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Indonesia in context INSIDE KINESIS #309-877 E. Hastings St., Vancouver, BC V6A 3Y1 Tel: (604)255-5499 Fax: (604)255-7508 email: [email protected]
Kinesis welcomes volunteers to work on all aspects of the paper. Our next Story Meetings are Tues Sep 1 and Tues Oct 6, 7 pm at our office, 309-877 E. Hastings St. Production for the October issue is from Sep 16- 22. All women welcome even if you don't have experience. News Kinesis is published ten times a year Indonesian Chinese women and girls raped and murdered 3 by the Vancouver Status of Women. Its objectives are to be a non- by Peggy Woon-Yee Lee sectarian feminist voice for women Pay equity fight still not over 4 and to work actively for social change, by Kay Sinclair specifically combatting sexism, Supporting the rights of contracted out workers 4 racism,classism, homophobia, ableism, and imperialism. Views by Marion Pollack expressed in Kinesis are those of the Behind the riots and resignation in Indonesia 5 No protection for contracted out workers . writer and do not necessarily reflect by Julia Suryakusuma VSW policy. All unsigned material is the responsibility of the Kinesis Editorial Board.
EDITORIAL BOARD Fatima Jaffer, Lissa Geller Features Kelly Haydon, Agnes Huang, Lesbian desire in ancient and modern India Colleen Sheridan, Ellen Woodsworth by Giti Thadani as told to Fatima Jaffer and Veena Gokhale Laura Quilici Some words on fetal rights
PRODUCTION THIS ISSUE by Kate Murphy Dorcas Wilkins, Janet Mou Fatima Jaffer, leanne Johnson Michele McCabe, Michelle Silliboy Nancy Pang, Celeste Wincapaw Kathe Lemon, Monica K. Rasi Centrespread Karla Reid, Kelly Haydon Colleen Sheridan Pullout section: Women at the 1998 Vancouver Fringe Festival 11 Advertising: Sur Mehat by leanne Johnson, Kelly Haydon, marilyn lemon and Agnes Huang Circulation: Audrey Johnson, Chrystal Fowler Production Coordinator: marilyn lemon Typesetter: Sur Mehat Arts FRONT COVER Vivienne Wang and her piano in Interview with Moana, of Moana and the Moahunters 17 Excursion [see page 12.] as told to Kelly White Photo by Carol Sawyer and Andrew Review of Helene Liftman's Peripheries 18 Czink. Designed by Tanya Pettreman. by Kathe Lemon PRESS DATE Alison Bechdel on Alison Bechdel 19 Aug 27, 1998 reviewed by Celeste Wincapaw
SUBSCRIPTIONS Individual: $20 per year (+$1.40 GST) or what you can afford I nstitu tions/G rou ps: $45 per year (+$3.15 GST) VSW Membership (includes 1 year Regulars Kinesis subscription): As Kinesis Goes to Press 2 $30 per year (+$1.40 GST) Inside Kinesis 2 What's News 6 SUBMISSIONS Women and girls are welcome to compiled by Janet Mou, Rita Wong, Wei Yuen Fong, Ednoi Boun make submissions. We reserve the and Gitanjali Lena right to edit and submission does not Movement Matters 16 guarantee publication. If possible, compiled by Monica Rasi and Janet Mou submissions should be typed, double spaced and must be signed and Bulletin Board 21 include an address, telephone number compiled by Michele McCabe and Dorcas Wilkins and SASE. Kinesis does not accept poetry or fiction. Editorial guidelines are available upon request.
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ISSN 0317-9095 Publications mail registration #6426 Alison Bechdel, a dyke to watch out for 19 As Kinesis goes to press, we reflect on We remember Bonnie Agnew, who for The lights went out this month inside puter's overheating. You just need a fan the issue of health-the health of the wom more than 20 years was instrumental in push Kinesis. Yes, we mean that literally. Late one inside the CPU." en's movement and the health of the ing forward the work of the feminist anti-vio night on the weekend before we went to We were disbelievers. How could that women in the movement. lence against women movement. A founding press, we were hard at work (on the phone), be, we cried. But sure enough; that's all it Often, when we address this subject, we mother of Vancouver Rape Relief and Wom when all of a sudden, without any warn took. An $18 fan. Yes, this is a true story. end up critiquing the "systems" of health en's Shelter, Bonnie organized many Take Back ing... darkness. Yes, it was lights, camera, We do have another technical foible we that affect us: publicly funded medicare; leg the Nights in Vancouver, and she will surely be no action. Oh no! could tell about, but we're just way too islation concerning abortion services; missed at this year's event Not only did we lose power through embarrassed to put it into print. (Call us healthcare professionals; medical research. We are also thinking of all the women out our office, we also lost contact with the and we'll confess. Maybe.) Not enough do we allow ourselves the who struggling with their health. outside world via telephone. (Our phone A lot of other things have been hap space to talk about our own health as Doesn't it make you flunk, How many system, being the fancy kind it is, requires pening inside Kinesis. As this was our first women, and as feminists in this society. At of us are really that well? How many of us electricity.) Fortunately though, this not-so- month back after an brief rest, we jumped Kinesis, the reality of this hit us hard over don't feel the constant strain of thinking Hallmark moment was only a temporary right into action. Of course, one very im the past few months, as we witnessed the about, dealing with, and challenging the vari glitch (although it did happen again briefly portant thing we're working on is our 25th deaths of three longtime activists in the ous oppressions we face as women and the the next day), so it didn't impede us in anniversary subscription drive campaign. women's movement. backlash against feminism. How many of us bringing you this issue oiKinesis. The success of this project is critical to the All three women died of cancer, and don't feel the stress from logging long hours However, something did happen dur survival and growth of Kinesis, so we're all three women died before they had the in support of our sisters (the ones we know ing production that caused us more than calling on all our readers and supporters opportunity to complete their journeys well and the ones we've never met), from one night's lost sleep. You know how for for your help in this work. with themselves, other women and the working through the divisions among us, the past year (or has it been two years), Another exciting thing coming up is our women's movement. and from just surviving the trials and chal we've had a computer woe to report on in ""Visioning Meeting," tentatively scheduled We remember Amanda Ocran, a femi lenges placed before us each and every day. each and every Inside Kinesis. Well, let this for October 3-4. To lead us into our 25th an nist academic and activist. She dedicated As a tribute to all our feminist sisters, month be no different. niversary and right through the new millen much of her time and energy pressing for we should stop and ask ourselves, "How But wait. First of all, did we tell you nium, we want to revisit Kinesis—the con justice for garment workers. She was also can we, as individual women and as a that we were finally able to get new com tent, the design, the processes. If you are in instrumental in challenging the discrimi women's movement, do the critical work puters? We're very excited about that. We terested in participating in this two-day natory attitudes of professors in the Politi we do, and still stay healthy, happy and (as in the Vancouver Status of Women and meeting, please give us a call at 255-5499. cal Science Department at UBC. For her vibrant?" Kinesis) got two new Pentium II 233MHz As mentioned earlier, Kinesis is finally strength and courage, she suffered the con That's a question Kinesis would like to computers—one for the production room, online. Thanks to everyone who so pa sequences. explore in an upcoming issue (or issues.) where we put together the very thing you tiently waited for us to reply to your emails. We remember Jeri Manson-Hing. She For now, we invite your thoughts. Write, are holding in your hands, and another that So now, for our next foray onto the infor was an active member of the NAC Execu fax or email us. will allow us to participate in the world of mation highway, we want to set up our very tive Committee and was working on her As Kinesis goes to press, we thank and emailing and Internet surfing. Hey send us own website. We think it will be a good way PhD in women's studies at York University remember Amanda, Jeri and Bonnie, and something to [email protected]. to let women know about Kinesis and share when her illness made her too weak to carry all our feminist sisters who have passed on. Okay, back to the reality of life with a few tidbits of the "news about women's on. Jeri had been involved in all kinds of is In good health and solidarity. computers... So here we were, gearing up that's not in the dailies" (with the hopes that sues over the years: anti-racism work, new for production, when all of a sudden, with they will then subscribe). We need help set reproductive technologies, health, media. out any warning... darkness. Sound famil ting this up—lots of help. If there are iar. Our production room computer de women out there who have insights into cided, in its infinite microchip wisdom, just the Internet, or are whizzes with websites, to shut itself off. No farewell party, no good we'd love to hear from you. bye note...just "off." This issue, we have a lot of new voices We did manage to get it going again by in Kinesis: Thanks and welcome to Peggy using a new power cord, but things didn't Woon-Yee Lee, Julia Suryakusuma, Janet feel the same. Something was still amiss. The Mou, Monica Rasi, Giti Thadani, Veena computer was operating in "Safe Mode." Gokhale, Kate Murphy, marilyn lemon, Now, doesn't that sound like a good thing? Moana Maniapoto-Jackson, Kelly White, Well, we soon discovered, if s not. Kathe Lemon and Celeste Wincapaw. We When we tried loading in our scanner invite women to contribute their ideas and Our appreciation to the following supporters who became members, renewed their software, the monitor screamed out, "You articles for upcoming issues. Drop in to one memberships or subscriptions to Kinesis, or made donations during the month of July: have no printer port." Now, the big panic of our next story meetings—held the first Jan Altshool * Jennifer Bradley * Somer Brodribb * Janie Cawley * Caren Durante * set in. Press day less than a week away, and Tuesday of each month [see masthead for Louise Hutchison * Faune Johnson * Meredith Kimball * Joan Lawrence * Andrea us with no way to produce the paper. What dates]—or call or email us and we'd be Lebowitz * Vera Mclntyre * Paule McNicoll * Jill Stainsby * Shelly Tratch * Roberta to do; what to do. We called every compu happy to send you a copy of our Writers' Westwood * Brenda Wong * Maggie Ziegler * C.E.P Local 115-M * Stowe Ellis Barris ter ge.. genius we knew. (Thanks to Celeste Guidelines. ters & Solicitors Wincapaw for her incredible patience with Also this month, we welcome new pro A special thanks to our donors who give every month. Monthly donations assist us.) And just when we were about to pull duction volunteers Monica Rasi and Karla VSW in establishing a reliable funding base to carry out our programs, services and Kine every little file, every program off the hard Reid. Thanks both for your awesome work. sis throughout the year. Thanks to: drive and start over, Pearly (the woman we Well that's all for this edition of Inside Elizabeth Geller * Jody Gordon * Erin Graham * Barbara Lebrasseur * Valerie Raoul bought the computer from) said, "The com Kinesis. Have a fabulous month.
CORRECTIONS
In our June 1998 edition oiKinesis, we acknowledged Mary Billy as the winner of the first International Helen Prize for Women. While we still send congratula tions to Billy, we should also have men tioned that 19 other women were honoured. Further back... in the Movement Mat ters section of our May 1998 issue, we mispelled Cathy Loewen's last name in the piece, "Amazing Greys on video." Also, Loewen's email address should have been listed as [email protected]. Our apologies.
SEPTEMBER 1998 NEWS Violence against Chinese women in Indonesia: Time to break the silence by Peggy Woon-Yee Lee
On May 12, gunshots sounded over a three rapists intentionally mutilated the lash has been quietly legitimated under the Chinese name, or publicly learn Chinese lan prestigious university in Jakarta, Indonesia, victim's genitalia with an object so massive guise of explaining socioeconomic unrest. guages, or celebrate, Chinese festivals. These re which left four students dead and dozens in that the woman required two operations to The history of class-linked racial ha strictions apply to Chinese people only, and jured. This bloody response by government remove her womb. tred towards the ethnic Chinese in South not other Indonesians. forces to the student demonstrations set off 11 In addition, during the demonstrations East Asia is nothing new. The Chinese are All Chinese in Indonesia must have Indo days of rioting that subsided only when, on in May, four students at Jakarta's elite known as the "Jews of South East Asia"—a nesian names or they will not be granted citi May 21, President Suharto resigned. Trisakti University were fatally shot and 20 term coined in reference to their supposed zenship. A person caught learning or teaching The demonstrations and riots coincided pro-democracy activists tortured, twelve of disproportional amount of wealth in the Chinese languages may be subject to arrest for with the growing social, political and economic subversion under the law. Indonesian Chinese crisis in Indonesia, and followed decades of are restricted from governmental positions and corruption and abuse by members of the Horrific photos are being circulated public scholarships. Most importantly, ethnic Suharto regime [see page 5.] Chinese are not permitted to have permanent During the riots, many shops and houses, to threaten victims land title, thus creating a scenario where the only in particular Indonesian Chinese enclaves, were means of economic sustenance is through do looted, burnt and destroyed, in attacks tliat many and discourage them ing business. believe to have been very deliberately planned. During the early stages of Indonesia's Indonesian Chinese people themselves have also from disclosing the events economic development [in the early 1980's,] been the targets of violence, and hundreds of concessions were made to Chinese busi women and girls have been sexually assaulted, to authorities. nessmen who were instrumental in engi gang raped, mutilated and murdered. neering the nation's economy. Despite eco Onlyrecentlyhavethese atrocities gained wide whom are still missing. These atrocities are area. The narrative that gets omitted is the nomic participation, Indonesians of Chi spread public attention. In response, women's, stu just a few among the many "crimes against history of strategic scapegoating and out nese descent remain forever designated as dents andhuman rights groups across thegbbehave humanity" committed by the same impe right discriminatory legislation against second-class citizens. They are permanently been staging rallies, demonstrations and candlelight rialistic Indonesian government which those of Chinese heritage [set in place by denied full cultural-political citizenship vigils, and petitioning their own governments to masterminded massacres in both East the historical colonial powers.] and are constantly under public scrutiny respond strongly and swiftly to tlte targeting of the Timor and Irian Jaya. Few people remember that not so long to prove their Tndonesian-ness.' Indonesian Chinese. At present, women and girls who have ago, when Suharto [who was then a gen As one Indonesian writes: "Imagine Below, Peggy Woon-Yee Lee puts into a been raped and assaulted are the latest tar eral in the army of President Sukarno] re the bureaucracy: As long as you look Chi historical context the rapes and murders of the gets of a fear-mongering campaign by the sponded to the October 1965 coup attempt nese, you will always have to be able to Indonesian Chinese women and girls. Her com prove that you are an Indonesian citizen, mentary begins with an excerpt from the story despite the fact that you were born in In of one Indonesian Chinese woman... Suharto's legacy donesia of Indonesian parents, were edu cated in the country, speak only Indonesian "My name is Vivian [not her real name] has created a state where legislation and only have an Indonesian name. Peo and I am 18 years old. I have a little sister ple should understand that being politically and brother, and we live in what is supposed specifically restricts impotent, money is the only tool most Chi to be a 'secure' apartment. At9:15am on May nese Indonesians can bargain with." 14, a huge crowd had gathered outside. They the political, cultural and economic The blame game is perpetuated today screamed: 'Let's butcher the Chinese! Let's by the global media that unquestioningly eat pig! Let's have a party!'... involvement of Indonesians equates Indonesian ethnic Chinese people "We could hear girls of 10 or 12 years old of Chinese descent. with corrupted wealth. While surely there screaming: 'Mommy, mommy, mom, mom. It are examples of Indonesian Chinese hurts.' I didn't know then that these girls were businesspeople who have manipulated the being raped... Not long after, nine men came to Indonesian government. Horrific photos by members of the [communist] PKI, one economy, the majority of Indonesian Chi the room and grabbed me and my Aunt Vera. I are being circulated to threaten victims and million people were systemically slaugh nese are not of that elite business class. passed out and everything went blank. discourage them from disclosing the events tered. This was, as described even by the Again, stories that do not fit the presumed "I became conscious at around 5 or to authorities. New Indonesian president CIA, "one of the ghastliest and most con racialized class stereotype do not get press 6pm. My head hurt and I realised I had no BJ Habibie has paid lip service to the atroci centrated blood-lettings of current times." coverage. clothes on. I cried and saw my family were ties by appointing a 19-member investiga Of those killed, the majority were In In this age of globalized media and the still there. My father was hugging my tive commission, a body which includes no donesians of Chinese descent who were world-wide web, it is the Internet that mother and Doni. I also saw Uncle Dodi ethnic Chinese members. suspected communist sympathizers. seems to be the only site of rallying and lying on the floor and Aunt Vera was cry In interviews, Habibie himself makes Suharto's army did not work alone as it activism in regards to the recent atrocities ing over his body. I fainted again... no attempt to hide his contempt for Indo began with a hate campaign that incited in Indonesia. Websites such as the Huaren "AfterTour days of treatment my con nesian Chinese people. "The Chinese exo fear and suspicion towards the presumed Network's have been created to raise dition improved. With a sad look, my father dus won't kill us... If the Chinese commu Chinese communists. Backed by public sen awareness, voice outrage, and call for ac told me what had happened. After I fainted, nity doesn't come back because they don't timent, Suharto utilized the climate of fear tion against the violations in Indonesia. Per seven people raped me. Repeatedly." trust their own country and society, I can and distributed arms, while calling for ac haps a signifier of the class mobility of a I read the articles, the horrific testimo not force them, nobody can force them," tion against the Indonesian Chinese. segment of the global Chinese diaspora is nies and opened up web-page after web- Habibie said. During this period, again the Western the fact that the community can actually page only to view more and more exam In the same interview, the president media was unusually silent as America it organize on-line. An email Yellow Ribbon ples of our collective dehumanization. Im explained that those Indonesian Chinese self was caught up in its Cold War propa campaign has circulated globally in mourn ages of school girls bleeding from their who were not attacked and survived the ganda and initiating its own confused in ing for those who have died and been as genitals and mutilated in ways beyond mayhem were the ones that had "integrated volvement in Vietnam. [US Senator] Robert saulted, and several petitions have been polite description. I am appalled by the into society." He thus implicitly blamed the F. Kennedy was a lonely voice when he collected to lobby both national and inter depths of human depravity Yes, these are victims themselves for not "assimilating." said, "We have spoken out against the in-' national organizations to take action and young Chinese women, not unlike myself. While other instances of "ethnic cleans humane slaughters perpetrated by the Na condemn the events in Indonesia. To date, human rights agencies in Indo ing" and racial rioting have received world zis and the communists. But will we speak Halfway around the world, sitting be nesia, such as the Team of Volunteers for wide media coverage, there seems to be a out also against the inhumane slaughter in fore my laptop typing up my thoughts, I Humanitarian Causes, have documented 20 grave omission about the events that took Indonesia, where over 100,000 alleged com am reminded of similar local discourse cir deaths and at least 168 rapes committed place in Indonesia, particularly in the West- munists have been not perpetrators, but culating about "Hongcouver," and the im against women and girls from when the ri em media. What coverage Indonesia has had victims?" minent fear of the Chinese investor take ots broke out in May to as recently as July 3. in the past few months has usually been fo Thirty years later, Suharto's legacy has cre over. No longer can we sit complicitly in The latest published accounts detail the cused on the effects of the Rupiah [the Indo ated a state where legislation specifically restricts denial while these atrocities continue. rape of one female student at the nesian currency] crisis, the role of the Inter the political, cultural and economic involve Tarumanegara University on July 2, where national Monetary Fund, the riots, and the ment of Indonesians of Chinese descent. From see CHINESE page 5 change of presidency. The anti-Chinese back- birth, ethnic Chinese are not allowed to have a
SEPTEMBER 1998 NEWTS Pay equity in Canada: Victory still on hold
by Kay Sinclair son. Instead, the Tribunal called for the "av ing that, "A Liberal government would equity into the sanctity of the marketplace. July 29 was a day to celebrate for erage" male rates to be used. The Tribunal abide by the [CHRC Tribunal] decision." Are they saying that women's demands for women working in the federal public serv also ruled that simple interest should be [As Kinesis goes to press, the appeal period equal pay with men do not form a legiti ice. A Canadian Human Rights Tribunal paid on wages owed, using Canada Sav had not yet expired.] mate part of the marketplace, but tax write ruled in favour of a pay equity complaint ings Bond rates in effect on March 1 of each On the day the Tribunal decision came offs for corporations and those that have filed by the Public Service Alliance of year. down, the PSAC held a rally at the main li do? Canada (PSAC) on behalf of more than For some women who have worked in brary in downtown Vancouver to celebrate. A positive outcome for the women af 190,000 current and former federal govern affected jobs for the entire 13-year retroac Women in several lower mainland federal fected by this case will be an important vic ment employees—most of them women. tive period, the Tribunal's decision could workplaces also held victory activities. tory for all women, as it will reinforce the This was a major step towards a posi mean they are owed more than $30,000. As Since that time, PSAC women have principle of pay equity and be a boost f oron tive ending to the 14-year pay equity strug of July 1998, pay equity payments will form been working hard to put pressure on the women's wages in clerical, secretarial, data gle with the federal government, which in part of salary for the purpose of determin Liberal government to accept the decision keying, and hospital and library services cluded a five year joint union-management jobs in the private sector as well as the pub (JUMI) equal pay study and 262 days of lic sector. human rights Tribunal hearings [see Kine For some women ... the Tribunal's Women's community groups and other sis February 1998 for a detailed history of the unions are encouraged to support their sisters PSAC struggle.] decision could mean they are owed in the federal public service by writing, phon Essentially, the Tribunal found that a ing, faxing or emailing their member of par wage gap does exist and that the federal more than $30,000. liament, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Fi government's pay policies are discrimina nance Minister Paul Martin, Treasury Board tory under the Canadian Human Rights ing pension and other benefits, the Tribu and not appeal. When the Liberal caucus President Marcel Masse, and Hedy Fry, secre Act. nal ruled. met in Shawinigan, Quebec, in mid-Au tary of state for the status of women. Call on In its decision, the Tribunal said that On other matters put before the Tribu gust, 250 PSAC members marched on their them to abide by the Tribunal's decision and current and former members in six female- nal, the question of whether retroactive pay hotel meeting place. The PSAC Vancouver support pay equity for women. dominated groups will receive pay equity equity payments should form part of the Women's Committee and other PSAC Write to any member of parliament or Lib back to March 8, 1985, the date the JUMI salary for all affected workers was sent back Women's Committees organized a fax cam eral cabinet minister, c/o House of Commons, Study was announced. Previously only two for further discussions between the PSAC paign to the Liberal Women's Caucus, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A2. (No postage re groups were covered. However, they have and the Treasury Board. PSAC's claim for which was also meeting in Shawinigan. The quired.) Jean Chretien, tel: (613) 992-4211; fax received partial pay equity payments back damages for lost opportunities for affected Vancouver Women's Committee has also (613) 941-6900; email: [email protected]. Marcel to April 1,1984. employees was dismissed as was PSAC's organized a calendar of events and activi Masse, tel: (613) 957-2666; fax: (613) 990- In terms of determining how the wage claim for legal costs. ties for PSAC locals to do leading up to the 2806; email: [email protected]. Paul Martin, gap should be calculated and closed, the The union and the federal Liberal gov appeal deadline. tel: (613) 996-7861;fax: (613) 995-517; email: Tribunal ruled that the methodology put ernment have until August 28 to appeal the Dozens of mostly male editorial writ [email protected]. Hedy Fry, tel: (819) 997- forward by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's decision to federal court. The ers and commentators have cited "cost to 9900; fax: (819)953-8055; email: Commission (CHRC) is the one to be used. PSAC feels very strongly the government taxpayers" as the main reason for oppos [email protected]. While the Tribunal did not choose the un has no grounds to appeal; however, this ing pay equity for women working in the For more information about the PSAC's ion's formula, it did accept the PSAC meth may not stop the government from trying federal public service. This despite the pay equity struggle, contact Nycole Turmel at odology as valid, and overall the CHRC's to gain a bargaining lever. Prime Minister quarterly surplus of $5.8 billion recently (613) 560-4310 in Ottawa, or Regina Brennan methodology encompasses about 90 per Jean Chretien, Marcel Masse, the president announced by the federal finance minister. and Joanna Schultz in Vancouver, (604) 430- cent of the PSAC position. of Treasury Board, and Finance Minister Perhaps women in the federal public serv 5631. The Tribunal rejected the argument by Paul Martin have all been making noises ice deserve part of the surplus their low the Treasury Board [the representative of about appealing the decision—this despite wages helped to create. Kay Sinclair is a member of the PSAC Van the federal government] that only the "low the fact Chretien wrote a letter to the PSAC Various editors and commentators couver Women's Committee and a devoted em est" male rates should be used for compari prior to the 1993 federal election promis- have also decried the "intrusion" of pay ployee at Revenue Canada.
