Branching Out Canadian magazine for women Volume VI, Number 3, 1979 $1.25 Art by Diana Roy advertisement Equal Opportunities for Women in the Federal Public Service The first two female public servants were hired as matron Public Service in each department, occupational group and and deputy matron at the Kingston Penitentiary about 100 level will approximate the proportion of qualified and years ago. By the turn of the century, about 13% of public interested persons of both sexes available." servants were women, and already a pattern was developing Actions speak louder than words, however, and in order that was to continue unchanged for decades: women were to make sure that these good intentions were carried out, a confined to low level positions, nor was there any attempt to program was developed to implement the policy. disguise discriminatory practices. Although the Civil Service Act of 191 S provided for equal pay for equal work, deputy The Action Plan in action heads of departments could limit positions to one sex or the other. Women (what else is new?) were hired as Each department was required to develop a five-year "stenographers and typewriters", dead-end jobs, and men as action plan to promote equal opportunities for women. They "general clerks", the bottom rung on the promotional ladder. first undertook a situation review, collecting data about the Jn 1921 married women were barred from the public number of women in each occupational group. Generally, service unless they were self-supporting or there were no women were clustered in certain job ghettos (for example, other qualified candidates available. These restrictions were administrative support) and at lower levels of management relaxed during World War II, reinstated in 1947 and remained and professional categories. The departments then analysed in effect until 1955. Regulations concerning the employment of their own data, trying to identify the reasons for this clustering. women were made, and exceptions granted, only in the light Perhaps there were women whose lack of experience in more of public service requirements; no policies were based on the responsible positions could be remedied by new training concept of women's right to work or equality of opportunity or programs. Perhaps there were barriers to the advancement of advancement. women because the terms of eligibility to compete for positions were unnecessarily high; strategies to eliminate such The 60's: a time of change barriers were planned. Departments submit yearly reports on their action plans, of foment and agitation as The 60's were a decade showing progress to date and evaluating the success of position in society and in the women took stock of their programs and strategies undertaken. workplace and demanded that injustices and inequities be remedied. Kathleen Archibald noted in her report Sex and the Public Service (1969) that 83% of the women in the public The role of the Office of Equal Opportunities for Women service were secretaries, typists and clerks, many of Them with departmental action plans little opportunity for advancement within their category or for The EOW office monitors the assists departments in transfer out of it. One of her recommendations was that an for the Public Service Commission, and promotes equal opportunity program be set up within the Public Service developing and implementing programs, plans of particular interest to women. Commission to ensure equal opportunity for all. She spoke of special training the concept of equity: Changes are being made. Women made up only .4% of in the executive group in 1972, but 3% in 1977; "If an employer requires more evidence to decide a woman is employees service capable than to decide a man is capable, the fundamental idea they made up 14% of the administrative and foreign of equity is transgressed just as it is if a jury were to require group in 1972 and 22% of the same group in 1 977. Yet less evidence for a verdict of guilty against a non-Caucasian change is slow. Current cutbacks in budgets and staff years than a Caucasian." (p. 5) make change even more difficult, but EOW continues to be a priority. We look forward to a time when equal opportunities for women can cease to be a goal because it has become a Equal Opportunities: a slogan and a program reality. In 1971, the Office of Equal Opportunities for Women The following publications are available free of charge from was set up in the Public Service Commission. Some of the the Office of Equal Opportunities for Women, 1559 West objectives of the Office are: Tower, 300 Laurier West, Ottawa, Ontario, Kl A OM7: * to provide and analyse statistics concerning the Interaction: A quarterly publication for women in the public employment of women in the public service service to assist the Public Service Commission in identifying EOW 77: an annual publication highlighting EOW activities. and removing employment barriers These Days, Everybody Works: a series of