Bryn Mawr College Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College Publications, Special Bryn Mawr College News Collections, Digitized Books 1992 The olC lege News 1992-4-23 Vol.13 No. 10 Students of Bryn Mawr College Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.brynmawr.edu/bmc_collegenews Custom Citation Students of Bryn Mawr College, The College News 1992-4-23 Vol.13 No. 10 (Bryn Mawr, PA: Bryn Mawr College, 1992). This paper is posted at Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College. http://repository.brynmawr.edu/bmc_collegenews/1431 For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE NEWS VOLUME XIII NUMBER 10 FOUNDED BRYN MAWR COLLEGE APRIL 23,1992 The March for women's lives: what did we prove? By A pa ma Mukherj* of the women in front of us attracted the Did he know what he was saying? Was agonize and suffer in making the deci- attention of a group of young men leav- he the type of man to coerce or maybe sion to have an abortion and remember it We were finally warm— not only ing the stadium. force himself on a woman, persuade her always with pain? Was he one of those physically but emotionally and spiritu- "Hey, are you pro-choice?" oneof them to have sex without a condom? Or per- people spreading AIDS and STDs be- ally. We were hot, confident, strong ex- called out. haps a "real" rapist? Was he just plain cause "it's better without a condom?" cept with warm fuzzies thrown in. We "Yeah! Go! Choice..." some of us re- ignorant and trying to be funny with a Would he accompany a pregnant female had just marched with the over 500,000 sponded. snappy comeback? Did he think of an lover to a clinic or try to disclaim respon- other pro-choice activists and support- "Coool! abortion sibility? Did his friends agree with him ers on the March on Washington on April Pro-Choice as an easy, or did they just not say anything? Do a lot 5th. We had heard Patricia Ireland, Robin all the efficient of men feel that way and just not say it? Morgan, Cyndi Lauper, Peter, Paul & way!" a lone way of not What about the men I care for and know? Mary, and Democratic, Republican and Phillies fan interfer- All these questions were whirling Independent political-choice candidates approved. ing with around my head and I hated it. It made pledge not to turn back. This was his sexual me think of all the other shit things about We chanted empowering mantras like, fabulous— pleasure? the March and the day in general. Like "U.S. out of my Uterus," or "Bush, Bush what a great Didn't he standing between the Capitol and the outta mine..." We bonded (or at least feeling that have fe- Washington Monument listening to pretended to bond) with hundreds of the ordi- rn a 1 e Morgan Fairchild speak (oh yeah, she people wedidn't know, women and men nary, Mawrters and Fords at the March in loved provides a good role model for women spending theday in support of our rights. ubiquitous, Washington, D.C. on Sunday, March 5. ones who and perpetuates positive ideas), and The patriarchy was no where in sight mid-twen- would see March on page 4 and we felt gooood. ties white, So, as we strolled back to where the jock-wannabe, American, hopefully - McBride-sponsored Panel on school buses going back to the Main Line registered-choice-voting male was be- // were parked—behind a stadium with a hind us too. Multiculturalism: "... jump right in baseball game in progress— we were not At least for a few seconds— he fol- expecting any negative vibes for at least lowed up his affirmation with, "Yeah, By Elena McFadden ment was this, "you have to jump right another hour or two. Apparently the abortion, it's better than using a con- in." She was talking specifically about Phillies playing whatever home team was dom." Our sensitive New Age guy was "The things he taught me were great things: thedifnculty of communicating with each not enough of a diversion for some D.C. Mr.Misogyny in disguise. that all racism is rotten, white or black, that other when there is a lot of anger, resent- spectators, because we started running I felt like kicking the shit out of him. I everything is political, that people tend to be ment, and fear coming from everyone into people leaving the game early. had such a sense of well-being until this indescribably beautiful and uproariously who is trying to hold a conversation. Decked out in our pro-choice garb intruder screwed it up. The most I could funny." But as another panelist added, while (white BMC clothing, "Thelma & Louise muster, after registering what he had —Lorainne Hahsbury these feelings are completely valid, we are Pro-Choice" stickers, NARAL and said and meant, was screaming to his should also look hard for the courage to Planned Parenthood signs), weand some back, 'Tuck you assholes..." The following