Women in the paid labour force: Contracted out workers vulnerable by Marion Pollack Currently, food services workers at the These are not isolated instances. Every tion or company they are doing the work In December 1997, ten women who Langara Campus of the Vancouver Com day workers, in the janitorial, food services in, but rather, by a subcontractor. worked in the kitchen of the Vancouver munity College are fighting for a new col and security guard industries are faced Many workers in these industries have Lodge of the Canadian Cancer Society all lective agreement. Until recently, they were with similar circumstances—the company attempted to start unions. In most cases, lost their jobs. Many of these women had employed by another company which held they work for loses the contract and the unionization has resulted in significant worked in the Lodge, a residence for can the cafeteria contract at the college. They workers are either replaced with a new gains. Among women, unionized people cer patients awaiting treatment, for 16 made decent wages and benefits as a result crew of workers doing exactly the same of colour workers earn 32.7 percent more years. They were all members of the Hos of a long strike several years ago. They are work at substantially less wages, or offered than comparable non-unionized workers. pital Employees Union (HEU) and as a re all members of the Canadian Union of Pub their jobs back with lower pay and fewer The difference for Aboriginal workers is sult received decent wages and benefits. lic Employees, Local 15. benefits. 69.4 percent. They were also employees of Versa Recently, the Langara food services Most of the workers in janitorial and However, the benefits of unionization Food Services, a company that had won a contract was retendered. The combined food services industries are women. Often for contracted out workers in British Co contract to provide food services at the pressure of the student society and the un they are immigrant women and women of lumbia are limited, given the gaps in the Lodge. However, when the Canadian Can ion resulted in one condition of the colour. Many are young women. Accord successor rights provisions in current la cer Society retendered the contract, they retendering process—that no current food ing to a 1997 report called Women's Work bour legislation. The objective of successor accepted a lower bid by the multinational service workers would lose her job. published by the Canadian Labour Con rights provisions is to preserve collective Restauronics Services. The new company Restauronics again was awarded the new gress, the economic reality for these work bargaining rights when a business is sold, did not rehire the old workers, and instead contract. They hired the old staff, but then ers is that they are generally low paid and leased or transferred. Under the provisions brought in a new crew of workers who were demanded huge wage and benefit cuts. receive few, if any, benefits. As well, the in the code, successor rights are not auto then paid an average $4 less than the pre They want the workers to earn less for do work situation for these workers has been matic; an employer can challenge them be vious workers. ing exactly the same work. (The situation changing, so that more and more of them fore the Labour Relations Board. has yet to be resolved.) are employed not directly by the organiza see CONTRACTED page 7
SEPTEMBER 1998 NEWS Repression, riots, resignation, reforms: Indonesia in context by Julia Suryakusuma
On Ascension Day, May 211998, Presi The signs of the end were many, but It generated much sympathy because it was those belonging to Suharto's family and dent Suharto stepped down, turning power the death-knell of the Suharto era was seen not so much as a political campaign cronies. Even for those of us who abhor over to BJ Habibie, his protege and vice- sounded by the gunshots that caused the but more as a moral movement. It was only violence, we could not help but feel some president, to serve out the presidential term tragic death of six students from Trisakti after the women's demonstration that other satisfaction in the destruction of property to 2003. Looking crestfallen, and with res University on May 12. Trisakti, a prestig groups moved forward: professionals, civil owned by a ruling family which had looted ignation in his voice, Suharto said, "I have ious, elite private university, has never been servants, and then students. and damaged the country and people with decided to withdraw my position as the known to be the hotbed of student activ The deaths of the students at Trisakti impunity for so long. leader of the Republic of Indonesia, effec ism. It was simply one of many universi were met with shock, grief, indignation and Also targeted were the ethnic Chinese, tive immediately". The authoritarian, pa ties that had been staging peaceful demon condemnation. Outrage was expressed at seen as being the economic beneficiaries of ternalistic rule of the retired general who strations over the past three months in pro their funerals with yells of, "Hang the New Order [see page 3. J The Chinese had led Indonesia for 32 years was finally test of the crisis. Suharto!" shopping area of Glodok was almost totally over. destroyed, and even individual Chinese in Suharto's announcement climaxed one the streets were attacked. Again, this was a of the most extraordinary 10-day periods It was only after result of the divide-and-rule tactics of the in Indonesian history—full of high drama, the women's demonstration New Order regime, inherited from colonial nerve-racking suspense, and unexpected times. turns. In many ways, the grand scenario that other groups moved forward: Although official figures cite 500 as the was familiar: a despotic ruler being over number of deaths resulting from the riots, turned by popular will. However, external professionals, civil servants, unofficial sources say that the figure was factors were also at play. closer to 1,200. The extent of the physical The international financial market and then students. damage incurred was announced by a place had ravaged the rupiah [the Indone number of cabinet ministers on May 17, sian currency] plunging Indonesia into its estimated at 2.5 trillion rupiah (US$ 250 worse economic crisis since Suharto took The student demonstrations were also A powder-keg was building, but few million) for the damaged property alone. charge. The rupiah had lost 75 percent of part of the rise-in-revolt of the previously were prepared for the terrible scenes of an The non-physical damage—the pain and its value since last Fall, prices have spiraled, complacent and politically dormant mid archic rioting and destruction that would trauma of the people victimized, raped and and three-quarters of the companies listed dle-class. One of the first actions was by a rock Jakarta. The capital looked like a war- violated—was not reported. on the local stock exchange are now tech spontaneous grouping of women univer zone, as thousands of people damaged and This is the situation Suharto returned nically bankrupt. The banking sector is in sity lecturers, activists, intellectuals and burned hundreds of buildings, vehicles and to on May 15 when he cut his trip to Cairo tatters, and unemployment is expected to housewives, who called themselves the looted the contents of the burned properties. short, where he was attending the G-15 triple this year. meeting. While in Cairo, he made a state The economic crisis served to expose ment indicating he would be willing to re the illusion of Indonesia's development sign. This may have merely been a delay paradigm and constant growth. Indonesia's This may be the end of the Suharto era, ing tactic. As soon as Suharto returned to "economic success" was heavily depend Jakarta, the Minister of Information denied ent on foreign loans (so-called aid,) and but it is not the end of the crisis. that Suharto had any intention of resign imported materials and components for its ing, but that he intended to reshuffle the industries. The crisis also served to high It is not even the end of the regime, cabinet—a move interpreted as an attempt light, even more, the high-cost economy to mollify his critics. resulting from the monopolistic, nepotistic yet. In the meantime, more and more stu and corrupt business practices, particularly dents occupied the Parliament House. In of Suharto's children, relatives and cronies. Voice of Concerned Mothers (of which I There have been strong indications that fluential Muslim leader Amien Rais, chair What was originally seen as a monetary was also a part). some of the riots were engineered and or man of Muhammadiyah, an organization crisis quickly became a political crisis, and On February 23, they organized a dem ganized systematically and professionally, claiming 28 million members, and consid a crisis of faith in the government. onstration at the Hotel Indonesia rounda with heavy suspicions that factions of the ered as Suharto's most outspoken critic, Many were stunned by the swiftness bout in central Jakarta, demanding eco military were behind these actions. Truck- made known his intention to lead a rally of of events. Politics had previously been the nomic and political reforms. The timing of loads of people were seen being dropped millions of people on May 20, National domain of the ruling elite. Only recently the demonstration attracted enormous at off at various spots, and the destruction, Awakening Day, which marks the birth of have Indonesians woken up to the realiza tention as it was on the first day of week- looting and burning occurred simultane nationalist movements in the 1920s during tion that they are citizens with rights, and long ban on demonstrations and political ously in different areas of Jakarta. the Dutch colonial period. not merely subjects of one of the wealthiest activity before the parliamentary sessions People looted, damaged and burned Throughout Indonesia, students and men in the world, in a country which al to elect the "new" president. all that were the symbols and altars of various other groups continued to demon most "overnight" become one of the poor It was also the first time in 32 years that Suharto's New Order economic develop strate peacefully. Their demands varied, but est in the world. women had taken to the streets in protest. ment model. Particularly targeted were one thing was clear: the people's trust in Suharto had totally eroded, and they wanted him out. The real coup de grace came on Mon from CHINESE page 3 ment to investigate and bring charges To access further information via the day, May 18, when Harmoko, the Speaker against the criminals involved; Internet about the happenings in Indone of Parliament, announced the most dra At this moment, our elected government 2) Write to Lloyd Axworthy, minister of sia over the past several months, use any matic political mutiny of Suharto's long and other Canadian business elites continue foreign affairs, to make the protection of hu search engine and type in "Huaren." rule. Hand-picked by the president to lead to hammer out business deals, trade man rights a necessary condition for Cana To petition Lloyd Axworthy, contact him his ruling Golkar political party, and pre CANDU [nuclear] reactors and negotiate da's foreign aid program to Indonesia; by phone: (613) 995-1851; fax: (603) 996-3443; viously the longest serving Minister of In CIDA [Canadian International Development 3) Write to Lucienne Robillard, minis or email: [email protected]. To petition formation, Harmoko had long been one of Agency] aid projects with Indonesian lead ter of citizenship and immigration, to set Lucienne Robillard, contact her by phone: (613) Suharto's most trusted operatives and ers without entrenching the protection of up a special program facilitating the appli 954-1064; fax: (613) 957-2688; email: trusted confidantes. Yet, perhaps trauma human rights as an integral part of their busi cation of Indonesians to seek temporary [email protected]. Letters can be sent to the tized by recent rioting in his Central Java ness negotiations. The search for global pools reprieve as visitors or long-term protection ministers c/o House of Commons, Ottawa, hometown of Solo where his family home of cheap labor and lucrative sites for invest in Canada as conventional refugees; and Ontario, K1A 0A6. (No postage required.) was burned to the ground by a mob, ment at times shrouds human concern for 4) Continue to learn and share aware Harmoko turned his coat on his patron, and each other's basic dignities. ness about ongoing global human rights Peggy Woon-Yee Lee is a Vancouver-Hong called on Suharto to step down, "for the sake of national unity." What can we do from here? abuses and violence against women. Support Kong writer, cultural activist and Masters of 1) Sign the petition urging the Cana and help local groups to organize educa Philosophy candidate at the University of Hong see INDONESIA page 18 dian government to condemn such acts of tional campaigns and memorial vigils. Kong. She was in Vancouver when she wrote violence and press the Indonesian govern this piece.
SEPTEMBER 1998 WHAT'S NEWS compiled by Rita Wong and victims are all very clear about who is On the other hand, Germany's current The Malaysian government, however, and Janet Mou doing the killing. chancellor, Helmut Kohl, of the Christian condemned its citizens for their actions. Since the early 1980s, women have Democratic Union has declined to back the According to press reports, Malaysian For been targeted by the GIA (Islamic Armed drug. Previous attempts to market the drug eign Minister Badawi responded to letters Protests of rapes of Groups) and its political branch FIS (Islamic in Germany have been obstructed by lack of protest by saying that the three Salvation Front) who openly claim respon of governmental support and anti-abortion Malaysians should not have broken the Indonesian Chinese sibility for the recent massacres through groups. laws of Burma and therefore must pay the public statements and written documents, Social Democratic parliamentarian, penalty. (Of the ASEAN nations, Malaysia Women's and student groups in China and have a history of violence in Algeria. Marlisse Dobberthien, has said she will gives the most support to the military staged rallies on August 17 to protest the In 1991, after gaining power in certain urge Exelgyn, the French firm which now SLORC government that has refused to mass rapes and murders of mostly ethnic- local areas, the FIS imposed segregated holds worldwide patent rights on RU486, hand over power to the democratic gov Chinese during the May 1998 riots in Indo buses, ended co-education in schools and to make the medical method of early abor ernment which won a landslide victory in nesia [see page 3.] The protests coincided imposed the hidjab on women working in tion available in Germany. The company the 1990 elections.) with Indonesia's Independence Day. the civil administrations. However, FIS of says it hopes to soon expand the market of Burmese officials are said to have been Students from Beijing University and ficials and diplomats abroad deny impos the drug, which is currently widely avail extremely worried about the message they a women's group had originally planned ing their ideology on the population. able in France, Great Britain and Sweden. would be sending to the Burmese people if large, organized demonstrations, but were A GIA statement made November 4, [Source: http://www.feminist.org, August the activists went unpunished for their ac denied permission to do so. They instead 1996 clearly states its goal as "preventing] 3,1998] tions. The SLORC has a bloody record of planned several smaller, but powerful, all women who refuse to wear thehidjab or human rights violations including rape, events. chador to go to work or to school. Further torture, murder, persecution of religious The first event was a meeting organ more, women are not allowed to leave their Nepalese women wed minorities, and almost total censorship of ized by China Women's News at a Beijing homes without a proper Islamic dress. Re dissent. hotel. Titled "Intellectual Women of the Two women were married in a Nepal fusal to abide by this rule will be met by The SLORC was also facing additional Capital Voicing Their Support for the Eth village recently, in the first known marriage instant death." pressure from Aung San Suu Kyii, leader nic Chinese Victims of Indonesia," it con between Nepalese gays, Japan Economic This is a clear indication that women of the National League for Democracy sisted of speeches made by university stu Newswire reported. Earlier the two women are targeted by the GIA and FIS in a sys (NLD), who was detained in her minivan dents who wore yellow ribbons in honor were arrested on complaints from their tematic way. Not only are they victims of near military barricades for two weeks, af of the victims. parents. The women told the police they bomb attacks or slaughtered as the rest of ter being blocked from making a visit with One group of students assembled out loved each other and intended to marry. the population, they are victims of symbolic supporters in a village outside Rangoon. side of the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing, While gay marriage is socially taboo in mutilations, such as having their breasts cut August 21 was the deadline set by the and another organized a "sit-in" outside of Nepal, there is no law against it. off or their foetus torn from their womb. opposition parties for the military junta to the Indonesian ambassador's residence. [Source: the Advocate] In all these circumstances, Algerian convene the parliament elected in 1990. Many students carried gruesome pictures women are still organizing themselves and Tensions rose in Burma as the deadline of the rape and murder victims—pictures by Gitanjali Lena building and leading a "third way," inde passed unheeded and the NLD announced that were only recently published in Chi pendent from the government and Islam its plans to convene its own parliament. nese newspapers ists. Large scale demonstrations organized It is crucial that the international com Two groups of students delivered pe by these women in the past prove that they Activists arrested, munity maintain pressure on the Burmese titions to the Indonesian embassy last week. are a potential majority and that they ex government to acknowledge the will of the Alerter of protest addressed to the Indone press women's aspirations to a greater de released in Burma people of Burma. sian ambassador in Beijing was signed by gree than is being acknowledges by authori over 1,500 Beijing University students, even On August 15, 18 pro-democracy ac ties and the media. compiled by Ednoi Boun and though classes were not in session. tivists and members of a multinational [Source: information excerpted from the Wei Yuen Fong Meanwhile, the Indonesian govern peacemaking team were released from de article "Violence Against Women in Muslim ment has accused several Indonesian non tention by Burmese officials in Rangoon. Societies" by Anissa Helie and from BOIX, all governmental organizations (NGOs) of The activists were arrested a week earlier found on the Internet.] "spreading rumors," and says it plans to while taking part in a peaceful commemo Jane Doe wins big, question all those who continue to claim ration of the August 1, 1988 slaughter of finally that the mass rapes occurred. The NGOs US anti-abortion pro-democracy Burmese people by the rul have publicized the systematic rape of ap ing SLORC (State Law and Order Restora It took more than 11 years and a long proximately 150 women of ethnic Chinese arsonist jailed tion Council) military government. The fought battle, but the woman known as "Jane origin during the May riots, in which more military crackdown is popularly known as Doe" has finally received some justice. John Yankowski of Bozeman, Montana than 1,000 people were murdered. "8888," and has become a rallying point for On July 3, Madam Justice Jean was sentenced to 15 years in prison for re Indonesian police chief Lieutenant- the Burmese people and their supporters MacFarland of the Ontario Court, General peated attempts to set fire to a building that General Roesmanhadi said that persons worldwide. Division accepted Jane Doe's allegation that houses the Bridger Mountain Family Plan who could not provide "proof" that the Three of the activists were from Ma the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force ning Clinic and an abortion doctor's office. rapes occurred would be questioned. laysia: Johnson Chong and Ju Lynn Ong (MTPF) had used her and other women as Yankowski targeted the clinic, which does [SourceMtp:/lwww.feminist.org, August who are members of a human rights group "bait" to catch a serial rapist; that their in not perform abortions, because he was op 17 and 18,1998] SUARAM, and businessman See Chee vestigation into the "Balcony Rapist" case posed to information distributed at work How from the Burma Solidarity Group. was motivated and informed by sexist rape shops led by clinic workers. Other Southeast Asian activists arrested mythology and discriminatory sexual Women fight In his ruling, US District Judge Donald were from Thailand, the Philippines and stereotypes, and that their conduct was Molloy called Yankowski "a terrorist and a Indonesia. A further six Americans and one "grossly negligent." fundamentalism threat to society." Yankowski apparently Australian were also part of the team ar The court ordered the police to pay disagrees, comparing himself instead to rested, released and deported. Attempts by Algerian women to fight Jane Doe more than $220,000 in damages. Martin Luther King. against fundamentalism by demanding a The activists were taken to court on Jane Doe was raped onAugust 24,1986 [Source: http://www.feminist.org, August deep-reaching transformation of the Family August 14 without warning and were denied by a man who had climbed into her sec 19, 1998] Code in order to defend their rights is being legal counsel. Apparently, they were sen ond floor apartment via her balcony. Before overlooked, according to reports. Response tenced to five years hard labour but were the rape, police knew there was a serial rap to women fighting to defend their rights is Election to decide then deported the next day to Bangkok. ist attacking and raping women in Jane met with contempt from the authorities. It is shocking than they were detained Doe's downtown Toronto neighbourhood. As well, the efforts made by these RU486 fate and charged with "inciting unrest" when Although there were many similarities in women are not reflected in the media. their actions were limited to the passing out the assaults, the police made a deliberate While militant women are said to be a mi Whether women in Germany will have of business card size leaflets. The cards, de decision not to warn women in the area. nority, there is a resonance among women access to abortion services in the form of signed to be non-provocative bore the sim In ruling that the police were liable for in general regarding the fight against fun the drug RU486 hinges on the outcome of ple message: "We are your friends from negligence, Justice MacFarland said the damentalism. the upcoming national election. around the world. We have not forgotten MTPF failed utterly in their duty to protect The picture international media con If Germany's Social Democrats prevail you. We support your hopes for human women. She found that the police did not vey in relation to violence in Algeria can in the September 27 elections, it is likely the rights and democracy. 8888—Don't For take the crime of sexual assault seriously, actually be detrimental to the democratic party will file an application with the Eu get—Don't give up." and that the reason women living in the forces in Algeria, and is especially danger ropean Union to make RU486 available in Reportedly, embassy officials of the area were not warned was that police be ous for women. Because of the confusion Germany. Although the Social Democrats countries with activists involved, except lieved the women would become "hysteri around the question of responsibilities with and their candidate for chancellor, Gerhard Malaysia, swiftly came to the aid of their cal" and jeopardize their investigation. regards to massacres and violence, it is im Schroeder, have not yet taken a formal po own nationals, supporting their rights to portant to clarify that the independent me sition on mifepristone [the generic name of show solidarity with the people of Burma dia in Algeria, women's organizations, in the drug], they have traditionally sup and the pro-democracy movement. dependent human rights NGOs, witnesses ported the safe passage of the RU486.
