Herland Sister Resources : v.6: no.7(1989)
- Title
- Herland Sister Resources : v.6: no.7(1989)
- Description
- The Herland Sister Resources newsletter is the monthly publication of Herland Sister Resources, a womanist organization with a strong lesbian focus based in Oklahoma City.
- Date Issued
- 1989-07
- Rights
- All rights reserved by Herland Sister Resources. Contact UCO Archives & Special Collections for the permission policy on the use, reproduction or distribution of these materials.
- Is Part Of
- Herland Sisters Resources
- Creator
- Herland Sister Resources
- Contributor
- Lewis, Karen
- Date
- 2017-09-02T17:02:29Z
- Date Available
- 2017-09-02T17:02:29Z
- Subject
- Oklahoma
- Type
- application/pdf
- extracted text
-
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 7
JULY,1989
**** **
A GAY DAY IN JUNE
"Bigger" and "better" are the key words
to describe this year's Second Annual Gay
and Lesbian Pride March.
With Oklahoma City police providing
security at the front and back of the march
as well as patrolling the route, participants
carried signs, banners, balloons and Oklahoma panels for the Names Project quilt.
They rode on horseback, in cars, on
motorcycles, on bicycles and on floats.
They walked all over banners taped to the
road that contained negative words such
IGNORANCE and FEAR. If OKC didn't
know after last year's march just how
proud participants are to be who they are
and to be a part of their community, it
knows this year.
HERLAND SISTE R RESOURCES, INC.
2312 N.W 39TH, OKC 73112 • (405) 521-9696
The day began with speakers and singers, including Peggy Johnson and Randall
Powell, at Memorial Park, followed by the
march and ending with a block party
behind the bars on 39th Street. The sun
was once again hot and high in the sky, but
volunteers from the Gay Helpline provided water for the marchers along the
route to relieve some of the stress from
heat. The number of participants were
double that of last year's march, if not
more.
Although this year's march commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall
riots in New York, it went off without any
violence. But there were a few visible
opponents. A few members of the KKK
- --
stood silently watching the march, letting
their signs voice their opinion.
At the conclusion of the march, participants found hot dogs, cake, refreshments,
music, books and raffles at the block
party.
The one thing everyone found was comradarie; sisters and brothers who experience a common oppression came together peacefully as a community, to try to
educate the ignorant, calm the fears of the
unknowing and just survive. May Oklahoma City's Gay Pride Parade one day
rival San Francisco's!
•
- - - - - - - - - - - HSR, JULY, 1989
1
by Sondra Metzger
Maggie E. is moving to San Diego in
The head of our Volunteer Committee,
August and wants to turn her mowing
Margaret C ., has turned her duties over
the community will be very proud of.
business over to someone in the comWatch for more info in the August to Pam T. We would like to express our
munity. If you're interested, call her at
deepest gratitude to Margaret for all the
newsletter . . ..
728-7856. We'd like td thank Maggie .
time and energy she has contributed
and Charleen for taking care .of the
Due to my error, the cost of the Fall toward ensuring that the store and
grounds at the Resource Center. Great
Retreat was left out of the article and tables at events were staffed. We can
job! ...
the registration form. Pre-registration never repay her for the time she has
prices are $17 - $20. On-site registra- devoted to making phone calls and
There will be a meeting Aug. 6, 4:30
tion is $25. This price does not include keeping track of who is working when,
p.m. at 2805 N. McKinley for anyone
the meal tickets. For example, the total sometimes filling in herself when no
interested in being involved in planning
for one person who wishes to purchase one else was available. Thank you, Sisconcerts. Refreshments will be served.
meals would be $30. Scholarships and · ter 50, and good luck, Pam.
For more information, call Mary at
work programs will be availab!e on a .
528-0020 ....
first-come, first-served basis, If anyone Berland has a new board member, Pam
can offer to contribute a scholarship, it T. The executive committee has also
The newsletter is back to normal this
would be of great help to those who changed, with Jill W. taking the reins as
month. Let's hear if for our typesetter,
Sister #1, Pat C. as Sister #2, Kathy C .
cannot attend ... .
Rhonda! .. ..
as Sister #3 and Rhonda S. as the new
Sister
#4 . The former Sister #1, Jean K.,
I know this is a bit early, but the 1990
If you're wondering about the tape
is
now
our Networking Coordinator.
Gay Games and Cultural Festival will
'
being -made by Friendships United, no,
Thank
you,
Jean, for your strong leadbe held in Vancouver, Canada, from
they haven't skipped town with your
ership,
and
welcome
aboard,
Pam!
....
August 4 -11, 1990. Anyone interested
money. There really is a tape (a good
in the games should contact the Metroone!), and a tape release party is being
politan Vancouver Athletic and Arts
planned for some time in August at
Association, 1170 Bute Street, VanGushers. Coordinator Palmira Campos
couver, B.C . Canada V6E 1Z6. The
said the effort to finish the tape is movnewsletter will have more information
ing slower than expected because they
as time draws near ....
want the tape to be exceptionally well
done - something the performers and
r------ - ------------------------------------,
REGISTRATION FOR FALL RETREAT (FOR WOMEN ONLY)
NAME(S) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Number of Pets _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
ADDRESS --~~~~~-~--~~~~~~~~~~~~-
(Pets must be kept on leash and no
pets in main building.)
CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE_ _ _ ZIP_ _ _ PHONE (_ _) _ _ _ __
0 I would like a scholarship
D I would like a work exchange
0 I will provide _ _ _ _ scholarships
0 I would like to lead a discussion group on - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 I would like to attend a group on - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - and a possible leader is - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
COMMENTS: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cost of the retreat is (preregistration) $17 • $20 sliding scale, or $25 for on-site registration. A limited number of
scholarships and work exchanges are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
At this year's fall retreat we are once again offering terrific meals at a great price. You may purchase them individually for
$2.50 apiece or buy all four for $10.00. In order to plan how much food to prepare, we must know which meals you'll be
purchasing. Please fill in the appropriate boxes below.
I WANT TO PURCHASE MEAL TICKETS FOR THE FOLLOWING MEALS:
D Friday Evening
D Saturday Noon
D Saturday Morning
D Sunday Morning
D ALL FOUR MEALS
L--------------- - ---------------------------~
2
HSR, JULY, 1989 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1
Around the Country
EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NEWARK WELCOMES
LESBIAN AND GAV COMMUNITY
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark has
established an innovative new ministry,
called "The Oasis,'' designed to make
lesbians and gay men feel more welcome
in the church.
"Just about every Episcopal church in
the country has a sign out front that
says, 'The Episcopal Church Welcomes
You'," points out the Rev. Robert Williams, director of The Oasis, "but in
many places it would be more honest if
they'd add a disclaimer: 'gays and lesbians need not apply'. The Oasis is an
attempt to make the welcome of the
Episcopal church a reality for gay men
and lesbians."
"The uniqueness of The Oasis,'' Williams says, "is that simultaneously it is
an indigenous gay ministry and an officially sanctioned organization of the
church. This is certainly not a ministry
to "convert" homosexuals to heterosexuality; it is rather a group of both gay
and nongay Christians committed to
doing ministry together as fellow members of the Christian Church." Williams, who was ordained an Episcopal
deacon June 3 by Bishop Spong, is an
openly gay man, and has been active in
Integrity, the lesbian and gay caucus
within the Episcopal church. "I'm about
as out of the closet as you can be,'' he
says, "and I have been for ten years.
When I speak of the gay and lesbian
community, I'm speaking of us."
The scope of the ministry of The
Oasis is primarily to the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, which includes all of
northern New Jersey. "But we also have
a ministry to the entire Episcopal
Church, and to the broader Christian
community,'' Williams says, "to be a
prophetic voice and to be a model for the
formation of similar ministries." The
Oasis office is in All Saints' Episcopal
Church in Hoboken, just across the river
from Manhattan's Greenwich Village with
its large gay population. "I certainly hope
our outreach extends to lesbians and gay
men in Manhattan,'' Williams says.
"That's why we chose this location."
The Oasis was officially commissioned
as a new ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark in a liturgical ceremony
Tuesday, June 20, at 7:30 p .m. at All
Saints' in Hoboken. The date was
chosen to coincide with the Manhattan
celebration of Lesbian and Gay Pride
Week. The Rev. Ellen Barrett, who
made headlines in 1977 when she
became the first openly lesbian priest
ordained in the Episcopal church, was
the guest preacher for the event. Bishop
Spong presided at the liturgy, which
included dedication of a banner which
was carried in the New York Lesbian
and Gay Pride Parade. Its message: "The
Episcopal Church Welcomes You." •
COMMITTEE
CLOSES DOWN
The National Committee to Free
Sharon Kowalski has closed its doors
effective June 30.
"Everything is set in place for a
secure future for Sharon,'' said Tacie
Dejanikus, co-chair of the Committee.
"With Sharon's move, we have substantially completed the agenda around
which we organized in 1987."
On June 12, Sharon was moved to
Trevilla of Robbinsdale, an extended
care facility near Minneapolis, MN. The
facility provides rehabilitation and transition to less structured care for braininjured persons. This move is the first
step in the rehabilitation plan recommended by Kowalski's therapists at the
Miller-Dwan Medical Center in Duluth.
Sue Wilson, Karen Thompson's attorney, said Sharon's father Donald has
asked St. Louis County District Court
Judge Robert V. Campbell to terminate
his guardianship of his daughter, "because if he can't do it his way, he
doesn't want to do it." Campbell has
specified that he will not appoint
Thompson as guardian. His selection of
a third party guardian is pending.
Thompson praised the work of the
National Committee. "the Committee
has achieved a great deal," she said.
"Any further areas of question in Sharon's future can be hammered out by my
lawyer in court. This nightmare is
almost over, and Sharon and I can be
free to determine what the future holds
for us."
The Committee reiterates that the
story of Sharon Kowalski represents a
powerfu esson about the need for all
couples who choose not to marry, or do
not have legal access to marriage, to
create durable power of attorney documents for their own protection.
While awaiting a vacancy at Trevilla,
Sharon spent several weeks at the Ebenezer Caroline Center in Minneapolis
and participated for the first time in a
medical staffing conference about her
care. She also received a pass to attend a
barbecue with Thompson and other
friends. It is expected that her medical
team at Trevilla will be agressive in
recommending further activities that
allow her to leave the facility.
Sharon may receive cards, flowers,
etc., at Trevilla of Robbinsdale, 3130
Grimes Ave. N., Robbinsdale, MN
55422.
For further information, contact
Karen Thompson at 3070 Fulton Circle, Clearwater, MN 55320.
