extracted text

~~HERI~ANI>
May, 1996

VOICE
T

HERLAND SPRING RETREAT
The trees have leaves, the OKC Festival of the Arts has come and gone, semester's almost over, and Memorial Day is
coming up fast -- the Berland Spring Retreat must be nearly here!
Berland Sister Resources presents its 1996 Spring Retreat for women at Roman Nose State Park (near Watonga,
OK), May 17-19. Registration begins at 6 PM on
Friday, May 17. Activities will wind up Sunday morning
with check-out time at noon.
The featured entertainer is Erica Wheeler. Erica is a
nationally touring singer/songwriter. She has appeared
with
a number of noted musicians including the Indigo
I
· ...
Girls, the Story, Shawn Colvin and Iris Dement.
\'
Retreat activities will include a games festival. The
plans aren't yet final but we're told events will be for both
rA©M©Jai fN©~® ~~tu~® ra~~
the athletically able and athletically challenged.
Also new at this retreat is an opportunity to show off
~~
[p~a~~ ~(Q)
your favorite cat -- or at least her picture. See inside this
MAY 17-19
issue of The Voice for more information about the
Fabulous Feline event.
As always there will be the opportunity for scheduling discussions and workshops. There'll be a big Workshop Schedule Board in the main hall where you can
announce the workshop or discussion and invite participation.
Don't forget to bring your musical instrument and
songs, your poetry or other entertainment so you can be
a part of the open mike on Saturday afternoon. There
will also be campfires on Friday night and Saturday
evening after the concert.
The registration fee for the retreat is on a sliding
scale from $15-$60; on-site registration is $65 . Limited
scholarships are available and must be requested in
ENTERTAINMENT
advance. Registration includes lodging in group camp,
Friday evening cookout, Saturday and Sunday brunch,
Br
and concert.
J
ERICA WHEELER
Bring your favorite covered dish for the Saturday
night potluck. Ifyou bring pets, they must be on a leash.
Tent camping and RV parking (no hookups) are available in the group camp.
For more information, come by Berland or leave a
message at Berland (405) 521-9696.

I;/ If ©~
//l/~11
/I~
lth®

b®

Herland
Spring

etrea~

~

v,

Volume 14 Number 5

~

oJ

Berland Sister Resources

2312 NW. 39, OKC, OK 73112

AROUND TOWN
by Jill Garner

If you're a softball fan, May is the month for you. The
Big 12 college tournament will be at the Softball Hall of
Fame stadium May 10 - 12.
Although Oklahoma City is not hosting the Women's
College World Series this year, the Softball Hall of Fame
stadium also will be the place to catch US Olympic softball
May 18 and 19th. The games are at 6 pm and 8 pm on
Saturday, May 18th and at noon and 3 pm on Sunday. Even
if you ,are going to the retreat, you can still make it Sunday
to watch some of the best softball players in the country
battle it out.
For those of you going to the retreat, you're in for a
wonderful night of music with Erica Wheeler. Erica is a
terrific songwriter as well as a wonderful singer. I've been
fortunate enough to hear her twice. Don't miss her if you
don't have to! We're lucky that she's travelling around
sharing her music with anyone who wants to listen, and a
retreat is the perfect place to really get lost in her music.
1recently received the newsletter from Uncle Calvin's
Coffeehouse in Dallas. Uncle Calvin's is located in a church
off Central Expressway and is a wonderful listening room
for music. They serve coffee, tea, juice and desserts, and
great acoustic music. What more do you need? Although
you may not get this in time to go, Carrie Newcomer will be
performing May 3. Newcomer is one of my favorite singers,
with a very rich, deep voice that I'm in awe of, and a
wonderful way with words. Calvin's will also be hosting the
Women in the Round show May 15, a show which was a big
hit last year. Linda Lowe, Carolyn Hester, Crow Johnson,
Emily Kaitz and Ann Armstrong will all be performing this
year for a mere $8.
If you have the time to travel, don't miss the Kerrville
Folk Festival beginning near the end of May. I've heard
nothing but great things about the quality of music at this
festival. Then on June 28, Emilie Aronson, a very popular
singer/songwriter in Dallas, as well as the Kerrville Folk
Festival's main stage, will be performing at Calvin's.
For all you bayou boogie blues fans, Marcia Ball will
be at the Bricktown Brewery May 16. I've seen Marcia's
show a couple of times and this woman can sing with an
energy that's fun to watch and that's quite contagious.
Check the Gazette regularly for what's happening in
live music in Oklahoma City. The Blue Door has several
new shows scheduled and Medina's regularly hosts good
shows, if you can stand the smoke. I guess that just adds to
the atmosphere, trying to see the band through the smoky
haze. They don't need to pay for special effects that way.
2 Her/and Voice May, 1996

Seriously, there are a lot oftalented women who are playing
more often at various places and events around Oklahoma
City. Check them out and give them your support. Take a
chance and go hear someone you've never heard before.
You may discover a new favorite. I do all the time.