booklets for high to assist departments in developing strategies to school girls about some non-traditional careers in the increase employment opportunities for women public service * to provide information about the EOW program to Filmography: information about films about, by and for employees and the public. women The federal government's policy on equal opportunities Legislation Review: an outline of federal and provincial for women was restated and expanded in 1975: "The legislation affecting female public servants government wishes to ensure that, within a reasonable period All of those publications are available in both French and of time, representation of male and female employees in the English. Branching Out Editor Columns Sharon Batt Assistant Editor 2 editorial Sharon Smith Mythology of Our Own Aritha van Herk Contributing Editors, Fiction Theme 3 letters Aritha van Herk, Heather Pringle Editorial Departments 4 printed matter Art: Cathy Hobart 33 law Books: Aritha van Herk Fiction: Heather Pringle, Anne O'Grady, Pornography: Helen Rosta, Marion Thorn Our Newest Battleground Eleanor Wachtel Film: Judith Mirus Law: Linda Duncan, Louise Dulude 38 legal notes Photography: Diana S. Palling Promises. Promises Louise Dulude Printed Matter: Sharon Smith 39 film Design Lane Chesko. Diana S. Palling, Festival Notebook Judith Mirus Barbara Hartmann 42 books Other Staff this Issue The Doll maker Marian Engel Mufty Mathewson. Isabel Moyse, Mary Ellen Gillan, Nora Corbett Language and Self Caterina Edwards Board of New Women's Magazine Society Vaginal Hype Cathy Hobart Thora Cartlidge, Sharon Batt, Sharon Smith Harlequin Politics Linda Hughes Epochal Conflicts Mary E. Sainsbury Tacit Surrender Patricia Preston Special Fiction Feature 9 A Word from the Authors Karen Lawrence * Copyright 1979 by the New Women's Magazine Societ> . Edmonton. Alberta. All rights reserved. Unless used in a 10 Please, Lady Bluebird review, the reproduction of this work in any form, by any Painter Rachel Wyatt means, including photocopying, recording, information storage and retrieval systems, et cetera, is forbidden without 12 The Birthmark Edna Alford the express permission of the publisher. Branching Out is published every two lo three months by the 18 "Emovora" Helene Holden New Women's Magazine Society, a Canadian Charitable Elizabeth Brewster Organization. Editorial office located at 8631-109 Street. 28 Illusions of Young Men Edmonton. Alberta. Phone (403) 433-4021. 30 His Family Frances Itani This issue published with financial assistance from Alberta Culture. Canada Council and the Alberta Law Foundation. Send all correspondence to Box 4098. Edmonlon. Alberta. T6E 4S8. Submissions should be typed, double-spaced and Poetry and Art accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. We review unsolicited manuscripts from Canadian women only. 17 Pieta'78 Mary di Michele Subscription rates in Canada. $6.00 for six issues. $11.00 for 23 Gallery Fantastique Diana Roy twelve issues for individuals; $10.00 for six issues. $20.00 for twelve issues for institutions. Add $1.00 per six issues for Roy U.S. rales. $2.00 per six issues for overseas rates. cover illustration: "Nuptual Valentine" by Diana Advertising rales available on request. acrylic on canvas, 47" x 61", 1978 Back issues of Branching Out are available on microfilm from photographed by Lauren Dale Micromedia Ltd.. Box 34. Station S. Toronto M5M 4L6. The magazine is on file with the International Women's History Archive housed at the Special Collection Library. Northwestern University. Evanston, IL 60201. Branching Out is a member of the Canadian Periodical Publishers' Association. The magazine is indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index. Typesetting by Superior Typeselling Ltd. Printed by Alpine Press. Edmonton. Second Class Mail Registration Number 3517. Volume VI. Number 3. 1979. ISSN 0382 - 5264 Volume VI, Number 3, 1979 EDITORS__________ mythology of our own Women are remaking their world Woman's role has traditionally been into a plan for the future. These with words. Women are writing within the family structure and stories are about us, about the things stories, writing good stories, writing clearly, women writers are trying to that concern us. It is to the the kinds of stories that we have come to terms with this in their possibilities of our world rather than wanted to hear for so long. Perhaps fiction. Just so must we attempt to simply the probabilities that we must this is one reason why women have understand our world; and for this look. The importance of art as a such a strong voice in Canadian reason, our writers can serve as vehicle for change is undeniable. fiction: we are now creating our own important guides. Fiction can lead us forward, can mythology, our own heroines, our As a story-teller, I have often felt provide us with a voice and a own environment. that my own liberation lies in my direction, a mythology of our own.