extracted text

July, 1994

STONEWALL

25:

SNAPSHOTS
The weather was wonderful!
(and don't you know Jerry Falwell
was praying for foul weather?) Well,
the Goddess prevailed; temperatures
throughout the week were in the mild
mid-80' s during the day, cooler at
night; with gentle gay breezes blow-

Peggy Johnson, Her/and Board member, inspires waiting
marchers with ''The Mountain Song."

ing everywhere .
.&. The Gay Games - There were athletes from all over the
globe, for events from Aerobics to Track & Field, Billiards to
Wrestling. An event or sport for everyone .
.&. New Yorkers were wondeiful and welcoming, especially
the darling elderly woman whose number was mistakenly listed
in the Gay Games guide as being the Gay and Lesbian Visitors
Centernumber. She graciously explained the error and gave the
correct number to all callers.

OKC CELEBRATES
STONEWALL
Oklahoma City's seventh annual Gay and Lesbian Pride
Parade held June 26th celebrated the 25th anniversary of
Stonewall. Over 600 people joined in the forty marching
contingents and floats representing gay and lesbian organizations and businesses and other supportive organizations. Onlookers cheered the marchers all along the route from N.W.
36th and Classen to N.W. 39th and Young. A large crowd
estimated at more than 1,000 greeted the parade at N.W. 39th
and Pennsylvania.
Oklahoma City activities began with a human rights
service commemorating Stonewall 25. Reverend Wayne
Robinson brought a message, ·'From Rejection to Affirmation,''
Reverend Kay Lee of New Horizons MCC, Jim Houk of
Affirmation, John Carter of the Hebrew Community, and
Reverend John Nicholas of Lighthouse MCC also took part in
the service.
Senator Bemest Cain (D-OKC) greeted the pre-parade
rally and presented a proclamation in recognition of the parade.
Senator Cain encouraged the lesbian/gay community and its
allies to perservere in the struggle for human rights. Bill
Rogers, chair of the Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission, called on those present to work for the passage of a human
rights ordinance in Oklahoma City.
D

Volume 11 Number 7

.&. Friday night on Christopher Street: a re-enactment of
Stonewall, with a myriad of gorgeous flamboyant queens
celebrating. The hundreds of police cordoning off the royal
dramatics were evidently feeling a little touchy, and determined that it not be an actual repeat of 1969: a stroll along a side
street disclosed several hundred more police sheltering under
a construction overhang, each with a billy club in one hand and
a big bunch of plastic handcuffs in the other. A very sobering
sight it was.
(continued on page 3)

Herland Sister Resvurces

'

2312 N.W. 39, OKC, OK 73112

ST.

SYBIL

Dear St. Sybil;
I overheard a gay man with AIDS ask ·'Why us? Why
couldn't it have happened to the women instead?" Even after
making allowances for the devastation of dying young, the question was chilling. Another gay man, a new acquaintance, said that
he wished we could get ''the women'' more involved in the AIDS
fight - he knows a lot of men, he said, who just despise women.
Like, a woman (Elizabeth Taylor) wasn't the first celebrity to
speak out and fight for AIDS funding and for treating AIDS like
the tragic disease it is; like I don't personally know dozens of
women involved at all levels with fighting AIDS and prejudice
against those with AIDS, and caring for those with AIDS.
And now I just heard that several gay men in OKC have
reneged on their pledges of financial support for the Pride Summit
because -this'll kill ya, Sybil - both keynote speakers are women.
And it is true, they are. Pere Jude Radecic is Executive Director
of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, an organization
representing men equally with women; Mandy Carter is Director
of the Black Gay & Lesbian Leadership Forum representing men
equally with women. They are, in effect, people, representing
groups of people of both genders . These are not radical lesbian
separatists we're talking about, - not that it's all that easy to find
RLS's anymore anyway. Radical Lesbian Separatists exist more
in myth than in actuality ... kind oflike the bogeyman, you know?
or Sasquatch.
Anyway, how many conferences have women attended and
supported over the years with a preponderance or totality of male
speakers? What is the male/female ratio in Congress and our state
Legislature? What is the male/female ratio in our court systems,
in our hospital and school administration, in the executive branch
of government, on the police force? (Yet what is the ratio of taxes
that women and men pay - exactly the same, that's what, for very
uneven, unequal representation.
Is this the full face of the backlash against women? Would
men tum off a news station with two female anchors, even though
women have watched two males deliver the news throughout most
of television history? Are we about to achieve female overload in
the Senate, with six women Senators, and forty-four men?
Why do men respond this way when women begin to achieve
parity?
Is it, as Adrienne Rich suggests, because mothers (who like
the Lord, giveth and taketh, discipline, deny and withhold) are
inevitably women and therefore their children inevitably will be
hostile to them? Is it because, as reported by the United Nations,
women constitute halfthe world's population, perform nearly twothirds of its work, receive one-tenth of the world's income and
own less than one-hundredth of the world's property - and men
feel the same guilt and fear about this sorry state of affairs that
white americans do about exploitation of African Americans?
I was going to ask you, Sybil, why gay men hate us, but when
I think about, I think I'll ask, why are all men so hateful toward us?
Yours in sorrow, hurt and anger,
Margaret

2 Her/and Voice July, 1994

Dear Margaret,
I'm feeling a mite sorrowful at the moment myself, Margaret.
It's thekind of subject that leaves a woman, even a non-corporeal
spirit like me, feeling very blue. As the classic quote goes, ''It's
not all men, but it's always men."
I'm glad you amended your question to include straight men,
who tend to hate women, too. It's known as misogyny, and is age
old and virulent. That is the deadly disease women die of, young
women as well as old - misogyny as manifested in unequal pay,
unequal medical treatment, unequal opportunity; and more directly and personally by rape, battering and murder. And before
some aggrieved soul brings up Irene Wuoumos or Lorena Bobbit,
ask yourself how many women serial killers go around killing
men. Maybe one? And what is the ratio of women who mutilate
men, to men who mutilate women? One to thousands, if you don't
count actual war zones, where it is more like one to millions.
So call it guilt, call it fear, call it power which likes to flex its
pretty muscles; just don't call it just.
Bluer than blue myself,
Yours,
Sybil
p.s. I would like to invite anyone who thinks women are uncaring
about the AIDS tragedy, or are too powerful, or have achieved too
much parity in the world; and who would like to defend that
position, to write me care of the Berland Voice. I would really like
to hear you articulate your position, and quite possibly I can
persuade my channeler to include it in the Voice. SL

Jody Bukacek, leading the Porthole contingent, carries the
colors proudly.

'

OKLAHOMA

PRIDE

I

SNAPSHOTS

(continued from page 1)

SUMMIT
The Oklahoma Pride Summit promises to be an exciting
opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered persons and
straight allies to get acquainted, share ideas and make plans,
according to organizers. Scheduled for July 15-17, the Oklahoma
Pride Summit will be held in the Student Union on the University
of Oklahoma Norman campus.
Helen Miller, a Summit organizer from Simply Equal-Norman, says, ''the Summit offers Oklahomans a chance to learn from
national lesbian and gay leaders and to share the knowledge and
experience we have from our work here." National resource
persons for the conference are Robert Bray, Fight the Right
Organizer with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Mandy
Carter, Director of the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum;
and Peri Jude Radecic, Executive Director of the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force.
Summit activities begin with a reception on Friday, July 15 to
welcome Mandy Carter and Robert Bray to Oklahoma. The
reception, scheduled for 7:00 P.M. in Walker Tower on the OU
campus, is open to the public.
The Summit agenda will begin with the opening keynote by
Mandy Carter at 8:45 A.M., Saturday, July 16. The program will
include a look at what it is like to live in Oklahoma as a lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgendered person; provide opportunities for
participants to discuss changes they would like to see and to make
plans for action toward those changes. Skill building workshops
will focus on working with the media, influencing public policy,
and community organizing. The Summit finale will be a keynote
address by Peri Jude Radecic.
Registrations are still be accepted for the Oklahoma Pride
Summit [see page 8 for registration information]. Housing is
available on the OU campus for persons who preregister. Child
care will be available for children who are preregistered. ASL
interpreters are available for the hearing impaired. All Summit
facilities are wheelchair accessible.
The Oklahoma Pride Summit is organized by a state-wide
coalition of gay, lesbian, and bisexual organizations. Those participating in summit planning include Affirmation/OKC, Family
of Faith MCC, Perspectives, Simply Equal-OKC, Simply Equal
- Norman. OU/GBLA, Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights,
OSU/GLBA and Herland Sister Resources.
For more information about the Oklahoma Pride Summit, call
Herland at 521-9696.
D

2109 S. AiR DEpOT
MidwEST Ory, OK 7} 1 10

( 405 )7H -0496

AiR DEpoT ANiMAl HospiTAl
CAil foR AppoiNTMENT

JOY HUSKA, D.Y. M.

,._ Ah, the Dyke March on Saturday, down Fifth A venue to
Washington Square. Who knew that breasts came in so many
different shapes and sizes? Not that most of the thousands of
women weren't clothed - clothed, resolute, and riotously
exuberant. It was glorious.

,._ Museums were full of gay & lesbian art & films. The West
Village was jumping. Most of us made a pilgrimage to the old
Stonewall Inn, which was decorated witharainbowofballoons.
The small park opposite had statues of same-sex couples, and
was filled with the joyful music of an all-women jazz band.
,._ An alternative, officially-illegal-but-in-actuality-tolerated
parade of about 10,000 marched up Fifth A venue, including
Act-Up and the Radical Faeries. The politics of the Alternate
March were hard to follow; there were possibly some
unappealing groups arching in it as well. Rumors were rife;
take what you hear with a grain of salt.
(continued on pag~ 5)

Her/and Voice July, 1994

3

DEAR HERLAND:
I read Margaret's article in the June Voice, entitled " A
Modern Dilemma,'' dealing with the general issue of participation
in feminist/lesbian activities by M-F transsexuals and
transgenderists, and restating the local goal to develop a policy for
active participation in Herland functions by transgendered individuals. I was very impressed and pleased with her insight and the
frank but positive tone of the article. I'm always glad to offer my
thoughts, too, as you're already aware. I would like to offer a
personal perspective. Hopefully, it will be eye-opening and
stimulate some discussion on the issue among Herland's readership. I can obviously speak only for myself, but I'm sure that
others in the transgendered community, particularly lesbian-identified transsexuals, feel similarly in some respects. it will take
some good, honest dialogue among all of us to feel comfortable
with this phenomenon, and it's difficult to be comfortable with
something that one doesn't understand. It's even more difficult if
no one is willing to talk about it.