NGLTF BLASTS "ENGLISH ONLY" LAW
Saying it promotes divisiveness and will feed fear and
hostility, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)
has joined in coalition with other civil rights groups to
oppose S 356, the "Official English Bill" now before the
U.S. Senate.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama), seeks to make English the "official language" of the
U.S. Government. NGLTF has joined with the Leadership
Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and other groups,
in calling for rejection of the bill.
According to the LCCR, the negative impacts ofthe law
are severe. If passed, the "English only" legislation would
disenfranchise non-English speakers by prohibiting the
availability of bilingual ballots; deprive language minority
litigants of due process by denying them the right to have
court interpreters; and prohibit the availability of emergency services in languages other than English, among
other affects.
"Since the bill itself does nothing to further the learning
of English by that small portion of the population that does
not speak it well enough to conduct day-to-day business in
English, its impact will instead be to promote discrimination against and isolationism by those individuals," said
NGLTF in a letter to Senator Stevens. "This legislation
plays into the fear and hatred that already exists against
immigrants in this country by putting an official government stamp of approval on actions of those who belittle or
resent individuals just because they speak another language."
For copies of the NGLTF publication, "The Costs of
Scapegoating: Anti-Immigrant Backlash," contact the
NGLTF publication order line at (202)332-6483, ext.
3327, or email ngltf@ngltf.org.
Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312 N.W. 39th,
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
The Voice is offered as an open forum for community discourse.
Articles reflect the opinions of the author and not necessarily
those of Herland Sister Resources. Unsolicited articles and
letters to the editor are welcomed and must be signed by the writer
with full name and address. Upon request, letters or articles may
be printed under a pseudonym or anonymously.
Subscriptions to The Voice are free upon request; however, a
$12 annual donation is encouraged to help meet the costs of
publication and distribution .
The Voice is printed on recycled paper.

NEW SURVEY FINDS SHARP

DECLINE IN CLINIC VIOLENCE
ARLINGTON, VA - A newly released survey by the
Feminist Majority Foundation finds that clinics reported a
sharp decline in anti-abortion violence in 1995.
The number of clinics reporting incidents of antiabortion violence - including death threats, stalking,
bomb threats, bombings, chemical attacks, blockades, invasions, arson, and arson threats - dropped substantially
from 51.9% in 1994 to 38.6% in 1995, according to the
annual survey. For the first time, in every category of
violence, more clinics in 1995 reported decreases than
increases in incidents.
"The good news is that across the board clinics are
reporting less violence. The bad news is that a significant
proportion of clinics - over one-third - are still plagued
by anti-abortion violence, and this violence is dangerously
targeted at physicians and clinic staff," said Eleanor Smeal,
President of the Feminist Majority Foundation, which
conducts the annual clinic violence survey as a part of its
National Clinic Defense Project.
Violence directed at individual physicians and clinic
staff members continued at high levels, according to the
report. Almost one in five clinics ( 17 .1 % ) reported death
threats in 1995; one in five (20.3%) reported home picketing; and one in ten ( 10. 6%) said clinic staff had been stalked.
The smallest net decreases in reported incidents of violence
were in death threats and stalking.
The report shows violence directed at physicians and
clinic staffcontinues to take its toll. Clinic staff resignations
as a result ofanti-abortion violence remained at 1994 levels,
with almost one in ten (9%) of clinics having lost clinic staff
for this reason.
The survey reveals that clinic violence levels correspond directly with law enforcement response. Only 11 % of
clinics reporting excellent local law enforcement experienced high levels of violence, compared with 33.3% of
clinics who reported poor law enforcement response.
"The survey shows the more seriously law enforcement takes threats of violence, the less likely those threats
are to tum into actual violence," said Smeal.
The survey, which covered violence committed during
the first seven months of 1995, was completed by 310
clinics, including facilities in 44 states and American Somoa.
Almost 95 % ofthese clinics offer a full range ofgynecological and other health services in addition to abortion.
Copies of the Feminist Majority Foundation's 1995
Clinic Violence Survey can be obtained by contacting
Harriet Trudell at 703-522-2214.

FABULOUS FELINES
Do you know a feline who you just know is the most
special cat in the world?
·Whether she is a registered Persian or
~· _
. dl
c.
..,..-,.-\ _;g('.}.
that b reed my vet k m y reiers
...,-:.·-=;-~~;~./ t~l;~<~i
to as domestic shorthair, she ~l'-~-,:(~:, ~;;'\} ';~~.-!
(or
he) can enter the Fabulous ""-~--- '·1,.._..._.:fr
~-':.;,,,...:~:\':J...,.
.
Feline contest at the Herland Spring
Retreat.
Since most of our feline friends prefer to stay at home
-- never straying too far from that special place in the sun,
they can enterthe competition by sending a photo. So bring
your favorite cat pies to the Herland Retreat. There'll be an
opportunity for all retreaters to vote for their favorite feline.
·...__.:...~

