE SUMMER Anne de Roo packed with good writing and WANDERING Lars, a grumpy troll, arrives in wonderful illustrations. Joanna Orwin NON FICTION Mew Zealand by accident. Pelham Books $14.95 lhaka and his friend, Pahiko, When Tamahae, a not-too-ter- always look forward to the WOMEN AND CHANGE rifying taniwha, arrives to TANIWHA, THE MONSTER summer wandering, when Claudia Bell and Vivienne claim the river where Lars has ANNUAL FOR NEW ZEA­ their hapu goes off to hunt Adair settled, Lars is more bad-tem­ LAND CHILDREN birds in the forests far from Produced by the National pered than ever, until The first ever totally New Zea­ their home by the sea. This Council of Women of New Tamahae offers to take him to land annual for children aged novel for nine to thirteen year Zealand as their contribution a fiord. The two set off on a rol- 7-10 a treasure trove of olds is set in the vicinity of De­ to the end of the Decade for locking adventure — a de­ stories, comic strips, poems, laware Bay, near Nelson, Women, this is a report of sur­ lightfully humourous fanatasy articles and activities. The em- about nine hundred years ago. vey of women’s perceptions of for 7-10 years olds. Hodder phasis is on fun, with items on Oxford University Press hbk change over the last 10 years. and Stoughton hbk $15.95 natural history, the theatre, $11.95 The sections cover living ar­ sport, Maori culture, things to AUNT NINA AND HER rangements, how women make and do, puzzles, jokes, IHAKA AND THE spend their time, education NEPHEWS AND NIECES recipes and useful and useless PROPHECY and training, happiness health Franz Brandenberg, illus­ information. Hodder and Joanna Orwin and well being, age ethnicity trated by Aliki Stoughton pbk $12.95. The prophecy spoken by an and location, and changes Aunt Nina invited her six ancestor has been passed and issues for women. nephews and nieces to celeb­ THE RED OVERALLS down through the generations NCWNZ, pbk $14.50 rate her cat's birthday. “Shall Jane Buxton, illustrated by and must now be fulfilled: The we go to the zoo, the toy shop, Kathryn Algie old moon will wane and the THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF the theatre, the haunted Definitely a non-sexist book — sky will grow dim. Listen then CHILDREN house, a restaurant — or have about Josie and the adven­ to the call of the kuaka as they Miriam Saphira a treaure hunt?" She asked tures she has with her favour­ gather for the flight to the Since the first edition was pub­ them. But the nephews and ite possession —- a pair of red north’, lhaka and his people lished in 1981, there has been nieces chose to stay at home, overalls. Clearly printed and il­ must travel north across growing concern about the and had a much more exciting lustrated. Concept Publishing, Raukawa (Cook Strait) to visit sexual abuse of children. This time. The Bodley Head, hbk pbk $6.95 kin and renew the strands of second edition includes cur­ $13.15 the net that bind us to Hawaiki. rent information, a new chap­ THE GREAT ESCAPE OF A LION IN THE MEADOW This novel is a sequel to lhaka ter on the indicators of sexual DOREEN POTTS and the Sum m er Wandering. abuse, material from the Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Jo Nesbitt Oxford University Press hbk Christchurch Incest Survivor’s Jenny Williams Why is Doreen our heroine of $13.95. Report, and poems and illust- 30 Broadsheet, November 1985 rations from abused children. tury. Australia and New Zea­ FIGHTERS AND SINGERS TEACHER Papers Inc. pbk $8.50 land Book Company, pbk Edited by Isobel White, Diane Sylvia Ashton-Warner $16.95 Barwick, and Betty Meehan This book, about her ‘organic THE SEXUAL WILDERNESS, This collection of stories of the teaching’ sent waves of excite­ MEN AND WOMEN IN NEW eventful lives and strong ment through international ZEALAND. characters of a number of teaching circles and made her Sue Kedgley Aboriginal women offers a one of the most celebrated Twelve men and women give personal and intimate view. and influential educators in their views on the relationship Their lives span a century of the world. Virago pbk $11.95. between the sexes in New Zea­ history in fifteen communities land and on the effect scattered right throughout Au­ FICTION feminism has had on their stralia. Allen and Gnwin pbk lives. Frank, provocative, often $22.95 HANNIE RICHARDS OR witty and sometimes outrage­ THE INTREPID ous, this is an intimate ac­ WOMEN OF THE SUN ADVENTURES OF A count of how women have Hyllus Maris and Sonia Borg RESTLESS WIFE changed in the past fifteen This quartet of stories speaks Hilaiy Bailey years; and how men are re­ with the simplicity and power Hannie Richards leads a dou­ sponding to that challenge. of the Aboriginal voice, il­ ble life — one as a wife and Reed Methuan pbk (large for­ luminating from their mother in a Devon manor mat) $24.95 perspective of the experience house, the other as an interna­ of two centuries of white domi­ tional smuggler. In this sharp GOO D AND MAD WOMEN nation. Penquin Books pbk and witty pastiche of the Jill Julius Mathews $9.95. worlds of John Buchan and The process by which women UP FROM UNDER Rider Haggard, our heroine are produced’ by society has Christine Dann STRATEGIES FOR WOMEN brings back cures for cancer rarely been addressed directly. This book looks at women and AT WORK from the Brazilian jungle, This book maps out the pat­ liberation in the period 1970 - Janice LaRouche and Regina takes a small child across war- terns within Australian society 1985. It includes chapters on Ryan torn Chad, and steals the vital which have affected the lives the political philosophy of the Here is a truly comprehensive paper which restores a Black of women over the past cen­ women’s movement, the and helpful guide with down to family’s rights to their Carib­ tury and which have deter­ question of fertility control; earth advice for getting what bean land. Virago pbk $12.96 mined the meanings of being work, paid and unpaid; health you want from your job and for and education; the media and MERLE AND OTHER a woman. Alien and Clnwin solving the problems and STORIES pbk $14.95 creativity; and violence against frustrations in your office. Paule Marshall women. An invaluable re­ Each discussion includes a Five short stories draw on the THE NEW DIARY source and contribution to our clear analysis of the actual rich legacy of Paule Marshall's Tristine Rainer herstory, Allen and Gnwin/Port dynamics of the situation, a life and family, on being T h e New Diary’ is as much for Nicholson Press pbk $15.95 specific solution to every prob­ ‘Black, female and foreigner’. those who already keep a jour­ lem and a step-by-step Here she writesabout her nal as it is for those who have strategy for carrying it out suc­ WOMEN’S STUDIES: A NEW childhood experiences, her never kept one. It does not tell cessfully. Counterpoint, pbk ZEALAND HANDBOOK grandmother, her mother and you the ‘right’ way to keep a $14.95 Candis Craven, with Claire - mother’s friends, and Merle diary; rather, it offers numer­ Louise McCurdy, Pat Rosier Kinbona, part saint, part re­ ous possibilities for using the and Margot Roth volutionary, and part obeah diary to achieve your own pur­ This book is the culmination woman. Virago hbk $14.95 poses. It is a place for you to of ten years of discussion and clarify goals, visualise the fu­ development in women’s JOURNAL OF A SOLITUDE ture, and focus your energies; studies in the Auckland May Sarton a means of freeing your intui­ Worker’s Education Associa­ ‘Friends, even passionate love, tion and imagination, a work­ tion. It gives information, ac­ are not my real life, unless book for exploring your tivities and resource lists for there is time alone in which to dreams, your past, and your ten topics of study; New Zea­ explore and to discover what is present life. Angus and land women then and now, happening’. One of a series of Robertson pbk $14.95. women and work, language autobiographical works much and women, lesbian women, loved for their revelation of the OUTRAGEOUS ACTS AND women and health, women EVERYDAY REBELLIONS inner life of a creative writer. and sexuality, women and The Women’s Press pbk Gloria Steinem education, images of women, $19.95 This collection of funny, hard­ women and the law, feminist hitting and compassionate ar­ theory. Gseful for those wish­ GATHER TOGETHER IN ticles includes pieces in praise ing to set up women’s studies MY NAME of women’s bodies, on the courses, or for general infor­ Maya Angelou politics of food, on the differ­ mation. New W omen’s Press In this moving sequel to her ence between erotica and por­ I PASSED THIS WAY pbk $16.95 best-selling / Know Why the nography, and moving por­ Sylvia Ashton-Warner Caged Bird Sings, the war is traits of some well — known Here, writing with candor and WOMEN POLITICS AND over and Maya has given birth American personalities. passion, telling the story of her POWER to a son. Gnemployed, iso­ Flamingo, pbk $11.95 Marilyn Waring life, is the remarkable Sylvia Ashton-Warner, whose vivid lated, she embarks on a series This very popular book de­ originality, artistry and inspira­ of brief lonely affairs and trans- BREAD AND ROSES velops her ideas about tion as teacher and writer car­ iet jobs. But even in great ad­ Sonja Davies women’s position — in sport, ried her ideas throughout the versity, Maya Angelou invests An old favourite — the frank, in politics, in everyday life. The world before she herself had life with the remarkable sense fascinating autobiography of conclusion presents her argu­ ever left her native New Zea­ of richness that has won her one of the most remarkable ments against nuclear land. Reed Methuan pbk such an enormous following. New Zealand women this cen­ weapons. Gnwin, pbk $14.95. $19.95. Virago pbk $11.95