SEPTEMBER 1998 WHAT'S NEWS Drive to unionize sure clause, sources have told a Kingston Some samples of quotes taken off Life feed during labour. The baby, in turn, takes television station that each of the six women Dynamics stationery are: "Abortion: The the drug for the first six weeks of life. McDonald's a success will receive around $50,000. Although a Red-Light District of Medicine;" and Further testing is still needed to con substantial sum, no compensation was al "Abortion: The Quickest Way to Destroy firm the viability of the AZT-caesarean com Two Grade 12 students in Squamish, located to address the physical and psycho Your Medical Career." Still, Life Dynamics bination. However, in Switzerland, doctors British Columbia have won their bid to start logical effects those involved in the incident seems tame in comparison to one brochure are already offering this program to preg a union at the McDonald's restaurant in still suffer. which pictures a doctor called "Edgar the nant women after having monitored and their hometown. Last month, the BC La In 1996 a federal inquiry into the inci Blade" holding a butcher knife in his office administered this procedure successfully in bour Relations Board ruled in favour of the dent, headed by Justice Louise Arbour, re with the caption: "Stackin' Em Deep, Killin' 31 birthings. Final doubts should be dis young women, rejecting the opposition put leased a damning report of the actions of 'EmCheap-Since 1973." pelled with the completion of fifteen stud forward by the multinational fast food cor corrections officials. Arbour called the Pro-CAN (Pro-Choice Action Net ies taking place across the world, includ poration. treatment of the women cruel and degrad work), formerly known as the BC Coalition ing the one sponsored by CCRS/KKAF. Jennifer Weibe and Tessa Lowinger ap ing and said it breached individual rights for Abortion Clinics, is presently working [Source: Positive Women's Network proached the Canadian Auto Workers in in ways that would not be accepted by on several fronts to address the injury and News, July/August 1998] July about the possibility of unionizing judges, lawyers and the courts. As well as damages inflicted by these hate letters and their workplace. The two say they took up being strip-searched and assaulted, several mailings, as well as anti-choice harassment the fight, not because of money, but rather of the women had been left in segregation and violence in general. One example of Sextrade more stress because of a belief that all employees de for up to nine months. hope Pro-CAN identifies is that the more serve "respect and dignity and safe work ful than combat Although the head of the correctional serv repeated mailings prove a direct connec ing conditions." Both women had had bad ice at the time of the incident has since resigned, tion to a radical American group, the easier (Not so) Shocking news to report: experiences with their employer. many staff and correctional officers at P4W re it may be to prove there is a violation "post-traumatic stress disorder" is more Weibe and Lowinger's victory means main outraged over the settlement against the Access to Abortion Services Act. common among sex-trade workers than that the Squamish McDonald's will be the [Sources: Pro-Choice Press, Summer 1998] troops who've engaged in combat. That's chain's first restaurant in BC to become according to a new study presented last unionized. However, it is not the first time A free-flow of anti- month at the annual meeting of the Ameri a McDonald's restaurant has been faced New hope in battle can Psychological Association. with demands for unionization. choice literature? The study, conducted by Melissa Last year, the Brotherhood of Teamsters against AIDS Much to the dismay of pro-choice ac Farley, a psychologist and researcher at the tried to organize the 43 employees in a tivists, the mass mailings by anti-choice The transmission of AIDS from mother- Kaiser-Permanente Medical Centre in San McDonald's south of Montreal. Their ef groups to British Columbian health care to-child has, up to this year, known a 20 to Francisco, involved interviews with 475 forts to certify the outlet were thwarted providers requesting identification of doc 25 percent possibility rate. However, some prostitutes in five countries—the US, South when McDonald's management closed the tors who provide abortion services will not good news may be on the horizon. Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Zambia. outlet down. be prosecuted under the Access to Abortion The CCRS/KKAF, the federal commis What Farley and her colleagues discov The Brotherhood of Teamsters are Services Act. The Attorney General's office sion responsible for coordinating all AIDS- ered was that 67 percent of the women inter again trying to get union certification for has refused to pursue the case because of related research in Switzerland, has discov viewed suffered from post-traumatic stress another McDonald's restaurant, this time "insufficient evidence." ered that combining Zidovudine (AZT), a disorder. That is an extremely high rate when in Montreal. They may have more success The anti-choice groups behind the let known drug that lowers the risk of mother- compared to the less than five percent inci with this bid, as recently Quebec's labour ters say they sent out the mailings so that to-child transmission, with a pre-labour dence rate found in the general population. commissioner ruled that management of their supporters could specifically choose caesarean section, may prevent the trans Even the rate of post-traumatic stress disor the outlet had tried to tamper with its em a doctor who did not perform abortions for mission of the FflV virus from mother to der among Vietnam veterans is reported as ployee list by adding more anti-union their own personal healthcare. However, child altogether. being between just 20 and 30 percent. workers to its staff. given the growing violence against abor Researchers says pre-labour caesarean The sex trade workers interviewed for CAW organizers say they are not wor tion service providers and clinics, the po section may significantly reduce the the study ranged from ages 12 to 61, and ried that the owners of the Squamish tential danger behind compiling and circu number of baby's born with the virus be operated on the streets and in brothels in McDonald's will shut it down as it is the lating such a list is all too evident. cause the risk of transmission during the several major cities. The vast majority of sole outlet in Squamish, which is on the Many doctors and the pro-choice com process of natural birth is considerable. the women and girls reported that they had route to the popular tourist site, Whistler. munity immediately expressed outrage Often mother-to-child transmission sustained repeated physical or sexual as over the fact that the lists could be used to occurs when infected maternal blood is saults over the course of their working Settlement for identify individuals in order to target them forced across the placenta during labour, lives. Sixty-two percent of the women re with harassment and even violence. or the newborn swallows amniotic fluid ported being raped; 73 percent said they women at P4W In spite of the Access to Abortion Serv after the water breaks, or through pro had been assaulted; and 68 percent said ices Act, which prohibits anti-choice litera longed contact of the foetus' delicate skin they had been threatened with a weapon. Four years after six female inmates ture within the bubble zones protecting with the mother's infectious fluids in the Farley's study also concluded that the filed a civil suit against Corrections Canada clinics and doctors' offices, at least four birth canal. A foetus is only rarely infected frequency of post-traumatic stress disorder for being strip-searched and bound by a more mailings have surfaced since pro- in its mother's womb. among prostitutes did not depend on the mostly male emergency response team at choice activists brought the matter to au The drug component of the AZT- country where they worked or whether the Prison for Women (P4W) in Kingston, thorities. Most of them use stationery from caesarean procedure involves the mother they worked on the streets or in brothels. Ontario, a settlement has finally been the radical American anti-choice group, taking AZT pills five times a day for the 12 [Source: The Globe and Mail] reached. Life Dynamics Inc., based in Texas. weeks preceding delivery, and then a drip- Although details of the settlement are not being released because of a non-disclo
from CONTRACTED page 4 place in workplace organization and serv rights to cover contracted out workers. While workers, who are mainly women and vis ice delivery modes, plus the weakness of the Bill calls for critical and long needed im ible minorities, can be fired so that big busi Under BC's Labour Relations Code, if the code with respect to successor rights, provement to the construction industry, it ness can increase their profits," Moham a company contracted to provide services put workers in fails to protect the med adds. "Our labour code has to do bet at a particular location loses the contract, unionized work needs of some of ter to protect these workers." employees are not guaranteed anything, places in constant the most vulner Women workers are being hard hit by and will likely be out of their jobs. risk of losing able workers in the global economy. Women workers are That is why the labour movement has their jobs, their the province. working harder and earning less. Low been fighting very hard to amend the pro collective bar Irma Mo wage jobs are on the rise. The inclusion of vincial legislation to achieve comprehen gaining rights hammed, direc comprehensive successor rights provisions sive successor rights, especially for work and their collec tor of women's in the BC Labour Relations Code will not ers performing contracted out work. As tive agreements. programs for the eliminate these problems, but it will pro part of the 1997 provincial government In this environ BC Federation of vide a small amount of dignity for work process to make changes to the labour code, ment, the law is Labour says, ing women. a number of organizations made submis neither balanced "Workers in Phone your NDP MLA and tell her or him sions strongly arguing for strengthening nor supportive of janitorial, secu that you want real successor rights included the successor rights provisions. the continuation rity guard, and in the BC Labour Relations Code. The Vancouver and District Labour of workers rights food services Council stated that "the current law is out previously won..." have their jobs on the line every single day Marion Pollack is an activist in the Canadian of date in that it fails to effectively encour Unfortunately, the recent amendment and the government is ignoring this." Union of Postal Workers. age and facilitate the retention of collective proposals to the BC Labour Code (Bill 26) "The BC Federation of Labour will bargaining. ...The radical changes taking do not contain any provision for successor never accept that hard working low paid graphic from the Everywoman's Almanac, Toronto Women's Press, 1987
SEPTEMBER 1998 FEATURE Lesbian desire in ancient and modern India: Searching for autonomy
by GitiThadani, as told to Fatima Jaffer and Veena Gokhale
Giti Thadani's book Sakhiyani: Lesbian could have seen at the beginning of the re for her as a single woman. Everyone in her and the iconography, it didn't click. I had Desire in Ancient and Modern India, pub search anything that has happened 15 years generation is married and tends to move no context to put the iconographies in lished by Cassell in England in 1996, combines hence. in couple or family spaces. The places I get because...you come from a very secular rare and insightful independent research into Gokhale: What do you mean by "au invited to as a single woman tend to end context. I saw myself primarily as an intel past and present lesbian culture in India. It tonomous gender space?" up being more of foreigners. lectual and certainly didn't see myself as documents lesbian existence through a careful Thadani: Jaffer: That working with cosmology or anything of study of icons, myths and symbols in paint Fifteen years happens here that sort, or see the links of sexual identity. ings, sculptures, carvings, drawings, poetry ago when I on a different Strangely enough, what helped me was and other ancient artefacts. Thadani uncovers was growing level. If you the work I was doing writing cinema criti a mass of evidence of a thriving lesbian erotic up, there was live as an out cism and film history. I had gone to Berlin almost erased and destroyed by centuries of little room to South Asian for a few months and was looking at dif patriarchal, religious and colonial efforts. The be an autono lesbian, you ferent kinds of cinemas in Germany. As part book also focuses on contemporary lesbian re mous woman. don't fit into of the research, I got a scholarship to learn alities in India, including lesbophobia and forg The basic mid South Asian German. I wrote a project proposal and sent ing lesbian space. dle-class thing space; but in it around Germany. Without institutional support or frame used to be: you «..' lesbian space, I did a sort of historiography of images, works, Thadani has also captured this history get your edu you don't fit in looking at the way cultures passed repre on slides and in workshop format. Thadani cation; you do as a South sentation through images. I must have seen came to Vancouver in august from New Delhi a Masters de Asian. It 600-700 films in Berlin, a space in which via Toronto to give her slide presentation and gree; you get sounds like the there was a lot happening on sexual poli to answer questions from an audience of almost married at process of tics and the cultural, in terms of fascism. 70. The presentation was co-sponsored by some point; writing the This work gave me some of the tools Monsoon: Asian Lesbians and Bisexual you have mid book was also to look at the temples in India. I started to Women of Vancouver; Kinesis, Little Sisters dle-class ide ^ quite a journey ask, "What is happening with representa Book & Art Emporium, and Video In Studios. als—a good §* of finding the tion here? This is not religious space in the Thadani spoke with Kinesis while in career, a two- a autonomous way one has the notion of the secular and town. children fam •5 woman iden- the religious. That sense is split, and this is Veena Gokhale: Could you talk about ily. That's the kj tity that once actually cultural space, a space of represen how you came to write Sakhiyani? value system j^ existed and tation, a symbology." When I started really Giti Thadani: It was a long process. I we were 2 was erased... looking, I realized this is film...on stone. wrote it over ten years, but the research handed down, -g_ Thadani: I Jaffer: When did the idea to put this in began five years before that. even in the started looking book form begin? Fatima Jaffer: What was motivating you leftist and for the autono Thadani: It was a hard process. I tried to do this work, to even look in the direc feminist cir mous goddess to get the material out within India. I found tion of the lesbian erotic? cles. I traditions and there was no context for it. There was no Thadani: Initially, I just wanted to learn It was dif m within that, space to write anything about what I was an older language—Sanskrit—and to ex ficult to have definitely the doing in any of the feminist publications. plore the histories and traditions of India. an autono autonomous In fact, when I started learning Sanskrit, the I was brought up in a secular way, like any mous identity. woman's feedback from the progressive community one who grows up in Delhi and comes from Even a small identity ex was that I was crazy, that even the travel a liberal secular world. You may know thing like sit isted and that ling I was doing was crazy, not political, something of the liberal politics of the city ting in a cafe became a jour and had no social relevance. and of the struggles in the West and the alone and ney on its Jaffer: Because it was about going back "third world" countries. drinking a cup own. I was into the past? But I felt I knew nothing about India. I of coffee was completely Thadani: Yes. And at that time, there came from a Left tradition but it wasn't not done. Eve driven. I don't was little space for any historical cultural enough. You get to know a place in a very ryone in my know now, work. The historians worked on colonial structured way; you don't really explore the generation has when I look history, from the 19th Century on. I was history of the place. been subse back, how I unconsciously taking on a form of de-colo After I started travelling in Europe, I quently mar managed to nization but not within the simplistic no had the feeling there was something his ried off. When do all that I tions of the East and West. torically within me I was not in touch with. I first tried to did. I didn't As well, the feminist movement in In It was part of a process of looking at colo find a place of think about dia had been labelled "Western" from the nization, but it was also simply a need to my own to live where I was beginning, and so the feminists felt the "les explore and travel in India, to explore at in, it was al going to find bian thing" could further discredit it. What least one older language in India. most impossi the resources I was doing was viewed very suspiciously. A couple of years later, I bought a sec ble. Now I for the next But I did have some support from peo ond-hand jeep and started taking people know a lot of journey. I ple who felt passionately for what I was around the country. I financed my travels women who didn't care. doing. I did workshops in the mountains in India in those early years by being an live on their Gokhale: that were actually set up by a British les informal taxi driver. I would meet some own. It is Was it the lan bian who had been living in India for seven body—foreigners and Indians—who easier now. guage that in or eight years, working on a small project. would say, "Take me around." Gokhale: fluenced you The women there were looking at gen Throughout, I was also aware of my In Bombay, I to look at the der issues and had started a women's pro own lesbian identity and aware of an got the im Miniature painting of the Rajasthan School, images the gram. She invited me to do a workshop on uncomfortability in being in India and not pression a sin (from the collection of GitiThadani) way you did? mythology. It was successful so they kept finding autonomous gender space. I can't gle woman is Thadani: calling me back. I did workshops for this say I was doing the research looking for a viewed with active suspicion. A single When I started this work, I was looking at particular NGO for five years. Then two- feminist or a lesbian tradition. It was in the woman friend in a city in India tells me traditions of philosophy and language and three other people heard of it and I did process of travelling and finding out who I she's not invited out much socially. She's grammar—what their notions of language workshops with other NGOs in India. But was that I started finding things. not a social "outcast" but verging on it. And and philosophies were, how they con it hardly paid. Then what started off as a simple jour this is in educated middle-class circles. structed grammar and what notions of Jaffer: Were you financing your work ney ended up becoming much more com Thadani: I have a cousin who feels the grammar they had. with grants as well? plex than I ever anticipated. I don't think I same. She's in her 30s too, and it's difficult I started off with a very different project. Even when I first saw the temples
SEPTEMBER 1998 FEATURE
