FEATURES ARTS

RESTRAIN ASSAULT*. CANADIAN IMAGES: This While the issue of 'domestic year's film festival in Peter• violence' becomes public borough, Ont. devoted a large knowledge, the Supreme segment to women. Martha Court of Canada rules on LIFE LOBBY: The lobby COMMENT Keaner reports on 'The New Restraining Orders, thereby group, NAC, passed resolu• Look: Women and Film removing a major protection tions at its annual meeting to CENSOR RAPE! The outrage 1982.' Page 12. for women against battering pressure the Canadian Gov• of our 'rape culture,' says husbands. Page 10. ernment to change its defence Barbara Halpern Martineau, FUMERIST FUN: Feminist policy in the interests of sur• is far more serious than the humorist Kate Clinton has WOMANSPIRIT: A centre of vival. Kay Macpherson 'loss of liberty' implied by the dispensed with her red polka- women's art and culture reports. Page 8. prior censorship of por• dot dress and English thrives in a conservative nography. While men claim teacher's role to devote herself Ontario city. Janet Rogers the right to indulge in fantasy, to enriching women's lives writes about Womanspirit TZENA U'RENA: Feminism real women are raped. Page 13 with laughter. Page 18. Gallery in London, Ont. Page in Israel is more than women 4. in the military. There are wo• WHAT'S IN A NAME? We MYTHMAKERS: Two legen• men's centres, shelters and know about NAC, but what dary women come to life in presses starting up every• in heaven's name is CWIUA? Louky Bersianik's The NEWS where. Evelyn Lilith Finkler Don't ask; Mary Hemlow will Euguélionne reviewed by reports. Page 5. tell you anyway. Page 9. Louise Forsyth, and Anne MADAM JUSTICE: Bertha Cameron's Copper Woman Wilson becomes a Supreme FIDDLER ON THE HILL: reviewed by Alexa De Wiel. Court judge at a time when RAPE CRISIS: A BC coali• Broadside's Deena Rasky Page 16. the Supreme Court is increas• tion of rape/assault centres played her violin for 95-year- ingly likely to reflect an in• had its funding cut off in old US artist Georgia GOLDEN OLDIES: This dividual judge's political view February over the issue of O'Keeffe while travelling month's 'Classics Revisited' is rather than the letter of the confidentiality of victims' through the badlands of New Juliet Mitchell's Women's law. Val Edwards reports. files. Four centres were af• Mexico and the southwestern Estate reviewed by Maureen Page 6. fected by the cut. Page 8. United States. Page 14. Fitzgerald. Page 15. page two EDITORIALS

Lock, Stock and Filing Cabinet

All around us we see women's services credit union. Several months before the which started in the early and mid-seventies meeting, the Ontario Share and Deposit In• changing, fluctuating, reforming, re-exam• surance Corp. (OSDIC) put the Women's ining their goals, struggling to survive, and Credit Union "under direction," meaning occasionally closing down altogether. that OSDIC — an insurance company, after Watching a women's service lose the bat• all — had decided to vet the health of one tle to survive is disheartening but, in some of its clients in order to protect its own fi• cases, not entirely surprising. In a climate nancial position. of right-wing, anti-feminist campaigning After complicated negotiations, the mer• and general economic recession (the two are ger fell through last -summer and the credit not unconnected) the ones which survive do union was back to square one, with assets so against increasing odds. that had fallen from over $600,000 to closer It's not surprising, therefore, that the to $100,000 as women heard rumours of its Metro Toronto Women's Credit Union is difficulties, stopped applying for loans and preparing to close its doors forever within withdrew their savings. the next month. As Broadside goes to press, OSDIC has The decision to close has not been an easy taken control of the credit union, lock, one. The process started a year ago with a > stock and filing cabinet, and the credii general meeting asking members to agree to union Board will be recommending at a merge with another Toronto community general meeting on March 31 that members vote to close it down once and for all. The Women's Credit Union opened in November 1975, and has served the women of Toronto for close to seven years. It has served us well: building assets of $600,000 is no small feat, and helping combat econom• EDITORIAL ic discrimination against women is an im• Philinda Masters, Editor portant task. Jean Wilson, Books With its closing, it is tempting to fall into the 'blame-the-victim' syndrome and to castigate the women involved: women are PRODUCTION irresponsible, women can't handle financial Philinda Masters, Co-ordinator matters, feminism and business can't co-ex• Moira Armour ist, etc. But credit unions must exist within an Lois Fine economic and political milieu which may not be conducive to their well-being. In Kim Fullerton many parts of Canada the co-op movement Elaine Johnson has gained a political stronghold and credit Ruth Stanners unions (money co-ops) have become Big Karen Tully Business. But in Conservative Ontario, the co-op movement has dwelt in relative ob• scurity, and credit unions have suffered as a DISTRIBUTION consequence. Elaine Berns The Women's Credit Union is just one of Gina Jones many small credit unions in Ontario that, "Flora Macquarrie have been forced to close down in the past Carol T. Rowe couple of years. Its closing, then, should not be seen as the failure of a feminist ven• ture, but as the difficulty of fostering a CIRCULATION small business when the squeeze is on. Catherine Maunsell, Co-ordinator Joy Wilson

ADVERTISING Judy Stanleigh, Co-ordinator Broadside Bulletin Ottie Lockey Item: Come to Broadside's Yard Sale. Keep phics and a couple of feminist games. If you located above the left pectoral muscle. the date open for Saturday, May 15,11 — 3 haven't kept all your back issues, but want Available soon! FINANCIAL/LEGAL pm. Do you need ski boots, a typewriter, a to read that article on anti-nuke campaigns, matriarchal history, or abortion, wait for Item: Subscribers would do us a favour by Jane Hastings, Co-ordinator lamp, or a tweed jacket? Then try your luck at 382 Brunswick Ave., Toronto. Come see May's Broadside. Subscribers will get it providing us with their postal codes, if such our bargains and collectibles, and make automatically (instead of the regular edi• does not already appear on their address them yours. Proceeds will go to a charity of tion); others can pick it up at newsstands or label. The Post Office does not like to do COLLECTIVE MEMBERS: our choice (namely, us). bookstores. much in the way of sorting mail for its 'se• Beverley Allinson, Susan G. Cole, cond class' customers, so we have to do it Item: Beautiful Broadside sweatshirts in a for them. Without postal codes, we don't Jane Hastings, Judith Lawrence, Item: Next month's Broadside (in case you've missed the last five months of variety (three) of colours are still available. know which pile to sort it into. There are Philinda Masters, Catherine editorials) is a "Sampler" —- samplings of And for our summer line — we will have greater problems in the world, but ironing Maunsell, Layne Mellanby, Deena articles from our first two years, plus gra• Broadside T-shirts, with our logo tastefully out this wrinkle would help. Rasky, Judy Stanleigh, Jean Wilson, Eve Zaremba.

Address all correspondence to: Broadside P.O. Box 494 Station P Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2T1 Tel. (416) 598-3513

The Broadside Collective does not nec• essarily share the views contained in any article, even if the byline belongs to a collective member. Views of the Collective are expressed only in editori• als, and essays signed by the Collective.

Broadside is published 10 times a year by Broadside Communications Ltd., P.O. Box 494, Station P, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T1. (416) 598-3513. Member: Canadian Periodi• cal Publishers' Association. This issue: April 1982; Vol. 3, No. 6

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Broadside page three

Broadside: personally, and this and similar classist re• Broadside: new Family Law. The law is sometimes re• marks hurt deeply. Convert that statement cognized more in the breach than in the ap• I note with interest in a letter in the to a sexist one or racist one and Broadside I gave away my February 1982 issue of plication; just the same it's helpful to be ab• March issue the (I hope) sarcastic statement might find a picket line on its doorstep. Broadside and have been regretting it ever le to point to a respectable precedent. that 'a women-only dance is lesbian, not Why is it not obvious that hard work on since. Enclosed is a cheque for $5 for two feminist.' I have recently heard straight behalf of the working class is hard work for copies of that issue, your trouble, and to DH Blair • feminists arguing the same thing quite seri• the betterment of all society against the pa• help defray the deficit. I wish I could send Bowser, BC ously, and I have also heard lesbians proud• triarchal capitalist oppression that exploits more. If by chance you are out of that is• ly claiming that it is Lesbian-Feminist Prac• us all in so many different ways? Martin• sue, keep the money but please let me know tice alone that produces women-only dan• eau's "courageous political friend" who so I can find a copy elsewhere. The article ces. made this remark obviously never worked on coalition politics was/will be very useful, So what has happened? Straight women in a factory or missed a meal in her life. and the analysis of the Polish crisis and the Broadside: don't have a problem with the sexist beha• There is apparently no solidarity between role of the Catholic Church in it is the viour of men any more? We are so sophisti• Barbara Martineau, her "courageous politi• reason I passed it on. Now I want it back! I'm responding to Laurie Kokko's letter cated that feeling it is OK to enjoy the com• cal friend", Broadside, and working class Since our Calgary Women's Newspaper (Vol. 3, no. 3). When my wife and I got pany of women without the validating pres• women. The next time any of us have the folded (lack of funds and volunteer burn• married in 1972, we both changed our sur• ence of men isn't an issue nowadays? Danc• time and money to work politically, see a out), Broadside is a lifeline for western wo• names to a third name. ing is something so exclusively sexual that movie, or just relax let's remember the men starved for feminist press. we can't dance for ourselves and have to di• hard-working working class women that are I went through a legal change of name rect it at a possible sexual partner? responsible for the availability of leisure just before the marriage, whereas Jaki just adopted my new surname. Does that blur If we believe the main point about wo• space in our society. Claudette Reed Upton the point of it? We could have both made men's dances is that lesbians are hostile to Working class women in the women's Calgary men, we have swallowed a patriarchal big• community constantly have to deal with the the formal change, with a little more cost gie, and lesbian chauvinism isn't helping hurt and shame that our poverty and class and time. our digestion any more than is straight ho• background set us up for. Many women are Everybody accepted it and got used to it. mophobia. socially isolated because of financial restric• Broadside: When we've had any need to explain about tions. The pain and loneliness that results is it, it's helped people to think about the sex• only made worse by the insensitive com• Christine Donald After perusing almost every issue of ism of the old custom. Toronto ments and oversights that are part of every Broadside as "she" comes along, I almost day life in our women's community. Aside drop a line to tell you how wonderful you This way does increase the disadvantages from challenging Barbara Martineau's are. How could I have failed to do so for all in paperwork and in covering up family classist article, Broadside has an editorial this time, and especially how not, following connections. But it allows our nuclear fami• Broadside: ' responsibility to edit any article containing on the heels of your Dec. / Jan issue — with ly to share a name, and unlike double last politically insensitive comments. introductions to such outstanding women names, it can easily be used by several gen• We are writing in response to the last as Mary Meigs and the political profile of erations in a row if they want to. paragraph of Barbara Halpern Martineau's Pati McDermott and Saphyre Moon Angela Miles (in itself worth more than the otherwise enlightening review of the movie Toronto price of a year's subscription). Then too, Sometimes I insert my old surname (my Reds (Vol 3, no. 4), in which she quotes her the final recognition of Thérèse Casgrain, father's name) making it almost like a dou• friend's statement: "It's so sad that people whom I once had the privilege of greeting, ble surname. I didn't know my father or his have worked so hard for the working class, and dining and talking with. relatives very well, so maybe I easily gave and the workers never really appreciated (Barbara Martineau replys: The temptation up that name. And on the other hand, since them." As working class women this state• to reply with another ad feminam argumentMan y more articles could be mentioned, ! Jaki and I both have admired Bertrand Rus• ment is like a slap across the face. It is clear• is strong (ie, my friend is as true-blue a except that I have a bad habit of sending sell since before we met each other, we are ly indicative of the -lack of class conscious• working-class woman as ever suffered'Broadside on to some ought-to-be-inter• still saying who we are by using his name as ness in oiv women's community and the through the Depression...), but what is ateste d person, sometimes almost before I'm our own. (primaril.- middle and upper middle class) point is the use of irony which my working-quite through with it. social change movement in general. It is not classier-than-thou critics seem to have Your reader from Saskatchewan (Vol. 3 Fraser (Collison) Russell possible îo avoid taking such a comment missed.) No. 4) should be aware of Bill 89: Quebec's Regina

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Vol. 5, no. 6 page four Where the Spirit of W Women Is Gatherei

by Janet Rogers southern Ontario towns. It occupies one and a poet are hanging there. Down the zation built on the willingness of women to half of a handsome Victorian house. A hall, at the back of the house, is the re• give their time and energy to create an envi• Womanspirit Art Research/Resource large circular Womanspirit logo fills the bay source centre. It's a woman-oriented envi• ronment where they can feel safe in expres• Centre and Art Gallery is located on Dun- window. Inside there is a sense of space, es• ronment. The walls are covered with a mix• sing themselves and where they can share das St., the main street of London, Ontar• pecially in the gallery area at the front of ture of feminist posters and announcements such expressions with other women. The io, just east of a downtown strip typical of the house. The works of two local artists of various women's events — art shows, university community in London provides concerts, readings, theatre. A set of shelves some support for Womanspirit. There is along one wall contains many feminist clas• also a substantial artistic community in sics and a solid collection of books on wo• London and the surrounding area. Al• Wbmanspirit Research men and the arts. On the opposite wall though neither of these groups is particu• Research on pre-1930 Canadian women Many were married to artists, sculptors there is a display of feminist journals, most• larly supportive of women in general, or of artists commenced in 1977 with the set• and poets, and benefited from their hus• ly with a cultural focus. Also stored in the women in the arts, there is nevertheless a ting up of Womanspirit. To date a large bands' support and reputation. A large resource centre is one of Womanspirit's uni• feminist presence in both. Thus Sasha bank of data has been compiled in vari• number were members of the Women's que assets — a slide collection of the works Mclnnes-Hayman was able gradually to ous ways. One of the main sources has Art Association of Canada, which was of many Canadian (and some American) gather the women who are Womanspirit's been the art galleries, museums anri nm- instrumental in encouraging painting women visual artists. Whenever I enter the supporters now. vincial archives across Canada, which classes, appreciation of art and cultiva• resource centre I have a strong desire to set• The first major task which Womanspirit have been most helpful in sharing their tion of handicrafts across the country. resource material with Womanspirit. Re• They took exhibitions of European art to tle in there to soak in the richness of wo• undertook was research on women artists in search was also conducted at the Art remote areas, they organized ateliers for men's words and images. Canada working before 1930. Mclnnes- Gallery of Ontario in Toronto as well as groups of women artists and set up exhi• How did such a place come into being a Hayman began the project in 1977, and sev• at the local centres, such as the London bitions for them. The Women's Art Asso• small, conservative university city? At first, eral other women have since worked on it. Regional Art Gallery, the London Public ciation established what was probably it was through the vision and persistence of They have compiled a list of close to 600 Library and the University of Western one of the first networks for Canadian one woman artist — Sasha Mclnnes-Hay- Canadian women artists who were working Ontario. Inadequate funding has not per• women and was prominent in the cul• man, who saw the importance of encourag• prior to 1930. There is full biographical in• mitted travel further afield but it is tural activities of the time. ing women artists to share their experiences formation on about 100 of them, partial hoped that this will be rectified later this Women before the 1930s were regard• with one another and of making the crea• biographies on another 115, some informa• year. ed as the 'guardians' of Victorian cul• tions of women, both historical and con• tion on 236, and names only for the remain• The research is an interesting but ture. They supported the arts, inculcated temporary, more accessible. In time, other der. painstaking job, for apart from the well- an appreciation of them in their children; feminists in the London area became in• known women like Emily Carr, Paraskeva Kalene Nix, the current researcher at Wo• worked voluntarily on their behalf. They volved, informally at first, and then as manspirit, explained to me that information Clark and Yvonne McKague Housser, lit• founded ballet companies; designed in tle or no information has been compiled members, board members, or exhibitors is gathered largely through correspondence, china painting, quilting and other home- and performers. Womanspirit is an organi• in an easily accessible form on their con• based activities. Yet reading today's plus a few interviews with older artists. The temporaries, who now number well over publications, one is told that they were six hundred. So, like the archaeologist never creators. who must peel off layers of earth, dirt and clay to expose the hidden artifacts, That myth presents one of the many the art researcher must leaf through old problems which today's art historians texts, catalogues and newspapers to have to tackle and resolve. The amateur find the hidden artist: first finding a or professional status of these women is name, then the life span, then a work in a constantly brought into question and public collection, then the name of a liv• anyone with the merest taint of amateur ing relative — bit by bit, a composite pic• status is ignored. But at a time when the ture is assembled and a whole person term 'professional woman' —never mind emerges. 'professional woman artist' — was un• heard of or considered unsuitable (ex- Stories of these women's lives are ing, which were seen as an extension of varied. Many of them were teachers in woman's maternal nature anyway), this rural areas, others were prominent mem• woman's' maternal nature anyway), this bers of the community and active in lo• distinction between professional and cal art clubs. Many were unable to take amateur was irrelevant. up a painting career during the war years and the Depression but turned to it in It is only by examining and studying their middle age when family and other these women in the society in which commitments had receded from their they lived — a society in which they lives. Others, particularly in Ontario and were thought to have a 'proper sphere', Québec, were members of formal art or• — can their achievements and failures ganizations, exhibited with them and be• be assessed and judged, but only on came established within the male-dom• that basis. inated art world. Some of them gained executive status within these groups. Kalene Nix

