Vol. VII, 1987

Choices ISSC Women's Medical Center, Inc.

Zht New Crusaders

MERLE HOFFMAN basic. Whatever the underlying psycho- I should be in if I listened to and be- logical reasons, black is definitely one of lieved all the messages of the popular ON THE ISSUES my favorite colors. I am, therefore, culture. According to consistent media I have always worn a lot of somewhat bemused to find that my lik- reports, it appears as if the Women's black, even when it was out of fashion. ing for things black may have inadvert- Movement is "dead". If this is true, it Perhaps it was my flair for the dramatic ently made me very fashionable, may would seemed to have died rather softly. or tendencies towards romanticism. Per- have put me in the appropriate mind It certainly did not go out with a bang, haps it was because black always seemed and dress set for assuming the role of a and in fact, hardly with a whimper. so strong, so direct, so in control ... so woman in mourning. For it is mourning Really, you didn't hear it at all. It would © CHOICES. Women's Medical Center. Inc. 1987 Vol. VII, 1987

Choices BSUE& Women's Medical Center. Inc. CONTENTS

Editorial: Merle Hoffman On the Issues Cover

The Crusade of Karen Thompson—An Interview How, For One Woman, the Personal Became the Political 4

Women's Magazines Can Be Dangerous to Your Health! by Eiien R. entz, PH.D. Cigarette Advertising Has Resulted In An Increase In Women's Smoking—And Lung Cancer 4

"Into Your Hands Are They Delivered" by Juiia piggm A Meditation On Animal Rights and Women's Rights 5

AIDS Is A Women's Issue—An Interview With An Introduction By Dr. Mathilde Krim 6

Abortion and the Monk's Mistress by Irene Davaii A Fascinating History of Abortion From Early Days to Present Day 6

The Invisible Woman by Melody Anderson and Leora Magler Can Women Survive the Challenge of Aging In America? 7

Rape and Child Sex Abuse by Elizabeth Hoitzman How A Feminist Changed the Criminal Justice System 8

The Danger From Within & Out by Mene Hoffman When Not Following A Doctor's Orders May Result In Criminal Prosecution 8

CHOICES People—A Profile 9 "Issues" on the Air—A Look At M.H.'s Feminist Talk Show 10 We've Come A Long Way??? 11 Feedback 12 Choice Books 14 Choice Viewing 17 Patient Power 26

Cover illustrator Elizabeth (Liz) Powell is a feminist artist who has done covers for off our backs and WomanNews. and illustra- tions for Women's Quarterly Review as well as many other publi- cations. She is also a political cartoonist. Liz is based in NYC.

Published as an informational and educational service of Merle Hoffman, CHOICES Women's Medical Center. Inc. Executive Editor 97-77 Queens Boulevard. Forest Hills, New York 11374 appear that feminism had died the most terrible of all deaths in America—it had Neither Snow Nor Sleet... gone OUT OF FASHION! Everywhere you look there are obituaries. Haute couture fashion de- signer, Pauline Trigere, in an interview in Manhattan Magazine, was asked "What do you think about the Women's Movement?" Her response reads "I think it was wonderful when it started, but I truly do not understand it." There it is in black and white— the Women's Movement was wonderful. Then, Trigere not only preaches the death of the movement, she believes that the E.R.A. was passed! "1 was told there was a big difference between the salaries of men and women doing similar work. It's possible, but in our union I nvs know this is not so. Most certainly, the E.R.A. helped many women who were ChTHOUC frightened in the so-called man's world FORA to develop confidence in themselves, and to try on their own ... so that's great!"

Yes, no need for the revolution here— Over 100 people attended the 2nd Annual Rail) of the X.Y. P'v-Choice Coalition, celebrating thtr Supreme Court's Roe i Wade decision women already have their economic par- legalizing abortion, in Bryant Park, X.YC . during one of X Y.'s worst billiards. Speakers included Merle Hoffman, Gloria Steinem, Gtnm Vida IX.Y.C. Commission on the Status of Women), Coalition Voices. Additional details in Vol VIII ity—the E.R.A. has been passed! It ap- pears that I have been living an illusion, that there is no "political struggle". Recently, in a women's fashion anymore. What is "in" according to the There is no more need to work for radi- supplement in the New York Times. New York Times is dressing up in Donna cal positive social change. It all had hap- women were being exhorted to "go Karan grey silk smoking jackets to go to pened. The goals of the Women's Move- back" to dressing sexually, particularly in work (particularly if you work at teach- ment had been met. The revolution had the board rooms because "men like it ing a medical class at the Mt. Sinai Medi- come—straightened everything out—and and it adds more color to the world". cal School) and doing this without feel- had died because there just wasn't any "Women are liking it again when a man ing guilty because Neo-feminism (really more need of it. It's all over except for whistles", according to Peggy Noonan, a defined as careerism), has become the mourning (which I am dressed for). speech writer for President Reagan, and fashionable. We can all go home, we have been even Gloria Steinem would seem to The issue that is never addressed, dismissed. agree: "If you dress like men, it only of course, is that the majority of work- In reading Trigere's words, we makes men feel more anxious." It seems ing women are not teaching at Mt. Sinai may see an example of the ultimate co- we are to rewrite history and go back to Medical School nor walking into board option of the successful female executive Victorian times when women, particu- rooms saying "Hi, boys", but are locked class. Often, women who do "make it" larly upper class women, were thought into "pink collar" ghettos earning barely in this so-called man's world struggled of as merely decorative items. Says minimum wage to support themselves to do so, and have come to believe that Noonan: "Men are delighted when a and their children while 50 percent of they have succeeded purely on their own woman comes into a meeting room not them have been divorced and their in- individual merits. They become spokes- wearing a little blue suit and tie and sits comes have dropped 73 percent in the people for the status quo and join the down at the table with a certain amount first year after their divorce while their litany of voices that are telling us that of flair and says 'Hi, boys'. You're ex-husbands' have gone up 42 percent. we have entered a "post-feminist" era. pleased with yourself when you look More disheartening than the They do not see themselves as part of a nice. Men are happy. And this may sound Times or pop publications was to see larger class of women, but more in the corny, but I think you brighten up the Ms. Magazine devote the November is- genre of the archetypical American, the world a little just by showing up." sue to fashion. And perhaps the "unkind- pure individualist. This is the danger If this feminist movement is est cut of all", to have a feminist leader when the movement (defined as individ- dead, its life was a media creation! The and Ms. editor, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, ual careerism) becomes an end in and of New York Times, which couples femin- display an unconscious elitism when she itself. Those who succeed can be quickly ism and fashion, would have us believe writes in her article "Slouching Toward co-opted. They are given the goodies; that all good middle class Jewish intel- Style": "I'm not intimidated by stylish the jobs, money, the status, the power lectual revolutionaries wear Designer women because I've assumed anyone and then they are quietly enlisted into clothes to the Bastille—What an extraor- who wants to can study the fashion ads the ranks of the establishment where dinary "coup", the joining of feminism and department store mannequins, copy they are well dressed, coiffed and mani- and fashion—revolution and shopping— women whose look we admire, or hire cured and sent out to tell the rest of us as if one could buy a consciousness—as an 'image consultant' and end up looking exactly how they got to where they are if one could "try on" a way of being. reasonably close to whatever is today's in one "how to" book or interview after It seems feminism, social change version of 'put together'." another. and idealism were fads, they're not "in" Ms. Pogrebin then goes on to say continued on pg, 26 The Crusade of Karen Thompson WARNING: Women's Magazines Can Be Dangerous To Your Health! by Ellen R. Gritz, Ph.D.