Broadsheet, November 1985 31 MARRIED ALIVE______OWLS DO CRY (Hutchin­ LESBIAN JENNY LIVES WITH ERIC Marilyn Duckworth son pbk $14.95) AND MARTIN______Marilyn Duckworth’s sixth Sister Outsider YOU ARE NOW ENTERING Susanne Bosche, photos by published novel contains ele­ THE HUMAN HEART (Vic­ Audre Lorde Andreas Hansen ments of the science fiction toria University Press pbk The fifteen essays and Jenny lives with her dad, Eric, novel and the thriller, but these $15.95) speeches included here, sev­ and his lover, Martin. This is are subordinate to the major eral of them published for the the story of how they spend theme of sexual relationships SCENTED GARDENS FOR first time, are essential read­ their weekend. A delightful and their tragi-comic aspects. THE BLIND (Women’s ing. Whether it is the by now Press pbk $14.95) book, with plenty of photos, for Humourous, exciting, to read familiar ‘Uses of the Erotic: children of all ages. Gay Men’s and highly entertaining. Hod- The Erotic as Power’, opening Press pbk $10.95 der and Stoughton pbk us up to the potential power in $17.95 all aspects of our lives implicit in the erotic, or the recently au­ LILIAN'S STORY______thored ‘Eye to Eye: Black THE Kate Grenville | Women, Hatred, and Anger’, GLASS BOAT This is the exuberant story of probing the white racist roots AiJSON WARD Lilian Singer — a splendidly of hostility between Black eccentric woman — and the women, Lorde’s work ex­ life she made. Lilian strides pands, deepens, and enriches through her life, reciting all of our understandings of Shakespeare for a shilling, what feminism can be. The using reluctant taxi drivers as Crossing Press, pbk $21. her private charioteers, falling in love with Lord Kitchener. THE HIGHEST APPLE Magnificently self-confident, Judy Grahn she knows that the world she “Lesbian culture may be seen has invented is the only one for as ‘marginal’ by heterosexual her. Allen and Unwin hbk culture and heterosexual de­ $19.95 finition, but surely lesbian cul­ ture is central to lesbians. NOR THE YEARS CON­ SPINSTER______Moreoever, the work that DEMN______Sylvia Ashton-Warner comes from Lesbian culture, THE GLASS BOAT______Robin Hyde Her first novel, it tells the story the special perspective, can be Her fourth and last novel, pub­ of Anna, spinster and genius, central to society as a whole.” Alison Ward lished in 1939, has the same teacher of little Maori children Here, in a poetic examination When architect Stephane is main character, Douglas in a remote New Zealand is the special perspective of given the job of redeveloping Stark, as ‘Passport to Hell’. In a town. A passionate woman, many lesbian writers. Gabriel’s Wharf, she knows it searching introduction to this uncertain and gauche in her Spinsters Ink pbk $17 will bring her unlimited pre­ edition, Phillida Bunkle and relations with men,, she is at stige. But the wharf is inha­ Linda Hardy see Hyde as a peace only in her schoolroom, bited, and Stephane’s increas­ powerful social critic. New her garden, and the little back ing involvement with the Women’s Press pbk $16.95 room where she struggles to people there makes her care­ create the works which will set ful life difficult to control. The THE ENVOY FROM THE her beloved children free. appearance of Dasha finally MIRROR CITY______Virago pbk $11.95. persuades her to give up both Janet Frame her lover and her career, to Volume three of Janet Frames MURDER IN THE COLLEC­ discover what she really wants. autobiography, of which she TIVE______Brilliance Books pbk $10.95 wrote “My only qualification Barbara Wilson for continuing this autobiog­ Two print collectives, one left- RELATIVELY NORMA raphy is that although 1 have wing and one radical lesbian, Anna Livia used, invented, mixed, remod­ plan to merge. But hidden ten­ Minni, London lesbian elled, changed, added sub­ sions explode when one of the feminist, flies to Australia to tracted from all experiences, 1 collective members is found come out to her family, only to have never written directly of murdered. With a cool wit Bar­ find her mother rebelling my own life and feelings.” bara Wilson propels her against the constraints of Hutchinson hbk $24.95 reader enjoyably through the motherhood, her foster sister twists of the story, while the struggling with nostalgia for TO THE ISLAND (Women’s suspense slowly builds.... an adoptive father and a grow­ Press pbk $14.95) W omen’s Press pbk $13.25. ing love for women, while her AN ANGEL AT MY TABLE FEMINIST FABLES______THE WANDERGROUND sister seeks solace in food. Onlywomen Press pbk $12.50 (Hutchinson hbk $24.95) Suniti Namjoshi, illustrated Sally Miller Gearheart Janet Frame This well known book pro­ by Susan Trangmar THE RIDING MISTRESS Volumes one and two of her An elegant and subversive col­ vides a Utopian vision of the autobiography cover her lection of stories and drawings future that will delight and in­ Harriett Gilbert childhood and adolescence in that rework mythology as it spire. In their communities in On a fog-bound night, on a a New Zealand railway family used to be. Weaving through the hill country of the Wander- cross-channel ferry, Charlotte in the 1920’s and 30’s, her life time and space they create a ground the women who have tells a curious stranger the as a student, her incarceration uni uely feminist pattern of escaped the city have estab­ story of her love for the woman in mental hospitals, and her meaning. These fables are an lished a new harmony with na­ who was once her riding mis­ meeting with Charles Brasch, important contribution to con­ ture and have developed as­ tress. As the journey and the Karl and Kay Stead and Frank temporary women’s literature. tonishing powers: telepathy, story unfold, the reader is Sargeson. Other titles by Janet Sheba Feminist Publishers telekinesis and even the power drawn into a compulsive web Frame in stock are; pbk $12.50 of flight. Women’s Press $7.95 of relationships, and a love

32 Broadsheet, November 1985 story of unforgettable inten­ through therapy — with all its found so moving in it’s first much-loved calendars, with sity. Methuan pbk $12.50 regressions and progressions, productions, is also a ‘pas­ detailed information on what it’s pain and elation — unfolds sionate celebration of the con­ to expect for each star sign, with immense humour, sym­ tribution women have made to the moon’s daily influence, pathy and feeling. We are the politics of this country ...’ planting by the moon, and swept up in the life and the Victoria University Press pbk beautifully illustrated by Elaine heart and the mind of a $4.95 Epps. $7.50 woman who bravely allows herself to break down so that VIRAGO POETRY______she may finally grow up. Viking Diy Air — Denisie Riley hbk $21.95 Sawdust and White Spirit — Stef Pixner POETRY/DRAMA Long Road to Nowhere — A DANGEROUS Amiyl Johnson KNOWING______Let’s Pretend — Judith Kazantzis Barbara Burford, Gabriela The Fat Black Women’s Pearse, Grace Nichols, Jackie Poems — Grace Nichols Kay All pbk $9.95 Long overdue, this collection brings together for the first GIFT CHECKLIST time poetry written by four DIARIES AND CALENDARS ON STRIKE AGAINST GOD British-based Black Women whose poems reflect the HERSTORY1986______Joanna Russ depth and complexity of their Eighth is a series, this year’s “You are on strike against God lives. The poets share with us Herstory looks at rural women SWEATSHIRTS/T/SHIRTS — said by a nineteenth cen­ in New Zealand. Prepared by a not only their anger and isola­ $29.95 & $12.95 tury American judge to a tion but also their hopes, joys, group of women in the coun­ group of women workers from and sensuality. Sheba try, coordinated by Dana Glen­ CARDS/POSTCARDS a textile mill. He was right too, Feminist Publishers pbk dining of Martinborough, it in­ From 40c to $1.40 and 1 don’t wonder at him. $11.50 cludes an illuminating range POSTERS What 1 do wonder is where did of activites and personalities. From $1 to $10 they get the nerve to defy HORSES MAKE A New Womens Press pbk $ God?” A daring, outrageous, LANDSCAPE MORE BADGES ASTROLOGICAL MOON $1.20 each and brilliantly funny book from BEAUTIFUL______CALENDAR 1986______this well known author of sci­ Alice Walker JEWELLERY ence fiction. Out & Out Books Gretchen Lawlor These poems are about love, Assorted prices pbk $15.95 Another of Gretchen Lawlor’s her daughter, racism, nuclear madness and the threat of ORDER FORM world pollution. Time after time she offers us a hope that Please send these books: is not easily won. Womens Press pbk $12.95 THREE RUSSIAN WOMEN POETS______Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetayeua, Bella Akhmadulina Translated and edited by Mary Maddock Mary Maddocks lucid versions of Russians women poets are My name is: ...... magnificent poems in En­ My address is: ...... glish, and she has kept their distinctive voices: Akhmatova’s candor and sen­ 1 enclose (including $1.00 packing and postage per book) $ sitive strength, Tsvetayeva’s daemon and swift pathos, and INLAND PASSAGE Akhmadulina’s accurately Jane Rule magical portraits of people These soul-deep gentle tales and nature. The Crossing SUBSCRIPTION explore the conventional and Press pbk $25.50 unconventional relationships I would also like a $27 subscription for myself □, for my friend □, to in all our lives — among lovers WEDNESDAY TO COME sustain Broadsheet $40 □, other rates on the Contents page: ...... and friends and wives and Renee husbands and children and Renee takes four women of family... and the power we all four generations in a single have to sometimes damage, family and looks at how they sometimes ennoble those cope, in the Depression of the My name is: ... around us. Naiad Press pbk 30’s. Working class women, $23 says Renee, have been invisi­ My address is: OTHER WOMEN______ble for too long — not because tney are inarticulate but be­ Send to Broadsheet, Box 68-026, Newton, Auckland, NZ. Lisa Alther cause they are unrecorded. The story of Caroline’s journey This play, which audiences Broadsheet, November 1985 33 Bill of Rights W o n ’t W ork For W om en

Frances Joychild, Prue Kapua and Shayne Mathieson, all women with law degrees, write about the implications for women of shifting ultimate lawmaking power from MP’s to judges.