Broadsif!" page five

best sources were women working in art tions. The artists range in age from young growth. into the spring and summer. But Woman- galleries, libraries, and archives all over students to 77-year-old Evelyn Crooks, It is amazing to add up all that Woman- spirit is now facing a difficult stage in its de• Canada; they were able to provide actual whose show was held in January 1982. Be• spirit has accomplished when you realize velopment. Although all of the projects information or clues about the stories of the fore Christmas the gallery had a show of the that the organization has never had a steady which have been started are worthwhile, women who never made it into the art his• works of women artisans — affirming them source of operating funds. There have been they may demand more time and energy tory books. Other than Emily Carr, very as artists and encouraging the purchase of several project grants through Employment than can reasonably be expected from vol• few of the artists documented by Woman- women's work as gifts. Some of the work and Immigration Canada plus some train• unteers or staff over a long period of time. spirit are known, even in artistic circles. On presented in the gallery is consciously femi• ing positions funded by OCAP. Funding For the gallery and programming to be ef• February 19, Nix presented a lecture and nist, but a feminist perspective is not a ne• for Spirale and a seven-month feasibility fective, it is important that Womanspirit slide show at the gallery based on her re• cessary condition for exhibiting there. grant came through the Women's Pro• develop and maintain an active presence in search, entitled "Emily Carr's Contempo• However, because Womanspirit is openly gramme of the Secretary of State last sum• the women's community in London. To raries." Two of the artists described in the committed to feminist principles, most of mer and fall. Presently Womanspirit is be• play this role, Womanspirit will have to in• lectgure who most intrigued me were the artists who choose to show their work ing evaluated by the Women's Programme vest considerable effort in bringing more Florence Wyle and Frances Loring, signifi• there are making a statement by that to see whether ongoing funding will be women to the resource centre and to the cant figures in the Toronto artistic com• choice. Almost all women artists find it very provided. cultural events they offer. Cooperation with munity in the 1920's and 1930's. They were difficult to have public shows, because the Running the kind of ambitious pro• other women's groups, including those at the subject of the book The Girls by Rebec• men who control the art "scene" are preju• gramme that they have for the past year and the University of Western Ontario and Fan- ca Sisler, published in 1974. The lecture also diced against women and against the images a half with no consistent funding is very ex• shawe College, is a good policy which covered the "Beaver Hall Hill Group," they create. Though many women artists hausting for both staff and volunteers. The should be continued and extended. Perhaps women artists working in Montreal in the still accept this oppression and look to the women who have been hired on projects Spirale's success will show that the time is 1920's. The National Gallery presented a controversial art establishment for valida• have usually been enthusiastic but lacking ripe for a woman's cultural network, so show of their works in 1960. Nix quoted tion, an increasing number are looking for in the special skills needed in operating an that Womanspirit can share with others the from Norah McCullough's exhibition alternatives such as the one offered by Wo• art gallery or even in doing research. Time responsibility for publishing it. This would catalogue: "Some of the best still life pain• manspirit. must be spent finding staff and training leave staff freer to focus on running the ting in Canada radiates from the Beaver Womanspirit has been trying to locate them — and then the project is over in three gallery and the resource centre. Hall Hill Group's canvases." and make contact with such women across or four months. The volunteer board is Recently, several women active at Wo• The goal of the research carried out at the country. Last fall a questionnaire was forced to be preoccupied with financial sur• manspirit have left London or have had to Womanspirit has been not so much to add sent out to 350 women visual artists all over vival, as is the case with all too many wom• decrease the amount of time spent on it. to art historical knowledge as to discover Canada requesting information on their en's institutiuons, rather than with long- This is a natural process in any group, but the life patterns of women who tried to be needs with respect to marketing their work. term planning. in combination with Sasha's departure and artists in a culture which did not accept be• Womanspirit is collating the responses they Much of the credit for Womanspirit's the staff turnover which has occurred, there ing an artist as a valid choice for women. received and will use the results to plan their persistence and growth must go to Sasha could be an ensuing lack of direction. If the Judgements of their work at the time reflect own programming and to apply pressure on Mclnnes-Hayman. She has put a huge operating funds are not forthcoming from the patriarchal art criticism which still dom• governments and arts organizations to meet amount of time and energy into it over the the government, the women on the board inates the world of "Art." The fact that the expressed needs. Indications are that past five years, to the benefit of many wom• will have to make some tough decisions these women made the effort that they did women outside the major cities are particu• en here in London and elsewhere. But she about their priorities and how best to use is noteworthy in itself. The Womanspirit re• larly in need of more knowledge and sup• has now resigned as director of Womanspir• the resources that do exist. Whatever the search project will create the basis for the port in the "business" side of their art. it to take a position with Status of Women outcome this spring, it is clear that Woman- show "Canadian Women Artists: During the past year, in fact, Woman- Canada focussing on women and culture. A spirit has already made a significant contri• 1900-1940" which is being mounted by the spirit has, in the midst of great local expan• new director will be hired this spring. bution to women's culture in Canada. London Regional Gallery in 1983. Of sion, begun to be part of a national network Susanna Joyce-Jones, acting Director course, selections for the show will be made connecting women's cultural groups and and a board member, feels hopeful that the Janet Rogers is a student in Library Science using artistic criteria — but informed by a individual feminist artists in Canada. Out Women's Programme will fund Woman- at the University of Western Ontario in feminist perspective. Kalene Nix will be of this grew Spirale: A Women's Art andspiri t and has been planning programmes London. writing a social history of the women who Culture Quarterly, which was first publish• are included in the show. ed by Womanspirit last fall. A second issue Since December 1980, when Womanspirit appeared at Christmastime and the third moved into its present location, considera• one should be available now. Spirale is a ble energy has gone into creating a space risky venture; co-ordinating it takes some where women artists can have exhibits and energy away from Womanspirit's local pro• where a wide spectrum of women's cultural gram and criticism is inevitable, both from events can be held. Presenting programs the women's movement and from artists, that bring women from visual arts, music, venture; co-ordinating it takes some energy and literature has been a high priority. A away from Womanspirit's local program winter solstice celebration in December and criticism is inevitable, both from the 1981 reflected this desire to integrate several women's movement and from artists. forms of creative expression. There was a One of the most impressive qualities of one-act play on the theme of women and Sasha Mclnnes-Hayman and of other wom• aging, followed by a dramatic reading of en at Womanspirit is their willingness to poetry and prose with musical interludes take chances. A publication like Spirale is and accompanied by slides of women's art. needed now, especially since the federal This kind of program is an attempt to foster government is re-evaluating cultural policy. sharing between women at a spiritual/cul• It is one way in which women in the arts can tural level. The assumption is that such become more visible and express their com• sharing will form bonds which will contri• plaints about the treatment of women by bute to making women a more cohesive cultural agencies, both public and private. group politically. Spirale is, at this stage, more of a newsletter Over the year and a half since the gallery than a journal at this stage, both in format space opened there have been fifteen exhibi• and content, but with the potential for

by Evelyn Liiith Finkler Politically, the situation does appear and the man refuses, the wife is stuck. If hostile neighbours ready to overrun our rather grim. The results of the last election she chooses to live common law with an• borders?" The infant state of Israel, with at least forced Prime Minister Menachem Begin to other man, her children are bastards. As Chana Tzur sees the "neighbours" in nine active groups and women's services in form a coalition with the religious bloc in such, these children are not allowed to get another light. "It's very difficult for us to operation, is virtually blooming in con• the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. married in Israel for ten generations. connect to Arab feminists. Their culture sciousness. There are at present three rape Members such as Yosef Burg or Aharon In religious neighbourhoods, women are and experiences are so different. After the crisis centres, two battered women's shel• Abu-Hatzeira are Orthodox Jews and are cautioned to dress "modestly" — long Begin-Sadat agreement, some of us went to ters, two women's bookstores, one feminist therefore unlikely to advocate a greater role sleeves past the elbow, dresses past the knee Egypt to try to link up with women there. magazine and one feminist press. of freedom for Jewish women in secular so• lest the man's eyes wander and he be temp• They are mainly involved in the left and it ciety. Marcia Freedman, head of the now ted. Comments Ghana, an instructor at a was hard for us to communicate. We came At a recent housewarming party of Tzena Yeshiva in Jerusalem: "First, women are back disappointed." U'rena, the feminist centre in Tel-Aviv, defunct Women's Party, did not run for re• considered on a different spiritual plain Women at Tzena U'rena, members of Kol attendance was overwhelming.. Women election so no official representative exists. The sole speaker on behalf of women in the than men. so we have to dress more careful• Ha eesha (the Women's Voice) and other were constantly brushing shoulders and the ly, more modestly. Also, men and women groups, are attempting to fight the prejudi• atmosphere was warm, friendly, cordial. Knesset is Shulamit Aloni, author of a book on the current situation of women and lead• have physical differences. Men get aroused cial laws and attitudes. They organize con• Tzena U'rena literally translates "Go out er of the Citizen's Rights Party. Aloni is more easily. So, to prevent something from sciousness-raising groups, classes in self de• and see," and refers to a biblical commen• concerned mainly with the interference of happening, it's just better to cover our• fence, women's health and sexuality. They tary relating specifically to women. Now it the government in the private life of the in• selves." also provide a forum for discussion on is the base for a group of dedicated femin• dividual. Sixty percent of the Jewish population in issues pervading Israeli society at large, ists, primarily Israeli-born, who are work• such as the split between Sepharadaic In spite of a recent court decision to the Israel is of North African and Asian origin, ing for a change in the status of female citi• (North African) and Askenazic (Eastern contrary, Israel operates on a theocratic and Israel, culturally, has retained many European) Jews. zens. level. According to Halacha, Jewish relig• traditional values while trying to cope with One of them, Yehudit Rottem, says: "The ious law, women are bereft of the most ba• new ideas. The unspoken view of women The magazine, Venus, is a source of rights of women in Israel are greatly limited sic rights. primarily as mothers still exists today, a ne• information for feminists living outside the by the religious influence in government. In cessity to keep up with the ever growing major urban centres. The feminist press has the Shulchan Aruch, a biblical guide, it says Says one woman pessimistically: "Wo• Arab population. Abortion is permitted on• been responsible for both translating and that women are dumb "NASHIM DAA- men, youngsters and imbeciles are not able ly under extreme circumstances. Women are publishing books written abroad which are TAM KALA") and that the status of the to be witnesses. That's what was written encouraged to marry before their eigh• of specific interest to women. To date, they woman is as that of the slave, and neither over a thousand years ago and that's what teenth birthday in order to obtain an have four books on their list, with Against exists today. Look at Islamic law; two wo• can be witness in a rabbinical court. exemption from the two-year army service. Our Will by Susan Brownmiller as their men equal one man. In Judaism, a woman In addition to the barriers from within, most recent release. "Unfortunately, it is this same court that isn't even worth half a man." governs the details of a woman's private there is always the physical threat from Although at times it appears that Israeli life. For example, the income tax files are The laws regarding divorce also reveal a without. The perpetual state of military women are battling on all fronts, there is always registered under the husband's double standard; only a man is allowed to alert creates- a definite set of priorities. certainly cause for hope. name. It would not matter if he made ten initiate a divorce. If a man wants a divorce "Women's issues" are at the bottom of the shekels and I owned a factory. And to add and the wife refuses, a husband is permitted list. When they are brought up, the reaction Evelyn Liiith Finkler lives in Toronto, insult to injury, I need my husband's per• to live wth another woman and the children is often rhetorical: "How can you think works in a group home, and has recently re• mission to see the piece of paper." are legitimate. If a woman wants a divorce about changes in family law when there are turned from a lengthy visit to Israel.

Vol. 3, no. 6 by Val Edwards It is extraordinarily difficult to assess a The American experience with the judici• Since law plays a relatively minor role in judge politically. Of course, there are excep• ary is very different from ours. It is much custody cases, there is a lot of leeway for When Broadside asked me to write on tions. For example, we all knew where His easier to discern a judge's political colours judges to demonstrate social and political Bertha Wilson's appointment to the Su• Honour Judge McEwan stood a few years in the United States, partly because many- values. I doubt that Wilson was motivated preme Court of Canada, I accepted; but I ago when he refused to accept the evidence judges are elected to their positions. More by sympathy for the gay and feminist move• soon became aggravated by a sense of regret of a witness because she was middle-aged importantly, however, the American Con• ments. Her roots in the legal community are for accepting the assignment. I knew no• and probably in menopause. But by and stitution invites judges to make, rather than quite conservative — she was a senior part• thing about Madame Justice Bertha large judges cloak themselves in the intri• just interpret the law. Many more American ner at Osier Hoskin & Harcourt, a high- Wilson. cacies of the law. They are technicians, not judges are willing to make innovative deci• powered Bay Street law firm specializing in policymakers. Even where a judge is known sions based on broad considerations of corporate/ commercial law. However, she is Well, not quite nothing. In first year law to hold certain political views, his decisions school, my professor in contracts intro• public policy than Canadian or British a woman with liberal Christian values who rarely reflect them. is active in community work with the Clark duced the class to one of Wilson's deci• ones. Institute and with the United Church of sions. He stood at the front, of the class The Charter of Rights should open things Let me give you an illustration. Bertha Canada's committee on the status of wo• waving the case about in the air. "Idiotic!" up a little in Canada. The character and Wilson's one claim to fame among femi• men. Where two judges opted for an excep• he ranted. "Stupid! crazy! insane!" The nists is her dissenting judgement in the Deb• composition of the Supreme Court in the next ten years will determine whether Cana• tionally narrow interpretation of the Hu• students all chortled and clucked as they bie Bazso case. The Ontario Rural Softball man Rights Code in the Bazso case, Wilson highlighted the impugned paragraphs with Association (ORSA) refused to let Debbie dian judges will follow the American exam• ple. Wilson's appointment could not have took the liberal route, stating that her screeching yellow magic markers. play in the league. The girl's family sued on brothers on the court were defeating the the grounds that her rights under the Ontar• come at a more critical time because there is When news of Wilson's appointment tri• some evidence that she may assume a lead• very purpose of the Code. io Human Rights Code had been violated. ckled through the law office where I work, ing role in interpreting the Canadian Con• The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in a 2-1 there were no clucks or chortles. The event stitution along liberal policy lines. Wilson is in a position to tip the Supreme was noted with some small interest, but decision that the baseball league could not Court of Canada to the left at a time when there was no excitement, positive or nega• discriminate on the basis of sex. Potentially, the Charter of Rights' most all eyes will be watching how the court re• tive. I wondered how my old contracts pro• significant impact will be in the area of sponds to the Charter of Rights. Prior to What most feminists do not know is that criminal law. The Toronto Star recently Wilson's appointment, the Supreme Court fessor had taken the news, and could ima• Wilson also delivered the majority judge• cited criminal law as one of Wilson's weak consisted of roughly 4 liberals and 4 conser• gine him gleefully rubbing his chalky hands ment in the Gail Cummings case, which was spots. The article claimed that she concurs vatives, with Mr. Justice MacKintyre of Bri• together at the prospect of scoring even big• decided at the same time as Bazso (August ger points with the peanut gallery. In any in criminal decisions rather than writes her tish Columbia swinging to the right or left. 30, 1979). The Court of Appeal unanimous• Wilson replaces Roland Martland, one of event, the appointment came as a surprise ly held that the Ontario Minor Hockey As• own judgements. Not so, says lawyer Brian to no one. Greenspan, who argues as many criminal the most conservative members of the sociation (OMHA) could exclude girls from bench. MacKintyre's vote is now less criti• the league. appeals as anyone in Ontario. "Wilson is a In order to write about her, I spent a compassionate, relatively defence-minded cal — the liberals form a majority without week digging out Wilson's decisions and Why did Wilson swing both ways on the judge" who is not afraid to take on the him — at least in theory. calling every lawyer I knew for an opinion. same issue? Both cases focused on the inter• heavyweights on the Court of Appeal — There is a clear consensus among lawyers pretation of the Human Rights Code. The Justice Dubin and Justice Martin — in We will soon know whether or not Wil• that Wilson is a bright, studious and com• relevant section reads: "No person...shall criminal decisions. Wilson is much more son wishes to lead the court in a liberal in• petent judge. Some consider her one of the discriminate against any person or class of likely than they are to find that a trial terpretation of the Charter and, more im• outstanding judges on the Ontario Court of persons with respect to the accommoda• judge's error has resulted in a miscarriage portantly, whether she will be able to do so. Appeal. And what about her politics, I tion, services or facilities available in any of justice to the accused. Without such a When the nine judges meet in chambers to asked? Is she a liberal? Is she a feminist? place to which the public is customarily ad• finding, an accused will not receive a new discuss the cases before them, Wilson will Few of the people I spoke to understood the mitted..." In the Bazso case the only issue trial no matter how many errors the trial be called to give the first opinion as the relevance of this line of inquiry, and even was whether the word "public" referred to judge made. court's most junior member. She has a rep• fewer had answers. the physical space or the type of service of• utation for being quiet and softspoken dur• Wilson's dissenting judgement in the Be- ing court sittings. Unlike many of her coun• fered. Wilson felt that it referred to the zaire lesbian mother custody case is another space, and since ballparks are normally op¬ terparts who try to dominate lawyers during indication of her potential for doing "good argument, Wilson has never honed her ad• , en to the public, the softball association works" on the Supreme Court. Mr. Justice could not exclude girls. vocacy skills through practising civil or Arnup for the majority stated: "In my criminal litigation. However, sometimes view, homosexuality, either as a tendency, a judges with the biggest mouths are incapa• In the Cummings case, however, there proclivity, or a practical way of life, is not ble of appreciating novel or subtle legal ar• was an extra twist. The OMHA was unin• in itself alone a ground for refusal of cus• guments. Wilson's primary asset is her legal corporated, unlike the ORSA. Did the tody." In other words, homosexuality is acumen: her credibility as technician will OMHA constitute a "person" within the just one of many negative factors which a stand her in good stead on a court that, for tinted in fou, meaning of the Code? The law in this area court should consider in granting custody. now, may not be able to handle anything in quite clear. Corporations are legal per• Alliant coloui Contrast Wilson's approach: "I would like more. sons; unincorporated groups are not. From to add... that in my view homosexuality is a the layman's perspective, the reasoning and neutral and not a negative factor as far as result are bizarre — what difference is there parenting skills are concerned. To the extent really between the two leagues? From a the learned trial judge proceeded in a differ• Val Edwards is currently articling at a Bay legal perspective, the discrepancy in Wil• ent view I would respectfully disagree with Street law firm. son's decision makes perfect sense. him" (October 6, 1980).

