Brazen Hussy Rag : v.1.:no.5(1982)
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- en Brazen Hussy Rag : v.1.:no.5(1982)
- Relation
- The Brazen Hussy Rag was an independent newspaper published in Oklahoma City from 1981-1982 by a local feminist bookstore. This bookstore was the direct ancestor of Herland Sister Resources, an Oklahoma-based non-profit that empowers, supports, and enriches the lives of women and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals in a safe, loving, and inclusive environment.
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VOLUME I, No. 5
JUNR
1982
Rally-Goers Raise
~Unreasonable'
Voices
by Elaine Barton
"We a r en't REASONABLE people!"
s a i d Judy Goldsmith, Vice-President of the National Orgaization
f or Women. The suffragettes
wer en ' t reasonable , Goldsmith
c ontinued, but we must concern
ourselves with what we have to
..
!>:,
do , not with being reasonable,
11 ,000 marchers from 23 states ..a
0
showed their support for the ra- ..p
0
Rights
t ification of the Equal
..c:
state
p..
Oklahoma
Amendment at the
capitol June 6. The sheer size
of the event should be enough
to cause one to realize clearly
t hat the resistance women ha ve
rotunda are : Sonia J ohnson,
met on this issue has come only
Sterling, Virginia; Zoe Ann
from the few who control the
Ananda, New Port Be ceh, Calif.;
legislatures . The people who_
Mary Barnes, Raleigh, N,C,; Mary
participated in the last nationAnn Beall, Falls Chuch Virginia;
ally organized march before the
Shirley Wallace, Ft. Collins,
deadline for ratification did
La.; Sister Maureen Fielder,
not have the luxury to stay at
Washington, D,C.; and Dina Bachhome.
elor, L.A., Calif.
We were joined by 15,000 people
The seven women, who began
at the state capitol in Springstrike May 18, are
hunger
a
field Illinois; 8,000 in Raleigh,
the e.nd of four
approaching
now
North Carolina; and 10,000 in
of fasting for passage of
weeks
Talahassee, Florida••• all
the ERA. Two of the women are
states whose legislators still
in wheel chairs. One woman is
insist ~heir constituency doesn't
taking honey and _lemon in her
s upport the E,R,A,
·because her blood pressure
water
Holdi ng a vigil several ~ours
dangerously low. Some
dropped
dailv in Springfielq' s capi t ol
have been taking electrolyte
inj ec t ions to maintian their
po tassuum leve. Sona ~ Ho
potass i um l evel, Son i a J ohnson,
ex-communica ted Mormon and l eader of ~ormons for ERA , weighs
under 100 pounds,
Gl oria Steinham, commenting on
the f a st, s a id t hat "it i s no t
'REASONABLE ' not t o ea t! No
piece of paper is worth losing
one's life,"
Risking your health may be a
questionable strategy, but it is
the one these women have chosen
to use in order to bring to the
public's attention the serious
import failure to pass the amend1-cJ ment within the time already al::r
0
lotted will haveo
c+
There are only fifteen days
0
for these women, Yes, yes
left
o'
'<:
we'll keep on fighting for equal
rights. They aren't "crazy
y
women". If they were men endanIll
::s gering their lives for men's
Ill
causes they would be considered
td brave, heroic. _There always have
been lives at stake -- all lives
.
. .
..
!>:,
,.0
0
..p
0
;::::
p..
are at risk without equal human
rights. The women in Springfield
are doing what they feel they ·
have to do, whatever their
chances may be.
There are mixed feelings about the political strategizing which persists. Cleta Deatherage, Norman Representativ e
to the Oklahoma House began her
address to the Capitol Rally
with the ironic Shakespearea n,
"We have not come to bury the
ERA", etc., but that's pretty
cont. on page 2
NEWS BRIEFS
.FLORIDA LAW OVERRULED
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA -- The Florida
Supreme Court has unanimously declared
unconstitutional a law which would have
cut off funds to any college or university with a Lesbian/gay group or
organization. While one law went much
further than prohibiting Lesbian/gay
groups because it cut off funds to
schools that gave recognition to any
group or organization that recommends
or advocates sexual relations between
persons not married to each other ,i
the sponsors made it clear that it was
aimed at Gay people. The Court held
that 11 the rights of persons to express
themselves freely is not limited to
statements or views that are acceptable to the majority of people. The
real purpose of the First Amendment
is to protect also the expression of
sentiments that the majority finds
unacceptable or even unthinkable. 11
The decision reverses a lower court
ruling upholding the law. Recently a
committee of the Oklahoma House of
Representatives overwhelmingly rejected a bill with almost identical
language to the Fl~rida law.