Karen Thompson

For Karen Thompson, the personal mitted that I happened to fall in love with a Ellen R. Gntz has indeed become the political; and for human being because of certain qualities or someone like Karen—a very private person characteristics. I had never admitted to my- As a result of sweeping changes in who was never issue-oriented—the path to self that I was gay." social forces during this century, cigarette activism has resulted in an upheaval of her Her first taste of the agony to come smoking has become acceptable behavior for entire life. was when the hospital wouldn't tell her if females as well as males. As a result, we are The story of Karen Thompson and Sharon was dead or alive. The second was witnessing the emergence of a major national Sharon Kowalski began as a love story and when the hospital psychologist suggested she health problem. has become, and continues to be, a night- "come out" to Sharon's parents. The Kowal- Women's smoking has increased from mare—a nightmare that could happen to any skis responded that Karen was a crazy 18 percent in 1935 to 33 percent in 1965 of us. This is a tale of horror that one would woman and was never to see their daughter and has since decreased to 29 percent in think could have occurred only in a repres- again. At that point. Karen saw an attorney, 1983. In comparison, men's smoking de- sive regime—something out of Nazi Ger- only to learn that she had no legal rights as creased rather steadily from 53 percent in many. Instead, it is happening here, today, in far as Sharon was concerned. The Kowalskis 1935 to 35 percent in 1983. Interestingly, the United States. sued for guardianship, claiming that Karen these great changes in women's smoking be- Because this story is one of the most was just Sharon's landlady and that their havior have been paralleled by an unrivalled important we've ever heard—a chilling abro- daughter was not a lesbian. direct-appeal campaign by cigarette advertis- gation of patients' rights, disability rights, Fortunately, Karen was able to prove ers, which began in the mid-to-late 1920s. gay rights—indeed, all human rights—we are their relationship in court, due to the testi- There is nothing new in the trend doing it in two parts: a synopsis of the back- mony of the few people Sharon had told, and data describing women's smoking behavior. ground in Volume VII and the two-hour in- the court permitted Karen visitation rights. The news is the actualization of a national terview On The Issues conducted with Karen At that time. Sharon was in St. Cloud tragedy that was totally preventable—the Thompson in Volume VIII. Hospital, Minnesota in the city where she and emergence of lung cancer as the number one For four years, Karen Thompson and Karen lived, and where Karen is an assistant cause of cancer mortality among women. Sharon Kowalski lived as more than lovers. professor at St. Cloud University. Karen has surpassing breast cancer. In 1985, the Amer- As far as they were concerned, they were also studied occupational and physical ther- ican Cancer Society published data reporting married. They had exchanged rings in their apy, and while Sharon remained in St. Cloud, that lung cancer had become a major prob- own private ceremony because they are both Karen was able to work with her for hours lem for women as a result of the dramatic conventional people and, as Karen says, "We every day. Slowly and continuously. Sharon increase in women's smoking. A disease that figured we were married in our eyes and in began to show improvement. Videotapes virtually did not exist in this country at the the eyes of God, and we were very much prove that she was able to feed herself a lit- turn of the century is now killing more brought up to believe in the institution of tle bit and type out responses with one hand women and men annually than any other marriage." when asked questions. Sharon indicated that form of cancer. Then, on November 13. 1983. the she wanted to go home with Karen, and ex- Lagging behind, but paralleling nightmare began. Sharon's car was smashed pressed fear that Karen would be taken from changes in the smoking patterns of adult by a drunk driver, leaving her a quadriplegic her. In September, 1984, that's just what women, have been the widespread changes in and unable to speak. To this day. the extent happened. Donald Kowalski successfully filed teenage smoking. National survey data show of her mental disability has yet to be deter- to have Sharon moved to Duluth, 150 miles that gender differences in teenage cigarette mined. She suffered a closed-head injury, away. smoking have virtually disappeared, and that which means that some brain cells have been In July, 1985, Sharon was again female smoking now exceeds that of males permanently damaged while others can be moved—to a nursing home in Hibbing. Min- for most analyses. re-trained. nesota, despite the fact that the home has no A recent survey sponsored by the Na- The accident forced Karen to "come young adult rehabilitation program. Without tional Institute on Drug Abuse revealed a out of the closet". Says Karen: "I 'came out' such a program. Sharon cannot receive the higher prevalence of smoking among girls at nationally before I came out to myself ... I'd treatment she needs to retain the progress levels of occasional smoking—one or more lived with Sharon for four years and only ad- Karen helped her achieve, to say nothing of cigarettes per month and one or more ciga- continued on pe. 10 rettes per day. However, this gender differ- ence decreased as consumption levels in- "INTO YOUR HANDS ARE THEY DELIVERED" creased to one-half pack or more per day and one pack or more per day until approxi- A MEDITATION ON RIGHTS-TWO KINDS OR ONE? mate parity was reached at the latter con- by Julia Piggin sumption level, which is characteristic of adult smoking behavior. Adolescent females have been tradi- tionally characterized, by cognitive and emo- tional immaturity, hypersensitivity to peer re- jection, vulnerability to impulsive behavior, and difficulty in acquiring a positive body im- age. This combination makes the teenage fe- male exquisitely vulnerable to the seductive allure of smoking. Developmental models of the initiation of smoking behavior set out factors predisposing to cigarette smoking; these may be biological, environmental, and/ or psychological. In the preparation stage, family influ- ences predominate. Watching parents or older siblings smoke facilitates the develop- ment of a positive attitude toward smoking in the immature girl and teaches her how, when, and where smoking is appropriate. Data show a fivefold increase in likelihood (20 percent versus 4 percent) that an adoles- cent girl will smoke if she is in a household in which one or both parents or an older sib- ling smoke as compared to a non-smoking "Waldo" (right) and friend household. During the period of initiation—trying In Circe, Giovanni Battista Gelli's fa- The answer, given different rationales the first cigarette—peers become most im- mous 16th century series of fantasy-philo- in various cultures, has for millennia been a portant. Almost 75 percent of all first ciga- sophical essays in the form of dialogues with resounding "Yes!" rettes are smoked with another teenager. enchanted animals, a deer complains of her In western society, its basis is sup- Teenage smokers stick together, as do nons- treatment by men. "Your degrading us is im- posed to lie in the Judeo-Christian scriptures. mokers. Lifestyle choices are beginning to be pious and against the law of nature," she Adam, in the first chapter of the Biblical made at this time, and may include a variety says. She accuses man of assuming tyrannical Book of Genesis, is given dominion over all of behaviors and value orientations into power and prerogatives, styling himself lord living things, and particularly over Eve, who which the image of a smoker fits. and master, denying freedom and behaving is subjected and subservient to him, among Experimental smoking is defined as scornfully. other penalties, for her sin of tempting him smoking less than one cigarette per week. In The twist here, of course, is that she in the Garden of Eden. Biblical literalists have this period of social reinforcement, the for- is not complaining of her life as an animal. even argued that the serpent, specially cursed mation of a self-image is occurring. Impulsive but of her life as a woman before the sor- for his own role in the Fall, is also a repre- behaviors like smoking and experimentation ceress Circe transformed her. As a woman, sentative of the animal kingdom and so all with alcohol and sex may occur when socially she says, she was limited and confined, and animals, too. are being deservedly punished. prompted. The image of a smoker, described even considered by some "wise men" as be- Today, theologians of almost all faiths by both personality and physical attributes, longing to a different species. Her life was are re-examining and reinterpreting the can become highly valued and identified with; continual slavery. As an animal, on the other scriptural foundations for mastery over ani- teenage girls may see smoking as a way to hand, she has complete equality with males, mals—often finding more texts that pre- acquire such an image. In 1984, McCarthy with equal privilege and authority. In spite of scribe kindness to animals than equality for and Gritz demonstrated that the closer the the perils of life in a Renaissance forest, the women. ideal self-image of a smoker was to her/his deer firmly refuses a chance to live again as Traditionally, however, there have description of a model in a cigarette adver- a female human. Other animals, too, refuse been two reasons for treating animals com- tisement, the more likely that adolescent in- humanity, pointing out the relative liberty, passionately. One, they are capable of suffer- tended to be a smoker. In this, as well as the prudence, simplicity and honesty that prevail ing, and so, in simple decency, should be following stage, the physical image of the fe- in animal societies. spared it male smoker portrayed in advertisements Gelli's Circe is not about animal Two, causing pain damages the hu- may wield substantial power. rights—that concept would not be fully man who inflicts it, deadening his/her capac- Habituation is achieved when the ad- evolved for nearly four centuries, though the ity for feeling and coarsening his/her nature. olescent is smoking at least one cigarette case for women's rights was already clear. Even the valiant founders of the humane weekly. Dependence can begin to develop But buried in these dialogues is the inescapa- movement, fighting for legal protection for about this time. Now skilled in techniques of ble question: if animals live in societies that animals, thought more in these terms than in inhalation and nicotine/dose regulation, the offer fulfillment as well as freedom, have hu- terms of actual legal rights for animals. teenage girl may especially learn to use ciga- mans the right to seize and use them for There is a familiar ring to these argu- rettes as a legal and sanctioned means of their own purposes? To torture and abuse ments isn't there? For almost identical rea- weight control, also highly valued during this them in laboratories in the name of science sons, a magnanimous patriarchal father period. or to confine them in factory farms? And be- might deal kindly with his wife—or wives— It is easy to see how, to a teenage side this stands the even more basic question: and daughters. But the perceived benefit was girl, standards of slenderness and weight loss Does difference—whether of sex or spe- not for the women themselves, it was pri- may be related to smoking and how cigarette cies—confer the right of domination and ex- marily for the man. In his condescending en- advertising may capitalize on these and other ploitation of one group over another? joyment of the women's gratitude for his be- continued on pg 19 contimted on pg. 18 AIDS IS A WOMEN'S ISSUE ABORTION AND THE An ON THE ISSUES Exclusive Interview MONK'S MISTRESS with an Introduction by Dr. Mathilde Krim, Co-Chair American by Irene Davall Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) There is no doubt that the number of worker went to the brothels where she took Early in the 13th Century there lived cases of AIDS continues to increase sharply blood for syphilis testing and while she was a monk whose mistress got pregnant. It and that the proportion of such cases found doing it, asked the women if they would sign must have been accidental as she could beyond the boundaries of the so-called "high permission to see if they were immunologi- hardly have hoped to trap a monk into mar- risk" groups—mainly homosexual males and cally normal and took another tube of blood. riage. Apparently wanting to retain the best I.V. drug users—is also increasing. Women Unfortunately, they only gave me permission of all possible worlds—his monkhood and his have been struck by this deadly disease. Al- to get 1 Occs so I could never store enough mistress—the monk aborted the lady. What though many women have contracted the in- to look at later on for the HTLV-III virus. should have been a private matter between fection predisposing them to AIDS through But, we did look at it for the T cells, and two them unfortunately came to the attention of the sharing of hypodermic needles with in- of the women were significantly immune de- his boss, the Pope. The practice may have fected drug abusers, a significant proportion pressed. I followed one for a year. She was been widespread in monkville, or this a par- have become infected through sexual inter- very sick, she lost 35 pounds and had lymph- ticularly valuable monk, but, whatever the course. Because the incubation period pre- adenopathy. She really looked like she was reason, the Pope resorted to typical male chi- ceeding overt disease can be very long, on getting the disease. But a year later, she canery to solve his problem. He wrote a new average as long as five or more years, even a looked much better—she seemed a long way rule. He deemed the monk's action "not ir- monogamous relationship of several years in getting over whatever she had. regular", because the pregnancy was in the with an apparently entirely healthy partner OTI: It wasn't AIDS? early months and the fetus was not yet ani- does not exclude the risk of infection and MD: It was either ARC (AIDS Related mated. It seems ingenious that such a crafty later disease. Asymptomatic carriers of the Complex), from which we believe there can man should be called Pope Innocent. infection pose the greatest threat in the be a full recovery; or it was cytomegalovirus The special rule for one monk was in- spread of AIDS. It is essential that all women infection. cluded in the ecclesiastical law by Innocent's learn what the "facts of AIDS" are. and learn OTI: It seems most of the women successor, Gregory IX, and for 150 years the how to protect themselves and their unborn you've seen have been prostitutes. Have you Catholic position on abortion was based on children. had other types of patients? the "misconception" of a monk's mistress. With that in mind, when On the Is- MD: Oh. yes. I had another woman Gregory also adopted the old Aristotelian sues contacted me, 1 suggested they inter- who was a lovely, high-level professional with concept of ensoulment and declared the 40- view a woman physician who has done pi- a couple of children. She married a man that 80 day fetus animation concept to be official oneering work on AIDS, both in research and she didn't know was an I.V. drug user. She church dogma. with patients. She has. I believe, thoroughly got AIDS from him. Aristotle, who pre-dates Catholics by informed views of the dangers of AIDS but OTI: Do most prostitutes get AIDS 300 years, traced the development of the she can also provide down-to-earth, practical through sex or through drugs? soul through three stages—vegetable, animal advice on how it can be prevented. MD: 1 think most of those I saw got and rational. He calculated that a male fetus Because of the sensitive nature of her it from I.V. needle use, and they all—even entered the second, or animal stage 40 days work, she prefers not to be identified. How- the college student prostitute—had a boy- after conception. In his judgment the female ever, I think what she has to say is of major friend who was a drug user. She would fetus animated somewhat later—80 days importance to everyone. shoot up with him once in a while and she after conception. Lacking any technological —Mathilde Krim shared his needle. diagnostic tools to determine fetal sex—they OTI: Do you think AIDS may end the blanketly applied the 80 day rule to all fe- OTI: What was your first connection so-called "sexual revolution"? tuses—who existed as "female" until the with AIDS? MD: No question about it. About one- 81 si. day of their existence. Much of these MD: As an internist with a subspe- third of my practice is gay men and they ancient writings heavily influenced the Catho- cialty in STDs; I began seeing immunologically have really curtailed their sexual activity. A lic position on abortion until relatively unusual patients in 1980, and in 1981 I was lot of my patients (men and women) tell me recently. one of the many people who first reported that they are celibate. Everybody's scared. Prior to Aristotle, the earliest written the new disease. Maybe more so then they have to be. but... records describing abortion came from China OTI: What are the characteristics of A good rule of thumb is to use condoms. nearly 5.000 years ago. Egyptian writings your female patients with AIDS? OTI: The virus doesn't pass through from 1.000 B.C. instructed women to termi- MD: Well, that's quite interesting. I condoms? nate unwanted pregnancies by inserting pa- had one patient in 1982 who had been a MD: No. It can't pass through, but if pyrus strips, cow dung pellets or dry sponges prostitute. She was a very intelligent woman, they break, you're in trouble. The condom into their vaginas. working as a prostitute three months of the and spermicidal jelly together provide better Roman, Greek and Egyptian women year and attending college for the rest of the protection. There is some evidence that the used abortion for population control as early time. She realized that AIDS was related to spermicidal jelly kills the virus. as 400 B.C. and by 200 B.C.. Roman women sexual activity so she sent me six friends. OTI: Yes, we've heard that too. As a began using abortion not only for family lim- Soon after. I got another prostitute referral matter of fact, it seems that the virus, once itation, but for such reasons as "personal from a physician, and had a total of eight it's outside the human body, is fragile. vanity and social ambition." women, three of whom were very abnormal, MD: Yes, fortunately it is very fragile. During the reign of Julius Cesar, the and one was the patient with AIDS. I'd been And it's not even spread that easily sexually abortion rate peaked and senators clamored saying all along that we should be examining because the wives of hemophiliacs don't al- for acts to curb the practice. The result was prostitutes, and fortunately, I was able to in- ways show the virus antibodies. an increase in tax benefits and political pre- terest Dr. David Sencer (then Commissioner OTI: It has been reported that they ferment for additional children. History isn't of the N.Y.C. Department of Health) who at have finally isolated the virus in women's va- explicit on their success, but financial and po- that time, was studying women prostitutes ginal secretions. Why did it take them so litical preferment for men seems a strange for a new, resistant strain of gonorrhea. long to do it? way of forcing women to bear unwanted They (the Department of Health) were moni- MD: It's very difficult to culture the children. toring women in brothels. The health care virus to begin With and it's very difficult to Alas, it would appear that the male continued oti pg 22 lawmaker has learned nothing in 2,000 years! In 1969, when the entire world was THE INVISIBLE WOMAN becoming alarmed at the population explo- sion, Congress heedlessly passed a law offer- The Challenge of Aging in America ing a $25 tax bonus for each child and esca- by Melody Anderson and Leora Magier lating the bonus to $50 in 1971. Economic arguments are rarely used by today's "friends of the fetus" to oppose abortion, but most cannot resist the cliche "It is against God's will and forbidden in the Bi- ble." Don't be surprised if they flounder when asked to quote scripture on the sub- ject—it doesn't exist. The only Biblical reference is in Exo- dus, and even that isn't a law against abor- tion, it concerns adulterous sex with a preg- nant woman! "If man strive and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her and yet no mischief follow: he shall surely be punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him: and he shall pay as the judges determine." In modern translation, the passage reads. "If men get into a fight and/ or hurt a pregnant woman so that she has a miscarriage, without further harm, he must pay such fine as the woman's husband im- Melody Anderson (left) and Leora Magiei at the opening of RESOURCES for Midtife is Older Women poses on him and so pay for her miscar- riage." This raises an intriguing question. Are In midlife. according to the Harvard "Invisible" older women are even payments made to him (rather than to her) Medical School Mental Health Letter, women more deprived for they are not seen or because she was an adulteress or because the experience more personal change than at any heard. For example, feminists may not ap- expected child was considered to be his other time in their lives. "Middle-aged prove of the way young women are often property? women are at risk for illness or death of a portrayed on TV and in films, but at least If Roman women aborted for per- husband, divorce, separation, midlife crisis of they have visible images. Older women rarely sonal vanity and there is no specific Biblical a husband, unemployment, death of parents, see themselves portrayed by the media, pop- censure, why must women in the 20th Cen- caring for frail elders, children leaving home, ular literature, and fine arts at all. Being an tury continue to fight for the right to control a move to a new neighborhood, and loss of older woman means being invisible. It means their bodies? Who would control women by social supports." To this list should be added rarely, if ever, finding your own reflection in denying their right to choose when to be, or the increasing social invisibility of women as the popular culture. Even more difficult is the not to be, mothers? The answer lies in much they age. pressure put on older women to accept all of organized religion's male dominated Because society views women as es- this gracefully. dogma. The Catholic church has an especially sentially biological sexual beings, once a Although the modern women's move- rigid position based on the concept of "en- woman goes through menopause she be- ment has helped to create new and exciting soulment"—which is that a person exists at comes devalued and is no longer viewed as opportunities for younger women, this often the moment of conception. sexual or desirable. She is, therefore, of low can result in a heightened sense of loss for What is especially interesting is the social status and of little interest to most older women. It reminds them of what they fact that this dogma is little more than 100 people, including psychotherapists. Due to could have had and of what they most likely years old. age and sex discrimination, a mature woman will never have. They see younger women, In 1588, Pope Sixtus wrote only one faces tremendous obstacles in entering the their daughters and granddaughters, have declaration on abortion. He abolished the Ar- job market or even changing a job during a some choice about how to lead their lives. istotelian 40-80 day rule, thus setting the successful career. She is very often shunned Choices they never had. While many women Church against all abortions performed after by the social world. Even men of her own truly enjoy seeing their daughters achieve— 40 days. While we happily credit Sixtus with age who, 20 years prior, were interested in very often the joy is tinged with bitterness elevating female feti to equality, he sacrificed her as a potential partner, no longer see her and colored by feelings of deprivation, frus- 40 days of her existence for the privilege. as acceptable, treating her almost as if she is tration and loss. Sixtus also dealt with adultery, declaring pun- not there, as if she were—invisible. Barnett and Baruch have pointed out ishment for that offense to be death by This invisibility involves three pivotal in their landmark study of the psychological hanging. His successor viewed many of Six- issues: deprivation, discrimination and well-being of women in their mid years that tus' pronouncements frivolous and abolished dependency. women's "culturally determined and psycho- them all, except the one on abortion. Until All little girls are brought up in an en- logically internalized marginality seems to be 1869, the official Catholic position permitted vironment that teaches, encourages and rein- what makes their historical experiences es- abortion up to 40 days after conception. forces them to deprive themselves. Little sentially different from that of men." Church rules are not law in America, boys on the other hand are encouraged to Man has named, classified, and inter- but scant attention has been directed to our initiate and explore. Girls are taught and told preted the meaning of the universe and, in so legal history. American laws on abortion are not to: not to climb trees, not to talk too doing, has left out the experience of women. generally based on English common law loud, not to get dirty, not to have sex, not to In every area of knowledge, a male view of which was adopted in the early 1800s. Be- enjoy their bodies. Many are taught that the world has been taught conditioned and fore that time in England, abortion with the menstruation is a curse and that it is femi- internalized by both women and men. In woman's consent and before quickening, was nine to deprive themselves of food and nur- every area of discovery, men have investi- not a crime at all. In the 17th century, a re- turance. In essence, mothers teach their little gated and reinterpreted the world's events pressive government declared the death pen- girls to be satisfied with less because that is by a particular logic and language, always as- alty for 232 separate offenses, one of which what they learned from their own mothers. suming, without inquiring, that their view of continued on pg 28 continued on pg 20 RAPE AND CHILD SEX ABUSE: HOW A FEMINIST THE DANGER FROM CHANGED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WITHIN & OUT By Elizabeth Holtzman by Merle Hoffman

Pamela Raie Steward Monson is a 27-year-old woman from San Diego, California, who has the dubious honour of being a "first". She is one of the first women in the nation to be criminally charged for "fetal abuse". It seems that during her preg- nancy, Pamela lived in a trailer camp with her husband and two children. Late in her pregnancy. Ms. Monson was told by her physician not to take illegal drugs, to stay off her feet, and to avoid sexual intercourse. Her doctor also told her that she was to seek immediate medical attention if she began to hemorrhage. According to the brief filed against her, Ms. Monson ignored all of her doctor's warnings in the ninth month of her pregnancy and, as a result, Pamela Monson gave birth to a brain Elizabeth Holtzman dead son, with amphetamines and barbi- turates in his blood. The most important The pain and horror of sexual assault cause of all these obstacles—as well as the charge against Monson was that she touches women of all ages, all colors, all guilt and shame associated with rape, victims failed to get to the doctor immediately classes, and all positions. Yet until recently, rarely came forward. As a result, prosecu- the criminal justice system, instead of viewing tions were extremely difficult. after she began to hemorrhage. the women as victims of crime, treated them It was only with the advent of the According to reports, Ms. Mon- as though they were responsible for the womens' movement in the late '60s and early son suffered from placenta previa—a crimes against them. The same problem ex- 70s that the public perception of rape finally condition in which the fetus becomes isted with respect to child sex abuse victims, began to change. Women who were raped separated from the placenta and, as a most of whom were girls. slowly began to be recognized as victims, not result is deprived of blood and oxygen. Sexual attacks on women are rampant criminals, while the law and the criminal jus- It is potentially fatal for the fetus and tice system itself started to reflect this new in 20th century America. The Federal Bureau can also be potentially fatal for the of Investigation estimates that a woman is understanding. woman who carries it. raped every six minutes and that one woman In 1974, the corroboration require- The issues raised in Monson's in 10 can expect to be raped in her lifetime. ment for adult rape victims was at last re- Nationwide, complaints of rape continue to pealed in New York. While 1 was in Congress, case are of tremendous significance on go up steadily. I helped to pass a law which helped ensure multiple levels. In the past, rape was a word rarely the privacy of rape victims in federal courts. They involve power, autonomy mentioned in polite society; it was something In 1982, New York abolished another offen- and control—who controls women— that happened to women who "asked for sive provision: the requirement that a woman who controls their movements—who it"—in other words, nice women didn't get had to fight back against the rapist (put up controls their bodies—who controls raped; rape was the victim's fault and the "earnest resistance") if there was to be a their health care, and ultimately, who prosecution for rape. Even though police law reflected this view of women. controls their concept of motherhood. Imagine what it must have been like often counsel women not to fight back be- There is of course the issue of only 16 years ago for a woman who was cause doing so could endanger their lives, the raped. By law, her word alone could not con- "earnest resistance" requirement reflected just who is responsible for the fetus— vict the rapist; she would need witnesses or the view that women basically want to be the woman who carries it, the physicians other corroboration. The law thus assumed raped and the burden was placed on them to whose care she is under, or the state? that women always consented—because show they did not. By opening up this question to a criminal women secretly want to be raped. If the vic- Unfortunately, in 1982, when the leg- action—doors may be open for all types tim testified in court, she was subjected to islature eliminated this requirement it im- of invasions of privacy—pregnant humiliating cross-examination about her prior posed a new special burden on women—a le- women may be monitored for smoking, sexual activity. Here the law assumed that if gal rape could not take place, no matter how excessive physical activity, exposing a woman ever said yes to any man anytime much force was used, unless the victim could themselves to potentially dangerous in her life, then she would never say no prove that she feared immediate death or se- chemicals on the job. excessive drinking, again. She was in a sense "spoiled goods". A rious and longlasting bodily injury. My office rape victim could also expect to encounter led the fight to remove this unrealistic and etc., etc. derision or skepticism from the police to grossly unfair provision and we finally Because there is an assumption whom she complained, the prosecutors han- succeeded. of fetal rights—that is, that the fetus in dling her case and the judges at her trial. Be- Police and prosecutors have also be- utero exists apart from the woman, is continued on pg. 13 8 an entity with rights and can be CHOICES PEOPLE an O.R. nurse in the same hospital. In a harmed—it follows that the fetus has le- short time she went from Staff Nurse to gal standing as a potential litigant. Barbara Barrow Assistant Head Nurse, married and had Physicians also enter this scenario her sons. After a three-year break for as police-type enforcers—no longer are child-rearing, she became Assistant Head they to be viewed as facilitators, as Nurse in the Emergency Room of St. professionals whose role it should be to Luke's Hospital in New York. offer the best of their expertise to their Obviously enjoying stressful, patients so that they can make up their high-tension positions, she next became own minds on an issue. No, now not fol- Assistant Supervisor—and later Supervi- lowing a physician's orders may result in sor—at the Center for Reproductive and criminal prosecution. Sexual Health. With the Monson case, the State "Somewhere in there my hus- has once again reinforced the negative band and I separated," said Barbara, concept of a woman at war with herself, cheerfully, "but I can't remember when.' a woman at war with her body, at war As a matter of fact, Barbara and her ex- with her uterus, and ultimately, at war husband remain in close contact and are with her fetus. Frustrated by their ina- the best of friends. She considers him an bility to restrict or prohibit legal abor- excellent father, as close to and caring of tion, fetal rights activists, anti-choice their sons as she is. theorists and allied members of the sci- Barbara's indomitable spirit was entific community are attempting to cre- pushed to its limit in 1973 when, while ate a "second patient" (the fetus). There motorcycling with a friend in Central is a real and present danger that any le- Park, they were hit by a van. With her gal rights granted to this second patient leg broken in nine places and a fractured (the fetus) will result in diminished civil Barbara Barrou spine, Barbara was incapacitated for and legal rights for the first patient (the three years. As soon as she was up and woman). Indeed, a current example may Incredible energy—calm and col- around, she went back to college for her be found in the occurrence of "forced lected in any crisis—dedicated—commit- B.S., and while in school, began a con- Cesarean sections"—performed more ted—a wide variety of talents and inter- struction company with a friend. There for the presumed benefit of the fetus ests—and that's just the beginning when she worked full-time as office manager, than concern for the mother. you try to describe CHOICES' Clinical public relations and vice president of the Once again the people who argue Administrator, Barbara Barrow. company. This obviously was not enough for fetal rights make a poor case when An average day for Barbara be- to keep her busy because, during the there is no accompanying hue and cry gins at 5:30 a.m. She arrives at same period, she went to Columbia for for adequate pre-natal care. Why was CHOICES at 7:30, ready to work a 10 her M.S. in Public Health. After obtaining this woman not seen by any physician to 12 hour day, where she must be pre- it, she decided to go back to the medical field and, said Barbara, "So to during the first seven months of her pared to deal with every problem that CHOICES." pregnancy? Why was she the only one can conceivably happen with patients, who was prosecuted? The man involved, nursing staff and lab, as well as adminis- About CHOICES, Barbara said. "I the father, was not even mentioned in trative paperwork. Once home, she does love my work here. I have the satisfac- the suit, although he obviously was in- all the things a working single mother tion of seeing everything through. I've volved in the sex act. Nothing was said must do—but she credits her sons, Sean also never worked with such a fine and about the potential danger to the and Eric, with "being very helpful in the varied staff." woman herself—placenta previa can be, house." She enjoys a close relationship Barbara considers herself a and is, often fatal to the woman. with them and says: "I'm very fortunate. "strong feminist" and is especially dedi- While there may be justified rage No teenage problems." Then she laughs cated to reproductive rights and civil and anger at Monson for abrogating her and knocks wood. But this isn't enough rights. "I belong to all the organizations responsibilities both to her fetus and to to keep Barbara busy: she is now taking and 1 feel guilty that I can't seem to find herself, we must not fail to recognize classes in origami. "I'm just starting to the time to be more active in them." the source of her problem. With the learn. I can repair things, but 1 can't do When asked what she'd like to dearth of adequate pre-natal programs artistic crafts." do in the future, she says she would like for the poor, the high incidence of drug If she really can't, they must be to travel. Because she loves history, she and alcohol use among women—particu- the only things she can't do. would especially like to go to Egypt. larly poor and depressed women. Pamela Barbara's career began when she "And," she adds, "I haven't de- Monson and her brain dead baby can be graduated from the Prospect Heights cided about my doctorate yet. 1 really viewed as the crowning result of an il- School of Nursing and went to work as have not had a lot of time to ponder the logical and severely anti-natal society. If, future." in fact, Monson did understand the med- Somehow, we believe her. ical advice given to her and then by ac- tive or passive choice failed to follow in- to the view that women are self-di- structions, she may indeed have made a rected, self-created moral agents, Mon- bad choice—a choice that could be son, not her doctor, not her husband viewed as an attempted suicide. The bot- and not the State has the right to make tom line here is that if we are to ascribe even the worst of choices. "Issues" on the Air "MH: ON THE ISSUES "-SHOW TOPICS