Canadian Conseil consultatif Advisory Council canadien on the Status de la situation of Women de la femme

Publications

JUNE 8, 1980 PENSION REFORM LES FEMMES ET LA RÉFORME DES FEMINIST PARTY OF CANADA/ PARTIE FÉMINISTE DU CANADA FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WITH WOMEN IN MIND RÉGIMES DE PENSIONS Describes the Canadian pension Une analyse de la situation des {3.00 system and emphasizes women's femmes face au système canadien de No. of Posters Total needs with suggestions for concrete pensions et des réformes concrètes et and realistic reforms that will provide réalistes qui s'imposent pour accorder The FEMINIST PARTY OF CANADA' PARTI FEMINISTE DU CANADA is fair and adequate pensions to all aux femmes les pensions qui leur the political voice of our time. If you women. reviennent. wish to participate in the formation of this national party, please complete the following and return it to our address. By Louise Dulude, Par Louise Dulude, 111 pages 128 pages I would like to purchase a membership in the Feminist Party of Canada at $5.00 Write for your free copy to: Obtenez-en gratuitement un exemplaire Seniors, students, single parents, welfare or en écrivant à: disabled at $1.00 Are you willing to help organize (or meet with) FPC-PFC members in your area ? CACSW PUBLICATIONS PUBLICATIONS CCCSF Do you wish to be on our Mailing List? If so y 66, rue Slater, please send $2.00 to cover postage. _ 66 Slater Street, 18th floor BÊSÊÊ 18ème étage Donation Total Ottawa, Ontario K1P5H1 Ottawa, Ontario FEMINIST PARTY OF CANADA K1P5H1 PARTI FEMINISTE DU CANADA BOX 5717 STATION ATORONTO M5W1A0 (416)9603427

Bréddsiëë pagesseven

WllUlhut , 1%le9 ThiI 111*c 9 ThinI IIIIInU UUIIblfïsillprli I LUWCnilPi^

The human being is a social animal, so(althoug h usually the relationship is as in• the combinations and permutations of rela•tense), and sometimes both individuals live tionships concern us all, whether it is be•in separate quarters. The third choice, non- tween men and women or women and wom•monogamy, is often considered the most en. Below, Judy Stanleigh points out somepositive , healthy, life-giving form of of the pitfalls and signposts of lesbian rela•relating. But others see it as irresponsible, a tionships. 'cop-out.' : In non-monogamy, a person never com• by Judy Stanleigh mits herself sexually to one individual. She may have a primary relationship and other Being in love, falling in love, wanting to lovers on the side, or she may be involved in love, needing to be loved, having a lover, multiple, equally important relationships. and loving forever are all states we hope The secret of success in non-monogamy we'll experience in a relationship. We're all seems to be to not get deeply involved with brought up dreaming of scenes of fire• any one individual, and to be honest with places, bottles of wine and good food, a your lovers as to where you stand emo• walk in the woods on a calm winter's day, tionally with each one of them. This often sharing a hot drink or eating a bowl of soup means choosing to live a life which is around a campfire; and all of these are fraught with stress. One lover may fall in common media exploitations of love. Take love and want more than you do, or the exploitation away and what these scenes one lover may become jealous even thougn represent are warm, friendly, peaceful ways you both agreed to non-monogamy. Being of spending important time with a person at a social event with more than one lover you care about. has its own special problems: who and how tionship, it still may not be resolved posi• time to be emotionally supportive when she How many of us have fallen in love, or in much time do you spend with each? Giving tively. Sometimes, you are asked to make needs it) which at times may seem like giv• lust, and thus become obsessed with some• yourself private space can be a difficult and choices ("Choose her or me") and some• ing up your own needs. You may want one? Usually at this stage our thoughts, exhausting juggling act. The lesbian/ femi• times you make choices without being something so badly that one day you wake time, energy and emotions are intensely in• nist community has tried for years to func• asked because it is a way to alleviate the up and realize your lover is unable to meet vested in that other person — where they tion under this model. It has not always stress. your needs at all. Or you may feel that are, what they are doing, when we'll see been a particularly positive or successful ex• So there is still a lot of work to be done to what's expected of you is far beyond what them next. The next stage may be sinking perience for many women. find ways to accommodate jealousy in rela• you can give. And it's important to differ• into a comfortable relationship where trust entiate between unreasonable demands and Is jealousy politically incorrect? tionships. and bonding are being established. But real needs in order to sustain a balanced re• sometimes we get carried away in the in• Everyone has the capacity to be jealous, yet Sex, power and money lationship. fatuation stage and overlook other impor• lesbian-feminists often consider it to be part Sex is the basis of an intimate relation• Money has more of an effect on relation• tant issues that will affect the future. of traditional, patriarchal, possessive rela• ship, so if there is a problem with sex, then ships than is generally acknowledged. It af• Real love is not something that emerges tionships: in other words, jealousy is polit• stress is always present. We still have great fects who you relate to, how you meet peo• overnight. Both in friendship and in love ically incorrect. To admit to feelings of jeal• difficulties talking about our sexual needs, ple and how you spend your time with a affairs, it develops over time and grows in ousy becomes difficult and shameful. even with our sexual partners, and rarely special person. It influences the day-to-day intensity with the quality of the relation• Is jealousy bred into us after birth, or is it talk about our sexual life with people out• aspects of a relationship — the type of job ship. To love a person is to love the history an instinct? If we consider it to be social side our intimate relationship. Sex needs to you have and the salary you earn affect you both share and the things you con• conditioning only, then we can strive to rid be talked about not as seif-indulgence where you live, the type of furniture you tribute to each other's sense of self. ourselves of it. We may be successful, but I (which trivializes it), but as a significant buy, where you go for holidays, how much Every relationship is built on trust. What think it ultimately goes beyond heterosexist part of our personal growth andjdentity. spare time you have. a woman says, how she articulates her conditioning. How many of us have wanted more sex If you are a spender and she is thrifty, thoughts and feelings, and the ways these When our friends see jealousy as a nega• than our sexual partner? Or less? Who initi• you are an impulsive shopper and she is are acted out in the relationship, all influ• tive emotion, then we may get very little ates sexual encounters in the relationship? careful, conflict can arise over each ence the evolving trust. You have to trust support for the feeling. Our jealousy be• What do you do if you find yoii and your person's expectation of changing the that what she says is what she means; that comes our problem to deal with and it be• partner are sexually incompatible? How do other's habits. When you arrive home to an how she says she feels is true; that if infor• comes only our responsibility to find a way you deal with the fact your partner may be intimate dinner with your lover, walking in mation is left out, it is not to hide the truth to work it out. more sexually inhibited than you? Learning with a six pound lobster as your contribu• but to develop more trust before it will be But it can be a paralysing factor for an in• to meet the needs of your lover and being tion, what reaction do you expect? If she spoken. Each relationship evolves its level dividual who is trying to deal with her lover sexually satisfied yourself is a process that looks you straight in the eye and says it is of trust as a result of day to day interaction. — whether the cause is a sexual affair or takes time as each individual becomes fam• not on the budget, you have problems. Lying for your protection (not really hers) simply knowing a lover is attracted to iliar with the other. We are constantly evolving in relation• or because you fear the truth might another woman. Jealousy can be aroused Seeking a balance of power in a relation• ships, ending them, building new ones, jeopardize the relationship means trust has over the potential of an event with the same ship is an important factor in meeting the searching for ways to fill needs yet unmet, been broken. If your lover feels threatened force as if it were actual. We all struggle needs of each individual. We try to obtain a and trying to find the ultimate balance. Ev• by another woman you are friends with, with jealous feelings and fears of losing power balance by avoiding intimidation or eryone wants a sense of security, closeness you may choose not to mention seeing her. a lover, losing her attention, not being domination, sharing living tasks equally, and continuity. Discovering what we want It's a decision made to protect your rela• as good as another, not being wanted any• assuming equal monetary costs, sharing le• and need in an intimate relationship is es• tionship and to avoid stress, but it ultimate• more and being replaced by another. gal ownership of property, avoiding com• sential, but our emotions may not coincide ly breaks down honesty and trust, and once If jealous feelings cannot be expressed di• petition for friends or for time apart, and with what is considered desirable. Listening trust has been broken, it is extremely dif• rectly, we may make our feelings known in communicating openly. to our hearts is more important than ad• ficult to re-build. other ways. We may make extra demands How often have you struggled to define hering to a party line, following the "politi• on the relationship, or point out problems to what extent you compromise yourself in cally correct." We need support, not judge• Monogamy or not? that never seemed serious before: "I don't relating to the other person? You may have ments, for the exploring we must do in or• There are basically three choices in the seem to be seeing you these days!" (feeling to make decisions (such as changing sched• der to follow that elusive dream of walks in form a relationship may take: monogamy, neglected). "I think Janis (the third party) ules to accommodate your lover, giving up the woods on a winter's day and calm con• serial monogamy or non-monogamy. Mon• is selfish and out for herself" (criticizing activities to try to adjust routines, having versations by the fireside. ogamy in its most extreme form is defined friends). 'T don't feel like sex with you as two individuals belonging to each other, tonight)" (strategic withdrawal). "Why is it living under one roof, in one bedroom. The all of a sudden you are complaining about 1 couple generally agree to sleep only with being too tired to spend time with me. You each other, and they talk of sharing their never seem too tired to see Janis!" (feeling life together forever. This form is often neglected again). In this way jealousy is considered restrictive and stifling. never identified directly and thus never re• The same rules apply to serial monogamy solved. except that the time commitment is shorter When jealousy is confronted in a rela-

presents: freat,concertsJnithe month pi May:

lay Li 1982 .at .Harbôurfrpnt, 235 Queen's Quay W. The Brigantine Room, 9 pm. All tickets $6

• and the reunion of

lay 21, 1982 at Innis College Town Hall 2 Sussex (at St. George), 8 pm Tickets $5.50 Advance, $6 at the door.

Tickets for both events available at the Toronto Women's Bookstore (40

Abortions Cancelled

The following is a letter sent to Larry However, such persons should not hold a Grossman, Ontario Minister of Health, in position where they can deny access to this late February, by nine different groups, to health service. ihhe|hhi protest the termination of abortion proce• The availability of therapeutic abortions dures at Women's College Hospital in Tor• in Toronto is already restricted. This is due, onto. in part, to hospital quotas (stated or un• stated) and to the small number of opted-in Dear Mr. Grossman, gynecologists who perform abortions. Women usually wait two to three weeks for It has come to our attention that as of a procedure and many leave the province to January 1, 1982 the gynecology clinic at obtain abortions. Women's College Hospital is no longer per• forming therapeutic abortions. We under• We believe the establishment of women's stand that this is due to the appointment for health clinics where abortion services would a six mont h period of a chief resident who is be available would help to eliminate some personally opposed to abortion. According of the problems described above. to our information this is the third such We wish to protest most strongly the cur• appointment in recent years, with the same rent situation at Women's College Hospital withdrawal of abortion services. and request an immediate reply to our con• According to the law, the hospital thera• cerns. peutic abortion committee makes the decis• Yours truly, WAVAW at the Bloor Cinema: 'Dressed to Kill' does violence to women. ion as to whether or not an abortion can be Deborah Bartlett for Toronto Abortion performed. We find it appalling that an in• Committee, Birth Control and V.D. Infor• Dressed to Kill dividual resident in a publicly funded hospi• mation Centre, Toronto Women's Services tal can decide whether or not a particular media persist in showing women as both Network, Canadian Abortion Rights Ac• Women Against Violence Against medical service is provided. inviting and consenting to abuse, thereby tion League — Toronto Chapter, Interna• Women (WAVAW) organized a picket perpetuating the ultimate male myth : that We do not feel any medical staff should tional Women's Day Committee, Medical against the film Dressed to Kill outside the women enjoy pain. In this manner the pop• be forced to participate in performing ther• Reform Group, Hassle Free Clinic, Ken• Bloor Cinema in Toronto on Saturday, ular media legitimates violent behaviour apeutic abortions if to do so would be sington Family Planning Clinic, Women March 13th. The screening was targetted against women by reinforcing the lie that against his or her own personal beliefs. Healthsharing." specifically because the management had women desire abuse. There is a profound agreed not to show Dressed to Kill again af• and direct relationship between the images ter women protested against the film last of violent abuse of women and the treat• August. A leaflet stating WAVAW's posi• iurvival — Whose Priority' ment women experience in society. tion and calling for a boycott of the film Not long ago a women's group applied to are still using big stick threats and "negoti• was distributed to people before they en• The picketing of Dressed to Kill signifies the Secretary of State Women's Programme ate from strength" tactics. The nuclear tered the theatre. Prior negotiations with WAVAW's ongoing committment to identi• for a small grant to help run a seminar enti• bomb has made these tactics a threat to the the management had secured a refund pol• fy and combat violence against women in tled "Women and Militarism." They were future of the human race. Computerized icy for those who chose to leave the theatre all of its overt and insidious manifestations. turned down on the grounds that this was confrontation, either by design or accident, within the first half hour of the film. WAVAW's approach is to develop strategies not a priority of the programme. The wo• can destroy our world. Women must add for political action from discussion of femi• men are going ahead anyway since they our perspective, skills and above all num• Dressed to Kill uses violence against nist theory. Success requires women's in• women as entertainment. Director Brian De firmly believe that if this priority is not ad• bers, to make it clear that disarmament and volvement. All women are welcome at dressed very soon, other priorities will be ir• negotiation, compassion and love are the Palma's cinematic juxtaposition of sex and WAVAW Meetings; check Broadside for violence exemplifies a greater trend within relevant. only means to ensure our survival. meeting dates or contact WAVAW at PO . This need to take action in opposition to To do so Rosalie Bertell proposed that popular culture, where images of women in Box 174, Station "D", Toronto, M6P 3J8. pain are misrepresented as erotic. Violence the escalating arms race was reflected women stop work on the sixth day oi every against women is both real and all-perva• — Anna Marie Smith strongly at the Annual Meeting of the Na• month, in all but essential jobs. "Imagine sive, yet its depiction in mass culture is used and Melanie Randall, tional Action Committee on the Status of no women in those office buildings," she to titillate. Furthermore, the entertainment WAVAW, Toronto Women (NAC) in Ottawa in March. For the said. "Business could not continue." Wo• first time, a workshop of survival was an• men in other countries have downed tools nounced, and about 70 women attended. and brought the economy to a standstill. The new National Film Board film, "If You Something like this must be done here to re• Fight the Right Festival: May 1, 1982 Love this Planet," was screened. In the verse the policies of "the boys with the film, Dr. Helen Caldicott describes what toys." Although not everyone at the NAC Over the last few years, right wing groups Mother's Day. would happen to individuals, to cities and general meeting agreed with the proposal, have stepped up their efforts to turn the On May 1, at Harbord Collegiate from to our whole environment were a nuclear resolutions were passed calling for a funda• clock back and prevent the gains of pro• 1-5 pm the groups involved will be present• "exchange" to take place. She estimates mental change in Canada's defence policy: gressive movements. Groups like the Ku ing cultural activities, workshops and dis• that it might all be over in about half an making Canada a nuclear weapons free Klux Klan, "Right-to-Life", National Citi• plays. The cultural events will include hour. In a workshop later, physicist and zone, and getting out of military alliances zens' Coalition and Renaissance, along with music, dance, poetry readings and theatre. medical expert Sister Rosalie Bertell said, which tie us to increased military spending government social and economic policies The following artists have already con• "Women must be the ones who change the and testing programs. threaten us all. This right wing resurgence firmed — Marcia Cannon, the Red Berets, world's direction." The urgency of the is• The call for Government commitment to attacks us as women, racial and ethnic Arlene Mantle and David Welch. Work• sue calls for all kinds of imaginative action. our future survival brought the whole room groups, lesbians, gays, users of social ser• shops and displays will include the anatomy "It is appropriate to be passionate about full of women to their feet, clapping and vices, supporters of third world struggles, of the right, cutbacks in social services, les• survival," said Bertell. "As Helen Caldicott shouting. Some, too were crying. There is or the potential victims of a nuclear holo• bian and gay rights, men against sexism, says, 'This is the ultimate conservation so little time, and men are so locked into caust. In response to this increasing threat a police harassment, racism, reproductive issue'." their old pre-nuclear ways when conven• coalition of groups and individuals have rights, strategies for fighting the right, the Women's role in society has generally tional arms, tanks and soldiers could, they come together to FIGHT THE RIGHT. struggles in El Salvador and South Africa been one of protection and care for other believed, win wars. A new way must be This coalition is organizing the Fight the and violence against women. human beings and their environment. Men found, and women must play a full part in Right Festival. It will be an opportunity to All progressive groups and individuals have more often been the hunters, fighters, finding that way. celebrate our communities, learn from and are invited to take part in the overall plan• promoters and decision makers. They still support our various struggles and develop ning of the Festival as well as organize their are. Women negotiate — to avoid disaster — Kay Macpherson . strategies for future action against common own displays, workshops or performances. and make the best of a situation. This per• enemies. For example, support will be de• For more information call: Shelley spective is largely absent from today's deci• Kay Macpherson is a past-president of veloped for the prochoice demonstration 789-4541; Gary 653-4939; Bob 537-5540 or sion-making amongst the nations, which NAC, and a long time peace activist. being organized to counter the large annual write P.O. Box 793, Station Q, Toronto, "Right-to-Life" anti-abortion rally on Ontario M4T 2N7.

lew Women1 s; Cultural Céitre

When the news broke that the Pauline viable women's cultural centre. And they McGibbon Cultural Centre was in receiver• want to do it right this time. ship, women involved in the arts and cul• The women are convinced that the key to tural activity in Toronto came to the realiza• the success of such a centre is a broad base tion there was no focal point for developing with political proportions. The group is a cultural basis for the women's movement. looking to form a collective of about thirty The Pauline McGibbon Centre had never women with political and/or artistic inter• become that focal point in any event. Never ests and are especially interested in finding really clear about who its constituency was, collective members who are working with the administration for the centre had failed women's organizations in the community. to appeal to a grass roots base that would On April 15th, at 519 Church Street, Tor• support the centre and infuse it with the en• onto, the initial working group is holding a ergy and commitment a cultural centre with meeting at 8 pm to introduce their ideas to a broad mandate needs to survive. any women interested in participating. It is For the past four months a group of wo• likely to be an important gathering. It is, af• men involved in film, video, music, theatre ter all, a first for Toronto women. (For Doris Anderson, who resigned as president of the federal Advisory Council on and publishing have been meeting to chart a more information, call Carole, (416) the Status of Women last winter, was recently elected president of the Nation• course that would lead to the creation of a 366-6295.) al Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC).