Thadani: I got my first grant about six was formed in 1988-89 and was the first pub within India, except for within Bombay Dost. selves with us, they would lose the sup years after I started my research. I had al lic forum on alternative sexuality in India.] Gokhale: So did the women from the port of the lesbians in the feminist move ready written quite a bit, and in 1989-90,1 Prior to that, there had been a small small towns say in their letters how they ment. offered it to the feminist publishing house, lesbian group with a primarily social pur heard about Sakhi, since one could assume Jaffer: So it was the lesbians within the Kali for Women. They didn't refuse it, but pose, but it was inactive. We spread the only an urban, middle-class audience feminist movement who were also saying sent me a letter saying they would contact word out about the space in Bombay Dost, would see Bombay Dost? lesbianism is not a political issue? me and never did. Then they said I was the but nobody was interested. Four of us felt Thadani: And Bombay Dost had diffi Thadani: Yes, and that it should be kept one not interested in contacting them. So I something should be done, and eventually culty even finding outlets. It must have separate... called them up and met with one of them two of us ended up writing the piece, and been through word of mouth. Gokhale: ...that it's a privilege... on the fly and showed her what two chap a gay man offered us a PO Box address. The letters that came in—written from Thadani: ...and that it would endanger ters of the book. Again, they said they It was really the first public statement places like Allahabad—were written by the respectability of the feminist move would contact me but never did. on lesbians that ever came out in India. The women who couldn't speak English well. ment. A lot of the lesbians within the femi It was clear they weren't interested in article basically said Sakhi existed to be a You could see clearly their main language nist movement had very professional po publishing it. Of course they didn't offi network and a platform. It was sort of a was Hindi or something from the south. sitions and were making good funds. cially put that out because it would open rhetorical statement saying that lesbianism Basically, the letters were about look Jaffer: So they weren't really very out them up to critiques of homophobia. But I has never been seen as a political issue, even ing for partners. About 80-85 percent of within the movement? think they felt "the lesbian thing" was too Thadani: They were hardly out. It was complicated and so didn't want to touch sort of known within certain circles but they the book. certainly weren't out. Or if one of them Jaffer: That must have been quite a made a public statement, she would come blow because Kali is among the most pro out as a married woman and say her hus gressive publishing houses in India. band was very nice. She would certainly Tliadani: It's certainly the only feminist not talk about her girlfriend. There was a publishing house. complete double identity. For the public, Gokhale: At that point, were you begin you were married. Then you have your ning to connect with a lesbian community, own private little world where you could beyond your immediate friends? have your lesbian affairs which would Thadani: I was in total isolation. Not never make it out. only was there absolutely no support; there It was crazy, the amount of women was hostility. I had no one to discuss what who were in really high positions like pro I was doing with. But I felt I just had to go fessors and so on. Or they would come out on. Doing this work actually became my while they were in the West... only sustenance; it was what kept me alive Jaffer: ...or wouldn't come out because in India. There was no way I was going into they have families in India? the closet—I've never been in the closet. I Thadani: They would even go to les knew I was a lesbian since I was young. I bian and gay bars as long as nobody in In had had access to lesbian and gay litera dia knew about it. Then, when they went ture from the West and I never had a prob back to India, they would go back into the lem coming out to myself. closet. It was depressing and very hard be Jaffer: I imagine there are others who cause the worst homophobia was coming felt like you, but didn't have access to ex from women like that—women who are ac ploring their autonomous woman or les countants or lawyers who say they don't bian identities. want to be anywhere close to this because Gokhale: Could you talk a bit about it'll endanger their professional lives. your educational and class background? Jaffer: In terms of what we are talking Thadani: I dropped out of school when about now, your book directly challenges I was about 15-and-a-half. That was the end the myths firstly that sexuality is not po of my institutional education. It turned out litical, and secondly, that it's a Western to be a good thing because I don't think I thing, because it does actually exist histori would have been able to do this work had cally in India. I remained in institutions. I would prob Gokhale: Is there a difference depend ably have become a mathmetician or some detail, miniature painting, National Museum, ing on the age group in terms of women thing. But in dropping out, I also dropped New Delhi, Kangra who do identify as lesbian versus those that out of any peer group activity. In a sense, I won't? For example, is there a difference dropped out of my social class privilege. in the Left and feminist movements, and them were married. They called themselves between women in their 20s, versus those I played table tennis professionally for that we hope to create a platform for po "married lesbians" where marriage was the in their 30s or 40s who are already married a few years to make a living. I liked the litical networking and visibility. duty, and lesbianism was what they actu or have children? game but didn't like competition—it was Jaffer: Homophobia is quite common ally wanted. We said we could circulate Thadani: The younger generation is cer killing something in me so I stopped. I did within Left their ad tainly more open and there's a context to odd jobs, bits of sports journalism here and and femi dresses if coming out now that wasn't there then. Two there. I became a kind of survivor. nist move- they wanted things have happened. One is that the In my 20s, I went abroad because my m e n t s "It's a myth to think that so they whole political paradigm has changed. mother was working for an airline and worldwide. friendships between could com When I was in my 20s, a lot of the femi could get me tickets. I didn't know anyone. Thadani: municate nism came from a very Maoist background In France, I faked a social security number Yes. Of women are tolerated by with each where in fact you had to work for the and did odd jobs any migrant worker course they other, which masses. Sexuality was not an issue and in would do. I'd get paid and save the money were very society— is what they fact was even more repressed. up to take back home, where you can hostile to it started do The other thing is that AIDS has played stretch that money out for a long time. I and felt they're tolerated only up to ing. a major role in introducing the subject. survived by going back and forth for a short very threat W e There was this whole thing about how they while. Eventually I started getting invited ened by it. a certain point." started a list were going to ban sex with foreigners abroad for my work. Then - Giti Thadani - of ad- [laughter]. I don't know how they were go Jaffer: Were you continuing the research the letters d resse s, ing to do it. And then there was this rule throughout this time? started both inter that if you're going to stay in the country Thadani: Yes. And when I started get pouring in. Initially we got a lot more mail national and local. So the first network was more than three months, you had to have a ting support for my work, it came from from South Asian lesbians living outside this letter network. AIDS test. Again, there is this whole thing outside India, from Europe. the country who subscribed to Bombay Dost. Then in 1992, a room in the house I was of the West as this dirty sexual hotbed and Jaffer: How was word about you get Then the first Indian letters started coming living in was going empty and we decided anyone who goes out becomes corrupted ting out? in. There were no letters from the big cit to rent it. We thought we'd take it and use with these values. Thadani: In 1991-92,1 founded Sakhifa ies; they all came from the small towns. And it partly as a guest house because we should lesbian collective in New Delhi.] It started off you know, we'd been hearing this is a mid have some kind of lesbian space. seeTHADANIpage15 when the gay magazine Bombay Dost came dle class thing, this comes from class privi We got together and showed a couple to Delhi and said "We want some partici lege and so on. of films, and got the local lesbians to come pation from the women in Delhi, so we'll At first, the Indian letters trickled in, out. But even for that there was a lot of hos give you space to write in the magazine— because Sakhi wasn't really publicized tility because, even though there were no a page, two pages, anything." [Bombay Dost other facilities in Delhi, if they allied them
SEPTEMBER 1998 FEATURE
Reproductive rights and bodily integrity: Women, not fetal containers by Kate Murphy
The news made the front page of The mum of baby-sitting experience would Interestingly, however, women in "fe American poet Chrystos cleverly puts it, Globe and Mail: The Supreme Court of know). male" jobs, such as nursing, faced no such "Like the anti-abortionists, this obstetrician Canada ruled [on October 31, 1997] that At times the fetal rights movement has restrictions (nor did they receive any pro views the fetus not as an individual but as courts cannot control a pregnant woman's gone from the ludicrous to the tragic. In tection from toxins they might encounter a "punishment for sex." His outrage stems conduct even if her behaviour poses a risk 1987, a woman in Washington DC died fol in the workplace) even though these as much from women's sexuality as from to the fetus. The decision centered around a lowing a court-ordered caesarian section women, too, were exposed to chemicals their reproductive rights. young Native woman whom a court in Win meant to "rescue" her extremely premature that posed risks to their fetuses. Were the The issue of legally prosecuting nipeg had ordered into drug treatment be fetus (who, by the way, did not sur "unborn children" (the term used by women who use drugs or drink alcohol cause she sniffed glue during her pregnane}. vive). A court later ruled that forc many fetal rights advocates) of while pregnant causes me more ambiva The court's order was eventually overturned, ing the woman to undergo the women in male-dominated lence than that of forcing women to un but the debate over the fetus' rights versus procedure was wrong, but professions more valuable dergo caesarian sections or excluding them the woman's autonomy continued right up some commentators still ad than those of women in tra from work places. While I do not object to until the Supreme Court verdict. vocate forcing women to ditionally female ones? It a woman earning her living as she sees fit Reaction to the verdict was mixed. have caesareans against their isn't hard to suspect or refusing an operation that fetal rights Right-to-life groups, as expected, decried will. that the real motive advocates dismiss as minor inconvenience it. An editorial in the Globe, a paper that These and many behind the exclusion but that in reality has a mortality rate at has taken the "family values" position on other cases present a of women from the least double that of vaginal delivery, it is everything from daycare to single mother picture of what the Ca former type of jobs harder for me (a non-drinker who's never hood, spoke of the need for a "law to pro nadian Supreme was more an at even had the urge to try pot) to defend a tect the unborn"—that is, from women who Court's decision will j tempt to keep woman's "right" to use illegal drugs. have to earn the right to legal abortion by hopefully nip in the women "in Still, I would stop short of supporting embracing incubator status during preg bud. their the legal prosecution of drug-using women, nancies they carry to term. Fetal rights advo place" for several reasons. First, punishing them On a more thoughtful and less punitive cates claim to be con than to for their behaviour might lead to a slippery note, some Aboriginal groups, noted Globe cerned about chil protect slope that would open the way for other columnist Margaret Wente, worried that the dren—a familiar line children. forms of fetal rights legislation. Second, just decision would lead to an increase in the used by, among others, Even a glance as in the case of forced caesareans, most of number of children affected by fetal alcohol singer Anita Bryant in her at forced caesareans the women prosecuted for exposing their syndrome, a significant problem in many "Save the Children" cam makes one wonder fetuses to drugs are women of colour and Native communities. Feminists and repro paign against gay teachers in whether their propo Aboriginal women, even though their rate ductive rights groups, on the other hand, California. nents are really so of drug use does not differ from that of hailed the Supreme Court's ruling as a vic However, a number of concerned about the "unborn white women. My final argument is that, tory for women. Women would no longer tators have suggested that concern for chil children" they seek to rescue from their re as American writer Katha Pollitt correctly be treated as fetal containers, they said. dren is not the only, or even the primary, calcitrant mothers. For example, Patrick notes, while fetal rights activists are eager While I share concerns about the effects driving force behind the fetal rights mania. Murphy, a Chicago city official who sought to slam women for using drugs, they're less of prenatal exposure to alcohol and drugs More plausible motives cited include: the to force a woman to undergo a caesarian eager to fight for these women's access to on children, I agree with women's and re treatment. productive rights advocates that It was not until 1993 that the the Supreme Court made a good— New York state court of appeals and in my opinion long overdue— A woman in Washington DC died ruled that drug rehabilitation decision. following a court-ordered caesarian section centres could not refuse preg First, the ruling affirms wom nant women as clients, which en's status as autonomous beings meant to "rescue" her extremely premature fetus many centres had done. Those as opposed to fetal carriers, and concerned about fetal exposure guarantees at least to some extent [The fetus also died.] to drugs might better spend their freedom from unwanted bodily in efforts trying to ensure women's trusion during pregnancy. This sec access to appropriate treatment ond impact will hopefully prevent Canada courts' greater identification with fetuses after she refused to do so for religious rea than hauling them into court after the fact. from sliding down a slippery slope into the than with their mainly non-white mothers sons, said that the woman should be al While the Canadian Supreme Court's fetal rights scenario that has unfolded in (women of colour are disproportionately lowed to give birth vaginally but that she decision was a relief and a triumph, we the United States over the past two decades targeted in fetal rights cases); attempts to should be hauled into court afterwards. shouldn't think that it will remove once and or so. Canadians who care about women's regain the "selfless motherhood" ideal that Punishing a woman for daring to exercise for all the matter of fetal rights. First, the freedom must make sure that such a sce women have supposedly left by the way her reproductive freedom rather than sav ruling may well be challenged. A case nario never happens here. side in their rush out of the home and into ing a fetus appeared to be Murphy's pri about to go before the Supreme Court re The fetal rights debate in the US, ex the workplace; and discomfort with wom mary motivation. He also indirectly ma garding a woman who, while pregnant plains political scientist Cynthia Daniels in en's ability to control their reproductive ligned the abortion rights movement by ac supposedly "failed to avoid a car accident" her informative book At Women's Expense, lives through contraception and abortion. cusing the woman's defenders of consid that led to her son's disability, could have has covered three major areas: forced medi While all three arguments have their ering the fetus a "clump of cells". serious negative implications for women's cal intervention (generally caesarian sec merits, I agree most with the third. The fe The fact that women cannot be rel rights if the court rules that the woman can tions, but cervical stitching done to prevent tal rights movement seems like a last-ditch egated to fetal carrier status apparently en be "sued" for prenatal injuries. miscarriage and blood transfusion as well); attempt to wrest control of women's repro rages the fetal rights lobby. We can concur with fetal rights activ exclusion of women of "childbearing age" duction out of their hands. More broadly, As writer Ellen Willis notes in an es ists that drug abuse by pregnant women is from jobs deemed dangerous to fetuses the fetal rights crusade can be seen as an say about the anti-abortion movement, sex a social problem. The means of dealing with because of exposure to toxins; and legal effort to control women's lives in general, has a way of rearing its head in discussions this problem, however, should lie in facili persecution of women who drink alcohol not only reproductively and sexually, but about fetuses and their rights. Part of the tating women's access to drug treatment or use illegal drugs while pregnant. economically and socially as well. furore over the refusal of some women to and working to end the cases of substance A smattering of fetal rights cases has The practice of excluding presumably undergo caesarian sections stems from the abuse rather than prosecuting pregnant also come up, such as that of a mother of fertile women from "dangerous" jobs is a fact that a significant portion of them (50 addicts. Finally, we must always be vigi two preschool-aged children who was case in point. A number of employers in the percent according to one survey) are not lant and ensure that the reproductive rights charged in the death of her brain-damaged 1970s and 80s pushed for laws barring married. of all women are respected. baby because during her pregnancy she women of childbearing age from positions One obstetrician who believes such had, among other things, disobeyed her in which their fetuses might be exposed to women should be considered "felons" This article was first published in the July doctor's orders to stay off her feet (a nearly toxins. For example, some companies for writes with great indignation that some pa 1998 issue of off our backs, a monthly impossible mandate to fulfill while caring bade fertile women from assembling car tients who refuse abdominal delivery want newsjournal by, for, and about women, pub for young children, as anyone with a mini batteries in case the lead from the batteries to escape bearing a child conceived in a lished in Washington, DC. damaged any of the women's fetuses. non-marital relationship. In other words, Graphic by Hilary Paynter. he is upset that women are, as Native
SEPTEMBER 1998 FRINGE 1998 Vancouver Fringe Festival: Women on the verge of... by leanne Johnson in your Fringe Guide (available in those wonder what the residents think about this? the top of the street lamps.) Not much else It's the 14th Annual Vancouver Fringe ghastly green coffee shops that I refuse to It seems the Fringe has moved into the to report about changes in direction for the Festival and the press kits are piling-up to name but they pop up everywhere like visual art game, and hired some five to 12- Vancouver Fringe, except for a new in- the rafters. Lots and lots of glossy photos and mushrooms—there's probably one in your year old artists to make banners to liven house ticketing system and new comput exclamation marks bear witness to this year's basement right now). up the old neighbourhood. I wonder when ers for the office. [Call the Fringe Festival at Fringe which runs from September 10 to 20. Seventy two troupes will be making the kids get to mount their own Fringe pro 257-0366for dates, times, locations and tickets.J Shows will be located on or around Com their way here from all over the globe. There duction? Anyhow, nothing will deter our in mercial Drive—in Grandview Park, Havana will be over four hundred performances. This is the first Vancouver Fringe for trepid reviewers from attending some fine Restaurant, the local Legion Hall, the WISE Now apparently this means that "every 15 new executive director, Karen Planden. She work by women artists which you can read Hall, the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, the minutes a new show will start somewhere wants to put the "festival" into the Vancou in our next issue. First, here's a preview... Firehall Theatre, the Blinding Light, Cavern, in the city," so remember to keep your head ver Fringe and according to the press kit, and the GastownActor's Studio. For full de down. This year, the Fringe organizers plan she's encouraging her staff to reach for the leanne Johnson is a Vancouver based writer and tails of show dates and times, look them up to make the Drive a "Banner Republic." I moon. (I guess they've made their way to theatre goer.
