AY/JUNE 1975 $100

ABORTION: PAST AND P

DAISY DEBOLT

)LLYWOOD'S FILMS ABOUT MEN

OUR PRISONS FOR WOMEN

CONTENTS IP

IN EVERY ISSUE

letters 2 Editor here and there 4 Sharon Batt editorial Barbara Hartmann 5 Art music: Daisy Debolt Beverley Ross 6 Barbara Hartmann, Director Art perspectives Mary-Lynn Burke 30 Linda Donnelly film Brigitte Kerwer 34 lona MacAllister Susan Bordo 36 Audrey Watson Layout people in this issue 44 Marianne English Naomi Loeb FEATURES Diane Walton Photography Alice Baumann-Rondez Abortion: Diana Selsor Palling Woman's Body, Man's Law Kingston Women's Centre 9 Business Mary Alyce Heaton

Female Prisoners MaryEllen Gillan 16 Fiction Karen Lawrence, Editor Susan McMaster WOMEN IN THE ARTS Helen Rosta Carol Rink Diane Walton Livelihood from Pots Eunice Willar 13 Demonstration Rosalind MacPhee 14 Nonfictkwi Sharon Batt, Editor Prayer Marylu Antonelli Mary Alyce Heaton On this street Naomi Loeb The Seedling 15 Public Relations Series 2 Fantasy Anna Hook 21 Marylu Antonelli Leola Smith Naomi Loeb Ginny Stikeman Resource Planning Susan McMaster, Director Un Cri Lointain Erika Wanke 20 Sharon Batt He said Beth Jankola 28 Karen Lawrence Naomi Loeb Kitty Got a Postcard Administrative Debra Holt Poesie Erika Wanke 38

Branching Out is published every two months by the New Women's Magazine Society, Edmonton, Alberta. Please send cover photo by Alice Baumann-Rondez all correspondence to Box 4098, Edmon­ ton, Alberta T6E4T1. Submissions should be typed, double-spaced and ac­ companied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope. Advertising rates are available on request.

Copyright 1975 by The New Women's Magazine Society, Edmonton. Alberta. Canada. All rights re­ Vol. II, No. 3, May/June 1975. served. Unless used in a review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in any form, by any means. including photocopying, recording, information storage and retrieval systems, et cetera, is forbidden Industrial Printing & Litho Ltd., without the express written permission of the publisher. Edmonton Second Class Mail Superior Typesetting Ltd., Registration Number 3517 Edmonton May/June 1975 1 letters man's "trivia" is another man's though I feel that there are con­ "treasure"; most reviewers of the tributions being made all over the book have found Marilyn Monroe's province, the Alberta woman north comment on Canada (to name but of Edmonton appears at present to one Hollywood contributor) worth receive the least recognition for her its space. efforts. "Colombo quotes from In the field of education, which none of these" (i.e., the dozen or is the area I personally am most so names previously given). The familiar with, there exist teachers, easiest thing to review is the book teacher-aides, and counsellors the author or editor did not write or helping in the struggle to make edit. There are, after all, 2,500 con­ education meaningful and under­ tributors to the book, not 25,000. standable to native children. In­ I would like to point out, too, cluded among those I have met that Ms. Hopwood has not found a teaching in Metis areas are: Cora single error in the book (although Weber, teacher at Caslan (Lac La there are some). Nor, for all her re- Biche School Division). Cora is pre­ monstrations to the contrary, has sently involved in a local native she quoted a single remark that studies project and vitally con­ should be in the book but is not to cerned with education for and be found there. "We expect some­ about native peoples. Violet Carl- thing different and better," she son is a counsellor-aide at Calling concludes, giving not a shred of Lake, Alberta, able to assist the Perhaps you will permit me a evidence that a "different and bet­ young people with their personal few paragraphs of comment on the ter" book could be compiled along problems because of her own per­ wrong-headed review of the lines she suggests. sonal familiarity with them. There Colombo's Canadian Quotations Finally, she has not adequately are a number of women in these written by Alison L. Hopwood and discussed the book at hand. I find it capacities with school divisions in published in the March/April issue? most revealing of her eagerness to the northern areas. I have men­ "Colombo seems to be con­ list the shortcomings of my quote tioned these two because I know cerned with writing a history of who book that in a review of almost one them best. said what, rather than with letting thousand words she did not even There are native women in the the words speak for themselves." mention the existence of an index. field of journalism: Dorothy Expressed positively rather than pe­ Now, an index can make or break a Daniels, Metis Association, Eleanor joratively, this translates: "The quote book. Mine is a topical and Brass, a fascinating older women editor has supplied the context for keyword index of 20,000 entries. who writes from Peace River for the those remarks of an historical na­ But then again I can understand Alberta Native Communications ture that would not otherwise be why Ms. Hopwood did not mention Society. understood by the contemporary this she is only interested in al­ Many of the older women in the reader." leged shortcomings, not actual native communities can tell of a "He seems to have made efforts achievements. lively history of struggle in their personal lives. We hear much of to include every American enter­ John Robert Colombo, Toronto tainer who happened to have been Harold Cardinal, and yet his mother born in Canada." In other words: too is an admirable woman who "He took great pains to omit no en­ remembers what the first mission tertainers with a Canadian connec­ There are a number of native schools were like, and knows what tion." women contributing to the native it is to raise a large family with little "His practice of using others' peoples' struggle who deserve assistance and much hard work. prose as his verse may indicate an recognition. They have not made And within the communities inability to appreciate poetry." the impact of, for example, Maria themselves, native women are (Then again his practice may indi­ Campbell, with her book working against difficult obstacles cate no such thing.) This is a red Halfbreed, but each of these (often men) to make their com­ herring. women, in her own time and place, munities healthier and happier for "The platitudes of governors- contributes to the overall pattern of their children. An example is general, the trivia of movie stars," progress. I think it fitting that a Theresa Patinaude of Kikano Col­ etc. Certainly "governor- Canadian women's magazine dedi­ ony. Theresa presently teaches the generalities" have a place in a book cate at least one issue to these pre-school program and is and has of Canadian quotations; what women, or include them in each been actively involved in a number could be more Canadian? One issue, as a matter of course. Al­ of community issues. Branching Out I believe that it is time that these without the risk of a power play for Since we really need a good women were recognized outside of dominance on behalf of our male women's magazine, I had great their own communities. The battles contributors. hopes for Branching Out when it they fight are difficult and recogni­ first began. tion in my opinion helps to give Elaine Mailhot, Edmonton. For a long time, I have felt there moral support where progress weren't enough articles about sometimes appears slow to those working women, day care, or even right 'in the middle' of the muddle. Marylu Antonelli's editorial for women's liberation in general. Native women are truly Canadian me was dead on and the article Who Most of my feelings were covered women and share with non-native is the New Eve was stimulating. An by other people in the issue where women the concerns for a better informative, thought provoking and you printed reader's comments and future of cooperation and justice well-produced issue. criticisms. I expected improvement happen. for the coming generations. after that; it didn't Please let's see something, Ann Davis, Winnipeg. In your editorial in the latest somewhere, recognizing them, issue (March/April), you explain with those who particularly in this International why; you identify level of Women's Year. I am a young woman from have been "educated to the Montreal, living in New York tem­ their choice; they have jobs which Gaye Abrey, Edmonton porarily. Aclose friend in Edmonton are not sex-oriented; they have sent me your magazine. I've read it freedom either within or without thoroughly and enjoyed it. marriage or family. Yet they are dis­ Upon reading the editorial in the I was really interested in your content, restless, unfulfilled." Well March/April issue, I feel that I can poll of readers it's really good that's very sad, but how many such relate to the concepts in Ms. Jong's that you reach rural people and that women are there in Canada? 12? 50? book and to how Ms. Antonelli ap­ they are responsive. As a basically 312? Men have exactly the same plies them in a message to all the city person, I tend to think of rela­ problems, and while I'm sure it's readers of Branching Out. This last tively new movements in terms of tough, it's not the kind of thing I can editorial certainly lends some in­ the cities where they are most evi­ get very torn up about. Most sight to where we are going via dent. A lot of city people are insen­ women are concerned with the sur­ the liberation movement and what sitive to smaller communities or vival of themselves and their chil­ we will realize along the way. maybe I am just unaware myself. dren. We must make a choice between I also wonder at your excluding "Sisterhood" died a long time the passive-aggressive games and men totally from the magazine. As a ago; perhaps I'm the only one who the freedom we profess to strive woman without a feminist still feels hurt at betrayal by for. Alas, here is the rub! In relin­ philosophy to back her up, I think middle-class "sisters." There are quishing the security of our well-de­ you may be excluding people who some issues (birth control, abor­ fined roles, the time comes when are good writers or reviewers. tion, rape) which are common to all we have the freedom and with it, women but the cleavage along class the responsibility to chart our own Kathe Roth, New York lines has pretty well destroyed the route and consequently face the sisterhood notion. pressures men have had to face all Itwould be interestingto makea I read Erica Jong's book and kept along in our competitive society. comparison of a feminist book re­ looking for some redeeming fea­ And this choice is up to the indi­ viewed independently by a woman ture. She says some cliches about vidual. and a man. It would illuminate at­ women's liberation but apart from The final step towards liberation titudes. that, the story goes something like this: Isadora Wing, a spoiled, brings us into the existential realm Gertrude Katz, Montreal where life's problems transcend middle-class bitch who hates the division between the sexes, women and Germans, goes on a trip where both sexes share in the quest Sally Go 'Round the Roses to Europe with her husband. She is for security, companionship, ful­ (January/February 1975) was touch­ rich, educated, but feels dissatis­ fillment, love and freedom. ing and lovely. fied, and is obsessed with her geni­ In this light, the question of ac­ Susan E. Wadds, Winlaw, B.C. tal organs. She is convinced that cepting male contributions for what she needs most is a good fuck. Branching Out comes not as a threat I particularly enjoyed the article She thinks she has found it when a but as an enriching source of feed­ on Atwood, and the short story by man grabs her ass at a conference. back to achieve a better awareness Candas Dorsey (January/February, She leaves her husband and goes of ourselves as individuals. And cer­ 1975). As a former Edmontonian, I off with this man who appeals to her tainly some foresight will maintain am happy to see the west Branching because he is sadistic and con­ the magazine as an open avenue for Out. stantly insults her. He doesn't pro- women to express themselves Dianne Feser, Woodslee, Ontario cont. on p. 43 May/June 1975 here and there

A song for International ATLANTIS is a women's studies preparing a proposal to submit to Women's Year has been written journal, to be published bi- various funding agencies. For and recorded by Jaqueline Lemay, annually, beginning in the fall. The further information write to Infor­ of Montreal. La Moitie du Monde journal will be published and mation Services, University of est une Femme has also been trans­ edited by the instructors involved Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. lated into English (Half the World is in the interdisciplinary women's Woman), by Angele Arsenault. The studies course at Acadia University. song was commissioned by the Un­ An advisory board is being formed ited Nations and its production was and will be made up of women from funded partly by the Quebec gov­ throughout Canada. Short stories, ernment. A 45 RPM record with En­ poetry, articles, interviews, book A publication about the never glish and French versions of the and film reviews, photography and married woman is planned by a song is available for $1.50 from SPPS graphic work are invited from Winnipeg-based committee of Disques, 2030 Crescent, Suite 6, women involved in creative and women. Planned topics are the cur­ Montreal, P.Q. scholarly activities both inside and rent social and economic position outside the universities. Subscrip­ of women who have never married, tions are $5.00 per year. Write to and their contributions to Canadian Donna E. Smyth, Co-ordinating society. Academic, statistical, and A pilot issue of a "Woman and Editor, c/o English Department, personal material will be consi­ Law" publication is in the planning Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova dered. Women who want to write stages in Ottawa. The planning Scotia. about their thoughts and experi­ committee feels there is a need for a ences should emphasize, in par­ journal which would provide a ticular, personal and career accom­ forum for the comprehensive dis­ plishments that they attribute to the cussion of subjects pertaining to fact of being unmarried. Copies of women and the law, which would published articles that appear re­ provide legal information, and The library of the University of levant are also welcomed (give which would be a clearinghouse for Waterloo plans to mount a major source and date). Write to case documentation or bibliog­ IWY project which will involve Marianne Bossen, Co-ordinator, raphic information. Information, cataloguing and sorting a collection The Never Married Woman, 123 suggestions and support are in­ of archival material relating to Home Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba vited. Write to Christine Mitchell, women's studies. Many of the pap­ R3G 1W8. Co-ordinator, Women and the Law ers, scrapbooks and clippings in the Journal, The Canadian Council on library's extensive collection are Social Development, P.O. Box not usable because of the lack of a 3505, Station C, Ottawa K1Y 4G1. bibliography listing. The library is

Branching Out editorial

Over the past few years many of the impor­ daycare situation this means that there must be tant reforms demanded by women have been the proper physical and emotional environment realized.Some of us now have the convenience of and the qualified staff to ensure that care. Canada daycare, better pay and more influential and crea­ has no set standards which guarantee quality in tive jobs. We're pleased that this has been ac­ all daycare facilites. Conditions vary, not only complished, but we shouldn't forget that there is from province to province but from facility to facil­ still ample room left for change. ity within one city. In my own experience in Ed- A case in point is the daycare system. Day- monton, I have seen a competent child-care care has lost the stigmatic image of being a social worker responding to seven children and I have service for disadvantaged children. In the past seen twenty to twenty-five children playing in a 12 few years, the increase in the number of daycare by 15 foot room with one adult supervisor. In any centers has done a great deal to relieve women of group of children, as the numbers increase, so the sole responsibility for caring for pre-school does the potential for aggression and frustration. children. Yet, daycare is still an issue. The prob­ What are the effects on the child who encounters lem is two-fold. First, daycare facilities in Canada this overcrowded situation day after day? Profes­ fall far short of meeting the demand. Second, the sional child care workers are insisting that a stan­ quality of existing services is uneven and, in some dard staff-child ratio be instituted. They recom­ cases, questionable. Daycare programs have mend these ratios: for children three to four years been operating long enough for us to know what old, the staff-child ratio should be 1:5; four to six improvements are needed. These changes years old, a ratio of 1:7; and six to fourteen years should be made now, when programs are still old, a ratio of 1:10. Keep in mind that a ratio of basically flexible, rather than later, when they will 2:10 in one room does not provide the same qual­ be more resistant to change. ity of care as a ratio of 1:5 in the same room. Considerthe first problem: the need for more And what about qualified staff? Is a sincere daycare facilities. Reporting on a survey of day- liking for children criterion enough to warrant a care needs taken by the Canadian Council on So­ position as a senior child-care worker? It is in cial Development, Philip Hepworth stated that many provinces, where a simple subjective go- while there clearly is a need for before- and after- ahead from a pre-school program coordinator school services for children between the ages of can put a person in charge of fifteen to twenty six and fourteen, it seems more realistic to base children in a daycare or playschool situation. calculations on the under-six age group, which Perhaps many years of training aren't necessary. accounted for 2%to 2V2 million children in 1973. But more compulsory in-service training prog­ That year there were only 26,500 children in full rams or other growth programs which would daycare and 50,000 more in half-day or part-day help strengthen a potential child care worker's programs, even though there were 643,000 work­ innate abilities should be instituted. ing mothers with children under six years of age. These points should remind us that there is Assuming that each working mother has only one still need for change. The concept of daycare is a child and that certain other services such as good one but Canadian standards must be raised. babysitting are available, there is still an enorm­ The government has been reluctant to involve ous discrepancy between the number of potential itself in the field because of the high cost of im­ daycare users and the number of daycare places plementing quality daycare. Perhaps employers available. With more women entering the job can take part in the economic function of daycare. market each year, the demand for daycare service Perhaps there can be some incentive for more will continue to be high. community-sponsored centers. It is clear from Returning to the second question, society past experience, however, that women will have demands that children have adequate care to take the initiative. whether it is given by parents or caretakers. In the