Show #1—Women and the Movement: Guest: Bella Abzug; Frontline Reporter: Karla Jackson-NY Women Against Rape.

Show #2—Abortion: Guests: Jennifer Brown. President NOW-NYC; Bill Baird. Reproductive Rights Activist: Frontline Reporter: Alexandra Ma- tusinka-Women Against Pornography.

Show #3—Women in Religion: Guests: Rabbi Julie Gordon; Reverend Lucinda Laird-Kuhn; Front- line Reporter: Duffy Spencer-Coalition for Abused Women.

Show #4—Women in Politics: Guest: Carol Bellamy.

Show #5—Aging: Guests: Myrna Lewis-Mt. Sinai School of Medicine; Deborah Perry-Feminist Witch; Frontline Reporter: Kay Wight-NYC Commission on the Status of Women.

Show #6—The Women's Movement: The Sec- Merle Hoffman (left) and Bella Abiug discuss Women and Ike Movement on Merle's cable shou "MH. On the Issues" ond Stage: Guest: Betty Friedan.

Show #7—Family and Divorce: Guest: Phyllis search, and her energy carries the program Merle Hoffman's feminist talk show, Chesler-author; Frontline Reporter: Arlene Swartz- "MH: On the Issues", is being viewed by mil- along. "MH: On the Issues" gives a useful and NARAL. lions throughout the country. If your local entertaining insight into the current where- cable channel isn't one of the many airing the abouts of mainstream feminist thought— Show #8—Fat is a Feminist Issue: Guest: Susie series, tell them to contact Anderson Produc- something none of us can afford to ignore." Orbach-author: Frontline Reporter: Nan Hunter- tions. 51 West 81 Street, New York, NY Each program is divided into four Feminists Against Censorship. 10024; phone (212) 769-2501. Individual segments: Merle's wrap-up of news items of tapes are also available to organizations and importance to women that "you might have Show #9—Women and the Criminal Justice conferences. University libraries, women's missed while reading the papers"; a repre- System: Guest: Elizabeth Holtzman-Brooklyn Dis- groups, feminist organizations that are inter- sentative from an activist women's organiza- trict Attorney; Frontline Reporter: Hanelore Hahn- International Women's Writing Guild. ested in having the series or individual seg- tion who discusses the aims and actions of ments should contact the Public Relations her group; Merle's interview with her main Show #10—Sexuality: Guest: Virginia Apuzzo- Dept. at CHOICES: (718) 275-6020. guest or guests; and Merle's commentary Former Director National Gay Task Force: Frontline In WomanNews, Laura Green wrote in about some issue of importance to her. Reporter: Marie Wilson-Ms. Foundation. her review: "Hoffman is a lively interviewer "MH: On the Issues" is a tasty and whose strong personality and opinions give hearty meal for those who are starved for coherence to the series. She does her re- substance in the media.

Thompson com. from p^ i ^^•^••••••^^H progressing further. And, despite Sharon's seems to be that they have enough problems used against them, but also I can make the expressed Wish to see her, Karen has been fighting for disability rights without getting tie to racism, sexism, ageism, the disabled— barred from the facility. She has not seen involved in a case that has gay rights at- it's all connected. And I didn't know that be- Sharon since August 19. 1985. According to tached to it... My contention is that they fore ... I'm a totally different person now Karen: "This is the United States and I'm not can't afford not to get involved." and I'll never be able to go back to the per- allowed to get any information on how she's Except for the gay press, the Thomp- son that I was." doing. I cannot communicate with her in any son case has received little media coverage— In addition to the emotional and way. I'll get arrested if I step on the almost none in the major media—which is physical drain Karen is suffering, the financial premises." remarkable considering the issues involved. drain has been enormous. Her legal fees Karen says her concern is not who Karen has been traveling the country, trying alone are nearly $100,000. She is grateful to gets legal guardianship of Sharon, but to in- to set up interviews and give speeches to en- the University that they have not only kept sure that Sharon gets the best care possible. list support for what has become a crusade. her on. but have also been very supportive. Because Karen is willing to take Sharon She knows that the issues are far beyond the She will continue to fight, no matter what home, set up a rehabilitation program and fight for the custody and care of Sharon. the cost, because "If Sharon and I don't fight work with her, while Sharon's parents are 5ays Karen: "I've had the blinders ripped off. this, then how many others will have to ex- letting her vegetate in a nursing home, Karen I can no longer live in my little isolated world perience it because we didn't? It's got to believes that Sharon's basic right to recovery and go to work and then, after work, live my stop somewhere." is being violated. own personal life and nobody knows me. I (For information or contributions The Minnesota Civil Liberties Union is was very non-issue oriented. But once you do contact MnGALLA. c/o Suzanne Born. 3436 fighting for Karen's cause. She has wanted have the blinders taken off. you see oppres- Holmes Ave., Minneapolis. MN 55408) support from disability rights groups, but sion in one area, then you start to see says: "Most of the groups I've talked with oppression all around you. and it's almost have agreed that Sharon's disability rights overwhelming. Now. I not only see what homo- are being flagrantly violated. The problem phobia does to people and how it can be

10 judces assume the woman must have pro- A report by the Older Women's Lea- voked the attack and are reluctant to order gue analyzed census data on the 23 million WE'VE the batterer out of the house. American women aged 45 to 64 and 17 mil- Women lawyers often are demeaned, lion aged 65 and older. The data showed COME subjected to comments about appearance and that millions of middle-aged and elderly ALONG sometimes are propositioned. They are also women are living alone on limited incomes rarely assigned to "fee generating" cases. and struggling to overcome age and sex bias. WAY??? Minority women are in particularly desperate Gives the words "contempt of court" circumstances. Among the findings cited: new meaning doesn't it? • In 1984 more than one in three Black women and one in five Hispanic women 65 and older were poor. In all. women constituted 71 percent, or about 2.3 million of the elderly poor. • More than 43 percent of all men American Psychologist reports that the proportion of women in psychology who 65 and over received pension income while have been intimate sexually with a professor only 20 percent of the women did. Of the during their graduate training is one in six. women who received pensions, the median according to a survey of 464 women. The monthly amount was $233, against $484 for most common sexual partner was the wom- men. an's primary adviser or supervisor. The inti- • Of approximately 2.2 million people macy was most frequent among women who providing unpaid assistance to 1.2 million were separating or divorcing during graduate noninstitutionalized frail elderly, 72 percent school. Fewer than 30 percent of the women are women: more than half are 45 and older. News item from the New York Times: felt that the sexual contact was objectionable A distraught woman who refused to testify at the time, but in retrospect, close to half Apparently child-rearing and care-giv- against the man accused of raping her was felt they had been coerced— either subtly or ing aren't bankable toward a secure old age. found in contempt of court and sent for the overtly. Sexual relationships between teacher second time to the same jail where the de- and student were considered unethical and fendant was being held. Judge Albert Yenco- harmful to the working relationship by an pal of Superior Court in Pasco. WA. previ- overwhelming majority of the women surveyed. ously ordered the woman jailed because she A study conducted for the Congres- indicated she would rather leave town with Among women who were in graduate sional Joint Economic Committee said that her two children than testify because she was school 20 or more years ago, only five per- since 1973 the share of national income afraid of seeing the defendant in court. She cent reported sexual contact with a going to families with children has dropped was released four hours later when she professor. 19 percent. It stated that a contributing fac- posted bond. tor was the increasing number of families Judge Yencopal said he imposed the Which tells us that if women are to headed by one parent— usually a woman. sentence "with some discomfort" and the progress, in some ways we'd do better to Single parents headed up 24.7 percent of all woman would be freed as soon as she regress. families in 1984. up from 16.4 percent in agreed to testify. The chief prosecutor, L.S. 1973. Families headed by single women had Moore stated "I hate to see the victim being a mean income of $13,257, less than 40 treated worse than the defendant, but I don't percent of the $34,379 average income for see any other alternative." two-parent families. And a Labor Department study showed that the proportion of families We wonder if Judge Yencopal's dis- From the Marin Independent Journal. headed by single mothers employed full time comfort is worse than that of the innocent CA: A new trial will be held for David Vela ranged from 38 percent of those with chil- victim? As for "alternatives", how about who was convicted of raping a 14-year-old dren under a year to 79 percent with chil- closed-circuit TV for rape victims as a girl in 1982. According to the appeals court. dren under three to 84 percent whose starter? Vela said the girl consented and changed her youngest child was six to 17. Meantime, ex- mind after penetration. Justice Hollis Best perts on child care said the data has distress- said if the jury believed Vela's account, it ing implications for low-income parents since could convict him of crimes such as assault, out-of-home child care services are prohibi- but not rape. tively expensive, while Federal and state fi- Said Best: "It follows that if consent nancing of the services has steadily decreased is given at the moment of penetration, the in recent years. Whether as litigants or lawyers, act of intercourse will be shielded from beinc, women are often denied equal justice or op- a rape even if consent is later withdrawn Suffer the little children—and their portunity in the courts, according to a 274- during the act." mothers as well. page report from the New York Task Force Vela admitted that he had continued on women in the Courts. The result to liti- the sexual act by force. gants is that claims from many rape victims are not believed, women are shortchanged in If a sexual act by force isn't rape, we divorce and child-support settlements and in wonder what is? Apparently, acquaintance t cases involving domestic violence, many rape doesn't count.

11 "We enjoy Issues and appreciate the service it "I have no idea whose sick joke it was to put provides. We would like to reprint the article my name on your subscription list, but we "The Limits of Choice" (Vol. VI) in out better do something about it real quick. I dis- newsletter. Sfici ml Delivery, which is sent to like articles with underlined commentary. I 2.0D0 childbirth educators, midwives, young dislike articles like Barbara Katz Rothman's, families, etc." who slates 'A woman can learn that the Donna Ovretskaya, Editoi wanted pregnancy she has will . . . be dead Ann Arbor, MI by five years—she terminates. There is no point to continuing.' I'd like to see cited sup- port to such a flat statement other than Roth- man's own infantile perceptions of things spiritual. The level of depth of your publica- tion is that of a woman's magazine. I need "I enjoyed reading these stimulating articles, something a bit more serious." especially the one about the impact of the new technology and the rights of patients (Vol. Yoram Yanovei VI}." Xew York, X) E. A Roosevelt Washington correspondent, Xutntion and Health Revieu Washington, D(. FEEDBACK "Please continue to send On The Issues. I es- pecially like Dr. Janice Raymond's article on 'Man-Made Reproduction' (Vol. VI). It was "Thank you for all you are doing to dignify informative, well-written and thought the importance of women's 'choice' and to ed- provoking." ucate us on the scope of this necessity." Leslie Fay Hudreck "/ have read two editions of On The Issues Betsy K. Kohlsaat Lansdale. PA mid have /uund each of them extremely use- South Carolina Commission on Women ful. It gives hope to know that thete die sn Columbia, SC manx wonderful women ught across the world fighting Utongly about the issues which we simultaneously fight ovei here." Joycelynne A. Scutt iDi.) Luxe Reform Commission of Victoria Melbourne. Australia "The Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision gave women, and men, the right oj control over their own bodies and therefore, over then own destinies. What's bothering me now "As a volunteer at Planned Parenthood is that even one person, much less a sizeable Rockland County. X) in the late '60s. I was, group of people, would want not only to take m a small way, instrumental m getting abor- "Thank you for lekinclltng the fire of injus- that right away from others but would be tion legalized in XY Stale. I'm a Texan now. tice in my heart. With an '80s lifestyle it is willing to give it up themselves. Because it is but once a Xew Yorker, ahi'ays a Xew easy to become apathetic toward personal freedom, freedom of choice, personal liberty, ) orker. My best wishes for a fine and beauti- causes. I have many doors open to me and that is at stake. fully written periodical." few obstacles in the way. While reading Is- Some people disagree. They think the Betty Koster sues I was reminded that not all women are issue is murder. Just the opposite is true. It Boerne, TX a.s fortunate as I. that it is my >espousibdil\ seems to me that Roe v Wade took the possi- to help change this and I am in a position to bility of cruelty, negligence and murder out do so. Thank you again fo> your lime, energy, of the hands of illegal, and immoral, and effort." abortionists. Jackie Warren Demijohn Death is an inescapable part of life Ml. Pleasant. MI that we spend our conscious and unconscious "I very much enjoyed On The Issues Vol. VI. energy trying to avoid. Sometimes self-preser- It is the first one thai I have seen and I read vation requires the termination of a preg- it from cover to cover, which is a rare thing nancy conceived under circumstances that for me. as I teceive over 30 publications reg- would be harmful, if not deadly, to both ularly. Would you please add both my offices "This is to acknowledge receipt of your publi- mother and unborn child—and sometimes to your mailing list as well as my daughter cation. On The Issues, fin which we thank father and siblings as well. who is an activist m Sitka, Alaska and you. Please keep us informed uf any new re- Parenting is personal. It is a sacred started the first Planned Parenthood clinic m search or publications pertaining to women." privilege and an overwhelming responsibility Southeast Alaska? She is presently preparing fulmda Abu Nasr, Ph.I) requiring dedication and commitment. It is— to enter medical school. Thank you very much Director, Institute foi Women's must remain—a matter of choice." and keep up the good work!" Studies in the Arab World Miriam K. Harris Dwight W. Williamson, DO. Beirut. Lebanon Dallas, TX Sunnyside, WA