I would like to begin with Herland's stated
mission: to work towards a world in which
all women live free from oppression ...
I would like to begin with Herland' s stated mission: to work
towards a world in which all women live free from
oppression ... supporting women in their journey toward self-definition and self-determination, recognizing that each woman has
her own pace of growth and enlightenment. The journey of selfdiscovery that I began a little over five years ago was pretty scary
at the time. Think about it for a minute. I spent over forty years
of my life subscribing to the standard cultural socialization
process dealing with sexuality and gender roles that is typical of
a patriarchal society. I subscribed to it out of fear, a fear of
rejection and disapproval if I dared speak out about the discomfort
I experienced trying to be the boy and the man that I was expected
to be. I sensed that something wasn't right, but I dared not look too
closely for fear of what I would find. I invested much of my vital
energy fighting a feeling that I was afraid to explore. Over the
years, my sense of self and my self-esteem took a severe beating,
and I was on a collision course towards a date with death. I had
become so severely depressed that my ego was telling me that
suicide was the only way out. Even though I had been living as a
man, I was being oppressed by the same patriarchal culture as
many women, and basically for the same reason. The prevailing
cultural norm was (and pretty much still is) that a person's worth
is inherently virility-centered. A man's worth is measured by his
virility, and a woman's through her relationship with such a man.
The death about five years ago of a sickly little three-day old
puppy, the last remaining pup in a litter of eight in which five were
still-born and the other two died shortly after birth, triggered a
massive release of pent-up feelings surrounding my identity and
emotional isolation over the years. I cried my heart out. All the
shit that I had stuffed over the years was pouring out, and I couldn't
stop it. I honestly didn't want to. Somehow, I knew I needed that
release, although it wasn't clear to me at that time exactly why.
The following day, I was finally in a frame of mind to acknowledge
the fact that I was cross-gendered. What a bomb to drop on
yourself! What the hell was I supposed to do then? I had the
presence of mind to sit down and try to journal the thoughts that
were running through my mind. I still have that document, and I
4 Her/and Voice July, 1994

cherish it. It was the first real step that ltook on my journey of selfdiscovery. It was my first encounter with my inner child, a girl that
was abandoned in her childhood, a girl that had existed in a dark
and empty world devoid of any meaningful connections for almost
forty years, a girl who had no idea what it was like to be a woman.
Only when I and my inner child both risked investing all our love
and energy into caring for the sickly puppy did we finally discover
that we were the same person.
What is significant here is that my recognition and acceptance
of this situation, as scared as I was about how I was going to deal
with it, was a big first step towards self-definition and selfdetermination. I was fortunate enough to have support from caring
individuals at the right time to help me start working through the
myriad issues that came with this situation. But it also took a belief
in myself, an inner source of strength, to continue the process of
validating myself as a woman and as an intrinsically love-worthy
human being. In my interaction with Herland and the lesbian
community over the past year and a half, I see and feel that same
affirmative spirit, to believe in ourselves and to validate ourselves
from within, whether the issue be gender identity, gender roles,
sexual preference, or whatever. We all encounter some bumpy
rides in our journey through life, and the supportive and affirmative spirit that we advocate as a community is vital for all of us, as
women to pull together the courage and self-confidence to rethink
the oppressive belief system most of us grew up with. And we
must remember that whatever the issue is, our enlightenment
comes in different ways and at different paces for each individual.
We must respect and honor that.
For a M-F transsexual to identify as a lesbian or bisexual has
traditionally been considered an indication that the individual is
not a good candidate for sex reassignment surgery, a buy-in to the
patriarchal notions of homophobia and that a woman's worth
comes only through her relationship with a man . I honestly think
that it was, and still is, not uncommon for some transsexuals to tell
their therapists that they are hetero (relating sexually to men) so as
not to jeopardize their chances for being recommended for surgery, whether they really are ornot. That's subterfuge, and I refuse
to say I'm hetero when I know I'm not. I identified as lesbian from
the beginning, and I still do. I'm probably capable of being
bisexual, actually, but my preference is distinctly lesbian. If I
never have a relationship with a man, I'm okay with that. Fortunately, I think many therapists have begun to acknowledge this
circumstance. Sadly, I still think that there are some transsexuals

Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312 N.W. 39th,
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Newsletter Committee: Margaret Cox, Vivien Ng, Pat Reaves
Circulation: 1300
Advertising Rates: Business card $15; 1/4 page $35;
1/2 page $60; full page $100

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.

who outwardly profess to be hetero, unwilling to acknowledge a
real or latent attraction to women because of perceived sanctions,
whether substantive or not. Sound familiar?

No one can say that being cross-gendered,
gay, lesbian, or bisexual is not a legitimate
manifestation of our highest good.
To the true M-F transsexual, who by definition desires the
surgery to be able to live and function permanently and congruently as a woman, the surgery is an important milestone, regardless of whether or not she is hetero- or gay-identified. My personal
conception is that I do not need the surgery to validate my identity
as a woman. I do need the surgery to function appropriately as a
woman and to have legal standing as such. That is not to take
anything away from other members of the trans gendered community who do not desire the surgery, however. Yes, the surgery is
quite traumatic. We look at ourselves right after surgery and
wonder how that swollen mass of flesh will ever look like a
woman's genitalia. It's painful as hell for a period of time while
the body is healing, and then there's the ''maintenance'' required
to keep the vagina from prolapsing. But for the transsexual who
has openly and honestly investigated her life situation, and who
finally arrives at the choice to undergo surgery, it carries with it a
wonderful feeling of completion amidst all the pain and the
lifetime commitment to proper care. A friend recently gave me a
little travel gift for my trip to Belgium for my surgery with a note
that read, "Enjoy your pain and ecstasy!" What a keen insight
into what we feel as we approach and finally have the surgery.
No one can say that being cross-gendered, gay, lesbian, or
bisexual is not a legitimate manifestation of our highest good.
Only individually can we know, in our oneness with God, the truth
of our own being. What we project in our attitude towards
ourselves is what we project to others, and it is exactly what we get
back in return. If we wallow in a cesspool of negativity, we will
look and behave accordingly, and in return we will get treated like
shit. If we are positive about ourselves, that will be reflected back
to us accordingly. Sure, we put up with a lot of bigotry along the
way, but we will be much more capable of coping with it, and our
lives will unfold in many wonderful ways that reflect our positive
attitude. I have acknowledged and accepted my truth. I was born
male. But my being, my spirit, is that of a woman and a lesbian,
and I know that my life is meant to be experienced at this higher
plane. I look forward to spending the rest of my life discovering
and exploring the wonderful woman that I am.
To be perfectly open with the community, I would like to
make you aware of a book by Janice Raymond, The Transsexual
Empire: The Making ofthe She-Male, published in 1979byBeacon
Press. It used to be available at the OU library. Raymond is a
proponent of feminist ethics, and she presents a very negative
view of individuals like myself in Chapter IV ("Sappho by
Surgery: The Transsexually Constructed Lesbian-Feminist). I
honor her right as a woman to present her views on the subject, but
I cannot agree in principle with her premise and its blanket
application to all professed transsexual lesbian-feminists. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I know how I feel, and it is not what
Raymond describes. For those who are inclined to study this issue,
I suggest reading it. I would no more wish the community to
accept me and others like me blindly than she would. If you stop
to think about it for a moment, if my motives were questionable,
would I have even mentioned her book?

I will under go my sex reassignment surgery in Brussels,
Belgium, on June 14. I approach it with a healthy degree of
nervousness, but I know that it is what I must do. My friends have
been very loving and supportive, and for that I am very thankful.
I hope that I am back in time to support Herland in the Lesbian/Gay
Pride March on the 26th. Whether I will have the strength and
stamina to march remains to be seen.
As a closing note, I want Herland and the lesbian community
to know that I love you not because of what you are but because
of who you are. I love all living things, because we are all
connected. I will gladly give of my time and resources to
participate in what Herland stands for. I have a favorite t-shirt that
a girlfriend gave me. It pictures Rosie the Riveter rolling up her
sleeves with the caption "We Can Do It." I love it. That is the
same positive, empowering attitude that I think Herland personifies, and I would like to be part of it.
Lovingly,
Kendra Marie Foyil

SNAPSHOTS

(continuedfrompage3)

A The march itself seemed endless, hour after hour of us
parading through New York City and Central Park. People on
crutches, in wheelchairs, the hearing-ii;npaired signing love to
the crowd; babies and ancients, parents and children
and lovers and friends, the
angry and the near-complacent, the faeries and queens
and leather people, the bands
and drummers and singers ("OOOklahoma") - it was
too wonderful. The milelong flag was the most wondrous sight ever to be seen
entering Central Park.
At 3:00 o'clock on
Sunday afternoon the City of
New York fell silent; a hush
of quiet spread from the
speaker's podium in the Park
to the last of the marchers still waiting to step out. It was an
awesome moment of power, of grief, of dedication, of love and
self-love. The whoop of joy that followed it was as inevitable
as night following day. It was a moment almost unbearably
moving.
0

Sunset Sailing
with

Skipper Rick

823-7093
Oklahoma City's most romantic sunsets!

Her/and Voice July, 1994

5

SARAH ELIZABETH CAMPBELL
RUNNING W1rH

You

lllJJ..J.. lrt1IN llf)Jllll)

By Jill Garner

On her second album, Austinite Sarah Elizabeth Campbell
proves her talent as a songwriter, writing and singing songs of
love, loss and life. Campbell's songs can soothe the spirit and the
heart with her touching words and her mellow, slightly husky
voice.
Running With You is a good mixture of Campbell's own
songs and songs by others which are as good as her own. Songs
of love are usually my favorite and although many of Campbell's
songs are about the loss of love and the memories, heartbreak
songs evoke great love to me and lift my spirits anyway. Through
all of Campbell's songs of pain, I get the feeling of strength and
survival from the songs, not defeat.
The title track· 'Running With You'' is the song I find myself
playing the most. Reflecting on a past love, Campbell sings of
good memories tinged with just a little pain. "Once in a fit of
craziness, Ithrew your love letters away, Couldn't see beyond my
madness, Oh, what I'd give to have them back today." "Time is
Funny That Way,, the pain of being left by a lover, is a strong sendoff to her departing love as she sings ''Somewhere down the road
you'll turn, and call my name, I won't be there.'' Another love lost
song, ·'Not to Mention My Broken Heart,'' laments the memories
and lost material possessions from the broken relationship.
"Albums full of pictures, Seashells from the coast, Then there's
John Prine's albums, I guess they get to me the most" are my
favorite lines. ''The Heart,'' written by Greg Trooper/Tom
Russell and John Prine/Donnie Fritts' "Somewhere Someone's
Falling in Love'' are catchy, happy songs, as well as' 'Waiting for
the Train to Come In,'' an early hit for Peggy Lee. This last one
is simply a great song, despite the line· Tm waiting for my life to
begin" as she waits for her man to come home on the train.
Campbell does the old song ·'Love Hurts'' and it's not a bad
remake. I had no idea that could be a pretty good song and I caught
myself singing to it at the top of my lungs in the car the other day.
Probably the weakest song on the album is "Following My
Heart,'' because the words seem to be forced to fit the music.
Despite that, the song is a pretty one about letting the heart's
guards down. 'Tm following my heart, When I hear you call my
name, It speaks so loud and clear to me, Saying I will never be the
same." Perhaps a foreshadowing of her next album (?) are the
lines, "Baby, baby, baby, What have you done to me, Making me
stop and wonder, Are there any sad songs left inside of me.'' If she
writes the happy songs as skillfully as the sad ones, I don't care.
Just as long a,, she keeps writing and singing . .
To order Running With You, call Herland at 521-9696. 0

Rebecca R. Cohn, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychology

Norman, OK
321-2148

6 Her/and Voice July, 1994

Individual,
Couples & Famny
Therapy

Lighthouse MCC is planning an all women's service
on July 24, 1994. Lighthouse MCC has a growing
women's membership and always has our doors and
hearts open to welcome you.
Lesbian-only counseling group: Wednesday evenings. Contact Jo L. Soske, M.Ed., MHR, ICADC,
NCC, LPC at 364-5708.
Rescue America, Operation Rescue and others plan
clinic blockades in Little Rock, Arkansas during the
week of July 4. To help defend clinics call (501) 2232231.
The June issue of Essence Magazine featured a
segment on homophobia, "Will It Divide Us?," by
Nadine Smith, the executive director of the Florida
Human Rights Task Force and co-chair of the 1993
March on Washington. Smith assailed the Far Right' s
efforts to solicit African-Americans to ''align themselves with right wing whites against lesbians and
gays of all colors ... well-funded Far Right groups
continue to offer money and unprecedented media
exposure to homophobic Black ministers around the
country.'' The same issue also profiled Bishop Carl
Bean, founder of the Minority AIDS Project and Unity
Fellowship Church for Black gays & lesbians. Write:
Essence, 1500 Broadway, New York 10036.
Call for Material: Lesbian Land Culture Anthology; to be published by Word Weavers, edited by Nett
Hart & Jean Mountaingrove. This book is meant to
be a resource for Lesbians on land and a validation of
our culture, as well as a resource for Lesbians who are
dreaming about land. Songs, poems, narratives, essays, cartoons, journal notes, interviews, art, photos
welcome. Forinformation: Word Weavers, P. 0. Box
8742, Minneapolis, MN 55408.
Poetry Contest. Hurricane Alice, a publication that
thrives on new, strong and enthusiastic voices corning
from within the feminist community, is celebrating its
10-year anniversary with a first annual poetry contest.
Write to Hurricane Alice Foundation, Inc., 207 Lind
Hall, W7 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455,
for Guidelines; or come check them out on the
Herland bulletin board. Entries must be postmarked
by September 1, 1994.