LESBIAN TO
LEAD WORKSHOP
ON Goo's GRACE
Noted lesbian Presbyterian minister Janie Spahr will be
the featured speaker at a day-long workshop entitled "Claiming God's Grace" in Oklahoma City on Saturday, May 18,
1996. The Rev. Dr. Spahr heads a special ministry-That
All May Freely Serve - which works toward greater inclusiveness of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people
in the life of the church.
Spahr was called in 1991 to serve as co-pastor of the
Downtown United Presbyterian Church of Rochester, NY.
However, she was subsequently denied that c.Uling by the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) because she was openly lesbian. Following that ruling,
Downtown United Presbyterian Church, in partnership·
with Westminster Presbyterian Church of Tiburon, CA, set
up the special ministry which takes Spahr around the
country working on behalf of greater inclusiveness. Congregations in both of her sponsoring churches have voted to
become More Light churches - meaning that they are open
and affirming of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
people.
The workshop is being organized by Presbyterians for
Lesbian & Gay Concerns and is described as "a day of
healing, learning, and community, one in which participants work toward wholeness in their lives as children of
God." It will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Andrew's
Presbyterian Church, 2712 N. W. 23rd Street in Oklahoma
City. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. The
workshop fee of$15 per person includes lunch. Waivers are
available for those who need them.
For additional information or to register by phone, call
405/840-4849 in Oklahoma City, 918/745-9922 in Tulsa,
or 405/377-9174 in Stillwater.
Her/and Voice May, 1996

3

HUMAN RIGHTS

Now!

by Natha_niel Batchelder

Two incredible women are pressing the U.S. government to confess complicity in decades of horrific
human rights abuses in Latin America, which came
home to them in excruciatingly personal ways.
U .S. attorney, Jennifer Harbury's dissident Guatemalanhusband, "Bamaca", disappeared in 1992 launch.
'
mg her quest for information about him. Rumors ofhis
captivity and torture spurred her to a number of public
fasts i~ Guatemala City, ultimately resulting in a member of the U.S . House Intelligence Committee admitting that the Committee had knowledge that Bamaca
had died in captivity. Harbury pressed on, learning
only recently that, just six days after Bamaca's capture,
the CIA had briefed the State Department and White
House on his capture.
Ursiline Catholic Sister Dianna Ortiz was herself
abducted in Guatemala City in 1989, and was for two
days burned, raped, and tortured, until a man she is
certain, "was an American" came in and said "Oh
'
'
shit!" and personally engineered her release from a car
near the American Embassy in Guatemala City. Ortiz
has done extensive recovery work with torture victims'
groups, and now challenges the U.S. to confess any
complicity or awareness of such abuses, all too common throughout the world.
The savagery of those who commit such atrocities
was revealed by Guatemalan General Hector Gramajo
when he was asked about the Ortiz case after she
surfaced. He said it never happened, alleging that Ortiz
"was involved in a sadomasochisitic lesbian love tryst
with other nuns." She was burned with cigarettes 111
times. Ortiz began a vigil at the White House gates on
April 1st. She wants to know who "the American" was
whom the others called Alejandro."
Ortiz and Harbury are demanding declassification
of documents demonstrating U .S. complicity in human
rights abuses in Guatemala, Latin America, and around
the world. You can support their campaign by using
their names in communications to Senators, Representatives, and the White House, demanding accountability for U.S. complicity in human rights abuse in Latin
America. (Names/addresses are published in the
monthly Peace Strategy News.)

4 Her/and Voice May, 1996

Col. CAMMERMEYER, RONNIE
GILBERT TO APPEAR AT NATIONAL
WoMEN's Music FESTIVAL
Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, the Chief Nurse
of the Washington State National Guard who was
reinstated to her job after challenging the military's
policy on homosexuality, will be the keynote speaker at
the national Women's Music Festival in June.
Appearing on the festival's mainstage will be
Ronnie Gilbert, a former member ofthe influential folk
group, the Weavers. Gilbert will perform musical and
theatre segments from her one-woman show, "Mother
Jones." Gilbert, who has also toured and recorded with
Holly Near, continues to release solo albums.
Other artists appearing on the festival mainstage
include Lea Delaria, Diane Davidson, Linda Tillery,
Katheryn Warner with Sanda Ayala, Azucar Y Crema,
Melanie DeMore, Ms. Fun, and Sawagi Taiko. ·
The National Women's Music Festival will be held
June 6-9 on the Indiana University campus in
Bloomington, Indiana. It is the longest-running celebration ofwomen's music and culture held in the U.S.
Other guests ofinterest include Pat Califia, a writer
who has been on the leading edge of women's erotica;
Jewelle Gomez, author of The Gilda Stories (winner
of two Lambda Literacy Awards); Luisah Teish, a
ritual consultant who wrote, Jambalaya: The Natural
Women's Book of Personal Charms and Practical
Rituals; and Karla Jay, writer and editor and professor
of English and Director of Women's Studies at Pace
University.
Festival activities include a variety of workshops;
a golf scramble; a bike ride through picturesque Brown
County; fine arts exhibits; a 2k walk and 5k run; and
artists/craftswomen area with goods from jewelry to
sculpture, pottery to drums, gems to toys; and films
and videos about the women's community, ranging
from narratives to documentaries.
The festival is held in campus buildings with dorm
housing and meals available. A four-day pass costs
$195 after April 30. One or three-day passes and
individual concert tickets are also available. Festival
brochures are available at Herland and other women's
bookstores or by writing P.O. Box 1427-PR, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-1427 or by calling (317)92793 55. Registration after May 15 must be done on-site
at the festival.