11
1
Gay Community News
LESBIAN/GAY GU IDE BOOK "OK
LIBRARIES
II
FOR
NATIONAL
Last , October, in its
review of PLACES OF INTEREST TO WOMEN,
and PLACES OF
INTEREST TO MEN,
"Library Journal" recommended the
books for "all
but the smallest
libraries," describing them as "amazingly thorough."
"Library Journal"
is
the first
non-gay publication to review a
and
its
lesbian/gay guide book,
reviews heavily influence library
acquisition departments all over the
country.
Publisher Marianne Ferrari
has reported orders from public and
college libraries from throughout the
nation.
- Ms.
"OUTLAW DANCERS 11
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS -- The Club on
20, a local
discotheque,
recently
agreed to settle out-of-court with
Terry Cosgrove and Patrick Forbes
after the men, with the aid of an
attorney from the Lambda Legal Defense
Fund, challenged the club manager's
decision to force them off the dance
floor and out of the club after they
were observed dancing together. The
management is
quoted as demanding
11
There are plenty of girls here to
dance with, 11 after which two Champaign
police officers assisted in forcibly
removing Cosgrove and Forbes from the
premises.
The landmark settlement involves
payment of $1,000 to the two men, and
a writ ten compliance with the Champaign Human Rights Ordinance {which
prohibits discrimination on the basis
of sexual preference)," by the University Inn hotel, owner of the Club
on 20.
- Mother Jones
11
BYPASSING DISCRIMINATION
NATIONAL -- After the U.S. Jaycees
revoked the memberships of four major
chapters
in Pittsburgh,
Chicago,
Rochester and Philadelphia because
they admitted women, the chapters
joined together to form a new service
group called Vector International,
which offers full
membership, the
right to vote, and the right to hold
office to both women and men.
HOMOSEXUALS NOT SICK
11
11
SWEDEN -- The Swedish State Health
board recently reve·rsed its
longclassification of homostanding
sexuality as an illness, after a large
group of lesbians and gay men staged a
homosexual epidemic" and cal led in
sick to .work, according to employers. The board also went on to destroy
the records of all individuals classified as having had the diseas~- 11
11
11
11
11
Book Review
By Maggie Fourwinds
SURPASSING THE LOVE OF MEN is an
ambitious examination
of women's
romantic friendships and how they have
been viewed and shaped by society.
Lillian Faderman'i extensive research
for this book began during a study of
Emily Dickinson's love poems and
letters to Sue Gilbert. She discovered
the most
overt expressions of
passionate and sensual pronouncements
of love ... written to Sue in the
1850 s. She
also noted that these
pronouncements were unaccompanied by
any guilt or anxiety, or by any hint
at a need for keeping them secret from
family and friends. Her curiosity
sparked, Faderman examined the works
of Dickinson's female contemporaries
and found in virtually every case the
same unselfconsciousness in expressing
their love for other women. She was
surprised to find that these romantic
friendships were apparently condoned
by society1 Her question then is: why
are such relationships that were
lauded as noble and virtuous in other
eras, derided and repressed in our
present culture?
Through
further
investigation,
Faderman came upon
the genesis of
romantic friendship
in the Renaissance. She guides th~ reader carefully
11
11
1
•••
t~rotigh a critical look at literature,
poetry and correspondence by women,
and through male authored material
concerning women. Thus the m1n1-biographies of a multitude of women,
including Edith
Somerville, Vita
Sackville-West, Charlotte Cushman and
Colette are revealed. It is as though
we are joining her in search for the
answer.
It is
her meting out of
insightful information that carries
the reader's attention through the
occassional tedious portions to the
conclusion.
The attitude toward relationships
between women in previous centuries
seem analogous to the old· saw about
the man who approaches a couple of
women dining out together and asks,
"What are attractive women 1i ke you
doing here all alone?" The interaction
of the two women is discounted by the
man as a frivolity to bide the time
until they are given the opportunity
of real interaction with a man. In the
context of this book it is the male's
inability to
imagine any sort of
sexual interaction between women that
made romantic friendships non-threatening. Such liasons were viewed as
highly spiritual; the pure love of
kindred spirits.
It is Faderman's op1n1on that most
of these relationships through the
THE BRAZEN HUSSY RAG
ERA supporters give a cheer
during the June 6 Capitol Rally.
Photo by Jana B.