•
LESBIAN ISSUES AND
OUTREACH PROJECT
The Human Rights Campaign Fund
(HRCF) has announced the creation of a
new Lesbian Issues and Outreach P.roject
to advance the lesbian political agenda
within the U.S. Congress and the gay and
lesbian community.
The project-one of the first of its kind
in the nation's capitol-will address the
political and policy issues of the lesbian
Continu/d on next page
HSR-CALENDAR
OF EVENTS-JULY
July 11 ·Peggy Johnson, Kerr Park, 11:45
a.m. - 1 p.m.
July 14 ·Friday Night Video, 7:30 p.m.,
"Color Purple"
July 15 • Peggy Johnson, Cantina del
Paseo, 3007 Paseo Blvd., 9 p.m.
July 23 • Sisters of Swing, Ada, call 5280020 for more information
July 28 • Friday Night Video, 7:30 p.m,
"Hotel New Hampshire"
Aug 6 • Open meeting for persons
interested in planning concerts, 2805
N. McKinley, 4:30 p.m., call 528-0020
for more info.
---~-- HSR,JULY,
1989 3
Continued from previous page
community and develop strategies to
advance those issues through federal legislation, education and advocacy.
The project will be extensively involved
in political strategizing, issues development, lesbian outreach, furidraising, coalition building and other activities.
"The Lesbian Issues and Outreach Project will enable HRCF to expand and
communicate - to Capitol Hill and our
community - a feminist agenda for civil
rights," said newly appointed HRCF Executive Director Tim Mcfeeley. "This includes equal social and economic opportunities and a broad range of other issues,
such as reproductive rights, guardianship
and domestic partnership concerns."
HRCF is now accepting applications for
director of the project. Responsibilities of
the director will include:
• Develop policy positions and legislative proposals and integrate them
into HRCF's political, lobbying,
media and constituent mobilization
operations;
• Design and implement an extensive
outreach program using the press,
speaking engagements and other
methods to inform the lesbian and
women's community of political
developments and to provide feedback to HRCF on women's issues;
• Build coalitions within the lesbian
community and with progressive
women's groups;
• Create a fundraising campaign focused on the lesbian and women's
community.
"Lesbian political power continues to
grow," said Hilary Rosen, HRCF board of
directors co-chair. "The National Lesbian
Conference in Atlanta in 1991 will affirm
a lesbian political agenda. HRCF looks
forward to participating in its development and implementing it in the U.S.
Congress."
Individuals interested in the position
should send resumes to the Human Rights
Campaign Fund, 1012 14th St. NW, Suite
607, Washington, D.C. 20005, Attention: Lesbian Issues and Outreach
Project. Salary will be commensurate with
experience. Deadline for applications is
July 30.
The Human Rights Campaign Fund is
the nation's largest political organization
fighting for lesbian and gay civil rights and
responsible federal AIDS policy.
•
4
HSR, JULY, 1989 -
-
---
ANTI-GAY VIOLENCE
IN U.S. WIDESPREAD IN 1988
Washington, D .C. - At an emotioncharged press conference in a Senate
Office Building in Washington, the
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
(NOLTF) released its annual report on
violence against lesbians and gay men
on June 7th. The report concludes that
the problem of anti-gay violence continued to be alarmingly widespread in
1988. A total of 7 ,248 incidents, ranging from harassment to homicide, were
reported to NOLTF by 120 organizations in 38 states and the District of
Columbia.
The NOLTF report, entitled Anti-
Gay Violence, Victimization and
Defamation in 1988, is the only
national measure of reports of harassment and violence against gay people.
Joining NGLTF Anti-Violence Project Director Kevin Berrill at the news
conference were: Claudia Brenner, victim of a brutal shooting attack in 1988
which left Brenner injured and her
lover dead, and representatives from
the offices of the chief Congressional
sponsors of the federal Hate Crime Statistics Act, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
and Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL).
Berrill, author of the 1988 report, said,
"This report is our annual wake-up call to
the American people, to public officials,
to the media, to teachers and to clergy.
Each act of anti-gay harassment and violence is an act of terrorism aimed at
depriving all lesbian and gay people of our
rights to speak, assemble, associate and
above all, to love."
Brenner's statement at the press conference added an emotional and personal dimension to the release of the
report. On May 13, 1988, Brenner and
her lover, Rebecca Wight, were brutally
attacked while on a camping trip in
Adams County, Pennsylvania. The assailant, who silently stalked them for
hours, shot and killed Rebecca Wight,
and seriously wounded Brenner during
the attack. Despite sustaining five gunshot wounds, Brenner walked nearly
four miles to find help and survived.
The assailant, Stephen R. Carr, was
convicted on October 28, 1988, of first
degree murder and was sentenced on
May 17, 1989 to life in prison without
the possibility of parole.
Brenner said in her statement , " Statistics abo ut murder, death and tragedy
mean different things to me now. Before
May 13, 1988, I believed that we, as
lesbians, could be hurt or harassed.
With words, most likely, maybe with
some force if things got out of hand. I
had accepted the potential harassment
gay people are accustomed to . . . I did
not consider brutal murder born of
hatred and ignorance. Nobody should
have to worry about brutal murder. I
didn't. I lived my life, chose my love
respectfully and honorably as I believe
all people should. Brutal murder happened to me. And killed Rebecca. It
happened because we were identified as
lesbians. By a stranger, with whom we
had no connection."
Of the 7,248 incidents reported to
NGLTF last year, 4,835 were verbal
harassment (67% of the total); 885
( 12 % ) were physical assualts; 713
( 10%) were threats of violep ce or
menacing; 449 ( 6) were acts of Wfndalism; 205 (3%) were episodes of police
verbal/physical abuse; 70 ( 1% ) were
homicides; 54 ( 1% ) were bomb threats;
and 9 were acts of arson.
The 7,248 incidents reported i 1988
slightly exceeds the total for 1987 (by 240
incidents or 3% ), and is the largest
number ever documented in a single
year by NGLTF. However, this increase
is the result of outreach by NOLTF to gay
community-based Metropolitan Community Churches (MC}:) and campus
gay /lesbian organizations. If data from
MCC and campus groups are excluded
from 1988 figures, reports of anti-gay
harassment dropped 29%. By the same
measure, however, the number of violent
crimes increased. Among non-campus,
non-MCC groups acts of arson doubled
from 4 to 8, reports of physical assaults
increased 4%, reports of homicide increased 9% and reports of police abuse
increased 32%.
While offering comparison with incidents of violence reported in previous
years, the 1988 NOLTF report stressed
that such comparisons are made with
great caution. "We cannot accurately
gauge whether and how much the problem has changed in comparison to other
years. Fluctuations in the number of
groups reporting to NOLTF, lack of
systematic data collection throughout
the U.S., and underreporting by victims
make it difficult to ascertain whether
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
the problem has grown, diminished or
remained constant."
AIDS-related incidents increased in
1988 indicating that hatred and blame
associated with the disease continue
unabated. Seventeen percent ( 17%) or
1,259 of the total 7 ,248 incidents
reported to NOLTF in 1988 were classified by local groups as AIDS-related.
The 1988 report concludes that antigay organized hate group activity-most
of it involving neo-Nazi "Skinheads" appeared to be on the rise, with organizations in 17 communities reporting antigay threats and/or attacks by hate groups.
NOLTF called ·for a concerted effort
by government and community leaders
to fight anti-gay and hate-motivated
violence. NOLTF named the passage of
the Hate Crime Statistics Act, which
now has 126 cosponsors in the House
and 4 7 in the Senate, a top legislative
priority.
Copies of the NOLTF report may be
obtained for $4.00 for single copies and
$2.50 each for copies of 10 or more, by
writing NOLTF 1988 Report, 1517 U
Street NW, Washington D.C. 20009.•
NATIONAL MUSEUM
OF LESBIAN & GAY
HISTORY CREATED
The Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center, located at 208 West 13th
Street in Manhattan, New York, announces the founding of the first museum
in the United States devoted to lesbian
and gay history. It will be called the
National Museum of Lesbian and Gay
History.
"This is a crucial step in preserving our
heritage,'' says Executive Director Richard
D. Burns, who convened a six-member
committee that is coordinating the organization of the museum.
The Center is acquiring a substantial
portion of the contents of the International Gay History Archive, a major collection amassed over ten years by John
Hammond and Bruce Eves. It includes
periodicals, books and memorabilia.
The archive will be stored in rooms in
the basement of the Center that are now
being cleaned and repainted. It will be
exhibited in the Center's meeting spaces
on a rotating basis, with all of it accessible
to students, scholars, historians, and writers, by appointment. "The Center will
serve as a safe place to store the archive
and the many items we expect to add to it
in future years," says Burns.
The museum's first independent project, a multi-media exhibition commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, took place in June, Lesbian
and Gay Pride and History Month. Entitled "Imagining Stonewall," the exhibit
included audio, video, picture and documentary displays. The Center has already
successfully displayed the photographs of
Robert Giard and Marilyn Humphries. •
Potpourri
SUMMER FUN IN
THE SUN (MAYBE)
by Sondra Metzger
We have all heard about how harmful summers can be for us: dehydration
causing heat stroke and one too many
suntans and sunburns causing skin
cancer. But some of us don't stop to
consider what all this heat does to our
pets.
If you have a pet, you are probably
aware of the hazards summer can bring
to your four-legged friend. The main
problem with summer heat is the possibility of heat stroke. You already know
about pets and closed cars, but you
might not remember about the pet tied
up out back. Tying dogs to trees or dog
houses can also bring about heat stroke
due to the movement of the sun as the
day goes on. Fresh water is a must at all
times as well as adequate shade.
And how about those summer treats?
Did you know that ice cream is a no-no
for dogs? As much as they love it, the
lactose it contains is difficult for them to
digest. Try giving your pet ice cubes
instead. There is also a new product on
the market called Frosty Paws. This is
the dog version of ice cream and contains ingredients that are more digestible and much better for your dog.
Lyme disease can be another problem. This disease is spread by very small
ticks that are hardly visible to the naked
eye. Although there is no evidence that
Lyme disease can be transmitted from
dogs to humans, ticks can still carry the
disease to both. Results of the disease
are lameness in one or more legs, swelling and pain in the joints and a fever. If
your dog b-:comes lame or feverish, you
should take it to the vet for lab tests as
soon as possible.
You can eliminate ticks before they
have a chance to spread the disease by
using dips, sprays and powders. If your
pet already shows signs of the disease, it
can be treated successfully with antibiotics available from your vet.