The proposed New Zealand Bill of Rights contains 30 Article 8 allows for every person to practice their articles which could become the supreme fundamental religious belief in worship, observance, practice or rights in our society. Under a Bill of Rights anyone who is teaching..., either in public or private. Conventional unhappy with a law that Parliament passes and believes churches have long kept women in subordinate positions that it threatens one of these rights, can then take the — few have ordained women and it was a long hard matter to the courts and ask the judges to decide whether struggle for those women who do hold church positions. the law cuts across them. If the j udge decides it does, The phenomenal rise of the fundamental Christian then the law is invalid. If anyone is concerned that a churches, with their restrictive ideas on the place of Government or local body is not respecting their rights women in society, does not, to the writers, indicate that under the Bill, then they can take the matter to Court the freedom to practice one’s religion advances rights where the judges' will decide if this is so. This system for women. exists now in Canada and the United States, with Article 12 of the Bill says that everyone has the right to differences in the particular rights covered. freedom from discrimination on the grounds of colour, It is a major change to our present constitutional race, ethnic or national origin, sex, or religious or ethical system. At the moment no laws have a status of superiority belief. Unlike the Canadian Bill of Rights, there is no added over other laws. All of them can be amended or changed provision allowing for positive discrimination for women by a simple majority vote in Parliament (except some or racial groups who need extra attention to bring them clauses in the Electoral Act). At the moment Parliament to a place of equality. It is clear, when one looks at the is the body which finally decides what a law is and if it employment record of women and non-Pakeha groups does not like the way j udges are interpreting the law in New Zealand, that affirmative action programmes are then it can pass amendments or new laws which overrule necessary. Without an affirmative action clause, this the j jdge’s decision. If the proposed Bill of Rights article could work against women and minorities. In the becomes law, it is the judges not Parliament which will United States there have been challenges to affirmative have the final say as to what the law should be. action progam mes in the courts, on the grounds that When we looked at the proposed Bill, we had no these discriminate against whites and men. preconceived ideas as to whether it was a good thing or The right to life, given in Article 14 of the Bill, bypasses not. However, the more we delved, the more concerned the question of when life begins. In the United States and we becam e at many of the implications for women, Canada there have been protracted battles around this particularly in articles 7, 8, 12, 14, 17 and 18. issue. It can be anticipated that there will be many SPUC- Article 7 allows for freedom of expression, including led court cases trying to exclude a wom an’s right to an the freedom to receive and impart information of any abortion under this section. kind. W e are concerned that this article can be used to Articles 17 and 18 concern the rights of the offender promote the acceptance of pornography in any form. It in the criminal justice system. We are most concerned is still argued that pornography is freedom of expression that these articles will institutionalise the unfair treatment and so it is a basic human right (of men) to read or view which women victims, particularly of sexual violence, it. already suffer from the judicial system. 34 Broadsheet, November 1985 way on the reality of life for most women in Aotearoa. Rights to freedom of expression and thought must be matched with the right to econom ic survival and the right to work. Pakeha middle-class males, the drafters of the Bill, earn most and have the best access to employment. Their right to work and to good food and shelter may not need protection. GIVING POWER TO THE JUDGES There are major concerns for women in raising the judiciary to a place of final law maker of the land. At the moment there are no court of appeal women judges, no high court women judges and only three out of 89 women district court judges. A small percentage of practising barristers and solicitors are women, predominantly junior members of the profession. Women are now entering law school in equal numbers to men but, there are major obstacles to a change in the sex composition of the judiciary for at least the next two decades. One is sexism in the legal profession. In the 1981 report of the Auckland District Law Society into women in the profession, it was discovered that 40% of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed women had experienced open sex discrimination and by the general assembly of the United Nations in 1948 80% some form of covert discrimination. Another is the dealt with a variety of rights, including civil and political traditional method of appointment of j udges: they are r ights such as the right to life, equality before the law, selected from those who have practised at the bar for freedom to have an open and fair trial, and freedom of many years. W om en are further discriminated against in thought, opinion and expression. They also included areas of pracise — they do less court work than men. those rights that are labelled “economic, social and Even less women, therefore, are heading in a direction of cultural rights eg. right to work, to a free education and eligibility for appointment to the bench. There are very to adequate food and housing. The proposed New few women who will be eligible to be appointed to the Zealand Bill of Rights covers only civil and political rights. judiciary in the next two decades at least. Not only will The Minister of Justice says this is because they are the judges for at least the next 20 years be predominantly “value free”. However, we contend that they are not. They male but they will be males drawn from a very narrow are the ones that tend to be of major importance to men strata of society. Hodder wrote, in 1974, “the person rather than to women. W e have had the same political appointed to be a Judge in New Zealand is a middle-aged rights as men for nine decades and yet this has not Caucasian m ale,... successfull and prominent member brought us to a place of economic or social equality in of the legal profession ... and almost certainly wealthy, Aotearoa. Forty-seven per cent of all New Zealand women member of the upper middle-class and living in an urban aged 15 years and over are in the paid workforce. As at environment”, Maori women, other women of non- February 1985, for every dollar our male counterparts European culture, rural women, working class women, earned, we earned 75c. This gap in earnings is widening young women, women on benefits, women who have to the disadvantage of women. never experienced “status” ... their reality is very far Women in the paid workforce are clustered into seven removed from these men. In 1974 50% of New Zealand main areas, with five of those being traditional judges were past pupils of four secondary schools. occupations under threat by new technology. The In fact, the Bill of Rights will mean that, for the fundamental right to work is of crucial importance to forseeable future, power for ultimate law making will be women. Women not in the paid workforce are primarily nearly entirely in the hands of men from white, middle- dependent on another earner or a benefit. The right to class, privileged econom ic backgrounds. adequate food and housing is also of crucial importance The lack of representation of women on the judiciary to women and ignored in the proposed Bill which does has severe effects on women. One vivid example of an not address the major concerns of women in Aotearoa. area of our lives where the justice system, because of its In 1984 21 women’s forums were held throughout rural male perspective has failed us, is the area of violence to and urban New Zealand. The thousands of women women. Sexual violence goes almost unhindered by the attending, who came from diverse backgrounds, listed system of justice. Very few sexual offences result in Court their priorities. O f 70 concerns two of the most comm only convictions. The problems are twofold. First is the attitude agreed on were about employment. Legislation of some judges. Second is the justice system’s obsession concerning violence towards women was rated the with male developed principles of “justice”. This second most important issue. None of these is dealt with obsession time and again gets in the way of attempts to in the proposed Bill of Rights yet they are of more concern detect, try and punish violent men. It is these principles to women than some of the rights about legal process of justice that are to be enshrined into sacred fundamental contained in it. law in Articles 17 and 18 of the proposed Bill. Therefore, while there can be no objections in principle 't s not just in our relationship with the justice system to incorporating civil and political rights in supreme law, that women have felt let down and poorly treated. For they are not ones which will generally touch in any real most of Aotearoa’s pakeha history, half of the population,