ERA
cont. from page 1
much what it "fed t" like. Again
and again the speakers came
before the crowd with words of
empowerment. "No, no. we won't
give up -- we never have before.
Not for.the 14th Amendment, the
19th Amendment or the 27th."
June 6 was a success. N.O.W.
brought in the f]_ash necessary
to attract the national news
with televisio actress Linda
Lavin. Women have run our campaign well, but now we must run
theirs. As Deatherage said, early July is the filing deadline
for state offices in Oklahomao
Nearly half the legislators are
coming up for re-election. Women
must file for office and ERA
proponents must get them elected,
so that the next time the ERA is'
brought up for a vote we will
have the power to win.
Victorian and post-Victorian periods
were in fact non-genital. She theorizes that this is due to culturally
induced repression of sexual feeling
in women. But she goes on to show that
in every other way they were strikingly similar to lesbian relationships
of our era.
It is not the relationships, but the
societal attitudes toward them that
have changed. The independence women
now have makes alternatives more
accessible, and also a more consciously socio-political act.
SURPASSING THE LOVE OF MEN is a
concise and carefully detailed book,
considering that it covers over four
hundred years in under five hundred
pages. There are seventy-three pages
of notes which make it a valuable
reference sources for those interested
in the history of women. Throughout
the book she skillfully exposes the
or1g1n of myths and falsehoods that
have influenced the popular attitudes
toward women-identified-women up to
this day. She is unapologetic in her
statement of ideas that may offend
those attitudes. Faderman gives each
of its reader's something to think
about.
JUNE, 1982
PAGE 2
On the Edge
by Elaine Barton
Stereotyping is a time-saving device, and where else is it more desirable to save time than when you're
dealing with the spokesperson for the
bureaucracy? Who do we see, who do we
hear when we deal with the insurance
company, the university, but servants
of the public who apply the policies
of the corporate? Given interpersonal
office relations, if annual inventory
literally
were conducted honestly,
millions of women would be designated
hardware.
Secretarial work is to businesses
what housework is to houses. Secreare to the workplace what
taries
to families ... if something
are
mothers
is lost, we lost it; if something is
late our priorities are bad. The totality of the responsibility of running an office (as in raising children, running all portions of home
maintenance) sifts ultimatly down to
compound the job description of women
as mother to all institutions.
Expectations of the secretary are as
broad as keeping track of every piece
of paper in the office to image-making
to the outside world. We are responsible for the flow of information,
accessibility of information, transof information into difformation
ferent forms for different uses. Many
of us have more than one 11 boss among
which we shuffle the out-flow according to priority and the personalities
we work among.
Our everyday work hangs in balances
held not by our own hands. Our load
swings with other's loads and our
stresses likewise. It is important for
work companions to realize that
although the adaptability of people
who are socialized to be the housekeepers to society is high, there are
limitations.
These limitations for myself don't
touch very often on what can be
humanly expected in terms of timeeffort-dedication-quality-performance
but rather on the dynamics of the work
II
relationship according to the distribution of power.
11
in
liberati-0n consists
• • • our
and
refusing to the 'the Other'
asserting instead 1 I am• - without
1
the Other. 111 (1) A
making another
secretary is the incorporated "Other";
a role subscribed us by women and men . .
We are invisible yet vital, a paradox
for all women. Our intelligence is
brought into question by our position.
Our ambition is thought to be limited;
level of competence stagnant. If and
when secretaries are men they are
junior administrators - advancement is
a given. But _99.1%(2) of all secretaries are women and there are seldom
assumptions made about upward mobility
such within the
or provision for
institution of the workplace. Women
counteract their otherness by establishing nontraditional careers. Where
there is competition between genders
the statement I am 11 is made. 11 I am 11
someone like you as opposed to 11 I am 11
someone different.
The word secretary is downtrodden to
an extent many believe beyond reclamation. Its usage hasn t been discarded yet and at least we can work to
upgrade its meaning and thereby allow
more prestige to the lives it now
circumscribes. To look at the individual rather than the stereotype of
the collective secretary is patentially liberating at the start. To do
this is to forego the time purchased
by anonomynity acceptable in what is
interusually pretty superficial
however,
is,
action. The investment
something we take for granted in our
dealings with male personnel.
National Secretaries Week has just
passed. I saw flower vans all over
town making deliveries ... making money.
The underlying assumption by having a
special 11 week 11 of appreciation for an
already socially oppressed and economically discriminated against group
is, of course, that we aren't appreciated the other weeks of the year.