UPDATE FROM

Ogkes To Watch Out For

CAMP SISTER
SPIRIT
Lately, the harrassment
has escalated. Gunshots have
started up again all around
the perimeters of the Land.
A few days ago, Brenda was
chased and almost ran off
the road. Little, spikes have
been left in our driveway as
"presents" for the last
couple of days. One gave
Cheri a flat. These spikes
are used by the military or
can be bought in Soldier of
Fortune. They are ONLY
used to give flat tires. There
have been very few womyn
or anybody else brave
enough to come out and help.
We have had some Avengers from Pittsburgh come.
Some other womyn have
come by to help also. Right
now Alison is here. She is an
attorney from CA that has
been working with David
Daniels, our main attorney.
We need any law students or
other lawyers that can help
with the research. We also
still need womyn to make
the Land safe as well as financial contributions.
(Reprinted from a message on

unminced

words

America Online. ) Brenda and
Wanda Henson may be contacted
at (601)344-2005. Camp Sister
Spirit, P.O. Box 12, Ovett, MS
30464)
0

WOMONTOWN

'h£&~a !J( !B'townln9 c::f?.PJ:.. 'h.'h.d'.
1

An Intentional Neighborhood Community
For Lesbians

fbantJ Ca.._a {0 ' tfu £ntiu "Jamil!J
.do{& fbanti..t'!J {o' flnu..t .du,uiuou
.£utt& !JOSI

d\intdian d\iaJioJ'Jown
15521 dVo..tf. d\iauJian

P.O. Box 090811
Kansas City, MO 64109

7,,-4099
Off~· dla .... &y .df.pt.o••t-u

(913) 791-8058

Her/and Voice July, 1994

7

OKLAHOMA
Friday to Sunday
July 15-17, 1994
on the 0 U c~pus
Norman Oklahoma
Make sure you are a part of
Oklahoma's first state-wide gathering of Ga~· males, Lesbian,
Bisexuals, and Transgender persons

v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v

share information and exchange ideas
learn about other Oklahoma based organizations
find out what the "right wing" is doing in Oklahoma
hear about GLBT National organizations
make contacts throughout the state
Improve activism skills
meet new people
Please i11dicate your needs on the
relax
handicap line of the registration form
v play

Registration fees:
received Before
after June 27, 1994
Student/low income
$7 .50
10.00
Medium income
10.00
15.00
Upper income
15.00
20.00
Dorm rooms on the campus have been reserved. These rooms are $25.00 per person for
double and $50.00 for single occupancy. Two rooms share a bath. A maximum of two
people per room only. This price is for both Friday and Saturday nights and includes
linens. One night room rates would be half of the above prices.
M~als: one meal and two continental breakfasts and snacks during the conference are
included in the registration price. Ali other meals ue on your own.

---------REGISTRATION FORM

CLIP H E R E : - - - - - - - - -

Please fill in and return with you check to Oklahoma Pride Summit, P.O. Box 61305, OKC, OK 73146

SPECIAL NEEDS: [ ] Handicap EXPLAIN:. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
[ ] VEGETARIAN MEAL [ ]SMOKER [ ]CHILD CARE#__ AGES _ _
REGISTRATION FEE ENCLOSED
[] SINGLE [ ] DOUBLE
HOUSING FEE
Roommate
[ ]Please have the computer assign my room mate
All mail will be sent in sealed envelopes with only a post office box return address.

JULY 1994
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

2
The Lesbian Canedy idiow 1 sponsored by the Pillk llibbm (for breast cancer
awareness) Canedy Series, mixes this message in with its bmar: Check
your breasts, check yoor girlfriend's breastsi & Stop Sllakillg. So do it.

3

5

4

6
Cleveland
County

NOW

7pm

Norman
Public
Library

or

fourth
July Holiday

11

12

13

Herl and
Le ea I
Defense
F"und
6:30 pm

Mary McLeod
Bethune
1875 - 1955

17

PRIDE
SUMMIT
in
Norman

18

19

20

Nat'I
NOW
Conference
San Antonio

7 BARBEQUE

tt

25

26

in

San Antonio

g

8

fOr Simply

Equal
Volunteers
7Pf'1
Call
842-1824
fbr local.ion

14

QUEER
PAGANS
7 pm
al Oasis

15

HARY
PEGGY
REYNOLDS
JOHNSON &
al the Blue
The Vested
Door, 2805
Interest.
N. McKinley,
al The
in an All-Slar Grateful Bean
Tribute lo
NWIO & Walker
lrJoodyCut.hrie
9 - MidniE1ht.

21

16

in

Summit..)

23

29

30

27

PRIDE
SUMMIT

Norman
CTeacher's
Group will
meet durinEI

.. 22

PECCY
JOHNSON &
The Vested
Interest
al
La Bapuelle
323 W. Boyd
9pm - 2 am

Metro
OKC NOW
6:30 pm
al lhe
Harvey House
300 NW 63rd

Herl and
Boardt1eet.inEI
4:30 pm

Nat. 'I
NOW
Conference

• •1

Amelia
Earhart

i898 - 1937?

j9"39-'
& Patricia

Herland Voice
foldin~ Party
6:30, Herland

Schroeder
1940

31
The Gay Pride (Stonewall 25) Guide in New York included letters
of welcome, congratulations and solidarity from Mayor Giugliani,
Governor Cuomo, and President Clinton. Doc Berland wonders: Did.
Mayor Norick and Gov. Walters send greetings to the OKC parade?
iil:RLAllD GIFT SHOP
t
~···························
Place to
+

qi

HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES, INC.

2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
405/ 521-9696
Hours: Saturdays 10 - 6: Sundays 1 - 6

+

The

Shop

•

for Jewelry I Pottery I

•

4j1

T-shirts, Stationery,

+

+
+
t and More! And of course, +
+ great books and IPUSic. +

<,

Bird Houses & Feeders,

qi

Buttons, Postcards, Toys

,..... ,......................

NonProf~

Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No. 861

2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED



July, 1994

STONEWALL

25:

SNAPSHOTS
The weather was wonderful!
(and don't you know Jerry Falwell
was praying for foul weather?) Well,
the Goddess prevailed; temperatures
throughout the week were in the mild
mid-80' s during the day, cooler at
night; with gentle gay breezes blow-

Peggy Johnson, Her/and Board member, inspires waiting
marchers with ''The Mountain Song."

ing everywhere .
.&. The Gay Games - There were athletes from all over the
globe, for events from Aerobics to Track & Field, Billiards to
Wrestling. An event or sport for everyone .
.&. New Yorkers were wondeiful and welcoming, especially
the darling elderly woman whose number was mistakenly listed
in the Gay Games guide as being the Gay and Lesbian Visitors
Centernumber. She graciously explained the error and gave the
correct number to all callers.

OKC CELEBRATES
STONEWALL
Oklahoma City's seventh annual Gay and Lesbian Pride
Parade held June 26th celebrated the 25th anniversary of
Stonewall. Over 600 people joined in the forty marching
contingents and floats representing gay and lesbian organizations and businesses and other supportive organizations. Onlookers cheered the marchers all along the route from N.W.
36th and Classen to N.W. 39th and Young. A large crowd
estimated at more than 1,000 greeted the parade at N.W. 39th
and Pennsylvania.
Oklahoma City activities began with a human rights
service commemorating Stonewall 25. Reverend Wayne
Robinson brought a message, ·'From Rejection to Affirmation,''
Reverend Kay Lee of New Horizons MCC, Jim Houk of
Affirmation, John Carter of the Hebrew Community, and
Reverend John Nicholas of Lighthouse MCC also took part in
the service.
Senator Bemest Cain (D-OKC) greeted the pre-parade
rally and presented a proclamation in recognition of the parade.
Senator Cain encouraged the lesbian/gay community and its
allies to perservere in the struggle for human rights. Bill
Rogers, chair of the Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission, called on those present to work for the passage of a human
rights ordinance in Oklahoma City.
D

Volume 11 Number 7

.&. Friday night on Christopher Street: a re-enactment of
Stonewall, with a myriad of gorgeous flamboyant queens
celebrating. The hundreds of police cordoning off the royal
dramatics were evidently feeling a little touchy, and determined that it not be an actual repeat of 1969: a stroll along a side
street disclosed several hundred more police sheltering under
a construction overhang, each with a billy club in one hand and
a big bunch of plastic handcuffs in the other. A very sobering
sight it was.
(continued on page 3)

Herland Sister Resvurces

'

2312 N.W. 39, OKC, OK 73112

ST.