SPRING RETREAT PRE-REGISTRATION

Please choose the registration amount most
appropriate for you. On-site registration will be $65.
Deadline for pre-registration is May 15 and registration
is non-refundable after May 16.

Single Person's
Annual Income

Pre-registration
per person

Household Annual
Income

under $6,500

$15

under $13,300

$6,500 - $13,250

$25'

$13,300 - $18,000

$13,250 - $19,500

$35

$18,000 - $26,000

$19,500 - $30,000

$45

$26,000 - $50,000

over $30,000

$60

over $50,000

Registration fee enclosed (payable to Herland): _ $15 _$25 _$35 _$45 _$60

\

I

Address:. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ City _ _ _ _ _ _State_ _ Zip_ _ __
_ _I need a scholarship.to attend.
_ _I'm enclosing and additional $
to help provide scholarships.
__ I'm bringing __ children (girls of all ages and boys under 10 are welcome)
_ _ I'm bringing __ pets (LEASHED and well-behaved)
Return registration to: Herland Sister Resources, 2312 N.W. 39, Oklahoma City, OK 73112

JI tJI..I..l~'l IN

1

Jltt1llll)

Oklahoma's only Gay/Lesbian marching band wants you! For information about joining The Banned call Marilyn at 794-3035
or Roger at 525-3967.
The Third Annual Wildwoman Wildflower and Herb Festival on May 11 from 9 AM - 5 PM in Eufaula will include vendors,
demonstrations, garden tours, wildflower field trips and musical entemtainment.
Congratulations to Nancy Nesser and Peggy Johnson on passing the Oklahoma State Bar!
The 21st Michigan Womyn's Music Festival will be August 13-18. The program features performances by Dorothy Allizon,
Marga Gomez, Hattie Gossett, Tish Hinojosa, Phranc, 7 Year Bitch, and Jane Siberry. For information write to: WWTMC,
P .O. Box 22 Walhalla, MI 49458 or call 616-757-4766.

OUR SUPPORTERS
Red Rock Gay and Lesbian
Ol/Treach
Free Seminars & Workshops • Substance Abuse Prevention
Education & Referral • Lesbian and Gay Support Groups
Activities (Dances, Arts & Crafts Classes, Sports, etc.)
Workshops (Dance, Pottery, Relationships, Safer Sex, etc.)
Testing • YGLA (14-20 years old - under 18 with parent's permission)

Ollli'each & Calendar of Events
425-0399

Art Dealer

Dana Tiger Art Co. -c:::. ·
And The

IJbili1pif L i nel
BUSINESS

,

2110 E. Shawnee St.
Muskogee, Okla. 74403
(918) 687-7006

Tiger Gallery Artists

· 1961 w.b,nosey
~noam..n. ale 73069

(4M) 4479'111

The Chautauqua Center
Director

KAREN RAY
Representing

' healWie Pl&D

blhlleen Ration

nmsMRICe

PayroO
Bookknping

REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

PO Box 5119
Nonnan, Okla. 73070
405 321-2148

Individual - Couples
Family Therapy
Retreats

JACKIE RUFF

Tax Preparation

SERVICES

ROSE M. RABON

Certified Massage

(405) 629-2074

842-2357
6488 Avondale Drive
Suite 342
Oklahoma City. OK 73116

6 Her/and Voice May, 1996

Essential Oils
On Site Chair Massage

Herbal Colon Cleanse
House Sitting

Herland Sister Resources
May 1996

1

6

5

7

8

2

9

3

4

Full Moon

1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Gay May Day,
Habana Inn Parking Lot - stop by
the Harland table
and say hi!

10

11

Last Quarter

Cinco de Mayo

3rd Annual Wildwoman Wildflower
and Herb Festival,
Eufaula, OK

Bi 12 Softball Tournament

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

New Moon

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
HSR Board Meeting

Motlier's
Day
Big 12 Softball
Tourn.

Herland S rin Retreat
Celebrate Feminist Bookstore Week with Herland or our local feminist bookstore!