by Barbara Hartmann

May/June 1975 music

DAISY DEBOLT

by Beverley Ross

."She sings like a Spitfire," my "I met him at the Mariposa Folk for managers, agents, and "the War friend said. I watched the stage Festival. I was singing with another Lords" ("what's between you and even more intensely. Her motion is group and so was he. We had done the the gigs out there"), tired of being constant, sometimes in her voice, "New Writer's Workshop," I came off mistaken for Americans by the sometimes in her body but always the stage and he came running up to press, the record companies and diving, driving, drawing away. A me and said, 'You have the most fan­ audiences on both sides of the bor­ Spitfire. tastic voice I've ever heard!' and I der, they made a decision to work in Fraser & DeBolt. A folk duo. said, 'So do you, so do you!' So, it was Canada: Allan sings the lead, but Daisy tells instant joining. It took about a year "Ever since we got together, we the story. The minute subtleties and before we got together ... he just had worked in the States, for Ameri­ piercing extremes she wraps walked in the door and we just kept can companies and American clubs. around the melody turn every song playing. Then we made this decision to work in into a drama, recreate each song in "There's a conversation there Canada and give it a try. So, that's a new dimension. that's very fluid. We got out of our what we've done for the last year. Like all music, theirs is impossi­ way to break it so we can go in differ­ We've worked in Canada . . . We've ble to describe. It seems equally ent directions, so we make it fresh ... just about had it. We can't go any impossible that an hour of conver­ but there's a definite, strict form to all farther at the level that we're at right sation could describe a per­ of it... but that form is very rubbery, now without talking to the "Bernies" sonality . . . very elastic." (Finkelstein & Fiedler providers of Daisy DeBolt grew up in Win­ Fraser & DeBolt represented nipeg in a family that made music: Canada at an international song fes­ her grandfather was both a callig- tival in Poland last year. It was a rapher and a professor of music; somewhat overblown affair, re­ her mother taught music and played plete with Las Vegas glitter and in an "all girl" vaudeville band. over-orchestrated songs defi­ Daisy began singing and playing nitely not within the vocabulary of with her in a dance band, perform­ their style. They played their set, ing also in festival choruses and adding only a piano player and the choirs. harpist from the orchestra: Although at one point she con­ "There were just the four of us and sidered her interest in art as a possi­ you could drop a pin . . . When we ble "out," Daisy had always plan­ finished our song, no one clapped. ned to be a musician, despite the They just sat there and looked at us sacrifices that she knew by her and there was this deathly silence for mother's example the life would about a half a minute. All of a sudden, demand: everyone started clapping like crazy. "She's not satisified with what They didn't expect it. They'd been she's done, and she sees her whole life through so much pulp. Then here we through me. I'm doing everything she came on, just bare like a skeleton, and wanted to do. Because she never left did our really heavy numbers. That's Winnipeg, she's chained, so she lives what they'd been waiting for, some­ my life ... If she had not gotten mar­ thing that was real." ried, I'm sure she would have gotten a For this they won the Critic's lot farther . . . Award. It was later taken away, "It depends on how serious you however, when they overstepped are about your career and what's the bounds of protocol on "Polish more important to you: if a home is Day" by singing a particularly re­ more important and a mate is more volutionary ballad. Although the important to you, then your career is audience identified with it, the au­ going to be second. So, you've got to thorities did not. put all that energy into it." Daisy and Allan have recorded Daisy has been singing with two albums for Columbia Records Allan Fraser for six years: [listed below] but, tired of working Branching Out friendship and management to Cana­ thing. The audiences are calmer; Anyone who has to travel to dian artists) or going to the States and they're not so demonstrative as make a living has to face a gaping recording with an American com­ American audiences. They're cooler loneliness. For the musician, pany, 'cause there's no way we can . . . Canadians are so different from there's the added stigma of the keep above water any longer working Americans . . . They have a kind of promiscuous star "on the road" this circuit. Working in Canada can't climatic temperament where they've to which Daisy replies succinctly: support us ... Take a look at all your gotta gather their nuts in fall; they get "I'm not." Still, there are male concerts every year and see how depressed around March 'cause groupies . . . many Americans are on the bill. It's winter's gone on too long . . . "Very energetic and adoring. insane trying to work here, just in­ "I really like performing and Every once in a while, I'll strike up a sane." travelling. I would just like not to do it friendship with someone who comes One result of this experiment is so much ... I want to stop performing on like that just to find out what he's that Allan and Daisy have formed and just concentrate on study for like ... Their eyes are so glassed over, their own record company to pro­ a while and not move from one all they see is something of their duce their third album, "Aha!." re­ place . . ." dreams ... then you talk to them and corded live last September at the That one place would probably they realize you're a person and they Hovel, a club in Edmonton. Fi­ be the farm in Quebec, with three transfer that into something else that's nanced by subscription [see below] big gardens, goats and chickens a little more human. They've watched the album will be pressed as soon as which Daisy rents from a Dutch you for so long and they know your sufficient funds are collected. couple and returns to whenever she "We have a pretty mixed audi­ can. ence. Young people who come to see "The farm is an idyllic harbour, us will bring their parents and they'll but the only way I can stay there any bring their children and they'll bring length of time is to be very rich or get a their friends. I think the basic age is government grant. about twenty. You need a pretty good "I find it really hard to do what I'm attention span. It's very intellectual. doing right now, 'cause it's so lonely. I "We work on a certain format can't form any kind of permanent re­ where they get to hear the familiar lationship with anybody because it songs, the songs they expect to hear gets to the point where they just can't and are disappointed if they don't. It cope with the trip ... There's no way I breaks the ice and it makes it much can form a relationship by meeting easier for them to get into heavier and then taking off from an airport or songs. So, it might take a whole eve­ a train station for the rest of my life... ning before we give them a song that is It's happened too many times. I just so complicated and so sophisticated become hard and callous about it, or I that if they had gotten it in the begin­ just don't form any kind of permanent ning of the evening, they would have attachment to anybody except my fallen asleep, they wouldn't have un­ home and my family. The only way derstood it. To take them through all you can ever keep it going is to have these emotions first, before you get your old man on the road doing some into anything heavier, is really impor­ kind of function managing, sound, tant. I think you really have to educate whatever it is he does . . . your audience . . . "The person who's travelling has "Canadian audiences are more her own set of values as to how she graceful [than American audiences]. I lives. The person back home becomes think an American audience will give like a monk, waiting for someone to a standing ovation for anything. If s come back. Everything is squeezed sort of a cultish thing down there; into a really short time, very unrealis­ everyone gets up en masse. Here, it's tic and bizarre; then she's gone again. not like that; if s not 'show me what You're grasping for every kind of emo­ you can do' or 'let's discuss what you tion in an hour; then you're running can do.' It's more of an intellectual off again." May/June 1975 every movement, they think they their work, together and separately. back together, it's much more impor­ really know you . . . you're theirs Beverly Glenn-Copeland is one of tant than it is now." . . . they just assume you're going to the people who performs Daisy's know them just as well as they know songs: Perhaps this interview should you. "My songs are hard to do. For one end by returning to the state where . "Among the musicians that we thing, you've got to have a good range Daisy & Allan have a struck the work with, it's a total exchange. I'm to do them and vocal control. Most of dramatic last note of the evening. treated as another instrument. There's my music is the kind that you really Or perhaps it should quote some not that much difference being have to interpret. . . interpret with a appropriate lyrics. It isn't going to: female, I don't think, but I'm the only lot of emotion. If you don't, the song unfortunately, the best way to sup­ female, which is a little weird . . . just falls flat. "For me to write a song port the music you like is to buy that There are not that many women in the takes about six months and I have to music. business... I have a hard time finding go through great traumatic change You should see her perform . .. women to work with .. . I'm doing a ... At the end of it, it becomes You should hear her lyrics . . . series of things for Women's Year this prophetic and it helps me along year. . ." through the next section. But it takes a Daisy has written a ballet based long time . . . The music and the "Fraser & DeBolt with lan on a song called "Dance Senorita words are different. I'll work on a Cuenther:" Columbia C 30381 Rita, Dance Until Your Feet Bleed." phrase and then that phrase will sug­ "It's all about women . . . (Rita) gest something else . . . The words "With Pleasure:" Columbia KC will do something very, very beautiful will probably come first; I'll probably 32130 you're almost crying. And then she'll get a chorus first, maybe even two or do something so grotesque and so three lines, and then from there I'll "Aha!" Send $5 to: Fraser & DeBolt ludicrous that you can't do anything work the music into the rhythm of the Subscription Fund, R.R.1, Cook- but laugh at her. But you're laughing words. Then from that point, I don't shire, Quebec. at her pain too ... No matter how have any more words left. . . What I beautiful or how graceful women are, have there will suggest the rest of the they're laughed at so much too for song musically. Then when I've de­ their weaknesses and the pain that veloped it musically, I decide what I they go through. There's no sympathy want to say. I usually know what I there, at all; it's ridicule . . . She want to say; I just don't know how to dances the humour but she also put it into words. The rhythm of the dances the pain of it. Rita's com­ music suggests the words . . . pletely crushed regardless of how "We don't do that many of my beautiful she is ... Woman's death in songs. For one thing, Allan doesn't society is symbolized by her getting know them that well. We haven't re­ killed by the bull. She runs through the hearsed them and I refuse to do them streets and runs through the streets, if they haven't been rehearsed, 'cause until finally the bull gores her and she I just can't stand bungling along on my dies." song. I get furious, just furious. I'll The ballet is one of the events come to a point where I'll smash my scheduled for a festival that Daisy is guitar ... I think also with me doing helping Sylvia Tyson stage at Har­ these things for women's year, it will bour Front, an open air concert area give me a chance to do what I want to in downtown Toronto. For all do, 'cause one reason we don't do my women, it will include concerts and material is because it isn't that acces­ music and craft workshops. [It's sible to the kind of audience that tentatively scheduled for sometime comes to hear Fraser & DeBolt. in June. Hopefully, a later issue will "I think it's important that I do give the details]. (solo work)... I feel very suffocated. Daisy's other plans include a I've been with Allan for so long that CBC radio special, a concert at it's come to a point where we've just Montreal's Centurion Theatre, as become too familiar. The only way I well as a video-tape she and Beverly can rationalize it is when we meet, it Glenn-Copeland, a singer- has to be something really special and songwriter from Montreal, will when it comes to a point where it's too make for television or the National familiar, I've got to go away and do Film Board about themselves and something else so that when we come Branching Out" 8 ABORTION:

Woman's body, Man's law

by The Abortion Action Committee The Kingston Women's Centre

Opponents of choice in the Devereux published a major study tion, but their aim was to protect question of abortion frequently of abortion among earlier peoples the lives of women against the imply that the demand for free, showing that abortion has been dangerous abortion techniques of safe abortion is a late 20th Century practiced in all known human the time. In 1803, the British Parlia­ phenomenon indicative of deca­ communities. In 14th Century Eng­ ment passed Lord Ellenborough's dence and the decline of society. land the common law allowed abor­ Act which forbade the administer­ Often they argue that those of us tion up until quickening, which ing of any substance to "murder or who favor choice encourage the usually occurs in the fifth month. cause to procure the miscarriage of violation of a natural law which has Thus arose in 1327 the "Twinslaver's any women then being quick with prohibited abortion throughout Case" involving a murder charge child." An article in the 1832 London history. These are gross generaliza­ against a man who had severely Legal Examiner read: tions which do not fit historical fact. beaten a pregnant woman and The reason assigned for the punishment Western culture has been caused her to miscarry. One twin of abortion is not that thereby an embryo shaped largely by Christian teach­ human being is thereby destroyed, but was born dead; the other died that it rarely or never can be effected with ing. So, to put the abortion ques­ shortly after birth. The man pleaded drugs without the sacrifice of the tion in perspective, we must ex­ not guilty and was acquitted be­ mother's life. amine the attitude of the Roman cause judges rules that the kill­ Laws were passed in Britain and Catholic Church throughout the ing of the fetuses did not constitute in North America later in the 19th centuries. There have been periods murder. century which further tightened up when opinion in the Catholic Also significant was the on abortion. In 1823 a law passed in Church on abortion was divided, "Abortionist's Case" of 1348 in New York outlawed abortion ex­ mainly over the question as to which an abortionist was charged cept to preserve the life of the whether there is a time when the with murder. The accused was mother. The same law said that a fetus has no human soul. St. Augus­ found not guilty for two reasons: female who was sentenced to death tine, an early church father, said, the fetus had no baptismal name could be executed if she was preg­ "There cannot yet be said to be a and it was not possible to deter­ nant, provided that the fetus was live soul in a body that lack sensa­ mine whether the fetus had died not yet "quick." Several other tion." naturally before the abortion. states followed New York's exam­ Some early Christian These pre-reformation judges, ple. The New Jersey Supreme theologians believed, as had Aristo­ who refused to define abortion as Court, in 1858, pronouncing upon tle, that animation or "coming murder, were all Roman Catholics. the state's 1848 law prohibiting alive" of the fetus occurs 40 days They must have been aware that the abortion, stated: after conception for a boy and 80 Church disapproved of abortion, The design of the statute was not to pre­ days for a girl. Others thought that but they refused to make abortion vent the procuring of abortions so much as to guard the health and life of the "quickening," when the woman an offence in the secular courts. In mother against the consequences of such first feels the fetus move, is the de­ 1670 the English judge, Sir Matther attempts. cisive sign. The only point on which Hale, decided that if a woman died Not until the mid 19th Century everyone agreed was that once the as a result of an abortion then the did the Roman Catholic Church fetus has a soul, to destroy it is a abortionist was guilty of murder. tighten up its official stand against form of murder. To destroy it be­ No mention of the fetus was made abortion. In 1869, Pope Pius IX fore that time was still sinful but less in this case. eliminated the distinction between seriously so. Laws were passed in early 19th an animated and a non-animated In 1955, anthropologist George Century England prohibiting abor­ fetus. Commenting on this change May/June 1975 9 physical and mental health arising from disease, bodily defect, or ex­ haustion. In 1946, Swedish law .ex­ tended "exhaustion" to "anticipated exhaustion," allowing the woman's total socio-economic environment to be taken into consideration. In Norway abortion is also allowed for socio-economic reasons. Another category in Scandinavia could be described as "eugenic," meaning that abortion is permitted if the fetus is potentially defective. A final category, "humanitarian," applies to cases of rape, incest or impreg­ nation of a woman under sixteen. Lader feels that in Scandinavia the number of abortions has been controlled too Strongly. In Sweden in 1964, over 1200 of 4500 applica­ tions were refused. After reaching a peak of 6300 in 1951, Swedish abor­ E tions declined to about 3000 in 1965. Critics of the Scandinavian laws al­ n lege that illegal abortions have not CO Lader states that CD been reduced, but figures to support this contention are not reliable. He notes that in Sweden controls were so tight stu­ dent organizations in 1965 began aiding to go to Poland where an in church policy, the authors of Our tions are one-eighth as dangerous abortion could be obtained at an Bodies, Ourselves state: as childbirth at full term. early stage without lengthy As biologists in the nineteenth century In 20th Century Scandinavia bureaucratic procedures. began to understand conception, movements were made toward re­ Eastern Bloc countries generally women began to practice more effective contraception. Catholic countries such peal of laws prohibiting abortion. In allow abortion on demand. as France began losing' the population 1934, Iceland changed its law in re­ Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland race and the Church wanted to keep its sponse to public pressure. In Den­ legalized abortion in 1956, Rumania mothers in the running. So the Church mark, in 1929, a delegation of in 1957. Czechoslovakia started itself turned to biology and used the idea but that 'life' and therefore, soul-infused working women petitioned Parlia­ with unrestricted abortions human life, begins at fertilization. ment to remove the severe penal­ tightened up in 1962. Yugoslavia es­ And, referring to the anti-abortion ties. A few years later, a tablished a system of moderate laws passed in England and North Copenhagen doctor opened an controls in 1960. Contraception has America in the mid-19th Century, abortion clinic, was tried and con­ been encouraged by the State in re­ they say: victed, and served as an example of cent years, resulting in an increase At the time, English and American indus­ the injustice of a system where il­ in production of contraceptives be­ tries needed workers; the huge farmable legal abortions could be obtained ginning in 1955. The Polish Gov­ territories of the new world needed far­ only by the rich. In 1932 Denmark ernment requires every applicant to mers and the Civil War had depleted America's labour crop. Anti-abortion established a commission to study attend clinic courses in contracep­ laws saw to it that woman took her place the issue and a 'liberal' law was pas­ tion. A contraception campaign was beside the other machines of a develop­ sed in 1939. extended to places of employment ing economy. In Sweden the National League and to organizations such as trade In 1865, the English surgeon for Sex Education lobbied both for unions. Lader, in the mid-1960's, Joseph Lister began using antiseptic legalized abortion and birth control noted that in Hungary and Poland, spread surgery. This revolution until a lawwas passed in 1938allow­ countries largely populated by affect North slowly and did not ing abortion for specified reasons. Roman Catholics, the church ini­ America until the turn of the Cen­ This law was broadened in 1946. tially opposed the legal change, but tury. Before antiseptic surgery, an Abortion was gradually allowed in that this opposition had abated. abortion in the first three months of Norway, although the actual law China since 1949 has had one of pregnancy was 10 to 15 times as was not passed until 1960. the most open abortion policies in dangerous as a delivery at full term. Lawrence Lader points out that, the world. Abortion is free upon Later, abortion became less technically, Scandinavian countries request. This policy reflects con­ dangerous and at some point less do not have abortion "on de­ cern about the country's increasing risky to the woman than childbirth. mand." The most common ground population and also the official pos- Today, doctor-performed abor- is medical: a serious threat to life or 10 Branching Out ition that women have the right to control their reproductive capacity. Summary of International Planned Parenthood Statistics (1972) on Interestingly, when an abortion is Abortion Law in Various Countries. performed within 50 days of con­ ception the women gets 10 days off work; in a case of later termination, Illegal: the woman gets more time off. Em­ phasis is on woman's role as AFRICA: Dahomey, Equatorial Guinea, Melagasy Repub­ worker. Since day-care facilities are lic, Mauritius, Reunion. widespread, lack of adequate care AMERICAS: Bolivia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, for children is not a motive for abor­ Guatemalo, Haiti, Panama. tion in China. Russia's official policy on abor­ ASIA: Burma, Hong Kong, Jordan, (South) Korea, * tion has varied since the Revolu­ Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Phillipines, Saudi tion. Prior to 1917, abortion was Arabia, Syria, Thailand, Taiwan, South Vietnam. forbidden under all circumstances, EUROPE: Belgium, Irish Republic, Luxembourg, Malta, in line with the teaching of the Or­ Portugal, Spain. thodox Church. In 1920, the Com­ missariats of Health and Justice permitted free abortions at all Soviet hospitals and prohibited Allowed when necessary to save "life," but not "life and health" of anyone but doctors from perform­ women: ing them. This decree was a re­ sponse to the belief in female AFRICA: Algeria, Burundi, Central African Republic, equality expressed by the re­ Chad, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, volutionaries and illustrated by Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Lenin's statement that no woman Senegal, Somali, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Upper should be forced to bear a child Volta, Zaire, Zambia. against her will. It was also a re­ AMERICAS: Chile (law may have changed due to change of sponse to the grim economic con­ government since 1972), Guadeloupe, ditions of the time. Shortly thereaf­ Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Ven­ ter, the Health Commissariat ezuela. abortion had claimed that illegal ASIA: Bahrain, Cambodia, Cyprus, Fiji, Iran, Kuwait, been stamped out. However, some New Zealand, Pakistan, Yemen. Americans who visited Russia bet­ ween 1920 and 1936 felt that the EUROPE: Albania, Austria, Federal Republic of Germany government was not doing enough (since 1972 law changed to permit abortion in to promote contraception. 1st 3 months of pregnancy), Netherlands. In June 1936, under Stalin, abor­ tion was forbidden except for or­ Allowed for "life and health" reasons: (Interpretation of the word ganic reasons or when pregnancy "health" varies, in some cases meaning mental health. Countries threatened the life and health of the marked with a * allow abortion for additional reasons. They do not woman. At that time Russia was in­ necessarily have abortion on demand.) dustrializing and needed workers. Lader considered this change as AFRICA: Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierre Leone, "only part of a larger crackdown on Tunisia*, Uganda. the revolutionary enthusiasm of the AMERICAS: Argentina, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba*, old Bolsheviks. For, in the same Ecuador*, El Salvador*, Honduras, Jamaica, period, Stalin also abolished such Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay*, U.S.A.* previously glorified precepts of |BBBB ASIA: Australia*, Ceylon, Chinese People's human rights as easy divorce laws, H Republic*, India*, Japan*, Mongolia*, and stamped out flourishing exper­ ^B Singapore*, Turkey*, North Vietnam*, North iments in progressive education Korea*. and avant garde schools of music and literature." In 1944 the title of EUROPE: Bulgaria*, Czechoslovakia*, Denmark*, Ger­ "Mother Heroine" was established man Democratic Republic (East Germany)*, for women who had raised more Greece*, Hungary*, Iceland*, Norway*, than 10 children; significantly, this Poland*, Rumania*, Sweden", Switzerland*, happened near the end of World i. United Kingdom*, U.S.S.R.*, Yugoslavia*. War II, in which Russia had suffered severe population losses. Note: Botswana, Malawi, Swaziland, Seychelles, Zambia and In 1955, after Stalin's death, Rus­ Montserrat allow abortions for "medical reasons," the exact sia returned to an emphasis on nature of which are unspecified in the I.P.P. statistics. cont. on p. 38 May/June 1975

LIVELIHOOD FROM POTS

photos and article by Eunice Willar

Joan Shaw, a talented and en­ thusiastic potter from Fredericton, N.B., is one of those rare individu­ als who finds fulfillment in her work. Her attitude toward her craft is traditional: she creates pots for people pots which at the same time are ,both attractive and func­ tional. "The medium of clay is very flex­ ible and spontaneous; I like the feeling of carrying an idea I have in my head through various stages of development and ending in a finished product which pleases me." Ms. Shaw expressed particular delight in the most fragile stage of clay, the freshly thrown pot, which is an object of great simplicity. "I regard pottery as one of the most pure and uncluttered forms of art.In my mind, a freshly thrown pot, regardless of its complexity, is a single statement of art, and as valid a statement of art as that which might be conveyed on canvas with oils. Because clay is very flexible, it allows the artist working with it the advantage of depth, texture and motion." Joan Shaw first became in­ terested in pottery in 1967 when she married a potter. During the next five years, she glazed, made hand- built pieces, stacked the kiln, and operated the sales end of the studio she and her husband ran. In 1972, she experienced childbirth and di­ vorce in close succession and was "I had to learn how to throw Department of Tourism, N.B. as faced with having to support herself pots, formulate glazes and fire a gas well as in many private collections. is Executive Secretary of and her infant son. kiln. After a few long, frustrating Ms. Shaw months of what had to be the the N.B. Craftsman's Council and mammoth learning experience of for the past two years has been my life, I opened my pot-filled Chairman of the Fundy Festival of studio for business." Crafts. Last summer she attended Although Ms. Shaw is fairly new the World Craft Conference at York as a worker in clay, her involvement University as a full-time potter. with crafts is long-standing. She at­ "I exercise a great deal of self- tended the N.B. Handcraft School discipline with regard to hours and later taught silkscreen printing spent in the shop and feel that I and textile painting for two years. In must in order for the whole under­ May 1974, she participated in a taking to work. I often become so two-woman show at the Cassel Gal­ hung up with the repetitive produc­ leries, Fredericton. Her work can tion side of my craft that sometimes be found in the collection of the cont. on p. 39

May/June 1975 13 DEMONSTRATION

The gull

having scrutinized the winter's buttocks

self-detonates: PRAYER

feathers / want to forget fall like parachutists You demonstrating have given me the demarcation away. of I their will fetch you pilot. back in the evening late.

/ want to With both hands watch how I climb down the path of the enlarged pupil.

forget. Outside my eyes I go for a long walk into the stillness of On this street I do not hear the flowers. morning burst of awnings I ex­ perience a pattern of day there is not any change within me to reflect my desire for more light and a color I am polished and transformed into this shape of a poem.

14 Branching Out THE SEEDLING

I sleep, I dream, waking before the clerk of flowers, breathing from his mouth, more in than out. His finger points to my throat. I am surrounded and gathered in like sticks of kindling, without reason, pulling me down into the sediment. They are there, the rhododendron, the dogwood, laughing at my awkward arrival. Their curious eyes invading my privacy, a needle sewing my torn flesh into foliage. They have hung me between trees like a clothesline. They are there, leaving their gifts of petals as inheritance.

Rosalind MocPhee

May/June 1975 15 FEMALE PRISONERS: Are You Ready To Accept

matter how small the female jail population, adequate treatment programs and services should be organized for women. In fact, the small numbers provide an oppor­ tunity to try out new methods of correction." Fortunately, there has been progress in corrections. It is not rapid, and there is little emphasis on the female offender, but the recent changes indicate a move toward more positive methods of rehabili­ tation. This article will concentrate on the female lawbreaker in prison; other aspects of the judicial proce­ dure as it relates to women are de­ serving of separate discussion. he public's desire to punish T those who have sinned against society accounts in part for the in­ sistence on bars and isolation of prison facilities. Western society has traditionally ostracized its de­ viants. The mental hospitals and the jails are situated outside the cities, out of sight. We do not want to be reminded of them. Statistics, studies, and the peo­ ple who work with inmates inform us that very few females offenders are dangerous to the public. Yet they are locked up, ostracized from society. It is said that a nation can be by MaryEllen Gillan photo by Terri Terni judged by »w its prisoners are mprisonment is the ultimate incarcerated until after she has treated. The treatment of the in­ I form of social control. For the committed a number of offences, or carcerated female in Canada re­ female offender, alternatives to in­ a serious crime, perhaps one involv­ flects a backward attitude toward carceration, including fines, sus­ ing violence. corrections in general and women pended sentences, and probation, The lenient, paternal attitude of in particular. are often employed. The use of the courts has resulted in a small Start with the corrections facil­ these alternatives seems to stem female inmate population. Less that ity. Most provinces have only one from the attitude that women are 5 per cent of the total inmate popu­ facility for the female offender sen­ pawns in the hands of men, that lation in Canada is female. Because tenced to a "deuce-less" (two years they have been misguided or mis­ this female population is so small, it less a day). In many cases this facility directed. In many instances, is not given much attention; the must also serve as a remand centre; women are not held responsible for larger population of male prisoners it must deal with minimum, their own actions. This lenient at­ demands the administrative and medium and maximum security titude may be humane, but the policy-planning time and money. classifications. Prisons range from reasoning behind it contributes to This is at variance with the recom­ the stereotypes depicted in novels the negative aspects of corrections mendation of the Royal Commis­ and old movies to modern buildings for women. A woman is usually not sion on the Status of Women: "No hardly recognizable as prisons. 16 Branching Out Them In Your Community?

Cell blocks still exist. Individual with other inmates, the only other inmates, the travel expense pre­ cells are separated from each other, human contact is with staff mem­ vents many inmates from having vis­ from the rest of the institution and bers. Although this lack of intrusion itors while in prison." It may be ar­ from the outside world by steel from the outside world facilitates an gued that prisoners are sent away to bars. The front bars of the cell, inmate's induction into the inmate be punished, not to be provided whether painted in pastel tones or social system, from a treatment with such amenities as visiting not, permit easy viewing of all ac­ standpoint, the social conse­ privileges. Does this mean they tivities within the cell, including the quences may be quite costly." should lose all contact with their use of toilet facilities. These cells lberta and British Columbia communities, the communities to degrade the occupant by taking A have their correctional which they will eventually return? away all privacy. Private rooms facilities in or near major urban Shall the prison become their within locked or guarded buildings centres. Alberta's Fort Saskatche­ community and the inmates their are equally efficient at keeping the wan Correctional Institute, while friends and family? offender away from society, but close to Edmonton, is described as Ontario offers the most progres­ they provide some privacy and do being "badly designed and poorly sive facilities for female offenders. not destroy self-respect, thus les­ constructed . . . difficult to maintain The Vanier Centre for Women in sening the harmful effects in- . . . uneconomical to operate, and Brampton, less then 30 miles from stitutionalization has on the does not provide adequately for Toronto, represents what can be prisoner's self-esteem. The Cana­ good treatment facilities" (Annual done with corrections in Canada. dian Congress of Corrections has Report). British Columbia's main The centre is located in an institu­ noted "the importance of small, facility for women is adequate as a tional complex, with other provin­ well-staffed living units in planning physical structure, but is badly cial facilities close by. The building correction institutions for women." overcrowded. The number of peo­ was designed to function specifi­ The same report recommended that ple awaiting trial has forced the use cally as a therapeutic community for institutions not be isolated from the of program space for accommoda­ females, and was opened in 1969. community. With so few facilities tion, so it is difficult to run group Most of the institutions in Canada for females this cannot be avoided. programs for sentenced inmates. for female offenders are more than While it is appreciated that cer­ Last spring, British Columbia 50 years old. tain inmates will require close opened a co-educational correction anier offers a variety of prog­ supervision, if the facility is close to centre in Prince George, but no of­ rams based on reality therapy. a major centre, the resources of the ficial reports, good or bad, have TheV resident must take responsibil­ community can be used in the cor­ been published. ity for her rehabilitation program, rectional process. Contact with Manitoba's institution is located her treatment, and her behavior, people other than institution staff at Portage La Prairie, about 50 miles just as in real life. Inmates are as­ helps avoid the harmful effects of from Winnipeg. The location pro­ signed to cottages within the com­ institutionalization. The inmate hibits frequent contact with the re­ plex depending on the program must return to society at the end of sources of the larger community planned forthem. The programs are her term. If ongoing contact with and with friends and relatives of the varied, and are generally more the outside world is permitted, the inmates. The population is usually sophisticated versions of programs culture shock will be less severe about 25; the building has space for offered by other provinces. The when the woman returns to her 60. Prince Albert, a small city some educational and vocational pro­ community. She will spend less distance from other major centres, grams are run by six teachers; the time orienting herself to the outside is the location of Saskatchewan's administrative team consists of six community, so she may be able to correctional facility for women. members with education in social manage more successfully, perhaps The Canadian Congress of Cor­ work or nursing. so well that she will not return to rections has said a prison "should The team approach to correc­ prison. be considered part of the commun­ tions is reflected in regular staff- Closer geographic contact with ity it serves, not as something apart resident meetings. Meetings are the community also means more leading an existence of its own." held at least weekly, and in some visits from family and friends. In Giallombardo notes that when a cottages meetings are held daily. Society of Women, Rose Giallom- prison is located hundreds of miles The residents are involved in the bardo says: "except for interaction from the families and friends of the decision-making process for their May/June 1975 17 . .watching television is learning how to use your leisure time properly . . ."