Broadsheet, November 1985 35 gives us more faith that Parliament will be a fairer forum for ultimate law making power. Women are represented in greater numbers there than on the benches and there is more likelihood that this representation will continue to increase. Parliament has in some ways shows itself to be accountable to women. Members of Parliament can be voted in and out. W e have no similar influence over the judges. We are not represented amongst them and we cannot vote them out for anti-women comments and attitudes. Their tradition is one of aloofness from popular pressure. Our second major concern at the Bill’s use of the judiciary as the final arbiter and law maker, concerns the ability of women to enforce their rights. Despite legal aid, justice in New Zealand is generally only for those who can pay for it. Many women, particularly those most in need of “rights”, are in the poorest groups of citizens, like single mother families and non-Pakeha families. They will not be able to afford to pursue their rights under the Bill. Beside econom ic barriers, a woman will only be able to enforce her rights if she has “standing” before the Court. The Bill is worded in an individualistic way eg. “anyone who believes their rights have been infringed...” Situations where wom en’s human rights are being attacked or abused, have only tended to come to light in our herstory as a result of social action groups. Thus it was rape crisis centres and wom en’s refuges which monitored problems for women in their dealings with police and the courts on sexual violence matters. They brought them to the attention of the media and parliament. If the Bill is to be credible and the rights in it accessible to all women, then it must allow for interest groups or class actions. AMERICAN WOMEN’S EXPERIENCES We looked at the effect for women in the United States of America of judicial review under their constitution. “Moral Stand” By Helen Courtney While the rights contained in the proposed New Zealand Bill of Rights are not completely similar to the rights women, have lived under laws which they have had very contained in the American Constitution, the systems of little control in formulating, passing or adminstering. judicial review of legislation and place of ultimate law New Zealand did not have any women Members of making power is the same. Parliament until the mid-1930’s. An examination of the United States Courts' attitudes However, with the latest wave of the wom en’s towards female roles in American Society, indicates that movement women have made perceptible changes in the justices decide cases on the basis of their personal the parliamentary sphere. In our struggle to control our value systems rather than by the application of neutral own destiny and set our own priorities rather than live legal principles. Although not admitting the supremacy under male prescribed values and structured, we have of ideals over law, one Justice Blackmun, in an abortion made Parliament a target. W om en’s groups have case recognised that “one’s philosophy, one’s developed skills in using the media to highlight issues experiences, one’s exposure to the raw edges of human that concern them, lobbying individual Members of existence, one’s religious training, one’s attitudes towards Parliament, and in preparing and making representations life and family and their values, and the moral standards to parliamentary committees. There has been a small one establishes and seeks to observe, are all likely to but steady increase of women Members of Parliament. colour one’s thinking and conclusion...” At 12.6% this is still pitifully low but since last year’s Justice Blackmun’s observation applies to judges election we have the largest number of women ever in throughout the world. In Aotearoa we are concerned Parliament. For the first time in the history of both political that the lack of wom en’s philosophy in the judiciary may parties, there are women presidents. There have been have more negative implications for women in many some positive legislative changes corresponding in time areas if the proposed New Zealand Bill of Rights becomes to women’s increased awareness of Parliament; the Equal law. □ Pay Act 1973; the Human Rights Commission Act 1977; the Matrimonial Property Act 1977 and hopefully some The women presented a much longer and more detailed rape law reform amendments soon. version of these ideas in a paper, “A woman’s Perspective on Thus, while women have no great cause for confidence the Bill of Rights” at a Legal Research Foundation Seminar. in either the judiciary or Parliament, our recent herstory For more information contact Pat at Broadsheet. 36 Broadsheet, November 1985 s e tim i n < w m NOT- WITHSTANDING

“HALF THE SKY... ”

Prompted by the text book, licensed by an article in China in the firmly proclaimed statements made by their male Daily and motivated by a personal commitment to companions, if only to be spared the pain of having to Feminism, I introduced the topic of “Women in China” to voice opinions of their own in front of the boys. Another my Chinese, English conversation course students. ’ male assertion was that Chinese women are already en­ Several months had passed since my arrival in Shan­ joying equal status with men because they were allowed to ghai and a working rapport had been established with the work at any jobs they pleased. When it was pointed out students. It was therefore possible in some classes at least, that many factories preferred to employ men, the re­ to run sessions in which opinions could be voiced and sponse was that the government would then insist that a tested, and arguments engaged in with various ideas and set quota of women had to be employed by each factory, points of view being expressed, challenged and defended. so that made women equal. The idea that conditions of Part of my work load was to run English conversation employment for women in work places where they are not courses for several classes of Chinese university students, welcome might be difficult and discriminatory, was too about eighty young people in all. Their response to discus­ complex for the students to consider. sing “W om en’s Liberation", as the old fashioned text book Faced with a hostile response to the topic from this termed it, and its relevance to Chinese society, was varied class, I decided to move on to new material for the time and not always positive. One class became so silent and being. As a parting shot I asked some of the more vocifer­ apparently bored with the subject that their reactions re­ ous and apparently chauvinistic males the following ques­ minded me of similar behaviour encountered in high tion. Given that the policy in China is to allow only one school students in Mew Zealand. child per family, would you be equally content that your At the time we began work on the topic, I was re-reading child should be a girl as a boy? The reactions were swift Dale Spender’s Invisible Women — The Schooling and seemingly conclusive that this group at least did not Scandal, and 1 couldn’t help being aware that the re­ view the sexes with equal favour. Most women as well as sponses I was witnessing almost exactly reflected these men admitted that they definitely would prefer a male described by Spender. Many of the young men believed offspring. If three children were permitted, they also ag­ that the topic had no relevance whatsoever to life in China, reed that the preference was for two boys and one girl, because women here are already equal. It became clear rather than any other combination, with one of the boys that male and female reactions to wom en’s issues in the being first born. The consequences for young women of apparently bored class, were markedly different. The knowing that their parents would have preferred a male young men were impatient, skeptical and felt that these child, were not issues which the male section of the class concerns had nothing to do with them. As one confident wanted to consider at that point. male student put it, at least two countries currently have The reactions to the topic in the other three classes women Prime Ministers which proves that women have were quite different. In these classes there are a few won­ nothing to complain about. For this student, that ended derfully confident, intelligent young women who are pre­ the discussion. When asked if he would consider that men pared to hold their own against any male put downs or de­ were equal, if we now had male Prime Ministers in two rogatory comments. In these groups lively and committed countries, while all other lands continued to be governed discussions were initiated. What was surprising to me (I by women, he was rather taken aback and refused to reply. should have known better) was that the very politest and The responses of the young women in this class were nicest of males once again showed themselves to be diffident, almost inaudible and extracted with great effort thoroughly conditioned male chauvinists. Their point of and embarassment. The process was accompanied by view was the usual one that “everyone knows” that men impatient comments and irritated sighs from their male are taller, stronger and more intelligent than women, so of classmates. It was difficult to get any of them to discuss course women couldn't possibly be equal and trying to any issues beyond that of the allocation of household achieve equality was just a foolishness of western women. chores, which boys asserted women were only fit for. When it was pointed out, as gently as possible, that even in Some women agreed and seemed relieved to acquiesce the present class som e young women were clearly taller

Broadsheet, November 1985 37 and physically larger than some young men (the question ween the skillfully manoeuvred poles they also carry a of intelligence being left implicit), the reaction was one of baby or small child tied to their backs by a blanket looped shock and disbelief that such a comm ent could be made. around them. The women are of all ages, shapes and The more stereotypically “positively” endowed male phys­ sizes. Tiny, old women are just as likely to be struggling ical specimens seemed not to be aware that some of their with heavy shoulder poles or shifting laden carts as strong sex were actually quite small and thin. As Dale Spender looking young women. Many such things can be seen in comments, the young men seem to use som e inner refer­ any city, town or village. Even in the streets of Shanghai, ence point based on their firm belief in male superiority to right outside the university itself, the constant flow of traffic discount the evidence before their eyes. includes women at the helm of carts, bikes, pedi-cycles On being reminded that women everywhere on the and all other forms of transport. streets can be seen pushing or pulling heavy carts, carry­ What astounded and puzzled me most was the fact that ing loads as heavy as those of men on shoulder poles or in the young men seemed able to dismiss so easily the facts baskets strapped to their backs, the responses were that before their eyes. Just as Dale Spender asserts of western these things only occurred in the country where every­ male students, these Chinese young men seem to live sur­ thing was different. It didn’t seem worth the effort to rounded by a cocoon of confidence which allows them to suggest that maybe 80%— 90% of the population actually ignore or deny anything which might undermine their be­ live in the country, so those activities must be fairly rep­ lief in their superior status. resentative of wom en’s present role. My experience in China has been short and limited, but Since that time, my travels have taken me approxi­ the patterns outlined by Spender of male student be­ mately 7,000kms across China, and I have witnessed the haviour in the West is all too familiarly evident among work that women are doing in many places.Women have young Chinese male students. The young men been seen wielding picks and shovels, excavating building monopolise most of the classes, talk the most to their sites, operating cranes, sweeping streets, making bricks, teachers, or to each other, if they find they are not getting driving buses, dealing with the engines of cars and trucks what they consider to be enough attention. This point has as well as digging, planting and carrying loads and sweep­ been borne out by conversation with Chinese colleagues ing the streets. W om en can be seen carrying shoulder as well as reinforced by monitoring behaviour in the other poles evenly weighted with heavy burdens, while in bet­ courses which I teach. With a few marvellous exceptions, the young women are shy, timid and afraid to respond to Illustration by Judith Ammon questions or to take any active part in class discussions. Again this reticent behaviour has been noted and com ­ mented upon by both Chinese and western colleagues. However, when these women are able to work in pairs, with another female, or in a one to one situation with the teacher, the difference is remarkable. It only seems to re­ of her work unit, “If you were a man, we would have given quire some strongly supportive comments in situations you a job. Nowadays most units turn down applications where they do not feel threatened by the boys for these from women, because when women get married and young women to lose their reluctance and allow their have children...” ideas to come pouring out. Many of them are evidently A third point made in the same article is that the criter­ aware of their unenviable position.Many of them know that ion for admission to a technical school in one province at they have to work twice as hard to be considered half as least, differs by 100 points. Whereas boys need only 194 good as the boys, but they have not been able to organise points or admission, girls need 300. Cases of such dis­ any kind of support groups for themselves and they were crimination against women are also reported from many not aware of the extent to which they are discriminated other areas. against. Reporting earlier on a symposium held in Beijing, spon­ For example, they had not noticed the discriminatory sored by the Women of China magazine, China Daily illustrations in their textbooks, until these were pointed out states that although the world is developing into an infor­ to them. They are sexist in the same way that most text mation society, in which women are on equal footing with books in the West have been, and are still sexist. The ratio men as brain-power takes the place of physical labour, the of males in illustrations can be anything from one woman idea that men are superior still dominates som e people’s to four men, up to one woman for every ten or more men. minds. A writer from the People's Daily is quoted as say­ Again, just as in western publications, when women do ap­ ing that he is optimistic that the current ecom onic reform pear in illustrations, even in text books, they are generally will eventually lead to an end to the prejudices against shown in positions of inferiority, or in situations which women. He said it is important to liberate the minds of trivialise, patronise or demean them in som e way. the people from both feudalist and “leftist” doctrines that During the short time I have been here, China Daily subject women to more strict public surveillance in their the English language newspaper, has cited several exam­ life-styles and personal behaviour than men. The old ples of discriminatory practices against women. One ar­ Chinese dictum “Obey your parents as a daughter, obey ticle reported the comments of a bureau leader who re­ your husband as a wife, and obey your son as a mother,” fused a statistics school graduate applying for a job by apparently dies hard. saying “We don’t want her because she’s a woman.” It is encouraging to note that China Daily is publishing Another case reported was that of a young woman as­ articles which exhort men in China to renounce their ob­ signed to a job irrelevant to her college major, who tried solescent attitudes of superiority to women. However, if unsuccessfully for months to find a suitable position. Fi­ my experiences of the current thinking of male university nally she was told by a cadre in the personnel department students is in anyway representative, much more than this will be needed to make Mao’s challenging metaphor be­ com e a literal fact in modern China.n Carol Maclennan Helen Wilson, of Women’s National Abortion Action Cam paign, writes about the most common sexually transmitted disease in the Western world.