Did you know that a dog or cat can
actually die from fleas? They can actually lose enough blood to fleas and ticks
that they develop what's called flea or
tick anemia. The flea problem is going
to be bigger than ever this year. Spraying your yard and your pet's bedding
will help in controlling the problem to a
point, but your pet should also be
sprayed, dipped or powdered as well.
Be careful with puppies and kittens. Up
to a certain age, their systems cannot
handle the potency of most flea and tick
products. Age limitations and directions are listed on the products. ,There
are also a few products made jdst for
them.
Of the many different flea and tick
control products on the market, some
work, some don't. A year ago there was
a fatality problem with Hartz MouQ.tain
Blockade. The product is still on the
market. Hartz Mountain redesigned the
can so the directions are more evident,
and contends that if the directions are
followed, no harm will come to the pet.
Welfare groups are still watching and
waiting to see if there p.re any more
problems.
Consult with your vet before trying
anything on your dog or cat that you
are not sure of. It can't hurt; it can only
help both you and your pet have a more
enjoyable summer.
•
r:-------------,
O YES! I want to be a Friend of Herland. My minimum
donation of $12 allows me use of the Herland Library and
a 10% discount on store purchases over the next 12
months. (My $12 is enclosed.)
D YES! I want to help Herland with a donation to the
New Building Fund.
D $15
D $50
D $20
D $100
D $25
D $_ _
D Bookstore volunteer D Building volunteer
Name - - - - - - - - - - - - Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
City _ _ _ _ _ __
St____ZIP _ _
Telephone Number: (
Mail to:
Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
2312 N.W. 39th
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
-----HSR,JULY, 1989
5
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HSR, JULY, 1989 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HSR, JULY, 1989
7
AN INTERVIEW WITH LYNN ATKINSON
conducted by Mary P.
Lynn Atkinson received her Masters in Social
Work from the University of Oklahoma and her
PhD in Sociology from Oklahoma State University. She has worked as a sociiil worker in various areas of human services for fifteen years.
Dr. Atkinson is currently employed as an Assistant Professor in Sociology and Social Work at
OSU and as a contract worker for various
social service agencies in Stillwater. Dr. Atkinson currently resides in Glencoe, Oklahoma.
Due to space limitations, the fo llowing is a
condensed version of an inverview with Dr.
Atkinson about her new book, Power and
Empowerment, the Power Principle, published by Falcon Press . We express our gratitude
to Mary P. for a job well done in conducting the
interview and sharing it with us.
Mary: One of the chapters in your
book is titled "You can drink, take
drugs, have a heart attack, or go crazy.
For what are we working?". What does
this have to do with your book?
Lynn: It has to do with the idea of getting
more philosophical about what life is about
and what you want to accomplish in life.
Those things are peoples' way of coping
with stressful situations and situations
when they have gotten into a depowering
mode. That question actually looks at what
are we here for, what do we want to live
for, how do we want our lives to be, what
do we want our lives to be, and why are we
getting caught up in the things that we
don't want our lives to be.
Mary: What do you mean by depowering mode?
Lynn: Depowering is putting other people
down in order to put yoursulf up i11 some
way, or putting yourself down in order to
put others up. It is a negative action to put
someone down rather than raising someone
up.
Mary: Basically we're talking about
power and there are a lot of people who
believe that you need to have power in
order to be successful, and it doesn't
matter how you acquire it. Obviously
you don't believe this. Why?
Lynn: Everyone has power and everyone
is using power in any situation they come
across. To say that you're not is a lie. When
people use their power in a depowering
fashion, they have to worry about all the
back-stabbing and the hatred that is going
8
HSR, JULY, 1989 - -- -
to come because they've put somebody else
down. They never really get what they want
because they're always having to watch
their back. With empowerment, my belief is
the way you get power is by giving it away,
and the more you give it away the more
powerful a person you are. People that use
empowering techniques are doing something that creates good will and loyalty.
They may not always get what they want by
doing this, but they create an environment
where they will be empowered in the future,
and it just kind of comes and goes, plus they
create a habit that is empowering to the
soul. Or depowering closes the soul down . ..
Mary: Power can be used for good or
evil or to hurt or to help people. It's not
as obvious as all that is it?
Lynn: My experience has been that most
people do use empowerment unless they are
in a situation where they feel in pain or
threatened. When they feel in pain or
threatened they'll come back to depowerment. When you look at power use or how
people use power you have to look at their
belief systems, at what happened to them,
at their circumstances, and what would be
the best in the circumstances, and you've
got to analyze all of this to decide which is
empowering and which is depowering. A
lot depends on the situation.
Mary: Could you explain how personal
pain and power tie into some of the
priciples in your book?
Lynn: Most people, when they are hurt
and angry at someone, the first thing they
do is run around and talk to all of their
friends and tell them what a louse this
person is because they did it to them. That
makes them feel better but now all this
gossip is going to get back to that person
and that person is going to feel anger and
resentment that they wouldn't come directly
to them. Whereas if you look at the
situation and try to say "What's the most
empowering thing I can do?", you'd go
directly to the person. When we choose to
be in pain and see something as a problem
then we want to get rid of that pain as
quickly as possible, so we tend to do
depowering things that will create more
pain. If you look at the situation and say
"what can I do to bring power to myself or
to equalize the opportunity" you'll respond
very differntly.
Mary: Where do we learn our use of
power?
Lynn: Through socialization. You learn it
from your parents, by seeing how they
empower and depower people. You learn it
from television, schools, the culture, your
peer groups; everyone you come in contact
with.
Mary: If you use power and empowering techniques like you believe in using
them, don't you come under a lot of
criticism and aren't you running against
the norm of what power should be?
Lynn: It's my hypothesis that you use
power in every relationship and contact you
make. When people help each other, feel
good about what they're doing, enjoy each
other's company, empowerment is in all of
those. I think when we start thinking of '
power use as 'power use' most of us think of
depowerment, and using depowering techniques. It's so much easier to go :bf hind
somebody's back and put them dowrilfather
than to face someone directly. My response
if people put me down is to talk to them
directly and empower them by saying such
things as, "I know you did this because
you're in pain and because you hav~ some
problems with what I'm doing. Let's talk
about it."
Mary: If one is not superior to the
other that's a no-win situation. How
can that be a win-win situation for both
the people involved? I
Lynn: Well I think it can be a win-win
situation depending on what you define as
win. If you define winning as getting your
way all the time then neither empowerment
nor depowerment works. If you define
winning as improving, then empowerment's
going to work better than depowerment.
Mary: You have some opinions on
changing the system and allowing the
system to change. Your background is
extensive in standing up for human
rights. You've worked within the system. How do you feel that society or
any system could change using the
empowerment technique?
Lynn: A system is made up of individuals,
and a system can't change, but individuals
can, and by changing individuals you
change the system. Empowering techniques
are grass-roots level. You reach folks in
their head and in their heart, and once you
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
reach them they can change. In terms of
changing depowerment in the system anyone
who works in a system can refuse to do it. I
have worked for organizations that have
told me that I will make statements that I
have done a certain activity and that I'll
put it in my case records . I won't do it. It
depends on what you are living for. Are you
just living for making this money and
staying in this little job or are you living as
a person with a soul? If you are living as a
person with a soul you look at life
differently.
Mary: So you believe that using empowerment we can have an equal
society. We can have everyone equal.
Lynn: We can have everyone, as a person,
equally valued. That doesn't mean we'd all
be doing the same things, or have the same
skill or whatever, but I think we could have
equal values. And I think it's possible that
as a people, a group, we create our own
reality, we create our own society. So if we
change our hearts and minds and try to
create something else I think it's real
possible.
Mary: You said "we may be able to
make people hurt, but can we set them
free?" What does this have to do with
empowerment?
Lynn: Basically empowering is the act of
setting free. To me empowerment is helping
create equality and it's also making people
aware that less is more. You know, the
whole crux to me gets down to the matter:
what kind of person do you want to be?
What is it that you're looking for out of
life. If you're looking for material gain or
whatever, chances are you're going to be
depowering. If you're looking for gain but
realize that you're a person with a soul and
that you are living a life based on wanting
to have a quality life or be a person that
stands for something then you're looking at
a whole different way of power use.
Mary: If you operate from empowerment then the idea is to realize that each
human being has their own pain . . .
Lynn: Right. And we're going to look for
the solution that's best for both of us. I'm
not going to put you down, and I'm not
going to put myself down.
M ary: Then power and empowerment
is actually an opportunity to love?
Lynn: Yeah. And it's a little more. We
then runs "retreat errands" on her days
get into the idea of love in terms of 'what
you can do for me' or 'how I can make the
whole world beautiful.' Empowerment to
me is the idea of love where you can make
the whole thing beautiful, or the Greek
word agape love which is different from
eros or fillia love. It's a spiritual love. It's
a thing where by giving, by empowering,
you are refilled yourself.
off.
Mary: How is empowerment a possible
solution to the problems of life?
Lynn: It's not a solution in terms of
getting rid of the hardships. It's a solution
in terms of how you look at life. And in
empowerment you're not looking at anything different that hasn't been said by
every messiah figure that has ever lived.
When you're talking empowerment, you're
talking about doing what Jesus Christ
taught. Not what the churches teach today,
but what he taught. In terms of equalizing
people, reaching out and seeing the pain
inside of other people, and healing it, in
trying to realize that we're all in this
together. I think it is a way you change
things, because you get everybody working
together, with their hearts and minds
involved, and I think you'll see changes. •
Meet the Board
OUR CAMP
DIRECTOR
by Sondra Metzger
After the Spring Retreat, you didn't
find our camp director and this month's
featured board member propping her
feet up. Laura is already preparing for
the Fall Retreat.
"I volunteered to do the retreats until
someone else came along who wanted
the job,'' she said. "That was four years
ago. I get such a kick out of it. I get a
masochistic pleasure out of wearing
myself out and exhausting
myself."
If you thought planning a retreat was
easy, guess again. Laura averages over
400 hours of volunteer time per retreat.
It begins with telephone calls to locate a
place to have the retreat. From that
point on, she spends an hour working
on the retreat every night after work,
Her expertise is unmatched within
our organization. Laura's knowledge of
people cannot be taught. She knows
who would do workshops, the type of
women who will be coming to the
retreats and what to plan for them, who
she can ask what of and the type of
talent that would be great entertainment
for retreat audiences.
She considers her hard work rewarded when she sees and hears campers wishing the retreat would last all
year.
The native Oklahoman spent part of
her young life in an institution as an
alternative to living in an abusive home.
During her stay, she watched as friends
were raped and abused; some even died.