cottages. They have their own A matron of a provincial institu­ able to complete the course. newspaper, the only inmate publi­ tion included the following in a list Further, most of these programs cation in a provincial female institu­ of programs: "Maintenance of only accommodate 6 to 8 people at a tion that I am aware of, although Building: while this on the surface time. And what about those who most male institutions have merely could mean keeping the don't want to be hairdressers? inmate-run papers or magazines. building clean, this also is a learning Social services include drug and Vanier is the only institution for situation . . . the various proper alcohol rehabilitation programs. women involved in on-going re­ equipment is used, and the resi­ Individual counselling is done on search. Their first report on milieu dents are taught how to use them the basis of need due to a chronic therapy, while certainly not conclu­ together with ways of keeping not shortage of professional staff. It sive, indicates a significant reduc­ only the residence clean, but also should be pointed out that the so­ tion in the recidivism rate. Keys and their rooms. Laundry: In this area cial workers in these institutions head counts exist at Vanier, but cus­ we have commercial machines have very large caseloads, and can todial duties are not the main focus where the girls not only learn about find time only for the severely emo­ of the institution. Treatment is the care of clothing, but also learn how tionally disturbed. Overworked most important orientation of the to operate the machines. They also staff members are expected to in­ centre. Residents with behavioral learn which clothes should be itiate, motivate and guide the problems are sent to the Don jail ironed, which clothes should not be individual's efforts at behavior mod­ when necessary. The inmate is al­ ironed, the proper temperatures for ification. lowed to return to Vanier when she both washing and ironing, the Educational programs are ham­ is willing to cooperate with and par­ proper type of soap, etc." Note the pered by short sentences to provin­ ticipate in its programs. reference to "girls." These women cial institutions. Correspondence The alternative to Vanier is the are incarcerated as adult offenders courses mean that an inmate can Don jail in downtown Toronto. The in a provincial prison; they are not begin them at any time, but no Don jail is notorious for its old and girls. They are women who will de­ follow-up studies have been done crowded facilities, yet some pris­ rive the benefits of such a program to show how many continue the oners choose to go there. The in one easy lesson. Detailed laundry courses after release. And with cor­ older, hardened criminal who can't instructions are available in laun­ respondence courses there is no or won't participate in reality dromats, on detergent packages, et teacher to provide help and en­ therapy, orwho is unable to change cetera. The only requirement is an couragement. her behavior, chooses to do "hard ability to read. Inmates take up mending, time" rather than "play head cademic instruction is stres­ crocheting, stuffing animals, head- games." A sed in most institutions. A cer­ work, busy work, all to pass the time When the physical facilities are tain level of education is required inside. But why are these activities the main concern, the activities that for entrance into most vocational or often listed under treatment or re­ take place in them are often over­ trades training programs. In most habilitation programs? looked. The ideal activities list in­ institutions, academic instruction is Several activities available in cludes intensive psychological test­ provided by correspondence prisons can only be described as in­ ing and counselling, educational courses, so there is no teacher- stitutional maintenance. Like many programs, and opportunities to student interaction. It is difficult to education and vocational prog­ learn marketable vocational skills. discern from provincial reports just rams, these are oriented toward de­ In reality, such programs are rare. what academic programs are being veloping a woman in her traditional Writing in Transition, a implemented and how readily avail­ role as homemaker. Programs are magazine published by federal in­ able they are. overcrowded, inappropriate, or mates, one inmate said: "Let's look For women, trades training with both. Very few programs can be at the new programs. Try to itemize certification invariably means hair- considered directly rehabilitative or the programs in any one institution dressing. Why not? In male prisons treatment-oriented. Too few prog­ and you'll run the list off the page. they train barbers. But hairdressing rams prepare the inmate for her re­ Everything a con does, from watch­ requires several hundred hours of turn to the community. ing television to taking a crap, is a instruction and practice. Although Imprisonment as punishment program aimed at making him a training hours in the beauty salon of includes ostracization from society, (better) citizen watching televi­ a provincial institution are trans­ the stigma of the label "criminal," sion is learning how to use your ferable to the outside, and this is the loss of civil and personal liber­ leisure time properly and taking a the only program where this is pos­ ties, and the other debilitating re­ crap is learning good health and sible, only the offender with a sen­ sults of confinement. Must it also hygiene habits. tence of more than two years will be include destruction of self-respect 18 Branching Out and self-sufficiency? The Canadian tablishment of community residen­ facilities for court-committed Congress on Corrections says: "If tial centres and of more and smaller women as well as those seeking the offender is to be encouraged in facilities will allow for individuation guidance, will be located through­ the hope and belief that. . . she can of treatment. These changes have out the country. Cell blocks and iso­ obtain an accepted status in the been suggested by nearly all task lation have not worked as correc­ wider society . . . the many small force reports; it is the implementa­ tional facilities. They have provided repetitive procedures which carry tion of them that is yet to be re­ the public with protection from the opposite message must be ported. dangerous criminals, but most changed." Of what benefit to soci­ Other signs of progress include female offenders are not dangerous ety is the imposition of punishment significant changes in policy and criminals. which negates or hinders rehabilita­ administration which Alberta is pre­ The question is: Are you ready tion? sently implementing. Results to to accept the female offender in ne of the biggest improve­ date include the establishment of your community? It was there she ment in female corrections has formal program planning for female committed her crime, and she will One of the biggest hindrances inmates as well as more co­ return to it after she has done her to improvement in female educational activities. This province time. It is not logical that she be corrections has been that male at­ has the opportunity to be the ostracized from it in the interim. titudes and policies have domi­ forerunner in establishing innova­ nated; these have been applied to tive methods of treatment. This area References: females as though they were the of the provincial government Rose Giallombardo, Society of second-class citizens of correc­ should be followed by all those Women, New York: Wiley, 1966. tions. It is only in the past few years concerned with incarcerated R. Ouimet, Chairman, Report of that the provinces have begun to females. the Canadian Committee on Community responsibility look at female corrections sepa­ ap­ Corrections, Ottawa: Queen's rately. Some task force reports are pears to be the key to successful Printer, 1969. now in progress. treatment of offenders. The move is Transition, an inmate's publication, Except for the Vanier Centre for away from incarceration, and the prisons of the future will be in the 136 Avenue F, South, Saskatoon, Women, corrections for females in Saskatchewan. Canada is such that improvement community. Community residential seems the only obvious direction. centres, which will ideally provide Currently there is a relabelling program; guards or jailors are now correctional officers, with the same job and the same low salary; con­ victs are no longer cons but in­ THE mates, residents, or even clients. But it is time to move beyond re­ labelling toward a reorientation of planning as it applies to females. To DOUBLE HOOK date policies have been based on research done on males; research ALL CANADIAN BOOKS on females dates from the mid-60's. Positive aspects of corrections include the 1974 agreement bet­ 4174 ST. CATHERINE W. ween the federal government and the provinces that federally incar­ (just East of Greene) cerated females may serve their time in their own provinces. Full lems or overcrowding ^.a.. uvci- West mount, Montreal, Quebec come the difficulties. However, such integration of facilities indi­ cates a promisingcoordination for Tel.: (514) 932-5093 the future. There is also a move toward de­ YES, WE HAVE PLAYS — PERIODICALS — POETRY centralization of facilities. Adoption of day parole programs, and the es-

May/June 1975 19 Un Cri Lointain par Erika Wanke illustration par lona MacAllister

La vie. Je me demande pourquoi aime, jamais ha", et comment, claquer des dents quand je la buvais je n'y ai jamais reussi. Qu' est-ce qui comment ils s'etaient lave"s sans eau apres I'avoir pompee de notre puits n'a pas marche? pourquoi suis-je courante, comment ils avaient fait pres de la maison, I'eau epaisse et fausse et les autres vrais? J'y pense I'amour au creux de la nuit. J'ai la verte de la mare oii mes fre"res et souvent et je ne trouve pas de re- te^te pleine de questions que je n'ai moi faisions flotter nos radeaux ponse. jamais ose poser. II faut du courage chaque printemps, ou I'eau sol- La mort. Je meurs peut-etre? pour poser une question en classe idifiee, la glace sur laquelle nous Peut-etre m'a-t-on tue et ce qui et je n'ai jamais pu supporter tous patinions chaque hiver. Le prof ne reste, c'est un cri d'un vol d'oiseau, les yeux de la classe convergeant m'a jamais dit de quelle eau il par- un cri lointain. Je vis ma mort peut- sur moi ou leurs petits rires. J'ai re- lait, H20. La glace, la pluie, la neige, etre? Mon corps s'egoutte de tout cule dans le livre, en essayant le gresil, la gre^e, la riviere, le lac, le son sang et toujours devant mes d'oublier ses distortions calculees. puits, tout etait de I'eau. yeux, toujours je vois mes ailes J'aurais prefere des mensonges. J'ai pense au dilemme des Es­ brisees. Ce n'est pas la mort, Mais les livres d'histoire ne mentent quimaux en parlant de la neige. I'odieux tyran, que j'ai toujours im­ pas. Ils ne disent pas la verite, mais Cinquante-deux mots pour la agine. C'est plutSt un engourdis- ils ne mentent pas non plus. Voila le neige! Je n'ai m£me pas pu sement de tous mes sens, un en- dilemme. I'imaginer. gourdissement lent de toutes mes Et la chimie. hhO, j'y ai beaucoup Je voudrais imaginer sensations. Sauf la peur. La peur pense. J'ai passe des heures 3 cinquante-deux mots pour I'amour. m'est me'me plus reelle penser a H 20. L'eau, m'a dit le pro- Ce n'est jamais pareil, 1'amour, aujourd'hui. fesseur. L'eau, j'ai ecrit dans mes meme avec la meme personne J'en cherche des raisons dans notes. Chaque mot at sa place. J'ai au me^me endroit. Chaque jour, mon passe. Ah oui, moi aussi je suis voulu oublier la sensation de I'eau, chaque fois, c'est different. C'est le esclave de la raison. Je crois & des I'eau claire et froide qui me faisait cont. on p. 41. raisons pour tout. Enfant de mon passe, on m'a bien instruite: de- pouiller le mythe de l'homme, chercher des raisons, tout analyser. C'etait toujours si simple, cause et effet. J'ai bien reussi it I'ecole. J'ai bien connu tous les signes, toutes les pe- tites formules inventees pour sauver les mots, pour eviter notre verite humaine, notre chair et notre sang. On m'a bombardee de chiffres, de formules, d'equations, de dates. Meme aujourd'hui je peux reciter par coeur toutes les absur- dites de mon education, de la chimie, des maths, de I'histoire. Tout etait sur une ligne droite. On marchait toujours tout droit dans la salle de classe, on etait en- cadre dans nos pupitres, I'histoire du monde encadree dans nos livres. Chaque page du livre etait soig- neusement imprimee et numerotee, les evenements et les dates imprimes sur les lignes droites des pages blanches. Chaque phrase S sa place. Blanc et noir. Je n'ai jamais demande pour­ quoi, pourquoi on n'a jamais decrit la realite, pourquoi les gens dans les livres d'histoire n'avaient jamais 20 Branching Out - a n to s u ART SERIES

The drawings in this section were contributed by readers in response to our request for artwork on a fantasy theme. Artists whose work is shown here are Anna Hook of Calgary, Leola Smith of Warburg, Alberta and Ginny Stikeman of Montreal.

drawing by Anna Hook 21 May/June 1975 /•/••*•.

drawings by Anna Hook 22 Branching Out May/June 1975 23 -ii

drawings by Leola Smith 24 Branching Out May/June 1975 25 drawing by Ginny Stikeman

26 Branching Out Shouldn't You Subscribe?

, • * f advertisement courtesy of the Alberta Women's Bureau. photo by Alice Baumann-Rondez

May/June 1975 27 He said You've been writing alot lately

Yeah I said sunflowers I've been writing alot about sunflowers like this

"the sound of a sunflower growing" he said you put a sunflower in a soundproof room for a long time you have the taperecorder going you play it back slow speed you hear

"the sound of a sunflower growing"

GOT A POSTCARD

Got a postcard to-day from Colette Says she's left the party committed political suicide and is having a rest with Grandma in Chicago Got a phone call to-day from New York a man's voice looking for Colette Has she left you too I asked him Not exactly he replied There may be a knock on my door tomorrow Colette will be standing there dressed in army fatigues a machine gun slung over the shoulder she keeps hunched as if to protect her face from the blow she always seems to be expecting

28 Branching Out KITTY

Kitty got the woodpecker this morning That damn cat would stalk an eagle Jody came in holding the woodpecker his tail fanned out stark against her jeans He looked enormous in her arms We put him in the workshop and after school we let him free All day the image of Jody holding the woodpecker came back to me He's not a woodpecker He's THE WOODPECKER He's been returning to our house for years What if Kitty had eaten him What if he'd died Each year Joe says Well the woodpecker's back Jody holding the bird me saying My god it's THE WOODPECKER as though he were a myth and what was he doing being real there in her arms and wounded

3eth Jonkoh

May/June 1975 29 penspectiues "It is not fantastic, shocking or mind-blowing. It's just another story, mine, and possibly there are women in similar situations that will somehow feel better for it."