Devastating sexually transmitted cause an acute or chronic infection CIS show that between 5-20% of diseases are being quietly ignored in which scars and/or blocks one or women have positive chlamydial New Zealand. More than 100 women both tubes, preventing the normal infections. The few studies every year have been dying from passage of the egg to the uterus. undertaken in New Zealand confirm cervical cancer, now known to be Overseas studies have shown that this, with 16% of women routinely sexually transmitted. Many other chlamydia organisms cause up to tested at a sexually transmitted women are being sterilised by 60% of pelvic inflammatory disease diseases (STD) clinic in Auckland chlamydia trachomatis, which is now cases in women. Of these about having chlamydia and 15% at a considered to be the most common 20% will becom e infertile from Family Planning Clinic in sexually transmitted disease in the damage to the fallopian tubes. Christchurch. Western world. Recurrent infections are common Young women seem to be Last year, W om en’s National and after two a woman has a 30% particularly in danger of getting Abortion Action Campaign chance of infertility. After three or chlamydia. (WONAAC) was prompted to look more infections it is considered to be Forty percent of the Family into chlamydia by the amount of greater than 60%. Planning sample who were positive publicity and expense being given to The risk of having an ectopic for chlamydia were under 20 years treating infertility. It struck us as pregnancy, where the fertilised egg old. And a very recent US study of absurd (but not surprising, given the implants in the wall of the fallopian 280 adolescents found that 25% of medical profession’s preference for tube, is greatly increased. An the girls had chlamydia. This has glamour areas of medicine) that estimated 50% of all ectopic major implications for the future women were being treated, usually pregnancies happen when a woman fertility of these young women. unsuccessfully, for infertility, if the already has PID. If the growing egg According to a Swedish study, there condition was preventable in the first ruptures the wall before it can be is a much higher chance of them place. surgically removed, the wom an’s life getting pelvic inflammatory disease W e learned that about two-thirds can be in danger. However, the pain as well. A sexually active fifteen year of female infertility is preventable. caused by an ectopic pregnancy is old has a 1:8 chance of acquiring One of the major causes of female so severe that most women will seek PID but by 24 this risk has decreased infertility is pelvic inflammatory help before then. Even with a prompt to 1:24. disease (PID). This is generally operation, removal of the egg and Chlamydia has also been caused by sexually transmitted surrounding tube will often decrease implicated in the deaths of babies micro-organisms which invade the fertility. before and just after birth, premature lower genital tract, during One of the major problems with births and miscarriages. One study intercourse, and spread upwards, chlamydia detection is that it from the United States estimated the often without symptoms. On frequently occurs without symptoms. risk of babies dying before or just reaching the fallopian tubes they Studies from both Sweden and the after birth to be increased tenfold if

40 Broadsheet, November 1985 the mother has a chlamydial infection Board and presented a submission appears to provide some protection during pregnancy. Pregnant women asking that treatment be made against the spread of some sexually with chlamydial infections can also available through the hospital transmitted diseases and the get P1D after delivery. For their babies laboratories. W e asked that certain at condom is even more effective, there is a 30 to 50% chance of getting risk groups be routinely tested — although there is still some risk. infected during vaginal delivery — of women with a suspected diagnosis However, it is better than nothing these half will develop conjunctivitis of PID, all people going to the STD and there is quite a list of diseases it and 20% a chlamydial pneumonia. Clinic, women at ante-natal visits, can prevent the spread of. These Chlamydia has long been known to and women wanting an abortion. include AIDS, gonorrhoea, syphilis cause trachoma, the leading Board members were horrified at (though all pregnant women are preventable condition causing the evidence we presented and routinely tested for this and there are blindness world-wide, and testing has since been made available few cases in NZ), chlamydia, cervical particularly in developing countries. to a limit of 20 a week. It was not cancer, and other lesser known but Women need to be screened for considered justified to test all common diseases such as chlamydia before having an abortion, pregnant women, and we have had gardnerella. as it has been shown that nearly a no reply to a letter asking for the W ONAAC has been in contact quarter of women who have this criteria used to decide who to test. with the Health Department asking infection at the time of an abortion Treatment is simple. A course of for an immediate education and will later develop PID. Som e clinics tetracycline antibiotics is publicity campaign aimed at are advising women to be tested for administered for 10 to 20 days and promoting condom usage via chlamydia before they come for an is also effective against gonorrhoea, television and other media. We feel abortion. which often co-exists. It is important that any money being spent on AIDS Lesbians who have never to finish the stipulated course. prevention should also incorporate slept with men are at less risk of all As chlamydia is a major cause of other sexually transmitted diseases, STDs. Many lesbians at some time in a type of urinary tract infection in particularly with regard to condom their lives have had sexual young men, non-gonococcal use. However, although we have relationships with men, and can urethritis (NGCJ), it is essential that received sympathetic hearing from harbour chlamydia. A few lesbians partners of infected men or women Health Department officials, there is have developed PID for this reason are also treated, either through the little action. We have produced a years later, so they too need to be STD clinics or their own doctor. The poster and should have our leaflet aware of the risks. fact that there may be none of the ready in a couple of months. Groups Testing for chlamydia used to be usual symptoms (pain when passing wanting copies should write an extremely expensive and time urine, or a discharge from the penis enclosing $2 per poster. We hope to consuming task. However, a cheaper or vagina) should not lead to be able to supply the leaflets free of and quicker test called MicroTrak complacancy because of the charge, depending on fundings has been available in New Zealand particularly hidden nature of this WONAAC is a political pressure group, since last year. This enables disease. established in 1974 to fight for a woman’s diagnosis to be made within a There is evidence that certain right to choose abortion. Other aims in­ minimum of half an hour from taking contraceptives increase the risk of clude the right to contraception, steriliza­ the sample from the woman. pelvic inflammatory disease. One of tion, and sex education in schools. More Last year WONAAC contacted these is the ICID, which increases the recently we have extended our interest to sexually transmitted diseases, in particu­ most of the larger hospital boards in risk of PID by 4%. The devastating lar chlamydia trachomatis and cervical New Zealand to find out which could effects of the Daikon Shield for some cancer. We have been campaigning for do chlamydia testing. W e found, at women show what this means. three years to promote condom usage as that time, that three main hospital At times other studies have shown a safe and effective means of birth control boards were testing for chlamydia, that the oral contraceptive has (for women’s health and future fertility) and many of the smaller ones were hindered infections, but there has and possibly the best known way, apart from total abstinence, of curtailing the using MicroTrak. W e were rather always been disagreement about spread of most sexually transmitted dis­ taken aback to find that Wellington this and now the opinion seems to eases. We are currently working on a leaf­ had no facilities for women to be be that in fact the oral contraceptive let for young people on condoms and tested for chlamydia and treatment increases this risk. their benefits. then was being done virtually by It’s almost enough to put you WONAAC meets fortnightly in Wellington guesswork. This led to either over or off sex totally. But for those and would welcome new activist mem­ bers. Contact Di 861-857 or Helen 848- under-treating and was neither fair brave enough to persevere it seems 541 for further information. We have a on the wom en involved or the peace of mind rests only with the quarterly (approximately) newsletter av­ gynaecologists. WONAAC took a use of barrier methods of ailable for $5 per annum from P.O. Box deputation to the Wellington Hospital contraception. The diaphragm 2669 Wellington.