There seems a more direct link between
the appreciation of other kinds of
work and pay checks. A Hallmark
11
Bosses Week 11 wouldn 1 t have the same
following. In a television commercial,
an elevator · full of
the scene is
people. Two women are in front, one
with a bouquet looking happy and the
other without looking sad. Then a man
from the back of the elevator gives
the sad women a· bouquet, whereupon she
is happy and the other woman is sad,
presumably because her 1 s is larger.
The message to men is: this is a contest, as in business ... invest wisely.
(1) Daly, Mary, BEYOND GOD THE FATHER:
WOMEN 1 S
TOWARD A PHILOSOPHY OF
LIBERATION, Boston: Beacon Press,
1974, p. 34.
(2) Kapp Howe, Louise, THE PINK COLLAR
WORKERS: INSIDE THE WORLD OF WOMEN 1 S
WORK, New York: Avon Books, 1977,
appendix.
II
I
Photo by Pat C.
Construction on LA SALLE
In OKC, if you go to the corner of 19th and Blackwelder,
you will see this building, which represents a soon-to-be
realized dream for local women. Many women have contributed
lots of time, energy and books towards the opening of this
women's bookstore. Anyone _interested in participating will
be welcomed and appreciated, contact TJ, c/o B.H.R,
THEBRAZEN ffiJSSY RAG
.
i:q
rn
~
~
0
+'
_g
p..,
The Enemy
by Susal').
This letter to Ann Landers was published in "The Daily Oklahoman 11 on
Monday, April 12, 1982 ( p. 10):
11
DEAR ANN LANDERS: Do you want to
know why there are so many rapes? I
can tell you, because I am a guy who
is just waiting for the right minute
and then I'll grab somebody.
"I have had a terrible weight
problem ever since I was 10 years old.
I am 20 now and have been laughed at
and made fun of by girls all my life.
They have made me feel like I am not
worth anything.
11
1 have tried to be nice but all I
ever got was a dirty look or an insult. The last girl I asked for a date
told me to come around after I lost
200 pounds. I felt like breaking her
damned face.
11
I stay up nights thinking of ways
to get back at the b---- and all the
others who treated me like dirt. In my
head I have it all worked out.
11
I know of an abandoned cabin on the
edge of town where I could keep a girl
for a month and there would be no
witnesses when I got through with her.
I wouldn't feel one bit guilty because
I would just be getting even. -- Guess
Who I Am"
This man represents thousands of men
across the country who are the most
mysogynists
dangerous of all
anonymous and violent.
It is hoped by this writer that
every women remains just 11 parano•id 11
enough to be aware of how much undirected hatred we can each fall victim to, and keeps herself alert and
armed (in whatever way she is most
comfortable) against a very real, and
very hateful enemy.
JUNE,
1982
PAGE
J
Monogamy ~vs Non-Monogamy
by K. L. Olson
At the age of twenty-two, I wasn't
totally naive about open relationships. I knew what non monogamy was
about
I had read Flyi ng by Kate
Millett. You know the story - you have
a lover, become a nonmonogamous feminist, lose your mind
and write a
novel. My first brush with nonmonogamy
was anything but pleasant, like being
brushed by a Mack truck.
Sue and I were monogamous for the
f i rst six months of our relations hip.
Then, in her infinite wisdom, (she was
a year older than I was and much more
experienced),
Sue decided that we
should continue to be lovers and yet
have the freedom to go to bed with
other women.
Sue had my tit in a wringer - not at
all a comfortable position to be in,
though there are those of us who might ·
enjoy it, (look for a follow-up article in a later issue, Tits in a
Wringer and Other Pleasures "). It was
nonmonogamy or nothing. I wanted to
continue my relations hip with Sue but
I didn't want to go to bed with other
women and I wasn't sure of Sue's mo11
11
11
tives. Would she still love me if
there was someone else, or would she
leave me? Why would she want other
women, and why wouldn't I? Why should
it make any differenc e how many women
you love or make love to? I reluctantly agreed to Sue's terms.
I
thought I could handl€ it eventuall y,
if I could just convince myself that
It s only sex.
After three months, during which
time neither Sue or I had an affair,
Sue decided that she no longer wanted
to be my lover (maybe she thought she
had more of a chance on the open market with no committments at all).
While we continued to live together, I
was
Sue's sole source of sexual
pleasure (not to ·discredi t her own
hand), though she was not the only
woman with whom I was making love.
Don't get me wrong. I wasn't living in
a hot bed of sex, but I was enjoying
myself.