by Mary-Lynn Burke

"Oh, I'm sorry dear, it must be man I was to marry three years later. Then my lover received a stern very hard for you," many people He was very handsome, from a summons from his tyrant of a father reply when they find out that I am a wealthy family, intelligent, and he demanding that he get his ass back single parent. I laugh, at last, be­ seemed to like me, including my to university where it belonged. cause their sympathies are wasted large breasts, which by this time I Father said to son, "If you would on me. There was a time, not too was ready to have removed. Note like laterto rest underthe shade of a long ago, when I really believed I the order of the qualities listed in tree, you must first plant the seed." was in a sad state. I felt lonely, un­ that last sentence. Looks and back­ So my man left me once again. I loved and very stuck! I was full of ground, in that order, were not only stayed in London another two revenge toward my husband, re­ the first, but very often the only months and then spent four months sentful of my children and could qualities looked for in a mate. In art in Greece with two English girls, be­ barely tolerate other men. Most of school, I became a beatnik, a fash­ fore I decided towing my way home them seemed generally insensitive ionable thing to be in my new sur­ in disgust at Greek and Italian men. (to my situation) and therefore roundings. I worked part time in a All I really wanted to do was to get stupid. I would play with them, record department in one of the married and make babies. But my sleep with them and tell them larger stores and moved into a man was studying architecture and where to go when I was bored. I was damp downtown basement suite of his father didn't want him involved a bitch, but there is a difference be­ an old, interesting house. There I with a girl from Burnaby. So I lived cause I have started to deal with my painted the walls in gaudy designs with a bunch of crazies, ex­ wants a little more honestly. and carried on for two years the perimented with drugs, and at­ How did I get there? I lived my kind of life expected of a serious tended every peace march in North first 8 years in a nice, stable, loving beatnik art student. America I could get to. Finally we home in Burnaby, B.C., with my My relationship with my future got married on my 21st birthday. parents, two older sisters and one husband was going full tilt, but I had Two months later I was pregnant brother. My family was firstly "Fam­ decided that "everybody" should and very happy. We were poor and ily;" everything else came after, and go to either Europe or to art school, had converted a shed into a cottage, I thank them for that. Being the last preferably both. I had talked him where I attempted to keep myself of four children, I got much more into going to Europe, and to my busy with domestic chores and than the others. I ended up putting surprise he went and left me be­ dreams — so many dreams. The my parents through hell when I was hind. When he had been gone six baby was big and beautiful and no in my teens. I attended a rowdy high months and I was caught shoplift­ trouble at all. When he was a year school where most of my energies ing, I decided to split and try to find old, we adopted a girl, which meant were directed toward boys and him. My relationship with my par­ we had two babies in a one-room running the teen town dances every ents was at an all-time low. I had cottage. We played the penny stock weekend. enough money for a train ticket to market with our student loan and My large breasts received lots of Toronto, where I worked for two our families each gave us a attention from the boys, which em­ months in a music store to save my thousand dollars. With our three barrassed and confused me be­ plane fare to London, plus $30.00. grand we managed to buy a big old cause I knew they couldn't care less In London I shared a large flat house near the university. How­ about me. But I must admit I en­ with five English girls and did sec­ ever, we couldn't afford to live in it joyed that popularity in those retarial work for about two months. for another year yet. During that dif­ "American Graffiti" times. I became Then my man finally appeared, hav­ ficult time our relationship took a good at teasing and managed to re­ ing motorcycled non-stop from turn for the worse. tain an image of the "been around a Spain after he received one of my My Utopian bubble concerning bit, but still respectable" kid. It was many messages in an American Ex­ domestic life with lots of babies had a precarious existence. I was glad to press Office. We moved into a popped. I thought I was in a trap that get out of that school and commun­ hovel in the Portobello Road area would last at least twenty more ity at 17 to attend art school in big, with two crazy Scots and many years. I expected my man to "make wicked downtown Vancouver. cockroaches; there we worked, me happy," and the more I com­ I entered art school feeling drank stout and lived on potatoes plained the more he turned off. It pretty cocky, wise, beautiful and and sausages for six months. It was a traditional marriage; he talented. Within a couple of sounds fairly romantic, but in reality worked on his hypothetical univer­ months, I was madly in love with the it was awful. sity projects while I attended to 30 Branching Out household chores and child- rearing. Neither of us understood what was wrong. I was so en­ trenched in my own misery that blindness had taken over. I had no confidence; somehow I felt I had to compete with him but didn't stand a chance. So I did my best to make both our lives miserable though it was unintentional. Our fights be­ came vicious; when he graduated and received a two-year contract in Jamaica, I decided not to go with him. Now began the real learning ex­ perience. I was alone with two young children. That first six months was pure hell. I couldn't think of anything except how lonely I was and how cruel this world can be. I revelled in self-pity and had no patience with my children, who were also suffering from our hew situation. I got on welfare and sat there. I was bitter and suicical, until I finally realized that if I didn't do something for myself I wouldn't make it. It was probably the chil­ dren that forced me to move; I could seriously contemplate suicide but couldn't imagine some­ one else raising my kids. I had hit bottom and knew it. My husband and I had been writ­ ing very long, sorrowful letters. We re-united in Jamaica, but it didn't work out. Upon leaving I knew I must get my head together and do something. I got the kids into daycare and took a job as a secretary at the School of Architecture. I rented out part of my house, bought myself an old, wretched car and slowly began to attain some self-respect. It was a twelve hour day for me, deliv­ ering and picking up the children, working full-time, grocery shop­ ping and washing. I was too ex­ • ^^^M hausted for entertainment, nor could I afford it on only $400 a month. My husband didn't send any I support payments until our third year of separation; there wasn't much I could do about that while he was in Jamaica. In spite of all this I felt pretty good; it was "my trip" and it was actually working. I was doing it alone and I patted myself on the back every night before I col­ lapsed. I worked that job for a year and then flipped out. I desperately needed a holiday and some mental stimulation.

31 I applied for a grant for women seemingly stable mind. I decided to in similar situations. My dearest let it be and see what happened. I friend worked with me on setting continued to work hard, long hours up a place where people could and spent too little time with my come to talk, relax, read, create, children. learn, or participate in group, while Last summer, a year and a half their children were entertained in a ahead of schedule, I packed up the large playroom by a childcare kids, dogs and house in four days, worker. The place included men and left my friends, relatives and also, but it related mostly to women everything I knew, loved and hated who were going out of their minds without shedding a tear. I sang loud at home with their young children, and clear for the 10 hour drive and, and who had no confidence in deal­ though plenty scared, I felt very fine ing with the outside world. Much to indeed. our amazement and consternation, Four months later, we were in we got the grant. It scared the hell our new home — a two-room shack out of us; now we actually had to do with a wood stove, one light bulb it. and cold running water. We have We did it and hired three other also a wood shed, chicken coop, women to help. We conducted goat barn, and the beginning of a groups on marriage enrichment, large hexagonal structure. Sitting coupling, un-coupling, post- among the trees, with a dutch door partum depression, parent- looking out toward the river, is our effectiveness training, yoga, open outhouse. marriage, confidence raising and This summer saw hot water, a shower, more electricity and a small journal writing, among others. It that my time was being spent in the took us a while to become estab­ room added onto the shack, now best possible way; money began to lovingly referred to as the "cot­ lished because we were fighting the take a back seat. I wanted to be with professionals who felt we had no tage." My city friends arrived think­ my children and to get back to a ing of fishing, swimming and lying right to be doing this. With the help sense of family as I had once of a few of the more enlightened in the field, but they found them­ known. The children had by then selves with hammer in hand; I made professionals, "Family Place" has spent three years in daycare. Time sure I had enough to go around. become popular and well- was flying by, and I realized I had to The roof of the addition was com­ established and is now funded by do better or they would be gone pleted by the time my guests de­ the city of Vancouver. and I would have missed them. I had been handling the funding parted. It was time for a change. During I am working alone now, putting and re-funding, the hiring, ad­ head the summer holidays I would in stud walls and siding. It will take a ministration, supervision and up country to visit my friends in the bookkeeping, as well as getting in­ long time; I work slowly, periodi­ Kootenays. I always enjoyed those cally checking my basic carpentry volved with the people coming in. I me few days, and they would tell books. I have discovered that build­ decided I really wanted to workwith what a fine way of life they had. I ing a house takes simply common people, so I took a job working with you, would reply, "I'm sure it is for sense, time and physical work. The delinquents, at double my former but I'm just a city girl." Now I was salary. I like rowdy teenagers and it cottage is comfortable and warm wondering. I couldn't really make a enough for winter, but very was good to know I need never be a big change in the city because I secretary again. In fact, I began to crowded. We have 16 chickens, a would have to carry heavy financial very fierce rooster named believe I could do almost anything I full- commitments that involved Napoleon, two dogs and two kit­ wanted. I borrowed $1,000 and got time work. myself a decent car. By this time my tens. I have met my children again Then I heard of a piece of prop­ over this most beautiful, prolific husband was working in Toronto erty in the mountains which had just and doing very well financially. I summer, and we love it here. come up for sale. The kids and I The city house is rented, paying managed to convince him to send drove 450 miles to check it out. The us a bit of money every month and for itself and this land. I need about next day I bought it. I fell in love $400 a month to live here while to sign the house over to my name. with the land, 10.5 acres cradled in My work with delinquents was building the house, and will need the lovely Slocan Valley, with 300 less when it is finished. The soil is painful, rewarding and involving. I feet on the river, a mountain at my started to become comfortable with choice for gardening. I am living on back, five acres of meadow and lots Unemployment Insurance and have my life, but could never get rid of of birch, aspen and evergreen trees. the feeling of being overworked. I applied for a grant to reconstruct a It all happened so fast that I al­ 25 year-old Doukhobor suspension found myself needing, or rather most backed down. I was mortgag­ spending $1,000 per month just to bridge which crosses the river di­ ing myself to the hilt, had no inten­ rectly in front of my land. This pro­ survive. I had discovered how to two tion of living there for at least ject could employ nine people for make money and use it fairly well. years, and was wondering what But I wanted more. I wanted to feel four months and could be a catalyst strange spirit had taken over my for the people on this back road. 32 Branching Out After that, who knows? If I do have himself far away from me and our pity. I found most young men very to go out to work again, it will only children because of the pain it wary of me; they assumed I was need to be part-time. Now I can get causes him. Because he is geog­ looking for a husband and a father down to living, raising my family, raphically distant, he can only think for my children. They were proba­ creating, playing the piano, writing, of me as I used to be and finds it bly right, but I would become very building, planting, singing, cooking safer to believe that nothing has angry with their seemingly paranoid and loving this most unpredictable changed. He admits he couldn't attitudes. I became tired of playing time on this planet. handle that kind of pain twice in one mother to all the sad young men My story still has many loose lifetime and will not allow himself to and slowly came to realize that no ends. One of those is my persistent take the chance. I can understand one was going to come along and desire for a man to share it with. It that, and can only accept it as unfor­ rescue me.lt was up to me to do my has been close to five years since my tunate. I am finally getting a divorce own rescuing. I knew I had to do husband and I separated, I have to help myself make it final. that a long time ago and honestly seen him only six days over the past Other men . . . yes. I have even believed I was doing it. But I four and a half years. I think I could lived with a couple, for two months realized now that I was still hoping now haveagenuine lovingand shar­ at most, but I believe I did it more and waiting for someone to come ing relationship with that man, I out of convenience than anything along. know I want that, but also know the else. They had nowhere to live, so Now, three years later, I feel I chances of its happening are prob­ they lived with me. I am close with have grown considerably and have ably non-existent. By the time we both of them but wouldn't want to accomplished much of what I separated we had hurt each other commit myself to either of them. I wanted for myself and my family. badly. He is the kind of man who had very few relationships with men However, when it comes to falling doesn't stick those around to prolong the first two years on my own I in love, I'm damned if I do, and suffering and has managed to keep was so depressed and full of self- damned if I don't. I consider myself independent and strong with a heal­ thy ego (probably too healthy). A man who might strike my fancy would probably find it difficult to step into my life at this point. If he has a strong sense of pride in him­ self he probably couldn't let himself do it. The chances of my going to live in his home would be pretty small; I love my place and would rather risk losing him than leaving all this behind. This may sound strange to people who hate to be alone, but that has changed for me. Being alone is not so awful; in fact it is most pleasant and often I prefer it to an evening of socializing. How­ ever, it was much more difficult to be alone in the city than here. It is easy to sit at home in the city and feel you are missing something. Those feelings have disappeared for me; any films, dances or parties usually involve a 60 mile round trip drive. Babysitters are virtually non­ existent here, meaning the kids go everywhere. Evenings tend to end early, and the kids get to participate with adults in most things. Getting back to the subject — mating — sometimes I feel like a coyote in the sense that they mate for life. This could be why I had such a hard time letting my husband go and also why I'm in no hurry to try it again. I want commitment of a sort, both toward and from a mate. Many men, and women too, are into what I call "non-involvement involve- cont. on p. 42. May/June 1975 33 film WOMEN AND MACHISMO by Brigitte Kerwer

The most recent women's her husband Nick (Peter Falk). deals with Nick trying to cope along movies to hit the screen have Later, we learn that her nervousness with his children and buddies. He moved away from the depiction of betrays a paralyzing lack of confi­ realizes he cannot take Mabel's near-pornographic explicit sex. In­ dence; for example, the only food place, or explain her to his friends. stead, they are concerned with a she dares serve is spaghetti. Back in After six months Mabel comes ne*w psychological realism: the her claustrophobic apartment, after home, subdued, with quiet resolve, woman is working-class, a wife and giving her children over to her but her repose is shattered as she mother bringing up her children. mother, she restlessly mutters, breaks down once again at a family She has no time for glamour and sings and dances to opera music. welcome-home party. Mabel is not spends her energy on the nitty gritty This behaviour recurs in the film, allowed to be herself. "Shut up: be of everyday life. As a result, she is presumably to emphasize her emo­ yourself," is Nick's familiar, often thwarted, frustrated, and tional nature. The camera cuts to double-bind command to her, and angry. Nick phoning to say he must work the relatives heighten her sense of In structure these movies re­ overtime. We see that he is puzzled unreality and ours. "Stand up for semble soap operas: they are mul- by Mabel, especially by her anger, me," she begs her father, who takes ticlimaxed fluid, and open-ended. while his buddies assure him she's a her plea literally; her mother un­ Leslie Fiedler once siad that soap "sensitive, delicate woman." And derstands but is as helpless as the opera is a revolutionary form which this casual comment sets the scene rest of the family. In despair, Mabel allows oppressed females to watch for her downfall. slashes her wrist; it's too hard to women triumphing over men. Mabel's descent into madness is stand up for herself, alone, and she Women are seen struggling against not pleasant to watch. Out of bore­ withdraws to her former bizarre men and the limitations of their nar­ dom and revenge she picks up a state. When Nick hits her, she row lives to assert themselves in stranger in a bar; after spending the 'snaps' back to what she was, an some way. night with him, she calls him obedient wife, a mother. "You In "A Woman Under the Influ­ "Nick," denying her guilt. Nick know, I'm nuts," she confesses to ence" Cassavetes has joined direc­ comes home, bringing his work Nick, "I don't know how this whole tors like Bergman ("Scenes from a crew with him, and an agonizing thing got started." As the movie Marriage") and Scorsese ("Alice scene ensues. After they have ends, the whole cycle starts again. Doesn't Live Here Anvmore"). in­ finished eating Mabel's spaghetti, "A Woman Under the Influ­ terested, as Marjorie Rosen, au­ Mabel tries to ingratiate herself with ence" is a pessimistic statement thor of The Popcorn Venus, says, the men until Nick, jealous and en­ about human relationships, espe­ "not in surfaces, but in depth; not raged, yells at her to cut it out. cially about couples. It shows the in mystery, but in the torment and When the couple is alone, she says myth of the happy nuclear family isolation beneath the pose. And in to him, "Don't be afraid to hurt my and its crippling effect on a woman. the unbearable investments cou­ feelings. Tell me what you want me The audience is part of a marathon ples make in relationships." These to be."The pathological interaction encounter session, without benefit directors do not, however, speak that is driving Mabel toward the of therapy. The movie seems to ex­ for women's liberation. They show edge is revealed. "Be yourself," emplify the theories of radical us their views of how women are Nick encourages whenever Mabel therapists like R. D. Laing, who, in kept down, but until there are comes to him for advice. But, when his book Sanity, Madness, and the female film directors, the suffering he discovers her sitting innocently Family, states that "sanity or of women will continue to be that of on a bed with a neighbour, who is psychosis is tested by the degree of female characters imagined by trying to extricate his children from conjunction or disjunction between men. To say, as Pauline Kael has, a birthday party thrown by Mabel, two persons where the one is sane that Mabel Longhetti is one more Nick flies into a rage. He hits her in by common consent." In other "victim-heroine" for women's lib­ the face and calls his mother and the words, Mabel gives in to Nick's bul­ eration is to make condescending family doctor for help. All three lying because he forces her, both assumptions. We are, I suppose, scream at Mabel until she agrees physically and psychologically, to fortunate to have men paying atten­ that she is unfit, that she must sign do so, and in the process she be­ tion at all to women's plight, but to the papers that will admit her to a comes mentally ill. say theirs is a liberated view is far mental hospital. If anything, Nick is Unfortunately, Cassavetes.gives fronrvthe truth. more disturbed by Mabel than she no clues about the causes of their "A Woman Under the Influ­ by him: he needs her to be clinging sinister interaction except the cul­ ence" (of "love," one woman as­ and dependent. When she is joyous tural one of machismo in Nick. sured me) opens with Mabel Lon­ and spontaneous, he feels Mabel is presented finally as sick, ghetti (Gena Rowlands) nervously threatened. Nick as healthy, and this view is preparing for a weekend alone with The second half of the movie stressed in long close-up showing