12 "We at the Commission for Women's Affairs, "I like you! I love what you are doing and Rape-Sex Abuse .,.• u » <, ••^••••••l Office of the Governor, would like to con- saying—and you say 'woman' and 'women' come more sensitive to the needs of rape tinue receiving your magazine because we and don't use the cowaidly neutral 'person' victims. Nevertheless, a number of sex-based stereotypes still surround the crime of rape. find it interesting and of great value for ref- and 'people'. I wanted to cheer. It is so easy It is not surprising that many women are still erence purposes." not to say that you ate 'a woman—with a reluctant to report being raped. In 1984, the Gloria M. Pewtra dedication and determination to create a bet- U.S. Census Bureau reported that fewer than Santurce, PR ter and healthier world for all women', but 10 percent of rapes are ever reported. that i\ exactly what you did say." Juries are also extremely affected by Mia Albright these negative stereotypes and degrading at- Feminists Contented for Better titudes toward women. A study released last Feminist Leadership year found that juries were less likely to view "I work at a shelter for battered women. Xew York, AT as credible victims who had prior sexual ex- Merle Hoffman's article in Vol. 17 was en- perience, used birth control or met their as- lightening and was the poignant assessment sailants in bars. Judges, too. continue to re- and accurate portrayal of issue and affect of flect these offensive views, according to the something that has reverberations strong and New York State Task Force on Women in the Courts (which I had urged be created). For steadx throughout our society. I see the "Our clinic recently received an issue of your example, the Task Force which issued its re- trauma that is wracked, deep and wide, by publication that all of the personnel enjoyed. port last year pointed to a New York State the surface attitudes and actions that are still After reading it, we placed it in our waiting judge's comments about a rapist who broke part of our daily life. Your publication looks room for our patients' enjoyment." into the woman's room wearing a stocking to be a potent fighter against those painful Leslie Farrar mask over his face and brutally raped her. and dangerous roadblocks we all fight." S'orth Country Clinic for Women and The judge said: "I think it started without Brad Brown Children consent, but maybe they ended up enjoying Redding, CA Arcata, CA themselves." New York is not the only scene of ju- dicial mistreatment of rape victims. In Wis- consin, a judge sentenced the rapist of a 16 year-old girl to probation because rape, he "/ am veiy glad to know that you are ready asserted, was a "normal reaction" to provoc- to share information with me and with "I have just read Barbara Katz Rothman'i ative clothing. The victim was wearing a women of other countries. Yoiu magazine is 'The Limits of Choice' and was very touched bulky sweater and jeans. The attitudes surrounding rape by very interesting and valuable for me. I will by some of her insights. I have learned not to judge anyone, and we are here to help all be- strangers is bad enough; the attitudes about share it with my friends. Thank you very, sexual violence towards women by husbands reaved parents. The phrase she used about veiy much for your support, your under- and lovers are even worse. standing and help. With much love from Deborah grieving 'greatly the loss of her baby' Today, women in 27 states in this Poland." struck me immediately. I wanted to put my country may be legally raped by their hus- Teresa Bres arms around Deborah and tell her that her bands. In more than half the United States Torun g, Poland grief was normal and not to think she would marital rape is literally not a crime, no mat- put that behind her as soon as the next baby ter how brutal the assault. And it was only in was born. Please do an article ahout the grief the past 15 years that the 23 other states that parents, including those who have had abolished exemptions for marital rape. elective abortions, experience on the the loss There are two basic premises under- lying the exemption for marital rape. The "I just want to congratulate you on On The of a child. There is so much information to share." first is that a wife not only has no sexual au- Issues. I think you're doing a wonderful job tonomy or bodily privacy with respect to her of reporting, not to mention the fact that Therese Goodrich, Ex. Dir. husband; but that he is entitled to use viol- mam of the things you write up do not ap- The Compassionate Friends, Inc. ence to enforce his right to have sexual rela- pear elsewhere." Oak Brook, IL tions with her at will. Harriet F. Pilpel, P.C. The second premise is that a woman New York, AT once married is the property of her husband. He cannot commit a crime by misusing his own property. It is truly terrifying to think that any law in 1986 should embody the concept of a "After reading Vols. IV, V and VI. / am ea- person as property, but laws in 27 states of "A used copy of your publication recently ger to be one of CHOICES PEOPLE'. this country currently do so. came across my desk. I would like to make it What a godsend CHOICES would have been In New York State, until December a regular occurrence. Our continuing educa- fifty years ago!" 1984, it was legal for a husband to rape his tion programs reflect the need expressed by Eleanor G. Cave wife. My own office filed a friend of the our community for health education, infor- Gladwyne, PA court brief which argued that this law was mation about social issues and professional unconstitutional. The highest court in the continuing education. Several of you) articles state finally agreed. suggested topics for program development. I While many improvements have been made in the rape laws, significant improve- look forward to receiving On The Issues ments have also been made in the prosecu- again." tion of child sex abuse cases. I am proud of Professor Constance Lee the role my office played in drafting and ob- Bergen Community College taining enactment of these important Paramus. NJ changes. The corroboration requirement, continued on 25 13 activities in and out of the home, through the busi- ness angles of obtaining a license, keeping records, doing your taxes, and much, much more. It even has recipes for making your own baby food. Just reading the book exhausted this re- viewer. It also gave her increased respect for the stamina and devotion of the providers who are performing this most vital and, unfortunately, un- derrated service, a service which should be ele- vated to the ranks of the highest and most admi- rable of professions. Choice Books —B.L.

Goodbye Hangovers. Hello Life: Self- by women of color or those from a particular eth- Help for Women by Jean Kirkpatrick. Ph.D. (Ath- nic community, including the possible prejudice eneum, NY $14.95 cloth) presents a reviewing and/or insensitivity of the agencies involved in the problem. Dr. Kirkpatrick, founder and executive di- case. rector for Women For Sobriety, has much of im- At the end of the book is a Directory of portance to impart on why women alcoholics differ Services throughout the United States which could from men both in their drinking habits and their be helpful in finding aid and support psychological make-up. She presents very valid rea- It is well known that domestic violence is Eros and Power: The Promise of Feminist sons as to why Alcoholics Anonymous often doesn't often present in families where incest occurs. In Theory by Hauanai-Kay Trask (University of work for women—something I have heard from reading the rundown of types of battering experi- Pennsylvania Press. Philadelphia. PA. $24.95 cloth. several women alcoholics. Certainly. Women For enced by the wife/mother, the list of Emotional $15.95 paperback) Sobriety sounds like an excellent organization for Acts had quite a few surprises—in fact, made me H.K. Trask. Assistant Professor of American women who are "problem drinkers". However, this wonder if more of us are battered than we realize Studies at the University of Hawaii and a feminist book reads too much like a cross between a pop Among them are: "Puts you down", "Calls you theoretician, has written a book that seeks to un- women's magazine article and a sermon despite its names", "Treats you like a child", and "Withholds cover the common critical intellectual threads that many good points. Also, there is no index or docu- affection" bind present day radical feminist writers. She pos- mentation and far too many generalizations. Ms. Byerly also points out that incest does tulates a link she terms the "Feminist Eros"—by I am always leery of sentences such as not exist in a vacuum—that "we must begin to which she means a particular type of feminist criti- "Women alcoholics long for intimacy but shy away change the society around us and our values which cal consciousness. She believes that this conscious- from sex". All women alcoholics? Unfortunately, perpetuate this problem"; that "incest is practically ness is peculiar to women and comes about be- the book abounds with this type of writing. Or. as unheard of in families where parents share a mu- cause of women's particular form and existence in in the case of nutrition information, I'd like to tual position of authority"; that only through society, their erotic and biological functioning and know the source. Did Dr. Kirkpatrick invent the equality of power and position can we overcome their emotional mothering of children, men and diet herself? If so. what are her qualifications as a incest and female exploitation. She emphasizes that other women. nutritionist? If not, why isn't the source cited? society must change its values, educational and Written in the form of a philosophical trea- I also could have lived without the case his- economic systems, and that we can all help to play tise. Trask reviews Marcuse, Freud, and Simone de tories, especially Dr. Kirkpatnck's own. I found a part in doing this. Beauvoir as background to presenting current radi- myself cynically wondering if she "let it all hang Kendall/Hunt manages to turn out excellent, cal feminist thought on the nature of social reality, out" to show that she is no better than any other readable books on issues of vital concern that pack political organization and the use and abuse of woman alcoholic? That if she could overcome her comprehensive information into relatively few power many years of drinking, anyone can? Certainly case pages—all substance and no puff. They are to be Trask fuses together the disciplines of psy- histories are important in a meeting where there is commended. chology, sociology, psychoanalysis and political the- give and take, where each person participates; but -B.L. ory to illustrate her argument that male oppres- in a book of this type one wonders what the point sion of women is pervasive, institutionalized and is. Family Day Care: How to Provide It in mythologized. Trask specifically argues that "wom- However, despite the fact that I found this Your Home by Betsy Squibb (The Harvard Com- en's oppression is the key" to understanding what book too pat and too slick, enough valuable infor- mon Press. Boston, MA, $13.96 cloth, $8.95 pa- she and Adnenne Rich call the "sexual understruc- mation is presented to make it worthwhile reading perback) tells you everything you have to know ture". She believes that this sexual understructure for any woman who fears that she may have a about starting and conducting a day care center in is the basis of institutional patriarchy and that the drinking problem and. at the very least. Women your home. After reading this book, one is filled radical feminist call for restructuring of society in For Sobriety is worth looking into. with admiration for the hardy souls who decide to terms of gender roles, parenting, mothering and —Beverly Lowy do it. work cannot be understood unless the "sexual un- There is no doubt that safe, affordable day derstructure" is seen as the true source of wom- The Mother's Book: How To Survive the care is a necessity in this country and a dedicated, en's oppression—as the key of male power over Incest of Your Child by Carolyn M. Byerly (Ken- caring provider should be valued above gold. Cer- women. dall/Hunt Publishing Co.. Dubuque, Iowa, $4.80 pa- tainly a woman who loves children, who opts to Trask and the radical feminist she analyzes perback) is, quite literally, a handbook for mothers stay home with her own, and yet still wants to see modern culture as subverting and prostituting whose children are victims of incest, and an excel- supplement the family income is probably the best the life force (Feminist Eros). lent handbook it is! Every possible issue is covered person for this demanding—but rewarding—job. To Trask, current culture is an expression including emotional feelings and reactions, relation- Yet day care is a business too. and must be run of Thanatos—the Death Instinct—the male drive ship with the offender, finding support, regaining a like one. If you have the proper attributes (and for power and control. In such a system where sense of identity, reporting the abuse and the se- perhaps the most important is patience patience women are merely objects, depression becomes a quence of legal events that usually follow the re- patience) this book is a must before you start. It political act and anger, rage and alienation are porting. There is discussion of the special problems touches everything from the personalities of your signs of an active, alert and radical self-conscious- that may be encountered by lesbian mothers and own children, infant and child safety and nutrition, ness. Struggle, pain and suffering are to be wel- an entire chapter on the various difficulties faced relations with parents, educational materials and comed, for only in recognition of the radical truth

14 of women's inner colonization can there be the be- and the political. In this feminist vision, Eros is out to women of other cultures and finally to na- ginnings of freedom. both love and power. ture itself—feminists must begin to take their She writes that "the most notable fact that A difficult book to read at times, I found feminist eras, their feminist ethic to the problems culture imprints on women is the sense of our lim- Trask to be the most moving when she is analyz- of the planet, the environment, the ecology and its. The most important thing one woman can do ing woman as mother. She sees and describes con- our relationships with other life forms. for another is to illuminate and expand her sense flicting definitions of mothering, "institutional If feminism is a process as well as a goal, a of actual possibilities". motherhood", women as vehicles for transmitting means as well as an end—which 1 believe it must Trask ends the first part of her book by the values of the male culture and true biological be—then Trask's book is valuable in helping to ex- saying "The choice for women now is to make mothering "that most ancient of pleasures" plain the visions of feminism as both. Trask ties their lives within a praxis of pain, limiting the wherein the mother and child learn the true sense together the thinking of women who, though they expression of their own humanity as they cushion and meaning of the erotic. approach their political analysis of patriarchy dif- man's inhumanity to himself and others, or to be- Trask expands her analysis of mothering ferently, all weave threads of the same garment— gin refusing support to men in quite the same sac- through the works of Dinnerstein and Chodorow, an understanding and a reaction to life that is af- rificial way, while developing their own visions, whose writings explore love as a philosophical as firming—that is both loving and powerful. their own communities where nurturance and au- well as a psychological concept. In Trask's analysis, It is this radical vision of women, this alter- tonomy are everyday realities" This is not to say feminist understanding and definition of mothering native consciousness that must be carefully and that Trask is a separatist—she is not. But she sees (loving) is both radical and potentially revolution- consistently nurtured in each of us so that the little hope for the evolvement of a more sensitive ary. It forms the basis of the lesbians' reclaiming seeds of change can find fertile soil to grow. and life-affirming human consciousness unless the the right to the mother, as well as the political Trask's book is not for popular consump- male model of reality is radically and directly movement of women to attempt to alter their life tion. The arguments can be difficult going for challenged. conditions through a practicing and powerful polit- those not familiar with philosophy or psychoanaly- It is here, in the second part of her book, ical force—the women's movement. sis but the vision needs no translation. It is clear that Trask addresses the core of her vision of a Che Guevera has written that "the true and inspiring and available for all women to grasp. feminist revolution—it is within women them- revolutionary is motivated by great feelings of It just remains to be actualized. selves! Trask argues that women's biological real- love". If feminism is the new revolutionary "ism" —M.H. ity—their ability to create and nurture life— that is to transform the relationships that currently continued on pg. 16 grounds them in a consciousness that is more at- define the patriarchy, then the feminist vision must tuned to the crucial relationships in society and, if thrust itself further into other issues. not perverted by the Death Instinct (male power), Trask realizes this and ends her book with could be the only true and powerful hope for the a description of issues to which she believes positive restructuring of society. women in the movement should take the Feminist The life force, this Feminist Eros, is, for Eros. These include recognizing and dealing with FEMINISM Trask, the unique human energy which "springs racism (particularly within the women's movement from the desire for existence with meaning, for a itself), addressing culture by realizing the differ- consciousness informed by feeling, for experience ences and limitations that one's individual cultural IS that integrates the sensual, rational, the spiritual context place on any political analysis—reaching DEAD...