By the time I left Kansas City, I
truly felt that I was nonmonogamous. I
still wanted a lover, but I thought an
open relations hip would work. Ah, to
be single
and nonmonogamous,
like
playing Russian roulette with an empty
gun.
When I rooved to OKC, I was involved
with a woman who had a lover. No
problem - until she decided to make a
committment to the other woman. I was
hurt
and
angry and very down on
couples - especiall y monogamous ones.
Then I met my current lover. Not too
anxious to get involved, I told her I
thought we should see other women. She
called my bluff and went to bed with
someone else. For a woman who had been
waving nonmonogamy around like a flag,
I handled it poorly, but I finally
began to accept the fact that, no
matter what the reason, I couldn't
cope with a nonmonogamous relationship.
I
still believe
in
nonmonogamy
(idealogi cally), but it's not what I
want. I also realize that, should my
lover and I stay together for any
length of time, one or both of us will
have an affair and it will not end our
relations hip (we' 11 probably break up
over something as petty as who's turn
it is to clean out the cat box - a
dirty job, but someone's got to do
it). So, I'm beginning to come to
terms with my feelings,
accepting
instead of questioning them.
because of one too many lovers in
common. These women can't work together and they can't be depended upon
to put the welfare of the womens'
community ahead of their
personal
lives. This is a very familiar and
very destructi ve pattern in our community. It is also a pattern for us to
stay with our first lover anywhere
from three weeks to three years and
then fo r one of us to leave to be
single, or worse, to leave to be with
another woman. It is also · a pattern
for us to live with our lovers for
years and build lives together, only
to have the bond destroyed because we
(or our lover) may desire another. We
don't even have to break up because of
love; desire is often enough to drive
us apart.
The answer on the surface may seem
simple; if non-monogamy is so dangerous, then be monogamous!
Ah, but most of us can't. That's
really the bottom l i ne of it - most of
us can't be monogamous. We can try, we
can even force ourselves for
long
periods of time. But the fact remains
that we can't naturally be totally
monogamous 100% of the time. It is
easier for heterosexuals to be monogamous, because their whole society is
based on that concept, but our isn't.
How can it be, when every lesbian we
meet, every friend we make, is a potential lover? We can t
take the
patterns of heterosexual society and
expect them to apply completely to our
society. We have to make our own patterns, and if we expect to build permanent relations hips, we have to make
our own rules.
11
1
11
DYKEWISE
by Ronin
If I were voting on the single most
divisive issue in the Lesbian community,
the
monogamy-nonmonogamy
question would get my vote hands down.
This is the issue that sets friend
against friend, sister against sister,
and definitel y sets lover against
lover. Most Lesbians have such strong
feelings
and opinions
about nonmonogamy that the issue exists as a
constant source of anxiety for them.
Many of us can give no reasonable
explanation for the pain and insecurity non-monogamy causes us, so we
don't want to talk about it, or think
about it, and we sure don't want to
try it. But we need to talk to each
other about it as a communit¥, because
of the potential for destructio n the
issue has in our individual lives and
in our community as a whole.
Men have told us that women can't
work together, and we often have difficulties , especiall y Lesbians. We all
know groups of lesbians who can't be
invited
anywhere at the same time
I
There exists much diversity of
opinion within any womens' community,
and
our diversity is one of our
strengths . . . but on this issue, it
is very expensive to be divided. This
issue is too explosive , too dangerous,
for us not to know how we feel and to
know how the "other side feels. We
all
should and do have different
opinions,
but this
differenc e of
op1n1on can make us hate each other,
and definitel y keeps us from working
together. If we can't work together
for common . survival , then we are
working for common destructi on.
11
Non-Monogamy-or a License to Kill
By Jo
Several years ago, a straight man
said to me, "For many wommin, the pill
has become a 1i cense t o kil 1.
Becoming incensed at what was obviously going to
be straight male
garbage, I replied, What in the hell
is that supposed to mean? To kill
who?
He said somberly, "Themselves and
their emotions. Many young wommin some of whom are starved for affection
- are told 'Take this pill and you
will be sexually liberated . You can
sleep with all of the men you want.'
The truth is that they are being denied their freedom at earlier and
11
11
11
earl i er ages. They're not given time
to decied if they even want men as
sexual partners; or how they feel; or
what their real needs are. Instead of
their freedom, they've been given a
license to kill their bodies and their
true emotional needs.