WHY WE HAVE A BODY lover and you have a lot of ques tions. If s about the time when Random Acts brings another you realize you are an adult and production to Vancouver's Fringe are separate from your parent. Festival this year with Why We Johnson: You mentioned a Have a Body, a comedy by Claire credit card, doesn't Random Chafee. Formed by Jackie Crossland Acts receive funding? and Nora D. Randall, Random Crossland: I haven't really Acts has produced original stories investigated funding for Ran about lesbians and working women dom Acts, but I have worked in for more than ten years. As an in theatre companies and have an dependent company, Random Acts idea of whafs available. I know has created much of their own work that Nora and myself qualify as in conjunction with theatre festi individual artists but I don't vals and their own credit cards. think there is funding available Given their financial constraints, for the kind of work that Ran they have produced a significant dom Acts does. Besides with body of work, including some funding there is always criteria, larger productions, like The Fairy £ and we just wanna do what we Princess and the Princess Fool ,g want to do and work with the and Collateral Damage. - people we choose. We want to leanne Johnson had a chance 2 make our own statement about to talk to Jackie Crossland over the § our cultural and community phone about Why We Have a ig» values. Funding can limit that, Body, a play directed by Crossland ' 2 but working on a shoestring and performed by Erin Graham, -§ budget can also be limiting. For Rosanne Johnson, Nora D. Randall tunately I have a low-tech aes and Taylor Stutchbury. thetic. leanne Johnson: Until this The women of Why We Have a Body (left to right): Erin Graham, Taylor Stutchbury, Rosanne Johnson: Well, doesn't the lack year, you have produced your Johnson, Jackie Crossland, Nora D. Randall of funding keep your work small own work. Why did you decide and, in general, the work of other to produce a play written by someone else? We are finally getting to a stage where pro In a festival, you get theatre lovers, but you women in the community, small? Jackie Crossland: Well, Rosanne Johnson ducing work by lesbians is much easier. don't find out about your community and Crossland: Well, not small; we have and I read [Claire Chafee's play] in an an Johnson: Is it easier to produce and di whether they like what you are doing. made larger productions, but we won't be thology and we really both liked it. It was a rect somebody else's work? It was frightening because we paid for playing the Ford Theatre any time soon, for fresh perspective and it had some really in Crossland: We do two kinds of produc it on our credit cards. It was a success and sure. Besides, we want to be available to teresting inter-generational things happen tions. Storytelling and theatre. Storytelling we paid all our bills. It made us very happy people not necessarily fundable and Equity ing in it. What happens to relationships over just involves us [Crossland and Randall], to see all the people come out and recom [an association which represents actors] ain't time is a really big subject matter. This is a but when you produce a play, it involves mend it to their friends. It was an unex exactly crawling with out-lesbians yet. But real artistic theme that interests me more and others. You get to work with talented peo pected success and we could see real sup if we wanted to do something, funding more as I get older. ple, and everybody can get behind it. I like port for what we were doing. wouldn't stop us. We would do it. Nora and Also, we had never intended to pro writing, the whole process around it. When Johnson: What's it like doing a second I like working. It feeds our writing, and we duce just our own works, and had been you have a script, you have to honour the production of the play? write about working women. We are influ interested in other people's work before. work as written. There is still a matter of Crossland: Well, the second production enced by our community and friends. Johnson: So this is an expansion for interpretation, but there isn't any squab is different from the first. It's great to revisit Johnson: Whafs in store for RandomAds? your company? bling about the words. As a director, it's just the production [with the same crew]. You see Crossland: We called ourselves Random Crossland: Well, more of a moving out We about the staging and the performers. I things from a different perspective. It's an Acts because we are open to everything. We have had larger productions than this play but don't have to think about structure. When ongoing development, and you can see the are looking forward to exploring local writ we are interested in working with others. you mount a first production, the actors different layers of the play. It's like the play ers. At times we are more active than others, Johnson: What's it like working on have so much input into the script. They itself, everybody is investigating in it. but Random Acts continues. We'll be back somebody else's script? have to feel comfortable with the words, Johnson: Tell us more about the play. with the persistence of women. We hope eve Crossland: This play has been pub but when it has been produced, it is ready. Crossland: The play is a comedy and it's rybody comes to see the play. lished and produced, so it was very Johnson: You first produced this play funny in the way I like. If s like life, full of Why We Have a Body will be performed straightforward. You just write and ask for last November and performed it at the great and horrendous moments. Everybody at the Gastown Actors Studio, 138 East permission, and as long as you don't want Havana Restaurant... is searching and it has a mystical edge to it. Cordova St. to change the script, you don't need to do Crossland: Yes. We really enjoyed doing The mother is an explorer and she's there but anything else. It's much more straight for it. It was exciting and frightening. We didn't she is also absent. Her daughters are trying ward than it used to be to produce lesbian want to produce in a festival setting because to sort their lives out. One daughter is an in more FRINGE next three pages plays. Before, the work was a first produc we felt it was important to produce inde vestigator; the other robs convenience stores. tion and the playwright was more involved. pendently to find out who our audience is. Add a heterosexually married paleontologist
SEPTEMBER 1998 EXCURSION: Concerto for Pianist, Piano and Bench presented by Vivienne Wang and SFU Contemporary Arts created and performed by Vivienne Wang
Forms overlapping. However, you en counter Vivienne Wang's Excursion, it promises to take you on an exciting jour ney of movement, music, sound. Trained as a concert pianist and com poser at the National Taiwan Academy of the Arts and at Brandon University, Wang stretches (literally) her talents with her sub mission to this year's Fringe Festival, jump ing between playing the piano and acting through a range of characters. Drawing from the many layers of meaning in American composer Samuel Barber's "Excursions, Op. 20," Wang's theatre-concert (or concert theatre) tells the story of migration. Over the course of the 60-minute solo piece—which Wang de scribes as a comedy with serious issues in it—the audience travels across the Pacific Ocean with a tango dancer, an islander, a & stewardess, a cowboy and a clown. Wang incorporates the piano, not only as an instrument but an object as well. "When I position the piano differently, it becomes different things. From a specta physical theatre, and says her work with tor's point of view, it can look like a news Catlett, who is also a dancer, brought many desk, a tango partner, a sail boat... and a dynamics to Excursion, making it more grand piano." physical than she first imagined it would Many musical motifs also occur be. "Many things about staging and tran throughout Excursion to enhance the view sitions are very different for a theatre per er's experience. At the core of the piece (not son from a music person. We tried out dif surprisingly) is the sound and feel of the ferent things to arrive at the current ver ocean. sion of the piece," says Wang. Another interesting element in Wang's Wang openly admits that Excursion is piece is her use of spoken language. As an a demanding piece. "It is very challenging, example, through the character of the stew physically and emotionally," she says. ardess, Wang migrates between English "And yes, I actually do get inside the and Mandarin to make the journey from piano." East to West clearer. "Even for those who Vivienne Wang will be performing Excur do not understand Mandarin, incorporat sion at the Firehall Arts Centre, 280 E. ing it into the piece creates a musicality and Cordova St. an emotional impact," says Wang. - Agnes Huang - "Through text in English and Mandarin, movement and music, I can communicate IT'S UNCANNY with a multilingual, multicultural audi Friends for almost two decades, Alison ence." Goldie and Kath Burlinson finally got a chance It was her own journey to Simon Fraser to work together again when they made the University that led Wang down the path of big decision to drop all their other commit theatre performance. She says her interdis ments and form the Weird Sisters Theatre ciplinary focus for a Masters of Fine Arts Company. Goldie had been working as a BBC degree (which she is still working on) in TV presenter, stand-up comic and radio broad spired her to begin creating and perform caster, while Burlinson was a writer, performer ing original works with an emphasis on and lecturer at the University of multicultural issues in Vancouver, and to Southhampton. integrate concert performance, electronic It's Uncanny is the Weird Sisters'first soundscape and theatre. production, and Goldie and Burlinson have "I am interested in how I can reveal been touring the show internationally since Nora D. Randall (top) and Erin Graham in Why We Have a Body the musical subtext in an interpreter's mind they launched it at the Edinburgh Festival last and to stage that theatrically. In the proc year. Kelly Haydon caught up with the Weird edy improvisation and various kinds of style and audience participation...every ess of playing the piano, I use the image to Sisters while they were doing their thing at work on TV and radio. We had to wait quite possible style. help me make the musical layers more the Edmonton Fringe Festival. They had al a long time because of our various work Haydon: How does feminism fit into rich," says Wang. "Theatre performance is ready done the rounds at the Winnipeg and commitments to find a space to do it. your work? more concrete and a more direct way to Saskatoon Fringes and were planning to stop The most important thing when we Burlinson: When we were at Hull Uni communicate with the audience. A lot of off at the Victoria Fringe before landing in started the project was to do something that versity in the department of drama there musical performance is very abstract. I'm Vancouver. was for us. We had no idea at that point of was a great deal of interest in sexual poli hoping to see how this theatrical moment Kelly Haydon: Can you tell us a bit international touring or sellout shows. tics. We were very quickly absorbed into affects the listener's experience." about yourselves and how you came to What we really wanted to do was some feminist discourse and discussions and we Excursion is not the first concert-thea form the Weird Sisters Theatre Company? thing really fun and challenging. got interested in political theatre. It was tre piece Wang has created, although her Alison Goldie: Kath and I have been Goldie: We knew we wanted to be ad very much a part of our peer group's inter previous works were much more modest friends for 19 years. We went to univer venturous in our style and use all the skills est and an interest for us from the time we in size, ranging from 10 to 15 minutes. Ex sity together, and did a comedy act to we have as performers. We thought of all met, wasn't it Al? cursion itself began as a shorter piece. gether for three years after we graduated. the things we've always wanted to do on Goldie: Yes, we've developed together Last summer, Wang workshopped that We haven't worked with each other for stage and then boiled it down into some politically for sure. Burlinson: Feminism is version with her peers at SFU. From there, over ten years but we knew there was a thing that made sense. It was our indul absolutely intrinsic to every single thing we she began collaborating with directors pressing need to create a project together. gence project to start off with. do in the show. Mallory Catlett and Jennifer Rozylo, sound That's how It's Uncanny was born. Burlinson: Sometimes we laugh about Goldie: It's not that the play actually designer Gabriel Alden and lighting de Haydon: You say you had a pressing the show and think it's a bit like a first novel, comes up with any political speech or any signer Jacob Zimmer. need, could you expand on that? and that maybe the next show will cover thing like that, but all of our feminism is The piece evolved and so did Wang Kath Burlinson: It was something both more territory and pursue a smaller number just woven into the characters. I think this herself. She started receiving training in of us were feeling. At the time, I was work of ideas in greater depth. We've got every is something that comes from where we are ing in a university and Al was doing corn- thing in this show: we've got mask work, at now in our maturity. When we first character work, singing and mime, cabaret started, we did the "Wild Girls Comedy Double Act". We were much more agitative. Goldie: All those I did in the past and may well do again. It's been a great learn ing experience but I have to look at where my happiness lies these days and it seems to be more important for us to be doing this than to be cravenly ambitious and selling myself to the devil of television. Haydon: Kath, you taught Victorian Women's Literature at the University of Southhampton. Has that research work found its way into the play? Burlinson: When we were putting the show together I was doing a lot of work on Victorian fantasy. I was interested in all the work about women as disseminators of fairy tales and fairy stories, the kinds of tales that speak symbolically about wom en's lives. When Al and I got together to discuss the play, she was doing lots of reading of people like Angela Carter and on mythol ogy, so we wanted to have some kind of supernatural or fairy tale sort of aspect to the play. Both of us, in different ways, had lots of material to draw on. A lot of the im aginative stuff I've researched has been fed into the project for sure. Haydon: Can you talk more about your play? Goldie: It's a kind of resume about fe male friendship, and it reflects our experi The Weird Sisters, Kath Burlinson and Alison Goldie in It's Uncanny! ence to date as women in our mid-thirties. It is a story of two girls growing up—from little children to our own age, and then It was a time when that was more appro speculating what we might be like as sen priate as well. We were wearing Dr. Mar iors. It's a nightmare, it's a joke. We don't tens boots, had cropped purple hair, were think we're going to be like that, but it's big stroppy, cheeky, filthy girls. We were the worst case scenario: absolute physical angry, directly angry, whereas in this play decrepitude, having fallen out with each there's certainly anger in it but it's not other and being co-dependent. It's funny about pulling down all of the oppressive but also quite a scary thing. In the play there institutions with big sticks. It's about re are two crones who are women with li ally going into ourselves and seeing what cense, the ancient hags who live outside of our needs are as women. time and who can do whatever they want Burlinson: There's a real difference. In and don't always do the right thing. They the very first feminist review we did we sometimes make mistakes and get very sang a song that had a line "We're going irascible and put their finger into pies they to get those sexist bastards and pin 'em shouldn't. The crones are the women with to the floor." That's the kind of thing that freedom in this play and they have lots to probably wouldn't get through the first teach the girls. They crop up all the way draft these days. We're into a subtler ex through linking the very realistic sketches ploration and a subtler kind of celebra about the rights of passage of the girls' lives. tion. It's Uncanny is a show that tries to Burlinson: We play all of the characters be as honest as we've been able to be about in It's Uncanny—the girls, the crones, the the power of women's friendships and the mothers, the fathers, the boyfriends, vari strength of women. It also addresses the ous inanimate objects... so it's lots and lots difficulties and the challenges, the losses, of short scenes with powerful bits of music the vulnerability, the insecurity and all of from the relevant decade we're exploring. those things. In that sense the personal It's a fast paced piece and there is some very and political are completely woven. quick character transformational work. Haydon: Somewhere in the past Kath, Haydon: What kind of response are you you taught at a university? getting? Burlinson: Yes, I worked at the Uni Goldie: Amazing. We've been so versity of Southhampton as a lecturer in bowled over. The play really appeals to a English and Drama. huge constituency and that's pleased us be Haydon: And you left that. cause we wondered if only women of our Burlinson: Yes. Once Al and I started own age would like the show? working together on this project again I Burlinson: One of the incredible things decided that I had to make a big choice. It about being here in Edmonton is that it's was so exciting working on the project the biggest festival we've been to. We've that although I loved teaching and re now sold out our last three shows and we're search, I just couldn't do it all. This thing playing in a 175 seat theatre. might be what I want to do more than Goldie: Women quite often say, "I have anything else, and if I didn't do it now, I just seen my life flash before me." There's might never do it. I didn't want to look a lot of identification with actual events that back in ten years and wish I'd had the we portray. Then there are women who get courage to break away from it all and pur the stuff about goddesses and crones. I sue the dream. I didn't want that regret think those issues resonate with contempo and so I packed in the career, packed in rary women closely because it's all in the Lorena lurettigh as "Baton" in WeightingTo Get In the permanent lecturing job, the pension, air at the moment; the reinvestigation of the salary and the whole lot for life as a women's essential self and goddess quali travelling player touring the world in ties. We definitely hear women raving fringe festivals. about that. Haydon: Alison, your bio says you are a BBC TV presenter, stand-up comic, and PL see WEIRD next page radio broadcaster. Are you still doing all those things? FRINGE from WEIRD previous page show is constant and the stories are inter woven," she says. As interesting as the final product it Burlinson: Some of the younger self, is the process behind creating Weight women we've met on tour and some of the ing to Get In. Starting right after their last other women performers have blown us year's Fringe production, Penniless Thea away by saying that it really inspired them tre put out a call for people with eating dis to feel they can represent their own lives. orders to send in their stories. Price then If our work can act as a springboard for took an eight-month sabbatical from her job other women to carry on their explorations at Capilano College in order to pull to and investigations and face their personal gether all the different pieces into a script. or collective challenges, then that's just phe The resulting play, co-produced by Aedon nomenal. Young and choreographed by Lisa Pope, Haydon: Where do you go from here? also includes original lyrics and music by Burlinson: We have about three weeks Chris Taylor. in Vancouver and Victoria, and then we've got gigs in the UK. Then, we go to Holland As well as the story contributors, a for two months. At Christmas, we'll go number of the actors and technical crew home and collapse, and then in the new members involved in Weighting to Get In year we're going to create a new show. are also people dealing with eating disor ders. Price says that involving women and Haydon: Can you talk a bit about that? encouraging them to develop their creativ Burlinson: [laughing] It's yet to be re ity has always been a part Penniless Thea vealed to us, but every day one of us says, tre's work. "We try to give everybody a "Oh, this is a good idea, we must put that chance. We have professional [actors] right in the new show." I've heard the rattling of down to people who've never performed ideas but it's got no tone or shape or con in their lives." cept yet, we just know it'll be more of the same things, more honesty, more humour, The experience of producing the play more sadness, more of the whole big pat certainly opened their eyes to how people of emotions. deal with eating disorders, says Price. Goldie: We also really want to work on "We had a rehearsal one night where developing a certain kind of performance we were all crying before it even started. style. It is something different from what Even for those who don't have eating dis you get in a sketch theatre piece or in stand- orders, we all have our demons. We all up. We really are moving between both started to feel for each other, and that comes those different genres and that seems to be out in the work, which just makes the play something people have responded to. really exciting." There will be elements that'll become a cer Weighting to Get In will be performed at tain trademark for us but as far as what the Gastown Actor's Studio, 138 E. Cordova we're actually going to do, it's all a big mys St. Penniless Theatre plans to donate a per tery right now. centage of opening night ticket sales to AN AD, It's Uncanny will be performed at The the Canadian Association of Anorexia Nervosa Legion, 2205 Commercial Dr. and Associated Disorders. - Agnes Huang - Kelly Haydon is a weird sister in the privacy of her own home. THE BRUTAL TELLING produced by Mascall Dance THE MIDNIGHT DIP directed by Penelope Stella produced by Mega Rouge performed by Olivia Thorvaldson, directed by Teri Snelgrove Marthe Leonard and Veda Hille written and performed by Terry Inspired by the writings of Emily Carr, The Winkelman Brutal Telling is a collaborative dance/music She's young and her life is changing production between Vancouver's Mascall much too quickly. She's tormented and Dance and musician Veda Hille. The Brutal Tell driven by fear. And she can't sleep. The ing has been two years in the making. Midnight Dip takes place mainly in her Perhaps Canada's best known woman dream/nightmare world just before sleep. artist, Carr struggled throughout her career It's a fantastic, chaotic place of sex, drugs with no private or public support, and very and rock'n'roll which includes both under little recognition until the end of her life. water and mountain sequences. Born in Victoria in 1871, she trained as an artist at the age of 19. She toured England After seven years of acting in Vancou and France but really sealed her fate as an ver's Fringe Festival Terry Winkelman has artist with a series of sketching trips along ventured into writing, producing and per the coast of British Columbia in 1930. forming in this one-hour, one-act, one- Terry Winkelman in The Midnight Dip woman show. Based on the books and journals of Director/designer Teri Snelgrove (di Emily Carr, Mascall Dance commissioned WEIGHTING TO GET IN Hille to write the music and lyrics, which rector of last year's Brownie Points) has sue became the focus of Penniless Theatre's directed by Judi Price were then choreographed by Jennifer cleverly risen to the challenge of produc 1998 Fringe play. produced by Penniless Theatre Mascall. The resulting piece is a series of vi ing a visually beautiful set in which the In a nutshell, here is the storyline: the gnettes, anecdotes and images that form a action takes place essentially on a bed. The Each year, for the past seven years, publicly funded medical system in Canada picture of Carr's life. Using images and col play opens with a bird's eye view of a bed Penniless Theatre has produced a play for has gone down the tubes, and the only way our along with music and lyrics, The Brutal room as the young woman struggles with the Vancouver Fringe Festival on one topi people can get in to see a therapist or a Telling is an artist's look at the life of another insomnia. When combined with the mu cal women's issue or another. doctor is by auditioning. There is a long artist, using interesting juxtapositions of ar sic and sound effects of Barry Mirochnick, The local theatre company comprised wait (weight) list to get an appointment to tistic mediums, much like Carr herself. we are immersed in the freedom of the of Judi Price, Katharine Carol and Aedon see the drama therapist. The objective of The Brutal Telling promises to be a big dreamscape. Known for his work with Young, started it all with the theme of un each of the four women and one man with show. It is dramatically and technically far Veda Hille, Mirochnick works with vibra planned pregnancy, then moved on to the eating disorders who walk into the thera ranging, and is directed by Penelope Stella phone, percussion, guitar and saw in this subjects of women living together (Room pist's office is to do a good audition. How and performed by Marthe Leonard and piece. mates) and the "chore wars" between men ever, the unethical drama therapist, played Olivia Thorvaldson, longtime collaborators The Midnight Dip will be performed and women (Dirty Laundry). And last year, by Katharine Carol, has her own agenda in with Mascall. The Brutal Telling has already during the Fringe Festival at the Legion, 2205 breast cancer was the topic of The Passion mind—she wants to produce a show with been performed in western Canada to Commercial Dr. and the Pocketwatch. her "unsuspecting patients," and charge much critical acclaim. - marilyn lemon - Given that 95 percent of the people in admission to see it. The Brutal Telling will be performed dur North America dealing with eating disor Judi Price calls Weighting to Get In a ing the Fringe Festival at the Vancouver East ders are women, it's no shock that that is stylized acting piece. "The movement in the Cultural Centre, 1895 Venables St. -leanne johnson- KINESIS SEPTEMBER 1998 FEATURE
from THADANI page 9 cialized. If you are from the "third world," have been saying it's not a lesbian film...that Thadani: Exactly. you can write a coming-out lesbian book love can happen between any two people... Jaffer: I can't be in the closet about who Gokhale: Is it gay men they are talking or for and an anthology and get published. But they having small private screenings I am either. But I still have questioned my about or lesbians as well? But if you do anything intellectual or com of the film, and now they'll have video cop self and asked, have I been Westernized to Thadani: In terms of the imagination of plex, they can't sell it or they won't make ies circulating, so it will get seen. But the the point that I'm selling out my South people in the mainstream, gay and lesbian an effort to sell it. thing is, it won't Asianness by being lesbian? And the an becomes mixed. They can't differentiate. Jaffer: That's a have context—it swer is No. So AIDS gave us a platform on which shame because the won't get officially Thadani: And often there'd be a kind to start talking. In Delhi, the first Interna book is great. It's talked about. of straight woman/gay collaboration, tional AIDS Congress took place in 1992. blowing people Jaffer: And Ffre where it is chic to be with gay men. Again, Bombay Dost said, "We are having a away who don't can also easily get Jaffer: But it's not chic to be a lesbian, public meeting in the park to talk about al usually read this turned against lesbi is it? ternate sexualities. Will you join us?" I said, kind of thing. ans and women— Thadani: No. So then you feel as a les "Sure." Gokhale: create a paranoia bian, who do I ally with? Because if I use Three of us went down and we were Whafs has the re that women who are the support of this progressive liberal the only women there. None of the other ception of the book close freinds or hang world, there's nothing there for lesbians. So lesbians would join in. But it was the first been abroad? This out together might the pressure of isolation becomes much discussion in open space and it was would be a perfect become lesbians...? greater. It's a hard battle, and this is relly splashed in the English-language news. text for gay and les Thadani: That's within the English-speaking, middle class. Every day we made the headlines. Our bian studies, for ex i'.ready happening. I Jaffer: I'd love to find out what is hap photographs were published. That was the ample. mean, people are pening outside of that world, in small first major media opening out of talking Thadani: I've very smart. The mo towns, in rural areas. Is that something about lesbian sexuality. We started giving hardly received any ment they know that you've explored at all? interviews and the more we gave out the feedback. It's been the friendship [be Thadani: Look at the first public lesbian box address, the more letters would come out for two years tween two women] marriage. It was between two police in. and I had the feel becomes threatening women from a lower class context. They In 1993,1 was able to get grant money ing nobody was or it's a relationship, were sacked [fired] and then, as I under to do a seminar on the history of alternate reading it. It's new it straight away gets stand the story, they went back to the vil sexualities. That was another public event for me to hear in To cut off. It's a myth to lage and were accepted as man and wife. in which homosexuality was the basis. ronto and Vancou think that friend There was so much social pressure, but they The money for that came from the Ford ver that people ships between were able to be together. Except at some Foundation and was channelled through have read my book. women are tolerated point, they actually started taking on the the Na-z Foundation in London [an HIV/ Jaffer: What by society—they're male and female personas and the hetero AIDS organization] because Sakhi is not al kind of reception tolerated only up to sexual relationship model. lowed to exist as a registered lesbian organi did the book get in a certain point. It's like the women who want to zation, and only registered organizations India? There'll be a certain change their sex. I was reading in an In can receive foreign funding. [Ed note: lesbi Thadani: No re pressure to get mar dian magazine about the number of guys anism is illegal in India.] ception. It's not dis ried. who are into gender change because they Jaffer: What did Sakhi do next? tributed in India. Of course, there are not allowed to be homosexuals. I know Thadani: A little bit of funding came in Informally there are RajaraniTemple in Bhuveshvar, is the small liberal a woman from a conservative, Haryana to set up the place. In 1993, we got monies a few copies in cir- Orissa: 10th to 11th centuries AD. world where a lot small town who changed her sex to male to pay the rent. In 1995, we were able to culation. Veena This is the visual description of the will be permitted, so she could marry her girlfriend. She went expand and pay someone fulltime, and [Gokhale's] review bhag-bhogini lesbian eros. but there is also a through the sex change, but her girlfriend's there were volunteers too to answer the in The Hindu [a Left strong pressure for family found out and got the girl married mail and so on. English-language to a man. You may feel the middle classes Jaffer: Were you receiving private do are a world to escape into where the pres nations? sures are subtle. But they are still so strong. Thadani: Not much. A friend in Eng Jaffer: I believe you want to take the land once gave 20 pounds. Naz Founda slides and other research and turn it into tion gave us 500 pounds. Global Founda film or put it on CD Rom. How were you tion in the US gave us money for two years. thinking of doing that and where are you For three months when there was no going with the work? money, I paid the rent. Then we got money Thadani: I want to do more research from the Dutch. and I've been thinking of making a big trip But in 1996, there was a huge robbery in India. I want to get a digital camcorder at Sakhi. Sakhi never had its own phone along with the photographic work, and put number—we were using my phone—and a lot of new documentation on digital and since I'd started doing my research, I'd get on slides. It depends on what kind of threats and obscene calls... fundraising I manage to do. Gokhale: Are you saying you think the Gokhale: Are you going to record more robbery wasn't just a robbery but venge images or use the old ones? ance? Thadani: Both. Thadani: I think so. It was an inside job. Gokhale: Are you planning to explore It happened at three o'clock in the afternoon new sites or visit old ones? and someone had the key. They took the Thadani: There are many more sites. computers, the printer, the fax, all my cam I've been travelling for 15 years but there's eras—it was all cleaned out. I even had my still so much to document. [unpublished] book on the computer. It was To send donations to support Giti very clearly meant to sabotage Sakhi. Thadani's project of documenting her research Meanwhile, I had to do my final edit. I on film/CD ROM, contact her through Kine had no computer to work on, no camera sis, 309-877 E. Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, equipment. The whole thing had been Replica of Chola Bronze (7th to 10th centuries AD),Tamil Nadu, V6A 3Y1; tel: (604) 255-5499: fax: (604) 255- wiped out-$10,000 worth of stuff. Whatever (from the collection n* GitiThadani) 7508; email: [email protected]. infrastrusture we had been able to build was gone. And then we did not even get a newspaper] is the only review of Sakhiyani heterosexualization—there is strong pres Fatima Jaffer is a South Asian lesbian feminist letter of support from the other lesbians in within India. sure to be bisexual, failing all else. There's and a regular zoriterforKinesis. Veena Gokhale Delhi acknowledging this had happened. Jaffer: I'm curious about how people a feminist who wrote a theoretical piece is a writer and environmentalist who retains Jaffer: Are you happy with the book? received the film Fire [which portrays a les saying we don't need a lesbian or gay iden her Indian citizenship. Thadani: I'm not because they took out bian love story set zvithin a middle-class fam tity because this is all part of identity poli Images of artwork are published in Sakhiyani. a lot of the historical sections. I could have ily in India.J Fire must have provoked some tics, there's no pressure to come out, this is taken back my manuscript but I thought it's discussion? all a Western thing. better to just get the stuff published. In fact, Thadani: Yes, but again Fire hasn't Jaffer: There's a lot of pressure to be bi- none of the small European publishers passed the censor board, and so is not re in alternative South Asian communities would touch it, even in Germany where I leased in India. As it is, one of the actresses here too, where being lesbian is viewed have a lot of contacts, because it's too spe [Nandita Das] and the director Deepa Mehta with suspicion, and being bi- is considered to be more befitting of "South Asianness."