SYBIL

Dear St. Sybil;
I overheard a gay man with AIDS ask ·'Why us? Why
couldn't it have happened to the women instead?" Even after
making allowances for the devastation of dying young, the question was chilling. Another gay man, a new acquaintance, said that
he wished we could get ''the women'' more involved in the AIDS
fight - he knows a lot of men, he said, who just despise women.
Like, a woman (Elizabeth Taylor) wasn't the first celebrity to
speak out and fight for AIDS funding and for treating AIDS like
the tragic disease it is; like I don't personally know dozens of
women involved at all levels with fighting AIDS and prejudice
against those with AIDS, and caring for those with AIDS.
And now I just heard that several gay men in OKC have
reneged on their pledges of financial support for the Pride Summit
because -this'll kill ya, Sybil - both keynote speakers are women.
And it is true, they are. Pere Jude Radecic is Executive Director
of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, an organization
representing men equally with women; Mandy Carter is Director
of the Black Gay & Lesbian Leadership Forum representing men
equally with women. They are, in effect, people, representing
groups of people of both genders . These are not radical lesbian
separatists we're talking about, - not that it's all that easy to find
RLS's anymore anyway. Radical Lesbian Separatists exist more
in myth than in actuality ... kind oflike the bogeyman, you know?
or Sasquatch.
Anyway, how many conferences have women attended and
supported over the years with a preponderance or totality of male
speakers? What is the male/female ratio in Congress and our state
Legislature? What is the male/female ratio in our court systems,
in our hospital and school administration, in the executive branch
of government, on the police force? (Yet what is the ratio of taxes
that women and men pay - exactly the same, that's what, for very
uneven, unequal representation.
Is this the full face of the backlash against women? Would
men tum off a news station with two female anchors, even though
women have watched two males deliver the news throughout most
of television history? Are we about to achieve female overload in
the Senate, with six women Senators, and forty-four men?
Why do men respond this way when women begin to achieve
parity?
Is it, as Adrienne Rich suggests, because mothers (who like
the Lord, giveth and taketh, discipline, deny and withhold) are
inevitably women and therefore their children inevitably will be
hostile to them? Is it because, as reported by the United Nations,
women constitute halfthe world's population, perform nearly twothirds of its work, receive one-tenth of the world's income and
own less than one-hundredth of the world's property - and men
feel the same guilt and fear about this sorry state of affairs that
white americans do about exploitation of African Americans?
I was going to ask you, Sybil, why gay men hate us, but when
I think about, I think I'll ask, why are all men so hateful toward us?
Yours in sorrow, hurt and anger,
Margaret

2 Her/and Voice July, 1994

Dear Margaret,
I'm feeling a mite sorrowful at the moment myself, Margaret.
It's thekind of subject that leaves a woman, even a non-corporeal
spirit like me, feeling very blue. As the classic quote goes, ''It's
not all men, but it's always men."
I'm glad you amended your question to include straight men,
who tend to hate women, too. It's known as misogyny, and is age
old and virulent. That is the deadly disease women die of, young
women as well as old - misogyny as manifested in unequal pay,
unequal medical treatment, unequal opportunity; and more directly and personally by rape, battering and murder. And before
some aggrieved soul brings up Irene Wuoumos or Lorena Bobbit,
ask yourself how many women serial killers go around killing
men. Maybe one? And what is the ratio of women who mutilate
men, to men who mutilate women? One to thousands, if you don't
count actual war zones, where it is more like one to millions.
So call it guilt, call it fear, call it power which likes to flex its
pretty muscles; just don't call it just.
Bluer than blue myself,
Yours,
Sybil
p.s. I would like to invite anyone who thinks women are uncaring
about the AIDS tragedy, or are too powerful, or have achieved too
much parity in the world; and who would like to defend that
position, to write me care of the Berland Voice. I would really like
to hear you articulate your position, and quite possibly I can
persuade my channeler to include it in the Voice. SL

Jody Bukacek, leading the Porthole contingent, carries the
colors proudly.

'

OKLAHOMA

PRIDE

I

SNAPSHOTS

(continued from page 1)

SUMMIT
The Oklahoma Pride Summit promises to be an exciting
opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered persons and
straight allies to get acquainted, share ideas and make plans,
according to organizers. Scheduled for July 15-17, the Oklahoma
Pride Summit will be held in the Student Union on the University
of Oklahoma Norman campus.
Helen Miller, a Summit organizer from Simply Equal-Norman, says, ''the Summit offers Oklahomans a chance to learn from
national lesbian and gay leaders and to share the knowledge and
experience we have from our work here." National resource
persons for the conference are Robert Bray, Fight the Right
Organizer with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Mandy
Carter, Director of the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum;
and Peri Jude Radecic, Executive Director of the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force.
Summit activities begin with a reception on Friday, July 15 to
welcome Mandy Carter and Robert Bray to Oklahoma. The
reception, scheduled for 7:00 P.M. in Walker Tower on the OU
campus, is open to the public.
The Summit agenda will begin with the opening keynote by
Mandy Carter at 8:45 A.M., Saturday, July 16. The program will
include a look at what it is like to live in Oklahoma as a lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgendered person; provide opportunities for
participants to discuss changes they would like to see and to make
plans for action toward those changes. Skill building workshops
will focus on working with the media, influencing public policy,
and community organizing. The Summit finale will be a keynote
address by Peri Jude Radecic.
Registrations are still be accepted for the Oklahoma Pride
Summit [see page 8 for registration information]. Housing is
available on the OU campus for persons who preregister. Child
care will be available for children who are preregistered. ASL
interpreters are available for the hearing impaired. All Summit
facilities are wheelchair accessible.
The Oklahoma Pride Summit is organized by a state-wide
coalition of gay, lesbian, and bisexual organizations. Those participating in summit planning include Affirmation/OKC, Family
of Faith MCC, Perspectives, Simply Equal-OKC, Simply Equal
- Norman. OU/GBLA, Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights,
OSU/GLBA and Herland Sister Resources.
For more information about the Oklahoma Pride Summit, call
Herland at 521-9696.
D

2109 S. AiR DEpOT
MidwEST Ory, OK 7} 1 10

( 405 )7H -0496

AiR DEpoT ANiMAl HospiTAl
CAil foR AppoiNTMENT

JOY HUSKA, D.Y. M.

,._ Ah, the Dyke March on Saturday, down Fifth A venue to
Washington Square. Who knew that breasts came in so many
different shapes and sizes? Not that most of the thousands of
women weren't clothed - clothed, resolute, and riotously
exuberant. It was glorious.

,._ Museums were full of gay & lesbian art & films. The West
Village was jumping. Most of us made a pilgrimage to the old
Stonewall Inn, which was decorated witharainbowofballoons.
The small park opposite had statues of same-sex couples, and
was filled with the joyful music of an all-women jazz band.
,._ An alternative, officially-illegal-but-in-actuality-tolerated
parade of about 10,000 marched up Fifth A venue, including
Act-Up and the Radical Faeries. The politics of the Alternate
March were hard to follow; there were possibly some
unappealing groups arching in it as well. Rumors were rife;
take what you hear with a grain of salt.
(continued on pag~ 5)

Her/and Voice July, 1994

3

DEAR HERLAND:
I read Margaret's article in the June Voice, entitled " A
Modern Dilemma,'' dealing with the general issue of participation
in feminist/lesbian activities by M-F transsexuals and
transgenderists, and restating the local goal to develop a policy for
active participation in Herland functions by transgendered individuals. I was very impressed and pleased with her insight and the
frank but positive tone of the article. I'm always glad to offer my
thoughts, too, as you're already aware. I would like to offer a
personal perspective. Hopefully, it will be eye-opening and
stimulate some discussion on the issue among Herland's readership. I can obviously speak only for myself, but I'm sure that
others in the transgendered community, particularly lesbian-identified transsexuals, feel similarly in some respects. it will take
some good, honest dialogue among all of us to feel comfortable
with this phenomenon, and it's difficult to be comfortable with
something that one doesn't understand. It's even more difficult if
no one is willing to talk about it.

I would like to begin with Herland's stated
mission: to work towards a world in which
all women live free from oppression ...
I would like to begin with Herland' s stated mission: to work
towards a world in which all women live free from
oppression ... supporting women in their journey toward self-definition and self-determination, recognizing that each woman has
her own pace of growth and enlightenment. The journey of selfdiscovery that I began a little over five years ago was pretty scary
at the time. Think about it for a minute. I spent over forty years
of my life subscribing to the standard cultural socialization
process dealing with sexuality and gender roles that is typical of
a patriarchal society. I subscribed to it out of fear, a fear of
rejection and disapproval if I dared speak out about the discomfort
I experienced trying to be the boy and the man that I was expected
to be. I sensed that something wasn't right, but I dared not look too
closely for fear of what I would find. I invested much of my vital
energy fighting a feeling that I was afraid to explore. Over the
years, my sense of self and my self-esteem took a severe beating,
and I was on a collision course towards a date with death. I had
become so severely depressed that my ego was telling me that
suicide was the only way out. Even though I had been living as a
man, I was being oppressed by the same patriarchal culture as
many women, and basically for the same reason. The prevailing
cultural norm was (and pretty much still is) that a person's worth
is inherently virility-centered. A man's worth is measured by his
virility, and a woman's through her relationship with such a man.
The death about five years ago of a sickly little three-day old
puppy, the last remaining pup in a litter of eight in which five were
still-born and the other two died shortly after birth, triggered a
massive release of pent-up feelings surrounding my identity and
emotional isolation over the years. I cried my heart out. All the
shit that I had stuffed over the years was pouring out, and I couldn't
stop it. I honestly didn't want to. Somehow, I knew I needed that
release, although it wasn't clear to me at that time exactly why.
The following day, I was finally in a frame of mind to acknowledge
the fact that I was cross-gendered. What a bomb to drop on
yourself! What the hell was I supposed to do then? I had the
presence of mind to sit down and try to journal the thoughts that
were running through my mind. I still have that document, and I
4 Her/and Voice July, 1994

cherish it. It was the first real step that ltook on my journey of selfdiscovery. It was my first encounter with my inner child, a girl that
was abandoned in her childhood, a girl that had existed in a dark
and empty world devoid of any meaningful connections for almost
forty years, a girl who had no idea what it was like to be a woman.
Only when I and my inner child both risked investing all our love
and energy into caring for the sickly puppy did we finally discover
that we were the same person.
What is significant here is that my recognition and acceptance
of this situation, as scared as I was about how I was going to deal
with it, was a big first step towards self-definition and selfdetermination. I was fortunate enough to have support from caring
individuals at the right time to help me start working through the
myriad issues that came with this situation. But it also took a belief
in myself, an inner source of strength, to continue the process of
validating myself as a woman and as an intrinsically love-worthy
human being. In my interaction with Herland and the lesbian
community over the past year and a half, I see and feel that same
affirmative spirit, to believe in ourselves and to validate ourselves
from within, whether the issue be gender identity, gender roles,
sexual preference, or whatever. We all encounter some bumpy
rides in our journey through life, and the supportive and affirmative spirit that we advocate as a community is vital for all of us, as
women to pull together the courage and self-confidence to rethink
the oppressive belief system most of us grew up with. And we
must remember that whatever the issue is, our enlightenment
comes in different ways and at different paces for each individual.
We must respect and honor that.
For a M-F transsexual to identify as a lesbian or bisexual has
traditionally been considered an indication that the individual is
not a good candidate for sex reassignment surgery, a buy-in to the
patriarchal notions of homophobia and that a woman's worth
comes only through her relationship with a man . I honestly think
that it was, and still is, not uncommon for some transsexuals to tell
their therapists that they are hetero (relating sexually to men) so as
not to jeopardize their chances for being recommended for surgery, whether they really are ornot. That's subterfuge, and I refuse
to say I'm hetero when I know I'm not. I identified as lesbian from
the beginning, and I still do. I'm probably capable of being
bisexual, actually, but my preference is distinctly lesbian. If I
never have a relationship with a man, I'm okay with that. Fortunately, I think many therapists have begun to acknowledge this
circumstance. Sadly, I still think that there are some transsexuals

Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312 N.W. 39th,
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Newsletter Committee: Margaret Cox, Vivien Ng, Pat Reaves
Circulation: 1300
Advertising Rates: Business card $15; 1/4 page $35;
1/2 page $60; full page $100

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.

who outwardly profess to be hetero, unwilling to acknowledge a
real or latent attraction to women because of perceived sanctions,
whether substantive or not. Sound familiar?