Broadside page nine

Box 528CW Station A Toronto •• 499-6541

wipe Relief Funds Cut Women's Resource Library

The BC Coalition of Rape Centres has Founders College, at York University, is continuation of Canadian Women's Stud- had its funding cut by the BC Socred gov• now housing the York-YWCA Women's ies/les cahiers de la femme, a bilingual jour• ernment. Collection, a comprehensive library on nal published quarterly, formerly an opera• The government gave the centres — lo• women's issues originally housed at the Y's tion of Centennial College, now to be a cated in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo and Women's Resource Centre in downtown joint effort of both York and Centennial. Terrace — 30 days notice in January that Toronto. The York centre is presently oper• The first co-operative issue, focussing on the $151,000 they share would be cut as of ating as a resource library with plans to co• women and art, edited by Shelagh Wilkin• February 28. ordinate lending privileges in the near fu• son and Johanna Stuckey, is now available. The issue over which negotiatons broke ture. While the collection is open to the The centre is located in room 204 down was that of confidentiality of clients' public, the organizers anticipate it will be Founders College, and is open from 10 am files. The government had wanted the rape primarily of value to students and staff of to 12 pm, and 2 pm to 4 pm on Monday centres to provide detailed statistical York and its surrounding community who through Wednesday, and from 3 pm to information on rape victims in a manner do not Have easy access to the downtown 7 pm on Thursday. which was unacceptable to the Coalition. area. hi the first Their clients (rape victims) have clearly Another of the centre's activities is the — Karen Tully indicated they want complete confidentiali• Cr» "multi-level Canadian ty of the information in their files. Women system founded by a woman. in small towns are especially vulnerable in Music Festivals the case of misuse or careless handling of the. Professionals Choice • June 4—6: National Women's Music Fes• • July 2—4: East Coast Women's Music information contained in their files. /Schools The Coalition has received strong com• tival in Bloomington, Indiana (previously Festival, date tentatively scheduled, in west• held in Champaign, Illinois). Performers ern Massachusetts. For more information, munity support for its stand on the issue of CH0SEN%]SAC,workers confidentiality. include Margie Adam, Teresa Trull and Ju• call Womynly Way, (416) 925-6528 in Following announcement of the funding lie Homi, Alive!, Robin Tyler and Mary Toronto. (Fed/Prov groups cut, the government apparently encouraged Watkins. For information write: NWMF Kingston,Timmins,NewZealand, Committee, 631 East Michigan St., Indian• individual centres to drop out of the Coali• • August 12—15: Michigan Women's Mu• Regina,the Soo,Windsor,etc.. apolis, IN 46202, USA. sic Festival. Details to come. tion and negotiated separately for re-fund• •^1 ing on the government's terms. This is clearly a divisive tactic which should be con• -—s£L demned. Also divisive is the fact that the govern• ment has announced it wants funding appli• cations from other community groups wil• ling to provide the services the Coalition now provides. This indicates the govern• >$ ^ 1 loved the ment hopes and expects the Coalition will & feeling of drop out of sight once it no longer receives e sharing my concern government funding. c>° with other women and But the Coalition says it will not disap• ."..working .with-other women. pear. The centres plan to fight for the lost funding. For the present, it is looking at This gives me a feeling of ways to raise money from other sources to strength as a woman." pay rent and telephone bills. P ST A u

(Reprinted from Kinesis, Vancouver Status % of Women newspaper, March, 1982.) •T°Tm FUEE SA« "PRECAUTIONS' • ALIVE! women's jazz band MOST extensive review notes

Dear Mary Hemlow: Dear Mary Hemlow: All during January and February they lis• Dear Mary Hemlow: Lately Broadside has been publishing a list What is NAC? For years now I've heard tened to boring subjects all day and then at What happened to that excellent group of women's meetings and telling us to fast• women talking about NAC, but I didn't night Judy Erola made them watch Not A called Concerned Women in Utter Anar• en it to our fridges. How are we supposed like to ask. You know how it is. Love Story. It's hard, you know. chy! Do you know the whereabouts of Charlene? How would you describe this to do that? With thumbtacks, nails — group? what? Rain Blues In sisterhood Mary Hemlow Wants to Keep Up Nellie Network Dear Rain: Dear Mary Hemlow: Dear Nellie: I sure do. Some women are very cranky. Are you very disappointed that you weren't We haven't heard much about CWIUA for Dear Wants: NAC is the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. made a Supreme Court Judge? We fought a year or so. Better watch your Broadside Well, everybody reacts differently, but I'm It's a big building designed by a famous hard for you. calendar of events for future meetings. pretty good at figuring these things out. architect and it's great except it's hard to Charlene went away for a bit, some kind of What I did was I bought this huge rubber find the front door. They have all kinds of Women For Mary Hemlow misunderstanding with the police — band and put it around the fridge and I spiffy shows there and people who can find something to do with the sudden and tragic stick the Broadside calendar under the rub• their way in say it's terrific fun. You are Dear Superior Group: deaths of all the women who shared the Co• ber band. Of course, I can't use the fridge often asked to support NAC and I hope you No, I don't feel too bad. I'm used to this op house with her and something about to keep food anymore, but it's worth it to will. kind of discrimination. I'm glad Bertha money, too. I just forget all the details. I me knowing exactly what the women in Wilson was appointed because I know some would, and always do when asked, describe Toronto are doing with theiri evenings. In sisterhood people called Wilson, and they are brilliant CWIUA as the most (if not the only) truly Don't for Heaven's sake pound nails or Mary Hemlow and marvellous, so I'm assuming she is too. radical women's group in Canada. tacks in your fridge — that would be stu• pid. In sisterhood In sisterhood Dear Mary Hemlow: Mary Hemlow Mary Hemlow In sisterhood Why did the government bells keep ringing? Mary Hemlow Why does the government have bells anyway? Why don't the MP's work hard? let us*^* Broach, — Dear Mary Hemlow: Freedom Summer I see there is a group called LESBIANS AGAINST THE RIGHT. What is a Les• bian? Why are they against the right? Dear Freedom: „ The bells kept ringings because nobody Nellie M.G. McClung knew how to turn them off .Not everybody is mechanically minded, you know, and the bells are very high up and some people are very short. You've got to have more pa• 3°1SOf tele, ore 85 Dear Nellie M.G.: tience. The government has bells to keep Pho,ne) on You almost had me there. I've never heard the MP's alert. How would you like to sit 1ère: Ott the term before, but I've looked it up for all day hearing other people's personal op• you. A Lesbian is an immigrant from some inions on the post office, offshore rights island in Greece, but as to why these immi• (the rights of women at sea), egg marketing, 00 (non . grants are against the right, I have no idea. the butter surplus, frozen turkeys (a sensi• I've referred your letter to the Honourable tive subject for MP's) and so on. It's quite Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Immigration. boring and sleepy-making and the MP's start to dream about food and wine and sex In sisterhood and they have to be brought back to reality Mary Hemlow by the bells. Anyway, they do work hard. • I page ten

•

by Lisa Freedman and Susan Ursel

The appointment of Bertha Wilson to the Supreme Court; ! of Canada came too late to give women a voice in a decision a that has placed their lives and well being in jeopardy. Just a few weeks earlier, on January 26, the Justices decided that women must endure the lengthy and expensive process of a I superior court hearing to obtain a restraining order against an abusive spouse. The previously fast and accessible j means of applying to a family court judge for such an order was ruled out. In sum, this decision has placed yet another J hurdle in the paths of women seeking justice and recogni- j tion of their right to personal safety. j Women abused by their spouses do have more legal reil sources today than in the days when a marriage licence 1 could be equated with a man's licence to "discipline" his \ wife. Women now can lay a variety of criminal charges. But 1 these are generally an after-the-fact reaction to a harm al- j ready inflicted. ai| To prevent rather than punish violence, women previous- < Sphinx Film Productions ly had access to the provincial family courts which could id grant "restraining orders." The wording of such orders ] varies between provinces but the effect is the same. In On- j tario, for example, the Family Law Reform Act allows a i married or common law spouse to apply for a court order j restraining the other spouse from "molesting, annoying or | harassing the applicant, or children in the lawful custody of ] the applicant." (The neutrality of the language belies the j commonly understood reality that it is a beaten woman \ Any person who can't comprehend And so the situation remains shrouded welfare benefits takes her to a social who is seeking to restrain an attacking husband). \ why women stay with husbands who in silence. worker who found Addi's husband ut• It was a similar provision of the British Columbia Family I beat them should have seen The Power Once Addi leaves home, she is not in• terly charming, and the red tape hand• Relations Act that was the subject of the Supreme Court | of Men is the Patience of Women, a filstantlm y liberated. She is compelled to live lers cannot believe her story. decision. In that decision the Court stripped Provincial \ sponsored by Broadside at the Reel towit h neighbours in cramped and incon• Addi ultimately decides to live com• Court judges of their power to issue restraining orders. To } Real Film Festival on February 21 in venient circumstances until she discovers munally in a house with women who understand the reasons behind this decision, a side trip \ Toronto. The West German film — on the women's shelter in town. There she have shared the experience of violence in through the intricacies of our court system is required. \ target to the last detail — attempts to receives a good deal of support from wo• the home. But the message of the movie In each province there are a series of courts, each with { describe the dilemma of the battered wo• men, but the quarters are as cramped is riot necessarily that all battered wo• different areas of jurisdiction, that is, matters that they can , man. there — bunk beds occupied by other men can live happily ever after. Rather, legally try. At the bottom is the small claims court and, of Addi, pictured above, cannot talk to victims of wife assault and rooms the movie makes the strong statement interest to us, the family law courts. These are known as in• her friends about the violence in her crammed with children. that every institution, including the insti• ferior courts, for reasons that will soon become obvious. home because she is ashamed. Her hus• Even with the support of other women tution of marriage, the courts, welfare Above them, in ascending order, are county and district band's friends and drinking buddies and the knowledge that she is not alone, systems and the strictures of a lean job courts, and the Supreme Court of the province with its ad• know he beats up his wife but won't Addi has a long way to go, particularly market, is stacked against victims of junct, the Court of Appeal. Sitting on the top of the heap is break the male bonds to confront him. through the bureaucracy. Her quest for wife assault. — SGC of course the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC), ruling on

The first sad truth is that men beat their wives because busy to politicize other women, too busy dealing with im• they are permitted to do so. They are permitted to do so by mediate questions of counselling and support for women; institutions determined to perpetuate the sexist value that concerned with where the funding for the shelter is going to women should be seen and not heard and that a man's come from, with the personal trauma of watching many home is his castle: he has the right to get carried away now women decide that they can't change their lives so drama• and again. tically as to walk away from a marriage. Shelter workers are Says Maureen Adams, a para-legal worker assisting bat• famous for burn-out and it is no wonder. by Susan G. Cole tered women: "If she (a victim of wife assault) goes to a so• In the past few years some changes have taken place that cial worker, the social workers will say, 'Go home and be• promise an improvement in the situation. Deborah Sinclair Within the nuclear family, that much-touted paradise the have and he won't hurt you.' If she calls the police, the po• and Susan Harris, two social workers operating out of Eto- reactionaries are defending against all comers, one out of lice will agree to walk her husband around the block to cool bicoke, have begun a program to introduce the feminist val• every ten women staggers. She is nursing broken bones, not him off." As for laying charges against the assailant, police ues of the shelter movement into traditional agencies. They just the welts from the odd hand-slap; she is recovering have been loathe to do so unless they've witnessed the are talking with other social workers, educating them about from concussions and the damages from miscarriages in• assault. The victims, they claim, don't make reliable wit• the real situation of battered women, encouraging counsel• curred as a result of a kick in the stomach. She is the victim nesses. lors to urge victims to get control over their lives and not to of wife battery. We don't understand her, police have no sympathy, social go back to the violent nightmare in their homes. But for the The victims of wife assault are a closeted community, workers try to put her back into her place. The assaulted most part wife battery has been the preoccupation of a few perhaps even more hidden than the victims of incest. Child• woman is alone. It is crucial that we try to face her situation social workers and the women working in hostels. ren, after all, are assumed to deserve the protection of ev• head on. Recently, the issue came into focus when the Supreme erybody and are not made nearly as accountable for their She is not a masochist. She is a casualty of a sexist socie• Court of Canada ruled that Family Court judges could not victimization as are adult women. Until recently, groups ty. The victim of wife assault tends to be more conservative issue restraining orders to protect assaulted women, and as known for sophisticated feminist analysis and which pur• than most, a believer in romantic love and in the institution a result wife battery as a sexist reality has finally come out ported to deal with all issues pertaining to violence and wo• of marriage. Her faith in the institution of marriage is but• of the woodwork. Women organizing to protest the deci• men never confronted the issue of wife assault. Something tressed on all sides by media and institutional propaganda. sion have formed Justice for Assaulted Women (JAW-s) . about battered women makes other women, even feminists, When the first violent attack on her occurs, she is usually and are making the entire matter of wife battery a political very uncomfortable. taken completely by surprise. Her immediate reaction is in• issue. Why do they put up with it? That's the question put variably, "What have I done wrong?" As she tries to The effect of the Supreme Court decision is to make it forth most often by feminists confounded by the assaulted smoothe things out, then realizes that the attacks will con• harder for women to get protection against violent hus• woman's dilemma. It's strange how demanding we can be tinue and even escalate regardless of her efforts, she as• bands. Now, in order to receive a restraining order, women as feminists. Our own confusion is part and parcel of a syn• sumes that violence is part of the family package deal, have to have legal counsel, an expense they didn't have to drome we have created which demands that all women get it something she must accept. incur when family courts were issuing the orders, and they together, and fast. We are barely tolerant of the woman Women who believe that it is a problem are too ashamed have to have more time for the paper work and to get onto who would opt for housewifery before the rigours of a ca• to talk of it to other women. Leaving the marriage outright the Supreme Court roster. Of course, the more time it takes reer. We are only just learning that women have the right to is not necessarily an option in a society where the job mar• to get the orders, the longer a woman is left unprotected. choose. We can barely understand women who complain ket is not particularly hospitable to women. Seeing a coun• Supreme Court Decisions are final. All JAW-s can do is about a sexist live-in male lover and who won't move out. sellor may mean enduring a devastating encounter with a devise ways of working around them. And they do have a We get impatient. We tend to think that a little conscious• traditionalist who assumes the woman brought the attack number of strategies. The first is to put battered women in• ness-raising, a few well-selected feminist texts, and some on. Calling the police probably means an encounter with to the Red Tag category at Legal Aid. This means that Le• intensive woman-support will transform the victims of pa• men who don't want to mess with a "domestic" dispute gal Aid makes a point of processing applications quickly. triarchy into the strong independent women we know they and who find it difficult to invade a man's castle in the first Second, JAW-s have brought together feminist lawyers who can be. place. are willing to take on the task of getting to the Supreme To assume that life is this simple is to forget that every in• Where is the woman to go? It is estimated that there are Court without waiting for Legal Aid to come through. stitution is stacked against the victim of wife assault, and in 24,000 battered women in this country and there are only As well, JAW-s is circulating a petition that calls for three favour of the assailing male. Even our vocabulary gives us 700 beds across the country in shelters for battered women. steps to be taken to mitigate the damages of the Supreme away. "Domestic violence," for example, is a convenient Every new shelter than opens is filled up in less than a week. Court decision. Since the decision states that only federally gloss for wife battery, and use of the term indicates our own The movement to assist battered women has been led by appointed judges can issue the orders, and since family unwillingness to deal with some painful facts of life. shelter workers who are on the front line of the crisis, too court jduges have traditionally been appointed at the pro-

Broadside those matters of supreme importance to the nation, or at There were four sections of the BC legislation at issue. expensive higher courts. Lawyers are needed in these least to that part of the nation that can afford to drag mat• These areas included guardianship and custody of children, courts, whereas before women could represent themselves ters that far. possession of the family home and "non-entry" orders. or have an "agent" represent them at minimal cost. It also The issue at the core of the SCC decision is a jurisdiction• The majority court ruling was that guardianship and cus• has to be stressed that these higher courts are not as geo• al technicality. Under Section 96 of the BNA Act, judges of tody orders could still be granted by provincially appointed graphically accessible as the "inferior" courts. Therefore, the county, district and supreme court must be federally ap• judges but orders pertaining to possession of the family travelling and accommodation costs, plus child care costs, pointed (the prevailing wisdom behind this section is ap• home and "non-entry" were matters for federally ap• must be absorbed by a woman seeking a "restraining parently to secure the impartiality and independence of the pointed judges. There was a minority decision in this case order." Laskin did indeed deal with this issue, in a few cal• provincial judiciary). The provinces appoint all other that said that all four of the areas were beyond the compe• lous words, which give us more insight into the attitudes judges, such as those of the Family Court. The jurisdiction• tence of provincially appointed judges and it is in this reas• underlying the decision than any amount of legal reason• al problem arises because of the nature of "restraining oning that our examination will begin. ing. He said: orders" (or as they are characterized in the BC case — A minority or dissenting opinion is an opinion of a mi• "non entry" orders). nority of the nine SCC judges; it is not necessarily contrary ... .It is no answer to say that the provincial courts are 1 The key point to be decided in the case was whether these to the majority decision which becomes law, it's just that it more accessible to those who might need relief under orders are equivalent to a form of preventive justice or to a is not exactly the same on several key issues. In this case, the Family Relations Act than is the Supreme Court, form of injunctive relief. Preventive justice consists of ob• the dissenting opinion played a major role in how the ma• especially in the availability in outlying areas. This liging those persons whom there is "probable grounds to jority came to their conclusion. Chief Justice Bora Laskin, was not an answer in the immediate post 1867 period suspect of future misbehaviour to give assurance to the writing for the minority, had to deal with two separate when communication and accessibility of judicial ser• public that such offence as is apprehended shall not hap• "non entry" sections. On the first section he reasoned that vices were far less advanced than they are at the pres• pen." This is not meant as any form of punishment, un• given its wording (a wording that will only allow the grant• ent time and it is not an answer today. less, perhaps, for a man's imprudence in giving just ground ing of a non-entry order where there is a valid custody order for apprehension. If these "restraining orders" are charac• in force) the logical conclusion was that "non-entry" or• Are there any solutions to the problems raised in this de• terized as such then Provincial Judges can rule in this field, ders were intended to enforce custody orders — in essence cision? If the problem is seen as the fragmentation of juris• the right to do so being traced back through English au• to keep the spouse away from the wife and children. If diction then the "simple" solution would be to unite the thorities to the year 1361. If however, "restraining orders" custody orders were not within the jurisdiction of family various areas of family law in one package and establish a are likened to injunctions (a legal order restraining some• court judges, then "non-entry" orders- couldn't be either. court that has jurisdiction to deal with all of these matters. one from commencing or continuing a wrongful act) then However, the majority opinion, which is the law, decided This "unified family court" concept is currently in exis• their enforcement must fall to federally appointed judges as that custody could remain within the jurisdiction of provin• tence in Ontario in the Judicial District of Hamilton-Went• these "Section 96" courts assumed injunctive powers at the cially appointed judges. And what then did the majority worth. The judges are, by necessity, federally appointed. time of Confederation. The SCC decided that these orders make of "non-entry" orders? They said these orders are This court has virtually full jurisdiction over all areas of were in reality injunctions and therefore could not be issued beyond the jurisdiction or a provincially appointed judge. family law. The advantage of this system is that its proce• by other than federally appointed judges. With the preven• And why? Because of the reasons given by the Chief Justice dure is not as formal or as expensive as that of a traditional tive justice theory rejected, Family Court Judges can no in the minority decision. Yet when the majority rejected supreme court, and non-lawyers may represent clients in longer issue these orders. For assaulted women, then, these Laskin's argument for placing custody in the hands of fed• certain situations (including the granting of restraining or• courts are definitely inferior. erally appointed judges, his essential link between custody ders). The current reality though is that there is only one In 1980, an Ontario court dealt with exactly this question and non-entry breaks down. How did the majority deal such court in Ontario and few other similar unified courts f and came to the opposite conclusion. Unfortunately the with this problem? They didn't! What is outrageous is that throughout the country; therefore accessibility is still a ma- j fact than an Ontario court called these orders preventive this passes for law and justice in our country. jor problem. j justice does little to help us. While the wording of the On• The other section which dealt with non-entry orders The problem, however, must be viewed in a broader j tario Act is different from that of the BC Act, the effect of stands on its own and has nothing to do with custody. In sense. It concerns the general legal attitudes toward the j the SCC holding (while not technically overruling the On• discussing this section the Chief Justice dismissed the argu• treatment of women in violent domestic situations. Easy ac- I tario court) has led provincially appointed judges in Ontar• ment that it was preventive justice by, figuratively speak• cess to the courts is one avenue of recourse but faster police j io to stop issuing these orders. What is interesting to note ing, stamping his foot and saying "It's not, it's not." In his response to domestic crises and the expansion of temporary j shelters for assaulted women and children must be parallel j own words, "Whai we have in section 79 is more akin to in• f here is that the Ontario decision was based on pages of per• issues. " ' * / suasive, historically grounded reasoning. What kind of junctive relief than it is to any relief against an apprehended Above all a solution requires a recognition on the part of j reasoning did the SCC use to justify its opposite decision? breach of the peace (preventive justice)." And that's about police, crown attorneys, judges and society as a whole that j The answer is very little. To understand how this could be all he. said. The majority heartily concurred. possible in a decision that goes on for more than 50 pages, The outcome of this decision is that an expedient and in• assaulted women deserve the full protection and support of j requires some perseverance, but stick with us and you'll expensive way of ensuring that women can get an order the legal system. j have gained fresh insights into how the top legal minds in stopping husbands from beating and harrassing them has Lisa Freedman and Susan Ursel are active members of the 1 our country work. been denied. The route is now through the slower and more Toronto Area Caucus of Women and the Law. j