To combat what was happening in the
system, Laura filed a lawsuit that
received national attention while she
was still in the institution. In hop~s that
she would wind up in prison afi\11 not
fulfill the lawsuit, the institution gave
her a high school diploma and sent her
on her way. She has a tenth-grade-level
education.
"I didn't go to prison, and the lawsuit
was settled in 1984,'' she said. "Because
of it, a lot of institutions were changed,
laws were changed, the children's bill of
rights was created, child abuse was
outlawed in institutions, additional
adjudication for childr),n in need of
treatment was created. It was a very
corrupt system. Very vicitimized."
Following settlement of the suit, the
state asked her to work within the
system to help modify it. After that,
Laura's background enabled her to gain
a counselor's position at a psychiatric
facility where she has worked with
physically and sexually abused adolescents for three years.
She hopes someday to be a part of or
start a transitional living program for
teens 18 and 19 years old to train them
to be on their own. She feels the
program is needed by those who have
not learned how to survive legally and
within the social system; something that
a college course would not teach them.
She would also like to develop a
therapeutic pet program at the facility,
and become more involved in the
R .O.P.E.S. course, a wilderness adventure course.
Continued on next page
--~-- HSR,JULY,
1989
')""''
.··_··. . -:-·
9
Continued frorr ,>revious page
Outside of work, Berland seems to
be Laura's biggest interest. She is
presently trying to form an outdoor
adventure club at HSR, along with
planning the Fall Retreat.
Laura was introduced. to Berland by
Barbara Cleveland and was one of the
first board members in 1984.
"We came to meetings with our
checkbooks, pooled our money and
bought books with whatever we came
up with," she said.
She dreams of Berland being recognized and its existence acknowledged,
not for who is involved with HSR but
what HSR is and its intent. She feels
that people know of HSR through specific people, not as an organization in
and of itself.
"Our intent," she said, "has always
been to be there for everybody, to be
what is needed in the community and to
be available no matter what to all
women who need us. I think we can
continue to evolve as long as the energy
is positive and it doesn't become a
personal thing. It's such a challenge
because it has to change all the time to
survive."
Laura also dreams of the day when
the retreats will be equivalent to the
music festivals around the country.
"Someday people everywhere will look
forward to coming to Oklahoma each
year for the retreats," she said. "l forsee
it growing in numbers, growing in workshops, growing to four days and drawing 500 -60 0 people from all over the
country.''
Laura takes great pride in the fact
that the retreat is a safe place to be
whoever you are. She stresses the fact
that the openness allows people to do
whatever they want as long as it doesn't
hurt someone else.
"When I arrive early, get the keys
and start unloading," she said, "l feel
like this is our home. When I have to
load back up and turn in the keys, it's
theirs again. But, we always leave it with
a better feeling than it had when we
came."
Laura admits that she looks forward
to the potluck dinners at the retreats
more than any other meal. She's hoping
someone's around to roll her into one
when she's 90 . I think she just enjoys
having 8 0 or so women cook for her.
10
HSR, JULY, 1989 -
-
-
-
She is also considering putting together
a cookbook of potluck dishes.
In appreciation for all her hard work
on making retreats a success, Laura was
presented with a red director's chair by
the Volunteer Committee at the Spring
Retreat. Her name and title are embroidered on the back.
To Laura, Berland is. quite a lady.
When I asked her what HSR meant to
her, Laura thought she was .. .
" ... a thing of beauty that's a feeling,
not a visual beauty," she said. "The first
day I walked into the building on 39th
Street, I walked through the window
and looked at the trash laying all over
the place. I cried thinking it wasn't
going to work. Then I started cleaning
up and people started coming in to
help. Eight hours later we were eating
burgers and that feeling was there. That
feeling of community and family. Berland means family to me. Nowhere else
are you going to get the experiences and
friendships you get at Herland and her
retreats. You won't get them sitting in
some bar. If it wasn't for Berland, my
whole life would be very, very different."
•
Letters to the Editor
Dear Herland,
Reading on the last page of the newsletter I see an announcement that begins
"Herland is . .. "
Lately, it seems to me Herland is exclusively lesbian oriented.
Women, there alot of straight women in
Oklahoma, too. They, too, need to be
reached with literature and support, maybe
even more since many of them deal with the
patriarchal attitudes of not just society, but
their families, even their " significant other"
on a daily basis.
Bi-sexuals also exist and find themselves
excluded by both straights and gays. I am
bi-sexual, and I was beginning to wonder if
I was welcome at Herland. I have never
made any secret about my sexuality. I have
been ridiculed by straights and gays. I fact,
more so by gays!
Do you know how gays treat bi-sexuals.
"You're too cowardly to be gay." "How can
you be with that man." "It's all your fa ult
us (clean) gays get VD" (from my dirty
male partners). " You're just playing a
game with us." The dirty looks/ cold shoul-
- - - - - - -- -- -
ders if I walk in with a man go uncounted.
Even <f he is also bi-sexual. Sometimes
especially if he is bi.
Do you know how straights treat bi's?
"You're the reason straight people get
AIDS," or they have a morbid fascination.
The men want to watch. The women, about
half the time, want to seduce you to see
what it's like. Great. I'm a typhoid Mary or
an organic vibrator.
I know how the public treats gays, and
it's sad that gays, who have suffered so
much from prejudice themselves, can still be
so prejudiced and cruel. I, for one, am sick
of advocating gay rights while being kicked
in the ass by gay people.
So, am I welcome ANYWHERE?! Is
Herland a feminist organization, or a
strictly lesbian organization. Which is it?
Sign me,
A Concerned Reader
Dear Herland,
The phenomenon of women's li}~sic is
very important to women's culturalvlife. I
think that everyone 'U{Ould agree that we
want the travelling women musicians to
make OKC a tour stop, continuing the tradition that Barbara Cleveland started and
which has continued after her departure.
However, I feel very strongly that the problems connected with presenting concerts
and appearances need to be met by a strong,
active and hardworking program committee. Therefore I would like to propose these
motions for approval by the board.
1. That an open meeting for anyone who
would like to be involved in planning
concerts be called for a date during the
first two weekends of August, so that it
can be advertised in the newsletter and
everyone who would like to may have
some input and that a chairperson be
chosen at that time.
2. The committee take full control of the
coffeehouses. I am offering my new
house for the coffeehouses after the June
one because it is much bigger and the
artists and Herland can make more
money. There's plenty of room to sell
books, too.
3. That the committee once formed be
directed by the Herland board to hold a
fundraiser for an endowment to meet
expenses incurred by concerts. I think
the Friendships United benefit where
almost $1000 was raised should show
that we could put the concerts on a better budget. I feel that if the concert fund
were secure, the concerts could be a
money-maker for Herland, as well as a
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
boon to our community.
A ll these proposals are saying is that the
concert process has always been loose and
never really under the control of any board.
Therefore the concert situation has controlled us, rather than the other way
around. I believe we must seize the opportunity to organize, to involve more people,
and then to build our community using this
valuable cultural force, women's music.
Thanks.
Mary R.
The HSR Newsletter is offered as an open forum
for community discourse. Materials printed herein
reflect the beliefs and opinions of the authors of
the articles or letters, and not necessarily those of
the Newsletter or the Herland Board.
ANNOUNCES
FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEO
July 14, 7:30 p.m. - "Color Purple"
BOARD MEETING
July 16, 4:30 p.m. - Resource Center
FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEO
July 28, 7:30 p.m. - "Hotel New Hampshire"
PUBLISHED BY: Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
2312 NW 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
EDITOR: Karen Lewis
!,)
PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING
CO-EDITOR: Sondra Metzger
ADVERTISI NG MGR: Sondra Metzger
TYPESETTING: Rhonda Smith
CIRCULATION: 700
August 6, 4:30 p.m., 2805 N. McKinley, open
meeting for anxone who would like to be
involved m planning concerts
GENERAL INFO: (405) 794-7464 or 521-9696
VOLUNTEER INFO: 528-0604
ADVERTISI NG 732 - 2315
DEADLINE on all advertising and submissions is
the 15th of each month.
SUBSCRIPTIONS to this Newsletter are free
upon request.
HERLAND CENTER IS NOW OPEN:
SATURDAYS 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
SUNDAYS 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
I
,-------------------------------------------,
WIN!
REGISTRATION FOR 2 for any retreat held within 1 year of date of eligibility.
Includes registration and meals -- A $60 VALUE!
Drawing to be held during August Board Meeting.
NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN.
TICKETS ARE $1. If you want to buy more than one chance, we will make the appropriate number of
copies and drop them in the pot.
Herland Sister Resources
2312 N.W. 39th
Fill out the below information and mail to:
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
ff·r--r/'1 ,• f<.t "T ({ r;.p,T
fl.AFF'-e
Address ~------------------------------------~
Citv~---------------------- Stat~------ ZIP_ _ _ _ _ __
$ Amount enclose _ _ __
Phone
Number of tickets desired
L------------------------------------- - -----~
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HSR, JULY, 1989
11
Classifieds
HOUSECLEANING, Pet Sitting and Grooming, Housesitting,
Odd Jobs. Affordable rates. References on request. 842-4225.
Buy or Rent • this very nice 3BR, 1Yz bath brick home on
9/10 acre in Noble. 405-872-8673.
Adorable Tabby Kitten • 8-week-old male foundling;
shots. Free to good home. 1-872-8673.
CHURCH OF CHRIST
FOR GAY PEOPLE
MEETS THURSDAYS, 7:30 P.M.
102 EAST HEFNER ROAD
IN OKIAHOMA CITY
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. BOX 60873, OKC OK 73146
DANNY (405) 787-1253 OR JANIE (405) 755.7259
Magic Hattbs
"Stress Management"
Th~rapeutic Massage
REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Sall\j Blcvitts
525-5907
P. 0. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
321-2148
Adolescent .. . Group ...
Family Therapy
KEMCO
•
Treat yourself like a
millionaire for a day.
Get a Massage and live
like the Rich and
:.~·1
Famous.
Gift certificates also
available. What better
gift for that hard·to·
shop-for person?
Designs With Lettering
PRINTING INC.
Custom Signs and Lettering
359-1900
340-4301
1601 S. Broadway, Unit D •Edmond. Okla. 73013
HSR would like to thank the women of DWL for their generous
donations of signs for our new building.
TREAT YOURSEL T TO THE "TOUCH OF GOLD."
Treat your special someone, too, for $10 off her massage!
ooucfi of Qold
848-5429
HEALTHFUL • STRESS RELIEVING MASSAGE
Special
discounts
available
to all
Her land
readers!