SEPTEMBER 1998 MOVEMENT MATTERS ship rights, if their mother or parents are socks. The 80 employees of JB Fields Inc, UNITE is also calling on supporters to listings information themselves not citizens.) located in Trenton, Ontario, have been on boycott the company. The factory makes NAC is calling on all its member strike since March 23. They are fighting for socks with the following labels: JB Field's, Movement Matters is designed to groups and supporters to support the ac justice, equality and respect. Vagden Mills, Moores, Eatons, Sears, Club be a network of news, updates and tions of the coalition, and to lobby Immi JB Fields has been unionized for 28 Monaco, Guy Laroche Mountain Equip information of special interest to the gration and Citizenship Minister Lucienne years. Although they have a history of fair ment, Bay, Westport, Golf Miller, JB Natu women's movement. Robillard to address the racism and sexism working conditions with a good contract, the ral, JB Sport, J B Denton, English Sport, LL Submissions to Movement Matters in the federal policies. company is now more concerned with un Bean and Viyella. should be no more than 500 words, For more information about the campaign, ion-busting and attacking workers' rights. For more information check out the union's typed, double spaced and may be edited contact NAC. Tel: (416) 932-1718; fax: (416) Incentive rates have been cut by up to website: http://www.angelfire.com/on/unitel 764. for length. Deadline is the 18th of the 932-0646; email: [email protected]; Internet: 38 percent. Arbitration rulings against the UNrTE asks supporters to report any solidarity month preceding publication. www.web.net/nac. company have been ignored. The local un actions in your community to ueensu.ca compiled by Monica K. Rasi and ion president has been unjustly fired three Janet Mou times, and long-serving workers have been Indigenous people abused and harassed. networking As well, last year, the company claimed NAC goes for gold bankruptcy protection, but then turned The financial situation of the National Urgent: deportation "Guess who's coming to steal your around and started up production with the Action Committee on the Status of Women plants?" This is just one of several head same workers. This "bankruptcy" was used imminent (NAC) is still in a critical state. The national lines demonstrating how traditional knowl to impose rollbacks in wages, benefits and feminist lobby group representing women's Feminist and other progressive activ edge and Indigenous peoples are threat other working conditions. All this hap centres and other women's organizations ists are urged to petition the federal gov ened by Western exploitation. To raise pened despite the company setting a record is being denied federal Women's Programs ernment to intervene to stop the deporta awareness about the issues facing Indig in 1996, producing 10 million pairs of socks monies because of its refusal to play ball tion of Fatemeh Dehghani back to Iran. enous peoples, the South Pacific Peoples in one month. with Status of Women Canada's new fund Immigration Canada has issued Dehghani Foundation is hosting the 15th annual Pa All of the production workers at the JB ing criteria. a deportation order for September 10. Only cific Networking Conference September 18 Fields plant are women. They've been asked The failure on the part of the federal widespread and concerted opposition can to 20 near Victoria, British Columbia. to accept additional pay cuts of 20 percent. government to adequately fund women's block this order and protect her safety. Our Knowledge, Our Rights: Traditional However, the nine men working at the plant, organizations is undermining NAC's abil As a teenager, Dehghani was beaten by Knowledge and Pacific Peoples will bring to who are considered "skilled" workers, have ity to be a truly national-based group. Islamic guards in Iran for participating in Canada resource people from Samoa, Fiji, lost less than four percent of their pay. Man Women living in isolated communities, a mixed badminton match. Later, she was Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, the Philippines agement has clearly targeted women to poor women and women facing other drawn into a forced marriage. In 1994 she and Hawaii. Among the confirmed partici shoulder the burden of cost cutting. forms of systemic oppression other than was arrested, apparently because of her pants are: Michelle Lam from the Solomon The women workers' fight isn't about gender oppression are affected the worst. opposition to the Islamic regime's treat Islands, who works in the area of traditional money; it's about basic union principles. NAC is calling on all feminists and ment of women. During the several weeks approaches to resource management; and The company's "final offer" would gut the activists to continue pressuring the Liberal she was jailed, she was beaten repeatedly. Maggie Vuadreu and Seini Fiu, both of whom collective agreement of key provisions deal government to ensure its next federal Upon her release, she came to Canada seek are involved with WAfNIMATE in Fiji, an ing with seniority, union representation and budget, to be released in February 1999, ing refuge from persecution. organization which focuses on supporting job security. JB Fields also wants the right respects women's rights to politically par If deported, Dehghani faces the threat traditional medicine and its practitioners. to fire any employee simply for failing to ticipate in Canadian society. of further persecution, arrest and torture. Since 1989, Indigenous peoples have meet production quotas—quotas which As well, NAC is urgently calling on its It is a disgrace that the government of been formally documenting their concerns management will set arbitrarily and uni supporters for help. Given its current finan Canada would take action to expose her to regarding the protection of their cultures laterally, with no grievance procedure as a cial situation, NAC is literally relying on such risks again. and traditions. The Mataatua Declaration, the day-to-day contributions of women, To oppose this deportation order, fax let agreed to in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in Essentially, the company wants the un men and organizations across the country. ters to Lucienne Robillard, minister of citizen 1993, states that Indigenous Peoples "must ion out. The women of UNITE, Local 1764 Many individuals and groups have already ship and immigration: (613) 952-5533; and to be recognized as the exclusive owners of are fighting back, and ask other women to offered support, but whether it's $10 or Lloyd Axworthy, minister of external affair: their cultural and intellectual property." support their campaign. $10,000, every little bit helps. (613) 996-3443. Also send copies of letters sent Other key statements include the one issued The women are asking for financial sup All donations and other correspondence to the International Federation of Iranian Refu at the Indigenous Peoples Knowledge and port to be sent to: Local 1764 UNITE, 3-63 N. can be sent to the National Action Committee gees, fax: (416)265-9915. Intellectual Property Rights Consultations Murray St, Trenton, Ontario, K8V 2E5. As well, on the Status of Women, #203-234 Eglinton in Fiji in 1995. they are calling on supporters to contact JB Ave E, Toronto, Ontario, M4P 1K5. To con This year's networking conference will Fields company president Kris Murphy, 390 tact NAC with good wishes, call (416) 932- Challenging be held at Lau, welnew Tribal School in Sydney St, Trenton, Ontario; K8V 5R7; toll free: 1718; fax: (416) 932-0646; or email: Brentwood Bay. It will feature thematic 1-800-233-9842; fax: (613) 394-0278. Tell him to citizenship policies [email protected]. workshops on such issues as traditional treat the women workers fairly. The National Action Committee on the medicine, cultural property rights, tradi Status of Women will be working as part tional approaches to resource management, of a coalition pulled together by the Afri ethical issues regarding the use of indig can Canadian Legal Clinic (ACLC) to fight enous knowledge by non-indigenous peo the racist and sexist practices of Citizenship ples and organizations, and the Human and Immigration Canada. Genome Diversity Project. The ACLC has brought a case to the The cost to attend the full conference Supreme Court of Canada, that will be is $90, if registered before September 8. heard next year, regarding the violation of Subsidized rates and single day rates are the constitutionally protected rights of Ca also available. Registration after September nadians who have, in many cases, lived 8 should include a $10 late fee. A limited most of their lives in Canada as landed im number of billets, as well as childcare sub The Vancouver Status of Women migrants or permanent residents. sidies, are available. invites you to its The federal government has chosen a To register or for more information, con racist solution to dealing with crime by tact the South Pacific Peoples Foundation, 1921 Annual General Meeting deporting landed immigrants who commit Fernwood Road, Victoria, BC, V8T 2Y6; tel: crimes or, in some cases, are thought to be (250) 381-4131; email: [email protected]; or online Wednesday, September 23, 1998 affiliated with "criminals." The deportees at http://www.sppf.org. The conference organ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm are overwhelmingly African Canadians, izers also invite those unable to attend to make and very specifically Jamaicans. tax deductible donations to allow greater num Many women have been deported— bers of Pacific Island resource people to attend. Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House their crime may be "welfare fraud" or writ 800 East Broadway (at Fraser) ing "bad cheques"—and their children seized by Children's Aid. The children are UNITE women strike • Entertainment 6k refreshments apprehended because they are Canadian back • Door prizes!! born and therefore cannot be deported. The • Get reconnected to VSW & Kinesis federal government is now tampering with The members of Local 1764 of UNITE • Bring a friend the Citizenship Act to try and deal with this (the Union of Needletrades and Industrial issue. (One solution being proposed would Textile Employees) are currently on strike Please RSVP to 255-6554 by September 18th deny children born in Canada their citizen from their jobs making men's and women's
SEPTEMBER 1998 ARTS Interview with Moana and the Moahunters: It's really cool to be Maori as told to Kelly White Lyrics to "MOKO" One of the highlights of this year's Vancou written by Moana Maniapoto-Jackson ver Folk Music Festival certainly was Moana from the CD Rua and the Moahunters. Fronted by Moana Maniapoto-Jackson, the group from Aotearoa, Tenei matou te hunga moko e tu nei i roto New Zealand is comprised of vocalists Leonie i tenei ao hurihuri ao tangata Adams and Mina Ripia, musicians Teina (Chorus) Benioni, Brent Turner, Richi Campbell, Gadzor I wear my pride upon my skin. Cossar and Pete Hoera, and dancers Herana My pride has always been within. Roberts, Linda Norton, ChadManga, Te Warena I wear my strength upon my face. Morgan, Scottie Morrison and Colin Tihi. comes from another time and place. Moana and the Moahunters have two CDs Bet you didn't know that every line has a to their name, Tahi and Rua. Almost all the message for me. songs the group performs, which are very beau Did you know that? tiful and powerful, are written by Moana, alone The word tattoo describes the marking of or in collaboration with others. Leonie Adams, Moana Maniapoto-Jackson and Mina Ripia pattern by inserting coloured dyes under a Kelly White had the opportunity to speak performing at the Vancouver Folk Festival smooth skin. The word moko represents a to Moana about the band's past, present and traditional custom in which spirals unique future. This interview was first aired on the to Maori are carved deeply below the skin's program Kla-How-Ya FM on Co-op Radio surface to produce a grooved scar. CFRO 102.7FM in Vancouver. Kelly White: We are pleased to introduce Did you know that? Moana of Moana and the Moahunters from Because the head the most sacred part of New Zealand. Welcome to our territory and the body was touched blood spilt. The it's really an honour to see your group here. whole ceremony was tau the tip of a Moana Maniapoto-Jackson: It's been birdbone chisel dipped into sooty black pig wonderful and we thank everybody for the ment tapped by a beater to the sound of sun and the salmon and the good times! songs created to soothe the painful proc White: I'd like to ask you for a little ess of creating moko. So don't use that view of Moana and the Moahunters' trail word tattoo. over the last few years. As well, how has Every spiral has a name every line on the your visit to Vancouver been? face don't use that word tattoo. Moana: We've been together for nearly Chorus ten years. The band keeps getting bigger The classic Maori moko has the male bear and bigger like a lot of First Nations groups. ing complex spirals on both cheeks both You always find new people you like to sides of the nose. Lines spread from be bounce a bit of energy off. We perform a tween the eyes to the temple the nose to mixture of music with soul, funk, pop, the chin. Over nineteen names have been based in traditional and indigenous music identified for different parts of the pattern. and choreography. Women received kauae or chin moko. We sing in both English and our native Some copied their mothers or grandmoth language, which is Maori. [The Maori lan ers. Others allowed the artist to express guage] was nearly decimated two genera their creativity some women received mark tions back but we are working to revive it. Moana Maniapoto-Jackson ings on their foreheads, eyes, arms and We've been in Vancouver once before breasts. The moko indicated genealogy as part of the MusicWest Festival, and to upscale ourselves and learn about [the a big multinational corporation. The big rank accomplishment it represented mas we've been around the world. We've been colonizers'] history and learn their language record companies didn't know how to mar culinity beauty warriorhood identity. So very lucky—we've been to Malaysia, New against great odds. ket and develop Maori music like we do, don't use that word tattoo. Orleans, where we met Michael Donoshae, We actually just put a lot of time into but some of them were interested in our his father and son. He played with us here upscaling our counterparts, we call them music, so we developed our own company. Chorus during the Folk Festival. pakow—the white New Zealander people— [Our own label] is going to be distributed The moko reflected the carvings and rafter It's been wonderful [being in Vancou but we have stepped back from that now. in Canada through Festival Distribution. patterns inside the whare tipuna, but some ver.] We've been shown great hospitality There are a pool of white New Zealanders Our people, Maori people, have been were made so distinctive they were like an extended to us from the Squamish people. who are with it, who know about sover coming up to Canada for some time. autograph, a beautiful signature written all The band is on a high. They served us some eignty issues and liberation and stuff like We've got quite a strong relationship with over the face. In 1815 Te Pehi Kupe drew moose, sea lion... I've never met any Cana that. They work with their people, so that the Native communities here, in terms of his own moko without the aid of a mirror dians or hardly any indigenous people who it's not Maori energy going into educating their language and their music. I wouldn't every line firmly in his mind and then he have chowed down on that. Serious week pakow New Zealanders; we put our energy be surprised to see a whole bunch of peo drew the moko of his brother and his son. of bonding. into our own people. ple down here jamming in the Year 2000. Did you know that? White: Quite the trail. It seems that First It's now going into the Year 2000 and White: So there it is, in the spirit of The moko reflected the Maori way of life Nations artists have been a secret in the there are a lot of challenges. We've only had honour—healing our nations in united re everything was connected art, religion, war, music industry, or that they just started be one Treaty in our country. It was signed in sistance to apathy and apartheid. lovemaking, and death. For this genera ing recognized via the decade of Indig 1840, and it's been a god-damned myth since Moana: Kiaora, Kelly. Kiaora means tion the kauae and moko were only seen enous peoples' celebration. It's totally com then. We're still working through it, but I'm life. Kiaora. in paintings, but now those images have mendable to see you out there, combining optimistic that justice will be done. For copies of Moana and the Moahunters' come to life. Netana Whakaari said in 1921, the language traditions with contemporary Part of our music is about conscious-izing latest CD Rua, contact Festival Distribution, you can lose your most valuable property performance, and specifying who you are people and representing our culture. Through 1351 Grant St, Vancouver, BC; V5L 2X7; through misfortune, in various ways. You as a performer. Moana, I'd like to invite you music and putting our language out there, we tel: 1-800-633-8282; website: http:// may be robbed of all your prized posses to give an inspirational note to the main are showing our young people that it is really www.festival.bc.ca. You can write to Moana sions, but of your moko you cannot be de stream people who want to develop a part cool to be Maori. They don't have to be Black and the Moahunters, c/o Tangata Records, PO prived, except by death. It will be your or nership with the Indigenous peoples in American [to be cool], cause that's what a lot Box 3679, Shortland St, Auckland, Aotearoa, nament and your companion until your last Canada, our homeland here, an inspira of them would like to be. New Zealand. days. So don't use that word tattoo. tional note for both parties. White: Quite the inspirational note. Moana: Well, I guess what's been hap Moana: One of the most exciting things Kelly White is from the White Owl Clan of Chorus pening in our country in Aotearoa, New for us, and something that we had wanted the Coast Salish Nation. She is an accom korero ki nga tamariki tenei kaupapa ta Zealand is probably the same for colonized for a long time, is that we developed our plished singer, theatre performer and radio moko he taonga tuku iho ki nga tipuna Indigenous peoples the world over, and mi own Maori record label, Tangata Records, reporter, and is often accompanied by her three norities in their own countries. We've had with BMG (New Zealand) Records, which is daughters and grandson. SEPTEMBER 1998 ARTS Review of Helene Littmann's Peripheries: Stories stay on the edges