vincial level, the petition calls for the Minister of Justice to appoint from his federal office judges to sit in Family Court. The petition also calls for a unified court system, like the one in the Hamilton-Wentworth judicial area, that would make it easier for women to work through the justice system. Finally, JAW-s is demanding that Parliament draft appropriate enforcement provisions to protect assaulted women, so that protection exists on the legislative level and isn't left to the discretion of police departments. As it is, police have not used their authority in a way that guaran• tees enforcement of a restraining order. Apart from the petition campaign, JAW-s has developed a legal committee that will be in touch with Ontario Attor• ney General, Roy McMurtry. JAW-s will deliver to McMur• try a brief outlining the legal ramifications of the decision and will make a declaratory judgement asking the Court of Appeal to determine that the Supreme Court decision, bas• ed as it was on BC legislation, does not apply 1o Ontario's Family Law Reform Act regarding restraining orders. Chances are, though, that such a decision cannot be made without a test case. The test case would take a long time to meander through the courts and it is practically im• possible to find an assaulted woman who can afford to live unprotected for the length of time (weeks or months) it would take for a judge to hear the argument. Finally, JAW-s is anxious to do education and outreach. In the course of their campaign they will present some dev• astating facts: 9 Wife battery is not a phenomenon confined to the lower classes. Women in upper income brackets are just as likely to be beaten by their husbands. • What kind of man beats his wife? Every kind. • There are only 700 shelter beds in Canada, 700 for 24,000 potential victims of wife assault. • Why don't women leave? Because they have nowhere to go. • By wife battery we don't just refer to slapping around: 60% of female homicide victims between the years 1961 and 1974 were murdered within a family context. Can we afford to let it go on? Obviously not. But the first step is to bring the issue out of the closet, to understand that wife assault exists because sexism exists, to come to Liz Macki'e, SPARE Ri&, Ju.n&l«r75*. foglandn terms with the fact that the existence of the battered woman is not evidence of the frailty of women but of the power of patriarchy. And that we can never underestimate.

Vol. 3, no. 6 ABTS

Canadian Images Film Festival

ating Our Own Image

by Martha Keaner

For the first time in its five-year history, the Canadian The newest film from independent American filmmaker ty laws, child protection acts and hatred legislation can be Images Film Festival devoted a major part of its program to Barbara Kopple, maker of Harlan County, U.S.A., had its seen as at least as effective as prior censorship, which the films of women. The festival, presented annually at Canadian premiere. Keeping On is a dramatic film about judges arbitrarily and without appeal. Trent University in Peterborough, was held from March 11 the difficulties of unionizing an Alabama textile factory. It Cole presented her feminist perspective on the porno• to 14. is a sensitive,* absorbing documentary-like look at the graphy industry, Women are presented by pornographers as Some two hundred and fifty films were screened (mostly meaning of the experiences of the organizers and workers voiceless, powerless, willing victims. In pornography, the Canadian), ranging from minutes-long to feature-length, and their families. There was also a late-night screening of woman as willing victim is fantasy, but the violence depict• including documentary, fictional, animated and experimen• Kopple's 1971 film Winter Soldier. It is what is called a ed is done to real women. Pornography is propaganda for tal. The programming covered several aspects of interest, "talking heads" film; that is, it is composed of scenes of male domination; the pornography industry is a symptom including films from Canadian filmmakers' co-ops, a Mi• people talking about their experiences. In this case, it is a of it, but is also its agent and an active force in its perpetua• chel Breault retrospective, National Film Board releases, film made at a conference of Vietnam Veterans Against the tion. Cole posed the question of how to dismantle the por• the Genie Award nominees and winners, visual arts exhibi• War. It is gripping and horrifying. The strength of this film nography industry, and suggested that the long-range goal tions, and, of particular interest to me, A New Look: is such that Kopple says it has been suppressed in the is to eliminate the market. In the meantime, some alterna• Women and Film 1982, co-ordinated by Joyce Mason. United States. tive controls might be considered; obscenity laws might be This area of the festival was the one I chose to devote my At times, I had trouble reconciling my cinematic appreci• re-evaluated; political action by women must be ongoing; time to. Even so, it was impossible to see and hear every• ation with my political beliefs. For example, Nelly Kaplan's hate literature legislation should be updated to include sex; thing; there were over seventy films and three major semin• feature-length Nea is a fiction about a brilliant schoolgirl the current censorship system should be examined; heavy ars. It's astonishing to me to realize that, although I felt oc• who is writing an erotic novel, decides she needs personal taxes could be imposed on the industry; and sex education cupied and preoccupied to the point of total immersion, I experience, and persuades (with little difficulty!) her pub• should be improved and broadened to "bring sex out of the managed to attend a total of fourteen screenings (one of lisher to have an affair with her. He, not surprisingly, ex• closet." them only three minutes long) and the three New Look pan• ploits her both personally and financially. Next comes the Klein described her experiences of censorship in relation el discussions. The time frame of the festival predicates the sticky part: to get back at him, Nea cleverly and elaborately to Not a Love Story. Ontario is the only province in which necessity of two or more simultaneous screenings, often of stages a scene to make it appear that he has raped her. This the film can't be seen publicly. She said that the standards films that are difficult of access outside a festival frame• ruse is wittily presented on the screen, and my first reaction of the Ontario Board of Censors, with its dictum against work. It was unfortunate that conflicts occurred among was to laugh and cheer her on. After some reflection, how• the portrayal of penetration or ejaculation, do not touch films with common themes or cinematic approaches, those ever, I felt co-opted. Rape, and the society it reflects, is the issue of abuse of women. For example, one of the most which would presumably appeal to the same audience or in• such a serious issue that I am uncomfortable with a light- horrifying images in Not a Love Story, that of a supine wo• dividual filmgoer. I had a difficult choice on Friday, for in¬ hearted superficial use of it as an amusement. man writhing with a revolver being pushed in her mouth, is * stance. Ellie Epp's Trapline, described in the catalogue as The films that spoke most personally to me were those of allowable by Board standards because she is fully dressed. "composed entirely of static camera shots ... a painterly San Francisco filmmaker Barbara Hammer. In her intro• Klein said that in Ontario discussions of the film tend to film conveying a state of limbo," Mo Simpson's Solitaire, duction, Hammer said that her films represented a combin• evolve into talking of censorship rather than pornography, "a film ... that has the potential to extract us from the rou• ation of her sensuality as a lesbian, and her aesthetic experi• thus subverting the issue of the film. tine of our lives and forces us to look inward," and Bette ences as a twentieth-century human being — a synthesis Hammer suggested that in out-of-balance times such as Gordon's Empty Suitcases, with "a concern for exploring that epitomizes to me the meaning of lesbian sensibility. A ours, which are weighted by controlling rational interests, r issue» at representation and identification in cinema" con• sampling of Hammer films: Haircut, a woman's ritual in we are in need of art, especially erotic art. Art can be de• flicted with Toronto filmmaker Patricia Gruben's films. which as the hair grows shorter, the freedom and lightness scribed as the representation of the elevation of the human Having to choose between two programs of feminist ex• grow larger; Double Strength, the stages of a lesbian rela• spirit, and the enrichment of an undernourished part of the perimental films was frustrating, particularly in the tionship between two trapeze artists; Our Trip, an intimate, experience of human beings. Erotic art can be the expres• knowledge that screenings are rare. To see Trapline or Soli• joyful backpacking trip in the Andes; Sync Touch, an ex• sion of deep communication and intimacy, transcending the taire, one would have to arrange a private group screening, ploration of lesbian aesthetics, the connections between limits of finiteness. We need to reclaim our imagery, in par• or hope to find them at a Canadian alternative film theatre sight and touch. ticular lesbian imagery, which has been depoliticized into an such as The Funnel in Toronto. To see Empty Suitcases, As well as these and many other screenings, the other unusual personal event. Hammer said that when informed one would have to go to the United States; it's not available events of major interest in New Look were the panel discus• experience is repressed or censored, it will come out in in Canada. sions: Women Making Films: Integrity and Control; Femi• another form. If erotic expression were supported in our 1 I nonetheless chose to see the Gruben films, The Central nist Film Theory: Aesthetics and Politics; and Porno• culture, there would be a diminution of pornography. Character and Sifted Evidence — probably an indulgencegraphy , Eroticism and Censorship. Time and space pre• Erotic expression is part of the basis of a new feminist lan• generated by my favourable memory of the former, which clude detailed discussion of all of these; I would like to con• guage. was shown at the Feminist Film Festival in 1980. The Cen• centrate on the latter, which was very thought-provoking. Lesage spoke of the difficulties of talking about porno• tral Character is a sixteen-minute black-and-white exercise Moderated by Barbara Halpern Martineau, feminist wri• graphy. She ascribed them to three unavoidable intersecting in introspection, depicting a woman's attempt to keep cha• ter, filmmaker and critic, and Varda Burstyn, writer and realities; we live in a rape culture; there is a great variety in os at bay, and the gradual disintegration of order into theorist, the panel was composed of Kerri Kwinter, writer human sexuality; and we live in an image culture. Anger at breakdown. The film is constructed through the use of and critic, Susan Cole, journalist and cultural commenta• living in a culture in which rape is an ever-present possibil• printed text and graphics, step printing.and an arresting tor, Bonnie Klein, the above-mentioned lesbian feminist ity tends to make rage readily ignited. Ignorance of each "disintegrating soundtrack." Its use of experimental tech• filmmaker, Julia Lesage, feminist critic and teacher, and other's sexuality and fantasies limit discussion of people's niques is entirely congruent with its content, and once again co-editor of the film journal Jump Cut, and Paule Baillar- experiences of pornography. In our image culture, porno• I found this a very satisfying film on both the aesthetic and geon, actress and the director of Anastasie, Oh Ma Cherie graphy is influential in other areas, such as advertizing. The psychological levels. and La Cuisine Rouge. entire world of images offers women abusive images of our• Another engrossing film, one with a very different ap• The panelists each spoke for some ten minutes on various selves. proach, was Michelle Citron's Daughter Rite. This colour aspects of the complex and intertwined issues of porno• Baillargeon spoke of her practical experience of censor• film explores the relationships among mothers, daughters graphy, eroticism and censorship. And then Barbara Mar• ship; in particular a film she acted in, Vie D'Ange. When and sisters, and looks like a documetary. In fact, it is the re• tineau met the challenge of summarizing the discussions, she saw it four years later, she confessed she didn't like the sult of interviews with forty women, which were the basis speaking of the problems of putting together realities which film's violence. But at the time, it was banned in Ontario of a narrative fiction. Conversations between two "sisters" are contradictory, conflicting and congruent. because a man and a woman in it were making love and about their relationship and those of each of them with Kwinter raised the question of why, particularly in On• "got stuck." Said Baillargeon, "It wasn't shocking in Qué• their mother are intercut with, "home movies" of their tario, cinema is the only art subject to prior censorship, and bec!" childhood. The aesthetic and emotional accessibility of this suggested that the government perceives film as a more in• film is such that I would love to be able to see it with my tense and personal medium, and therefore more threaten• Martha Keaner is a Toronto photographer, who recently daughter, my mother and my sister! ing, than other arts. She suggested that competent obsceni• moved from London, Ont.

FRANS presents BRUGGEN guest conductor, flute and recorder soloist in an all-Bach program

"Nobody today plays any instrument better than Frans Bruggen plays the Baroque flute. " (Boston Globe) OTTAWA April 15 PRINCETON April 19 SCHENECTADY April 21 COME AND HAVE A TASTE OF PERU BOSTON April 24 Open everyday. Sunday Brunch 11-3 NEW YORK April 25 TORONTO Gala Fundraising Lunch and Dinner Specials Concert Licensed Friday 16 April 8:30 pm 161 Harbord St. Toronto (between Spadina & Bathurst) - ThnittpUnfted Church 961-7676 427 Bloor St. W., Toronto 964-6337 page thirteen

Barbara Halpern Martineau

"I speak about pornography to make graphy, and censorship from a feminist per• one of tactics: How to proceed to, as panel• free expression of patriarchal sexuality, not money," said feminist theorist Julia Lesage, spective. Eight women — six panelists and ist Susan Cole put it, "dismantle the porno• when women and children are constantly "and while I'm travelling I speak about Ni• two moderators — sat in front of the audi• graphy industry," without invoking the abused in this rape culture, not when "free caragua as my political action." The state• ence in the places usually occupied by one, spectre of censorship and cries of wrath expression" is linked to the oppression of ment is the kind of oversimplification I two, three, maybe four authority figures. from civil libertarians. We already accept, my entire sex. Life before art, sex without have come to expect on issues relating to so• Eight women, all feminists, each with a dif• without serious question, the appropriate violence, people before property. cial change — it throws a harsh light in dark ferent perspective, from Québec, from On• application of law against dangerous forms The Globe and Mail was sympathetic in corners. Julia Lesage bears good news tario, from California and Chicago. Surely of expression such as shouting fire in a its reportage of how the Polish people have about Nicaragua — during the month she the audience would perceive authority in a crowded theatre, preaching genocide or ex• boycotted and protested performances by spent down there last November teaching a different light, faced with eight different termination of any racial or ethnic minority, Polish artists who have supported the gov• Super-8 and slide-making workshop for and differing women. As one of the moder• slandering or libelling individuals. How ernment against Solidarity. Evidently some women, she also took many slides and ators of that panel, I received a lot of warm then do we accept that anyone has the right forms of artistic expression are seen to be "hung out" with women in the neighbour• response afterwards from women and men to slander, libel, invoke violence against, deserving of censure. The Globe also saw hood where she lived. Her resulting slide who were fascinated and delighted to hear and advocate rape, mutilation and murder fit, in its freedom, to ignore the screening, show and talk (presented in Toronto on what for many of them was their first public of women and homosexuals? as the highlight event of the Canadian Im• March 10 by Canadian Action for Nicara• discussion of these issues, certainly the first I would like to go on record now as say• ages Film Festival, of scores of new films by gua) is a testimonial to the atmosphere of in a feminist context. ing that this outrage in our daily lives is of a women from all over the world. In her elo• calm optimism she found there, where peo• Some of the audience, however, became magnitude far more serious than the im• quent concern for a man to endlessly pro• ple living in poverty and in the aftermath of very uncomfortable. Some men expressed plied loss of liberty to have "any crap" a claim his right to "any crap" he "chooses a debilitating war for independence are enormous concern that this feminist junta man, or woman, might choose to have to masturbate to," Carole Corbeil conveni• filled with hope and a spirit of cooperation. was somehow threatening their civil liber• available for masturbation. Life before art, ently omitted to mention that the man in "There are no single issues in Nicaragua — ties. As one man put it, in loud angry tones, I say; stop rape, mutilation and murder fact did get to speak his piece, and that it all struggles are seen as part of the whole." "It's none of your goddammed business first. I demand that anti-censorship activists was subsequently pointed out that women The word on pornography is not so good. what crap I choose to masturbate to." The join me in the struggle against violence and girls are exploited, hurt, even killed (re• . In the course of several lectures at York Un• only "coverage" of the entire event by the against women, and children, and gays, and member snuff movies?) in the production iversity, and in her presentation at the Can• mainstream print media was a personal men, and I insist that that struggle have pri• of such innocent "crap." Leaving aside the adian Images Film Festival at Trent Univer• commentary in the Globe and Mail by a wo• ority. important question of the effect of such sity, Lesage discussed the reasons why it is man apparently committed to this man's I say this in full awareness of the import• crap, the circumstances of its production is, difficult for women and men to come toge• cause of patriarchal privilege. ance of free speech and free artistic expres• contrary to said righteous man's conten• ther to speak about pornography reasonab• I have no illusions about the function of sion. The situation, I think, is very similar tion, my goddammed business. ly and constructively. "We live in a rape cul• prior censorship as exercised anywhere in to the situation of women in the left in the Yes, I demand the right to speak freely, ture, a culture where it is thinkable that Canada — I know that I and my friends are late '60s and early '70s, a situation which provided what I say does not materially in• men can rape women. There are cultures, likely targets of any sanctioned censorship led to the resurgence of feminism. Yet jure any person. Yes, I demand the right to like China, where rape is not thinkable." within our patriarchal system. I agree with again, I am being asked — no, told — to masturbate, or make love, freely, provided That we live in a rape culture, that we live in Berkeley film maker Barbara Hammer, an• put women's needs in second place. Coali• my actions injure no one, and depend on in• a culture saturated with images of women other member of the panel, that the expres• tion politics only work when the basic goals jury to no one. That is the context in which as objects, as victims, as playthings, that we sion of erotic experience, particularly of fe• of any one group are respected by the coali• I believe any discussion of censorship must have very different sexual preferences and male eroticism, and more particularly of tion, and I do not see that the right of art• take place, so that the mockery, the outra• very little tolerance for each other's differ• lesbian eroticism, is a rendering visible of ists to violate basic human dignity has ever geous travesty in which "freedom" is in• ences — these are the reasons cited by Le• that which has been suppressed, repressed, been justified. voked to show pictures of women, real wo• sage for the levels of guilt and rage which at the cost of whole consciousness. Porno• After the panel at Peterborough, after men, bound, gagged, strung up like meat, choke rational discussions of pornography. graphy and censorship are facets of each Carole Corbeil's distorted commentary on for no purpose other than profit, will no In the past two weeks, I have come to un• other, aspects of a split society based on au• that event in the Globe and Mail (Monday, longer be tolerated, but exposed for the derstand, through personal experience, why thority and repression. I see prior censor• March 15), I feel the need to repeat myself, double-speak it truly is. a feminist might feel cynical about the value ship as a. protection racket, imposed upon to attempt to be perfectly clear. I do not of speaking publicly about pornography. us by the same system which threatens us by advocate prior censorship in any form. But Lesage's presentation at Trent was part its pornographic definitions of sex roles. it is not my priority, because of the way the Barbara Haiprrn Slu/iini'au is Broad\ of a panel discussion of eroticism, porno• However, the question to be resolved is struggle has been constructed, to defend the film columnist.