No one can say that being cross-gendered,
gay, lesbian, or bisexual is not a legitimate
manifestation of our highest good.
To the true M-F transsexual, who by definition desires the
surgery to be able to live and function permanently and congruently as a woman, the surgery is an important milestone, regardless of whether or not she is hetero- or gay-identified. My personal
conception is that I do not need the surgery to validate my identity
as a woman. I do need the surgery to function appropriately as a
woman and to have legal standing as such. That is not to take
anything away from other members of the trans gendered community who do not desire the surgery, however. Yes, the surgery is
quite traumatic. We look at ourselves right after surgery and
wonder how that swollen mass of flesh will ever look like a
woman's genitalia. It's painful as hell for a period of time while
the body is healing, and then there's the ''maintenance'' required
to keep the vagina from prolapsing. But for the transsexual who
has openly and honestly investigated her life situation, and who
finally arrives at the choice to undergo surgery, it carries with it a
wonderful feeling of completion amidst all the pain and the
lifetime commitment to proper care. A friend recently gave me a
little travel gift for my trip to Belgium for my surgery with a note
that read, "Enjoy your pain and ecstasy!" What a keen insight
into what we feel as we approach and finally have the surgery.
No one can say that being cross-gendered, gay, lesbian, or
bisexual is not a legitimate manifestation of our highest good.
Only individually can we know, in our oneness with God, the truth
of our own being. What we project in our attitude towards
ourselves is what we project to others, and it is exactly what we get
back in return. If we wallow in a cesspool of negativity, we will
look and behave accordingly, and in return we will get treated like
shit. If we are positive about ourselves, that will be reflected back
to us accordingly. Sure, we put up with a lot of bigotry along the
way, but we will be much more capable of coping with it, and our
lives will unfold in many wonderful ways that reflect our positive
attitude. I have acknowledged and accepted my truth. I was born
male. But my being, my spirit, is that of a woman and a lesbian,
and I know that my life is meant to be experienced at this higher
plane. I look forward to spending the rest of my life discovering
and exploring the wonderful woman that I am.
To be perfectly open with the community, I would like to
make you aware of a book by Janice Raymond, The Transsexual
Empire: The Making ofthe She-Male, published in 1979byBeacon
Press. It used to be available at the OU library. Raymond is a
proponent of feminist ethics, and she presents a very negative
view of individuals like myself in Chapter IV ("Sappho by
Surgery: The Transsexually Constructed Lesbian-Feminist). I
honor her right as a woman to present her views on the subject, but
I cannot agree in principle with her premise and its blanket
application to all professed transsexual lesbian-feminists. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I know how I feel, and it is not what
Raymond describes. For those who are inclined to study this issue,
I suggest reading it. I would no more wish the community to
accept me and others like me blindly than she would. If you stop
to think about it for a moment, if my motives were questionable,
would I have even mentioned her book?

I will under go my sex reassignment surgery in Brussels,
Belgium, on June 14. I approach it with a healthy degree of
nervousness, but I know that it is what I must do. My friends have
been very loving and supportive, and for that I am very thankful.
I hope that I am back in time to support Herland in the Lesbian/Gay
Pride March on the 26th. Whether I will have the strength and
stamina to march remains to be seen.
As a closing note, I want Herland and the lesbian community
to know that I love you not because of what you are but because
of who you are. I love all living things, because we are all
connected. I will gladly give of my time and resources to
participate in what Herland stands for. I have a favorite t-shirt that
a girlfriend gave me. It pictures Rosie the Riveter rolling up her
sleeves with the caption "We Can Do It." I love it. That is the
same positive, empowering attitude that I think Herland personifies, and I would like to be part of it.
Lovingly,
Kendra Marie Foyil

SNAPSHOTS

(continuedfrompage3)

A The march itself seemed endless, hour after hour of us
parading through New York City and Central Park. People on
crutches, in wheelchairs, the hearing-ii;npaired signing love to
the crowd; babies and ancients, parents and children
and lovers and friends, the
angry and the near-complacent, the faeries and queens
and leather people, the bands
and drummers and singers ("OOOklahoma") - it was
too wonderful. The milelong flag was the most wondrous sight ever to be seen
entering Central Park.
At 3:00 o'clock on
Sunday afternoon the City of
New York fell silent; a hush
of quiet spread from the
speaker's podium in the Park
to the last of the marchers still waiting to step out. It was an
awesome moment of power, of grief, of dedication, of love and
self-love. The whoop of joy that followed it was as inevitable
as night following day. It was a moment almost unbearably
moving.
0

Sunset Sailing
with

Skipper Rick

823-7093
Oklahoma City's most romantic sunsets!

Her/and Voice July, 1994

5

SARAH ELIZABETH CAMPBELL
RUNNING W1rH

You

lllJJ..J.. lrt1IN llf)Jllll)

By Jill Garner

On her second album, Austinite Sarah Elizabeth Campbell
proves her talent as a songwriter, writing and singing songs of
love, loss and life. Campbell's songs can soothe the spirit and the
heart with her touching words and her mellow, slightly husky
voice.
Running With You is a good mixture of Campbell's own
songs and songs by others which are as good as her own. Songs
of love are usually my favorite and although many of Campbell's
songs are about the loss of love and the memories, heartbreak
songs evoke great love to me and lift my spirits anyway. Through
all of Campbell's songs of pain, I get the feeling of strength and
survival from the songs, not defeat.
The title track· 'Running With You'' is the song I find myself
playing the most. Reflecting on a past love, Campbell sings of
good memories tinged with just a little pain. "Once in a fit of
craziness, Ithrew your love letters away, Couldn't see beyond my
madness, Oh, what I'd give to have them back today." "Time is
Funny That Way,, the pain of being left by a lover, is a strong sendoff to her departing love as she sings ''Somewhere down the road
you'll turn, and call my name, I won't be there.'' Another love lost
song, ·'Not to Mention My Broken Heart,'' laments the memories
and lost material possessions from the broken relationship.
"Albums full of pictures, Seashells from the coast, Then there's
John Prine's albums, I guess they get to me the most" are my
favorite lines. ''The Heart,'' written by Greg Trooper/Tom
Russell and John Prine/Donnie Fritts' "Somewhere Someone's
Falling in Love'' are catchy, happy songs, as well as' 'Waiting for
the Train to Come In,'' an early hit for Peggy Lee. This last one
is simply a great song, despite the line· Tm waiting for my life to
begin" as she waits for her man to come home on the train.
Campbell does the old song ·'Love Hurts'' and it's not a bad
remake. I had no idea that could be a pretty good song and I caught
myself singing to it at the top of my lungs in the car the other day.
Probably the weakest song on the album is "Following My
Heart,'' because the words seem to be forced to fit the music.
Despite that, the song is a pretty one about letting the heart's
guards down. 'Tm following my heart, When I hear you call my
name, It speaks so loud and clear to me, Saying I will never be the
same." Perhaps a foreshadowing of her next album (?) are the
lines, "Baby, baby, baby, What have you done to me, Making me
stop and wonder, Are there any sad songs left inside of me.'' If she
writes the happy songs as skillfully as the sad ones, I don't care.
Just as long a,, she keeps writing and singing . .
To order Running With You, call Herland at 521-9696. 0

Rebecca R. Cohn, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychology

Norman, OK
321-2148

6 Her/and Voice July, 1994

Individual,
Couples & Famny
Therapy

Lighthouse MCC is planning an all women's service
on July 24, 1994. Lighthouse MCC has a growing
women's membership and always has our doors and
hearts open to welcome you.
Lesbian-only counseling group: Wednesday evenings. Contact Jo L. Soske, M.Ed., MHR, ICADC,
NCC, LPC at 364-5708.
Rescue America, Operation Rescue and others plan
clinic blockades in Little Rock, Arkansas during the
week of July 4. To help defend clinics call (501) 2232231.
The June issue of Essence Magazine featured a
segment on homophobia, "Will It Divide Us?," by
Nadine Smith, the executive director of the Florida
Human Rights Task Force and co-chair of the 1993
March on Washington. Smith assailed the Far Right' s
efforts to solicit African-Americans to ''align themselves with right wing whites against lesbians and
gays of all colors ... well-funded Far Right groups
continue to offer money and unprecedented media
exposure to homophobic Black ministers around the
country.'' The same issue also profiled Bishop Carl
Bean, founder of the Minority AIDS Project and Unity
Fellowship Church for Black gays & lesbians. Write:
Essence, 1500 Broadway, New York 10036.
Call for Material: Lesbian Land Culture Anthology; to be published by Word Weavers, edited by Nett
Hart & Jean Mountaingrove. This book is meant to
be a resource for Lesbians on land and a validation of
our culture, as well as a resource for Lesbians who are
dreaming about land. Songs, poems, narratives, essays, cartoons, journal notes, interviews, art, photos
welcome. Forinformation: Word Weavers, P. 0. Box
8742, Minneapolis, MN 55408.
Poetry Contest. Hurricane Alice, a publication that
thrives on new, strong and enthusiastic voices corning
from within the feminist community, is celebrating its
10-year anniversary with a first annual poetry contest.
Write to Hurricane Alice Foundation, Inc., 207 Lind
Hall, W7 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455,
for Guidelines; or come check them out on the
Herland bulletin board. Entries must be postmarked
by September 1, 1994.

UPDATE FROM

Ogkes To Watch Out For

CAMP SISTER
SPIRIT
Lately, the harrassment
has escalated. Gunshots have
started up again all around
the perimeters of the Land.
A few days ago, Brenda was
chased and almost ran off
the road. Little, spikes have
been left in our driveway as
"presents" for the last
couple of days. One gave
Cheri a flat. These spikes
are used by the military or
can be bought in Soldier of
Fortune. They are ONLY
used to give flat tires. There
have been very few womyn
or anybody else brave
enough to come out and help.
We have had some Avengers from Pittsburgh come.
Some other womyn have
come by to help also. Right
now Alison is here. She is an
attorney from CA that has
been working with David
Daniels, our main attorney.
We need any law students or
other lawyers that can help
with the research. We also
still need womyn to make
the Land safe as well as financial contributions.
(Reprinted from a message on

unminced

words

America Online. ) Brenda and
Wanda Henson may be contacted
at (601)344-2005. Camp Sister
Spirit, P.O. Box 12, Ovett, MS
30464)
0

WOMONTOWN

'h£&~a !J( !B'townln9 c::f?.PJ:.. 'h.'h.d'.
1

An Intentional Neighborhood Community
For Lesbians

fbantJ Ca.._a {0 ' tfu £ntiu "Jamil!J
.do{& fbanti..t'!J {o' flnu..t .du,uiuou
.£utt& !JOSI

d\intdian d\iaJioJ'Jown
15521 dVo..tf. d\iauJian

P.O. Box 090811
Kansas City, MO 64109

7,,-4099
Off~· dla .... &y .df.pt.o••t-u

(913) 791-8058

Her/and Voice July, 1994

7

OKLAHOMA
Friday to Sunday
July 15-17, 1994
on the 0 U c~pus
Norman Oklahoma
Make sure you are a part of
Oklahoma's first state-wide gathering of Ga~· males, Lesbian,
Bisexuals, and Transgender persons

v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v

share information and exchange ideas
learn about other Oklahoma based organizations
find out what the "right wing" is doing in Oklahoma
hear about GLBT National organizations
make contacts throughout the state
Improve activism skills
meet new people
Please i11dicate your needs on the
relax
handicap line of the registration form
v play

Registration fees:
received Before
after June 27, 1994
Student/low income
$7 .50
10.00
Medium income
10.00
15.00
Upper income
15.00
20.00
Dorm rooms on the campus have been reserved. These rooms are $25.00 per person for
double and $50.00 for single occupancy. Two rooms share a bath. A maximum of two
people per room only. This price is for both Friday and Saturday nights and includes
linens. One night room rates would be half of the above prices.
M~als: one meal and two continental breakfasts and snacks during the conference are
included in the registration price. Ali other meals ue on your own.