is an open statement to take the action necessary to bring these those whom I have recently come to af- feelings to a level where they can be fectionately call "the converted, but dis- discussed and hopefully turned into posi- couraged." I am writing to those, myself tive, constructive energy. Alcohol and you: the dry facts often included, who hate the patriarchy, A recurring idea that was expressed the racism, the sexism, and all the rest of was that pain and oppression are real, By Tania Galloni son's susceptibility to infectious diseases it. They know all the intellectual reasons and make us who we are. As such, the and cancer) why the problems in this world are so desire to "forget" the reality of why we Some things to think about before you bad, but when they search for what can are who we are is an illogical suggestion. take your next "drink:" And of particular interest to WOMEN: possibly be done to destroy any of the in- Rather, the challenge is to communicate stitutionalized hatred in this country, they and discuss what exactly can be done to Did you know that akohol is the ONLY SKELETAL SYSTEM see a structure that is deeply entrenched prevent such pain and oppression from drug that can damage virtually every •leaches calcium from the bones. and very powerful. As a result, aside occurring to others in the future. organ system in the body? Here are some from being able to join already organ- It is all scary, and it is all hard. But, in of the highlights.,.(A nd if you are not big For the chronic alcoholic, the news is ized marches, the CBDs feel helpless, reality, nothing is going to change until on lists, do not dismiss the article en- even worse. Alcohol can reduce muscle discouraged, and depressed about the we can understand the complex notion tirely. Move onto another paragraph. I'll mass, cause impotence in men and infer- kind of world they have been forced to of how to stop seeing groups and start understand.) tility, menstrual irregularities (as if it live in without a choice in the matter, seeing people, while being aware of past were not bad enough) and loss of sex On April 14, the McBrides sponsored and present group abuses of power. Alcohol's effects on: drive in women. The list goes on to in- an outstanding panel of three brilliant This includes respecting one African- dude irreversible brain damage, cirrho- and inspiring women speaking on the American woman's right to state that she BRAIN/CENTRALNERVOUSSYSTEM sis, pancreatitis, heart disease. topic, "The Dangers of Silence: Diversity is "tired of being asked so many ques- •alters and kills brain cells In fact, of the 97,500 deaths caused by Vs. Marginalization." In the wakeof Hav- tions," just because she is black. But it •impairs memory, coordination and alcohol annually (my source was pub- erford Plenary and Laura Brower, I ex- also includes not assuming every Afri- judgement lished in 1987), thirty-nine percent re- pected a packed audiencebrimming with can-American woman in our commu- •is a depressant on the central nerv- sulted from alcohol-induced illnesses. concerns and inquiries. nity feels the same way, and hence tak- ous system The remainder resulted from either alco- However, the meager attendance of ing the risk to ask and find out. hol-related motor vehicle accidents the panel discussion perhaps showed Courage means continuing to tell rela- GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM (twenty-seven percent)oralcohol-related that the converted but discouraged are tives and friends that sexist and racist •irritates the stomach and intestine suicides, and non-vehicle accidents even more discouraged than I generally jokes are unacceptable. It means making •causes stomach and duodenal ulcers (thirty-four percent). (Taken from The assume them to be. On the other hand, Thanksgiving dinner uncomfortable, for •blocks absorption of essential nutri- Recovery Resource Book by Barbara Yo- the panel had a main point which the the realization that perceivable domi- ents der, 1990.) CBDs really needed to hear: you do have nant groups of people can be justifiably •contributes to the development of Did you know that, according to the a choice about the world in which you held accountable for the violation and gastrointestinal cancers recordsof the U.S. Department of Justice, live. So, assuming a difference between exploitation of others is an uncomfort- alcohol use is strongly related to crime? apathy and feelings of powerlessness, I able reality, even in what we like to be- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM In 1983, of the 132,620 offenders con- would like to share some of the insights lieve is the land of the free and the home •causes high blood pressure victed for criminal activity, forty-eight I gained that evening.