Last month Susan G. Cole wrote thator tha t they have their periods. These lines ended up just titillating male fantasy. He that the public be made to recognize tnat Personal Best, the film about two Olympiccome at a time of high tension in the film says himself in an interview that the reason two beautiful women, strong, athletic and athletes involved in a lesbian relationship,and ar e obviously meant as comic relief. It he chose to portray women in a same-sex re• independent can fall in love with each other was not bad for Hollywood. This monthis okay to laugh at what women take seri• lationship was that "I would rather watch and still smile. It is unfortunate that Towne Lois Fine responds with another pointously of . two women together than two men." chose to slot Personal Best into a disaster view. There are racist jokes in the film, hetero- At no time is the word Lesbian ever used film formula: first shock the viewers then sexist jokes and scenes meant to make us in the film (no use offending the audience excite and titillate, and finally placate them laugh at a fat woman trying to jump hur• more than necessary). In fact when Chris with a happy ending. Chris gets her man, by Lois Fine dles. Just because it is all done in an air of talks to Tory she refers to Tory as her the towering inferno is extinguished, the 1980's openness (there are even male cheer• friend. "We're just friends," she says Poseidon returns to port. Nothing is chang• It is obvious that Robert Towne, director leaders) it is still harmful content and the "straight"-faced. ed. Once again, Lesbians are exploited just of Personal Best, was never a Lesbian. Imessag e is clear: women, faggots, fatsos As inaccurate as this film may be in terms as pornographic magazines publish "Lesbo would venture to question whether he has and chinkos are invalidated in one swoop of of describing a positive Lesbian relation• Lust" as an added treat when Hustler ever met one. His film, although it attempts the hand and the audience laughs in ap• ship, it is still important that Hollywood becomes too mundane. to deal with the portrayal of a Lesbian rela• plause. has finally addressed itself to Lesbians. tionship, ends up as nothing but a regular Lesbians have remained invisible to the Hollywood movie, replete with fast cars Tory's love for Chris seems sincere and silver screen for too long. It is important Lois Fine is a Toronto singer/songwriter. and pretty "girls." Set in a male-defined believable, real and supportive. Chris, how• dynamic where women talk to each other as ever, seems to be along for any ride that will men, it adopts all the old cliches while stop and pick her up. She uses her body as boasting consciousness. Towne may have she's been taught to — to get what she thought he was being liberal by including wants. She'll cry in anyone's arms. When the controversial issue of Lesbianism, but her jealous coach tells her that Tory was re• his statement smells, faintly at first and sponsible for her hurting her knee ("Your then distinctly, of patriarchal reinforce• girlfriend's crippling you"), Chris stops ment. seeing Tory, sleeps with her coach and tells him, "I'll get plenty of magnesium and cal• The phalli in the movie ranged from wo• cium and anything else you tell me I need." men's fists to flagpoles to batons. In the There was an obvious sigh of relief in the very first lovemaking scene, Chris (Mariel Enjoy the good compai audience at this point, as the coach climbed Hemingway) holds a very long-beaked bird on top of Chris and put her in her place, so of our congenial crowd lamp up to Tory's (Patrice Donnelly) knee to speak, underneath him. to examine a scar, her hand grasping the for a fifth year of beak and pointing in the direction of Tory's Chris goes on to meet her knight in water imaginative, modestly- crotch. Is this Towne's statement that after polo armour. From then on, Tory is refer• priced, fun dining. making love women still unsatisfied must red to as a "roommate," someone about reach for a cock instead of a cigarette? whom she apologizes. Her new man is very Throughout their relationship, although big about it; he forgives her her depravity. Tory remains loving and sincere, there is an Personal Best could have been worse. It air of competition and an emphasis on gold could have been blatantly cruel instead of medals. The women's coach, a slimy inse• subtly undermining of the relationship. It Present this ad for a 10% discount on cure ex-jock, reeks a tough hard male image could have made the women seem like the the food portion of your bill. and an obvious resentment of women. He usual heterosexually perceived image of wanted to be a man's coach. That would Lesbians as pseudo-men. Towne, however, have been so much easier. After all, they chose to use two beautiful women, at• Reservations: 977-1919 don't complain when their feelings are hurt tempted to portray them erotically, and

Vol. 3, no, 6 pagefourtéen

Sun, Fun and Georgia O'Keeffe Deena Rasky describes the highlights of her recent trip through the American Western Sunbelt.

What is Berkeley, California like? Try to Even though it was hard to locate, ICI: A San Diego wasn't much better. A café I'm only an amateur violinist, but we imagine the crowd from the recent Interna• Woman's Place, it was worth the visit. This listed as feminist turned out to be more of a knew Georgia O'Keeffe once played the in• tional Women's Day taking over a whole bookstore is well-stocked, designed for place for heterosexual men looking for a strument herself and for many years al• town. No matter where you go, a political wheel-chair access with spacious aisles, and liberated fuck. But the town offered some lowed the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival sign or message is within eyesight. Buildings has a special bin of periodicals with the pro• bright spots. I met a friendly, balding trans• to reproduce her works for advertising pos• are draped with flags criticizing foreign pol• ceeds going to women in prison. You could sexual who was an expert at winning the ters. It was the only negotiating tool we icy: "US Out of El Salvador!". Turn spend hours alone reading the announce• brass rings on a Merry-Go-Round. There had. We decided to wait until someone around the corner and you are in front of ments covering hundreds of square feet in was also the extraordinary sight of an Ama• came out by a grouping of three stumps graffitti condemning the President: the lounge and then plunge into an old sofa zon Sweet Shoppe, "Home of Ice Cream near a door. Sure enough, a young woman "Reagan shoots Geritol!" The parade of and chat with whoever's there. Without Sugar Blues," right in the heart of soon opened a gate, took a look at me and car bumper stickers adds to this street dia• the most banal suburban plaza. Imagine sternly asked, "What do you want?" logue: "Question Authority!" "Try the So• Mr. and Mrs. America with their 2.3 child• I had rehearsed my reply over and over lar Solution to the Nuclear Problem!" ren walking into a natural ice cream store again in my head. Hesitatingly, 1 asked, "Witches Heal!". Even the standard gro• complete with spears, shields and the names "Would Miss O'Keeffe like to hear some cery stores have been taken over by Natural of hundreds of women-loving-women on tunes on the violin?" She asked for my Food Co-ops. the walls! name, then quickly darted back into the No wonder women-run businesses here There was actually a purpose to our trip house. A few moments later she returned, are thriving. On a typical Sunday morning, besides sunning and funning and that was nodding and told us to wait five minutes the Brick Hut — made famous by Mary to meet the American artist Georgia while she attended to some chores. We Watkins on her Something Moving funk/¬ O'Keeffe. Yes, young supplicants make whooped with delight. synthesizer album — has a waiting list that quest to meet the Old, Prolific, Wise One. When Georgia O'Keeffe finally came out would make many a restaurateur cry. This But how do you find her? Abiquiu, New of the house, I convinced myself it was all a simple, unpretentious restaurant offers Mexico is a very small town not known for dream. Otherwise I wouldn't have been standard fare — eggs, pancakes, sand• its tourist motels, golfing and discothèques. "able to function at all. She was dressed like wiches, etc. — but the low prices and the lit• The town is so tiny that our Ontario Motor she was in a 1948 photo except she now tle extras that go into the preparation, such League map of the southwest United States wore a black bandanna, black pants and as the use of whole wheat flour in the waf• located it in the wrong spot. Luck was on carried a cane. fles, or onions, green pepper and a dollop our side because we found a motel owner — She had aged. Her eyes were a brighter of sour cream with the home fries, make the an artist himself — who not only knew the red than the nearby badlands, her face difference. Not to mention the people who town but also precisely where O'Keeffe's weathered, liver spotted and lightly covered go there ... You can find an Amazon Kung- home was. with downy facial hair, but her 95-year-old Fu teacher sitting next to an oil-stained It was an adobe castle on top of a hill. presence was as strong as ever. I started to trucker at the counter eating an identical The view was gorgeous — in one direction explain who composed the violin pieces. breakfast. you could see cow pastures, farmland, and She raised her hand to silence me and said it rolling hills, and in another dark red bad• didn't matter. While I played she sat on a lands. nearby stump with her head down and eyes "It's always crowded, got to wait for a shut. Afterwards, our conversation was seat Once there, the challenge was how to Mary Watkins of the Brick Hut brief but her replies were witty and filled but watching the people is some kind of meet this legendary figure when Gloria treat. Steinem and Judy Chicago have failed. She with a youthful innocence. When I told her They got hippies, hoboes, Jims and Pegs The lounge converts into a workshop on is known for being abrupt to strangers at that I had only been playing the violin for a Everything from drinks to scrambled certain evenings. As part of Black History her door. Once she opened her gate to a few years she told me I was very brave. I Month, Mary Watkins spoke about her life stranger who asked to see Georgia mentioned that one piece really needed a Just the place to shake your gloom and work there. She spoke candidly about O'Keeffe. "Front side!" she declared, then piano accompaniment. She raised an eye• Like being in a shrink'.s waiting room." her personal story and encouraged women turned and announced, "Back side!" Then brow and said a piano would be very diffi• Ttrii-k Hut « 1Q7S \f.-jrv Watkioi to teil then own. Her upcoming album con• she turned again and briskly said to the cult to carry about. I asked about her sists of full-scale orchestrations, so perhaps speechless stranger, "Goodbye!" and health. She paused, raised her "head and Womynly Way Productions can book her slammed the gate. gazed at me. "I'm healthy, don't I look with the Toronto Symphony next season! Her place is not inviting to visitors. It is it?" she replied with mock indignation. Within walking distance of where I was surrounded by a 6-foot adobe wall tipped Looking at my companion, she asked if staying with my travelling companion was with barbed wire, and signs on the door her job was to follow me about. "No, I La Pefia, the Third World Cultural Centre, proclaimed in large type: BEWARE OF have a profession of my own. I'm an bar/restaurant and lecture/concert hall. DOG. We found a raised trap door, proba• artist." Georgia O'Keeffe gave her nurse a The building is decorated by a 3-dimension- bly leading to a cellar, which we stood on to knowing glance, then spoke: "An artist. al mural found on the cover of Grupo see into the garden. A face appeared on the Well, good luck to you." She must have be• Raiz's album, the Latin American instrum• other side in one of the house windows, lieved me to be a wandering musician. ental folk band that performs with Wall• then disappeared. I decided then it was time "Who are you going to play for next?" she flower Order Dance Group. Inside the to put my camera away and get out my vio• asked. I was taken aback. There isn't any• building Grupo Raiz were now collecting lin. one that I'd rather play for. tickets and stamping hands for the Adri- enne Torf/Linda Tillery/Adele Chandler concert. No day care was provided for the concert but it didn't matter since the child• ren were lovingly passed around the capa• city audience. During intermission, Linda Tillery became a babysitter. Not all our time was spent in Berkeley. San Franciso is only a Bay Bridge away. All those wonderful things you've heard about San Francisco being a lesbian/gay/feminist haven are true. Just as Castro Street is known for being a gay male centre, Valen• cia Street is becoming known for its women-run businesses. On this street there are two women's bars, a couple of gay /les• bian-run restaurants, a woman's bath• house, Old Wive's Tales — the woman's bookstore, and a lesbian-owned beauty salon. I fell in love with the décor of one of west of Spadina ' the restaurants, The Artemis Society Café, 921^744 with its deep avocado green walls, luscious floral prints and ornate walnut piano. The further south one travels from San Francisco, the further one gets from politi• Thé Androgyne: Fusion of the cal consciousness. Southern California is Sexes $13.45 the perfect breeding ground for the likes of President Rçagan. The car bumper stickers Obasan: Joy Kogawa $7.95 now read: "Guns, Guts and God Give Us Freedom." To Change the World: Certain "feminist" places we visited in ,j Rosemary Reuther $8.95 Los Angeles were disappointing because the women's movement seemed to be the "in" j New Space For Women: Ed. thing. Feminism can be more trendy, fash• Gerda R. VVekerie $21.95 ionable and profitable to certain people than a lifelong commitment to the better• " Lynatic Villas: Marian - ment of women. It bothered me that the Engel $2.95 (City of Toronto woman running a woman's bookstore was Book Award Winner) rude to us as customers, the goods were overpriced and she wouldn't give me a re• Georgia O'Keeffe at home in New Mexico in 1948. : ceipt in return for copies of Broadside.