19

I

20

21

22

23

24

25

Newsletter
Deadline

1st Quarter

Retreat

26

27
Memorial Day
(Observed)

28

29

30

31

6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Newsletter Folding
Party

Mark Your Calendar: June 14, 1OAM - 4 PM Cleanup/Fixup Day at Herland

Harland Sister Resources
2312 N.W. 39
Oklahoma city, OK 73112
Address Correction Requested
Return Postage Guaranteed

NonProfit Org.
U.S. Postage

PAID
Oklahoma City, OK
Permit no. 861



~~HERI~ANI>
May, 1996

VOICE
T

HERLAND SPRING RETREAT
The trees have leaves, the OKC Festival of the Arts has come and gone, semester's almost over, and Memorial Day is
coming up fast -- the Berland Spring Retreat must be nearly here!
Berland Sister Resources presents its 1996 Spring Retreat for women at Roman Nose State Park (near Watonga,
OK), May 17-19. Registration begins at 6 PM on
Friday, May 17. Activities will wind up Sunday morning
with check-out time at noon.
The featured entertainer is Erica Wheeler. Erica is a
nationally touring singer/songwriter. She has appeared
with
a number of noted musicians including the Indigo
I
· ...
Girls, the Story, Shawn Colvin and Iris Dement.
\'
Retreat activities will include a games festival. The
plans aren't yet final but we're told events will be for both
rA©M©Jai fN©~® ~~tu~® ra~~
the athletically able and athletically challenged.
Also new at this retreat is an opportunity to show off
~~
[p~a~~ ~(Q)
your favorite cat -- or at least her picture. See inside this
MAY 17-19
issue of The Voice for more information about the
Fabulous Feline event.
As always there will be the opportunity for scheduling discussions and workshops. There'll be a big Workshop Schedule Board in the main hall where you can
announce the workshop or discussion and invite participation.
Don't forget to bring your musical instrument and
songs, your poetry or other entertainment so you can be
a part of the open mike on Saturday afternoon. There
will also be campfires on Friday night and Saturday
evening after the concert.
The registration fee for the retreat is on a sliding
scale from $15-$60; on-site registration is $65 . Limited
scholarships are available and must be requested in
ENTERTAINMENT
advance. Registration includes lodging in group camp,
Friday evening cookout, Saturday and Sunday brunch,
Br
and concert.
J
ERICA WHEELER
Bring your favorite covered dish for the Saturday
night potluck. Ifyou bring pets, they must be on a leash.
Tent camping and RV parking (no hookups) are available in the group camp.
For more information, come by Berland or leave a
message at Berland (405) 521-9696.

I;/ If ©~
//l/~11
/I~
lth®

b®

Herland
Spring

etrea~

~

v,

Volume 14 Number 5

~

oJ

Berland Sister Resources

2312 NW. 39, OKC, OK 73112

AROUND TOWN
by Jill Garner

If you're a softball fan, May is the month for you. The
Big 12 college tournament will be at the Softball Hall of
Fame stadium May 10 - 12.
Although Oklahoma City is not hosting the Women's
College World Series this year, the Softball Hall of Fame
stadium also will be the place to catch US Olympic softball
May 18 and 19th. The games are at 6 pm and 8 pm on
Saturday, May 18th and at noon and 3 pm on Sunday. Even
if you ,are going to the retreat, you can still make it Sunday
to watch some of the best softball players in the country
battle it out.
For those of you going to the retreat, you're in for a
wonderful night of music with Erica Wheeler. Erica is a
terrific songwriter as well as a wonderful singer. I've been
fortunate enough to hear her twice. Don't miss her if you
don't have to! We're lucky that she's travelling around
sharing her music with anyone who wants to listen, and a
retreat is the perfect place to really get lost in her music.
1recently received the newsletter from Uncle Calvin's
Coffeehouse in Dallas. Uncle Calvin's is located in a church
off Central Expressway and is a wonderful listening room
for music. They serve coffee, tea, juice and desserts, and
great acoustic music. What more do you need? Although
you may not get this in time to go, Carrie Newcomer will be
performing May 3. Newcomer is one of my favorite singers,
with a very rich, deep voice that I'm in awe of, and a
wonderful way with words. Calvin's will also be hosting the
Women in the Round show May 15, a show which was a big
hit last year. Linda Lowe, Carolyn Hester, Crow Johnson,
Emily Kaitz and Ann Armstrong will all be performing this
year for a mere $8.
If you have the time to travel, don't miss the Kerrville
Folk Festival beginning near the end of May. I've heard
nothing but great things about the quality of music at this
festival. Then on June 28, Emilie Aronson, a very popular
singer/songwriter in Dallas, as well as the Kerrville Folk
Festival's main stage, will be performing at Calvin's.
For all you bayou boogie blues fans, Marcia Ball will
be at the Bricktown Brewery May 16. I've seen Marcia's
show a couple of times and this woman can sing with an
energy that's fun to watch and that's quite contagious.
Check the Gazette regularly for what's happening in
live music in Oklahoma City. The Blue Door has several
new shows scheduled and Medina's regularly hosts good
shows, if you can stand the smoke. I guess that just adds to
the atmosphere, trying to see the band through the smoky
haze. They don't need to pay for special effects that way.
2 Her/and Voice May, 1996

Seriously, there are a lot oftalented women who are playing
more often at various places and events around Oklahoma
City. Check them out and give them your support. Take a
chance and go hear someone you've never heard before.
You may discover a new favorite. I do all the time.