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15 The Silent World of Doctor and Patient by Jay Of course, notes Katz, many medical ques- Shattering the German Night: The Story of the Katz, M.D. (The Free Press, New York, N.Y.. $9.95 tions, e.g., how to perform surgery, are questions White Rose by Annette E. Dumbach and Jud Paperback) for expertsTbut whether to choose surgery, or Newborn (Little. Brown & Company, Boston. MA; It was not until 1957, as Dr. Jay Katz some other treatment, or no treatment at all, is a $17.95 cloth) points out in his eye-opening critical account of the decision requirinq a patient's input. No one was there. No one was a Nazi. No doctor/patient relationship, that physicians had to Katz is particularly troubled by doctors one knew that those trains were carrying throngs be legally reminded of the elementary restraints on who, although fully cognizant of the uncertainties of terrified humanity to the death camps. No one their professional authority. of medicine, refuse to discuss them with patients. was really aware. In the 1957 case of Salgo v. Stanford Uni- For example, he and a surgeon discussed the prob- This is very often the reaction one gets versity, patient Salgo, suffering from severe leg lem of treating breast cancer; so little, they agreed, when thinking of current German response to the pains, was advised to have an aortography and. was known, so much was unknown and conjec- extermination of six million Jews. Indeed, President after it was done, could not move his legs. He tural. Yet when Katz asked how the surgeon Reagan's refusal to cancel his trip to the cemetery claimed that his physicians failed to warn him of would speak with a patient about treating breast at Bittburg reflected another desire of the world, the risks inherent in the procedure. The court held cancer, he said he would strongly recommend radi- particularly Germany, to "forget the past". It is far that "a physician violates his duty to his patient cal mastectomy. Why. asked Katz, since he had just easier to forget something when you have not fully and subjects himself to liability if he withholds any questioned its effectiveness? "Ours," said the sur- come to a serious, responsible position for having facts which are necessary to form the basis of an geon, "was a theoretical discussion, of little rele- participated in it. intelligent consent by the patient to the proposed vance to practice." Katz urges doctors to discuss Annette E. Dumbach and Jud Newborn have treatment." medicine's uncertainties with patients, to bear in written a book about a group of young students Katz. a physician who has spent most of his mind that yesterday's medical orthodoxies are who were there, who refused to be blind, who had professional life teaching at Yale Law School, main- often today's heresies. the courage not only to see the oncoming rush of tains that little has happened since Salgo. Informed And therein lies the rub of this otherwise the terrible darkness of Nazism, but to cry out consent in today's world, he believes, is largely a first-rate book. Katz places nearly all his hopes for loud about it. charade, honored more in word than in deed. honest and complete communication between doc- The last paragraph of this book gives a The "benevolent" silence most doctors tor and patient on the willingness of the former to feeling of the tenor of the story of the White cherish. Katz demonstrates, is deeply rooted in the initiate change. Had the AMA. not the women's Rose: "Their impact cannot be measured in tyrants ethos of the medical profession, going back to Hip- movement, taken the lead these past two decades destroyed, regimes overthrown, justice restored. A pocrates who warned physicians to "conceal most in fighting medical paternalism, it would be a hope scale with another dimension is needed and then things from the patient." The 1847 AMA code one might entertain. The silent world of doctor their significance is deeper. It goes even beyond warned against "sharing consultants' differences of and patient could last another 2000 years if we the Third Reich, beyond Germany: if people like opinions with patients except under the most ex- wait for physicians to freely and graciously confess those who formed the White Rose can exist, be- treme circumstances." Silence and evasion. Katz as- error and doubt and invite patients to join them as lieve as they believed, act as they acted, maybe it serts, still dominate "big daddy's" consulting room. equals in the decision-making process. means that this weary, corrupted and extremely Even though physicians have, since Salgo. Katz has written a fascinating, disturbing endangered species we belong to has the right to become more aware of their new obligations to and vital book. Reading it may definitely change survive and to keep on trying." talk with patients about recommended treatments, the way you relate to your physician and the medi- For anyone who ever desired to change the "By and large". Katz writes, "disclosures have been cal establishment. world, particularly those of us who are involved in limited to informing patients about the risks and —Lucille G. Natkin: political movements for radical social change, the benefits of proposed treatments, not about alter- story of these young people whose courage and natives, and surely not about the certainties and honesty cost them their lives is both moving and uncertainties inherent in most treatment options. Lucille G. Natkins is a freelance journalist on important. Great causes require, indeed, need, Most importantly, conversations with patients are women's health and education issues, whose articles have great and courageous leaders. In an environment not conducted in the spirit of inviting patients to appeared in the New York Times and other major publica- such as the Nazi reality in Germany, even the abil- share with their physicians the burden of deci- tions. Her book. Our Last Term: A Teacher's Diary has ity to retain a critical sense of reality becomes an sions." Dialogue is reduced to monologue. been published by University Press of America. art of great courage. Katz thinks doctors should decide with, not Those of us who experienced the protests for, their patients. of the '60s may find it inconceivable that in all the time of the Third Reich there was only one student protest. It happened in Munich. January 13, 1943. The students of the White Rose resistance move- HERESIES: A FEMINIST ment were not there since in one of their leaflets they had vowed to boycott all Nazi rallies. PUBUCATION ON Paul Geisler. gauleiter of Bavaria, was to give the keynote address. "Real life is transmitted to us only by Adolf Hitler, with his joyful light and ART & POLITICS life affirming teachings. The natural place for a woman is not at the university, but with her fam- new issues ily, at the side of her husband." #18/19—Mothers, Mags & Movie Stars It was at the point when Geisler roared and Satire (double issue) $8 "And for those women students not pretty enough #20—Activists, Organizers, Progressives...$5 to catch a man, I'd be happy to lend them one of my adjutants", that the students erupted. This was special reprint the first and last student protest of the Nazi era— #5-The Great Goddess $8 female students stormed out in rage. The members of the White Rose held no open protests. They spoke at no rallies. They had #15—Racism Is the Issue $6 no open revolution. They wrote pamphlets. They wrote urging the overthrow of the Party, called #16—Film, Video, Media $6 for a cease fire and an "honorable end to the #17—Acting Up! Women in Theatre & Performance Art $6 war". Subscriptions-individuals: $15 for 4 issues; institutions, $24 They were medical students, including a PO Box 1306 Canal Street Station New York, NY 10013 brother and sister, a youth leader in the Nazi continued on pg. 24 16 As the video continues, the ethical tack against a woman at knife point. This blindness of the Anti-Choice movement be- same scene is interspersed throughout the comes obvious. The connection between po- entire film, which for the most part is made litical involvement, religion and commercial- up of head shots of the three women. We ism becomes clearer. An example is also are treated to frequent scenes of young convention attendees wearing small dynamite women in self-defense class performing kar- sticks purchased for a fee. with a sign saying ate moves. The message here, ostensibly, is "Have a blast". to ensure that women do not have to be vic- Not very funny when you consider the tims and, in fact, can at times fight back. The number of terrorist attacks against abortion problem in this reviewer's opinion is that the clinics. subliminal message of this film may fill It is obvious that the producers of women with even more guilt if, in fact, they "Holy Terror" assume an absolute Pro-Choice have experienced a rape and did not fight mentality for their viewers. This assumption back. Indeed, the fact that all of the women becomes problematic as the video proceeds. in the karate class appeared to be healthy While "Holy Terror" does depict some 18- to 20-year olds could reinforce this mes- Choice degree of the bizarre, dramatic and danger- sage of inadequacy even further. This is par- Viewing ous tactics of the so-called "Right-To-Lifers". ticularly true for women who are older or (particularly their harassment of women en- physically impaired. tering abortion clinics), it does not adequately I, personally, would have preferred to explore the connection between the political have seen a much broader analysis of the passion and religious fanaticism of the ter- causes and societal responses to the crime of HOLY TERROR rorists who bomb clinics. rape; perhaps a more balanced and provoca- 58 Minutes. 16mm film and all video formats A stronger Pro-Choice analysis on the tive approach. This may be indeed the first Hudson River Productions danger of this particular American mix of feminist film on rape and it is a worthy ef- Distributed by The Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, evangelical religion with middle-American fort, but much more remains to be done. New York, NY 10019 politics would have made this interesting and —M.H. Watching Holy Terror brought back provocative video more balanced and educa- memories of the time I was at a general tional. To this point, it is my strong opinion meeting at an Omaha "Right to Life" conven- that the piece, when viewed, would be most tion. I had the distinct feeling that I could effective within an educational context, i.e. have been in the room with 2,000 Joans of panels and/or involved individuals discussing SEX, DRUGS & AIDS 19 Minute Videotape produced by Arc. The level of intensity, religious fervor, and reacting to it. commitment and collectivity was almost O.D.N. Productions, Inc. —M.H. overwhelming. Speaker after speaker, from 74 Varick Street. NY. NY 10013 the Australian priest who reported that he "Sex. Drugs & AIDS" is produced by fasted in the town square for 10 days to O.D.N. Productions and addresses in a very "get in touch with the helplessness of the fe- grassroots, realistic manner some of the tus" to the woman who likened the move- most important information and myths about ment to Martin Luther King's Civil Rights the issue of AIDS. struggle, brought home the point that these Narrated by actress Rae Dawn Chong. people truly believed they were doing "God's this film, through quick cuts as well as realis- work". tic conversation among teens and young AIDS WAKING UP TO RAPE patients (portrayed by actors), brings the The video. "Holy Terror" recreates Meri Weingarten message to early teens through college age this reality by displaying a lot of footage of 35 min./1986/color young people that AIDS is a difficult disease Anti-Choice praying, demonstrations, conven- Distributed by Women Make Movies tions and rallys. Done in a documentary man- 225 Lafayette. Suite 212 to contract, all sexual behavior has a risk and ner with very little voice-over, viewers are New York, NY 10012 (212) 925-0606 that responsibility and the use of condoms left to make much of their own conclusions This film is described by its producers are the best tools to guard against infection. about these activities. There are some inter- as the "first truly feminist film on rape". My The film makes a strong case for not views with Pro-Choice people, but they are screening revealed an attempt to explore the using drugs, particularly injectible, and the not evolved enough to offer an effective social, political and personal realities involved fact that the only thing to blame for the dis- counter-argument to what is shown of the in rape through the stories of three individ- ease is the "virus"—the disease itself. Anti-Choicers. ual women. This film is short, succinct with a very Some very interesting scenes include Each of the three women presents a direct message delivered well. We only hope Joe Scheidler (one of their major activists) different face of rape—the stereotypic "good that it will be followed. setting up a fake Nuremberg trial where girl" versus "bad girl", society blaming the —M.H. Anti-Choicers (mainly older women) are victim instead of the perpetrator, the victims bused into a small town and act as an audi- incorporating negative social attitudes to ence while a mock jury, made up of papier their own self-perceptions and the victims' mache heads reading "feminist" "politician" rage of feeling powerless; the difficulty of "provider", etc., sit in judgment. Young coping and the eventual politicization of one women are shown swearing on a Bible that of the women to become a rape crisis coun- having an abortion ruined a young friend's selor at New York Women Against Rape. life and the audience is urged to "take Nu- The film opens with a scene of a vio- remberg with thejp wherever they go". lent demonstration (by two actors) of an at-

17 "Into Your Hands" com. fnm pg. 5 ^^^^^^B^H nevolence and nobility of spirit, society Animals cannot protest their exploita- tims of such deprivation—even infanticide— reinforced women's subservience. This rela- tion articulately, though many understand a in other societies have almost invariably been tionship is basically a description of the pres- lot more human language than most people girls or women. ent-day relationship of "owner" to "pet". imagine. Exploited women and children can Margaret Atwood, in her current In the 17th century, Descartes, cre- speak, of course. But until recent times, the novel The Handmaid's Tale, describes a fu- ated his profoundly influential, dualistic and majority of them have accepted their "place" ture society in which women have been re- mechanistic philosophy which denied any per- almost as dociley as animals, and pathetically duced to total servitude. One of the archi- sonal or societal obligation to consider ani- or proudly resigned themselves to their right tects of the new regime, considering the mals. They were, he said, "mere machines", to be dominated. The abused child, the bat- degradation imposed on women to create a without rhyme or reason, and therefore tered wife, the victim of incest, the mother "better" male supremacist nation, observes, could not feel or suffer. If they seemed to forced to endure repeated, dangerous, un- unoriginally but thoughtfully, that "you can't experience pain, it was simply the built-in re- wanted pregnancies, all have had little more make an omelette without breaking eggs." flex of an automaton, a machine, and not control over their lives and bodies than labo- He is echoing Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who in genuine agony as humans can experience it. ratory dogs or young calves, unable to move, the 18th century forged his Social Contract To prove his point, Descartes would nail kept in chains and cages until they are 18 in exactly the same spirit but with somewhat young dogs to boards and laugh at their months old and slaughtered on factory farms more venom. In the "natural state", he ar- screams of agony, berating onlookers who to make veal. gued, women are completely equal to men- showed any signs of concern or compassion. In his early book Face to Face, the like Gelli's deer in her animal world. But once To many modern thinkers, Descartes' writer Ved Mehta tells of going to a fair in a society is formed, women must lose all philosophy can be used as a powerful argu- his native India. His family saw a healthy their rights and privileges. They "are made ment against medical experimentation on ani- well-fed boy devouring a delicacy on sale at for man's delight"—like cats and dogs—and mals. If their nervous systems are so totally the fair, while his emaciated, literally starving "must submit completely to him, remain in different from ours, and if they feel no pain, sisters watched him, not daring to even ask seclusion, accept injustice at his hands with- why perform tests that purport to measure for a share of the desperately-needed food. out complaint", be weak and passive. Their pain and then correlate them with human re- Their frail mother pointed to the girls and status, in other words, is precisely the status actions? Instead, Descartes has historically said sadly, "Some have to starve. They will of animals today. Rousseau did not go so far been cited to justify the torture of animals in have to go first." The story is primarily an as to suggest that females should be killed laboratories—if they do not really suffer, but indictment of terrible poverty. But for the for food or used in medical experiments, but simply react automatically, why not use victims there is not much difference between a creature required to obey another creature them? Of course, most scientists conducting slow starvation to conserve food and slaugh- "often vicious and always faulty" and "to animal experiments are not Cartesians. They ter to provide it, except that the slaughter believe they are sacrificing and using animals may often be quicker and more merciful. Vic- in the name of the god Science and simply accept the older concept of man's right to dominate and use all the creatures of the universe for "man's benefit". Animal Animals. experimentation is an old habit & big business...

60 million defenseless animals are killed every year. Most are not given anesthesia or pain relievers. Many will be "recycled" through a series of experiments before death finally releases them. And many die in Do they matter? excruciating pain. The animal rights movement is as This shameful waste costs taxpayers $1,333 every second, or four diverse as the animals it seeks to pro- tect and only one publication, The billion tax dollars annually. Besides being costly, animal tests are crude ANIMALS' AGENDA gives you com- and unreliable. Products tested "safe" on animals have caused birth prehensive coverage of its successes, defects, illness and even death to human beings. its problems, its people, and its organizations. Animal tests must be replaced by more sophisticated technologies. 10 issues per yr.—48 pgs.and growing!! \

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18 suffer wrongs inflicted on her... without ferior to ours. Animals are an extraordinary complaint" would not be in much of a posi- and often beautiful part of the chain of life, tion to draw a line. Chijciren. equally subject and if life is at all cherished and respected in NICOREST to their father's whims, lived in a similarly us, it should also be in them. Smoking Deterrent Tablets animal-analagous world, though males could The real plea of all rights movements, look forward to eventual escape. civil rights, women's rights, children's rights, Women, at least in the West, have is that each individual be allowed to fulfill YOU 'come a long way" from Rousseau. Animals, whatever potential is possible, without inter- of course, can never come as far. Not even ference from others whose interests are too CAN the most dedicated animal activist expects a often self-centered. "Possible potential" is an cat to be elected President, or a dog to win enormous concept for exploration when ap- the Nobel Peace Prize. Domesticated animals plied to animals. But the animal rights move- cannot be sent back to the wild to fend for ment asks, "Have we really the right to deny SMOKING! themselves without skills and instincts lost in it?" thousands of years of cohabitation with hu- With a little help. Nicorest is mans. Decisions must be made for them, as Julia R. Piggin is Editorial Director for the Humane Soci- a safe, natural, non-habit for- they cannot really be full, participating mem- ety of NY. Since 1904 the non-profit Society has fojght ming substitute for nicotine. bers of the society that surrounds them, and. to prevent animal abuse, cared for distressed animals and. It reduces withdrawal dis- unlike children, will never grow to be, at as funds allow, provided a free clinic for pet owners who comfort, making quitting can't afford veterinary care. No animal is released for least within millions of years of evolution. easier. Unconditional money adoption unless compatible with its new owner. back guarantee. But animals are here, sharing the planet with us. They live, feel joy, suffer, Available at leading indepen- love, communicate, form relationships, and dent health food stores. only some sets of ancient words and condi- tioned beliefs backed often by economic fac- tors have determined their purpose to be in- OO