'Bfbûdsl'dé page fifteen

This review of Women's Estate is the sec•production, sexuality, and the socialization negative effect of the family. "By its very women, even working class consciousness ond in a series of re-evaluations of impor•of children. Even more interesting is her nature it is there to prevent the future." of most women — most women are, after tant feminist and political writers and theircausa l ordering of this into maternity, fami• This is a feminist conclusion that is in all, objectively working class — is thwarted major works published between 1950 andly, absenc e from production and public life, danger of being lost in the present focus on by their primary locus in the family and 1975. In the June issue of Broadside, we willand sexual inequality. To start the process validating the work that women do in their their secondary role in production. feature Kate Millett's Sexual Politics. with mothering or maternity, Mitchell is an• families. It is important not to lose sight of "Women working with women doing swering some feminist questions with some the fact that housework is carried on in 'women's work,' employed as cheap la• very non-Marxist answers. As she rather isolated, miniscule, work units based ideo• bour, seeing their wages as secondary, can by Maureen Fitzgerald dryly observes: "The biological function of logically (and, in fact, as long as women have social but not political solidarity maternity is a universal, atemporal fact, earn 60% of what men earn) on a male amongst themselves. They cannot strike Juliet Mitchell, Women's Estate. New York: and as such has seemed to escape the cate• wage and female dependency. The overall themselves because the work is not impor• Vintage 1973. Pp. 182, $3.95. gories of Marxist historical analysis." She effect on women is a conservatizing one. tant anyway — a strike would assert that it doesn't, however, explore this "universal This, combined with what sometimes feels is." I think she is being too pessimistic here. Looking at a friend's full shelf of books fact"; neither to my knowledge has any like a stampede of feminists back to the It is still true that it is often hard to develop on feminist theory, it is startling to be re• subsequent Marxist feminist analysis. It has security, or perhaps respectability, of fami• trade union consciousness among women minded that a decade ago there would have remained a task of radical feminists such as lies, complete with marriage, makes cred• and that many women do not believe that been just six or seven books there: Millett's Adrienne Rich. ible Susan Harding's recent assertion (see they have a right to an independent living Sexual Politics, Firestone's The Dialectic of Because she has given such a wide scope "Family Reform Movements: Recent Femi• wage. But in the last decade we have seen a Sex, Greer's The Female Eunuch, Engel's to ideology and has thus beat a path nism and Its Opposition," Feminist quite dramatic shift in that opinion as the The Origin of Family, Private Property andthroug h the inadequacies of Marxist econo- Studies, Spring 1981,) that "the feminist number of sole support mothers and the the State (without the introduction by mism, Mitchell has taken radical feminism movement has been derailed into a family rate of inflation rises. Women are entering Eleanor Leacock), the anthology Sister• more seriously than it has ever been taken reform movement." The solution, as Mit• wage labour out of their own interests and hood is Powerful, and possibly de Beau• by a Marxist feminist writer before (or since chell points out, is not to call for abolition are beginning to organize and make de• voir's The Second Sex. for that matter). Indeed, part of the agenda of the family but "the diversification of the mands specific to their needs as women Until 1971, when Juliet Mitchell's of Women's Estate is a synthesis of radical socially acknowledged relationships which workers. are today forcibly and rigidly compressed Women's Estate was first published, there feminist thought and what she calls abstract Perhaps it is Mitchell's gloominess on the might also have been a photocopy of Mit• socialism. "As radical feminists demand, into it ... Couples — of the same or of dif• ferent sexes — living together or not living possibilities for immediate dramatic gains chell's article "Women: The Longest Revo• we must dedicate ourselves to a theory of for women that causes her to end with a ra• lution," which was published in the New the oppression of all women and yet, at the together, long-term unions with or without children, single parents — male and female ther large question that bears on the long- Left Review in 1966.1 am told that socialist same time, not lose sight of the historical term agenda in "the longest revolution." feminists of the day considered this article specificity in the general statement." — bringing up children, children socialized by conventional rather than biological par• She has said that we need a "scientific ac• to be the most important analysis to date of In many respects her book sets in motion ents, extended kin groups, etc. — all of count of gender and sexuality which will ex• women's oppression. In Women's Estate, a number of lines of inquiry that she hopes these could be encompassed in a range of plain the longevity of women's Mitchell goes beyond the process of critique will in the end lead to "a scientific account institutions which match the free invention oppression." In the end, her answer to this and reformulation of Marxist theory begun of gender and sexuality which both explains and variety of men and women." To some question is less to be found in a fusing of in the article: Women's Estate was then — the longevity of women's oppression and its extent, feminist demands for universal, free radical feminism and Marxist feminism and remains — a dazzling tour de force, a specific form under capitalism." Indeed, 24-hour daycare, equal pay for work of than in a whole new field of discourse — description and analysis both of women's looking at what is not covered in Women's equal value (a demand which absorbs Mit• psychoanalysis. Her belief in the promise of oppression and the organization of Estate, or what is covered in a very nascent chell's criticism of the Equal Pay for Equal psychoanalysis is based on a very wide def• women's liberation movements in North form, enables us to chart the intellectual Work slogan), access to safe, effective birth inition of this science of the mind, which America and Europe. Its comprehensive• and political developments of the last dec• control and abortions are as much the pre• she claims "charts the borderline between ness is awesome. In addition to reviewing ade. The key words missing in this book are condition for alternatives to the family as the biological and the social" and "ex• the specifics of the movement in England, "misogyny," "women as the reserve army they are for family reform. But what we plores the primary interrelationships be• Holland, Sweden, France, and the United of labour," "domestic labour," and "com• must also call for is an end to "compulsory tween human animals that make them hu• States (with a few brief reflections on pulsory heterosexuality." heterosexuality." This brings me to the man beings." The borderline between the Canada), Mitchell puts the growth of the It is interesting to note that there has biological and the sociai is what anthro• "second wave" of feminism in the context weakest and most dated section of been in the last decade a shift in feminist Women's Estate. pology also sets out to chart, and my own of the particular wrinkles of consumer cap• focus from a concept of "woman as sex ob• belief is that the answer to the question is italism that also produced the black move• ject" (which Mitchell does cover) to vio• At the time of writing, Mitchell saw sex• more likely to be found in that science of ment and the youth movement of the six• lence against women (which she does not). uality as the weak link in the four structures society which has the access, if it would ties. Under advanced capitalism, there is an "As a worker finds himself alienated in his of women's oppression. However, in her take it, to an analysis of women in pre-cap• extension of consciousness (for the sake of own product so (roughly speaking) a wo• typically thorough way she also pointed out italist societies. Rumour has it that Mitchell expanding consumerism) and an expansion man finds herself alienated in her own com• how, for women, this liberalization is more is or has gone through the long process of of education (for the sake of extending the mercialized body. ' ' More and more, women apparent than real and thus demonstrated becoming a psychoanalyst. While I don't number of surveyors of the process). Such are also finding themselves bound, gagged, how changes in any of the four structures think that it will answer that larger ques• an expansion of consciousness can backfire and mutilated in their own commercialized are impeded by what is happening in the tion, I do believe that, given her track on the economic system that produces it. bodies. More and more we have come to other structures. Looking at it today, she record, she will do, and has done in recognize the depth and pervasiveness of might stress even more emphatically the dis- Psychoanalysis and Feminism, for Freudian The media that enables you to experi• misogyny. There is no mention of woman- tortedness of that liberalization. She could thought, what she has done for Marxist ence the feelings of the world, brings hating in this book. This lapse leads Mit• not fail to notice that there is a growing and thought, namely reformulate and apply it the Vietcong guerilla into your own chell to make what I think is the one silly militant lesbian movement taking shape, to the question of the oppression of wo• living-room along with the whitest statement in the book. In considering the sometimes within, sometimes alongside the men. wash of all. threat posed by women as non-unionized women's liberation movement. She vaguely Maureen Fitzgerald teaches women's stud• cheap leabour she says: "Men are set allows for a sexual liberation that would in• ies at the University of Toronto and is a This development produced at the least a against women by their own job insecurity. volve the "freedom of both sexes to trans• member of the Women's Educational Press demand for fulfilment of the promises of Only loyalty to traditions of feminine cend the limits of present sexual institu• collective. , liberal democracy (the ideology of capital• deference saves them. Courtesy unites, by tions," but aside from a passing comment ism) and at the most radicalization of those its own hierarchies, what the economy div• about "the release of bisexual or homosex• demands into a critique of, and rebellious• ides." It is the "loyalty of traditions of ual possibilities in all of us" there is no ness against, the "system." feminine deference" that escapes me. mention of what is fundamental to a repres• But Mitchell's work is not only compre• It is true that it is in the interest of capit• sive sexuality for women, namely compul• hensive, it is also analytically adventurous. alists to divide workers and that the division sory heterosexuality. Until we have the Rather than simply apply classical Marxist of workers along sex lines is an apparent freedom to live openly as lesbians, no wo• thought to the issue of women, she works and very usable, for capitalists, division. man has real freedom. I wonder what Mit• with a reformulated Marxism that pays Because women, along with immigrants, chell would have to say about this incipient close attention to the ideological construc• can be pushed into and out of waged la• lesbian movement. She demonstrates how, tion of oppression. But Mitchell's real orig• bour, they can be used competitively to ex• in the United States, the women's liberation inality is the way that she moves out onto pand the labour force and keep wages movement grew out of the student power FINE ART CASTING the frontiers between wholly different sys• down. This concept that women form part movement, which in turn grew out of the IN BRONZE tems of thought. Initially she says: "We of the "reserve army of labour", a concept civil rights movement, and comments: EXCLUSIVELY should ask the feminist questions but try to put forward most comprehensively in Last "Each withdrawal (of these individual CANADA'S MOST COMPLETE come up with some Marxist answers." By Hired First Fired by Patricia Connelly, is movements) has strengthened that segment SERVICE FOR the end of the book, however, it is clear that not explicitly stated anywhere by Mitchell. and as none of the movements from which SCULPTORS she is not going to be content with Marxist Neither is the other side of this coin, which each emerged has disintegrated with suc• cess, so alliances with or influence with, 64DMERTON STREET answers and we find her out in the terrain is the primary task of women, their labour TORONTO-ONTARIO of psychoanalysis. in the home — housework to most of us, these other radical movements have become CANADA • M4S1A3 "domestic labour" to the Marxist scholar. possible." I expect that she might say the TELEPHONE (416) 488-1676 Both because of the analysis that she same for the lesbian movement. brings to her description, that is, the When Women's Estate was written, it was analysis of a particular historical moment, apparent that housework was hard work. Does Mitchell achieve the synthesis of and the theoreticalness of her work, it can But no one had yet examined in detail how Marxism and feminism that she sets out to be an overwhelmingly difficult book. The that unpaid labour contributes to the eco• achieve? Well, clearly she does not think style is terse; whole arguments are distilled nomic process through biological produc• that the feminist concept of women as the into a few elegant sentences. When I was a tion of a new generation of workers and most fundamentally oppressed people and young feminist I gave up on this book in daily reproduction of the labour force therefore the most revolutionary is to be frustration. I now find it a delight to read through the sheltering, feeding, clothing, counterposed to the Marxist position of the and I urge others who might also have given cleaning, and nurturing work of the house• working class as the revolutionary class un• up to have another go. wife. Instead, Mitchell minimizes the role der capitalism. She asserts that because The clearest, in the sense of the most ac• the family plays in economic production women's position within the overall system cessible part of Mitchell's analysis, is the and concentrates on the ideological role of is an oppressed one, the group as a whole, The Art description of what she calls the key struc• the family. regardless of class position, is potentially tures of women's situation: production, re• However, she does not neglect the revolutionary. But the consciousness of Foundry TOFT page sixteen '

DAUGHTERS OF COPPER WOMAN acred Stories Shared

marry Mowita, Copper Woman's first clean, and so undermine their patriarchal cially the chief and the rich, and lots of daughter. The transmutation of matter and power. The little girls are sent away to white times the orphans were better off for wealth gender is fascinating. By the time Copper men's schools. By the time these girl chil• and status than if they'd never been or• Woman dies, she has become Old Woman. dren are allowed back to their villages, their phaned. Nothin' can make up for not To facilitate death, she simply lies down, minds have been so poisoned, their spirits havin' a family, but everyone tried to make her skin splits, she leaves her meat and so damaged, their souls so contaminated up for it best they could." bones on the beach, and she comes from that they are no longer eligible for candi• To the woman who feels that she has been within, herself freed. "Then the daughter dacy in the Society of Women. It is a pain• a warrior in another life, this is an instruc• with the green eyes, whose name is known ful description of the watering-down pro• tion manual. "A warrior woman had to be only to the initiates, lay down on a bed of cess of a female culture. able to recognize the face of the enemy or skins and Old Woman, hidden in the skins, she couldn't be a warrior woman. Anyone With the chapter entitled "Chesterman became pregnant. From this the green-eyed who just dithered around like a muddle- Beach," there is a dramatic, and for me un• daughter lived as part of Old Woman and head and didn't do anything about her expected, change in style. I must add here lived in Old Woman who was also part of problems would have her warrior headband that by now for me the book had already her and in her." taken away and she would have to start all triumphed, for despite a style which I found over again, trying to qualify to get it back." It is from this lineage and this under• irritating, the story itself held power and I don't know how the fisherwomen of the manipulated the emotions deftly. With by Alexa DeWiel standing of the spiritual transformation of village of Ahousat hear about the struggles matter that the Society of Women lives on. "Chesterman Beach," Cameron rolls away of the present-day women's movement — Anne Cameron, Daughters of Copper Wo• The children are not like ordinary children. the stone and jumps into the modern age certainly not through the CBC. However, man. Vancouver: Press Gang 1982. Pp. They are the Children of Happiness. They with a writing style that is sure and moving. Anne Cameron takes great pains in rerout• 150. $7.95. are usually little girls, but sometimes little A group of contemporary Nootka women ing the stories of individual women back to boys are born with the signs. are sitting around the docks watching the I'm not much for myths of creation, be contemporary feminist analysis. "So many boats and listening to the CBC during an they Eve and Adam or any other descrip• Then we jump a few generations and find good women who would have been in the especially bad fishing season, which makes tions of spontaneous combustion denoting that for centuries the women have not con• Society of Women were killed off by for long introspective conversations on the birth of human life on earth. Nor do I take cerned themselves with politics or argu• diseases or perverted by residential schools sidelines. The announcer on the radio alerts instantly to people who speak on behalf of ment, leaving these things to the men to and the women now are speaking truths give them something to do while the women all fishing folk to a red tide warning, which others to educate the masses. Therefore, about alcohol, pills and body shame, rape concern themselves with spiritual things and leads Granny off on a remembrance of when faced with reviewing Anne and other abuses to women. We are rallying with studying the teachings of the society things past after the Europeans had infested Cameron's latest book, Daughters of Cop• by communicating, by participating in the and keeping its precepts. thé native population with tuberculosis, per Woman —with its discreet introduction women's movement, looking for truth, syphilis and other toxic elements of deadly implying a trustee relationship between the In doing so, the women become compla• looking for support and love and a circle to persuasion. The awful account of the sexual author and a matriarchal, matrilineal soci• cent and the men begin to dominate many join." areas of society and to encroach on abuse and murder of two young girls, ety of women among the Nootka people of Finally, Daughters of Copper Woman women's domain. But Quolus, who is a followed by the revenge of the women one the west coast who were going to speak contains many passages of beautiful writing "female figure and father of the four sons foggy night, is a striking adventure story through Cameron to the general public — I and in many ways is a literary touchstone who fathered all ordinary people," inter• that evokes a vigilante response. began the book with great hesitation. which gives vitality and valour to women's venes and teaches the women how to deal present-day struggles to remain resolute in The first part of the book did nothing to At a time when Indian children can still with this problem. This is a story unto it• the face of political and economic setbacks. assuage my difficulties. Written in that self. be taken away from their families by Child• plodding, one foot in front of the other, ren's Aid because their families cannot pro• I still have some trouble in resolving the style of many mythsayers, I was not thrilled The Society of Women resumes its vide them with "fit" housing, and when dilemma of taking words from the mouths to read about the union of Copper Woman strength. It is intertribal, open to all women many of our native women peers have stor• of women who will not or perhaps cannot with Snot Boy, the incomplete mannequin. regardless of age, social status, political sta• ies to tell of being raised far away from speak for themselves and only wish that the Snot Boy was company, but although she tus, or wealth. No one can buy her way into their kin, at a time when Indian children's author had taken another leap of faith with "taught the small creature as much as she it. One has to be invited to become one of welfare rights are still being bandied about her readers and admitted to some long stret• could, he never really seemed to learn prop• the sisters. The education of all girl children by our legislators in federal / provincial ne• ches of poetic licence so that readers such as erly." But Copper Woman had been is the duty of the members and these girls gotiations, it is a balm to the heart to read myself would not have had to venture into brought to the island (Vancouver Island) by are taught by means of jokes, songs, and about the roots of a society which takes this book with such a large grain of salt. the Old Women at sacrifice to their own legends, and they learn how to care for and care of its young. Alexa DeWiel is the author of a poetry col• lives and it was up to these two creatures to respect their bodies and bodily functions. A woman asks Granny what happened in lection, "Conversations with Bibi." She procreate. Then, from a woman's point of view, the the old days when a woman with a child lives in Ottawa and works for the Women's Their hybrid children emerge and my in• first Europeans arrive with their missionary died. "The grandma took over, just like I Programme, Secretary of State. terest begins to wake up when Quolus, wife momentum. The repercussions are devasta• done with Ki-Ki, or an auntie, or a family of Thunderbird, descends to earth and ting. The European priests corrupt the men that was good with kids. All orphans were (Watch for an interview with Anne changes form to become the first man and into believing their women are witches, un• the responsibility of all the people, espe• Cameron in the June issue of Broadside.)

dominance is not at all self-evident. Our situation of male dominance. Jennifer derived from the Herrschaft or the by Louise H. Forsyth collective society is one of the most effec• Waelti-Walters's introduction is an excellent Domination Psychosis, which is a tive steps possible in bringing about neces• discussion of this and other major themes phallomanic paranoia extremely dan• Louky Bersianik, The Euguélionne: A Trip• sary change. And that is precisely Louky in the book. Waelti-Walters insists very gerous to Humanity. Then, grafted tych Novel. Victoria and Toronto: Press Bersianik's purpose: "Transgression is pro• rightly on the extraordinary originality of on to this disastrous folly, come mild Porcépic 1982. Pp. 348. $9.95. gression." The Euguélionne. manias such as the Adam complex — In tone, form, and structure, The Eugué• also known as the Rib complex —; Louky Bersianik first published The "One man out of two is a woman. " lionne is constantly changing, ranging from the Helios complex; the Cain com• Euguélionne in French with La Presse in pithy statements and rhetorical pronounce• plex; unidirectional Engendritus, Montreal in 1976. As a result of its extraor• The Euguélionne has come, via Québec, ments to lyrical passages and flights of sur• symptomatic illness of the dinary originality, its perspicacity and lively, to English Canada. Her name proclaims her realist fantasy. Bersianik has used and "fecundating" male; desire for a quotable style, it was an immediate success. to be "Suave Goddess and Good News." adapted for her own purposes forms of ex• substitute-penis, such as a revolver or Within two years it was republished in She left her own negative planet, with its ar• pression from all literary genres and* such a machine gun; the severe superiority Paris, where it had great critical and popu• bitrary division of the population into Leg• non-literary fields as film and journalism. It complex, compensation for the lar success as well. Now it has been trans• islators and Pedalists, on a quest for both is a work of literary creation which resists severe inferiority complex which is lated into English by a team of translators her positive planet and the male of her spe• all attempts to classify it according to tradi• doubtless a maternity envy; the in• who have done an excellent job in retaining cies. She discovers, of course, that Earth is tional criteria. It is fun to read, each page a fantile wish to return to the maternal the delightful flavour and most of the rich not the positive planet she is seeking and new adventure. Its basic structure is based breast manifested during coitus, call• qualities of the original language of the that the social traditions, the legal, reli• on a parody of the Bible. The fundamental ed a combination of breast-, vagina-, French text, with its puns, figures of gious, and cultural institutions of Earth's purpose of this parody is to denounce the uterus-envy. And I give up! (pp. speech, and a wide variety of innovative patriarchal society are the inventions of male pretensions of continuity throughout 196-7) techniques used to sabotage and debunk the males whose will to power and dominance history, leading back to the moment of discourse of dominant ideology. assures that they are of an alien and hostile Creation when a male Godhead created The Euguélionne is full of extraordinary Man and subsequently gave him the gift of species. The difficulties faced by the translators characters, droll adventures, play with sex• the Word. Bersianik offers to the reader a ist stereotypes, and incisive statements, The Euguélionne looks with fresh and were considerable, since Louky Bersianik delightful alternative version to the the• innocent eyes at the customs and practices exploits fully the subtleties of language as such as: "The measure of genius is its mis• ological myths and has created her heroine, ogyny!" It is an inexhaustible source of in• which the people on Earth, both women her most effective satirical weapon. Funda• the Euguélionne, who, because she comes and men, seem to consider to be normal. mental to The Euguélionne is Bersianik's sight into the feminine condition and its as a saviour, is the product of an systemic, institutional foundation in socie• Her amazement at the discovery of a seem• belief that language is power. Those who "Emasculate Conception." ingly endless series of anomalies, absur• exercise power, whether in private or public ty. dities, and injustices, as well as the language life, are able to do so because they believe In the third Panel, the Euguélionne and In addition to a number of texts published used to justify and legitimate the clearly il• they have divine right to the Word. Langu• her friends are subjected to "Thé Sermon in various periodicals, Louky Bersianik, legitimate situation, allows Louky Bersian• age has been used since the beginning of on the Mount" pronounced by St. Siegfried who is also a film-maker, script-writer, and ik to launch an energetic and effective satire civilization to give form to a complex and (Freud), whose phallocentric science has author of children's stories, has published on the fundamental misogyny of our social pervasive version of reality which suits the become the ideological complement to tra• three books: Pique-nique sur l'Acropole, fabric. I am sure that no one can read this masters and continues to be used to perpe• ditional religion in the modern world. In Maternative, and Les Agénésies du vieux book without simultaneously feeling de• tuate and consolidate their absolute control her reply, the Euguélionne denounces the monde. light, revelation, and overwhelming out• of all human activities. The masters use lan• stupidity and pomposity of Man, using his rage. The Euguélionne's arrival makes it guage to determine what is to be or not to own jargon to denounce his inflated and Louise Forsyth teaches French at the Uni• impossible to continue to take society's be. It is through language, then, used to re• empty language, which is : versity of Western Ontario, and has a par• most sacred and respected institutions seri• veal the world in a radically other way, that engendered by the Obelix or mono• ticular interest in feminist literature from ously. The basis of their position of social an effective challenge can be made to the lithic phallomorphism complex, itself Québec.

