X:2 October 1988 en's Vanderbilt University Margaret Cuninggim Women's Center a paid intern for the Tennessee Democratic Party which included working at the Election '88: What Do Women Want? convention in Atlanta. This experience cemented her plans to pursue a political Lauri Wright career. One of the deciding factors was the number of women she saw working in The conventions, which give a whole new nx:ord on issues that are important to them, politics and the jobs they held. "It's meaning to the phrase "political party," arc Bush has had to make an effort to increase incredible that so many women are there. over, the platform planks have been nailed his appeal toward wome~> He is trying to Any position you look at, somewhere, there down, and the veep selections have been convert women to his side by tackling is a woman with that title." both lauded and criticized. issues such as child care and education and Jennifer Oldham (A&S 4), president of the As the candidates and their advisors flot by playing up his image as a family man. Vanderbilt chapter of College Republicans, campaign strategy, there is one block o vot­ Both candidates made sure that women worked at the Republican Convention in ers that they must always koep in mind: gave important prime time speeches and New Orleans. A Political Science and women. had prominent positions at their conven­ Communications major, Oldham is Tha gender gap is a popular media term. tions. Susan Estrich, a Harvard law profes­ planning a career in politics as a lobbyist It's catchy -sounds good, looks good. But sor, is campaign directorfor Dukakis. He and "if I'm in the right place, a candidate for the power of the gender gap is not its verbal asked convention planners to find a woman elective office." Oldham sees politics appeal. It's votes. Ten million votes! to give the keynote address at the Demo­ opening up for women. "Even though the Ten million more women than men will cratic convention, and they produced Ann majority of the people I deal with are men, ba eligtble to vote on November 8. Women Richards, the Texas State Treasurer. women are not limited. As more women did not vote differently from men until Dukasis has a reputation forbcingcomfort- become involved it will be easier for women 1980, when more women fuan men voted ableworkingwith women. " to enter politics." Oldham sees a dramatic against Ronald Reagan. Since then, the Bush tapped Sheila Tate, Nancy Reagan's change from a generation ago. '1n my distance between the way men vole and Press Secretary, to handle the press for his parents' generation, the last thing my women vote has widened with each campaign. Women's names were divulged mother would have become involved in was election. The most recent election, 1986, on his list of final twelve possibilities for ~he a political group/' she said. 'Now, look at 11 demonstrated the real power that women selection of his running mate. me, • have at the polls: the previously Republi­ can Senate was handed to the Democrats, by VU students plan political careers. women. Undergraduate women at Vanderbilt are La uri Wright is the librarian at the Women's The other difference is turnout. In 1984, involved in the 1988 presidential election. Center, a former journalism teacher, and 7.1 million more women than men voted in Judy Herrman (A&S 4) spent her summer as newspaper feature writer. the presidential election. Tha trend of more women who actually vote in presidential elections than men be­ Excerpts from platforms: gan twenty years ago. 1984 was no fluke. Women vote on the issues, not straight party line, not for their husbands' candidate, and not because of a candidate's looks or gender. Issues that concern women the most in­ clude not only the expected issues: child care, the ERA, and abortion rights, but also nuclear disarmament, the federal deficit and other economic matters, the environment, AIDS, and the poor and homeless. "We mustnotonlymarshal our scientific Diane Shulman, president of the Nash­ AIDS support for research on, and expedited resources against AIDS, but also protect ville Women's Political Caucus, is encour­ FDA approval of, treatments and vaccines, com­ those who do not have the disease. AIDS aged thatdaycareisareal issue is this prehensive education and prevention, ... confiden­ education should emphasize that absti­ campaign. 