cont from j descriptions of female beauty. All of these admired traits form part ENZYMATIC Feminine beauty has been equated of the myth surrounding the social benefits THERAPY with ultraslimness for a generation. Obses- of smoking. Girls learn far earlier than pu- sion with reducing body weight and the ex- berty that beauty is a primary dimension of P.O. Box 1508 istence of grave eating disorders is increas- femininity; by adolescence, the cultivation of Green Bay, Wl 54305 ingly prevalent among teenage girls and attractiveness has become a major task. Girls women today. Current data from the NIDA also grow up surrounded by omnipresent High School Senior Survey {Johnston et al. models of beautiful women on billboards, tel- advertising in 1983 were magazines, news- 1985) show an astounding use of nonpres- evision, in movies and magazines, which are papers, and outdoor displays, in decreasing cription diet pills among female high school capable of influencing their evaluation of the order. Public entertainment or special events, seniors. importance of beauty for attaining popularity. including sports, musical and other cultural Interestingly, in the 1984 Glamour Combined with the fact that early adoles- events, received increased sponsorship. This Magazine survey of 33.000 women. 50 per- cence marks the highest degree of anxiety included such sporting events as Team Amer- cent of respondents reported using diet pills and greatest dissatisfaction with body image, ica Pro Soccer, the Western Rodeo series. Ski Days, the Virginia Slims Tennis Tournaments, sometimes or often. Analysis of the NIDA the allure of cigarette ads targeted at women and the Raleigh Children's Cancer Classic Ce- teenage data for concurrent use of reducing can be immense. Every psychosocial attribute lebrity Golf Tournament. Cigarette advertis- pills and cigarettes has not been reported, and culturally relevant message valued in this ing and giveaways, such as T-shirts with a but an association might be predicted. age group can be found in cigarette ads brand logo, were frequently prominent at Cigarette smoking provides a lifestyle which feature, in addition to those attributes such events. Examples of cultural events crutch with a physiological basis to facilitate mentioned earlier, athletics, dress, favorite sponsored in whole or part by the cigarette weight control. Smoking a cigarette is said to activities, feminism and very frequently, ex- industry were the Kool Jazz Festival and the treme slenderness. suppress appetite; therefore, smoking serves New York City Opera Company's National A 1985 Federal Trade Commission as a means of delaying eating or reducing tour. Obviously, many of these events are at- Report to Congress contains an analysis of consumption. Cigarettes are also often used tended by adolescents, who may even come cigarette advertising practices and expendi- to mark the end of a meal and frequently ac- to associate such attractions with particular tures for the years 1982-1983. In those company coffee and alcohol consumption. To brand images. an adolescent girl, the ritual aspects of smok- years, ads directed primarily toward females K.E. Warner in the New England ing/eating/drinking may come to represent featured glamorous and elegant women, and Journal of Medicine (1985) wrote convinc- social competence along with an image of a "luxury brand" was introduced. The FTC ingly regarding media self-censorship on the physical attractiveness. Report summarizes the advertising approach known relation between smoking and health. This brings us to the putative role of as follows: "The cigarette marketers placed He cites several sources of self-censorship, cigarette advertising in female smoking, a increasing emphasis on linking a particular the primary one being the fear of publishers highly debated influence with regard to the brand with health, wealth, luxury, and that advertising will be withdrawn and thus initiation of smoking. Pictorial advertising achievement." substantial revenues lost if the health effects To note that cigarette manufacturers portrays smoking as fun, sophisticated, sex- of smoking are openly addressed. Addition- spent a total of $2.65 billion in 1983. com- ually adventurous, and involving risk taking. ally, advertisements for anti-smoking prod- pared to $1.2 billion in 1980. may serve to At the very least, we can say that cigarette ucts and services may be rejected by publish- illustrate the degree of environmental flood- advertising provides an indirect influence on ers for fear of offending the tobacco ing that is possible with a media campaign. smoking onset by supporting the image of advertisers. Warner states. "Evidence ... smoking as a symbol of maturity, autonomy The three forms of media on which the strongly suggests that the public is fed a me- and attractiveness. greatest amounts of money were spent for contmued on pg. 20 19 Smoking ^^^^MBBMBMM Invisible Woman j •^••^^•I^^B dia diet deficient in news, comment, and the world was pertinent, meaningful and real larly the older woman. Also, it does not rec- commercial promotion relating to the adverse to women. ognize that discrimination is an aggressive consequences of smoking." Women are now questioning the va- and annihilating attack on a woman's sense With specific regard to women's mag- lidity of male experience as the only true and of self and her reality. azines, Whelan et al (1981) reported that objective reality. As Mary Daly describes in Only recently have we begun to de- only eight feature articles on smoking or Beyond God the Father:"... women are be- velop alternative ways of thinking about quitting were published in the 12 years be- ginning to recognize that the value system women and only very recently have we be- tween 1967 and 1979 in 10 leading maga- which has been thrust upon us by the various gun to recognize the development of women zines that carried cigarette advertising. Twice cultural institutions of patriarchy has as they age. The works of Carol Gilligan and as many (16) such articles appeared during amounted to a kind of gang rape of minds as others reveal that women's moral develop- the same time period in two women's maga- well as bodies." ment has not only been misunderstood but zines that do not carry cigarette advertising. Theory and subsequent research con- also labeled inferior and pathological. Re- Compared to the dangers of smoking, far cerning the psychological development of search is beginning to provide evidence that greater attention was given to other wom- both women and men rarely explore mid- women's development and life cycle differs en's health issues, such as contraception, and-later life. There is an assumption that from that of men. Just as theorists have con- stress, mental health, and nutrition in the personality is finalized early and that signifi- ceptualized women's moral development as magazines that accept cigarette advertising cant growth cannot occur later in life. Ameri- less, simply because it differs from men's, so than in those that do not. Thus, there is a can culture views personality as static and too have practitioners misunderstood wom- very clear source of bias in the amount of in- unchanging. Theorists have also neglected to en's "symptoms" as pathology. formation about health issues in general, and investigate the full experience of women as Women who failed to adhere to sex about smoking in particular, that an adoles- they age, focusing only on isolated events, role expectations were seen as problematic cent female will encounter if she reads wom- such as menopause and bereavement, which and this often created symptoms where none en's or other magazines which accept ciga- are seen as pathological disorders rather than existed. Women's low self-esteem, their rette advertising. The female adolescent must common events in the lives of aging women. depression and other behaviors often seen as somehow overcome this source of misinfor- When older women turn to existing inappropriate, are in fact accommodations to mation if she is to avoid habitual use of to- mental health services, they are all too often sex discrimination, second-class citizenship, bacco and increased risk of cancer. confronted by ageist and sexist beliefs, by a unmet dependency needs, and an accurate To make nonsmoking appealing and system that in its design and delivery cannot appraisal of a depriving environment. These counter the extremely sophisticated images possibly respond to their needs. Women are "symptoms" express both the rebellion and presented by cigarette advertisers constitutes often reticent about seeking help, fearing accommodation that have been, unfortu- a major task for researchers and educators stereotypic negative attitudes such as nately, necessary to their survival. from the fields of school and public health, "women are really childlike adults, submis- The concept of the midlife transition the medical professions, and health psychol- sive, compliant, who. because of age, are un- as a "crisis" for women is derived from tra- ogy. Prevention programs often do not ad- able to learn or change"; or even worse, ditional psychoanalytic and psychological the- dress the lifestyle choices and values of those being viewed as crazy and domineering ories that have always considered woman's adolescent girls most likely to take up smok- mothers or grandmothers. These attitudes reproductive functions and resulting biologi- ing—those who are disinterested in school, keep women dependent, reinforce feelings of cal events as central to her sense of self. Bio- not college-bound, who are precocious in so- deprivation, and deny the impact of age and logical markers, such as menstruation and cial and sexual behaviors, and who may espe- sex discrimination on their daily lives. menopause, are used to assess a woman's cially value the images peddled by advertise- Dependency, often fostered and con- mental state and her sense of well-being. In ments. In addition, the health risks to fetus sidered charming in young girls, results in this medical model, a woman's biology is and mother associated with smoking in preg- economic and emotional devastation in older seen as directly affecting her mental condi- nancy, especially low birth weight, are impor- women. Traditional psychotherapy cannot re- tion. Hence, we get involutional melan- tant to remember since low birth weight is a spond to the needs of women because of the cholia—"menopausal blues" and the "empty- major problem for teenage mothers. Parental false assumption it still makes about appro- nest syndrome". smoking also elevates risk of respiratory dis- priate roles for women of all ages, particu- "Menopausal blues" has unfailingly ease in infants. Thus, the teenage female smoker may be at risk for immediate as well as future health consequences. We need to learn to "market" nons- moking to this population of young women in ways they will find attractive, using role models they adulate. In light of the worri- some prevalence trends of the mid-1980's, Courses ARCHITECTURAL • STRUCTURAL • ELECTRICAL this may be our foremost undertaking in offered in ELECTRONIC • MECHANICAL • PIPING • HVAC smoking prevention for women. CAD(COMPUTER AIDED DRAFTING) is included in all above courses • BLUEPRINT READING • BUILDING ESTIMATING Ellen R. Critz, Ph.D.. is Director. Division of Cancer Con- trol, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and Associate Individualized Training Programs for Industry. Researcher. Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. UCLA School of Medicine. She is an expert in CCo-ed d Approved for training of Veterans/Foreign Students women's smoking and is currently conducting a large-scale Day or Eve LOANS AND GRANTS if you qualify. smoking cessation intervention with a female population. • Placement Assistance • Accredited by NATTS Dr. Critz has published extensively. Visit, call or write ^^«•«• MANHATTAN TECHNICAL CO INSTITUTE (212)989-2662 154 West 14 St. (cor 7 Av) N.Y. 10011

20 been used to explain a variety of problems Groups should be led by sensitized This is an exciting time for feminist experienced by midlife and older women de- professionals, mostly older women, and theorists and clinicians. We are on the verge spite the fact that no evidence has been structured to allow each woman 15-20 min- of developing a conceptual framework for found to link menopause and increased utes to share her concerns with the leader, femininity and the development of new treat- depression. Studies have concluded that only thereby limiting interaction and competition ment models that will perhaps for the very post-partum depression can be linked to hor- among members. This is important because it first time understand the experience of monal changes, i.e., the endocrine system, responds to a personal dynamic wherein women and address their needs. and that it can't be concluded that hormones women care for others at the expense of are primarily responsible for women's higher caring for themselves and getting cared for Psychotherapist Melody Anderson. M.A.. M.S.W.. C.S.W. rate of depression. by others. It also encourages women to feel and Attorney Leora Magier. M.S.W.. C.S.W. are Co-Direc- In response to these studies, re- entitled to their own time and space, and as- tors of RESOURCES, the first nonprofit social service searchers have begun to explore external sures that each member will be given some- agency in the country dedicated to serving the needs of causes. In Learned Helplessness and the De- thing at each session. Learning to acknowl- midlife and older women. pressed Housewife, the authors interpret re- edge needs and to get them met is essential. lated research and conclude that there is Guilt feelings which naturally arise from get- • Do You Need Facts ting cared for within this structure, are both strong indication that depression in women About Menopause? can be mainly accounted for by the special revealed and can be addressed. characteristics of the life style of housewives As Ohrbach and Echenbaum suggest • Does the Stereotyping of Older Women in the context of the male-dominated, sexist (Understanding Women: A Feminist Psycho- Make You Angry? society. These characteristics include limited Analytic Approach) that because society de- intellectual and social stimulation, emotional values women, mothers communicate a sense dependence on relationship with husband, of low self-worth to their daughters. "For • Do You want to be Part of low social status due to sex discrimination that reason, women come to seek validation an Older Feminists' Network? and resulting low self-image. Contrary to from their fathers and then from other myth, younger women at home with children men." But our practice suggests that the have been found to be more depressed than search for validation relates to difficulties in BROOMSTICK older women. the mother/daughter relationship, and that a Bimonthly National Magazine Another misinterpreted biologically- what women really want is validation from by. for. and about Women Over Forty related event is the so called "empty-nest other women. In a woman's therapy group a syndrome". Because of the supposed central- woman has a chance to re-direct her search for validation through her relationship with ity of reproduction to women's lives, the loss Annual Subscription of child rearing responsibilities is considered other women. Listening to other women, a devastating event. they begin to take each woman's experience (U.S. Funds Only) seriously and thereby to take their own the The term "empty nest" is used to de- U.S. $15: scribe the state of emptiness, sterility and same way. Thus, they begin to reverse deeply internalized feelings of low self-worth. despondency that women are thought to ex- Canada $20; perience after their children grow up and It's been our experience that this pop- Overseas $25: leave home. Interestingly, current studies ulation, as a result of their deprivation and show that while many women miss their chil- the continual losses they experience, are eas- ^L Institutions $25: dren after they leave home, they also experi- ily threatened by the slightest external Sj. sliding scale available ence this transition as an opportunity to change, both in their environment and in the /j^^ Sample Copy: $3.50 grow and develop in many ways. This is not group structure. Thus, the security of the group structure, the time limits, and the fo- to deny that some women feel sadness when 3543 18th St.. "3-1 their children depart, but depression among cus on self rather than others, create the this group, if it exists, may be more a reflec- safety necessary for trust, disclosure and San Francisco. CA 941 10 tion of the lack of other forms of stimulation risk-taking. and fulfillment, or a result of earlier unre- solved conflicts or feelings. Because most existing mental health says women's work is "safe"? services and practitioners believe the miscon- Women's Occupational Health ceptions on ageism and sexism, they confirm Resource Center what older women have internalized and the 117. St. Johns Place Brooklyn, NY 11217 myths are brought into the treatment room, (718) 230-8822 where they are dealt with as facts. Obviously, if women are to reverse these myths, an ef- The Women's Occupational Health • Send me more information Resource Center (WOHRC) is a national fective alternative model must be found. (Enclose self-addressed stamped envelope) So here is the challenge for the clini- organization which generates awareness of cian. In response to the unique needs of this the unique occupational health needs of I would like to support WOHRC population, what does an effective alternative women workers. WOHRC has done pioneer- by subscribing to WOHRC News model look like? How do you structure sup- ing work in such areas as office hazards, and factsheet service at the: port groups that directly address the depri- health and safety of health care workers and • $12.00 (Individual Rate) vation, discrimination, and dependency issues women's personal protective equipment. • $25.00 (Professional or Institutional Rate) of this current generation of older women? Memberships from individuals must be prepaid WOHRC News is published quarterly and We believe that we must begin by developing therapeutically oriented groups that encour- is the Center's major regular publication. Name age expression of angry feelings created by WOHRC News includes up-to-date informa- Affiliation . the discrimination and exclusion women have tion of special interest to everyone who experienced; not only as women but as older cares about health and safety on the job. It Address is the only publication that speaks women. Many women are greatly relieved City when they understand that their agony is directly to the needs and problems of real and they are neither crazy nor stupid. working women- State . Zip.

21 AIDS ami.from) culture any virus in vaginal secretions be- cause there are so many bacteria. So. you have to treat vaginal secretions with antibiot- ics and then look for the virus. It's tricky. It has been done by passing it through tissue THfiNKS FOR culture media several times. OTI: If the virus is in vaginal secre- tions, why is it that the spread doesn't seem to be as great from women to men? MfiKING US MD: Some think there are 48 cases of men in this country now who got the dis- ease through sexual activity with women. (Editors Note: The number has increased YOUR since this interview.) OTI: We are told that there's no evi- dence that AIDS spreads among family mem- bers unless they are engaged in sexual inter- FIRST CHOICE course. But, on the other hand, we're being told the virus can incubate up to 10 years and of course, none of these familes have been studied that long. MD: Yes, but fortunately you don't Send for your FREE copy of have to study the family that long. You can do the blood test and that tells you whether Clark Surgical's new OD/GYN Catalog. or not they have developed antibodies be- cause they've been exposed. So, thankfully, Clark Surgical — The OD/GYN Specialist. the mystery is really out of it. We really do know a lot more about the epidemiology of this disease because of the blood test. And 77 SECOND AVENUE P.O. BOX 5433 we can say for certain now that family mem- bers of people with AIDS do not get the dis- GARDEN CITY PARK, NEW YORK 11040 ease. And health care workers don't get the (516)746-1600 (718)347-3800 disease just from handling patients. OTI: A case was reported which indi- cates that AIDS may be spread between

( JIHJI MMIIIJI lesbians. U. • Health Cire Itilnrnwlion There was a case of a lesbian couple, one of whom had been an I.V. drug user, de- veloped AIDS and died. Her lover was the Multiple Choice. primary care giver and now has ARC. She never used drugs. The question is whether this had come through care giving or if there is some way of sexually transmitting AIDS Questions Most Often Asked About Female Sterilization between lesbians. MD: The fact is. that even though there is potential that AIDS may be transmit- My family is just the right size now, so All surgery carries some risk. But most ted from saliva, it would be very difficult to I've been thinking about permanent of these surgical contraception do and we have no proven cases that AIDS contraception. Are there different procedures require only a very small A has been transmitted that way. Now, this les- Qmethods? Do I have a choice? incision and can often be done on an out- bian case you mentioned may be the first patient basis. one. but there are no known cases where Yes, there are several ways to surgically Millions of women throughout the world people only got it from kissing and there are achieve permanent contraception: The have chosen the Falope-Ring Band because of 29.000 cases already of known AIDS. Of fallopian tubes that carry the eggs to the its proven history of safety and reliability. A course, the women may have shared sexual uterus can be surgically cut and sutured. They What if I change my mind in a few aids such as dildos. can be cauterized — or burned. Or, a Falope- years? Can the procedure be reversed? OTI: For something as horrible as Ring • Band — a tiny silicone rubber band can be AIDS, the virus seems awfully difficult to gently placed around a looped section of Q transmit. By the constant doubling of the fallopian tube to constrict the blood supply lt may depend on the technique that number of victims, you'd think AIDS would Discuss the various techniques with your you and your doctor choose. With some be much more infectious, much easier to gynecologist and then select the method that you methods the fallopian tubes are A transmit casually ... feel most comfortable with. damaged beyond repair. However, the Falope- MD: You can't confuse seriousness Ring Band appears to cause minimal trauma with infectivity. AIDS is sexually transmitted. Is it safe? to the fallopian tubes. Recent medical research And even then, as I've said, the wives of he- indicates that this may be an important factor mophiliacs show evidence of exposure to the in the subsequent reversal of the procedure Q virus 60 percent of the time. They are hav- and the successful restoration of fertility. ing, I assume, regular sex with their hus- bands and yet they all don't show exposure. cabob medical So, either it's because they are using barrier 21121 Cabot Boulevard West, Langhorne, PA 19047 contraceptives or because the disease is not that easy to transmit. It is transmitted sex- 22 ually and in blood products but it's not trans- tient, a lovely young woman brought up in a We've been looking at it since the 70s. We mitted casually. middle class family. Somehow she got on have blood specimens stored, so these people OTI: What about children with AIDS drugs and now that she finally pulls her life have been followed until 1985. According to going to school? If there is a potential dan- together, gets married, has a child—now— the study, one-tenth to one-quarter of those ger that it could be spread more casually this disease. For her there was no second who were exposed will get the disease. than we now know, couldn't cities be hit chance. OTI: If somebody has ARC, can they with law suits for "murder"? Have you heard OTI: It must be very difficult for you spread the infection? of that? to have to tell some of these people that MD: Oh, yes. People are probably MD: That's what they're all talking they are really doomed. much more contagious before they develop about, that the City of New York could not MD: Well, I never thought I would be symptoms of the disease so that unfortu- afford a law suit for this if any other child in this position. I didn't go into oncology be- nately the carrier state consists of people got it. However, the advantage of being in- cause I didn't want to deal with so many who feel well and don't know that they have telligent is that we can learn from what has dying patients and here I am, dealing not this problem. happened before. All the families of children only with dying patients but many of them OTI: Would you suggest that any with AIDS have been studied by the New young women with children. I did a project woman who has had multiple sex partners be York City Department of Health. None of the studying women in a drug treatment pro- tested for the AIDS virus? sibs who are older or who are not blood re- gram—women who really want to get their MD: No. The odds of a woman being lated to children with AIDS have shown sero- lives together, who are going into therapy or exposed to it are still very minute. positivity. The same with the foster parents are in therapy, using Methadone. trying to be OTI: I know a young woman who is who are taking care of these children—they drug free, and now they have this to contend highly intelligent and careful but who has had are all sero-negative. We're talking about the with. maybe five or six sex partners in the past foster mothers not the natural mother, be- OTI: Is there any chance for survival couple of years. She is sure that one was cause the natural mothers are how the chil- ... are the odds looking better? shooting drugs. I thought it might be a good dren got the disease in the first place. They MD: No. Well, not everybody who idea if she was tested. got it in utero. gets the virus comes down with the disease. MD: I think that it is a good idea. If OTI: Also, there are children who tmuedmK 25 contracted AIDS through transfusions before the testing for the virus was available. MD: Yes, like the boy in Kokomo. In- BERKELEY MEDEVICES, INC. diana. What a terrible thing. Those people 907 CAMELIA STREET tried to keep this boy out of school so that BERKELEY, CA 94710 he couldn't even have the company of his friends and his peers while he is this sick. I Berkeley Medevices, Inc. Offers you a variety of OB/GYN equipment and supplies think those parents are terrible. I saw pic- to assist you in your gynecological procedures, diagnosis and evaluation. tures of them walking with signs that say