Broadsheet, November 1985 41 s a h o g 1 m j o u ** OJtHQOuc

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42 Broadsheet, November 1985 CHRISTCHURCH SIXTH NATIONAL HUI FOR month in Room 210, Von Zed- WHAT’S ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA WORK TRUSTS AND litz Building, University, 7.30 AID GROUP — CO-OPERATIVES — pm. Contact: Anne Else, 759- NEW? have a new box number, P.O. Parihaka Marae, Taranaki, 958. Box 4520, Christchurch. November 25 to December 1. WORKSHOPS MEETINGS The theme of this Hui will be Women Against Pornog­ COURSES ABILITY DIFFERENCES self-sufficiency, it is hoped to raphy, Box 475, Wellington, AUCKLAND’S bring the experiences of N.Z. phone 849-501. Meetings AUCKLAND MEDIAWOMEN AWARENESS — Co-operatives, both Maori and every second Wednesday, — meets 1 $t Thursday of A resource book listing sup­ Pakeha; together with those 7.30 pm, 1st floor, 50 Cour­ every month at the Press club, port available for disabled from the Basque Co-operative tenay Place. November meet­ upstairs, 37 Albert St. Auck­ people in Auckland. $2 from of Mondragon, Spain; and the ings 13th and 27th. land. at 6 pm. Usually a Independent Living Centre, 14 Co-operatives of the Greater speaker. Ph. Angela Griffen Erson Ave., Royal Oak or $3 by London Council (U.K.) and the Media Women, Wellington. 396-170 (Wk) for details. post, P.O. Box 24042, Auck­ British Co-operative Develop­ Contact Ally Webber, 849-307 land 3. ment Agency (U.K.) Also the or Diane Gilliam-Knight, 666- AUCKLAND WOMENS experiences of Maori Co­ 969 (work) for information. HEALTH COLLECTIVE — RESEARCH — operative Development in needs new members and vol­ Joan Yee and Donita Sim­ Aotearoa prior to 1860. Work­ Women for Peace, Wel­ unteer workers. The Hot and mons, librarians at the Univer­ shops will cover a wide range lington. Contact Jenny, 728- Cold doctors file needs updat­ sity of the South Pacific in of interests and include — Use 950 or Ngaire, 849-028 for in­ ing and they need to write lots Suva, Fiji, are compiling a list, of Media, Theatre, Art, Music, formation. of grant applications Energy with notes, about research on Screen Printing, Developing of and! noney welcome. Ring 764 women in the South Pacific in effective networks and the is­ Maori women’s happenings. 506 or drop in to 63 Ponsonby the last ten years. It covers Fiji, sues that concern the Ran- Contact Anaria, Wellington Road. Tonga, Samoa, Niue, Papua gatahi. Regional Co-or­ 887-842. New Guinea, Solomon Is­ dinators are needed and ideas AUCKLAND WOMEN lands, Vanuatu, New in this early stage of planning. Woman Zone, Wellington’s AGAINST PORNOGRAPHY Caledonia (Kanaky), Mic­ For more information write to feminist radio programme. — for information contact ronesia, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Co-operative Workers Trust, Access Radio, 783 kHz, Sun­ Denise Ph. 862-084 or 765- Kiribati, Nauru, Tokelau, P.O. Box 39136, Auckland day mornings at 10, followed 266. Or write to P.O. Boz 2723, Tuvalu and indigenous and West. by the Lesbian programme at Auckland. Meetings Pacific Island women in New 11. New members welcomed fortnightly, Mondays, 7.30pm Zealand, Australia and Hawaii. 1986 Calendar — to the Woman Zone collective, WEA, 21 Princes St., Auck­ “Women in the South Pacific” If you desire to be perfectly which meets on the first Mon­ land. will probably be available in dotty or to humour your day of each month at 5.30 in January 1986. Joan and friends you might wish to the Access offices, Broadcast­ WEA — PUBLIC Donita would like it to be as purchase the 1986 “In Sea­ ing House. SERVICES FOR THE comprehensive as possible son” Calendar, illustrated and PEOPLE— An excellent video and as some research, par­ designed by Anna Crichton. Society for Research on on privatisation throughout ticularly degree theses, are The 13 drawings range from Women, Wellington branch. the world, shows workers’ re­ hard to find, they would be topics such as Ring Kay Switzer, 766-468, sponses to it, and how they are grateful if anyone knowing of “Michaelangela” depicting the Secretary, for details of forth­ fighting back. It focuses on research on women in the creation of Eve to “The last coming meetings. workers in different sectors of Pacific, particularly Maori and love” which illustrates the State Services: Health, Sanita­ Pacific Island women in New steaming emotions of am­ Wellington Women’s Health tion, Education etc. Date — Zealand, would send refer­ phibious love. $9.95 plus p&p Group. 1 st floor, 50 Courtenay Tuesday November 12 at ences to them, at the Univer­ from Broadsheet Bookshop. Place. Phone Lorraine Matth­ 7.30pm. Venue: WEA, 21 sity of the South Pacific Lib­ ews, 837-504, for opening Preinces St. Fee: $4 waged $2 rary, P.O. Box 1168, Suva, Fiji. WELLINGTON WHAT’S NEW hours. unwaged. FOR NOVEMBER 1985 ENTERTAINMENT — WONAAC will soon be doing YWCA (AUCKLAND) — An all women group "Meg and YWCA Wellington. Mothers another leafletting on con­ Health Alternatives — For the Fones” featuring special and pre-school children doms. They can use some women who would like to guests will be playing at camp, Feb 16-21, Otaki. $65 womanpower and support. explore some of the alterna­ Streets Ahead Performance adults, $25 per child. Registra­ Ring Di, Wellington 861-857 tives to orthodox medicine. Cafe, Symonds St., Auckland, tions from November. Contact or Helen, 848-541. November 2 at 10am. Photo­ on the 14, 15 & 16 November Tina Reed, YWCA, 3 Moncrieff YWCA Wellington. Mothers graphy — A practical work­ at 10pm. St, Wgtn, or phone 850-505. and pre-school children shop for women who would camp, Feb 16-21, Otaki. $65 like to learn more about the EXHIBITIONS — Self-defence course at the adults, $25 per child. Registra­ workings of a camera and how QUEER PICTURES — gay/ YWCA, 3 Moncrieff St, Wgtn. tions from November. Contact to improve their photographic lesbian multi-media art exhibi­ Four Wednesday evenings, Tina Reed, YWCA, 3 Moncrieff skills. Novmber 2 at 10am. tion opens 6pm, Monday 5.30-7.30, starting November St, Wgtn, or phone 850-505. Lawn Mower Repair — Begins November 4, in St. Pauls 13. Tutor: Raewyn Moore, fee at 1pm at Myra’s Richmond church crypt, 28 Symonds St., $18. Mower and Garden Centre, Auckland. Open 10am — 479 Richmond road, West 7pm Monday to Friday. Lesbian Club, Wellington. So­ Lynn. (Don't forget to bring cial night every Friday. Ring your problem mower along.) DANCE — Women's Place bookshop, Unless otherwise stated all SOLO FLIGHT — a prog­ 851-802 for venue and infor­ courses are as follows — ramme of Dance with mation. Venue: YWCA, 10 Carlton Catherine Chappell at The Gore Road, Grafton. Tea and Great Hall, Arts Centre, Christ­ Women’s Studies Associa­ coffee are provided — please church. November 1 — 3. tion, Wellington branch. bring your lunch. Book at the Arts Centre. Meets second Monday of each