34 Branching Out Mabel's visible deterioration into at least, make a more refreshingly tential singer and asks her to turn madness, complete with rolling optimistic comment about women around, she says, "Turn around? eyes. For feminists, the film raises a in today's society. Alice Hyatt (Ellen What for turn around? I've got my serious question: what was Mabel's Burstyn) and her twelve-year-old face. I don't sing with my ass." Her childhood and adolescence like? son, Tommy, try to start a new life crude, colourful language gets her What made her this way? As Juliet together after her morose husband in and out of hilarious situations. Mitchell says in Psychoanalysis and gets killed in a car crash. Once again Her talent as a singer is small, but Feminism, "Laing has isolated for us the setting is commonplace, almost she grieves when she has to give it features of the family which, instead indifferently casual: Alice and up to become a waitress for more of being taken up as slogans for pro­ Tommy leave her suburban house money. test, should be analysed. If the pre­ in New Mexico, and head for Mon- Her rage at the exploitation in dicament of woman..is just used as terey, California, where, before her the overcrowded, understaffed res­ taurant is at first directed towards the insensitive head girl, but later, they become friends — in fact, friendship between Alice and women is a striking and original fea­ ture of this movie. Although most of their conversation is about getting and holding a man, they at least feel at ease with each other. "You need someone to talk to; you sure can get lonesome," Alice says, as she ex­ plains her marriage. "My idea of a man was that he should be strong * df* I 1 and dominating, so I didn't mind when he told me to quit singing, that no wife of his was going to be a singer." Later, however, when she falls in love with David (Kris Kristofferson), she becomes aware of her need to have a life of her own. In one of several embarrassing scenes in the movie, set in a crowded restaurant, she confronts her hippie boyfriend, who surely overplays the liberated, Ellen Burstyn and Kris Kristofferson in younger man. The tone is wrong. As "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." lovers, however, they kiss and make up when David promises to help Alice to do anything she wants. His a battle-cry and its origin and func­ marriage, she started a career as a ranch, he says, doesn't mean that tion is society not comprehended, it singer. (The movie opens with a much to him, but why go to Mon- will never be overcome." Cassa- flashback of Alice as a girl, dreaming terey when she can sing in Phoenix? vetes ignores the importance both of being a singer). En route they And the movie ends with her walk­ of infancy and the unconscious stop at motels in Tucson and ing along the highway with Tommy, mind. He is content to describe Phoenix. The movie is about Alice's who agrees that David isn't bad, Mabel in the present; he leaves her experiences there including an en­ even though they don't share past, her future, and her influence counter with a maniacal sadist, her David's tastes in music. on her children as matters for efforts to getajob, and herattempts The implicit assumption is that speculation. He may be interested to settle down to an independent Alice will marry David and live on in depth, but surface is all that he existence. his ranch after all, and perhaps sing finally offers. Alice is angry a lot of the time, as a hobby. But in giving her options In some ways less interesting but her anger is healthy and di­ beyond being a waitress, director and provocative than "A Woman rected at the stupidity and crassness Martin Scorsese makes Alice credi­ Under the Influence," "Alice of life around her. To a saloon ble: her anger has a specific focus Doesn't Live Here Anymore" does, owner who looks her over as a po­ cont. on next page May/June 1975 35 (having passes made at her, not get­ However, the women's lives are still points out: "under patriarchal ting enough money, having men try oriented almost entirely toward order women are oppressed in their to bring up her child): her small, men. Alice, at least, has supportive very psychologies of melodic voice means that she can friendship with women, but Mabel femininity:once this order is re­ express herself, even create happi­ remains isolated and, except for her tained only in a highly contradictory ness around her. In her delightfully relatives, alone. Then there is work. manner... women have to organize casual relationship with her son, For Mabel that means housework, themselves as a group to effect a she is honest and straight, never but Alice, again, is a little better off. change in the basic ideology of sentimental. Alice's outlook on life She can work at whatever she is able human society." She goes on to remains conventional. David is to do, although for her that means demonstrate how, in analyzing our younger than she is, but she knows, being a waitress or a singer, both own mental, social and political and the audience knows, the temp­ underpaid and exploited roles. In lives, revolutionary feminism tation of the easy way out — a man both films the women are approach­ evolves. To prevail, we must recog­ and marriage. To the director's cre­ ing middle age, often a time of nize that the laws of patriarchy con­ dit, he doesn't force the resolution crisis, conflict, and challenge. fine us: we must struggle against on his characters, and the movie Mabel's life reveals its perils, while them and bring about our own cul­ ends with both still trying to dis­ Alice's suggests possibilities of tural revolution. We need female cover a pattern for their lives, either freedom and fulfillment. It may not filmmakers to provide us with a together or apart. be great to be Alice, but clearly it's counter-cinema that will raise our What implications have these hell to be Mabel. level of consciousness, and show us films for women? Most strikingly in Both directors are men, and the new structures for a society that will both films, glamourous sexploita­ underlying assumptions about soc­ allow for truly feminist heroines and tion has given way to more honest iety are male-dominated and pat­ feminist solutions. accounts of human relationships. riarchal. And as Juliet Mitchell

by Susan Bordo

Movies have always been vehi­ generation weaned on "The Un­ know how to come to terms with cles of conventional aspiration — touchables," Vito Corleone was a films which try to deny it. and conventional wisdom. To win bitter pill to swallow. Admittedly, "Sheila Levine" is the hearts of a mass audience, it is Pauline Kael, in her excellent re­ not very successful at denying it, •not enough to pander to common view of Sidney Furie's "Sheila because in his heart of hearts Furie dreams, but, also to popular no­ Levine is Dead and Living in New doesn't really believe in what he's tions of how to make the dreams York," is astonished to discover trying to do. True, inexperienced come true. People enjoy seeing that young women friends of hers Sheila (Jeanie Berlin) triumphs over their personal and cultural values are outraged, not at the reactionary her sexy roommate. But it's a victory triumph. But they want the ending of the film (where Sheila fi­ for precisely those qualities that triumphs to make "sense," to nally gets life's prize package, the women have rightly been trying to square with what they "know" of man she has been shamelessly pur­ discourage in themselves — our life. The trouble is, our "know­ suing throughout the film) but at pathetic eagerness for love, our wil­ ledge" of life, our ideas of what the ridiculous idea that anyone as lingness to expose ourselves com­ makes "sense," are rarely the pro­ plain and unexciting as Sheila could pletely in the pursuit of it. Self- duct of raw experience, but part of manage to win the man of her exposure and humiliation are our cultural inheritance. And, often dreams! These are women, I sus­ Sheila's fortes. After one night, she when moviegoers complain that a pect, who, if they were actually is ready to pledge herself body and film is "unbelievable," they are not to meet a man-hungry, self- soul to her bed partner, only to be measuring the story or perfor­ deprecating woman like Sheila, told, of course, that for him it was a mances against their lives or the would try their hardest to help her one-night fling. Later, when he be­ lives of those they know, but to realize that depth of cleavage gins an affair with Sheila's provoca­ against myths and models from does not equal depth of character tive roommate, she is doubly movies themselves. Many of those and that a man's appreciative abashed. She comes back for more; who were angered by the sym­ glance is not the only measure of dressed up like a lumbering copy of pathetic portrayal of the Corleones value in life. Yet, in the darkened her roommate and looking more in "The Godfather" were reacting to theatre, as the fantasy spins itself like a quarterback in drag than a sex Coppola's betrayal, not of reality, out yet another time, a curious re­ kitten, she finds out that the room­ but of film "truth". From where, but gression takes place. If movies of mate and the boyfriend are plan­ movies, do we learn that crime the last thirty years have taught us ning marriage. After months of re­ never pays and that gangsters are anything, it's that life belongs to the jecting her, the man Sheila is unequivocally bad people? For a quick and the beautiful; we don't masochistically hooked £>n (Roy

36 Branching Out Scheider) finally informs herthat he film conventions; they are deeply- a husband. For one thing, she has a realizes he is in love with her — held social beliefs which people are young son whom she has to sup­ because she is so open and de­ only just now struggling to under­ port both financially and emotional­ fenceless. He may as well have told stand. If Furie were not so intent on ly — a real-life concern that denies her he loves her because she's not a resolving the dilema, the film might her the luxury of self-despair over beauty queen. at least have expressed an authentic the absence of understanding men. Furie's method of disturbing the enough social confusion. But And she has a dream —to make it as old cliches is to stand them on their neither Sheila's confusion ("Why a singer. That dream may be un­ heads. Perhaps Furie feels, like the am I so dependent on the whims of realistic; Alice is not a particularly white liberal of the 50's who invites a man?") nor Furie's own confusion good singer, and is even somewhat every black he knows home to din­ ("Why is it so difficult for me and regressive (the film opens with ner and finds each lapse into patois other men to see past superficial Alice as a little girl vowing to some­ charming, that, having isolated a charm?") are contronted or exp­ day be as "big" as Alice Faye), but source of unfairness in life, he can lored. By having it all turn out right, for Alice it functions as a pure, un­ correct the situation through sheer Furie minimizes the power and ex­ assailable island of self, an inde­ personal good and magnanim­ tent of our social expectations and pendent project to which the men ity. Foryears, women have been try­ fantasies. Since they are his fan­ in her life must accommodate ing to snare men by being cool and tasies, too, he becomes their victim themselves, rather than the other seductive. Now, Furie tells us, we rather than their master by sweep­ way around. This independence is can do it by being awkward and im­ ing them under the rug. only tremulously articulated by ploring. And, since "Sheila Levine" "Alice Doesn't Live Here Any­ Alice; she's not sure how far she trades heavily on the audience's more" demonstrates how far a film dares to push it, or how far she sense of identity with Sheila (there can go when a director (Martin wants to push it; she's not clear as are a number of teary "men are Scorsese) makes the simple yet rare to what is most important to her such bastards, why, oh why, do I decision not to triumph over his (toward end of the film she agrees need them so badly?" speeches in characters by gifting them with a to marry Kristofferson only if he will the film which are obviously meant false triumph over their social situa­ take her to Monterey to allow her to to establish instant sisterhood) tions. Structurally, "Alice" and pursue her singing career; later, Furie is also telling us we can do it "Sheila Levine" have important she cheerfully decides to stay and by being "ourselves" — our own, things in common: both deal with live at his ranch). But, this is only to sweet, hungering, insecure selves. the troubled dialectic, so familiar to say that Alice, like the rest of us, is Furie's intentions are "honora­ women, of establishing an inde­ confused and unsure. It is the sim­ ble." He wants to show us that less- pendent identity without giving up ple and rare virtue of the film that than-glamorous girls have appeal the desire and need fora man. Both Scorsese rides along with that con­ and something to offer. The trouble films end with a curtsy to conven­ fusion, allows Alice her half-baked is, he doesn't really think so him­ tion; just as Sheila, the New York dreams and half-baked conscious­ self. When he strips away the Jewess, gets her cosmopolitan, yet ness, and does not impose a forced glamour, he sees something pathe­ basically wholesome doctor (he resolution to problems that so few tic, and, doggedly determined to sleeps around, is "hip," yet worries of us have ever begun to resolve. make his point, forces himself to over the ethics of abortion) to take Alice is strong-willed, a fiercely make something pathetic seem at­ home to mother, so Alice, (Ellen protective and concerned mother tractive. Would Sidney Furie date Burstyn) a southwestern waitress and often an abrasive and upsetting Sheila Levine? Not a chance, and with dreams of a singing career, woman. She is as hot-tempered and who would blame him? As a charac­ gets an equivalent dream pack­ tenacious as a kid when things ter, Sheila Levine is not an alterna­ age: a tender-stalwart, relaxed don't go her way. The charm and tive to the plastic, superficial vamp. mountain-of-strength of a cowboy, reality of her relationship with her She has neither intelligence nor vi­ (Kris Kristofferson) who loves her son is that it maintains itself on the tality, and very little warmth (al­ "as she is." But what Alice "is" is basis of both these sides of Alice. though she has an enormous capac­ not what Sheila "is." It's a crazy relationship, in constant ity for suffering). She has a job, but Alice is plagued by her need for disequilibrium, but a good one, be­ her successful career seems a men, both for security and for sex. cause it allows the boy equality and gratuitous offering of Furie's a Her ex-husband, accidentally killed sometimes even responsiblity for cheap gimmick to establish Sheila early in the film, brutalized her, yet her, without setting him adrift. Her as a "new woman" in our eyes. she stayed with him; later, she con­ dissatisfactions, unlike Sheila "Sheila Levine" might have been fesses to a girlfriend that she felt Levine's, are diffuse. At the begin­ a less objectionable film if Furie had she was being taken care of, even ning of the fifm Alice is caught, not acknowledged his own ambival­ though she wasn't. And, when her simply in a marriage with a red­ ence, his own difficulties in getting son asks her why she married his neck, but in a town full of red­ beyond the phoney formulas, both father, she tells him the man was a necks. A hot, barren New Mexico personally and cinematically. The "good kisser." Later in the film, suburb of stucco bungalows and notions that "only-the-rich-and- seduced by his boyish charm, she hamburger stands, it's a desert beautiful-can-succeed" and that becomes involved with a near- where dreams like Alice's can "happiness-is-being-in-the-arms- psychopath. But Alice has other flourish from sheer lack of water- of-a-man" are not merely powerful things on her mind besides finding cont. on p. 42. 37 May/June 1975 j'efface ton nom de mon coeur ton empreinte de mes levres j'efface tout tes lettres tes poemes ecrits d'unefle lointaine j'efface ton image de I'ecran devant moi je t'efface je m'efface j'efface tout tout le surface ou tu etais defiguree sains nom sans face Erika Wsnke je t'efface c'est tres efficace.