'The fact that day care is no tial and voluntary testing and counseling and pro­ nence from drog abuse and sexual activity longer just a women's issue but an impor- tection of the civil rights of those suffering from outside of marriage is the safest way to , tant political issue demonstrates the " tnie~uo~," political clout that women have attained. We are no longer separated from the mainstream." Because women tend to favor Dukakis's It's your health Margaret Nofziger Women of the eighties want control over their own lives, and that includes family planning. While most women of childbear­ Newlookol Women'sVu ing age are attracted to efficien~ medical means of birth control such as oral contra­ Notice our new look? Thanks to Gary Mary Nell Bryan: ceptives, the recent trend, particularly Gore, University Designer, the newsletter Mouthpiece for the student Body among single women, has been to revert to has a classy new masthead. That accounts barrier methods with disease-protective for part of the change. The other innovation features. maybelessobvious. Women'sVUisnow Shelley Neill, A&S 2 Other women opt for the natural family typesetandlaidoutonmyowncomputer. planning method, a natural holistic Is there anyone who hasn't heard how Mary Nell Bryanhascomea long way alternative because of their personal incredibly simple it Is to use desktop pub­ since her first semester at Vanderbilt. beliefs or an aversiontoour1'hi-tech11 lishing? Pick up any magazine, and there is "When I came here I certainly didn't tlUnk I world. Used to either plan or prevent some reference to this new software. They was going to be student government pregnancy, it consists of observing and makeitsoundsoeasy! Wel~letmesaythat president. In fac~ I wasn't involved in~ charting specific bodily signs and symptoms It takes a while to learn enough ahout organization my first semester,'' admits the in order to establish the time of ovulation. desktop publishing to produce four pages. A&S senior. "My mother told me to devote By estimating fertility, one may increase her A year ago when I walked into my new mostofmytimetomystudies. Thatwasmy chances of pregnancy if her intention is to office at the Women's Center, I first laid unhappiest semester because I like to be conceive or avoid unprotected intercourse eyes on PageMaker by Aldus installed on very active and involved.'' during those days if she wants to prevent mynewHewlettPacl<ardVectra.lcan'tsay And involved she indeed has been. A pregnancy. it was love at first sight. Before the day was student senator since her sophomore year, The primary natural sign of fertility is a over I was calling Roy Newsom at Adminis­ Bryan's primary focus has been security. change in the basal temperature. Before trative Systems to find out how to get the She lobbied successfully for blue light ovulation, when the body is under the program running. As the year progressed, I emergency phones; presently there are influence of the hormone estrogen, the enrolled in Administrative Systems' twenty-one, with another five expected this waking temperature is low, usually around PageMaker course and progressed to year. Another project has been installation 97.5 to 98.5 degrees. When ovulation takes designing one page flyers for our programs. of a crosswalk and light on 24th Avenue. As p1ace, a different hormone, progesterone, is By August, I gritted by teeth and used a compromise, a light has been installed on released from the ovary, causing the basal PageMaker tolayouttheSeptember 25th Avenue. temperature to rise to the range of 98 or 99 Women's VU. It took trial and error, reset­ Bryan, however, refuses to give up. degrees. When plotted on a graph-like chart, ing in numerous typefaces, and much "Nashville is computerizing its light system this temperature rise is quite apparent. support from family and co-workers to get it in 1990, and w<fre hoping to have the lights In addition, the change from estrogen to completed. David Schaefer at the Desktop on 23rd and 25th synchronized so that progesterone influence causes obvious Publishing Center was a great help, they'll be red at the same time and students changes ina woman'scervicalmucusandin showing me how to make use of PostScript can cross (24th Avenue) safely,'' she said. the cervix itself. With rising estrogen, the fonts and get a camera ready printout.· This Another issue in Bryan's crusade for cervical mucus, observed as a vaginal issue is refined with larger typeface, less better security is campus lighting. This in­ discharge, changes from scant opaque and hold print, and ragged right style. dudes elinlinating dark or otherwise threat­ sticky to profuse, clear and slippery. At the Desktop Publishing is not as simple as ening areas such as a large shrub (sincere­ height of estrogen production, tllis mucus the advertisers make it sound, but rewards moved) near the Barnard Hall entrance. often appears likeraweggwhiteand can be do exist. The short turnaround time on "W<fre one of the most protected campuses stretched in a shimmering thread. As soon as typesetting and layout will allow Women's because we have better, more even light­ ovulation takes place and progesterone is VU tobemorecurrent. Also,irseasytotry ing.', she said, Nevertheless, there is con tin· released from the ovary, the mucus abruptly outlayout designs in the comfort of my own uing concern ahout the Peabody campus.