NGLTF BLASTS "ENGLISH ONLY" LAW
Saying it promotes divisiveness and will feed fear and
hostility, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)
has joined in coalition with other civil rights groups to
oppose S 356, the "Official English Bill" now before the
U.S. Senate.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Alabama), seeks to make English the "official language" of the
U.S. Government. NGLTF has joined with the Leadership
Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and other groups,
in calling for rejection of the bill.
According to the LCCR, the negative impacts ofthe law
are severe. If passed, the "English only" legislation would
disenfranchise non-English speakers by prohibiting the
availability of bilingual ballots; deprive language minority
litigants of due process by denying them the right to have
court interpreters; and prohibit the availability of emergency services in languages other than English, among
other affects.
"Since the bill itself does nothing to further the learning
of English by that small portion of the population that does
not speak it well enough to conduct day-to-day business in
English, its impact will instead be to promote discrimination against and isolationism by those individuals," said
NGLTF in a letter to Senator Stevens. "This legislation
plays into the fear and hatred that already exists against
immigrants in this country by putting an official government stamp of approval on actions of those who belittle or
resent individuals just because they speak another language."
For copies of the NGLTF publication, "The Costs of
Scapegoating: Anti-Immigrant Backlash," contact the
NGLTF publication order line at (202)332-6483, ext.
3327, or email ngltf@ngltf.org.
Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312 N.W. 39th,
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
The Voice is offered as an open forum for community discourse.
Articles reflect the opinions of the author and not necessarily
those of Herland Sister Resources. Unsolicited articles and
letters to the editor are welcomed and must be signed by the writer
with full name and address. Upon request, letters or articles may
be printed under a pseudonym or anonymously.
Subscriptions to The Voice are free upon request; however, a
$12 annual donation is encouraged to help meet the costs of
publication and distribution .
The Voice is printed on recycled paper.

NEW SURVEY FINDS SHARP

DECLINE IN CLINIC VIOLENCE
ARLINGTON, VA - A newly released survey by the
Feminist Majority Foundation finds that clinics reported a
sharp decline in anti-abortion violence in 1995.
The number of clinics reporting incidents of antiabortion violence - including death threats, stalking,
bomb threats, bombings, chemical attacks, blockades, invasions, arson, and arson threats - dropped substantially
from 51.9% in 1994 to 38.6% in 1995, according to the
annual survey. For the first time, in every category of
violence, more clinics in 1995 reported decreases than
increases in incidents.
"The good news is that across the board clinics are
reporting less violence. The bad news is that a significant
proportion of clinics - over one-third - are still plagued
by anti-abortion violence, and this violence is dangerously
targeted at physicians and clinic staff," said Eleanor Smeal,
President of the Feminist Majority Foundation, which
conducts the annual clinic violence survey as a part of its
National Clinic Defense Project.
Violence directed at individual physicians and clinic
staff members continued at high levels, according to the
report. Almost one in five clinics ( 17 .1 % ) reported death
threats in 1995; one in five (20.3%) reported home picketing; and one in ten ( 10. 6%) said clinic staff had been stalked.
The smallest net decreases in reported incidents of violence
were in death threats and stalking.
The report shows violence directed at physicians and
clinic staffcontinues to take its toll. Clinic staff resignations
as a result ofanti-abortion violence remained at 1994 levels,
with almost one in ten (9%) of clinics having lost clinic staff
for this reason.
The survey reveals that clinic violence levels correspond directly with law enforcement response. Only 11 % of
clinics reporting excellent local law enforcement experienced high levels of violence, compared with 33.3% of
clinics who reported poor law enforcement response.
"The survey shows the more seriously law enforcement takes threats of violence, the less likely those threats
are to tum into actual violence," said Smeal.
The survey, which covered violence committed during
the first seven months of 1995, was completed by 310
clinics, including facilities in 44 states and American Somoa.
Almost 95 % ofthese clinics offer a full range ofgynecological and other health services in addition to abortion.
Copies of the Feminist Majority Foundation's 1995
Clinic Violence Survey can be obtained by contacting
Harriet Trudell at 703-522-2214.

FABULOUS FELINES
Do you know a feline who you just know is the most
special cat in the world?
·Whether she is a registered Persian or
~· _
. dl
c.
..,..-,.-\ _;g('.}.
that b reed my vet k m y reiers
...,-:.·-=;-~~;~./ t~l;~<~i
to as domestic shorthair, she ~l'-~-,:(~:, ~;;'\} ';~~.-!
(or
he) can enter the Fabulous ""-~--- '·1,.._..._.:fr
~-':.;,,,...:~:\':J...,.
.
Feline contest at the Herland Spring
Retreat.
Since most of our feline friends prefer to stay at home
-- never straying too far from that special place in the sun,
they can enterthe competition by sending a photo. So bring
your favorite cat pies to the Herland Retreat. There'll be an
opportunity for all retreaters to vote for their favorite feline.
·...__.:...~