ABORTION cont. from p. 11 female emancipation. Prohibitions Huber wrote: Protestant regions helped to bring the There is no place for the political woman on abortion ended. The Praesidium number of abortions to an estimated in the ideological world of National of the Supreme Soviet said they 800,000 to 1,000,000 yearly. In general, Socialism. The intellectual attitude of the wanted to end pro-natalism was very much on the de­ the dangers of non- movement on this score is opposed to fensive in Weimar. hospital abortions and to restore to the political woman. It refers the woman The Nazis lost little time in reversing the women the back to her nature-given sphere of the right to choose. Lader, picture. Minister of the Interior Frick an­ family and to her tasks as wife and writing in 1966, believed that Russia nounced the change in a speech in June mother. has one of the highest abortion 1933. Birth control centres were closed; rates in the world, although official Joseph Goebbels, propaganda leniency to abortion was brought to a statistics had not then been re­ minister for Hitler, stated: sharp halt, and the advertising of con­ The mission of woman is to be beautiful traceptives stopped. The party took over leased. He feels that contraception and to bring children into the world. This the League of Large Families, making it a is more accessible in Russia than it is not at all as rude and unmodern as it section of the race policy department. . . was 30 years ago, but says that the sounds. The female bird pretties herself By a law of 1 June 1933, couples about to government refrains from commit­ for her mate and hatches the eggs for marry could obtain interest free loans up him. In exchange the mate takes care of to 1,000 marks if they fulfilled certain ting itself to a determined birth con­ gathering the food and stands guard and conditions . . . She (the wife) must cease trol policy. wards off the enemy. working and must pledge not to take A favorite approach of Nazi Hitler himself stated: another job unless the husband is unable Germany anti-abortion groups is to The so-called granting of equal rights to to support the family . . . One quarter of compare, however invalidly, abor­ women, which Marxism demands, in re­ the loan is cancelled at the birth of each child. The purposes of the law are clear tion with ality does not grant rights but constitutes the genocide practiced a deprivation of rights since it draws the from its provisions, reduction of unem­ against the Jews by Nazi Germany. woman into an area in which she will ployment by eliminating married women In his anti-abortion book, Germain necessarily be inferior. It places the whose husbands are employed . . . and Grisez alleges that abortions were woman in situations that cannot stimulation of the birth rate. readily available in Nazi Germany, strengthen her position vis a vis both man The removal of women from the and society but can only weaken it ... labour force eased unemployment, and cites as evidence the 1933 Law The woman has her own battlefield. With but once the war began and man­ for the Prevention of Hereditary every child she brings into the world she Diseases. This law allowed abor­ fights her battle for the nation. The man power was short, the Hitler regime tions for women who were stands up for the Volk exactly as the urged women to work outside their "selected for sterilization." Grisez woman stands up for the family. homes again. seems unaware that actually this Abortion and contraception A1974 West German law permits law illustrates the way abortion and facilities were closed under the abortion on demand in the first sterilization could be used by a Third Reich. Historian Franz three months of pregnancy. Previ­ state against groups considered ra­ Neumann contrasts the birth con­ ously, the government had allowed cially undesirable. It was the first in trol and abortion situations before abortion to save the life of the a series of racist laws that culmi­ and after the Nazi takeover of Ger­ woman. In East Germany abortion nated in the death camps. "Aryan" many. Under the Weimar Republic, is permitted for a wide variety of women, however, were encour­ set up after World War I, birth con­ reasons including socio-economic aged to increase the "master race" trol information was widely dis­ ones. and were strongly socialized to­ seminated. In Britain a series of Britain ward being solely wives and Fifteen organizations were active in this mid-19th Century laws prohibited field and many of the sick funds gave abortion. The law was not modified mothers. In Volkischer Beobachter, their members advice on contraception. December 11, 1935, Englebert Leniency by the courts, especially in the until the Bourne case of 1938. Alec 38 Branching Out duction, import and distribution of Bourne was a doctor who per­ has a tradition of using abortion as oral contraceptives. A formed an abortion on a 14-year-old an alternative to birth control, in government-sponsored telephone girl who had been raped by a group contrast to China and Eastern Bloc service in Budapest gives advice on of soldiers. Bourne turned himself nations, which give women alterna­ sexual matters. The Hungarian go- in to instigate a test case. He was tives to abortion such as birth con­ vernmentalso has increased family acquitted. Justice McNaghten, in trol and day care. allowances and cash grants for chil­ his instructions to the jury, stated In November 1974 Ms. printed dren and has instituted three-year that if Bourne believed that con­ an article "Eastern Europe, Pro­ maternity leaves without loss of job tinuation of the pregnancy "would gramming the Population," by John seniority. In East Germany abortion make the woman a physical or a Dornberg, a foreign correspondent on demand is permitted during the mental wreck," then he operated specializing in Soviet and Com­ first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and only to preserve the life of the munist affairs, Dornberg sees a de­ free oral contraceptives are distri­ woman. The Bourne case was the finite trend towards a pro-natalist buted by the government on a pre­ culmination of the efforts of an policy in Eastern Bloc countries and scription basis. Abortion Law Reform Association in the U.S.S.R. Rumania, for exam­ Dornberg concludes that East founded in 1936. In that year the ple, outlawed abortion in 1966 ex­ Germany has demonstrated the British Medical Association asked cept under special circumstances, best balance among abortion, con­ for clarification of the existing law. following a 92% drop in the number traception and social welfare mea­ In retrospect, the Bourne case of live births over the previous six- sures. However, he says that, in didn't go much beyond indicating year period. Until 1966, abortions general, "the regressive trend that abortions could be performed could be obtained practically on elsewhere in Eastern Europe" prom­ when the woman's life is at stake. demand in Rumania. Dornberg re­ ises fewer, not more, choices for This ambiguous legal precedent ports that in Rumania birth control Communist women. On the level of was adopted by Canada and other information and devices are still personal choice, it seems that Commonwealth nations. It was un­ scarce. Recently "new measures to Dornberg is painting too black a clear whether mental health could stimulate the birth rate " were in­ picture. Grants and allowances for also be taken into consideration. troduced including a tax on child­ children in certain Eastern Bloc The thalidomide disaster of 1962 less people over 26. countries make the choice between resulted in almost 1,000 defective In Czechoslovakia the letter of abortion and childbearing a real babies. Many of the mothers had the law was that "justifiable medical one.. , . . , sought abortions and had been re­ and social grounds" had to be pre­ A summary of abortion laws in fused. In 1967 an act was finally pas­ sented to and evaluated by a com­ various countries based on 1972 sed in Britain allowing abortion mittee. The most recent law strictly World Health Organization infor­ where pregnancy could be harmful stipulates the social grounds and mation does not tell the whole to the woman's life, to her physical has resulted in a decline in the story. The letter of the law and the and mental health, to any existing number of abortions. The govern­ practice can vary a great deal, as in children, and in cases where there ment offers low-interest loans to Japan. The statistics do not convey was "substantial risk" of a defective young married couples to set up the plight of women in countries fetus. National health (medicare) in housekeeping; at the birth of each where abortion is forbidden or al­ Britain has made abortion free of child, a couple may deduct a con­ lowed on very limited grounds. charge. siderable sum from the amount to Italy, for example, allows abortion In Japan a restrictive abortion be repaid. to save the life of the woman, to law is interpreted permissively. Al­ Of the U.S.S.R., Dornberg prevent the birth of a deformed though in 1949 abortion was re­ writes that abortion is still used as a fetus, or to prevent birth as a result stricted to cases of rape, hereditary substitute for contraception des­ of rape or incest. In practice, how­ ever, the law seems quite restric­ defect and potential damage to the pite some increase in the availabil­ tive. In the March 1971 issue of Ms., woman's health, the law does not ity of birth control. No steps have an American woman named Eve prevent actual abortion on de­ been taken to change the abortion Riisna describes mand. The woman merely states law but there are "rumblings" her quest for an abortion in Italy. Ms. Riisna's doc­ verbally that she fits one of the con­ among the Great Russians and tor diagnosed "lumps in the ditions and her doctor can perform other Slavic peoples, who fear that uterus" and suspected an extra- the operation without consulting a they may become a minority in their uterine pregnancy. Eve Riisna medical board. own country because the birthrate hemorrhaged for six weeks, but the Contraception was introduced in the central Asian republics is doctor refused to perform a dilation in Japan by Margaret Sanger in considerably higher than that in the and curettage, preferring to wait 1922. However, few supplies were Russian republics. and see if she had a tubal rupture. available, and those that existed In January 1974, Hungary Ms. Riisna wrote: were highly priced and of poor abolished its 16 year old abortion- The life of the mother and that of the quality. In 1950 a Birth Control As­ on-demand law and replaced it with fetus are exactly equal under the law. In sociation invited Sanger back; but, one stipulating special require­ practice of cou rse it doesn't work out that Gen. MacArthur barred her entry ments. Yet, the birth control situa­ way. The mother is clearly not equal to until he was fired as chief of the tion is relatively good; the govern­ the fetus since an abortion can be done only when the mother can be proved to occupying forces in Japan. Japan ment has ordered increased pro­ be on the brink of death. May/June 1975 39 Eve Riisna flew back to New York committee of that hospital, which de­ However, after the police raided his where she finally had an abortion. cides whether the continuation of the house to examine his books, they served From historical and contempor­ pregnancy "would or would not be likely him with a judgement for $354,799 in un­ ary examples we can conclude to endanger her life and health." paid income taxes. that —The practitioner performing the abor­ abortion is not a 20th Century idea. Those of us who are concerned tion cannot be a member of the board. that abortion be available at an early Also, nearly every nation which has Hospitals are not compelled by law stage to women who want and need passed abortion laws has consi­ to set up abortion committees. This it, can familiarize ourselves with the dered the needs of the country as a means that Roman Catholic hospi­ arguments of the compulsory preg­ whole rather than make freedom of tals and small hospitals with less nancy lobby and be prepared to choice of the individual woman the than four doctors on staff do not refute them. Medieval English primary consideration. Even in have committees. A strain is put on countries where the letter of the common law cases set precedents hospitals which do, causing delays for the idea that abortion law seems "liberal," it cannot be is not and later terminations. The situa­ murder. An anti-abortionist assumed that every woman has an today tion discriminates against women might contend that, while in the equal chance of getting an early, who are financially or geographi­ safe abortion. past biology was not sufficiently ad­ cally unable to travel to a centre vanced to show that life begins at The American feminist Cisler, which could provide an abortion. in her article Abortion Law Repeal conception, 20th Century scientists In July1974Justice MinisterOtto have determined this fact and that, (Sort Of): A Warning to Women," Lang promised never to bring in expresses her conviction that abor­ in light of this knowledge, abortion "abortion on demand" legislation, is murder. tion law "reform" is the wrong ap­ stating that he would look into proach. The word "reform" to her Carrett Hardin, in Stalking the cases where hospital committees Wild Taboo, says that murder is "kil­ means that "abortion is grudgingly interpret the word "health" broadly parcelled out by hospital commit­ ling that is disapproved of." to mean "mental health." Major Societies to varying degrees have tee fiat to the few women who can religious groups are veering to the 'prove' they've been raped, or who permitted killing in war, killing by right on the issue. The June 1974 the state (capital punishment), kil­ are crazy or are in danger of bearing edition of the Observer, the official a defective baby." Ms. Cisler disag­ ling in self-defence, or killing to publication of the United Church of save the life of rees with stipulations that abortions the innocent victim Canada, printed a list of "Affirma­ of a murder attack. must be performed in all cases only In our society tions of the Faith" drawn up by an opinions differ by doctors in licensed hospitals. as to the acceptabil­ informal committee of ministers ity of these various kinds of killing, She believes that D and C opera­ and theological professors. These tions and vacuum aspirations but most people agree that killing is were sent to all congregations. Item sometimes could be done safely in clinics or justified. When it is jus­ 13 reads: tified it is not called doctor'soffices and that paramedi­ murder and the We believe that God wills that every sixth commandment is inapplica­ cal personnel could do vacuum human life grows up into the maturity of aspirations. Emphasis on doctor- Jesus Christ. Although we recognize that ble. performed, hospital abortions in all there may be exceptional circumstances One favourite anti-abortion ar­ in which human life may be taken in cases, in her opinion, only in­ gument is the Beethoven one; we order to preserve other human life, we are asked if a certain hypothetical creases abortion costs and delays. affirm the sanctity of human life before pregnancy should be terminated, Also, bringing a case before a birth and afterward. We therefore op­ given that the father committee of doctors is too time pose abortion on demand and we think was syphilitic, that our Church's official consuming. position to re­ the mother tubercular, and that of move abortion from the criminal code her first four children, one was Not all pro choice people agree puts the church in the abortion-on- with Cisler on the need for clinic demand camp. blind, one deaf, another a deaf mute, and a fourth had rather than hospital abortions, but The December 1973 edition car­ died. If we it is hard to disagree with her state­ ried an editorial implying that reply "yes," we are told, "Then you would have killed Beethoven." ment that the fight for free abor­ women seek abortions so that they This story loses its effectiveness tions is far from won. In the United will have the money to go on winter if we substitute different biographical States, she says, "repeal" no longer vacations to the Barbados. The details; we could insert an unwed means free abortion but is the term May 1974 edition mentioned Dr. mother and come up with a similar used by anti-abortion groups to Henry Morgentaler, citing him as a anecdote in which Hitler's name mean the reversal of "liberal" laws social problem on a par with shady features in the punch line. Should and the prohibition of abortion. In land speculation and the failure of all abortions be denied in the hope Canada there is also cause the Toronto city council to interfere for con­ of producing another Beethoven? cern. Until 1969, all abortions were with the "body rub" business. The illegal in Canada. Abortion is still editor makes the following Garrett Hardin comments: Can we have a loss about which we are illegal except under the following generalizations about Morgen­ unaware? Beethoven's mother, like all conditions: taler: women, no doubt started life with about —The abortion must be performed by a In Montreal Dr. Henry Morgentaler, 30,000 immature eggs in her ovaries. She qualified physician in an accredited who boasts he has performed over 6,000 produced only seven children. Therefore hospital. abortions in recent years, has so far 29,993 eggs, all potential human beings, —The operation must be approved by a beaten the rap on that. These abortions must have perished. Should we weep for three-member therapeutic abortion are said to be a service to womankind. the loss? 40 Branching Out Hardin adds that 30% of all fetuses vice. the abortion issue; motherhood are spontaneously aborted, about Opposition to abortion by offi­ should mean more than the capa­ 10% of these at an age late enough cial Catholicism is not shared by city to be pregnant. for the mother to know about it. every Catholic. In January 1972 Gal- In the women's movement the An article on "Debating the Op­ lup Poll, 54% of Catholics inter­ woman's "right to control her own position," from the National As­ viewed said that the abortion deci­ body" is a well-known slogan. Op­ sociation for Repeal of Abortion sion should be left to a woman and ponents of abortion reply that the Laws, suggests that if we assume her doctor. time for control is before concep­ that a fertilized egg is a person, then Some anti-abortion groups tion. They manage to ignore the fact we should consider replacing birth claim that they would permit abor­ that adequate, safe birth control in­ certificates with "conception cer­ tion in the case of rape. This argu­ formation and equipment is not yet tificates," holding funerals for all ment is interesting because it con­ readily available to women in highly miscarriages, and issuing dual tradicts the premise that the fer­ developed countries, let alone to passports for pregnant woman. tilized egg is a person entitled to the most of the world's population. Anti-abortionists also suggest that same rights as a born person. It im­ Compulsory pregnancy advocates, the use of an intra-uterine device is plies that it's all right to destroy a who call every germination in the the equivalent of abortion; this fetus if the woman did not enjoy sex womb a "person" with a sacred stems from evidence that the I.U.D. (i.e. rape) but that, if her pregnancy "right to life," use these phrases to prevents implantation of fertilized is the result of sex she enjoyed, then hide a hostility toward woman. If eggs. she must be made to suffer the con­ every fertilized egg is a person, The NARAL article points out sequences. then the woman becomes a non- that at two weeks the conceptus is a Recent anti-abortion offensives person — a mere receptacle or small, jelly-like blood mass, about have taken on the question of tight womb for producing persons. In an one inch long and weighing 3/4 of an abortion laws and their relation, or article included in Abortion and the ounce. This description coincides lack of it, to child abuse. The anti- Catholic Church, Evelyn Reed with that given by anti-abortion choice groups claim that there is no wrote: groups. Harper's Magazine, March correlation. Obviously, it is hard to This contempt for women stands out obtain statistics either way. One even more clearly when we consider the 1974, tells of a reporter's experi­ plight of impoverished and sick women . ence at a meeting of "pro-life" survey on the problems of un­ . . who are economically and physically forces discussing the best tech­ wanted children was published by wrecked by too many births. Nor do the niques to achieve maximum emo­ Forssman and Thume in Sweden in multitude of unwanted neglected chil­ tional impact when showing pic­ 1966. Children of women who had dren fare any better. Robbed of adequate been refused abortion were care, protection and education, what tures of fetuses to audiences. The kind of right to life do they have? How instructor said that it is most effec­ studied at age 21. These children sacred are the wasted lives of these pro­ tive to start with a pictu re of a nearly were found to be in poorer health geny? Apart from those who happen to be mature fetus and to work back­ than the control group of wanted born in well-to-do families, the "sacred children. They had more incidence unborn" are only promised the right to ward, because a newly conceived life — a promise that is not delivered. For fetus would "look like a glob." The of alcoholism and psychiatric atten­ the essence of human life is not to be article also mentioned that anti- tion. The girls in the "unwanted" wasted, not to be thrust into an animal- abortionists enlarge pictures of un- group were less likely to pursue like existence. viable fetuses to the size of six- careers than those in the "wanted" month-old fetuses, making them group. more babylike in appearance. The terminology used by anti- WANKE cont. from p. 20 Notably late terminations tend choice, compulsory pregnancy temps qui change le verbe, m'a dit to be the result of restrictive laws groups is worth challenging. Those mon professeur de grammaire. and red tape. The NARAL article re­ of us who support a woman's right Cinquante-deux mots! je me ports that Hawaii, after having had to safe, early abortion are pro-life perds dans les chiffres. Lorsque je legal abortion for two years, found and have every right to resent the vois un pont, une belle cathe"drale, that 87% of women had their abor­ opposition's claim to this title. We je ne pense pas aux formules magi- tions within the first three months are not "pro-abortion," we are ques de l'inge"nieur, de I'architecte. pro-choice. Our demand for safe of pregnancy. Quelle farce! Ce n'est pas ca qui The majority of anti-abortionists and readily accessible birth control compte. C'est le plaisir, I'amour, methods are also opponents of birth control. and our emphasis on qui compte, I'amour et tous les au- day-care and more societal respon­ Article III, Section II, of the Birth­ tres mots qui n'existent pas. sibility for children show that we right Charter reads, "The policy of Je pense a1 la vie et pourquoi j'ai want to make the choice a real one. every Birthright Chapter and every failli re*ussir, pourquoi j'ai failli me Terminology regarding the fer­ one of its members and volunteers trahir, pourquoi j'ai failli croire les tilized egg, conceptus, embryo and in all the Chapter's efforts shall be mots que Ton m'a appris a mimer, 1 fetus should be used accurately, for to refrain in every instance from of­ r§peter d&s mon enfance. the opposition wants to call all of fering or giving advice on the sub­ Moi, ma vie, c'est le cri d'un vol these "the baby." The term jects of contraception or steriliza­ d'oiseau, d'un oiseau mourant qui "woman" rather than "mother" tion and to refrain from referring traverse h^O et toutes les eaux. Ma should be used any person to another person, when discussing a vie, ma mort, un cri lointain. pregnant person in the context of place or agency for this type of ad- *** May/June 1975 41 PERSPECTIVES cont. from p. 33 ment" and I have no patience with But it seems I am going to try numberof talented women, friends that line of thinking. It is shallow, with him, or it wouldn't have gone of Scorsese's, who worked on the gutless and safe. Who needs that? this far. We are working on the film and who must have assisted in I want to be with someone, to house together and sharing the its conception. have more children and to have a chores. He is a reasonable man and Sheila Levine, in herout-of-style together family and home. Some­ I like to be around him, even cowboy jacket and pig-tails, is a times I get very low about this, but though we are not much alike. I pathetic sight, and is clearly meant not often. I think I can accept that I would like to have another child. to appear so; but Alice, broad- may live alone for the rest of my life. What bothers me most is I feel I am hipped and plump-armed in her When my kids leave in about twelve losing some control over my own frowsy housedress, is womanly and years, I know I will have friends and life and I hesitate to give that up. appealing enough to, I suspect, in­ lovers and hope that will be Sometimes I miss being alone and spire some men to revise their enough. I know I couldn't go back there is the added responsibility in­ Cosmopo//tan-encouraged no­ to the kind of marriage I had. volved in keeping the relationship tions of what is lovely in a woman. Perhaps I haven't met the right per­ together. My idea of marriage is not Scorsese doesn't need Kristof- son, but that is not likely; I believe I a pleasant one, and I have experi­ ferson's appreciation of Alice to es­ am not looking anymore. ence to insure that this one would tablish her attractiveness in our Events have taken an interesting be different. My mind tells me these eyes; it is thoroughly obvious why turn since my change of attitude. I things and my heart says, "Don't be a he would fall for her. am meeting all kinds of good peo­ fool, you must try because it is what Women may object to the end­ ple in spite of the fact that I seldom you want." ing of "Alice," seeing it as just as leave my land. My relationships So I am about to jump in with much a fairy-tale as the ending of with women are improving im­ both feet. The difference is that I "Sheila Levine." But Alice's hard- mensely. It is more difficult to play don't feel weak in the knees, won happiness with a man func­ the games expected of me. I talk starry-eyed, or terribly vulnerable. tions very differently, in the film, less and don't need to justify myself I'm in love, happy, clear-headed from Sheila's dream-come-true. For to others, at least not consciously. I and willing. I do think it ironic as Sheila, finding a man is life's central can express myself honestly with hell my coming to accept being dream, and her approach to rela­ both anger and love. My sexuality is alone and then right away meeting tionships is, accordingly, that of a at an all-time high, and I am full of someone. It must have some sig­ sleepwalker. Agonized, be­ love for this life and for many peo­ nificance... numbed, she waits for magic to * * * ple as they are. happen. When magic, amazingly, BORDO cont. from p. 37 does happen, it is like a validation Three months have passed since ing. After a fight with her husband, of the sleep-walking state, a pat of I wrote the last paragraph. The Alice screeches her bitterness at the encouragement on the back of wood stove is crackling beside me town: "Socorro sucks!", she cries, every girl who spends her life wait­ and I should be getting lunch ready. and it's impossible to tell which she ing forthe right man to come along. I am still working on the big house, resents more, her husband or It can happen to you, Furie seems but it's too cold today. Just to keep Socorro. to be saying. Women who object to things moving, it seems appropriate Young, affluent women, whose being encouraged in this way, are to finish this off with a giant con­ lives have been limited by the fact of right since they know the dream is tradiction: I have been living with a their sex but not by the anachronis­ false. Moreover, they are right to man for the past two months and he tic fog of hick-town life, may find it feel outraged. Furie builds our has committed himself to our fam­ easier to identify with Sheila identification with Sheila's previous ily. He would like to get married and Levine's big-city blues than with misery and then invalidates it by in­ have children. He is the kind of man Alice's silly dreams and generalized jecting simple good fortune, a bet­ I believed was extinct. Now, it is my anger. But, if the point of a creative rayal of women who have been turn to respond. How do I feel film is to establish a sense of forced to struggle out of the misery, about this? Well, I'm still in shock chumminess between the audience past the dream, to, hopefully, and very skeptical of this new hap­ and the characters, then we may as something better. piness. He is younger than I and has well give up going to movies and Alice is such a struggler. While it never been married, which I'm sure spendourtimereadingeach other's is true that few women manage to is in his favour. Why do I hesitate? I diaries. Alice is a character that one meet men as willing to work on a must decide between making a can respect, and it's clear that Scor- relationship as Alice's rancher, it is commitment with this very wonder­ sese respects her, too. He doesn't that willingness, which Alice fights ful man and continuingto live alone try to make Alice's less appealing for, that makes the relationship with the kids. I am used to being qualities seem attractive, because more than a dream. Alice's happy alone, making my own decisions he clearly believes that they are at­ ending doesn't come from the fact and basically doing whatever I tractive, as expressions of a charac­ that the man she is in love with please when I please. To consider ter who is honestly struggling. He loves her back; Scorsese does not another person with as many de­ seems genuinely to like women in a share Furie's simple delight at his sires, moods and quirks as myself is way that Furie doesn't. Perhaps this heroine's finding love, probably not easy. That must sound selfish. has something to do with the because he assumes all along that