11
As lesbians, sleeping with men and
the pill are issues that do not concern us. I wonder, however, if we
don't have a license to kill of our
own - called non-monogamy. I think
non-monogamy is a beautiful theory. If
it is practiced with true feminist
concern and honesty; I believe it can
contribut e greatly to our community.
It is my opinion, though, that we
sometimes use non-monogamy as a way of
THE BRAZEN HUSSY RAG
11
11
emotionally battering
and
killing
ourselves , our friends and our lovers.
Does the label non-monogamous mean
that we can sleep with any woman anytime it feels right fo us? Does it
mean we are not responsib le for the
distancin g it may create in our own
lives or the pain it may bring to
others' lives? Does it mean that our
physical wants can supercede our emotional bonds? If so, sisters, I think
we have found a new way to kill one
another.
I believe that it is entirely possible that non-monogamy can become a
way of building ties and broadening
the emotional life of our community but not if it's used as a label to do
whatever we damn well please to do.
JUNE, 1982
PAGE 4
11
11
11
11
LET·TERS
TO THE ED !TOR:
I first recieved a copy of B.H.R.
from an acquaintance who writes for
it. Not knowing what to expect from a
publication titled as it is, my curiosity was hesitant. As I read, though,
page by page, I felt pleased by its
intelligence and sensitivity.
Later, when my acquintance became a
friend,
I realized
the underlying
essence of B.H.R. I'm overwhelmed by
what brought B.H.R. into being - the
struggles of you and your staff, the
collective history that has brought
al l of you to the present, to expression of your true selves. I can't help
but feel a tacit bond with you (though
I know none of you well) because oppression is a reality that I do know.
And I now realize that my first copy
of B.H.R. was not given to me by
chance. My energy and the energies of
my sisters have worked
their own
gravitational purposes - pulling me
towards them and them towards me. It
was
appropriate
timing,
as those
energies somehow know. My exposure to
other lesbians, and lesbian thought
has heretofor been minimal to say the
least. I look forward to what I have
to learn.
Whi 1e I grow, I look forward to
watching B.H.R. grow, too . It is a
ch i ld I want to see take shape, developing its own personality. I feel a
gladness for its existence, not only
for myself, but for all women for whom
B.H.R. has meaning. I'd like to express my thanks to everyone that gave
it life.
Sincerely,
Tasha Longley.
DEAR BHR I have had the pleasure of reading
two issues of the RAG and could not be
happier that you are in existence.
However, I am concerned about two
"faux pas"'s .
In an article about the Equal Rights
Amendment, (I believe it was the third
issue), the "National Organization OF
Women
was mentioned. The acronym,
NOW, stands for the National Organization FOR Women. This error is very
common and ties in with my next "comp1a int. 11 As a11 NOW members are not
women, neither are all ERA supporters.
Issue four's Reagan rally article told
of ."women supporting ERA" being among
the protestors. What about the men? I
be lieve feminists
should not
be
"reverse sexists", for we would be
def eating ou r purpose .
Hope you con ti nue your efforts; they
are we l l appreciated.
Thanks for your t i me ,
Jane Troxe 11
OKC
II
REBUTTAL TO DYKEWISE
Yes, Christianity has enjoyed a
renaissance lately in "all" classes of
people. An tho' times are somewhat
difficult at present, I think being
scared has little to do with the
11
fi ndi nos II of God.
Your article is so one-sided on
"Christianity" that it makes me shudder.
It is closed minds and self-appointed
experts as yourself that put those
women, men, and children into the death
chambersof Nazi Germany. Blaming this
on God in any way is also a great mistake of people walking outside the truth
and knowledqe of Jesus Christ.
There are-only two forces at work in
this world, good and evil. All persons
are give the "freedom" of choice whom
they shall serve. God does not murder,
peopel murder.
The Dykewise article constantly states
what the Bible '!says" but at no time
does this expert refer to the text she
so readi l y quotes.
As far as sanctions being placed
against women, this also has been done
by man. The Bible is a spiritual book
written by spiritual people and must be
read and understood by spiritual openness.
John 3:17 says "God sent not his son
into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world through him might be
saved." This is a direct quote of Jesus
Christ.
When Jesus Christ came to this earth,
He came for every man, woman, and childno differentiation.
Jesus Christ has come to break the
bondage of all persons and offer true
freedom.
As our writer qoes on to say that
Christian women tell her they read the
Bible but "simply ignore any negative
reference to women or gays".