LESBIAN TO
LEAD WORKSHOP
ON Goo's GRACE
Noted lesbian Presbyterian minister Janie Spahr will be
the featured speaker at a day-long workshop entitled "Claiming God's Grace" in Oklahoma City on Saturday, May 18,
1996. The Rev. Dr. Spahr heads a special ministry-That
All May Freely Serve - which works toward greater inclusiveness of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people
in the life of the church.
Spahr was called in 1991 to serve as co-pastor of the
Downtown United Presbyterian Church of Rochester, NY.
However, she was subsequently denied that c.Uling by the
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) because she was openly lesbian. Following that ruling,
Downtown United Presbyterian Church, in partnership·
with Westminster Presbyterian Church of Tiburon, CA, set
up the special ministry which takes Spahr around the
country working on behalf of greater inclusiveness. Congregations in both of her sponsoring churches have voted to
become More Light churches - meaning that they are open
and affirming of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
people.
The workshop is being organized by Presbyterians for
Lesbian & Gay Concerns and is described as "a day of
healing, learning, and community, one in which participants work toward wholeness in their lives as children of
God." It will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Andrew's
Presbyterian Church, 2712 N. W. 23rd Street in Oklahoma
City. Pre-registration is appreciated, but not required. The
workshop fee of$15 per person includes lunch. Waivers are
available for those who need them.
For additional information or to register by phone, call
405/840-4849 in Oklahoma City, 918/745-9922 in Tulsa,
or 405/377-9174 in Stillwater.
Her/and Voice May, 1996

3

HUMAN RIGHTS

Now!

by Natha_niel Batchelder

Two incredible women are pressing the U.S. government to confess complicity in decades of horrific
human rights abuses in Latin America, which came
home to them in excruciatingly personal ways.
U .S. attorney, Jennifer Harbury's dissident Guatemalanhusband, "Bamaca", disappeared in 1992 launch.
'
mg her quest for information about him. Rumors ofhis
captivity and torture spurred her to a number of public
fasts i~ Guatemala City, ultimately resulting in a member of the U.S . House Intelligence Committee admitting that the Committee had knowledge that Bamaca
had died in captivity. Harbury pressed on, learning
only recently that, just six days after Bamaca's capture,
the CIA had briefed the State Department and White
House on his capture.
Ursiline Catholic Sister Dianna Ortiz was herself
abducted in Guatemala City in 1989, and was for two
days burned, raped, and tortured, until a man she is
certain, "was an American" came in and said "Oh
'
'
shit!" and personally engineered her release from a car
near the American Embassy in Guatemala City. Ortiz
has done extensive recovery work with torture victims'
groups, and now challenges the U.S. to confess any
complicity or awareness of such abuses, all too common throughout the world.
The savagery of those who commit such atrocities
was revealed by Guatemalan General Hector Gramajo
when he was asked about the Ortiz case after she
surfaced. He said it never happened, alleging that Ortiz
"was involved in a sadomasochisitic lesbian love tryst
with other nuns." She was burned with cigarettes 111
times. Ortiz began a vigil at the White House gates on
April 1st. She wants to know who "the American" was
whom the others called Alejandro."
Ortiz and Harbury are demanding declassification
of documents demonstrating U .S. complicity in human
rights abuses in Guatemala, Latin America, and around
the world. You can support their campaign by using
their names in communications to Senators, Representatives, and the White House, demanding accountability for U.S. complicity in human rights abuse in Latin
America. (Names/addresses are published in the
monthly Peace Strategy News.)

4 Her/and Voice May, 1996

Col. CAMMERMEYER, RONNIE
GILBERT TO APPEAR AT NATIONAL
WoMEN's Music FESTIVAL
Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, the Chief Nurse
of the Washington State National Guard who was
reinstated to her job after challenging the military's
policy on homosexuality, will be the keynote speaker at
the national Women's Music Festival in June.
Appearing on the festival's mainstage will be
Ronnie Gilbert, a former member ofthe influential folk
group, the Weavers. Gilbert will perform musical and
theatre segments from her one-woman show, "Mother
Jones." Gilbert, who has also toured and recorded with
Holly Near, continues to release solo albums.
Other artists appearing on the festival mainstage
include Lea Delaria, Diane Davidson, Linda Tillery,
Katheryn Warner with Sanda Ayala, Azucar Y Crema,
Melanie DeMore, Ms. Fun, and Sawagi Taiko. ·
The National Women's Music Festival will be held
June 6-9 on the Indiana University campus in
Bloomington, Indiana. It is the longest-running celebration ofwomen's music and culture held in the U.S.
Other guests ofinterest include Pat Califia, a writer
who has been on the leading edge of women's erotica;
Jewelle Gomez, author of The Gilda Stories (winner
of two Lambda Literacy Awards); Luisah Teish, a
ritual consultant who wrote, Jambalaya: The Natural
Women's Book of Personal Charms and Practical
Rituals; and Karla Jay, writer and editor and professor
of English and Director of Women's Studies at Pace
University.
Festival activities include a variety of workshops;
a golf scramble; a bike ride through picturesque Brown
County; fine arts exhibits; a 2k walk and 5k run; and
artists/craftswomen area with goods from jewelry to
sculpture, pottery to drums, gems to toys; and films
and videos about the women's community, ranging
from narratives to documentaries.
The festival is held in campus buildings with dorm
housing and meals available. A four-day pass costs
$195 after April 30. One or three-day passes and
individual concert tickets are also available. Festival
brochures are available at Herland and other women's
bookstores or by writing P.O. Box 1427-PR, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-1427 or by calling (317)92793 55. Registration after May 15 must be done on-site
at the festival.