12
6y
Melanie ~· McKiddy
MASSAGE THERAPIST
360-6945
"Portable"
massage
table
available
for your
cont1enience.
SHIRLEY M. HUNTER, M.A.
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
Emphasis on the problems of gay people.
PENN PARK OFFICE COMPLEX e SUITE 102
5009 N PENNSYLVANIA• OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73112
HSR, JULY, 1989 - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - --
- -- -- - - - - -
-
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 7
JULY,1989
**** **
A GAY DAY IN JUNE
"Bigger" and "better" are the key words
to describe this year's Second Annual Gay
and Lesbian Pride March.
With Oklahoma City police providing
security at the front and back of the march
as well as patrolling the route, participants
carried signs, banners, balloons and Oklahoma panels for the Names Project quilt.
They rode on horseback, in cars, on
motorcycles, on bicycles and on floats.
They walked all over banners taped to the
road that contained negative words such
IGNORANCE and FEAR. If OKC didn't
know after last year's march just how
proud participants are to be who they are
and to be a part of their community, it
knows this year.
HERLAND SISTE R RESOURCES, INC.
2312 N.W 39TH, OKC 73112 • (405) 521-9696
The day began with speakers and singers, including Peggy Johnson and Randall
Powell, at Memorial Park, followed by the
march and ending with a block party
behind the bars on 39th Street. The sun
was once again hot and high in the sky, but
volunteers from the Gay Helpline provided water for the marchers along the
route to relieve some of the stress from
heat. The number of participants were
double that of last year's march, if not
more.
Although this year's march commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall
riots in New York, it went off without any
violence. But there were a few visible
opponents. A few members of the KKK
- --
stood silently watching the march, letting
their signs voice their opinion.
At the conclusion of the march, participants found hot dogs, cake, refreshments,
music, books and raffles at the block
party.
The one thing everyone found was comradarie; sisters and brothers who experience a common oppression came together peacefully as a community, to try to
educate the ignorant, calm the fears of the
unknowing and just survive. May Oklahoma City's Gay Pride Parade one day
rival San Francisco's!
•
- - - - - - - - - - - HSR, JULY, 1989
1
by Sondra Metzger
Maggie E. is moving to San Diego in
The head of our Volunteer Committee,
August and wants to turn her mowing
Margaret C ., has turned her duties over
the community will be very proud of.
business over to someone in the comWatch for more info in the August to Pam T. We would like to express our
munity. If you're interested, call her at
deepest gratitude to Margaret for all the
newsletter . . ..
728-7856. We'd like td thank Maggie .
time and energy she has contributed
and Charleen for taking care .of the
Due to my error, the cost of the Fall toward ensuring that the store and
grounds at the Resource Center. Great
Retreat was left out of the article and tables at events were staffed. We can
job! ...
the registration form. Pre-registration never repay her for the time she has
prices are $17 - $20. On-site registra- devoted to making phone calls and
There will be a meeting Aug. 6, 4:30
tion is $25. This price does not include keeping track of who is working when,
p.m. at 2805 N. McKinley for anyone
the meal tickets. For example, the total sometimes filling in herself when no
interested in being involved in planning
for one person who wishes to purchase one else was available. Thank you, Sisconcerts. Refreshments will be served.
meals would be $30. Scholarships and · ter 50, and good luck, Pam.
For more information, call Mary at
work programs will be availab!e on a .
528-0020 ....
first-come, first-served basis, If anyone Berland has a new board member, Pam
can offer to contribute a scholarship, it T. The executive committee has also
The newsletter is back to normal this
would be of great help to those who changed, with Jill W. taking the reins as
month. Let's hear if for our typesetter,
Sister #1, Pat C. as Sister #2, Kathy C .
cannot attend ... .
Rhonda! .. ..
as Sister #3 and Rhonda S. as the new
Sister
#4 . The former Sister #1, Jean K.,
I know this is a bit early, but the 1990
If you're wondering about the tape
is
now
our Networking Coordinator.
Gay Games and Cultural Festival will
'
being -made by Friendships United, no,
Thank
you,
Jean, for your strong leadbe held in Vancouver, Canada, from
they haven't skipped town with your
ership,
and
welcome
aboard,
Pam!
....
August 4 -11, 1990. Anyone interested
money. There really is a tape (a good
in the games should contact the Metroone!), and a tape release party is being
politan Vancouver Athletic and Arts
planned for some time in August at
Association, 1170 Bute Street, VanGushers. Coordinator Palmira Campos
couver, B.C . Canada V6E 1Z6. The
said the effort to finish the tape is movnewsletter will have more information
ing slower than expected because they
as time draws near ....
want the tape to be exceptionally well
done - something the performers and
r------ - ------------------------------------,
REGISTRATION FOR FALL RETREAT (FOR WOMEN ONLY)
NAME(S) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Number of Pets _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
ADDRESS --~~~~~-~--~~~~~~~~~~~~-
(Pets must be kept on leash and no
pets in main building.)
CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE_ _ _ ZIP_ _ _ PHONE (_ _) _ _ _ __
0 I would like a scholarship
D I would like a work exchange
0 I will provide _ _ _ _ scholarships
0 I would like to lead a discussion group on - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0 I would like to attend a group on - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - and a possible leader is - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
COMMENTS: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cost of the retreat is (preregistration) $17 • $20 sliding scale, or $25 for on-site registration. A limited number of
scholarships and work exchanges are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
At this year's fall retreat we are once again offering terrific meals at a great price. You may purchase them individually for
$2.50 apiece or buy all four for $10.00. In order to plan how much food to prepare, we must know which meals you'll be
purchasing. Please fill in the appropriate boxes below.
I WANT TO PURCHASE MEAL TICKETS FOR THE FOLLOWING MEALS:
D Friday Evening
D Saturday Noon
D Saturday Morning
D Sunday Morning
D ALL FOUR MEALS
L--------------- - ---------------------------~
2
HSR, JULY, 1989 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1
Around the Country
EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NEWARK WELCOMES
LESBIAN AND GAV COMMUNITY
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark has
established an innovative new ministry,
called "The Oasis,'' designed to make
lesbians and gay men feel more welcome
in the church.
"Just about every Episcopal church in
the country has a sign out front that
says, 'The Episcopal Church Welcomes
You'," points out the Rev. Robert Williams, director of The Oasis, "but in
many places it would be more honest if
they'd add a disclaimer: 'gays and lesbians need not apply'. The Oasis is an
attempt to make the welcome of the
Episcopal church a reality for gay men
and lesbians."
"The uniqueness of The Oasis,'' Williams says, "is that simultaneously it is
an indigenous gay ministry and an officially sanctioned organization of the
church. This is certainly not a ministry
to "convert" homosexuals to heterosexuality; it is rather a group of both gay
and nongay Christians committed to
doing ministry together as fellow members of the Christian Church." Williams, who was ordained an Episcopal
deacon June 3 by Bishop Spong, is an
openly gay man, and has been active in
Integrity, the lesbian and gay caucus
within the Episcopal church. "I'm about
as out of the closet as you can be,'' he
says, "and I have been for ten years.
When I speak of the gay and lesbian
community, I'm speaking of us."
The scope of the ministry of The
Oasis is primarily to the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, which includes all of
northern New Jersey. "But we also have
a ministry to the entire Episcopal
Church, and to the broader Christian
community,'' Williams says, "to be a
prophetic voice and to be a model for the
formation of similar ministries." The
Oasis office is in All Saints' Episcopal
Church in Hoboken, just across the river
from Manhattan's Greenwich Village with
its large gay population. "I certainly hope
our outreach extends to lesbians and gay
men in Manhattan,'' Williams says.
"That's why we chose this location."
The Oasis was officially commissioned
as a new ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark in a liturgical ceremony
Tuesday, June 20, at 7:30 p .m. at All
Saints' in Hoboken. The date was
chosen to coincide with the Manhattan
celebration of Lesbian and Gay Pride
Week. The Rev. Ellen Barrett, who
made headlines in 1977 when she
became the first openly lesbian priest
ordained in the Episcopal church, was
the guest preacher for the event. Bishop
Spong presided at the liturgy, which
included dedication of a banner which
was carried in the New York Lesbian
and Gay Pride Parade. Its message: "The
Episcopal Church Welcomes You." •
COMMITTEE
CLOSES DOWN
The National Committee to Free
Sharon Kowalski has closed its doors
effective June 30.
"Everything is set in place for a
secure future for Sharon,'' said Tacie
Dejanikus, co-chair of the Committee.
"With Sharon's move, we have substantially completed the agenda around
which we organized in 1987."
On June 12, Sharon was moved to
Trevilla of Robbinsdale, an extended
care facility near Minneapolis, MN. The
facility provides rehabilitation and transition to less structured care for braininjured persons. This move is the first
step in the rehabilitation plan recommended by Kowalski's therapists at the
Miller-Dwan Medical Center in Duluth.
Sue Wilson, Karen Thompson's attorney, said Sharon's father Donald has
asked St. Louis County District Court
Judge Robert V. Campbell to terminate
his guardianship of his daughter, "because if he can't do it his way, he
doesn't want to do it." Campbell has
specified that he will not appoint
Thompson as guardian. His selection of
a third party guardian is pending.
Thompson praised the work of the
National Committee. "the Committee
has achieved a great deal," she said.
"Any further areas of question in Sharon's future can be hammered out by my
lawyer in court. This nightmare is
almost over, and Sharon and I can be
free to determine what the future holds
for us."
The Committee reiterates that the
story of Sharon Kowalski represents a
powerfu esson about the need for all
couples who choose not to marry, or do
not have legal access to marriage, to
create durable power of attorney documents for their own protection.
While awaiting a vacancy at Trevilla,
Sharon spent several weeks at the Ebenezer Caroline Center in Minneapolis
and participated for the first time in a
medical staffing conference about her
care. She also received a pass to attend a
barbecue with Thompson and other
friends. It is expected that her medical
team at Trevilla will be agressive in
recommending further activities that
allow her to leave the facility.
Sharon may receive cards, flowers,
etc., at Trevilla of Robbinsdale, 3130
Grimes Ave. N., Robbinsdale, MN
55422.
For further information, contact
Karen Thompson at 3070 Fulton Circle, Clearwater, MN 55320.
•
LESBIAN ISSUES AND
OUTREACH PROJECT
The Human Rights Campaign Fund
(HRCF) has announced the creation of a
new Lesbian Issues and Outreach P.roject
to advance the lesbian political agenda
within the U.S. Congress and the gay and
lesbian community.