I have yet to find any "negative"
reference to women in general but there
are individual documented cases of
wrongdoings. The 12 disciples o! Jesus
Christ were men but they were thieves
and murderers before they came into the
truth. Judas was a man and he sold
Jesus Christ, his King, f or 30 pieces
of silver, but I don't see any of
thse things being classified as
"male persecution".
In John Chapter 8 beginning with
verse 1 - 11 is the story of the
prostitute, Mary Magdalene, who
eventually became a close friend of
J~sus Christ. She was found in the
act of adultery and was brought to
.ii.
Jesus to be stoned to death according
to the old law.
Jesus stated in the 7th verse, "He
that is without sin among you, let him
cast a stone at her." No one did. In
the 10th verse, Jesus said, "Woman,
where are those thine accusers?"
"Hath no man condemened thee?" She said,
"No man, Lord. 11 And Jesus said unto
her- "Neither do I condemn thee, go
and sin no more."
True Christianity is not a life
lived by rules written in a book by
some obscure historical figure.
Christianity is a life revolving around
a love for my own Father, Jesus, and
the rules He sets in my heart and the
mercies He extends constantly for my
human errors.
Christianity is an individual walk
with Jesus Christ in hope and faith
and above all things lvoe.
Proverbs 10:12 says "Hatred stirreth
up strife; but love covereth all sins."
Romans 13: 10, "Love worketh no i 11
to his neighbour: therefore love is the
ful lfi 11 i ng of the law. 11
I John 4:7, "Beloved, let us love
one another: for love is of God; and
every one that loveth is born of God,
and knoweth God.
Through Him came my freedom as a
woman, a person, a total and complete
being. Through Him I am and always
sha 11 be "free".
Shirley A. Campbell
SONNET FOR LOVE
Luhra
Give me soft thing men can
have no honor of; upon my skin
arrange the patterns flushed by love:
give me hardness tempered in desire
with your finest silken touch-like hunger carved from i~e, I melt;
the shadow of your hunger is my own
and all the hungers I have ever felt
are faded to this one, all ever known
are symbols to the path and way
of this: a love that calls at midnight close,
a love that grieves the colour out of
pain
with light that is a thousand shades
of white
to never knwo the darkest night again.
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FICTION
<"Jight Pants
Myra Fourwinds
Chula had announced during the
poker game the night before that she
would be going out of town soon.Glenna
recalled the scene. Glenna, Chula,
Nelda and Rochelle had stayed very
late in Nelda's basement apartment,
until finally Nelda had to forfeit
her denim levis and had nothing left
to ante-up with.
Rochelle repeated her question ,
asking exactly what Chula refered to
when she said, 11 estaba temiendo esto 11 ,
(I've been dreading this,),C hula's
reply surprise d them all. 11 Me ire en
unos cuantos dias ,(I will be leaving
town in a few days time), Chula told
the three women. Nelda paused briefly
with her cigarett e almost to her lips
to stare towards the speaker.Chula
• continued, 11 espero que las quatros
tengamos sena una de estas noches
(We will, I hope, be having dinner
togethe r, the four of us, one evening?)
Three heads nodded in agreement. 11 Como
siempre, mi ultima noche deseo pasarla
con me amante Glenna 11 ,(My last night,
as always, I wish to spend with my dear
lover Glenna.) Chula said, "para la
ultima noche; que es manana, espero
que no sea muy di fi ci 1. 11 (As for the
remaining night, tomorrow evening,
this is where it will not be too
difficu lt, I hope.)Glenna felt a
tighteni ng in her stomach in anticipation of Chula's next words.
11
Quiero decir que voy a pasar una de
estas noches, preferiblemente manana,
con Rochelle. 11 (1 wish to openly
announce that I will spend one of
these nights, preferab ly to!l1llorrow,
with Rochelle.) Chula completed her
projected schedule.
11
11
,
The brief silence was broken by
Rochelle's gay baritone voice.
"Thank you, dear, for the invite, but
what I don't understand is why everyone is taking this all so seriousl y,"
Roche 11 e addressed Chula. 11 You three
are so solemn, one would think Chula
was going to her funeral. You always
to become lesbian
for c, and others
act this way when Chula's leaving town,
I've noticed. I suspect some conspiracy,
just what is it you go off to do,Chula? 11
Rochelle asked her directly .
Nelda and Glenna glanced to ascess
the brown woman's expression. Chula's
face did not change. 11 1 go to help my
family, Chula replied.
Every three or four months, Chula
would take a trip in her old pontiac
south to the border. She did this religiously . During the months before she
went, Chula spent her time and money
touring gun shops. She was an armament
special ist. Her brother would send her
money to buy rifles for the revoluti on.