by Kathe Lemon PERIPHERIES: three novellas they go on and do whatever it was they Helene Littmann were doing before. Cormorant Books, Dunvegan, Ontario, Littmann has chosen to set each of the 1998 stories in Vancouver within a common crowd of people. There are some back Some people will love Helene ground characters and a band that run Littmann's book Peripheries. They will say through each of the novellas. However, that it is tikerea l life, the characters are like none of the main characters seem to know real people. They will say that if s gritty and each other raw. Some others, myself included, will say The common setting makes it easier to that it's not raw, it's unfinished. understand the characters. There isn't anything really wrong with Littmann instantly shows us some the three novellas in Peripheries; there just thing about each of the women by telling isn't really anything great about them ei us that all of them have at one time been ther. Most of all, Littmann didn't go far fans of this particular punk band, Cryptic enough. Neon. Time change is also communicated SALT SPRING ISLAND There are a few good lines, particularly by letting the reader know about the band's Littmann's description of Vancouver rain: success. "Confident rain, rain that would go the dis One of Littmann's strengths is that she tance." These perfect lines show that is able to portray Vancouver in a way that Paula Clancy, B.A. Littmann has great potential. Potential that doesn't limit the relevance of the stories to Certified General Accountant has not yet been realized. people who do not know the city. Perhaps Nothing really happens in these sto this is because the three main characters all ries. The main character of each novella is feel that they are out of place in their city, Auditing a young woman who seems to not really they aren't married. There is nothing hold even though all of them, like Littmann her Accounting know who she is, or where she's going. ing them back or down, but still they don't self, are Vancouver natives. Business Planning With the exception of Stephanie, in go anywhere. Overall, the stories don't go far Income Tax Services "Ground Zero," none of these women make They are never the centre of attention. enough. In parts of the novellas, it feels as decisions, things just happen, or don't hap They are not particularly beautiful or par if the characters' real stories are at some for pen to them. However, by the end of each ticularly ugly They are relegated to the pe other point in their lives, as if the really Organizations story, the characters seem no further ahead. ripheries and perhaps because of this, the important detail takes place just before or Small Businesses Nothing about the main character in book will be too. just after the snapshot we are given in the and Individuals each novella inspires the reader to continue All three are intelligent women; they book. These stories are the preamble to the reading about them. These are not women just don't speak up. They are women who story that the characters really want told. that you would particularly admire; they generally agree with what other people say, Littmann didn't listen closely enough to aren't women that you would even notice. even if they don't really think that way. them. These three women are on the edges Each of the main characters gets Tel: (604)215-1720 of society. They don't have very much dumped by her boyfriend. They each feel Kathe Lemon is a student at the University of Fax:(604)215-1750 money; they don't really have steady jobs; pretty shitty about it for a while, and then Victoria. pclancy@bc. sympatico. ca
from INDONESIA page 5 tem; instituting parliamentary membership shed that had seemed inevitable, had been were going well—when economic growth based on elections (as opposed to appoint averted. was seven percent a year, when the Gross On May 19, Suharto gave a televised ments); forming a political party system But had he really stepped down, or Domestic Product was constantly on the speech that was expected to contain his res that can accommodate wider political par merely stepped aside? The New Order re rise, when Indonesia was considered a ignation. Instead, it was a meeting with ticipation and real opposition; creating a gime still exists—teetering and under at shining example of the Asian economic nine Islamic ulamas, offering the plan for free press; redressing the ethnic economic tack, but hanging on and fighting back. miracle—they were quite happy to over the reform council, which would include balance (allowing greater opportunities for They still rule over the political, govern look the abuses, the excesses, the human critical figures, conducting early elections, indigenous Indonesians); reaffirming reli mental, legal and economic infrastructures rights violations. and Suharto's eventual retirement. All in gious tolerance; ensuring a greater deci and institutions, and are backed by the mili Now, all the heads of states of these due time. sion-making role for women; liberalizing tary to boot. countries applaud Suharto's resignation, None of his manoeuvres worked. In the the education system; decentralizing the The reform movement, while growing and say they had even urged him to do so. end, after various wheelings and dealings economy as well as the government; and and gaining ground is divided, has yet to The question is: will they continue with between Habibie and the military, and the determining a more limited role for the establish a cohesive platform and strategy, their hypocritical stance? latter's assurances that Suharto and his fam military. and does not as yet even have the support The reform that is needed falls noth ily would be protected, at 9:00am May 21, One of the hottest short-term issues of the masses behind it. People power has ing short of a revolution, a complete over Suharto officially announced his resignation. will revolve around popular demands to not emerged in Indonesia, yet. turning of the system. Repression in Indo The 30,000 students who had occupied put Suharto and company on trial, which It was not even really the students who nesia has been so systematic, so entrenched, the Parliament House were euphoric: their many feel is the least that can be done to brought Suharto down, romantic a notion and so long-standing. Most of us know main demand had been met. Interviewed atone for the damage they have caused to though it may be. The withdrawal of sup nothing other than the New Order ways of by the press, the students expressed their the country. There are also practical con port of key people he had relied on made ruling—we have been thoroughly brain hopes. "We want a total reformation and a siderations: Suharto's family wealth, which Suharto realize his position was no longer washed. president who can uphold the people's as may amount to US$40 billion, is close to tenable. A major part of the struggle will be to pirations. We do not want to repeat the the figure that the International Monetary This may be the end of the Suharto era, lift the yoke of oppression in our hearts, same mistakes—overthrowing one [cor Fund and other countries have pledged to but it is not the end of the crisis. It is not even the veil of repression from our minds, and rupt] regime only to create another one." save the ruined Indonesian economy As the end of the regime, yet. Even now, a po the shroud of fear from our spirits. Now, there are a number of long-term Indonesia's debt burden will have to be larity is forming, between pro-Habibie and short-term issues which need to be born by future generations, any means to groups and those who want him out, seeing Julia Suryakusuma is a columnist, social com addressed. Long term issues involve, alleviate it should be seriously considered. him as merely being an embodiment of mentator, activist and feminist in Indonesia. among others: dealing with the deeply en For me personally as a scholar, column Suharto's legacy. The possibility of blood She wrote this piece in Jakarta on May 23, trenched economic crisis; reviewing na ist and activist who has been openly criti shed, power-struggles, of chaos, anarchy, and 1998. Thanks to the editors at Feminista, the tional development policies which affect cal of the Suharto regime since the early much, much uncertainty, still looms before online journal of feminist construction, art, the majority of people and the environ 1980s, this moment was a long-awaited one. we can even start our nation's reconstruction. literature, social commentary, philosophy, wit, ment; making institutional changes and Suharto had embodied so many evils and And then of course, there is the rest of humor and respect, for connecting Kinesis breathing new life into the economic, po now finally he is gone. His resignation the world. Many of the superpowers are with Suryakusuma. The full version of her text litical, and legal spheres; creating bureau brought forth a whole gamut of emotions: also guilty of complicity for the crimes com is available on Feminista's website at http:// cratic efficiency; changing the electoral sys euphoria and tremendous relief that blood mitted by the Suharto regime. When things www.feminista.com. Check it out. L SEPTEMBER 1998 ARTS The incredible, indelible Alison Bechdel: Mo memories and more
by Celeste Wincapaw JVKts to WrtUi Out For, fktt A* IS Some of the sweetest mo THE INDELIBLE ALISON BECHDEL: ments of The Indelible were see Confessions, Comix and Miscellaneous ing previously unpublished Dykes to Watch Out For comics, including the one of Mo by Alison Bechdel as the American Statue of lib Firebrand Books, Ithaca, New York, 1998 defending erty—completely ironic picture The first time I picked up a friend's givenAlison Bechdel's frequent Dykes to Watch Out For comic book, I ear commentary on the pathetic lesbian nestly thought that it might be filled with state of the US government Per ten easy tips for avoiding evil lesbians. haps that is what endears the Steeped as I was in the literal thinking of Dykes gang to Canadians and liberty fundamentalist Christiandom, I was com readers from all over the world. pletely confused by such a title on a book Bechdel also includes some of that turned out to be very pro-lesbian. the translated comics and wrote for I asked my friend who was knee deep with joy at the prospect of boot in cheesy lesbian erotica if perhaps the au TiyU is appalled to larn tint fcwte*noiUr£ person. leg Dykes cartoons wandering thor were against lesbians. "Comic... joke... the globe. twenty read it," she sputtered as she snorted and Bechdel also writes rollicked with laughter. perhaps clarify my desire for reality. I about the vetting of her personal psyche Later that evening, I dragged my ever- wanted to meet the Dykes—70's television, through Mo. Perhaps it would make a good years serious, newly come out, newly excommu Fantasy Island-style. Place one arm around capitalist substitute for therapy. Something nicated body to bed and read a clever Ginger, the doctoral student who worked the Dykes' guerilla lesbian therapist would American comic book. It was the story of on her thesis forever, and another around endorse—get the rest of the world to pay Mo, a politically savvy and socially self- the hyper-sexual, Prozac popping Lois, and you to talk about yourself. Or better yet, conscious lesbian-feminist and her eclectic walk into the sunset. I did not want to know write a book review for Kinesis. National Center for Lesbian Rights group of friends and acquaintances. how hard it was for Bechdel to meet dead 1977-1997 Soon thereafter, I picked up a queer lines for calendars. That's way too real, Celeste Wincapaw lives in Vancouver, BC. Her newspaper and there, in a comic strip for thank you very much. passions are electronic, artistic and feministic. mat which looked like Peanuts, For Better or For Worse, or any other mainstream comic I had ever read, was another episode of the ongoing saga of Mo. Issue after issue, year after signsothe to watch out for year, Mo wore the same t-shirt, but she remained one sure ! source of usually reactionary What's Mile stars ?*SizMUiirae up potential lewemate/ • Seie whatcarfa n celebrity shares your sign/ lesbian-feminist commentary in an ever-changing less-than- Taurus Cancer heterosexual world. (MAR.1l -APfU?) (APR,"lo-MAy2<>) CTl»JtZI-3Uy2i) IMPULSIVE, CR£Aflv£,i GooD-NATUREP.PUii, <:AWCW3 AM q&PT, I went through lesbian u- VOtAT'^,A>JPPRO- RELIABLE, AMP /N kTUlTi^E.AVPLov- hauls, butch/femme hair, small SAHtLy JML0U5. W6. Bl^lFAfTACKEO] ZAm uxi&jtmw WILLrtOfJE W W M3Ui^ town gossip, big town politics VWRlAfiS AECTN& SeiVej" ID 8£, IR K£5JS- 5U5P/CJOUS Typ£. WEAK 5PoTAMPfO SEPTEMBER 1998 KINESIS BEST &hemaifce~ OF THE ALTERNATIVE %v*. < PRESS Looking for an With over 25 years of journalistic ARTICHOKE is Western Canada's visual BRIARPATCH is Canada's award adventure in your experience, ALTERNATIVES is the most arts magazine and winner of the 1996 magazine, providing an alternative on widely-read environmental journal in Western Magazine of the Year Award for issues and event in Canada and the magazine reading? Canada. Thought-provoking articles go editorial excellence. Launched in Calgary in world. 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For over Insightful, informative, inspiring, THE COUNTRY CONNECTION FUSE MAGAZINE provides a door to GEIST is home to the Honourary 30 years, CANADIAN DIMENSION has CANADIAN WOMAN STUDIES is an illuminates country life through heritage, cutting-edge activities in the art and Canadian Awards, the Trans-Canada been a place where activists can debate indispensable resource for the feminist cultural, artistic, pro-nature and outdoor cultural communities shaping our world. Phrase Book, the Canadian Mall Writing issues, share information, recount our reader. We publish material that bridges themes. Stories, maps and photography Investigating why the work is being Competition, the Who the Hell is Peter victories, evaluate our strategies for social academia and grassroots activism. are dedicated to the restoration of natural produced, FUSE covers visual art, Gzowski survey, and the very best in story, change. 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How should we POV is Canada's cutting-edge magazine Canadian feminist magazine that delivers and traditional knowledge from the newsmagazine- in print and on the live? Who will save the Earth? Find out on the culture, politics, art and business of the scoop on issues inside the Canadian source. The award-winning magazine THE Internet at here... • 1 / Indicate the magazine(s) you wish to receive. MEGA Alternatives Artichoke Briarpatch Can. Woman Studies Canadian Dimension BANK Country Connection Fuse Ceist Herizons Natural Life The Nation Economic crisis sweeps Asia. General SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT- for New Internationalist POV Socialist Worker strikes challenge the cuts in Ontario. trenchant commentary and perceptive S. Africa Report Sub-Terrain This Magazine Unemployed workers demonstrate in Paris. analysis on the latest events in Southern WE International The world has become a terrain of crisis Africa! 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For inquiries pictures, lots of good words." - Georgia takes on neo-con myths with wit, eco-feminist quarterly that prides itself or Straight, Best of Vancouver 1997. personality and attitude and award- its world readership and representation, • only (no orders), e-mail [email protected] or Publishing a new front-line of writers winning investigative journalism that the and ground-breaking research on women' • fax:(604)875-1403. mainstream won't touch. global and community realities. KINESIS SEPTEMBER 1998 BULLETIN BOARD read this! INVOLVEMENT EVENTS EVENTS Bulletin Board listings have a VSW IS LOOKING FOR YOU! ANTI-POVERTYTRAINING maximum of 50 words. Groups, CO-OPERATING WOMEN If you are interested in learning to do End Legislated Poverty is holding their organizations and individuals eligible Women Work in Co-ops, will be held in 13th annual Organizer's Training School for free space in the Bulletin Board referral and peer counselling work, at VSW Vancouver Oct 16-17 at the YWCA. Through must be, or have, non-profit we are offering a great opportunity to Sept 25, 26, 27 in Langley, BC. ELP invites a combination of panels, workshops and objectives. women who are interested in volunteer those who are new to the anti-poverty plenaries, participants will examine women's work during the day. Come answer the movement as well as seasoned activists to experiences in their co-ops and work Other free notices will be items of phone lines talk to women who drop in, come connect and share skills about collectively to generate ideas for enhancing general public interest and will and help connect them with the community political organizing. The training school is women's participation in co-ops, exploring appear at the discretion of Kinesis. resources they need. For more information free to low income people, with meals, new ideas for development, and ensuring call Ema or Agnes at (604) 255-6554. child care, accommodation and transporta Classifieds are $8 (+$0.56 GST) for diversity. The two-day event will also feature Childcare and travel subsidies available. tion included. The site is wheelchair the first 50 words or portion thereof, women from Cuban co-ops. Registration is accessible. To register or for more details $4 (+$0.28 GST) for each additional $75. Some subsidies are available. For more FEMINIST FUNDRAISERSWANTED! call Terrie, Linda or Michelle at ELP (604) 25 words or portion thereof and must info or to register call (604) 737-1338; email: VSW is seeking enthusiastic, energetic and 879-1209 (collect). be prepaid. [email protected]; or write to Women Work creative women to join the Finance & in Co-ops, 217-1956 West Broadway, YOUTH FACILITATOR WORKSHOPS Deadline for all submissions is Fundraising Committee. If you enjoy Vancouver, BC, V5J 1Z2. the 18th of the month preceding raising money for a great cause, organizing The Self-Help Resource Association publication. Note: Kinesis is events or just want to have some fun, call (SHRA) Youth Project in Vancouver will be RADICAL LESBIAN FEMINIST published ten times a year. Jul/Aug Audrey at 255-6554 today! hosting a free Youth Facilitator Workshop UPRISING and Dec/Jan are double issues. Sept 26-27. The goal of these workshops Radical Lesbian Feminist Uprising is a rural RESOURCE LIBRARIAN NEEDED is to explore the knowledge and practical All submissions should include a gathering being planned for Oct 1-4, near If you have knowledge of organizing and skills needed to facilitate a mutual support contact name and telephone number Kansas City, Missouri. The purpose of this group for youths. They will cover group for any clarification that may be maintaining a Resource Centre and want gathering is to discuss and practice radical boundaries and obstacles, issues involving required. to hang out with great group of women, lesbian feminist concepts. Activities will VSW is the perfect place for you. VSW is safety and disclosure, power and develop include workshops, small group discussions, Listings will not be accepted over the looking for women to help make our ment of youth voice plus much more. All community meetings, good food, and home telephone. resources more accessible and user- youths and any adults who work with grown entertainment. The fee is based on a youths are invited to participate. To register Kinesis encourages readers to friendly to women. For more information sliding scale and the food will be vegetarian. call Ema at 255-6554. Childcare and travel contact SHRA of BC, 303-1212 West For more info, in Canada call Ursa at (905) research the goods and services Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3V1; tel: advertised in Bulletin Board. Kinesis subsidies available. 523-8471 or email her at (604) 733-6186; email: [email protected]. Or write to cannot guarantee the accuracy of the [email protected] . information provided or the safety Carla Biersdorff, RLF, PO Box 32983, Kansas City, MO, 64171. and effectiveness of the services and EVENTS INDIGENOUS WOMEN'S ART products listed. Ancient Memories Thru Women's Art is an A PLACE CALLED CHIAPAS Send submissions to Bulletin Board, VSW AGM event that will be held Nov 6-8 at the The premiere of Canadian filmmaker Nettie Kinesis, #309-877 E. Hastings St, The Vancouver Status of Women will be Roundhouse Community Center in Vancou Wild's controversial documentary, A Place Vancouver, BC, V6A 3Y1; fax: (604) holding its annual general meeting on Wed ver to allow Indigenous women to share Called Chiapas, will take place in Vancouver 255-7508; email: [email protected]. Sep 23 from 7-9:30pm at the Mount their accomplishments, ideas and skills, this September. For eight-months, Wild For more info call (604) 255-5499. Pleasant Neighbourhood House, 800 E. thereby fostering a sense of cultural pride travelled throughout the jungle canyons of Broadway. The event will feature reports and community solidarity. The three-day southern Mexico to film the elusive and fragile and updates on the activities of VSW and gathering will include artist workshops, life of the Chiapas rebellion. The documentary Kinesis, as well as entertainment, refresh cultural events, panel discussions, healing includes interviews with Subcomandante ments and door prizes. Members of VSW circles, an art exhibition, among other things. Marcos, the charismatic commander of the and women who are not members but are Indigenous women wishing to register may Mayan Zapatista indigenous army as well as INVOLVEMENT interested in the work of the organization contact Michelle Sylliboy at (604) 251-4621 members of the right-wing paramilitary death are invited to attend. Please RSVP by Sept ext 1 and leave a message, e-mail squads. The film will be shown at Fifth Avenue [email protected]; or write to Indigenous Cinemas, Vancouver on Sep 18-24 and on WANNA GET INVOLVED? 