"Parents Against AIDS". That's fine. Be 1 against AIDS, it's important to be against The VABRA® ASPIRATOR SYSTEM allows rapid accurate m-office screening AIDS. But, it's not good to keep a boy from and diagnosis of endometrial cancer and its precursors. school and frorfThis friends. 1 met with a group of parents from New Jersey who were The SYNEVAC* VACUUM CURETTAGE SYSTEM offers high capacity trying to keep a brother of an AIDS victim vacuum pumps as well as an assortment of uterine aspiration disposable products. from going to school. The boy was sero-neg- ative for the virus. One of the mothers said The SCOPEMASTER® CONTACT HYSTEROSCOPE is a safe, reliable diag- to me, "But you know who these children nostic tool which allows rapid examination of the cervical canal and uterine cavity. are, you know who their mother was ... she was a prostitute." So, therefore, the children For further information, please contact us TOLL FREE at 800-227'-2388 have no rights and should be segregated from society. They have forgotten the Golden fin California call 415 526-4046) Rule and that the child could have been their child and could have had a transfusion and contracted the disease that way. SPECIALIZING IN MEDICAL SUPPLIES We really should be worried about BRITISH our children, especially the teenagers. One MARKETING FOR GYNECOLOGISTS AND CLINICS day one of their friends is going to say. ENTERPRISES "Hey, try this stuff, it's gonna make you feel a divison of King Health Corp. SERVING WOMEN great" and "Here, look, I'm gonna give it to myself and now you take the syringe and you use it". Because this kid doesn't want to lose Low Prices / Same Day Shipping face in front of his peers, he takes this bloody syringe and faces the danger of giving himself AIDS. And. some teenagers have poor judgment. They'll do anything that their friends tell them. • LAMINARIA • COLLECTION SETS • CURETTES OTI: Kids are at risk of contacting AIDS sexually because most of them don't • SCOPETTES • LATEX EXAM GLOVES • LAMICEL use contraceptives. We see it every day at • HYPODERMIC NEEDLES • TEURMO PRODUCTS Choices; young girls who come in without a thought about what they were getting them- selves into. It's sad. Outside Calif. (800) 358-8220 MD: What I'm seeing now are the Calif. (415) 567-8211 San Francisco, Ca 94109 kids who have used I.V. needles. I have a pa- 23 BoOkS com. from pg. 16 \

movement and a university professor. Through in- Till Death came to his Release." was not unusual for women to be strapped down terviews with survivors, court records and diaries, There was a particularly strong anti-vivisec- to a frame which raised their pelvises. while their this extraordinary story of heroism and courage in tion movement in England which drew its support feet were held in stirrups, and in this position the face of absolute evil is told. from both women and the working classes. Many were subjected to exposure and examination by Most of the members of the White Rose feminists saw the tortured and abused lab animals hordes of medical students who would be invited were executed—beheaded in their early 20s, but as symbols of women and their condition in soci- to inspect her genitalia. Poor women had no rights the words of Kurt Huber, the professor, speaking ety, while the working class viewed animal suffer- at all—not to bodily integrity, not to modesty and at his trial, could serve as a fitting epitaph for all ing as an expression of the class distinctions that not to much kindness from their gynecologists. In- of them: held them in bondage. deed, they could only expect a surgical procedure "I acted as an inner voice had me act... I Even though most, if not all, of the work- for any type of complaint—from painful menses to take the consequences upon myself as expressed in ers were against the concept of rights for women, mania. Gynecologists used portable operating ta- the beautiful words of Johann Gottlieb Fichte: they could ally with the sufferage and anti-vivisec- bles—for rich women who could have the benefit 'And you must act, as if tion movements when they perceived that they of being operated on (without anesthesia) in their On you and your actions alone were fighting a unifying symbol of oppression homes, while the poor were made to suffer in the The fate of the German matter depends. (tortured animals). charity wards. And the responsibility were yours'." In a chapter "What about the Workers!", Anna Kinsford, the first Englishwoman to —M.H. Lansbury analyzes how the English working class graduate with a medical degree from the Faculte THE OLD BROWN DOG: Women, Workers and enjoyed and revelled in traditional English bloods- de Medicine of Paris wrote "paupers are classified Vivisection in Edwardian England by Coral ports such as bull baiting and cock fighting, identi- with animals as fitting subjects for painful experi- Lansbury (The University of Wisconsin Press, fying with their aristocratic oppressors as they tor- ment and no regard is shown to the feelings of Madison, Wl $23.50 cloth) tured animals, and then, how they slowly moved either, it is not surprising that the use of anes- Coral Lansbury has written an extraordi- towards an identification with the victim (animal) thetics for the benefit of the patient is wholly nary book that seeks to elucidate the links among resulting in their large scale participation in the rejected". three great social movements in Edwardian Eng- anti-vivisection movement and the Brown Dog Elizabeth Blackwell characterized much of land (late 19th, early 20th centuries). In an elo- Riots of 1907. the gynecological work of the day as the "castra- quent historical and literary analysis, she weaves Allied with their class hatred of the aristoc- tion of women" and did not find it surprising that together the themes of feminism, labor and anti- racy, the working class was imbued with fear of textbooks of the day referred to routine gyneco- vivisection. doctors—particularly surgeons. They seemed to logical procedures as "spaying". Lansbury has also written a history full of have an innate anxiety that the disembowled dog, One of Lansbury's most intriguing and heroines. The story begins with Louise Lind-af- cat or rabbit on an experimenter's table today stimulating chapters deals with an analysis of Anna Hageby, a medical student, who. with her friend would give way to a human being tomorrow. In- Sewell's classic, Black Beauty. Sewell was 57 years Liese Schartau, witnessed the vivisection of a deed, the realities of the doctor/patient relationship old when she dictated this book on her deathbed brown dog in the physiology laboratory of Univer- of the time (particularly that of women and their and there in its eloquent pages, Lansbury finds a sity College, London. They noticed that the dog had gynecologists) gave more than a hint of reality to political treatise, a narrative where the life experi- an unhealed wound in its side and had recently their fears. ences of a horse named Black Beauty are the sym- been used for another experiment. This event in- The anti-vivisection movement was also bol of the social and political reality of an entire spired their moral and political outrage and along fueled by pioneering women physicians of the time, class of people—women and workers. with Charlotte Despard, a leading feminist and Elizabeth Blackwell and Ann Kinsford. Blackwell's Quoting extensively from the work. Lansbu- fighter for Women's Suffrage, they presented the politics arose both from her experiences in the viv- ry's analysis elucidates major social themes—class town of Battersea London with an unique monu- isectors' laboratories and in charity wards of hos- distinction, the need for social order, the struggle ment—a drinking fountain that bore the words "In pitals. In 1847. she records a visit to a female pa- of the working class, and the inequities of being a Memory of the Brown Terrier Dog Done to Death tient. "Dr. Webster sent for me to examine a case woman. Indeed, not only did Black Beauty serve to in the Laboratories of the University College in of a poor woman at his rooms. Twas a horrible illuminate the oppression of the times, it also suc- February, 1903, after having endured Vivisection exposure incident for any poor woman to be sub- ceeded in further inculcating it. The horse charac- extending over more than Two Months and having jected to such torture, for she seemed to feel it, ters in the novel Black Beauty do not preach rebel- been handed over from one Vivisector to Another poor and ignorant as she was." In these days it lion or revolution, but rather good manners and acceptance of one's place. Blackwell and Kinsford, both feminists, were the eloquent and major spokespeople of the anti-vivisection movement. Writing in different The Close Companion fashions and at times disagreeing with each other's tactics—they both used the suffering animals as a of the informed direct metaphor for the despair, outrage and anger they experienced when involved in. and witness to, lesbian the abuses of the medical profession towards women. Lansbury goes on to examine the role of in travel Victorian pornography of the time and how this served as an "undercurrent" to both the medical and networking. abuses and the vivisectors' work. Slowly and insidiously Lansbury shows how the connection between power, sexuality and reli- Available at women's gion is made and finally finds its apex in a new establishments or God—Science—with Claude Bernard, M.D. as the send $8.00 postpaid to: High Priest of the "New Religion". Claude Bernard was not only the foremost physiologist of his day but the oracle and eloquent spokesman for the Ferrari Publications "new religion". Speaking both for himself and the PO Box 35575 new power class (physicians and physiologists) Phoenix, AZ 85069 Bernard writes; "The physiologist is no ordinary man; he is a scientist, obsessed and absorbed by "a* *'r.oo the scientific idea that he pursues. He does not 24 Attention Readers: On the Issues is now accepting adver- Unsolicited Manuscripts tising. All advertising must be in keeping with the philosophy of our publication: humanist, feminist, concerned with women's All unsolicited material will be read by the Editors. 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hear the cries of animals, he does not see their bloodbath were laid. which mandated that the testimony of a child flowing blood, he sees nothing but his idea, and is The joining of the anti-vivisection move- sex crime victim be supported by other evi- aware of nothing but an organism that conceals ment with women's rights did little to assist either dence in order to obtain a conviction, greatly from him the problem he is seeking to resolve." cause. Both were not strong enough to counter the hindered the prosecution of child molesters. Bernard truly believed that human perfection was enormous forces of the medical and surgical estab- My office led the fight that won the legisla- possible and attainable and that it was men—doc- lishments who armed themselves in the cloak of tive repeal of the corroboration requirement. tors (physiologists)—who held the key to this religious righteousness. Another law drafted by my staff power. The Brown Dog statue was destroyed and made New York the first State in the nation With the advent of anesthesia, the physiolo- the anti-vivisection movement of the late 19th cen- specifically to provide that young victims of gist and surgeon were transformed from butchers tury failed miserably. Even though it raised con- sex crimes no longer have to endure the to near gods. Now they could not only promise sciousness, the use of animals in experimental lab- trauma of appearing in person before the health and deliverence. they could conquer pain! oratories increased enormously until today, when it grand jury. Instead, they will be able to pro- Human sacrifice is often at the heart of all is estimated that 70 million animals are "sacri- vide essential testimony by videotape in a religions and the sacrifice of animals and, eventu- ficed" in research laboratories each year. comfortable, non-threatening environment. ally, women came to be viewed as a necessary ele- Lansbury ends her book with a most pro- The new law also allows a judge to ment in this new religion lead by physicians— vocative thesis—one which must be given further permit videotaped grand jury testimony to be priests. thought. She analyzes the current rush to anthro- used in lieu of live testimony of adults who George Bernard Shaw, an avowed anti-vivi- pomorphize animals so that they lose their unique- have been raped or sexually abused. The law sectionist writing of the power of this new priest- ness and become mere extensions of human covers those sex crime victims who are likely hood says "when a vivisector says in effect 'I have beings. Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit. Kipling's ani- to suffer very severe emotional or mental a dread secret to wrest from Nature, so you must mals, even Sewell's Black Beauty, along with other stress if required to testify in person, or vic- license me to sacrifice a guinea pig', the Sambo in writers of the day animal characters, slowly trivial- tims of any crime who are physically ill or in- us assents; and the more hideously the guinea pig ized and minimized real animals as they began to capacitated. This change helps ensure that is sacrificed, the more we feel the importance of humanize their fictional counterparts. sex crime victims already traumatized by the the secret. The vivisector can sell us anything as a Lansbury's exciting and provocative book is crime itself are not further traumatized by cure next day". important for progressive and radical thinkers in- the criminal justice system. Additionally, this Unfortunately, the "Sambos" were in a volved in any social protest movement. It gives an law allows a victim to testify via closed cir- clear majority in the time of Shaw, and animal ex- understanding of the past, directions for future cuit television during the trial. perimentation and vivisection were mythologized work and potential alliances along with much My office has also written and lobbied into the necessary components of this new creed. needed information on the feminist leaders of the successfully for the passage of a law which Add to this the Christian concepts of suffering as past. allows children to use anatomically correct redemptive, and the ingredients for a continuing —M.H. dolls to explain the abuse which they AIDS cont. from pg. 23 I^^^^^^^^^^HIHHB^^^HI endured. It has been challenging and rewarding she was sleeping with somebody who was OTI: What are the most important to help change the laws which govern sex shooting drugs that certainly increases the things women should know about AIDS? crimes and to help eliminate the negative chances... I've seen many women who are MD: I think women have to know stereotypes about women and children on hysterical because they discovered their boy- that this is a sexually transmitted disease and which they are based. While attitudes tend to friends were bi-sexual. And you know, we transmitted in blood products. Certainly, us- shape the laws of our land, it is also true will test them. ing needles with cocaine, using heroin, is that our laws shape our attitudes and affect OTI: They should be tested? really a risky thing to do. Sharing a needle with anybody is suicidal and worse than sui- behavior. It is my hope that a criminal justice MD: Well, not necessarily should. If system free of sex-based stereotypes will they can't live with the uncertainty. cidal because this is not a clean way to die— it's just an awful way to die. And they have help protect women against the epidemic of OTI: Also, they could infect other violence they confront. people. to know that AIDS like any other sexually MD: Right. I recommend that all transmitted disease can be prevented by the Outspoken advocate on women's issues, Elizabeth Holtz- man, District Attorney of Kings County. Brooklyn. NY. is homosexual men get tested, but anony- combined use of condoms and spermicidal jelly. Gone are the days where it was "your the first woman District Attorney in NYC. From 1973- mously. They have to be able to trust their 1981 she served in the U.S. House of Representatives— doctor and not have the results made public pad or mine toots, and we'll get to know each other better later". In fact, I had a the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Holtzman's or in any public data bank. I think it's impor- life has been dedicated to changing the laws to the benefit nurse who used to say that we should have a tant for everyone to know what their state of women and children on both the national and local needlepoint banner made for the waiting is. If they are negative, they can keep it neg- levels. room saying "No condoms. No sex!" ative. If they are positive, they have to in- form their sex partners and use protection OTI: I think that's a wonderful idea. If baby with the disease. This is just one of the for themselves and the other person. you can sell it to the teenagers and even most awful pieces of information to come OTI: When you have to tell somebody younger set. Have you heard about the new out of this because those are very high odds that they have AIDS, do you talk to partners, condom that's supposedly slip proof? They of having a child who will sicken and die. too? are packaging it for women to buy ... pretty OTI: William F. Buckley thinks that all MD: By the time somebody has AIDS, pink containers. AIDS carriers or high-risk people should be they're sick. And they know it. And usually MD: Sociologically, women have al- identified by tattoos on arms for drug users with ARC also, they're suspicious. But. when ways been afraid to ask men to wear con- and buttocks for homosexuals to warn po- they're just positive for the virus, no I don't doms. But, I did a little poll among workers tential lovers. He also believes that people tell their partners, that's not my business. in a sexually-transmitted disease clinic and with AIDS should be sterilized because the vi- But I certainly inform them that they should every one of those women made men wear rus is transmitted to the unborn. Just a tell their partners. With any sexually trans- condoms. comment? mitted diseases, I have given people lectures OTI: I'm not surprised. Before we MD: It seems to me that when heter- about having to inform their partners that wind down—what percentage of babies born osexual people get so upset with homosex- they have to be treated. We used to think to mothers with the virus will have the uals for having spread this disease, what they venereal warts was a pretty benign condition disease? are really saying is that they are angry with and now we find it is probably related to MD: Very early data is showing that homosexuals for fucking around—because carcinoma of the cervix. So, that's not such a if a woman is positive for the virus, she now they can't do the same thing benign condition anymore. probably has a 50-50 chance of having a themselves! 25 Hoffman-Issues PATIENT POWER that, out of curiosity, she hired an "im- age consultant". The cost: $100 an hour In the early 1970s, Merle Hoffman, they are entitled to get what they pay founder/president of CHOICES, devel- for, know what they're getting, and for home consultation and either $45 oped the concept of Patient Power, understand all their options for treat- for each hour of the consultant's shop- based on the principle that patients ment. The following "12 Tenets of ping time in retail stores or designer (mainly women) are consumers of medi- Patient Power" will help you understand showrooms, or a fee of 25 percent of cal treatment rather than passive (and this philosophy and ultimately practice it each total purchase made above $150. often victimized) recipients. As such, in your own medical care. The words "anyone who wants 1. Patient Power is the right to ques- 7. Patient Power is knowing all your tcT stand out from the page. Who is tion your doctor. options. "anyone"? The woman who is struggling 2. Patient Power is not being intimi- 8. Patient Power is being informed of to keep her family together on public as- dated by the medical establishment. your rights and responsibilities. sistance? The woman desperately trying 3. Patient Power is making medicine 9. Patient Power is comparison shop- to find affordable day care for her chil- work for you. ping for doctors and drugs. dren? The middle-income woman who is 4. Patient Power is knowledge of the 10. Patient Power is being an informed working because her husband's salary power of your own will to health. consumer. can't cover expenses? Most women can't 5. Patient Power is awareness of availa- 11. Patient Power is integrity and afford the time to study the fashion ads ble medical choices. responsibility. 6. Patient Power is assertive question- 12. Patient Power is a discipline of self or wander through department stores ing of the medical system. awareness. staring at mannequins—their time is spent in supermarkets, housework, child- rearing, all the while holding down full- time and, usually, low-paying jobs. And Whose Life Is It debate between Merle Hoffman and how many women, even at better-paying Moral Majority leader Dan C. Fore; a 13- jobs, can afford an "image consultant"? year-old girl rattles off anti-choice rheto- Once again, a leader has distanced her- Anyway? ric, unthinkingly parroting what she has self from the troops. "Most women make the decision of been taught; and much more. abortion... out of love... for family, chil- This film puts the focus of the * * * * dren .. .often a selfless decision."—From abortion issue back where it belongs—on "I'm not a feminist. I still feel Abortion: A Different Light produced women. It is the ethical rebuttal to "The clothes are basically there to attract. I by Merle Hoffman in 1982. Silent Scream" and a useful tool for pro- don't care how much we discuss it. This 28-minute videotape explores choice activists to use in their communi- Fashion is how great a man says a the ethical, religious, political and socio- ties. Available in Beta, VHS or 3/4" woman looks", says fashion designer cassettes. Purchase price: $350; rental; logical aspects of abortion with honesty Zandra Rhodes in Manhattan Magazine. and candor—even allowing equal time $75; in special cases of fledging or strug- for the anti-choicers to present their gling feminist organizations we will It really couldn't be clearer. Fashion—a side. Seven former abortion patients at waive the cost except for $25 to cover woman's body, a woman's image, a CHOICES are "silent no more"—they tell postage and handling. woman's reality—is not how she defines their stories movingly and honestly; pro- Contact: CHOICES, 97-77 Queens it, it is, most clearly, how men define it. choice activists and attorneys are inter- Boulevard, Forest Hills, NY. 11374. I have also found it quite ex- viewed in depth; there is a vigorous 718/275-6020. Ext. 467. traordinary that the common definition of the Women's Movement has been re- duced to cigarettes, bras, and doors. Very often, when I question women whom I interview for positions and ask them their opinion of feminism, 1 am (718)275-6365 told that "I want equal pay for equal Better Office Systems & Service, Inc. work, but I still like my cigarettes lit, and the doors opened for me", or "I am High Speed XEROX Duplicai not a radical like those women who • Word Processing/Typing Service burned their bras". Interesting how the Letters - Reports - Proposals concept of "burning one's bra" can be- come an act of such clear subversive Merge Letters & List Processing qualities—how terribly unAmerican to • Forms Design - We will aid destroy a consumer item of such psycho- in the design and printing logical significance. of all your office/medical Recently, in People Magazine the forms, including: American designer Vicky Tiele was Invoices - Statements Jumbo Jobs in a Jiffy quoted as saying "Women want to se- Transmittal notices • Office Supplies duce men more than ever because there Internal Accounting Forms • Computer Supplies are so few of them. In my clothes, you Purchase Orders • Offset Printing will score your man." In the same arti- Prescription Pads • Business Cards cle, Goldie Hawn is quoted as saying "I can't wait to have my baby so I can Typeset RESUMES by Laser Printer wear my little Vickies again." 97-77 Queens Boulevard, Rego Park, N.Y. 11374 Women's bodies are not merely