SPRING RETREAT PRE-REGISTRATION

Please choose the registration amount most
appropriate for you. On-site registration will be $65.
Deadline for pre-registration is May 15 and registration
is non-refundable after May 16.

Single Person's
Annual Income

Pre-registration
per person

Household Annual
Income

under $6,500

$15

under $13,300

$6,500 - $13,250

$25'

$13,300 - $18,000

$13,250 - $19,500

$35

$18,000 - $26,000

$19,500 - $30,000

$45

$26,000 - $50,000

over $30,000

$60

over $50,000

Registration fee enclosed (payable to Herland): _ $15 _$25 _$35 _$45 _$60

\

I

Address:. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ City _ _ _ _ _ _State_ _ Zip_ _ __
_ _I need a scholarship.to attend.
_ _I'm enclosing and additional $
to help provide scholarships.
__ I'm bringing __ children (girls of all ages and boys under 10 are welcome)
_ _ I'm bringing __ pets (LEASHED and well-behaved)
Return registration to: Herland Sister Resources, 2312 N.W. 39, Oklahoma City, OK 73112

JI tJI..I..l~'l IN

1

Jltt1llll)

Oklahoma's only Gay/Lesbian marching band wants you! For information about joining The Banned call Marilyn at 794-3035
or Roger at 525-3967.
The Third Annual Wildwoman Wildflower and Herb Festival on May 11 from 9 AM - 5 PM in Eufaula will include vendors,
demonstrations, garden tours, wildflower field trips and musical entemtainment.
Congratulations to Nancy Nesser and Peggy Johnson on passing the Oklahoma State Bar!
The 21st Michigan Womyn's Music Festival will be August 13-18. The program features performances by Dorothy Allizon,
Marga Gomez, Hattie Gossett, Tish Hinojosa, Phranc, 7 Year Bitch, and Jane Siberry. For information write to: WWTMC,
P .O. Box 22 Walhalla, MI 49458 or call 616-757-4766.

OUR SUPPORTERS
Red Rock Gay and Lesbian
Ol/Treach
Free Seminars & Workshops • Substance Abuse Prevention
Education & Referral • Lesbian and Gay Support Groups
Activities (Dances, Arts & Crafts Classes, Sports, etc.)
Workshops (Dance, Pottery, Relationships, Safer Sex, etc.)
Testing • YGLA (14-20 years old - under 18 with parent's permission)

Ollli'each & Calendar of Events
425-0399

Art Dealer

Dana Tiger Art Co. -c:::. ·
And The

IJbili1pif L i nel
BUSINESS

,

2110 E. Shawnee St.
Muskogee, Okla. 74403
(918) 687-7006

Tiger Gallery Artists

· 1961 w.b,nosey
~noam..n. ale 73069

(4M) 4479'111

The Chautauqua Center
Director

KAREN RAY
Representing

' healWie Pl&D

blhlleen Ration

nmsMRICe

PayroO
Bookknping

REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

PO Box 5119
Nonnan, Okla. 73070
405 321-2148

Individual - Couples
Family Therapy
Retreats

JACKIE RUFF

Tax Preparation

SERVICES

ROSE M. RABON

Certified Massage

(405) 629-2074

842-2357
6488 Avondale Drive
Suite 342
Oklahoma City. OK 73116

6 Her/and Voice May, 1996

Essential Oils
On Site Chair Massage

Herbal Colon Cleanse
House Sitting

Herland Sister Resources
May 1996

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8

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9

3

4

Full Moon

1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Gay May Day,
Habana Inn Parking Lot - stop by
the Harland table
and say hi!

10

11

Last Quarter

Cinco de Mayo

3rd Annual Wildwoman Wildflower
and Herb Festival,
Eufaula, OK

Bi 12 Softball Tournament

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

New Moon

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
HSR Board Meeting

Motlier's
Day
Big 12 Softball
Tourn.

Herland S rin Retreat
Celebrate Feminist Bookstore Week with Herland or our local feminist bookstore!

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24

25

Newsletter
Deadline

1st Quarter

Retreat

26

27
Memorial Day
(Observed)

28

29

30

31

6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Newsletter Folding
Party

Mark Your Calendar: June 14, 1OAM - 4 PM Cleanup/Fixup Day at Herland

Harland Sister Resources
2312 N.W. 39
Oklahoma city, OK 73112
Address Correction Requested
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