Broadsheet, November 1985 43 S t r o k e s a n d a r t a t t a c k s

ally young — a teenager— I’m rhythm to all the others, and still writing music to now, be­ prior to going into the studio to cause I can understand it. It’s record the song Mahina had much stronger than it would heard the full piece only in her have been when I was 15 or 16 head. because I didn’t know exactly “It was really scary going what it meant then”. into the studio. It was all there Clothesline Conversation, in my head, but 1 thought according to Mahina is one of ‘God! Everyone will panic be­ the strongest songs on the cause they’re going to hear all album. It’s an amazing piece, the different rhythms and full of compound timing and a they’re not going to click until mixture of jazz, rock and roll it’s finished’. It was so exciting and classical sound and influ­ getting to the point where it ences. Each instrument sym­ clicked. Paul and Lesley were bolises for Mahina a different just amazing. They just aspect of a woman’s story: the showed so much respect. I’d steady base line is her con­ told them the song was going stant existence, her heartbeat; to be hard to understand at Mahina Tocker Photo by Git Hanly the changeable guitar rhythm first and I asked them to ac­ CLOTHESLINE my father’s heritage (Jewish) is the frustration and confu­ cept that and just be patient sion felt by her male counter­ and wait and they did that. I’ve CONVERSATION __ and to do with my struggle as a Maori woman. Like identifying part and reflecting the not had to stop and explain An album by Mahina woman’s own feelings; the any of the music. They have myself as Maori but knowing never said to me, This feels Tocker on the Emmatruck that my father, who I’m really lyrics are her thoughts, bring­ ing the slow realisation that label. close to, has another heritage. wrong’. They’ve just accepted freedom is possible; and the that I know what I’m doing and He speaks Maori fluently and clarinet is the woman’s soar­ that’s also been the case with Jess Hawk Oakenstar talked he and my mother are really strong with Maoritanga. He ing spirit, tentative at first, then the other performers on the to Mahina about herself and finally breaking free. Says album. They know that I know the making of the album. never denied being Jewish, but he also went through a lot Mahina, “It’s all about her tak­ what I’m doing and that what’s ing her dignity back”. Mahina Tocker — musician, of pain because of it and he in my head will make sense singer, songwriter, lesbian was on his own without a The story is part of Mahina’s when they hear the result. And own life. The original poem mother — is of Ngati Raukawa Jewish group around for sup­ I feel really good about it all and Tainui descent. Most of port. Ho Lines on My Face is a was written for four years be­ too, because when I’ve heard it fore she realised that she had her music is directly about her sort of anti-war song, but it’s through my ears, it has made subsequently lived her own being a Maori woman, and her also a whole mixture of things sense!” words. The music has been songs are also gifts to her — self love.... identity..... Mahina is on guitar, percus­ written in the last year. young daughter, “I went to Israel and went sion, lead vocals and har­ Each instrument in the monies on the album. The Hinewairangi, telling her of her through a whole thing of sort­ language and her heritage. ing out who I am. Ho Lines is song works in a different other performers are Clare Mahina explains how the the only song I think I’ve writ­ From the record cover designed by Sally Smith. album came about. ten that’s to do with me being “Lesley Smith from Em­ Semitic. I’m not actually matruck music wanted a Jewish because my mother’s woman's record made and not Jewish, but the Semitic she asked me to do it. She's an ties l have are Jewish ties”. engineer who is learning the We talked about the new ropes and she's working with album and how she wrote Paul Streetska. I really admire quite a lot of the songs a long what she's doing, and the time ago and some were energy that's there from the brand new. I asked about the other women is so supportive. song that gave the album its We re having to fork out of name, Clothesline Conversa­ our own pockets for bills so it's tion. a bit of a struggle. 1 can’t see “I wrote that in 1979 when 1 that we re going to make a was still identifying myself to large profit, but if it means the myself as a lesbian.l hadn’t got record is going to get out and into the whole domestic women are going to hear it heterosexual scene. I don’t and learn something from it know why I wrote it. It probably and maybe think, ‘Oh fuck, I came from just watching can do that, too', then that's re­ people, and I think I was look­ ally neat.” ing at myself as standing up Mahina goes on to talk for myself — a strong woman about her background. “I — but I didn’t recognise the identify as Maori but there's song's significance then. I also the Jewish aspect. The lived it afterwards and then it song Ho Lines on My Face on made sense. Lots of stuff that I the album — that's to do with wrote years ago when I was re­ 44 Broadsheet, November 1985 Bear on bass, Nicky May on At the moment distribution is pics including equal oppor­ girls’s career aspirations. clarinet and saxophone, and being worked out, but if tunity, subject choice, career Some were the same, some Kimai Tocker and Mahara Val- women would like to mail­ aspirations, unemployment different, some didn’t know kman, Mahina’s sisters, on order copies, send $12.50, and the position of Maori in (they formed another categ­ vocal harmonies. There is also which includes postage, per secondary schools. ory) etc. It might be interesting one song which is not record or cassette, to Em- As description, it is reasona­ to know that for 36.2% of the Mahina’s. Young Maori matruck Music, P.O. Box 53, bly interesting — document­ girls, dream and reality were Woman is written and per­ Oneroa, Waiheke Island. ing for example the depres­ the same. And that 17% formed by Hinepounamu and sing picture of girls’ low self­ thought they would end up un­ Mahina and Mahara perform EQUALITY FOR GIRLS? esteem, sex-role stereotyping, employed. But what does this backing vocals. mean? What are the implica­ Research into equality of and girls’ usually narrow "I’m not into standing up career expectations and nar­ tions? Is attempting to raise in­ and making big speeches, but opportunity for girls at row range of subject choice . dividual girl’s aspirations an I say how I’m feeling about an Waikato Secondary Where separate information is important aim? Without a issue or in my life in songs. change in the economy, and Schools by Ineke given on Maori girls, for exam­ Takes away a hell of a lot of ple on career aspirations, it is in the ideology which insists explanation and verbalizing Casting and Wendy clear that Maori girls, more that women belong at home, the emotions! The music itself Claire, University of often than Pakeha feel unsure this would seem pointless. often provides the emotions Waikato Centre for of their work future; and Maori The authors made no at­ even if you don’t fully under­ girls benefit less from school tempt to link class with aspira­ stand what the words are Continuing Education. in terms of qualifications than tions or to ask even tentative about. All of my songs are love $5.50 from Registrar, do Pakeha girls in general. questions about the relation­ songs in one way or another. A Waikato University. But although the authors ship between gender and protest song is still a love song state that they discuss issues, class, and the economy. To to me. To say that something understand womens’/girls’ ‘in­ makes me feel sick or that I equality’, questions need to be hate something means I must answered about the impor­ love something else. To be tance of sexual divisions to the anti-war means I love life. continuation of the exist­ Long ago I knew there was ing economic organisation in something for me that was re­ New Zealand. Sufficiently ally relevant. broad change will not come “It’s only now I can say that from merely attempting to my vessel for communication change the attitudes of some is music. I find it really hard teachers and girls. when people ask what a song An interesting point I noted means, because it’s so indi­ while first reading the research vidual. People can take from a was that at least some of the song what suits them. It’s im­ girls did not appear to swallow portant that they keep what the (still) common myth that makes sense to them rather unemployment is an indi­ than me tell them what it vidual “responsibility”; that means, because I’m not like lack of “brains”, motivation, everybody else. They have to qualifications etc cause one to hear it themselves and feel “miss out” on jobs. But I am what they feel. uncertain about the girls’ "Lost and Found, which has views. The interviewer pro­ a reggae/ska feel, is about my vocatively suggested a reason respect to my ancestors, my for the girls’ possible future respect to my mother. There unemployment might be “be­ are lots of songs I don’t know cause you’re no good?” The why 1 wrote. They just hap­ girls replied “No! There are no pened, like I was meant to jobs”. This surely is ar ex­ write them but I don’t know pected response to that why. It’s like somebody else There is a general lack of they do not. They provide a suggestion. In my research 1 wrote them and they just came theory and research on girls large collection of interview found that many secondary through me. It’s probably be­ and schooling in New Zea­ data, but little or no analysis of school girls do believe in indi­ cause I live my being as a land. There is a special need it. And it is analysis we badly vidual blame for not getting a Maori woman and it's difficult for writing on how education need. It is necessary to explore good job (and often not any to explain what that means. in New Zealand helps to per­ questions of the significance job at all). But 1 asked a diffe­ Maybe that’s what is happen­ petuate gender relations, as of the girls’ and teachers’ opin­ rent question: “Why will some ing with these songs. Wahine well as monoculturalism and ions, and why they hold par­ girls end up in good jobs, Toa I wrote for Kimai and Mah­ class relations. ticular views. Answers to these some in stink (their word) ara and me. It’s our song. It This is a report by two re­ questions are needed for jobs, and some unemployed?” talks about calling myself searchers employed under a adequate and fruitful The answers to that were in black, which isn’t a colour Labour Department scheme strategies for change, as well terms of individual responsi­ thing, it’s a strength thing. The to “investigate career aspira­ as for a true understanding of bility — how hard you look, song says, “My mother is tions of secondary school girls the situation. For example, in how brainy you are, what you strong, my sisters are proud”. with specific reference to the the section on career aspira­ “want” etc. It’s this sort of My mother and my sisters are situation of Maori and Pacific- tions, the authors place the ideology (that blames the indi­ really strong women. And 1 Polynesian girls”. It is a lengthy girls into categories which vidual) which is essential to the know who I am. I don’t have to (104 pages) descriptive ac­ were divided on the basis of continuation of the existing explain to other people about count of the ideas and opin­ the comparison between the situation. Individuals fail to my being Maori. Other people ions of girls and teachers at dream (what they would like “see” the structural reasons are responsible for their own three schools in the Waikato to do) and the reality (what for their unemployment or re­ ignorance!”a region, covering a range of to­ they think they will do) of the legation to low' status dead-