Broadside page seventeen ovin y WomGn? by Karen X. lully The show began on solid ground with a which the narrator is caught in the old dou• to let go and speak from their insides. In• piece about women's strength, but the am• ble standard virginity dilemma that reigned stead, they were recited unemotionally, as if Loving Women should have been called biguity of its direction and intent emerged and repressed women in the 1950's. they were a recipe for chocolate layer cake. "Loving Men" or "Women Who Are Lov• as barb m. james sang, without any appar• To reiterate stories of women's social and There were a few good moments: "I'm a ing." The show had very little to do with ent awareness of the irony involved, "Why political entrapment with an apologetic gig• something else," proclaims barb m. james, loving women. The posters scattered across Can't A Woman Be More Like A Man?" gle, undermining the depth in the words by "I want it all. They got to my mother and the city in a publicity blitz are entirely mis• from the outdated, sexist Broadway musi• choosing to remain ignorant of their pro• made her a woman, but they won't get leading. With names like Margaret At- cal, "My Fair Lady." It was followed by fundity is a step in the wrong direction. It is me;" Jane Rule's, "Killer Dyke and the wood, Sylvia Plath, Jane Rule and Holly tired old ballads about women as victims, like ironing out old clothes and putting Lady," performed by Helen Porter, sympa• Near heading the advertisements I expected interspersed with virginity and rape stories, them on again. thetically portraying the vulnerability be• to be moved. I was not. that were delivered amidst flowery naivete. The choice of material seemed almost ar• neath the tough armour of a leather-clad At The Palmerston Library Theatre, Bertolt Brecht's, "Surabaya Johnny," a bitrary, a haphazard collection of old cli• Lesbian; and "Rehabilitation," an inside Loving Women, a production of The Wo• song about a woman who grows old waiting ches, which were slotted one after the other, view of a woman prisoner by Jean Samuel, men's Drama Collective, is a compilation of for a man who promised her eternal love as each piece unconnected to the one before it. convincingly played by Randi Helmers. stories, poems and songs, most of which he skips out the door never to be seen again It was the "hat and cane" presentation The strongest creative element in the carry with them their own power, integrity was romanticized when it might have been of Margaret Atwood's poetry that was most show was the drawing of a woman, her and mythology, all of which was lost in critically reviewed for the strategy of passiv• disturbing. The text of the poem used is a arms spread, almost wing-like, her head up, superficial performances, weak transitions ity it perpetuates, as was a story of the same startingly honest account of the horrors of body expressing movement, which ap• and an obvious attempt to create a slick theme, "How I Met My Husband," by rape, clitorectomy and pornography that peared on stage as a partial backdrop, and production. With a little bit of censorship it Alice Munro, as was a housewife's lament cuts through all the historical justification on the posters, program and flyers. could have played on television as a prime in a song by Barry Manilow, as was an ex• for these atrocities. The power of Atwood's It is not with a callous turn of the head, time variety show. cerpt from Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar," in words was lost in a failure of the performers but with questions, that I criticize the repe• tition of women's victimization in literature and theatre. Why not speak of women's strength, of women's desires, of women's work towards the creation of a more habit• able, more human existence? Work that Books to Note persists in spite of the Barry Manilow's of the world, in response to all the "Johnny's" who loved 'em and left, in anticipation of by Elaine Berns • classic science fiction by one of Québec's Anna Wilson, Cactus. London, Eng: the not too distant future when we shall be• finest feminist writers. The Euguélionne Onlywomen Press gin to ask, "Why Can't a Man Be More Like a Woman?". Prose (Bearer of Good News) arrives from • an interesting novel about four women another planet seeking the male of her spe• and how they affect each other's lives. Les• Sarah Aldridge, Cytherea's Breath. cies and discovers how patriarchy perme• bian feminists Ann and Dee are trying to Tallahassee, FL: Naiad Press 1976 ates our society through religion, psychol• live together in a small English town; Elean• • a novel set in the first decade of this cen• ogy, the law, and sexist language. or is the local greengrocer, and Bea is a tury. Emma Wycliff, a young physician former lover of Eleanor's (now married) concerned with women's oppression, be• who comes for a yisit. comes the protégé of Miss Margaret Bell, a Ann Jones, Women Who Kill. New York: wealthy Baltimore spinster and eventually Fawcett 1980 her lover. • a thought-provoking look about women Poetry who kill, especially battered women who If your copy of Broadside is kill in self-defence. This is also an excellent Betsy Warland, A Gathering Instinct. Tor• stamped "Sub. expired," don't Sarah Aldridge, The Latecomer. Tallahas• analysis of how male society punishes fe• onto: Williams-Wallace 1981 miss another issue ...Renew Today. see, FL: Naiad Press 1974 male murderers in comparison with males who kill. • a novel about two very different women (These books are all available at the Toron• who meet on an ocean liner returning from to Women's Bookstore.) Europe and who expect never to see each other once they reach New York. However, Margaret Randall, Sandino's Daughters. circumstances intervene and a love story Vancouver: New Star Books 1981 unfolds. • interesting interviews with many Niearaguan women who participate in the war against the Somoza dictatorship — their roles in the revolution and also their a non-profit co-op for Louky Bersianik, The Euguélionne. Vic• everyday lives as mothers, daughters, wives, toria and Toronto: Press Porcépic 1982 and sisters. social change education

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for more information: Open seven days a week Grindstone Co-op, PO Box 564, Stn. P, Toronto M5S 2T1 Monday through Friday Noon to 1 a.m. (416) 923-4215 562 Church Street Saturday Tôronto 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. 924-1972 Sunday under LLBO Brunch, noon to 4 p.m. Dinner, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. page eighteen She Who Laughs, Lasts

Kate Clinton describes herself as a fumer- read in my straight education. This was on• edians. She thoughtfully replied: "When ist — that's feminist and humorist com• ly two years ago and I had just come out. I you're funny, you're drawing attention to bined. She says her best training came from was politicized at the same time." yourself and women are not supposed to do teaching high school English for eight Mary Daly's books, Beyond God the Fa• that. The only way you can do that is to be years. The approach sounds unorthodox, ther and Gyn/Ecology, radically changed beautiful but quiet. I know a lot of little but as she explains: "It helped my timing many women's ways of thinking. Kate Clin• girls who were very funny, but when they and taught me how to deal with hecklers. It ton describes her reaction as taking the top hit thirteen, they had to conform." The also taught me not to go into a blind mur• of her head off and scrambling up some of same interviewer described her as very derous panic and walk off stage when her oldest and best brain patterns. Few, if serious and an unlikely candidate for being things weren't going well." any, women would consider Daly's philo• a comedian. "If you want to hear a couple It's hard to imagine her in a classroom, sophical treatises as humorous. Clinton em• of lines of jokes, you'll have to give me a wearing a red and white polka dot . dress phasizes that for her, "Daly's analysis of couple of bucks," she retorted. with a braided border, tiny belt and heart- language made me listen more carefully to Clinton believes that women's humour shaped buttons. She jokingly regrets getting language and to the special language of hu• can be very sensuous and powerful. Her rid of the dress, but not the role she had to mour. I heard finally whose butts are the earliest and fondest memories are of laugh• play. Her involvement with the women's butts of men's humour. Daly's analysis of ing with her young girlfriends, tears stream• movement led her to the Women's Writers men's thought in the land of reversals gave ing down their faces. Throughout her life, Center in Casinovia, New York, \vhere she me the understanding of irony that I never she has made a commitment to joy and sen• Kate Clinton studied what she calls the three Rs — got from any 'Satire and Irony, 203' course suality with her humour, and as she puns, reading, writing and radicalizing. "I spent a I every took." "Joy is not an easy woman to please." by Deena Rasky lot of time writing about being a writer, and Clinton feels strongly that it's time we These feelings were reaffirmed when she and Helena Feinstadt I am amazed at how I resisted writing in a come to realize the power of our own hu• read Audré Lorde's essay, "The Power of comic voice. Although, at the time, I was mour. She isn't referring to the women who the Erotic." For Clinton, women laughing A Kate Clinton performance changes your rejecting dichotomies at the rate of one per life in subtle ways. Can anyone who's seen stand up and make fun-of themselves — together are like women coming together. week, I never questioned the serious/ hu• once again the joke is on us. To use her, hear someone say "Sarah Lawrence morous split. ' ' Clinton's definition, women's humour is "We make sounds we don't ordinarily University" and not think of designer dia• "making light" or "light enough to see make. We gasp for air. We rock back and phragms with little alligators on them? Or She had written thirteen books of theory, where we're going and be able to move forth. And there's soft moaning after." how about when you go to the women's poetry and short stories, but it was the read• ing while studying at the Women's Writers through heavy issues." She feels that the Kate Clinton sees humour as a pathway bookstore and see the Lesbian Reader on ability to laugh offers an important release. to feminist visions. The future, according the shelf. Do you smirk while remembering Center that had the strongest influence on her future and her career. We need to be able to laugh at real issues to• to Kate, just might be around the corner. her routine about seeing that book, turning gether, while still being active in fighting the After all, the gay "Gay 90's" are coming up red, her heart beating faster, then moving "It was real, radical reading time. I read problems together. During her routine she and whatever happens, with Kate Clinton over to the self-help section to calm down? Susan Griffin and Mary Daly; stuff I never spouts out: "1 love labels... that's why 1 be• around there will be plenty of fun. came a lesbian," or asks: "If abortion is "Women laughing together are an inti• murder, why isn't fucking a felony?" mation of what we can be together in com• In a radio interview with a straight ("het- munity. There is a natural equality, playful• erosexually impaired") announcer, she was ness and joy which is essential for our sur• ' asked why there weren't more women com• vival and eventual triumph."

TO SUBLET: Room in flat, Mid-April SPRING WEEKEND for women at through September, College-Ossing- Tapawingo, Parry Sound. April 23-25, ton area. No cats please (due to al• 1982. Hiking, canoeing, big lodge lergies). Rent is $138.00 per month with fireplace. $50 prepaid. Send inclusive. Contact Ruth, (416) cheques to: Women's Camp, c/o 52 532-7963 or 925-6568. Admiral Road, Toronto, Ont. M5R 2L5. For more information, call DUPLEX AVAILABLE: Coxwell & Susan (416) 921-4755 or Kye (416) Danforth, Toronto, facing park. 967-7118. $375/month. Available June 1. Call THE NEW MUSIC CO-OPERATIVE AND Leslie, (416) 463-9529. QUOTES BY CANADIAN WOMEN: Do you have favourite quotes to ORONTO INDEPENDENT DANCE ENTERPRISE share with other women? Send us PRESENT FEMINIST JEWELLERY — pens, your fully-referenced quotes by wo• pendants, rings — labyrises, wom• men (famous and unknown) and en's symbols, and IWY pieces. Silver we'll credit you in our book. SD Pub• or gold. $14.00 up. Contact Gail Ken- lications, 133 McLeod St., Suite 3, ney, 71 The Lindens, 100 Bain Ave, Ottawa, Ont. K2P 0Z6. Toronto M4K 1E8. (416) 469-0184. an exciting performance experiment in sound and movement GREENPEACE needs energetic, PIANO TUNING & REPAIR. friendly canvassers for a proven Reasonable rates. For more infor• door-to-door fund-raising program. DENISE FUjIWARA, SALLY LYONS, TINA PEARSON mation call Jocelyne Wallingford at Evenings and weekends. Good com• (416) 531-3148. missions. Call Pati, (416) 922-3011. PAULA RAVITZ, ALAN RISDILL, ROBERT STEVENSON

April 8, 9, 10, 11 1982, 8:PM HARBOURFRONT BRIGANTINE ROOM, TORONTO

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• Sunday, April 4: Poetry Reading • Saturday, May 1: Womynly Way by Roberta Morris, Susan Zimmer• OADSIDE presents "Alive," Harbourfront Bri- man and poetry by Leila Parlow ' gantine Room, 9:00 pm, tickets on read by Paulie Thompson, Abbey sale now at the Toronto Women's Bookshop, 168 Brunswick Avenue, Bookstore, $6. 2 pm. • Saturday, May 1: Fight the Right • Sunday, April 4: Toronto Area TORONTO WOMEN'S Festival. Cultural events, workshops, Caucus of Women and the Law (TACWL) presents "Rape Law EVENTS CALENDAR displays. Harbord Collegiate, 1-5 pm. Reform: Ten Years of Waiting," a feminist critique of Bill C-53. De• April/May • Tuesday, May 4: Rexdale Immi• bates room, Hart House, University grant Women's Project presents of Toronto. 7:30 pm. "Women, Money and Work," Albion • Friday, April 16: Women and • Saturday, April 24: Canadian Community Centre, 1485 Albion • Sunday, April 4: P4W: Prison for Mathematics Education presents Abortion Rights Action League Road, 9:00 to 11:00 am. Women, award-winning film about "New Developments in The Math (CARAL), Eighth Annual General five women in the Kingston Peni• Education of Women," Royal York Meeting, 9:15 - 4:00 pm. Debates • Thursday, May 6: Women Against tentiary, Bloor Cinema, 504 Bloor Hotel, Manitoba Room, 5:30 — 7:00 Room, Hart House, University of Violence Against Women (WAVAW) Street West, 7 pm. pm. Toronto. Speakers include Dr. Henry Morgantaler, Kathryn Mor• meeting, 519 Church St., 7:30 pm. • Sunday, April 4: Reel to Real Film • Saturday, April 17: Women's gan and Morris Manning. 961-1507, Festival presents "Deadly Force", information and registration. Storytelling, share stories, songs • Friday, May 7: National Press and sponsored by the Citizen's Inde• dance with other women. 175 Carl• Allied Workers and Allied Workers pendent Review of Police Activi• ton, 8:30 pm. Pay what you can. Jazz Band perform a benefit con• ties, Bloor Cinema, 2:00 pm. $3.50. cert for the Toronto Elizabeth Fry - • Saturday, April 17: "Shaping the • Saturday, April 24: "Women in the Society, Palais Royal Ballroom, • Monday, April 5: CBC Stereo's Future — Career Challenges for Eighties: Work, Technology and 1601 Lakeshore Boulevard West, "Ideas" presents a series on wo• Women in the Eighties," Sheridan Change," workshop at Ontario In• $12.50, 924-3708. men, including "The Experts' Ad• College, 8:30 — 4:30. Call Mariruth stitute for Studies in Education, 252 Bloor Street West, 763-5141, vice to Women," and Debates on Morton, 459-7533. • Saturday, May 8: "Cherifa," ex.57 or 58. Sociobiology and Pornography. women's science fiction, fantasy Weekday evenings, till April 30. • Saturday, April 17: Women in the discussion group meets; for more Eighties, Work, Technology and information call Susanna Benns, • Tuesday, April 6: Lost Women Change"; workshop at Ontario In• 535-7932. Composers Concert/Lecture Series stitute for Studies in Education, • Saturday, April 24: Mama Quilla II 252 Bloor Street West, 763-5141 ex plays at the Lower East Side, Hotel presents Romantic Women Compo• • Saturday, May 8: U of T Women's 57 or 58. Isabella, 556 Sherbourne. sers, 5:30 pm., Trinity United Newsmagazine Benefit Dance. All Church, 427 Bloor St. West, 5:30 — women welcome. UC Refectory, 15 7:00 pm. $5. King's College Circle. Tickets at SAC, U of T. 8:30 pm. • Tuesday, April 6: Lesbians • Friday, May 14: "Future for Life Against the Right (LAR) meeting, • Sunday, April 18: Poetry reading 730 Bat hurst Street, 7:30 pm. Skills" conference: panel discus• by Ronnie Brown, Amanda Hale • Monday, April 26: Farmworker sion and workshops. Conference and Ross Leckie. Abbey Bookshop, Week: Theme: "Women in • Tuesday, April 6: Judy Chicago's Centre, Glendon College (Bayview 168 Brunswick Avenue, 2 pm. Struggle." For information, call "The Dinner Party" shows at and Lawrence). Registration infor• Musée d'art contemporain in Mon• Faye at (416) 485-5781 evenings, or mation: Sue Clancy (519) 759-7200 tréal, Tuesday through Sunday until • Tuesday, April 20: Toronto Board Tom Watson at 482-7423, ext. 219. (Brantford). May 2. of Education and the Women's Bu• Till May 2. reau, Ontario Ministry of Labour, present "Make It Happen," a film Broadside • Monday, April 5: "Clay and Pro• • Saturday, May 15: Yard about alternative career patterns cess" exhibition at Metro Toronto Sale. 382 Brunswick Ave., Toronto. for girls and women, 5 and 6 pm. Library Gallery, 789 Yonge St. Till 11 am — 3 pm. April 26. OISE, 252 BLoor St. West, audi• torium; cash bar 4:30 — 6:30. • Tuesday, May 18: Lost Women • Thursday, April 8: Women Against Composers, a lecture/concert se• Violence Against Women (WAVAW) • Tuesday, April 20: Lesbians ries presents Baroque Women meeting at 519 Church Street, 7:30 Against the Right (LAR) meeting, Composers, Trinity United Church, pm. 730 Bathurst Street, 7:30 pm. 427 Bloor Street West, 5:30 - 7:00 • Tuesday, April 20: Alumnae pm $5. Theatre, 70 Berkeley Street, pre• sents "The Club" — women play • Tuesday, May 18: Rexdale Immi• men in Eve Merriam's play about a grant Women's Project presents men's club; 364-4170; to May 1. "Housing," Albion Community Cen• • Thursday, April 15: Opportunity tre, 1485 Albion Road, 9-11:00 am. for Advancement presents a Train• • Thursday, April 22: 'Treatment ing Program for social service Issues with Battered Women.' A • Thursday, May 20: Women workers, eight sessions $175.00, Training for Helping Professionals. Against Violence Against Women 245-4241. OISE, 252 Bloor St. West. 9 am - 5 (WAVAW) meeting, 519 Church St.. pm. 7:30 pm. • Thursday, April 15: Women's Cul• tural Building Collective, meeting for women interested in culture • Thursday, April 22: Women • Friday, May 21: Womynly Way pre• and feminist issues, 519 Church Against Violence Against Women sents The Reunion of CT and April, Street, 8 pm. 366-6295. (WAVAW) meeting at 519 Church Street, 7:30 pm. Innis College Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue (at St. George) 8:00 pm. • Friday, April 16: Weekend excur• • Friday, April 23: Canadian Abor• Tickets $5.50 advance, $6.50 at the sion to "The Dinner Party" in Mon• tion Rights Action League (CARAL) door. tréal (from Toronto) $125 includes presents "Right Out of History: the transportation, accommodation, Making of Judy Chicago's The Din• • Friday, May 28: Toronto Rape Cri• two evening meals, entertainment; ner Party," Ontario Institute for sis Centre presents a weekend of limit 38. For information call Studies in Education, 252 Bloor Don't miss Broadside's Yard Sale. information and action on violence Margaret or Phyllis, YWCA, Street West, 7:00 and 8:00 pm, against women. 964-7477, (to May 487-7151. $5.00. 30).

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