42 Branching Out Subscribe to she's worthy of it. Besides, if there If you are indeed concerned is a central male-female relation­ with the problems of as many as 312 ship in the film, it is between Alice women, then you should carry on as Branching Out and her son, not between Alice and you have been and be a magazine her rancher. Alice finds love on new for the middle-class. But remember terms; she demands that her that there are more of us others Please send me rancher acknowledge and support around and we need a magazine — 6 issues for $5.00 her dreams of being something too. — 12 issues for $9.50 other than his wife, silly dreams Helen Potrebenko, Vancouver — payment enclosed though they be, and more likely a — please bill me test of him than a real plan for the future, and that he accept. Her spe­ cial relationship is with her son over whom they fought their first real fight. When Kristofferson comes LIVELIHOOD Name through, it is not a gift from the cont. from p. |-)3 heavens; it could never have hap­ I feel that the artist side of me be­ pened if Alice had not had the au­ comes somewhat stifled. I guess it dacity to ask for it. That's no fairy­ is every potter's dream to one day Address tale; that's one woman's personal be able to make just what he or she triumph.r *** wants, completely disregarding the LETTERS public's demands. I experience a cont. from page 3 tremendous feeling of personal City satisfaction as a potter and am vide a good fuck because he is im­ elated when I overcome an obstacle potent and can only perform before in throwing technique. As I estab­ an audience. He drags her around lish myself as a potter and my busi­ Europe, humiliates her thoroughly, ness as a self-supporting operation, then dumps her. She doesn't object I feel that the monetary pressure to any of this but decides her hus­ will diminish and be replaced by the Make all cheques or band wasn't such a bad fuck after all love of making pots for potting's money orders payable to: and rushes off to find him. (God sake. forbid she should live without a "Above all, I'm happy doing Branching Out man.) what I do. My life as a potter is a Box 4098 The book isn't even erotic be­ beautiful mixture of anticipation, Edmonton, Alberta cause she uses male images almost joy, frustration, rewards, learning, T6E 4T1 entirely, even in her sexual fan­ and hard work." Specify first issue of subscription. tasies. Forexample, "He iswatching the large gold cross between the widow's breasts swing back and forth in her deep cleavage. Bump. Pause. Bump. It hits one moist breast and then the other." All the JOURNAL OF sexual descriptions in the book are written from the man's point of view and most are humiliating to the woman. CANADIAN FICTION What is one to make of this? I have searched vainly for an explana­ We are More than a tion. The writer's name is Erica Journal of Canadian Fiction Mann Jong — so maybe it's a joke by a man who sets out to prove some Volume III, Number 1, for example, contains eleven women are stupid. Or more likely, stories, six articles, an interview, thirteen some women are so brutalized and short cynical they have no sexual feelings review articles and a bibliography left, nor any capacity for love and Que. are therefore willing to accept this 2050 Mackay St., Montreal 107, kind of putrid, male chauvinistic Single Issue ...... $ 2.50 crap as sex. Of course, she doesn't One Year ...... $ 9.00 find it fulfilling. Foralongtime now, men have been unfulfilled by this Three Years ...... $24.00 kind of sad round of promiscuity Student, One Year ...... '$ 6.00 and perversion. 43 May/June 1975 people in this issue

ABORTION ACTION BETH JANKOLA COMMITTEE EUNICE WILLAR The Abortion Action Committee is a Beth Jankola has had one vol­ Eunice Willar is a New Brunswick Kingston based group that would ume of poetry published, THE WAY photographer who lives near Saint like to have abortion removed from I SEE IT, and has given numerous John with her husband and two the Criminal Code. Members in­ poetry readings, including CBC's children. This year she enrolled in clude Chris Buhr, Linda Buhr, "Anthology". She lives in Burnaby, Nursing School. Her work has ap­ Diane Mineau, Ruth Olsen, Janice B.C. and her next collection of peared in earlier issues of Branch­ McClelland, Sandra Chatterton, poetry, JODY SAID, will be pub­ ing Out. and Ron Peterson. Most of the re­ lished shortly. search for this article was done by Ruth Olsen, but other members made additions and suggestions.

SUSAN BORDO ROSALIND MACPHEE Susan Bordo lectures in the philos- Rosalind MacPhee is a housewife phy department at Carleton Uni­ with two young daughters. She versity. She has been interested in writes on a daily basis and has two film for some time, particularly in collections of poetry presently the social and moral dimensions of being considered for publication. film. Some of her reviews have Her work has been published in been broadcast on CKCU. Last year The Canadian Forum, Prism Interna­ she taught acourse on the literature tional, Fiddlehead, and numerous of the women's movement. other magazines. She lives in Lions Bay, British Columbia.

MARY-LYNN BURKE lefebvre gallery Mary-Lynn Burke lives in Slocan 12214 jasper avenue Valley, British Columbia where she LEOLA SMITH is now working to complete her A resident of Warburg, Alberta, Lefebvre Gallery house. She hopes to continue her Leola Smith is a self-taught artist. writing, focussing on the people Since her children have grown up Edmonton and situations in the area. and left home, she has had more time to devote to her own interests, and has been able to sell several of MARYELLEN GILLAN her paintings. Mrs. Smith also May 4-19: Mary Ellen Gillan is a graduate stu­ writes poetry. PHYLLIS JEFFERY dent in the department of sociology watercolours at the University of LENA KOSTIUK Alberta, where oils she is the only woman in the MA (Corrections) program. Her thesis is on women in a Canadian correc­ tional institute. ERIKA WANKE May 20-31: Erika Wanke was born in Germany CAROL REED but has lived in Edmonton most of wall hangings ANNA HOOK her life. In November 1974, she re­ JOHN REED Anna Hook was born in Italy and ceived the Prix Jean Patoine, a liter­ pottery lived in Paris before coming to ary award established by the Fonds Canada eight years ago. She used to Jean Patoine of Alberta. Ms. Wanke work in oils but now prefers ink be­ is a student of French literature at cause she finds it a more personal the University of Alberta. Her work medium. She lives in Calgary with has also appeared in the Franco- her two children. Albertain. 44 Branching Out

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