The project-one of the first of its kind
in the nation's capitol-will address the
political and policy issues of the lesbian
Continu/d on next page
HSR-CALENDAR
OF EVENTS-JULY
July 11 ·Peggy Johnson, Kerr Park, 11:45
a.m. - 1 p.m.
July 14 ·Friday Night Video, 7:30 p.m.,
"Color Purple"
July 15 • Peggy Johnson, Cantina del
Paseo, 3007 Paseo Blvd., 9 p.m.
July 23 • Sisters of Swing, Ada, call 5280020 for more information
July 28 • Friday Night Video, 7:30 p.m,
"Hotel New Hampshire"
Aug 6 • Open meeting for persons
interested in planning concerts, 2805
N. McKinley, 4:30 p.m., call 528-0020
for more info.
---~-- HSR,JULY,
1989 3
Continued from previous page
community and develop strategies to
advance those issues through federal legislation, education and advocacy.
The project will be extensively involved
in political strategizing, issues development, lesbian outreach, furidraising, coalition building and other activities.
"The Lesbian Issues and Outreach Project will enable HRCF to expand and
communicate - to Capitol Hill and our
community - a feminist agenda for civil
rights," said newly appointed HRCF Executive Director Tim Mcfeeley. "This includes equal social and economic opportunities and a broad range of other issues,
such as reproductive rights, guardianship
and domestic partnership concerns."
HRCF is now accepting applications for
director of the project. Responsibilities of
the director will include:
• Develop policy positions and legislative proposals and integrate them
into HRCF's political, lobbying,
media and constituent mobilization
operations;
• Design and implement an extensive
outreach program using the press,
speaking engagements and other
methods to inform the lesbian and
women's community of political
developments and to provide feedback to HRCF on women's issues;
• Build coalitions within the lesbian
community and with progressive
women's groups;
• Create a fundraising campaign focused on the lesbian and women's
community.
"Lesbian political power continues to
grow," said Hilary Rosen, HRCF board of
directors co-chair. "The National Lesbian
Conference in Atlanta in 1991 will affirm
a lesbian political agenda. HRCF looks
forward to participating in its development and implementing it in the U.S.
Congress."
Individuals interested in the position
should send resumes to the Human Rights
Campaign Fund, 1012 14th St. NW, Suite
607, Washington, D.C. 20005, Attention: Lesbian Issues and Outreach
Project. Salary will be commensurate with
experience. Deadline for applications is
July 30.
The Human Rights Campaign Fund is
the nation's largest political organization
fighting for lesbian and gay civil rights and
responsible federal AIDS policy.
•
4
HSR, JULY, 1989 -
-
---
ANTI-GAY VIOLENCE
IN U.S. WIDESPREAD IN 1988
Washington, D .C. - At an emotioncharged press conference in a Senate
Office Building in Washington, the
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
(NOLTF) released its annual report on
violence against lesbians and gay men
on June 7th. The report concludes that
the problem of anti-gay violence continued to be alarmingly widespread in
1988. A total of 7 ,248 incidents, ranging from harassment to homicide, were
reported to NOLTF by 120 organizations in 38 states and the District of
Columbia.
The NOLTF report, entitled Anti-
Gay Violence, Victimization and
Defamation in 1988, is the only
national measure of reports of harassment and violence against gay people.
Joining NGLTF Anti-Violence Project Director Kevin Berrill at the news
conference were: Claudia Brenner, victim of a brutal shooting attack in 1988
which left Brenner injured and her
lover dead, and representatives from
the offices of the chief Congressional
sponsors of the federal Hate Crime Statistics Act, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
and Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL).
Berrill, author of the 1988 report, said,
"This report is our annual wake-up call to
the American people, to public officials,
to the media, to teachers and to clergy.
Each act of anti-gay harassment and violence is an act of terrorism aimed at
depriving all lesbian and gay people of our
rights to speak, assemble, associate and
above all, to love."
Brenner's statement at the press conference added an emotional and personal dimension to the release of the
report. On May 13, 1988, Brenner and
her lover, Rebecca Wight, were brutally
attacked while on a camping trip in
Adams County, Pennsylvania. The assailant, who silently stalked them for
hours, shot and killed Rebecca Wight,
and seriously wounded Brenner during
the attack. Despite sustaining five gunshot wounds, Brenner walked nearly
four miles to find help and survived.
The assailant, Stephen R. Carr, was
convicted on October 28, 1988, of first
degree murder and was sentenced on
May 17, 1989 to life in prison without
the possibility of parole.
Brenner said in her statement , " Statistics abo ut murder, death and tragedy
mean different things to me now. Before
May 13, 1988, I believed that we, as
lesbians, could be hurt or harassed.
With words, most likely, maybe with
some force if things got out of hand. I
had accepted the potential harassment
gay people are accustomed to . . . I did
not consider brutal murder born of
hatred and ignorance. Nobody should
have to worry about brutal murder. I
didn't. I lived my life, chose my love
respectfully and honorably as I believe
all people should. Brutal murder happened to me. And killed Rebecca. It
happened because we were identified as
lesbians. By a stranger, with whom we
had no connection."
Of the 7,248 incidents reported to
NGLTF last year, 4,835 were verbal
harassment (67% of the total); 885
( 12 % ) were physical assualts; 713
( 10%) were threats of violep ce or
menacing; 449 ( 6) were acts of Wfndalism; 205 (3%) were episodes of police
verbal/physical abuse; 70 ( 1% ) were
homicides; 54 ( 1% ) were bomb threats;
and 9 were acts of arson.
The 7,248 incidents reported i 1988
slightly exceeds the total for 1987 (by 240
incidents or 3% ), and is the largest
number ever documented in a single
year by NGLTF. However, this increase
is the result of outreach by NOLTF to gay
community-based Metropolitan Community Churches (MC}:) and campus
gay /lesbian organizations. If data from
MCC and campus groups are excluded
from 1988 figures, reports of anti-gay
harassment dropped 29%. By the same
measure, however, the number of violent
crimes increased. Among non-campus,
non-MCC groups acts of arson doubled
from 4 to 8, reports of physical assaults
increased 4%, reports of homicide increased 9% and reports of police abuse
increased 32%.
While offering comparison with incidents of violence reported in previous
years, the 1988 NOLTF report stressed
that such comparisons are made with
great caution. "We cannot accurately
gauge whether and how much the problem has changed in comparison to other
years. Fluctuations in the number of
groups reporting to NOLTF, lack of
systematic data collection throughout
the U.S., and underreporting by victims
make it difficult to ascertain whether
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
the problem has grown, diminished or
remained constant."
AIDS-related incidents increased in
1988 indicating that hatred and blame
associated with the disease continue
unabated. Seventeen percent ( 17%) or
1,259 of the total 7 ,248 incidents
reported to NOLTF in 1988 were classified by local groups as AIDS-related.
The 1988 report concludes that antigay organized hate group activity-most
of it involving neo-Nazi "Skinheads" appeared to be on the rise, with organizations in 17 communities reporting antigay threats and/or attacks by hate groups.
NOLTF called ·for a concerted effort
by government and community leaders
to fight anti-gay and hate-motivated
violence. NOLTF named the passage of
the Hate Crime Statistics Act, which
now has 126 cosponsors in the House
and 4 7 in the Senate, a top legislative
priority.
Copies of the NOLTF report may be
obtained for $4.00 for single copies and
$2.50 each for copies of 10 or more, by
writing NOLTF 1988 Report, 1517 U
Street NW, Washington D.C. 20009.•
NATIONAL MUSEUM
OF LESBIAN & GAY
HISTORY CREATED
The Lesbian & Gay Community Services Center, located at 208 West 13th
Street in Manhattan, New York, announces the founding of the first museum
in the United States devoted to lesbian
and gay history. It will be called the
National Museum of Lesbian and Gay
History.
"This is a crucial step in preserving our
heritage,'' says Executive Director Richard
D. Burns, who convened a six-member
committee that is coordinating the organization of the museum.
The Center is acquiring a substantial
portion of the contents of the International Gay History Archive, a major collection amassed over ten years by John
Hammond and Bruce Eves. It includes
periodicals, books and memorabilia.
The archive will be stored in rooms in
the basement of the Center that are now
being cleaned and repainted. It will be
exhibited in the Center's meeting spaces
on a rotating basis, with all of it accessible
to students, scholars, historians, and writers, by appointment. "The Center will
serve as a safe place to store the archive
and the many items we expect to add to it
in future years," says Burns.
The museum's first independent project, a multi-media exhibition commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, took place in June, Lesbian
and Gay Pride and History Month. Entitled "Imagining Stonewall," the exhibit
included audio, video, picture and documentary displays. The Center has already
successfully displayed the photographs of
Robert Giard and Marilyn Humphries. •
Potpourri
SUMMER FUN IN
THE SUN (MAYBE)
by Sondra Metzger
We have all heard about how harmful summers can be for us: dehydration
causing heat stroke and one too many
suntans and sunburns causing skin
cancer. But some of us don't stop to
consider what all this heat does to our
pets.
If you have a pet, you are probably
aware of the hazards summer can bring
to your four-legged friend. The main
problem with summer heat is the possibility of heat stroke. You already know
about pets and closed cars, but you
might not remember about the pet tied
up out back. Tying dogs to trees or dog
houses can also bring about heat stroke
due to the movement of the sun as the
day goes on. Fresh water is a must at all
times as well as adequate shade.
And how about those summer treats?
Did you know that ice cream is a no-no
for dogs? As much as they love it, the
lactose it contains is difficult for them to
digest. Try giving your pet ice cubes
instead. There is also a new product on
the market called Frosty Paws. This is
the dog version of ice cream and contains ingredients that are more digestible and much better for your dog.
Lyme disease can be another problem. This disease is spread by very small
ticks that are hardly visible to the naked
eye. Although there is no evidence that
Lyme disease can be transmitted from
dogs to humans, ticks can still carry the
disease to both. Results of the disease
are lameness in one or more legs, swelling and pain in the joints and a fever. If
your dog b-:comes lame or feverish, you
should take it to the vet for lab tests as
soon as possible.
You can eliminate ticks before they
have a chance to spread the disease by
using dips, sprays and powders. If your
pet already shows signs of the disease, it
can be treated successfully with antibiotics available from your vet.
Did you know that a dog or cat can
actually die from fleas? They can actually lose enough blood to fleas and ticks
that they develop what's called flea or
tick anemia. The flea problem is going
to be bigger than ever this year. Spraying your yard and your pet's bedding
will help in controlling the problem to a
point, but your pet should also be
sprayed, dipped or powdered as well.