Broadsheet, November 1985 45 end jobs, and thus fail to put The report is, like Jill appalled at the 8% we’ve Of course it doesn’t actually the blame where it belongs. Abigail’s, an important addi­ achieved so far). feel like the fifteen years that I From this piece of research I tion of data to the New Zea­ So Christine Dann’s know. 1 think 1 would give grea­ could not assess the Waikato land educational scene. I’m book, named CJp From Under ter emphasis to lesbian girls’ thinking. impatient for more analysis of after the first women’s libera­ women and to Broadsheet for One of the good things (let alone action on) the re­ tion magazine (Wellington, a start. But this is part of the about this report is its recogni­ lationship between education 1971) is very timely. Here is an book’s value. It is the outline, tion that the situation of Maori and the social-economic account of the first fifteen the list of events, the girls in Mew Zealand schools structure in New Zealand. □ years of the “second wave” framework, and it challenges (Pacific Polynesian girls were Post script: that gives a chronology of us to contribute all our ver­ absent?) cannot merely be Broadsheet has a policy of not using the term “girl” for young events year by year, then looks sions, and to go on to do the subsumed under the situation women over the age of about thir­ at eight different themes (Poli­ “more detailed analytical of “girls”. Some feminist writ­ teen years. 1 have here used the tics, Fertility, Work, Health, work”. ing in education still makes word “girl” to refer to secondary Education, Soul and Skin, There are other things that 1 this assumption. The authors school girls, so have the authors of Creativity, Violence) in greater would have found useful — an make strong recommenda­ the report. 1 think the use of the detail. Christine describes the index, some more names, a tions supporting bicultural word “girl” is significant when writ­ book as “a short non- list of all the publications men­ education. But issues of what ing about girls at school, and I academic history” noting tioned with full bibliographical might count as bicultural intend to keep using the term in “only the most significant details to make the interloan that context. Girls at school are education and how this might “girls” (children), not “young events of the past fifteen librarian’s life easier. But these be possible, were not discus­ women”. They are (usually) forced years” and venturing “into are not crucial. What is crucial sed. (Is it possible for bicultural to wear uniforms, attend school, theory only where it is neces­ is that a clear, readable, well- education to “succeed” within follow rules, not smoke, absorb sary to explain the meaning organised description of the a monocultural society? What imposed irrelevancies etc (as are and significance of events.” first fifteen years of the is the difference between boys). When schools change, Her book is a narrative, docu­ Women’s Liberation Move­ bicultural education and edu­ female students miqht be “younq menting what we have done ment now exists in print. cation based on kaupapa women”. towards achieving what Robin Allen & Gnwin/Port Nichol­ Maori?) Alison Jones Hyde called “a home in this son Press are to be congratu­ world”. It reclaims for lated on their publication — feminists the “community” is­ the photographs are a bonus. sues that have become re­ It is now up to us to make sure spectable, as it reminds us that we know this past and in­ about who initiated what and sist that it is recognised.^ when. Claire-Louise McCurdy

YOUR PREGNANCY/TO technology hospitals, HAPUTANGA ME TO would expect that things have WHAKAWHANAUTANGA changed significantly for the better and that women will be Published by the______respected and treated as intel­ Department of Health ligent human beings. But the changes in our larger hospi­ This is a 46 page booklet tals have* been window dres­ which is to be given free to all sing. There may be wallpaper pregnant women by their on the wall of the birthing G.P.’s or through hospital room but you can’t take your clinics. partner with you if you need an The book is colourful and at­ ultrasound scan. tractively presented with head­ Your Pregnancy/To ings and sub-headings in both Haputanga Me To English and Maori. Essentially Whakawhanautanga dis­ I suppose this is tokenistic but cusses hospital versus home Graphic from Up From Under maybe it is also a step in the birth which in itself is a radical right direction. The book is change, even referring women UP FROM UNDER: WOMEN the women who came before well illustrated apart from the to the Home Birth Association. us, and how difficult it is to find AND LIBERATION IN NEW really horrible picture of a bes­ But the department’s pre­ out. Most of what women had pectacled, balding, smirking judices come through clearlv ZEALAND, 1970-1985. done was trivialised, ignored, male carrying out an internal and we learn that, ‘Most doc­ Christine Dann. Allen & censored and unpublished. examination. This picture tors and midwives believe that And now that is happening Unwin/Port Nicholson probably lets the cat out of the babies should be bom in hos­ to us. The celebrations for the bag. pital because no deliuery can Press. 1985. $15.95_____ End-of-the-Decade ignore all The book talks throughout be regarded as normal until it that happened 1970-1974. of pregnancy and birth as is over.’ As the mother of three “Real women are not roles or The term “women’s libber” natural functions. It sets out to babies born at home I’d like to titles. Real women have a past continues to trivialise the com ­ stimulate women to help echo the words of one Auck­ and a future. Finding that past, mittment of the women work­ themselves and to retain re­ land doctor who, having been and building that future, has ing for change. “Concerned sponsibility for their health, to in obstetrics for twenty years been the aim of the women's Parents" are putting their give up smoking and drinking, attended his first home birth liberation movement.” energy into censoring health to attend ante natal classes; and realised that this was the These words, at the end of education in schools and the and to breast feed etc. But it ig­ first natural birth he had seen. her first paragraph, sum up for protests have already started nores the reality, which is that Large hospitals mess women me, the importance of this at the “predominance” of most women are going to end up and what may be normal in book. We learned in the women’s books. (If you think up in the hands of male doc­ hospital won’t equate with Women's Liberation Move­ that any women at all is too tors and increasingly high- natural birth at home. ment, how little we know about many, then of course you’ll be Reading the book one The now famous Rosenblatt 46 Broadsheet, November 1985 Report appears in a three page side.” “Unfortunately poorly precis in the August edition of produced, one section fell out, Lancet. The authors say, while reading it the second “Moreover, the quality of time” “Good photos and lay­ care may be better in some out, clear, and concise”... “in­ respects in small hospitals. ternal layout boring”. “Simple The significantly lower straightforward language — perinatal mortality rates of not too high powered, yet in­ normal-weight infants in formative”. “I felt it would have level 1 (cottage) hospitals been useful to highlight some by comparison with level 2 of the key books in the bibliog­ and 3 (base) facilities may raphies, which otherwise indicate that low-risk seem a bit daunting.” mothers fare better in low “There are many topics technology environments. which haven’t been dealt with, It is possible that small hos­ the biggest gap is Women at pitals in Mew Zealand Home. This oversight rein­ achieve a better outcome forces the attitude that women partly because the level of at home are of little signifi­ medical intervention and cance yet this is the experi­ the setting in which birth ence of most adult women.” occurs are more approp­ “Mot enough on rural riate to the medical and women”. The handbook non-medical requirements largely still reflects a pakeha of the mothers who go Maryan Street and Claire-Louise McCurdy at the launching o f the Women’s Studies perspective; there.” Women s Studies Handbook but is this a true reflection of Women’s Studies in Mew Zea­ And this brings me to the WOMEN’S STUDIES: “to bridge the gap between the major criticism of the book. It personal and the political, the land today? accepts uncritically and to var­ A NEW ZEALAND individual and the general by We found the introductory ying extents encourages the HANDBOOK by Candis placing the women’s experi­ section an invaluable guide for when we were setting up our use of four dubious medical Craven et al ences in a wider context by practices. supplying statistical informa­ first course. Firstly, we are told that ul­ Reviewed by Karen tion, historical background, It provided a good reference trasound scans are “used Johns, A bby Jury, Ngaire feminist analyses etc...” point on which to base the course. Although we used quite frequently to find out the Smith of New Plymouth Perhaps more information position of the baby ... check and background on what is some different topics to those the baby’s age ... make sure Women’s Studies Group women’s studies would have in the handbook i.e. Women the baby is growing normally been useful. For groups such and Voluntary Organisations, ... It’s often done at 16-17 This handbook is to Women’s as ours with little or no experi­ Women and Finance and weeks ... Most mothers find Studies what Sheila Kitzinger ence of Women’s Studies Motherhood and Marriage, that they enjoy seeing the baby is to pregnancy nowadays, i.e. courses it is difficult to de­ (determined by the exprience and having the test done.” the book you grab for when scribe what it is, especially and interests of our group of Secondly, the book states that you have the idea of starting a when trying to establish and tutors), the handbook pro­ “An episiotomy prevents seri­ W omen’s Studies course, and promote a new course. How­ vided that overall framework. ous damage to the tissues the book you will refer back to, ever, the guidelines on setting The Women’s studies Tutor supporting the Vagina.” photocopy and quote liberally up the learning environment, Training Handbook is unique. Thirdly, women are reassured from during the course. teaching techniques and how It is a sincere attempt to pass that pain relieving medicines Written by tutors from the to deal with problems which on the expertise and experi­ “will not affect the baby. Mo W omen’s Studies subcom­ can arise in groups are very ence of women who have woman should feel she must mittee of the Auckland W.E.A., useful. taught Women’s studies to try and do without.” it is based on solid informa­ Other comments on the those like us who needed just The use of these practices tion, and years of experience book... “Boring cover, really this sort of encouragement to on a routine basis should be in teaching a wide range of doesn’t inspire one to look in­ find our own well of expertise.n deplored but I rarely meet W om en’s Studies courses. Photo from Women’s Studies Handbook women who have recently The Handbook is well set given birth in a large hospital out with a section on tutoring, who haven’t had all three. then ten topics which contain Lastly, in the discussion on information in the form of contraception women are ad­ basic statements, suggestions vised, “There’s a special one- for activities and full resource hormone pill for those who are lists of books, films, articles, breast feeding. It is not quite so for each topic. The topics> reliable, but should not inter­ M.Z. Women Then and Mow, fere with the milk supply.” Women and Work, Language Auckland domiciliary mid­ and Women, Lesbian Women, wife Joan Donley has com ­ Women and Health, Women piled extensive supporting and Sexuality, Women and data for her criticisms of these Education, Images of Women, practices. The Department, in Women and the Law, Feminist the introduction, has re­ Theory, — are those most quested ideas on how the commonly requested by book can be improved. Well, women in the courses. the book can easily be im­ We found the section proved but how do we change “Tutoring in Women’s our hospitals? Studies” very helpful, particu­ Barbara Macfarlane larly the aims of tutoring, i.e.

Broadsheet, November 1985 47 WOMEN’S ^ BOOKSHOP 202 High St Christchurch

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