---------REGISTRATION FORM

CLIP H E R E : - - - - - - - - -

Please fill in and return with you check to Oklahoma Pride Summit, P.O. Box 61305, OKC, OK 73146

SPECIAL NEEDS: [ ] Handicap EXPLAIN:. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
[ ] VEGETARIAN MEAL [ ]SMOKER [ ]CHILD CARE#__ AGES _ _
REGISTRATION FEE ENCLOSED
[] SINGLE [ ] DOUBLE
HOUSING FEE
Roommate
[ ]Please have the computer assign my room mate
All mail will be sent in sealed envelopes with only a post office box return address.

JULY 1994
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

2
The Lesbian Canedy idiow 1 sponsored by the Pillk llibbm (for breast cancer
awareness) Canedy Series, mixes this message in with its bmar: Check
your breasts, check yoor girlfriend's breastsi & Stop Sllakillg. So do it.

3

5

4

6
Cleveland
County

NOW

7pm

Norman
Public
Library

or

fourth
July Holiday

11

12

13

Herl and
Le ea I
Defense
F"und
6:30 pm

Mary McLeod
Bethune
1875 - 1955

17

PRIDE
SUMMIT
in
Norman

18

19

20

Nat'I
NOW
Conference
San Antonio

7 BARBEQUE

tt

25

26

in

San Antonio

g

8

fOr Simply

Equal
Volunteers
7Pf'1
Call
842-1824
fbr local.ion

14

QUEER
PAGANS
7 pm
al Oasis

15

HARY
PEGGY
REYNOLDS
JOHNSON &
al the Blue
The Vested
Door, 2805
Interest.
N. McKinley,
al The
in an All-Slar Grateful Bean
Tribute lo
NWIO & Walker
lrJoodyCut.hrie
9 - MidniE1ht.

21

16

in

Summit..)

23

29

30

27

PRIDE
SUMMIT

Norman
CTeacher's
Group will
meet durinEI

.. 22

PECCY
JOHNSON &
The Vested
Interest
al
La Bapuelle
323 W. Boyd
9pm - 2 am

Metro
OKC NOW
6:30 pm
al lhe
Harvey House
300 NW 63rd

Herl and
Boardt1eet.inEI
4:30 pm

Nat. 'I
NOW
Conference

• •1

Amelia
Earhart

i898 - 1937?

j9"39-'
& Patricia

Herland Voice
foldin~ Party
6:30, Herland

Schroeder
1940

31
The Gay Pride (Stonewall 25) Guide in New York included letters
of welcome, congratulations and solidarity from Mayor Giugliani,
Governor Cuomo, and President Clinton. Doc Berland wonders: Did.
Mayor Norick and Gov. Walters send greetings to the OKC parade?
iil:RLAllD GIFT SHOP
t
~···························
Place to
+

qi

HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES, INC.

2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
405/ 521-9696
Hours: Saturdays 10 - 6: Sundays 1 - 6

+

The

Shop

•

for Jewelry I Pottery I

•

4j1

T-shirts, Stationery,

+

+
+
t and More! And of course, +
+ great books and IPUSic. +

<,

Bird Houses & Feeders,

qi

Buttons, Postcards, Toys

,..... ,......................

NonProf~

Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No. 861

2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED



July, 1994

STONEWALL

25:

SNAPSHOTS
The weather was wonderful!
(and don't you know Jerry Falwell
was praying for foul weather?) Well,
the Goddess prevailed; temperatures
throughout the week were in the mild
mid-80' s during the day, cooler at
night; with gentle gay breezes blow-

Peggy Johnson, Her/and Board member, inspires waiting
marchers with ''The Mountain Song."

ing everywhere .
.&. The Gay Games - There were athletes from all over the
globe, for events from Aerobics to Track & Field, Billiards to
Wrestling. An event or sport for everyone .
.&. New Yorkers were wondeiful and welcoming, especially
the darling elderly woman whose number was mistakenly listed
in the Gay Games guide as being the Gay and Lesbian Visitors
Centernumber. She graciously explained the error and gave the
correct number to all callers.

OKC CELEBRATES
STONEWALL
Oklahoma City's seventh annual Gay and Lesbian Pride
Parade held June 26th celebrated the 25th anniversary of
Stonewall. Over 600 people joined in the forty marching
contingents and floats representing gay and lesbian organizations and businesses and other supportive organizations. Onlookers cheered the marchers all along the route from N.W.
36th and Classen to N.W. 39th and Young. A large crowd
estimated at more than 1,000 greeted the parade at N.W. 39th
and Pennsylvania.
Oklahoma City activities began with a human rights
service commemorating Stonewall 25. Reverend Wayne
Robinson brought a message, ·'From Rejection to Affirmation,''
Reverend Kay Lee of New Horizons MCC, Jim Houk of
Affirmation, John Carter of the Hebrew Community, and
Reverend John Nicholas of Lighthouse MCC also took part in
the service.
Senator Bemest Cain (D-OKC) greeted the pre-parade
rally and presented a proclamation in recognition of the parade.
Senator Cain encouraged the lesbian/gay community and its
allies to perservere in the struggle for human rights. Bill
Rogers, chair of the Oklahoma City Human Rights Commission, called on those present to work for the passage of a human
rights ordinance in Oklahoma City.
D

Volume 11 Number 7

.&. Friday night on Christopher Street: a re-enactment of
Stonewall, with a myriad of gorgeous flamboyant queens
celebrating. The hundreds of police cordoning off the royal
dramatics were evidently feeling a little touchy, and determined that it not be an actual repeat of 1969: a stroll along a side
street disclosed several hundred more police sheltering under
a construction overhang, each with a billy club in one hand and
a big bunch of plastic handcuffs in the other. A very sobering
sight it was.
(continued on page 3)

Herland Sister Resvurces

'

2312 N.W. 39, OKC, OK 73112

ST.

SYBIL

Dear St. Sybil;
I overheard a gay man with AIDS ask ·'Why us? Why
couldn't it have happened to the women instead?" Even after
making allowances for the devastation of dying young, the question was chilling. Another gay man, a new acquaintance, said that
he wished we could get ''the women'' more involved in the AIDS
fight - he knows a lot of men, he said, who just despise women.
Like, a woman (Elizabeth Taylor) wasn't the first celebrity to
speak out and fight for AIDS funding and for treating AIDS like
the tragic disease it is; like I don't personally know dozens of
women involved at all levels with fighting AIDS and prejudice
against those with AIDS, and caring for those with AIDS.
And now I just heard that several gay men in OKC have
reneged on their pledges of financial support for the Pride Summit
because -this'll kill ya, Sybil - both keynote speakers are women.
And it is true, they are. Pere Jude Radecic is Executive Director
of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, an organization
representing men equally with women; Mandy Carter is Director
of the Black Gay & Lesbian Leadership Forum representing men
equally with women. They are, in effect, people, representing
groups of people of both genders . These are not radical lesbian
separatists we're talking about, - not that it's all that easy to find
RLS's anymore anyway. Radical Lesbian Separatists exist more
in myth than in actuality ... kind oflike the bogeyman, you know?
or Sasquatch.
Anyway, how many conferences have women attended and
supported over the years with a preponderance or totality of male
speakers? What is the male/female ratio in Congress and our state
Legislature? What is the male/female ratio in our court systems,
in our hospital and school administration, in the executive branch
of government, on the police force? (Yet what is the ratio of taxes
that women and men pay - exactly the same, that's what, for very
uneven, unequal representation.
Is this the full face of the backlash against women? Would
men tum off a news station with two female anchors, even though
women have watched two males deliver the news throughout most
of television history? Are we about to achieve female overload in
the Senate, with six women Senators, and forty-four men?
Why do men respond this way when women begin to achieve
parity?
Is it, as Adrienne Rich suggests, because mothers (who like
the Lord, giveth and taketh, discipline, deny and withhold) are
inevitably women and therefore their children inevitably will be
hostile to them? Is it because, as reported by the United Nations,
women constitute halfthe world's population, perform nearly twothirds of its work, receive one-tenth of the world's income and
own less than one-hundredth of the world's property - and men
feel the same guilt and fear about this sorry state of affairs that
white americans do about exploitation of African Americans?
I was going to ask you, Sybil, why gay men hate us, but when
I think about, I think I'll ask, why are all men so hateful toward us?
Yours in sorrow, hurt and anger,
Margaret

2 Her/and Voice July, 1994

Dear Margaret,
I'm feeling a mite sorrowful at the moment myself, Margaret.
It's thekind of subject that leaves a woman, even a non-corporeal
spirit like me, feeling very blue. As the classic quote goes, ''It's
not all men, but it's always men."
I'm glad you amended your question to include straight men,
who tend to hate women, too. It's known as misogyny, and is age
old and virulent. That is the deadly disease women die of, young
women as well as old - misogyny as manifested in unequal pay,
unequal medical treatment, unequal opportunity; and more directly and personally by rape, battering and murder. And before
some aggrieved soul brings up Irene Wuoumos or Lorena Bobbit,
ask yourself how many women serial killers go around killing
men. Maybe one? And what is the ratio of women who mutilate
men, to men who mutilate women? One to thousands, if you don't
count actual war zones, where it is more like one to millions.
So call it guilt, call it fear, call it power which likes to flex its
pretty muscles; just don't call it just.
Bluer than blue myself,
Yours,
Sybil
p.s. I would like to invite anyone who thinks women are uncaring
about the AIDS tragedy, or are too powerful, or have achieved too
much parity in the world; and who would like to defend that
position, to write me care of the Berland Voice. I would really like
to hear you articulate your position, and quite possibly I can
persuade my channeler to include it in the Voice. SL

Jody Bukacek, leading the Porthole contingent, carries the
colors proudly.