26 receptacles for the current trends of The women who are in the process of ter who opens the doors or lights the fashion nor are they just vehicles for struggle for positive social change are cigarettes? other's fantasies. They have also been the ones who must define it—not media, Ideally, feminism should help to cast as the most personal and political not celebrities. Feminism is not just an- create women, children and men of a battleground for what has become and other topic on a talk show. If we allow higher moral and ethical character. Fem- remains the basic core issues that domi- others to define the nature, goals and inism should be the fire through which nate much of the current women's direction of our movement collectively, it we enter as clay pots to emerge as movement. These issues have much to will be just another example of women porcelain. do with power and control, they have allowing men to define their own indi- If we believe the propaganda that much to do with the sexual definition of vidual lives and realities. If we allow this is fed to us, then we will believe that the women in this world and they have to happen, then the Movement and its Women's Movement is dead. much to do with children. relationship to the society and culture If the real Women's Movement is Both consumerism and fashion that it challenges is irrelevant. dead, it will be women who have killed drive women to capitulate to the de- Being a feminist should not be a it or allowed it to die. It will be women mands of a society that still is deter- dirty label, or_a designer label. It cannot who will have allowed it to be bought mined to define her in terms of her rela- nor should it be anything given or be- and sold. tionship to her biological function of stowed by anyone else. It is, first and fore- Women own their own move- childbearing. Even the choice to abort or most, a commitment to a way of seeing, ment and they alone are responsible for not to abort can, at times, be just an- living and dealing with the world. understanding the ultimate reality that other example of meeting external Women looking in the mirror should see feminism is not about fashion, it is about expectations. through to more than reflections of the future. The future of not only Amer- The marriage of feminism and themselves. ican women, but women throughout the fashion is indeed a dangerous one, par- There are new generations to be world, and ultimately, feminism is about ticularly when fashion becomes such a formed, children to teach, homeless to the future of this planet. time-consuming and financial drain. If house, sick to heal, wars to end, new feminism is fashion and it can by defini- worlds to build. The issues of classism, tion come in and go out, it can never be racism, militarism, specism, sexism, age- a threat, because the ownership is exter- ism, all the "isms' that mean "different nal, someone else decides whether it ex- from" and "less than" must be ists or not. addressed. Women must own the Women's And, with the world on the brink Movement, the real Women's Movement. of nuclear holocaust, does it really mat-

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION INDUCED ABORTION: FOR WOMEN A WORLD REVIEW, 1986 By Christopher Tietze and Stanley K. Henshaw

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WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECTS working together ^> Tues - Fri 12-7 pm for reproductive rights Sat 10-7 pm Sun 12-6 pm Mon closed Authors of: How to Stay Out of the Gynecologist's Office 212 873-4121 A New View Of a Woman's Body Woman-Centered Pregnancy and Childbirth Books For, By 61 About Women (213) 451-5503 656 Amsterdam Ave. at W. 92 Street New York, NY 10025 27 Monk's Mistress •o>u /.„», pg. 7 •••••• was abortion. Some others were for damag- mitted, just as they did before 1973. The ous. Now, abortion in early pregnancy is sta- ing the Westminister Bridge, stealing a shill- poor will return to the back alleys—and tistically nine times safer than carrying a fe- ing or burning an outhouse. death. tus to term. Clearly, denying abortion on England also set the precedent to es- The idea that "abortion is murder" demand in today's world is not intended to tablish a class system for abortion services. A surfaced in the late 19th Century—about the protect the life and health of women. revision to the 1803 English law declared time Catholic dogma declared immediate fetal Although the population explosion has abortion legal when two registered doctors ensoulment. Yet "friends-of-the-fetus" often reached alarming proportions, many govern- believed that continued pregnancy would in- resort to that bizarre argument which has no ments continue to deny women their right to volve risk to the life of the woman or injury basis in civil or criminal law. The absurdity is safe, legal abortions, forcing them into dan- to her physical or mental health. This law obvious. Even before 1973. every State per- gerous choices: risky, illegal abortions or benefitted only rich women. No poor woman mitted abortion for specific reasons, and no childbearing against their will. Restrictive could afford the opinion of two doctors. one believes that legislatures in 50 States laws have never stopped women from ob- Class discrimination prevails in Amer- meant to condone even "selective murder". taining abortions—they will continue to do ica today. Although New York is one of the Not surprisingly, proponents of the argument so at the peril of losing their lives or health. few States that funds Medicaid abortion, in are rarely consistent. Most favor killing in The pendulum which began to swing 1971 the N.Y. State Social Service Commis- war. shudder at the thought of disarming the away from permissive abortions in 20 A.D. is sioner limited Medicaid payments for abor- police and loudly insist on their personal today being forced back by women them- tion to "cases of necessity and medically indi- rights to possess guns to "protect our homes selves. In Africa. Asia, South America— all cated care." The Justice Department's recent and property". Their emotional distaste for over the world—women are determined to attempts to overthrow the 1973 Roe v. murder is confined to the "murder of the in- regain the rights which have been denied Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing nocents", which they slyly use as their argu- them for nearly 2.000 years. And, in the abortion on demand is obvious discrimination ment to repeal legal abortion. United States, women are just as determined against poor women. If the abortion issue The history of law and church rules to retain the rights we have. becomes a decision left to individual States it has been a comic-tragedy of inconsistencies. will be the low-income women who will suf- Early laws prohibiting abortion were meant fer. Women of means will be able to travel to protect the life and health of pregnant Pro-Choice and Civil Rights activist Irene Davall is a Con- to States where abortion on demand is per- women at time when all surgery was danger- tributing Editor to On the Issues.

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"Lively, down to earth feminism in off our backs." Tillie Olsen writes, "I can't do without oob." COUNSELING SERVICES Monthly news journal—news, reviews, inter- views. S12.5O/yr. Trial offer—3 issues for $3.50. Write: off our backs, D-CH. 2423 18th St., NW. FRANPHOSKEN W|(J NEWS ,s AN 0PEN PARTICIPATORY CHANDLER, ANNE M., C.S.VV. Psychother- Washington. DC 20009. EDITOR QUARTERLY BY, FOB AND ABOUT WOMEN apy—Counseling Couples, Families, Individuals. REPORTS ON WOMEN S RIGHTS AROUND THE GLOBEI Children—9 Centre St.. Hempstead, NY 11550, (516) 538-3322. "Winning With Choice: A Campaign Strategy PLEASE SUBSCRIBE 4 PARTICIPATE! FOR INFO CONTACT Guide" questions and answers on the issue of 187 GRANT ST LEXINGTON, MASS 02173 (617) 862-9431 abortion. Send S2.00 per copy to: Voters for Choice. 2000 P Street. NW #515. Washington, EDUCATION DC 20036. DON'T GO DANCING MOTHER by Rose Safran. Vividly describes America's chaotic health care system for the elderly. "A touching, funny, sad THE CHILDBIRTH PICTURE BOOK (CBPB) A story." this popular narrative portrays women Picture Story of Reproduction from a Woman's as the sole caretakers. Send $6.95 to TIDE Register Now View by Fran P. Hosken/Pictures: Marcia Wil- BOOKS Box lOl, York Harbor, ME O39H. Spring Program liams. Including TEXT. DISCUSSION GUIDE. NYFAI/Women's Center for GLOSSARY, RESOURCES. The BASIC CBPB with USA Reading List/Resources. The UNI- Learning VERSAL CBPB: English/French/Spanish/Ara- CARING FOR Courses & Workshops bic—for Community Health Workers World- OLDER PARENTS? Working with Wax, Painting, Gyn/ wide. Also available CBPB Color Slides/Flip Aesthetics, Poetry/Prose, Art as Charts. CBPB List Price $7.00/one sample $4.00. Our brochure will tell you how to: Revolution, Visual Diaries, Order from: WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL • Obtain needed services Drawing, Mask Making, Sacred NETWORK 187 Grant St.. Lexington MA 02173. • Help parents maintain independence Symbols of the Goddess, Women • Avoid family stress Have Wisdom, and more. Call or write for further information: Send $3 for brochure to: Leaving Texas by Carolyn Weathers available for NYFAI/Women's Center for $6.95; Self-Portraits/Viewing Myself as an Adult The Write Way Learning Child of an Alcoholic by Jenny Wrenn $11.95 P.O. Box 110, Madison Square Station 91 Franklin St., New York, N.Y. 10013 from Clothespin Fever Press 5529 N. Figueroa, New York, NY 10159 (212)219-9590 LA, CA 90042; add $2.50 postage & handling. 29 WISE WOMAN CENTER—HERBAL MEDI- BECOME AN ACTIVIST WITH CINE Workshops and apprenticeships. Free You deserve to know about brochure. POB 64. Woodstock. NY 12498. HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE Safe, Effective, HEALTH Natural Medicines the ONLY single-issue PRO-CHOICE GROUP S.A.S.E.: in NEW YORK HYSTERECTOMY EDUCATIONAL RE- SOURCES & SERVICES provides information Homeopathic Educational Services Call for volunteer or membership info: about the alternatives to hysterectomy and coping 2124 Kittredge

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the Natural way WRITER'S ORGANIZATIONS Reverse infertility. Help avoid miscarriages 6L birth delects. Pre-Pregnancy CouroeLng locuses on healthy, Special offer: "Winning With non-invasive ap|jrodChes. Both partners can clean up Choice: A Campaign Strategy the building blocks to make their baby's 6rst cells. The International Women's Writing Guild is a Guide"a handy guide to the issue network open to all women regardless of previous The Fertility Awareness Center of abortion. Only $2.00 per copy, professional accomplishments. For futher in- further discounts for greater quan- formation about IWWG's network, conferences, Barbara Feldman (212)475-4490 tities. retreats and member bonuses contact: 1WWG, POB 810, Gracie Station, NY 10028, (212) 737- 7536. Manhattan Medical Group, P.C. New York's Most Comprehensive Multispecialty Group Practice

IS gratified and rewarded in its association with

Choices Women's Medical Center, Inc.

We have been enlightened and inspired by its courageous and outspoken leadership in the cause of feminism and its steadfast refusal to compromise on the quality of health care for women.

We are proud to stand together with Choices ON'

Martin Gold, MD Medical Director Manhattan Medical Group, P.C. T Choices- Choices We Offer Many! Published as an informational and educational service of CHOICES Women's Medical Center. Inc We are CHOICES, one of the most progressive and com- 97-77 Queens Boulevard, Forest Hills. New York 11374 prehensive ambulatory women's health facilities in the nation. Since our founding in 1971 as an outpatient abor- tion center, we have become a role model in the field of ON THE ISSUES STAFF: ambulatory women's health and surgical care, and offer the following services: Merle Hoffman Executive Editor Beverly Lowy Managing Editor Pre- and Post-Natal Care • Female Sterilization Dolores Alvarino Associate Editor Full GYN Services • Full Laboratory Services Anne Walshe Associate Editor Family Planning • VD Testing & Treatment Virginia Kallianes Art Director Walk-In Pregnancy Tests • Workshops for the Carolyn Handel Advertising Director Abortion Community Contributing Editors: Diagnostic Sonography • Counseling Florynce Kennedy, Irene Davall Vasectomies • Project Outreach A New York State Licensed Facility

Choices BULK RATE Women's Medical Center, Inc. U S POSTAGE 97-77 Queens Boulevard PAID Forest Hills. New York 11374 Long Island City (718) 275-6020 New York Permit No 378