Be careful with puppies and kittens. Up
to a certain age, their systems cannot
handle the potency of most flea and tick
products. Age limitations and directions are listed on the products. ,There
are also a few products made jdst for
them.
Of the many different flea and tick
control products on the market, some
work, some don't. A year ago there was
a fatality problem with Hartz MouQ.tain
Blockade. The product is still on the
market. Hartz Mountain redesigned the
can so the directions are more evident,
and contends that if the directions are
followed, no harm will come to the pet.
Welfare groups are still watching and
waiting to see if there p.re any more
problems.
Consult with your vet before trying
anything on your dog or cat that you
are not sure of. It can't hurt; it can only
help both you and your pet have a more
enjoyable summer.
•
r:-------------,
O YES! I want to be a Friend of Herland. My minimum
donation of $12 allows me use of the Herland Library and
a 10% discount on store purchases over the next 12
months. (My $12 is enclosed.)
D YES! I want to help Herland with a donation to the
New Building Fund.
D $15
D $50
D $20
D $100
D $25
D $_ _
D Bookstore volunteer D Building volunteer
Name - - - - - - - - - - - - Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
City _ _ _ _ _ __
St____ZIP _ _
Telephone Number: (
Mail to:
Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
2312 N.W. 39th
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
-----HSR,JULY, 1989
5
I
I
/
6
HSR, JULY, 1989 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HSR, JULY, 1989
7
AN INTERVIEW WITH LYNN ATKINSON
conducted by Mary P.
Lynn Atkinson received her Masters in Social
Work from the University of Oklahoma and her
PhD in Sociology from Oklahoma State University. She has worked as a sociiil worker in various areas of human services for fifteen years.
Dr. Atkinson is currently employed as an Assistant Professor in Sociology and Social Work at
OSU and as a contract worker for various
social service agencies in Stillwater. Dr. Atkinson currently resides in Glencoe, Oklahoma.
Due to space limitations, the fo llowing is a
condensed version of an inverview with Dr.
Atkinson about her new book, Power and
Empowerment, the Power Principle, published by Falcon Press . We express our gratitude
to Mary P. for a job well done in conducting the
interview and sharing it with us.
Mary: One of the chapters in your
book is titled "You can drink, take
drugs, have a heart attack, or go crazy.
For what are we working?". What does
this have to do with your book?
Lynn: It has to do with the idea of getting
more philosophical about what life is about
and what you want to accomplish in life.
Those things are peoples' way of coping
with stressful situations and situations
when they have gotten into a depowering
mode. That question actually looks at what
are we here for, what do we want to live
for, how do we want our lives to be, what
do we want our lives to be, and why are we
getting caught up in the things that we
don't want our lives to be.
Mary: What do you mean by depowering mode?
Lynn: Depowering is putting other people
down in order to put yoursulf up i11 some
way, or putting yourself down in order to
put others up. It is a negative action to put
someone down rather than raising someone
up.
Mary: Basically we're talking about
power and there are a lot of people who
believe that you need to have power in
order to be successful, and it doesn't
matter how you acquire it. Obviously
you don't believe this. Why?
Lynn: Everyone has power and everyone
is using power in any situation they come
across. To say that you're not is a lie. When
people use their power in a depowering
fashion, they have to worry about all the
back-stabbing and the hatred that is going
8
HSR, JULY, 1989 - -- -
to come because they've put somebody else
down. They never really get what they want
because they're always having to watch
their back. With empowerment, my belief is
the way you get power is by giving it away,
and the more you give it away the more
powerful a person you are. People that use
empowering techniques are doing something that creates good will and loyalty.
They may not always get what they want by
doing this, but they create an environment
where they will be empowered in the future,
and it just kind of comes and goes, plus they
create a habit that is empowering to the
soul. Or depowering closes the soul down . ..
Mary: Power can be used for good or
evil or to hurt or to help people. It's not
as obvious as all that is it?
Lynn: My experience has been that most
people do use empowerment unless they are
in a situation where they feel in pain or
threatened. When they feel in pain or
threatened they'll come back to depowerment. When you look at power use or how
people use power you have to look at their
belief systems, at what happened to them,
at their circumstances, and what would be
the best in the circumstances, and you've
got to analyze all of this to decide which is
empowering and which is depowering. A
lot depends on the situation.
Mary: Could you explain how personal
pain and power tie into some of the
priciples in your book?
Lynn: Most people, when they are hurt
and angry at someone, the first thing they
do is run around and talk to all of their
friends and tell them what a louse this
person is because they did it to them. That
makes them feel better but now all this
gossip is going to get back to that person
and that person is going to feel anger and
resentment that they wouldn't come directly
to them. Whereas if you look at the
situation and try to say "What's the most
empowering thing I can do?", you'd go
directly to the person. When we choose to
be in pain and see something as a problem
then we want to get rid of that pain as
quickly as possible, so we tend to do
depowering things that will create more
pain. If you look at the situation and say
"what can I do to bring power to myself or
to equalize the opportunity" you'll respond
very differntly.
Mary: Where do we learn our use of
power?
Lynn: Through socialization. You learn it
from your parents, by seeing how they
empower and depower people. You learn it
from television, schools, the culture, your
peer groups; everyone you come in contact
with.
Mary: If you use power and empowering techniques like you believe in using
them, don't you come under a lot of
criticism and aren't you running against
the norm of what power should be?
Lynn: It's my hypothesis that you use
power in every relationship and contact you
make. When people help each other, feel
good about what they're doing, enjoy each
other's company, empowerment is in all of
those. I think when we start thinking of '
power use as 'power use' most of us think of
depowerment, and using depowering techniques. It's so much easier to go :bf hind
somebody's back and put them dowrilfather
than to face someone directly. My response
if people put me down is to talk to them
directly and empower them by saying such
things as, "I know you did this because
you're in pain and because you hav~ some
problems with what I'm doing. Let's talk
about it."
Mary: If one is not superior to the
other that's a no-win situation. How
can that be a win-win situation for both
the people involved? I
Lynn: Well I think it can be a win-win
situation depending on what you define as
win. If you define winning as getting your
way all the time then neither empowerment
nor depowerment works. If you define
winning as improving, then empowerment's
going to work better than depowerment.
Mary: You have some opinions on
changing the system and allowing the
system to change. Your background is
extensive in standing up for human
rights. You've worked within the system. How do you feel that society or
any system could change using the
empowerment technique?
Lynn: A system is made up of individuals,
and a system can't change, but individuals
can, and by changing individuals you
change the system. Empowering techniques
are grass-roots level. You reach folks in
their head and in their heart, and once you
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
reach them they can change. In terms of
changing depowerment in the system anyone
who works in a system can refuse to do it. I
have worked for organizations that have
told me that I will make statements that I
have done a certain activity and that I'll
put it in my case records . I won't do it. It
depends on what you are living for. Are you
just living for making this money and
staying in this little job or are you living as
a person with a soul? If you are living as a
person with a soul you look at life
differently.
Mary: So you believe that using empowerment we can have an equal
society. We can have everyone equal.
Lynn: We can have everyone, as a person,
equally valued. That doesn't mean we'd all
be doing the same things, or have the same
skill or whatever, but I think we could have
equal values. And I think it's possible that
as a people, a group, we create our own
reality, we create our own society. So if we
change our hearts and minds and try to
create something else I think it's real
possible.
Mary: You said "we may be able to
make people hurt, but can we set them
free?" What does this have to do with
empowerment?
Lynn: Basically empowering is the act of
setting free. To me empowerment is helping
create equality and it's also making people
aware that less is more. You know, the
whole crux to me gets down to the matter:
what kind of person do you want to be?
What is it that you're looking for out of
life. If you're looking for material gain or
whatever, chances are you're going to be
depowering. If you're looking for gain but
realize that you're a person with a soul and
that you are living a life based on wanting
to have a quality life or be a person that
stands for something then you're looking at
a whole different way of power use.
Mary: If you operate from empowerment then the idea is to realize that each
human being has their own pain . . .
Lynn: Right. And we're going to look for
the solution that's best for both of us. I'm
not going to put you down, and I'm not
going to put myself down.
M ary: Then power and empowerment
is actually an opportunity to love?
Lynn: Yeah. And it's a little more. We
then runs "retreat errands" on her days
get into the idea of love in terms of 'what
you can do for me' or 'how I can make the
whole world beautiful.' Empowerment to
me is the idea of love where you can make
the whole thing beautiful, or the Greek
word agape love which is different from
eros or fillia love. It's a spiritual love. It's
a thing where by giving, by empowering,
you are refilled yourself.
off.
Mary: How is empowerment a possible
solution to the problems of life?
Lynn: It's not a solution in terms of
getting rid of the hardships. It's a solution
in terms of how you look at life. And in
empowerment you're not looking at anything different that hasn't been said by
every messiah figure that has ever lived.
When you're talking empowerment, you're
talking about doing what Jesus Christ
taught. Not what the churches teach today,
but what he taught. In terms of equalizing
people, reaching out and seeing the pain
inside of other people, and healing it, in
trying to realize that we're all in this
together. I think it is a way you change
things, because you get everybody working
together, with their hearts and minds
involved, and I think you'll see changes. •
Meet the Board
OUR CAMP
DIRECTOR
by Sondra Metzger
After the Spring Retreat, you didn't
find our camp director and this month's
featured board member propping her
feet up. Laura is already preparing for
the Fall Retreat.
"I volunteered to do the retreats until
someone else came along who wanted
the job,'' she said. "That was four years
ago. I get such a kick out of it. I get a
masochistic pleasure out of wearing
myself out and exhausting
myself."
If you thought planning a retreat was
easy, guess again. Laura averages over
400 hours of volunteer time per retreat.
It begins with telephone calls to locate a
place to have the retreat. From that
point on, she spends an hour working
on the retreat every night after work,
Her expertise is unmatched within
our organization. Laura's knowledge of
people cannot be taught. She knows
who would do workshops, the type of
women who will be coming to the
retreats and what to plan for them, who
she can ask what of and the type of
talent that would be great entertainment
for retreat audiences.
She considers her hard work rewarded when she sees and hears campers wishing the retreat would last all
year.
The native Oklahoman spent part of
her young life in an institution as an
alternative to living in an abusive home.
During her stay, she watched as friends
were raped and abused; some even died.
To combat what was happening in the
system, Laura filed a lawsuit that
received national attention while she
was still in the institution. In hop~s that
she would wind up in prison afi\11 not
fulfill the lawsuit, the institution gave
her a high school diploma and sent her
on her way. She has a tenth-grade-level
education.