'

OKLAHOMA

PRIDE

I

SNAPSHOTS

(continued from page 1)

SUMMIT
The Oklahoma Pride Summit promises to be an exciting
opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered persons and
straight allies to get acquainted, share ideas and make plans,
according to organizers. Scheduled for July 15-17, the Oklahoma
Pride Summit will be held in the Student Union on the University
of Oklahoma Norman campus.
Helen Miller, a Summit organizer from Simply Equal-Norman, says, ''the Summit offers Oklahomans a chance to learn from
national lesbian and gay leaders and to share the knowledge and
experience we have from our work here." National resource
persons for the conference are Robert Bray, Fight the Right
Organizer with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Mandy
Carter, Director of the Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum;
and Peri Jude Radecic, Executive Director of the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force.
Summit activities begin with a reception on Friday, July 15 to
welcome Mandy Carter and Robert Bray to Oklahoma. The
reception, scheduled for 7:00 P.M. in Walker Tower on the OU
campus, is open to the public.
The Summit agenda will begin with the opening keynote by
Mandy Carter at 8:45 A.M., Saturday, July 16. The program will
include a look at what it is like to live in Oklahoma as a lesbian,
gay, bisexual, or transgendered person; provide opportunities for
participants to discuss changes they would like to see and to make
plans for action toward those changes. Skill building workshops
will focus on working with the media, influencing public policy,
and community organizing. The Summit finale will be a keynote
address by Peri Jude Radecic.
Registrations are still be accepted for the Oklahoma Pride
Summit [see page 8 for registration information]. Housing is
available on the OU campus for persons who preregister. Child
care will be available for children who are preregistered. ASL
interpreters are available for the hearing impaired. All Summit
facilities are wheelchair accessible.
The Oklahoma Pride Summit is organized by a state-wide
coalition of gay, lesbian, and bisexual organizations. Those participating in summit planning include Affirmation/OKC, Family
of Faith MCC, Perspectives, Simply Equal-OKC, Simply Equal
- Norman. OU/GBLA, Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights,
OSU/GLBA and Herland Sister Resources.
For more information about the Oklahoma Pride Summit, call
Herland at 521-9696.
D

2109 S. AiR DEpOT
MidwEST Ory, OK 7} 1 10

( 405 )7H -0496

AiR DEpoT ANiMAl HospiTAl
CAil foR AppoiNTMENT

JOY HUSKA, D.Y. M.

,._ Ah, the Dyke March on Saturday, down Fifth A venue to
Washington Square. Who knew that breasts came in so many
different shapes and sizes? Not that most of the thousands of
women weren't clothed - clothed, resolute, and riotously
exuberant. It was glorious.

,._ Museums were full of gay & lesbian art & films. The West
Village was jumping. Most of us made a pilgrimage to the old
Stonewall Inn, which was decorated witharainbowofballoons.
The small park opposite had statues of same-sex couples, and
was filled with the joyful music of an all-women jazz band.
,._ An alternative, officially-illegal-but-in-actuality-tolerated
parade of about 10,000 marched up Fifth A venue, including
Act-Up and the Radical Faeries. The politics of the Alternate
March were hard to follow; there were possibly some
unappealing groups arching in it as well. Rumors were rife;
take what you hear with a grain of salt.
(continued on pag~ 5)

Her/and Voice July, 1994

3

DEAR HERLAND:
I read Margaret's article in the June Voice, entitled " A
Modern Dilemma,'' dealing with the general issue of participation
in feminist/lesbian activities by M-F transsexuals and
transgenderists, and restating the local goal to develop a policy for
active participation in Herland functions by transgendered individuals. I was very impressed and pleased with her insight and the
frank but positive tone of the article. I'm always glad to offer my
thoughts, too, as you're already aware. I would like to offer a
personal perspective. Hopefully, it will be eye-opening and
stimulate some discussion on the issue among Herland's readership. I can obviously speak only for myself, but I'm sure that
others in the transgendered community, particularly lesbian-identified transsexuals, feel similarly in some respects. it will take
some good, honest dialogue among all of us to feel comfortable
with this phenomenon, and it's difficult to be comfortable with
something that one doesn't understand. It's even more difficult if
no one is willing to talk about it.

I would like to begin with Herland's stated
mission: to work towards a world in which
all women live free from oppression ...
I would like to begin with Herland' s stated mission: to work
towards a world in which all women live free from
oppression ... supporting women in their journey toward self-definition and self-determination, recognizing that each woman has
her own pace of growth and enlightenment. The journey of selfdiscovery that I began a little over five years ago was pretty scary
at the time. Think about it for a minute. I spent over forty years
of my life subscribing to the standard cultural socialization
process dealing with sexuality and gender roles that is typical of
a patriarchal society. I subscribed to it out of fear, a fear of
rejection and disapproval if I dared speak out about the discomfort
I experienced trying to be the boy and the man that I was expected
to be. I sensed that something wasn't right, but I dared not look too
closely for fear of what I would find. I invested much of my vital
energy fighting a feeling that I was afraid to explore. Over the
years, my sense of self and my self-esteem took a severe beating,
and I was on a collision course towards a date with death. I had
become so severely depressed that my ego was telling me that
suicide was the only way out. Even though I had been living as a
man, I was being oppressed by the same patriarchal culture as
many women, and basically for the same reason. The prevailing
cultural norm was (and pretty much still is) that a person's worth
is inherently virility-centered. A man's worth is measured by his
virility, and a woman's through her relationship with such a man.
The death about five years ago of a sickly little three-day old
puppy, the last remaining pup in a litter of eight in which five were
still-born and the other two died shortly after birth, triggered a
massive release of pent-up feelings surrounding my identity and
emotional isolation over the years. I cried my heart out. All the
shit that I had stuffed over the years was pouring out, and I couldn't
stop it. I honestly didn't want to. Somehow, I knew I needed that
release, although it wasn't clear to me at that time exactly why.
The following day, I was finally in a frame of mind to acknowledge
the fact that I was cross-gendered. What a bomb to drop on
yourself! What the hell was I supposed to do then? I had the
presence of mind to sit down and try to journal the thoughts that
were running through my mind. I still have that document, and I
4 Her/and Voice July, 1994

cherish it. It was the first real step that ltook on my journey of selfdiscovery. It was my first encounter with my inner child, a girl that
was abandoned in her childhood, a girl that had existed in a dark
and empty world devoid of any meaningful connections for almost
forty years, a girl who had no idea what it was like to be a woman.
Only when I and my inner child both risked investing all our love
and energy into caring for the sickly puppy did we finally discover
that we were the same person.
What is significant here is that my recognition and acceptance
of this situation, as scared as I was about how I was going to deal
with it, was a big first step towards self-definition and selfdetermination. I was fortunate enough to have support from caring
individuals at the right time to help me start working through the
myriad issues that came with this situation. But it also took a belief
in myself, an inner source of strength, to continue the process of
validating myself as a woman and as an intrinsically love-worthy
human being. In my interaction with Herland and the lesbian
community over the past year and a half, I see and feel that same
affirmative spirit, to believe in ourselves and to validate ourselves
from within, whether the issue be gender identity, gender roles,
sexual preference, or whatever. We all encounter some bumpy
rides in our journey through life, and the supportive and affirmative spirit that we advocate as a community is vital for all of us, as
women to pull together the courage and self-confidence to rethink
the oppressive belief system most of us grew up with. And we
must remember that whatever the issue is, our enlightenment
comes in different ways and at different paces for each individual.
We must respect and honor that.
For a M-F transsexual to identify as a lesbian or bisexual has
traditionally been considered an indication that the individual is
not a good candidate for sex reassignment surgery, a buy-in to the
patriarchal notions of homophobia and that a woman's worth
comes only through her relationship with a man . I honestly think
that it was, and still is, not uncommon for some transsexuals to tell
their therapists that they are hetero (relating sexually to men) so as
not to jeopardize their chances for being recommended for surgery, whether they really are ornot. That's subterfuge, and I refuse
to say I'm hetero when I know I'm not. I identified as lesbian from
the beginning, and I still do. I'm probably capable of being
bisexual, actually, but my preference is distinctly lesbian. If I
never have a relationship with a man, I'm okay with that. Fortunately, I think many therapists have begun to acknowledge this
circumstance. Sadly, I still think that there are some transsexuals

Published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc. 2312 N.W. 39th,
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Newsletter Committee: Margaret Cox, Vivien Ng, Pat Reaves
Circulation: 1300
Advertising Rates: Business card $15; 1/4 page $35;
1/2 page $60; full page $100

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.

who outwardly profess to be hetero, unwilling to acknowledge a
real or latent attraction to women because of perceived sanctions,
whether substantive or not. Sound familiar?

No one can say that being cross-gendered,
gay, lesbian, or bisexual is not a legitimate
manifestation of our highest good.
To the true M-F transsexual, who by definition desires the
surgery to be able to live and function permanently and congruently as a woman, the surgery is an important milestone, regardless of whether or not she is hetero- or gay-identified. My personal
conception is that I do not need the surgery to validate my identity
as a woman. I do need the surgery to function appropriately as a
woman and to have legal standing as such. That is not to take
anything away from other members of the trans gendered community who do not desire the surgery, however. Yes, the surgery is
quite traumatic. We look at ourselves right after surgery and
wonder how that swollen mass of flesh will ever look like a
woman's genitalia. It's painful as hell for a period of time while
the body is healing, and then there's the ''maintenance'' required
to keep the vagina from prolapsing. But for the transsexual who
has openly and honestly investigated her life situation, and who
finally arrives at the choice to undergo surgery, it carries with it a
wonderful feeling of completion amidst all the pain and the
lifetime commitment to proper care. A friend recently gave me a
little travel gift for my trip to Belgium for my surgery with a note
that read, "Enjoy your pain and ecstasy!" What a keen insight
into what we feel as we approach and finally have the surgery.
No one can say that being cross-gendered, gay, lesbian, or
bisexual is not a legitimate manifestation of our highest good.
Only individually can we know, in our oneness with God, the truth
of our own being. What we project in our attitude towards
ourselves is what we project to others, and it is exactly what we get
back in return. If we wallow in a cesspool of negativity, we will
look and behave accordingly, and in return we will get treated like
shit. If we are positive about ourselves, that will be reflected back
to us accordingly. Sure, we put up with a lot of bigotry along the
way, but we will be much more capable of coping with it, and our
lives will unfold in many wonderful ways that reflect our positive
attitude. I have acknowledged and accepted my truth. I was born
male. But my being, my spirit, is that of a woman and a lesbian,
and I know that my life is meant to be experienced at this higher
plane. I look forward to spending the rest of my life discovering
and exploring the wonderful woman that I am.
To be perfectly open with the community, I would like to
make you aware of a book by Janice Raymond, The Transsexual
Empire: The Making ofthe She-Male, published in 1979byBeacon
Press. It used to be available at the OU library. Raymond is a
proponent of feminist ethics, and she presents a very negative
view of individuals like myself in Chapter IV ("Sappho by
Surgery: The Transsexually Constructed Lesbian-Feminist). I
honor her right as a woman to present her views on the subject, but
I cannot agree in principle with her premise and its blanket
application to all professed transsexual lesbian-feminists. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I know how I feel, and it is not what
Raymond describes. For those who are inclined to study this issue,
I suggest reading it. I would no more wish the community to
accept me and others like me blindly than she would. If you stop
to think about it for a moment, if my motives were questionable,
would I have even mentioned her book?

I will under go my sex reassignment surgery in Brussels,
Belgium, on June 14. I approach it with a healthy degree of
nervousness, but I know that it is what I must do. My friends have
been very loving and supportive, and for that I am very thankful.
I hope that I am back in time to support Herland in the Lesbian/Gay
Pride March on the 26th. Whether I will have the strength and
stamina to march remains to be seen.
As a closing note, I want Herland and the lesbian community
to know that I love you not because of what you are but because
of who you are. I love all living things, because we are all
connected. I will gladly give of my time and resources to
participate in what Herland stands for. I have a favorite t-shirt that
a girlfriend gave me. It pictures Rosie the Riveter rolling up her
sleeves with the caption "We Can Do It." I love it. That is the
same positive, empowering attitude that I think Herland personifies, and I would like to be part of it.
Lovingly,
Kendra Marie Foyil

SNAPSHOTS

(continuedfrompage3)

A The march itself seemed endless, hour after hour of us
parading through New York City and Central Park. People on
crutches, in wheelchairs, the hearing-ii;npaired signing love to
the crowd; babies and ancients, parents and children
and lovers and friends, the
angry and the near-complacent, the faeries and queens
and leather people, the bands
and drummers and singers ("OOOklahoma") - it was
too wonderful. The milelong flag was the most wondrous sight ever to be seen
entering Central Park.
At 3:00 o'clock on
Sunday afternoon the City of
New York fell silent; a hush
of quiet spread from the
speaker's podium in the Park
to the last of the marchers still waiting to step out. It was an
awesome moment of power, of grief, of dedication, of love and
self-love. The whoop of joy that followed it was as inevitable
as night following day. It was a moment almost unbearably
moving.
0

Sunset Sailing
with

Skipper Rick

823-7093
Oklahoma City's most romantic sunsets!