18. Call (604) 255-6554. Women in the Arts Collective, 307-1710 CBC-TV Tues Sep 22 at 8pm. With Kinesis? We want to get involved with NAC CONFERENCE East Pender St, Vancouver, BC, V5L 1W4. you too. Help plan our next issue. All SOCIAL CHANGEWORKSHOPS The National Action Committee on the women interested in what goes into LISA ROBERTSON K/nes/'s--whether it's news, features or Status of Women-BC Region is having its The Simon Fraser University Public Interest Poet and art critic Lisa Robertson will be arts-are invited to our Story Meetings on Fall Regional Conference Sep 25-27 at the Research Group is sponsoring free popular reading from her new book Debbie: An the first Tuesday of each month. Our next College of New Caledonia in Quesnel. The education workshops Sep 29 & 30 as part Epic on Tues Sep 15,7:30pm at Women in Story Meetings are on Tues Sep 1 and conference will include discussions on of its PIRG U. The first day will feature an Print, 3566 West 4th Ave, Vancouver. Tues Oct 6 at 7pm at our office, 309-877 women's centres' contract reform, sexuality, Aboriginal herb walk with workshop, an Robertson is a regular columnist for the E. Hastings St. For more information or if gender identity, and strategy and interactive food theatre, and a session with Toronto-based arts magazine Mix, and is you can't make the meeting, but still want fundraising workshops. The event is open Farm Folk/City Folk on globalization, food, the author of XEclogue and The Apoth to find out about contributing to Kinesis, to members and non-members of NAC. For politics and BC. The second day will feature ecary. For more info call (604) 732-4128. give Agnes a call at (604) 255-5499. New more info or to register contact Joyce a coffee and fair trade workshop, a session Mariash and Vinder Lalli at the Quesnel on the Burnaby Mountain development, and and experienced writers welcome. BETSY WARLAND Childcare and travel subsidies available. Women's Resource Society, 690 McLean a wrap-up social. All workshops will be held St., Quesnel, BC.V2J 2P6; tel: (250) 992- Betsy Warland, author of several volumes on the SFU campus in Burnaby. Pre- CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS 8472; email [email protected]. of poetry and two plays, will be celebrating registration is recommended. For more info the publication of What Holds Us Here on Are you interested in finding out how call SFPIRG, (604) 291-4360, or visit their WOMEN RESEARCH BIOMEDICINE Tues Sep 29 7pm at Women In Print, 3566 Kinesis is put together? Well...just drop by website at www.sfu.ca/~sfpirg. West 4th Ave, Vancouver. Among Warland's during our next production dates and help The BC Women's Health Centre as part of previously published works are The Bat us design and lay out Canada's national their Women's Health Speakers Series will had Blue Eyes and Proper Definitions. For feminist newspaper. We'll be in production be hosting a panel discussion, "Feminist more info call (604) 732-4128. Mediation is a way of" for the Oct 1998 issue Sept 16-22. Come Approaches to Biomedical Research" Tues and join us. No experience is necessary. Sep 29, 2-4pm in Room E311 at BC finding solutions to conflict Training and support will be provided. If Women's Hospital, 4500 Oak St, Vancou which preserve rights, this notice intrigues you, call us at (604) ver. dignity and the future 255-5499. Childcare and travel subsidies The event will feature presentations by ability to work together. available. Penny Ballem, vice-president of Women's and Family Health Programs at Children's KINESIS IS 25 and Women's Health Centre of BC; MELINDA MUNRO Well, just about... 1999 is Kinesis'25th Arminee Kazanjian, associate director of MEDIATOR/LAWYER year anniversary, and we intend to cel the Centre for Health Services and Policy ebrate! If you're interested in working on Research and a professor of health care and epidemiology in the Faculty of Medi UN,CAT 401-825 granville street, our anniversary party (in January), or on % ,o«« '°« Vancouver, b.c. v6z 1 k9 our 25th anniversary subscription drive cine at UBC; and Jerilynn Prior, a professor campaign, or with our anniversary kick-off of Endocrinology in the Faculty of Medicine 689-7778(ph) 689-5572 (fax) issue (our December/January 1999 issue), at UBC. Everyone is welcome. The event is then call, call, call us. (604) 255-5499. We free. Services for persons with disabilities seeking peaceful solutions want your input, ideas, remembrances, and Lower Mainland transportaion subsi .Carol Weaver which respect difference, dies are available upon request. To RSVP cartoons, and everything else. ) graphic design & illustration or for more info phone (604) 875-2633 or equality and justice email [email protected]. labour/employment, human tights, civil disputes and conflicts within community organizations. SEPTEMBER 1998 BULLETIN BOARD GROUPS GROUPS SUBMISSIONS CLASSIFIEDS FEMINIST RESOURCE GUIDE COMPULSIVE EATING SUPPORT Send submissions to the Middle East SHARED HOME OFFICE Women interested in putting together a A drop-in support group for women with Peace Quilt, PO Box 53528, W Broadway A two-bedroom basement suite converted feminist resource guide for women with issues of compulsive eating meet twice a Postal Outlet, 984 Broadway, Vancouver, into shared office space is available for disabilities are invited to send their input to month at the Eating Disorder Resource BC, V5Z 1K0. Those who can afford it are rent. Located in East Vancouver near 1st Neva at (604) 872-0555 or Ema at the Centre of BC, St. Paul's Hospital, Room asked to contribute $5 with each submis and Nanaimo. Separate entrance. Quiet, Vancouver Status of Women, (604) 255- 2C-213, 1081 Burrard St, Vancouver. Drop- sion to help cover the cost of putting the secured, non-smoking environment. 6554. in times are 7:30pm to 9pm every 1st and quilt together. For more info email: Shared kitchen and bathroom. $200-250. 3rd Wednesday of the month. Facilitated by quilt®vcn.be.ca. Deadline is Dec 31. Call (604) 215-1720. RAPE RELIEFVOLUNTEERS Colleen Hyland and Cynthia Johnston. For Vancouver Rape Relief & Women's Shelter more info call (604) 631-5313. CRIAW CONFERENCE JOB POSTING needs women who are interested in The Canadian Research Institute for the Battered Women's Support Services is volunteering for their 24-hour crisis line and Advancement of Women (CRIAW) is currently recruiting for the position of Co transition house for women and children. SUBMISSIONS holding a conference entitled "Feminist ordinator, Vancouver Coordination Commit Volunteer training sessions are held Definitions of Healthy Lifestyles and tee on Violence Against Women In Rela Tuesday evenings. For more info and a APIWOMEN Caring Communities" Oct 15-17, 1999. tionships. The Position involves the coop training interview call (604) 872-8212. Are you a wimmin or girl of full, mixed or CRIAW welcomes papers, workshops, erative management of a program de partial Asian or Pacific Islander origin? presentations, posters, art, poetry and signed to improve the response by systems LGTB VOLUNTEERS WANTED Have you always wanted to see your performances for this conference. and community support agencies to Want to be more involved in the lesbian/ work-be it poetry, art, recipes, rants, fiction Submissions must be sent before Feb battered women. Representatives from gay/transgendered/bisexual community in or non-fiction-in print? Fire Moon!, Asian 28, 1999 to CRIAW Paper Selection these agencies come together in commit Vancouver? Interested in volunteering on and Pacific Islander Wimmin's Alliance, Committee, c/o Andrea Levan, Thornloe tees and working groups to critique and phone lines providing info, referrals and wants to print your stuff for its Zine. All College, Laurentian University, Ramsey improve policies and procedures which support? The Centre, a community centre submissions can be handed into the Simon Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, tel. affect women attempting to access protec serving and supporting L/GAT/Bs and their Fraser University Women's Centre, c/o (705) 673-1730, fax (705) 673-4979. tive intervention. Closing date for resumes allies, is inviting interested volunteers to Janet. Submissions are accepted on an if Fri Sep 11, at 5pm. Under the BC Human participate in the training program for the ongoing basis. For more info call (604) GIRLS AROUNDTHE WORLD Rights Act, preference will be given to Centre's Prideline. The six-week program 291-3670 or email: [email protected] . Personal essays are being sought for an Aboriginal women, women of colour, and begins Mon Sep 14. Fill out a volunteer anthology on girls and their lives today to immigrant women of colour. For a full CALL FOR ART DONATIONS application at 1170 Bute Street, Vancouver, be called Millennium Girls: Today's Girls description of the duties, qualifications and BC or call (604) 684-5307 for more info. The Indigenous Women in the Arts Collec Around the World. In particular, the hiring process, check out BWSS' website tive, the Roundhouse Community Center anthologizer in interested in essays at http://www.bwss.org. No phone calls will WOMEN'S HEALTH CLINICS and the Helen Pitt Gallery invites the detailing the life experiences of disen be accepted. An all-women group has been getting Indigenous women's artistic community to franchised girls, such as working in together in Vancouver every second Friday support an exhibit which will be held in canneries, fields and factories, homeless WOMEN'S SELF-DEFENSE from 11 am-2pm to talk about women's conjunction with the Ancient Memories girls, prostitutes, delinquent girls, and Women Educating in Self-defense Training physical, mental and emotional health. Thru Women's Art gathering. The exhibit, girls marginalized in their cultures by (WEST) teaches Wenlido. In Basic classes, Topics are picked week by week. Bring co-curated by Shirley Bear and Grace Eiko race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and you learn how to make the most of mental, your own lunch. Hosted by AWARE (All Thomson, will take place Oct 17-Nov 10 other factors. For this collection, a girl is physical and verbal skills to get away from Women's Autonomous Radical Education). and is designed to provide Indigenous defined as a female between the ages of assault situations. Continuing training For meeting dates and location or more women with the opportunity to share a 8-18. Submissions should be in English builds on basic techniques to improve info call (604) 215-2662. broad range of artistic expressions, while and between 15-25 pages long. An physical and mental strength. By women, fostering a sense of cultural pride and abstract of 250-300 and an author profile for women. For info, call 876-6390. BREAKINGTHE SILENCE solidarity. Interested artists are invited to is requested by Nov 1. Send submis A new project in Vancouver's Downtown send sample photographs, slide, and/or sions to Professor Sherrie A. Inness, TWO BR BASEMENT SUITE Eastside has been started up to build video presentations, together with an Department of English, Miami University, A legal two-bedroom suite; newly reno community, and to speak out and develop a artist's statement and a resume to the 1601 Peck Boulevard, Hamilton, Ohio, vated, secured, with separate entrance, community response to the many aspects Curators of Ancient Memories, c/o Helen 45011 USA. sprinkler and fire alarm system, parking of violence women experience. The Pitt Gallery, 882 Homer St, Vancouver, BC, and yard. Across from park and play "Women Break the Silence by Speaking V6B 2W5. For more info call (604) 681- ANTHOLOGY ON LESBIAN ground. Suite is quiet, non-smoking, with Out" project, co-sponsored by the Carnegie 6740 or email: [email protected]. Deadline DISABILITY cooperative tenant(s). Children welcome. Centre, the Senior's Centre and the is Sep 30. This nonfiction anthology will address $675, includes utilities. Located in Near 1st Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, will social-political issues from a range of and Nanaimo. Call (604) 215-1720 GAY AND LESBIAN ANTHOLOGY produce a series of workshops by and for vantage points. Each essay must be the women of the Downtown Eastside Two daughters of lesbian moms are inviting accessible in the literal sense of the CITYVIEW CO-OP community throughout the Fall, and will others who grew up in lesbian and gay word while also addressing ideas and Cityview Housing Co-op has one, two and culminate with a three-day retreat. The families to contribute their creative pieces theories specific to lesbians and disabil three bedroom suites for $565, $696, $795 per organizers invite women living in the area, for an upcoming anthology. Send work to: ity. A strongly progressive perspective month and refundable share purchase. organizations and activists interested in Kids On The Margins, 50 Rosehill Ave, Apt on issues of gender, race, ethnicity, class Carpets, blinds, appliances, parking, laundry participating in the project to call them at 1508, Toronto, ON, M4T 1G6. Deadline is and ability must be elemental to all room. Children and small pets welcome. (604) 682-3269, mailbox 8319. Dec 31. essays. This anthology is open only to Participation required. Please send a business disabled lesbians. Contact Victoria A. size SASE to Membership Committee, SHAKTI STRENGTH IMMIGRANT STORIES AND POETRY Brownworth at: [email protected]. You Cityview Housing Co-op, #108-1885 E. Shakti is a self-help group in Vancouver for Two immigrant women in BC are compiling may also call (215) 848-9341. Mail Pender St, Vancouver, BC, V5L 1W6. South Asian Indo-Canadian women who a book of stories and poetry based on the inquiries to Susan Raffo/Victoria A. have experienced the psychiatric system. experiences of "first generation" immigrant Brownworth, c/o 3147 14th Avenue BETH TROTTER COUNSELLING The group meets every 1st and 3rd women to be published in the Fall 1999. South #3, Minneapolis, MN 55407 Beth Trotter, MA, Registered Clinical Counsel Saturday of the month 1-3pm at South Stories/poetry should reflect hopes and lor announces the opening of her counselling Vancouver Neighbourhood House, 6470 dreams, adapting, daily struggles, identity, and in-depth psychotherapy practice in Victoria Dr. For more info call Helen 733- striving to strike a balance, loss and gain, Vancouver. Ten years experience in private 5570 (for English) or 682-3269 box 8144 the physical process of migration, etc. practice in Victoria, specializing in working with (for Punjabi & Hindi). Submissions should be no longer than women. Integrating feminist, Western and 4000 words and be accompanied by an Buddhist psychological approaches. Expertise COLECTIVO LATINO AMERICANO author profile of not more than 200 words. in working with deep trauma and dissociation A new group for Latin American women Send submissions by email to: issues. EMDR trained. Fifteen years experi and men has started up in Vancouver. The [email protected]; or by mail to: ence as a Buddhist Vipassana meditator. Call Canadian Latin-American Collective is a Nila/Prabhjot, PO Box 78023, Port (604)731-1701. non-profit organization committed to the Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7H5. Deadline is Jan 31. general well-being of the Canadian Latin a woman owned and operated business specializing in defensive driver training -> American community in British Columbia, MIDDLE EAST PEACE QUILT by developing and supporting activities Women are invited to submit a quilt square involving the opening and sustaining of a expressing their vision of peace between socio-political space for sharing cultural the Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews in values with the rest of Canadian society. the Middle East. Submissions will become For more info write to the collective, PO a permanent part of the Middle East Peace PACIFICWEST Box 4265, VMPO, Vancouver, BC, V6B 3Z7; Quilt, which will be toured and form a basis or call Leticia Flores at (604) 708-0996. for discussion and dialogue. Quilt squares should be 9 inches square with a half inch border on all four sides. The image may be stitched, painted or worked in any other Driver Improvement and Retraining way, as long as the fabric remains flexible. • Become a confident and safe driver with an experienced instructor SEPTEMBER 1998 BULLETIN BOARD CLASSIFIEDS UNPLANNED PREGNANCY Volunteers are being sought for one-to-one interviews by an academic researcher on assistance received and any choices made concerning an unplanned pregnancy. Interviews will be confidential and the participants will remain anonymous. Expenses will be reimbursed. To participate contact Eileen in Vancouver at 738-9787. WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITY WORKSHOP Whole Body/Whole Spirit: Women in Search of a New Spirituality, is an eight-session course in Vancouver exploring the links between body awareness and women's spirituality. Using creative movement, drawing, dance, voice, group reflection and ritual, we will explore body image, body myths, religious and cultural influences on our body the social construction of the body and gender, self-care and healing, space and boundaries, and the sacredness of the body and its connection to the earth. One session will be held on Wednesdays from Sep 16-Nov 4,7-9:30pm at St. Margaret's Cedar Cottage, with Maria Cervino and Denise Nadeau. Cost is $150. Another session for Spanish-speaking women will be held on Tuesdays from Oct 27-Dec 15,7-9:30pm at St. Margaret's Cedar Cottage, with Maria Cervino and Denise Nadeau. Cost is $150. Another session will be held on Mondays from Oct 19- Dec 7, 7:30-1 Opm at SEAD Centre (12th and Yew), with Denise Nadeau. Cost is $150. Some subsidies available. For info or to register call (604) 876-6744. Western Canada's The law firm of Lesbian & Gay STOWE ELLIS \WA/Book& Bookstore is pleased to announce that . J wr Art Emporium Open Daily 10am to 11pm Shannon Aldinger has joined the firm Our Books/Our Issues Gay Fiction Queer Theory Practise restricted to: Lesbian Fiction Feminist Theory - civil suits for sexual abuse and assault Our Magazines & Journals Biographies, Essays, Poetry - family law Religion & Spirituality AIDS/Heaith - personal injury and ICBC claims Humour Art & Photography Erotica Community Little Sister's Book & Art Emporium — Theresa L. Stowe — Megan R. Ellis — Shannon Aldinger — Suite 310 - 111 Water Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 1A7 1238 Davie Street,Vancouver,B.C,V6E 1N4 Telephone: 604-683-7144 (604)669-1753 Phone Orders 1-800-567-1662 Internet Address: http://www.lsisters.com Employers and employees! PROUDLY ANNOUNCING WOMEN Avoid problems in future by IN PRINT the Opening of having responsible hiring, BOOKS o OTHER MEDIA Disfoiin/s/or dismissal, harrassment and book clubs DR. PENNY THOMPSON'S 3566 West 4th Avenue + human rights policies. Vancouver BC Special orders Voice 604 732-4128 welcome DENTAL PRACTICE Fax 604 732-1129 MUN RO^PARFITT 10-6 Daily • 12-5 Sunday Dentistry in the Heart of the Community * LAWYERS 401-825 granville street Vancouver, b.c. v6z 1k9 Phone:251-1322 Fax:251-1232 689^7778(ph) 689-5572 (fax) Call Us ... Be a Special Patient quality legal services woman friendly atmosphere *.* Or drop by at 1 - 1701 Grant Street (at Commercial Drive), Vancouver labour/employment, human rights, civil litigation and Advertisement paid by Dr. Penny J. Thompson, Inc. public interest advocacy. SEPTEMBER 1998 #s Kinesis: the musical the longest running production in Canadian feminist history And there lies the uniqueness of Kinesis: the musical—the audience is as integral to making the production a This engaging collage of theatre, success as are the regular cast members. music and dance has been thrilling Also, instead of taking away a man audiences on the big stage for more than gled play bill, Kinesis: the musical sends 24 years. With original monologues, audiences home with a terrific newspa dialogues, songs and movements coming per full of fascinating "news about out 10 times a year, Kinesis: the musical women that's not in the dailies." is sure to entice audiences back for In conclusion, this reviewer gives more. Kinesis: the musical an enthusiastic The show starts off in an unconven recommendation, and encourages view tional set—a bright mango room, with ers to ramble on down to the set and windows at two ends. Inside, there's an check out this dazzling production. assortment of quirky props: scanners, x- You'll be glad you did. acto knives, light tables, waxers, filing And don't forget to pick up your sub cabinets, rubylith, and stacks of interesting scription to the season's series today, and objects that audience members are actually ensure that the wonder that is Kinesis will welcome to handle and organize. be at your doorstep every month! One year • Cheque enclosed For individuals who can't afford the full amount •$20 + $1.40 GST • Bill me for Kinesis subscription, send what you can. Two years • New Free to women prisoners. •$36 + $2.52 GST • Renewal Orders outside Canada add $8. • Gift Vancouver Status of Women Membership S r S •$45S2?+T, $3.1f5 ^?GST O Donation (includes Kinesis subscription) •$30+$1.40 GST Name Address Country Postal code_ Telephone _ Fax Published ten times a year by the Vancouver Status of Women #309-877 E. Hastings St., Vancouver, BC V6A 3Y1