"I didn't go to prison, and the lawsuit
was settled in 1984,'' she said. "Because
of it, a lot of institutions were changed,
laws were changed, the children's bill of
rights was created, child abuse was
outlawed in institutions, additional
adjudication for childr),n in need of
treatment was created. It was a very
corrupt system. Very vicitimized."
Following settlement of the suit, the
state asked her to work within the
system to help modify it. After that,
Laura's background enabled her to gain
a counselor's position at a psychiatric
facility where she has worked with
physically and sexually abused adolescents for three years.
She hopes someday to be a part of or
start a transitional living program for
teens 18 and 19 years old to train them
to be on their own. She feels the
program is needed by those who have
not learned how to survive legally and
within the social system; something that
a college course would not teach them.
She would also like to develop a
therapeutic pet program at the facility,
and become more involved in the
R .O.P.E.S. course, a wilderness adventure course.
Continued on next page
--~-- HSR,JULY,
1989
')""''
.··_··. . -:-·
9
Continued frorr ,>revious page
Outside of work, Berland seems to
be Laura's biggest interest. She is
presently trying to form an outdoor
adventure club at HSR, along with
planning the Fall Retreat.
Laura was introduced. to Berland by
Barbara Cleveland and was one of the
first board members in 1984.
"We came to meetings with our
checkbooks, pooled our money and
bought books with whatever we came
up with," she said.
She dreams of Berland being recognized and its existence acknowledged,
not for who is involved with HSR but
what HSR is and its intent. She feels
that people know of HSR through specific people, not as an organization in
and of itself.
"Our intent," she said, "has always
been to be there for everybody, to be
what is needed in the community and to
be available no matter what to all
women who need us. I think we can
continue to evolve as long as the energy
is positive and it doesn't become a
personal thing. It's such a challenge
because it has to change all the time to
survive."
Laura also dreams of the day when
the retreats will be equivalent to the
music festivals around the country.
"Someday people everywhere will look
forward to coming to Oklahoma each
year for the retreats," she said. "l forsee
it growing in numbers, growing in workshops, growing to four days and drawing 500 -60 0 people from all over the
country.''
Laura takes great pride in the fact
that the retreat is a safe place to be
whoever you are. She stresses the fact
that the openness allows people to do
whatever they want as long as it doesn't
hurt someone else.
"When I arrive early, get the keys
and start unloading," she said, "l feel
like this is our home. When I have to
load back up and turn in the keys, it's
theirs again. But, we always leave it with
a better feeling than it had when we
came."
Laura admits that she looks forward
to the potluck dinners at the retreats
more than any other meal. She's hoping
someone's around to roll her into one
when she's 90 . I think she just enjoys
having 8 0 or so women cook for her.
10
HSR, JULY, 1989 -
-
-
-
She is also considering putting together
a cookbook of potluck dishes.
In appreciation for all her hard work
on making retreats a success, Laura was
presented with a red director's chair by
the Volunteer Committee at the Spring
Retreat. Her name and title are embroidered on the back.
To Laura, Berland is. quite a lady.
When I asked her what HSR meant to
her, Laura thought she was .. .
" ... a thing of beauty that's a feeling,
not a visual beauty," she said. "The first
day I walked into the building on 39th
Street, I walked through the window
and looked at the trash laying all over
the place. I cried thinking it wasn't
going to work. Then I started cleaning
up and people started coming in to
help. Eight hours later we were eating
burgers and that feeling was there. That
feeling of community and family. Berland means family to me. Nowhere else
are you going to get the experiences and
friendships you get at Herland and her
retreats. You won't get them sitting in
some bar. If it wasn't for Berland, my
whole life would be very, very different."
•
Letters to the Editor
Dear Herland,
Reading on the last page of the newsletter I see an announcement that begins
"Herland is . .. "
Lately, it seems to me Herland is exclusively lesbian oriented.
Women, there alot of straight women in
Oklahoma, too. They, too, need to be
reached with literature and support, maybe
even more since many of them deal with the
patriarchal attitudes of not just society, but
their families, even their " significant other"
on a daily basis.
Bi-sexuals also exist and find themselves
excluded by both straights and gays. I am
bi-sexual, and I was beginning to wonder if
I was welcome at Herland. I have never
made any secret about my sexuality. I have
been ridiculed by straights and gays. I fact,
more so by gays!
Do you know how gays treat bi-sexuals.
"You're too cowardly to be gay." "How can
you be with that man." "It's all your fa ult
us (clean) gays get VD" (from my dirty
male partners). " You're just playing a
game with us." The dirty looks/ cold shoul-
- - - - - - -- -- -
ders if I walk in with a man go uncounted.
Even <f he is also bi-sexual. Sometimes
especially if he is bi.
Do you know how straights treat bi's?
"You're the reason straight people get
AIDS," or they have a morbid fascination.
The men want to watch. The women, about
half the time, want to seduce you to see
what it's like. Great. I'm a typhoid Mary or
an organic vibrator.
I know how the public treats gays, and
it's sad that gays, who have suffered so
much from prejudice themselves, can still be
so prejudiced and cruel. I, for one, am sick
of advocating gay rights while being kicked
in the ass by gay people.
So, am I welcome ANYWHERE?! Is
Herland a feminist organization, or a
strictly lesbian organization. Which is it?
Sign me,
A Concerned Reader
Dear Herland,
The phenomenon of women's li}~sic is
very important to women's culturalvlife. I
think that everyone 'U{Ould agree that we
want the travelling women musicians to
make OKC a tour stop, continuing the tradition that Barbara Cleveland started and
which has continued after her departure.
However, I feel very strongly that the problems connected with presenting concerts
and appearances need to be met by a strong,
active and hardworking program committee. Therefore I would like to propose these
motions for approval by the board.
1. That an open meeting for anyone who
would like to be involved in planning
concerts be called for a date during the
first two weekends of August, so that it
can be advertised in the newsletter and
everyone who would like to may have
some input and that a chairperson be
chosen at that time.
2. The committee take full control of the
coffeehouses. I am offering my new
house for the coffeehouses after the June
one because it is much bigger and the
artists and Herland can make more
money. There's plenty of room to sell
books, too.
3. That the committee once formed be
directed by the Herland board to hold a
fundraiser for an endowment to meet
expenses incurred by concerts. I think
the Friendships United benefit where
almost $1000 was raised should show
that we could put the concerts on a better budget. I feel that if the concert fund
were secure, the concerts could be a
money-maker for Herland, as well as a
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
boon to our community.
A ll these proposals are saying is that the
concert process has always been loose and
never really under the control of any board.
Therefore the concert situation has controlled us, rather than the other way
around. I believe we must seize the opportunity to organize, to involve more people,
and then to build our community using this
valuable cultural force, women's music.
Thanks.
Mary R.
The HSR Newsletter is offered as an open forum
for community discourse. Materials printed herein
reflect the beliefs and opinions of the authors of
the articles or letters, and not necessarily those of
the Newsletter or the Herland Board.
ANNOUNCES
FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEO
July 14, 7:30 p.m. - "Color Purple"
BOARD MEETING
July 16, 4:30 p.m. - Resource Center
FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEO
July 28, 7:30 p.m. - "Hotel New Hampshire"
PUBLISHED BY: Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
2312 NW 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
EDITOR: Karen Lewis
!,)
PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING
CO-EDITOR: Sondra Metzger
ADVERTISI NG MGR: Sondra Metzger
TYPESETTING: Rhonda Smith
CIRCULATION: 700
August 6, 4:30 p.m., 2805 N. McKinley, open
meeting for anxone who would like to be
involved m planning concerts
GENERAL INFO: (405) 794-7464 or 521-9696
VOLUNTEER INFO: 528-0604
ADVERTISI NG 732 - 2315
DEADLINE on all advertising and submissions is
the 15th of each month.
SUBSCRIPTIONS to this Newsletter are free
upon request.
HERLAND CENTER IS NOW OPEN:
SATURDAYS 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
SUNDAYS 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
I
,-------------------------------------------,
WIN!
REGISTRATION FOR 2 for any retreat held within 1 year of date of eligibility.
Includes registration and meals -- A $60 VALUE!
Drawing to be held during August Board Meeting.
NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN.
TICKETS ARE $1. If you want to buy more than one chance, we will make the appropriate number of
copies and drop them in the pot.
Herland Sister Resources
2312 N.W. 39th
Fill out the below information and mail to:
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
ff·r--r/'1 ,• f<.t "T ({ r;.p,T
fl.AFF'-e
Address ~------------------------------------~
Citv~---------------------- Stat~------ ZIP_ _ _ _ _ __
$ Amount enclose _ _ __
Phone
Number of tickets desired
L------------------------------------- - -----~
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HSR, JULY, 1989
11
Classifieds
HOUSECLEANING, Pet Sitting and Grooming, Housesitting,
Odd Jobs. Affordable rates. References on request. 842-4225.
Buy or Rent • this very nice 3BR, 1Yz bath brick home on
9/10 acre in Noble. 405-872-8673.
Adorable Tabby Kitten • 8-week-old male foundling;
shots. Free to good home. 1-872-8673.
CHURCH OF CHRIST
FOR GAY PEOPLE
MEETS THURSDAYS, 7:30 P.M.
102 EAST HEFNER ROAD
IN OKIAHOMA CITY
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. BOX 60873, OKC OK 73146
DANNY (405) 787-1253 OR JANIE (405) 755.7259
Magic Hattbs
"Stress Management"
Th~rapeutic Massage
REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Sall\j Blcvitts
525-5907
P. 0. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
321-2148
Adolescent .. . Group ...
Family Therapy
KEMCO
•
Treat yourself like a
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Get a Massage and live
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Gift certificates also
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gift for that hard·to·
shop-for person?
Designs With Lettering
PRINTING INC.
Custom Signs and Lettering
359-1900
340-4301
1601 S. Broadway, Unit D •Edmond. Okla. 73013
HSR would like to thank the women of DWL for their generous
donations of signs for our new building.
TREAT YOURSEL T TO THE "TOUCH OF GOLD."
Treat your special someone, too, for $10 off her massage!
ooucfi of Qold
848-5429
HEALTHFUL • STRESS RELIEVING MASSAGE
Special
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available
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Her land
readers!
12
6y
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MASSAGE THERAPIST
360-6945
"Portable"
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table
available
for your
cont1enience.
SHIRLEY M. HUNTER, M.A.
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
Emphasis on the problems of gay people.
PENN PARK OFFICE COMPLEX e SUITE 102
5009 N PENNSYLVANIA• OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73112
HSR, JULY, 1989 - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - --
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