Her/and Voice July, 1994

5

SARAH ELIZABETH CAMPBELL
RUNNING W1rH

You

lllJJ..J.. lrt1IN llf)Jllll)

By Jill Garner

On her second album, Austinite Sarah Elizabeth Campbell
proves her talent as a songwriter, writing and singing songs of
love, loss and life. Campbell's songs can soothe the spirit and the
heart with her touching words and her mellow, slightly husky
voice.
Running With You is a good mixture of Campbell's own
songs and songs by others which are as good as her own. Songs
of love are usually my favorite and although many of Campbell's
songs are about the loss of love and the memories, heartbreak
songs evoke great love to me and lift my spirits anyway. Through
all of Campbell's songs of pain, I get the feeling of strength and
survival from the songs, not defeat.
The title track· 'Running With You'' is the song I find myself
playing the most. Reflecting on a past love, Campbell sings of
good memories tinged with just a little pain. "Once in a fit of
craziness, Ithrew your love letters away, Couldn't see beyond my
madness, Oh, what I'd give to have them back today." "Time is
Funny That Way,, the pain of being left by a lover, is a strong sendoff to her departing love as she sings ''Somewhere down the road
you'll turn, and call my name, I won't be there.'' Another love lost
song, ·'Not to Mention My Broken Heart,'' laments the memories
and lost material possessions from the broken relationship.
"Albums full of pictures, Seashells from the coast, Then there's
John Prine's albums, I guess they get to me the most" are my
favorite lines. ''The Heart,'' written by Greg Trooper/Tom
Russell and John Prine/Donnie Fritts' "Somewhere Someone's
Falling in Love'' are catchy, happy songs, as well as' 'Waiting for
the Train to Come In,'' an early hit for Peggy Lee. This last one
is simply a great song, despite the line· Tm waiting for my life to
begin" as she waits for her man to come home on the train.
Campbell does the old song ·'Love Hurts'' and it's not a bad
remake. I had no idea that could be a pretty good song and I caught
myself singing to it at the top of my lungs in the car the other day.
Probably the weakest song on the album is "Following My
Heart,'' because the words seem to be forced to fit the music.
Despite that, the song is a pretty one about letting the heart's
guards down. 'Tm following my heart, When I hear you call my
name, It speaks so loud and clear to me, Saying I will never be the
same." Perhaps a foreshadowing of her next album (?) are the
lines, "Baby, baby, baby, What have you done to me, Making me
stop and wonder, Are there any sad songs left inside of me.'' If she
writes the happy songs as skillfully as the sad ones, I don't care.
Just as long a,, she keeps writing and singing . .
To order Running With You, call Herland at 521-9696. 0

Rebecca R. Cohn, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychology

Norman, OK
321-2148

6 Her/and Voice July, 1994

Individual,
Couples & Famny
Therapy

Lighthouse MCC is planning an all women's service
on July 24, 1994. Lighthouse MCC has a growing
women's membership and always has our doors and
hearts open to welcome you.
Lesbian-only counseling group: Wednesday evenings. Contact Jo L. Soske, M.Ed., MHR, ICADC,
NCC, LPC at 364-5708.
Rescue America, Operation Rescue and others plan
clinic blockades in Little Rock, Arkansas during the
week of July 4. To help defend clinics call (501) 2232231.
The June issue of Essence Magazine featured a
segment on homophobia, "Will It Divide Us?," by
Nadine Smith, the executive director of the Florida
Human Rights Task Force and co-chair of the 1993
March on Washington. Smith assailed the Far Right' s
efforts to solicit African-Americans to ''align themselves with right wing whites against lesbians and
gays of all colors ... well-funded Far Right groups
continue to offer money and unprecedented media
exposure to homophobic Black ministers around the
country.'' The same issue also profiled Bishop Carl
Bean, founder of the Minority AIDS Project and Unity
Fellowship Church for Black gays & lesbians. Write:
Essence, 1500 Broadway, New York 10036.
Call for Material: Lesbian Land Culture Anthology; to be published by Word Weavers, edited by Nett
Hart & Jean Mountaingrove. This book is meant to
be a resource for Lesbians on land and a validation of
our culture, as well as a resource for Lesbians who are
dreaming about land. Songs, poems, narratives, essays, cartoons, journal notes, interviews, art, photos
welcome. Forinformation: Word Weavers, P. 0. Box
8742, Minneapolis, MN 55408.
Poetry Contest. Hurricane Alice, a publication that
thrives on new, strong and enthusiastic voices corning
from within the feminist community, is celebrating its
10-year anniversary with a first annual poetry contest.
Write to Hurricane Alice Foundation, Inc., 207 Lind
Hall, W7 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455,
for Guidelines; or come check them out on the
Herland bulletin board. Entries must be postmarked
by September 1, 1994.

UPDATE FROM

Ogkes To Watch Out For

CAMP SISTER
SPIRIT
Lately, the harrassment
has escalated. Gunshots have
started up again all around
the perimeters of the Land.
A few days ago, Brenda was
chased and almost ran off
the road. Little, spikes have
been left in our driveway as
"presents" for the last
couple of days. One gave
Cheri a flat. These spikes
are used by the military or
can be bought in Soldier of
Fortune. They are ONLY
used to give flat tires. There
have been very few womyn
or anybody else brave
enough to come out and help.
We have had some Avengers from Pittsburgh come.
Some other womyn have
come by to help also. Right
now Alison is here. She is an
attorney from CA that has
been working with David
Daniels, our main attorney.
We need any law students or
other lawyers that can help
with the research. We also
still need womyn to make
the Land safe as well as financial contributions.
(Reprinted from a message on

unminced

words

America Online. ) Brenda and
Wanda Henson may be contacted
at (601)344-2005. Camp Sister
Spirit, P.O. Box 12, Ovett, MS
30464)
0

WOMONTOWN

'h£&~a !J( !B'townln9 c::f?.PJ:.. 'h.'h.d'.
1

An Intentional Neighborhood Community
For Lesbians

fbantJ Ca.._a {0 ' tfu £ntiu "Jamil!J
.do{& fbanti..t'!J {o' flnu..t .du,uiuou
.£utt& !JOSI

d\intdian d\iaJioJ'Jown
15521 dVo..tf. d\iauJian

P.O. Box 090811
Kansas City, MO 64109

7,,-4099
Off~· dla .... &y .df.pt.o••t-u

(913) 791-8058

Her/and Voice July, 1994

7

OKLAHOMA
Friday to Sunday
July 15-17, 1994
on the 0 U c~pus
Norman Oklahoma
Make sure you are a part of
Oklahoma's first state-wide gathering of Ga~· males, Lesbian,
Bisexuals, and Transgender persons

v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v

share information and exchange ideas
learn about other Oklahoma based organizations
find out what the "right wing" is doing in Oklahoma
hear about GLBT National organizations
make contacts throughout the state
Improve activism skills
meet new people
Please i11dicate your needs on the
relax
handicap line of the registration form
v play

Registration fees:
received Before
after June 27, 1994
Student/low income
$7 .50
10.00
Medium income
10.00
15.00
Upper income
15.00
20.00
Dorm rooms on the campus have been reserved. These rooms are $25.00 per person for
double and $50.00 for single occupancy. Two rooms share a bath. A maximum of two
people per room only. This price is for both Friday and Saturday nights and includes
linens. One night room rates would be half of the above prices.
M~als: one meal and two continental breakfasts and snacks during the conference are
included in the registration price. Ali other meals ue on your own.

---------REGISTRATION FORM

CLIP H E R E : - - - - - - - - -

Please fill in and return with you check to Oklahoma Pride Summit, P.O. Box 61305, OKC, OK 73146

SPECIAL NEEDS: [ ] Handicap EXPLAIN:. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
[ ] VEGETARIAN MEAL [ ]SMOKER [ ]CHILD CARE#__ AGES _ _
REGISTRATION FEE ENCLOSED
[] SINGLE [ ] DOUBLE
HOUSING FEE
Roommate
[ ]Please have the computer assign my room mate
All mail will be sent in sealed envelopes with only a post office box return address.

JULY 1994
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

2
The Lesbian Canedy idiow 1 sponsored by the Pillk llibbm (for breast cancer
awareness) Canedy Series, mixes this message in with its bmar: Check
your breasts, check yoor girlfriend's breastsi & Stop Sllakillg. So do it.

3

5

4

6
Cleveland
County

NOW

7pm

Norman
Public
Library

or

fourth
July Holiday

11

12

13

Herl and
Le ea I
Defense
F"und
6:30 pm

Mary McLeod
Bethune
1875 - 1955

17

PRIDE
SUMMIT
in
Norman

18

19

20

Nat'I
NOW
Conference
San Antonio

7 BARBEQUE

tt

25

26

in

San Antonio

g

8

fOr Simply

Equal
Volunteers
7Pf'1
Call
842-1824
fbr local.ion

14

QUEER
PAGANS
7 pm
al Oasis

15

HARY
PEGGY
REYNOLDS
JOHNSON &
al the Blue
The Vested
Door, 2805
Interest.
N. McKinley,
al The
in an All-Slar Grateful Bean
Tribute lo
NWIO & Walker
lrJoodyCut.hrie
9 - MidniE1ht.

21

16

in

Summit..)

23

29

30

27

PRIDE
SUMMIT

Norman
CTeacher's
Group will
meet durinEI

.. 22

PECCY
JOHNSON &
The Vested
Interest
al
La Bapuelle
323 W. Boyd
9pm - 2 am

Metro
OKC NOW
6:30 pm
al lhe
Harvey House
300 NW 63rd

Herl and
Boardt1eet.inEI
4:30 pm

Nat. 'I
NOW
Conference

• •1

Amelia
Earhart

i898 - 1937?

j9"39-'
& Patricia

Herland Voice
foldin~ Party
6:30, Herland

Schroeder
1940

31
The Gay Pride (Stonewall 25) Guide in New York included letters
of welcome, congratulations and solidarity from Mayor Giugliani,
Governor Cuomo, and President Clinton. Doc Berland wonders: Did.
Mayor Norick and Gov. Walters send greetings to the OKC parade?
iil:RLAllD GIFT SHOP
t
~···························
Place to
+

qi

HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES, INC.

2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
405/ 521-9696
Hours: Saturdays 10 - 6: Sundays 1 - 6

+

The

Shop

•

for Jewelry I Pottery I

•

4j1

T-shirts, Stationery,

+

+
+
t and More! And of course, +
+ great books and IPUSic. +

<,

Bird Houses & Feeders,

qi

Buttons, Postcards, Toys

,..... ,......................

NonProf~

Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Permit No. 861

2312 N.W. 39th Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
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