When the trunk, back seat, and secret
compartments of the tan pontiac were
fully loaded with guns and ammunition,
Chula would meet her brother at the
border, and they would drive the loot
across to the other side. Sometimes
they would take another sister's baby,
to appear to baa young family. They
were never questioned or searched.
Chula's hard-won college education gave
her the manners and vocabulary to outclass the border . guards. They were
intimidated by her. They thought she
went across on a research project related to her academic career. When Chula
came back from one of her trips, she
always brought a trunk-load of good
Mexican pot. This was quietly dispersed within twenty-four hours.
When she was in the city, Chula held
workshops and classes for women. She
taught them how to select a gun, shoot
a gun, clean and care for guns, and load
ammunition. Groups of women form the
community went regularl y to the shooting
range with Chulas for target practice
and instruct ion. Nobody, however,knew
where Chula went when she was out-oftown, or what she was doing. Nobody
except her lover, Glenna knew that the
large gentle Chicana was a secret terrorist at heart.
Chula was getting ready for another
trip South. She would never tell Glenna
when she was going until just a few
days before. Glenna would feel it coming
on, however, for a week or two before.
At these times their relation ship
changed drastica lly.They would act to-
wards each other as if they were on
honeymoon time. The sweetness and intensity between them alwasy increased.
Glenna attempted to ignore her secret
fear each time that sehe would not see
her precious chica raza again.Her aunt
and uncle who had been gun-runners before her were now in prison in Mexico.
The activity was a family traditio n.
Nelda knew only that Chula's trips
culminated in abundant pot for the
community. Whenever Chula left, it was
Nelda's job to line up connections to
move the pot immediately. Nelda also
kenw that Glenna would be particu larly
nervous and excitab le whenever Chula
was out of town. It was rather curious ,
Nelda thought, for Glenna to be so concerned about Chula's habitual . abscence.
In Nelda's opinion, Glenna ought to
enjoy her time alone, since she often
complained about not having enough
space to herself when Chula was around.
Chula, Glenna, Nelda and Rochelle
would have a special dinner together
whenever Chula was preparing to leave.
It was a regular ritual with them.
They would begin early in the evening,
with Rochell e's famous Creole cooking.
After dinner, joints were passed and
wine was shared. Rochelle often acted
out a short skit or play. Then, with
Nelda on piano and one or two of the
others on guitar, the women would sing
togethe r, or play music on the stereo
and dance for each other. To bring the
evening to a satisfac tory close, the
four women particip ated together in a
ritual of protecti on for Chula in her
travelin g, and an affirmat ion of the
bonding and support for one another.
Cushions were spread before the fireplace in the large living room of Chula
and Glenna's house. The four women
slept there, togethe r, in a dream
circle, with their heads towards the
center, connected by an elabora te
dream-net which would ca·tch the dreams
to be shared in the morning.
This had been done by the four women
six times. On the first occasion, even
before Chula and Glenna became lovers,
they were shy and hesitant .Repeti tion
of the rituals gave the women more
confidence, so that each time more
intricac y and complexity was included.
The Touch of Change
I
I
I
how does one become lesbian ?
as many ways as we are women,
as many stars as are in the skies,
yet one unifyin g vision holds true,
a belief in our own becom ings/h ero-se lves,
and a leap,
of the mind in an act of creativ e imagin ing,
when does one become lesbian ?
when a goddes s appear s in woman' s guize
and you reach out to embrac e her.
.
when you come to love a woman passio nately .~
and yourse lf o
cu
unveili ng deep truths before her eyes,
~
and your own.
~
a ritual of surren der,
••
sharing softne ss and power tender ly
E
and being born into her arms,
0
+:>
0
how does one know hersel f to be lesbian ?
..c:·
if she is muse to you,
P-i
if her inner beauty fills you with reveran ce,
sunligh t falling on her cheek,
her contou rs illumin ated,
one simple image,
and esthet ically you are healed with joy,
THE BRAZEN HUSSY RAG
White billow y clouds
Floatin g lazily by
Stars bright diamon ds
Set agains t
Overhe ad blackn ess,
Wonder ing how to say
In warnin g:
Retain a compos ite view,
She is comple x
As the visible univers eo
She is dangero us
As the invisib le meanin gs,
Her touch will change you
And leave you standin g
Strong on your feet,
Lookin g to the sky,
Unlike anythin g
Ever before imagin ed,
Still, she is human,
So if you reach out
.To hold her hand,
Be gentle , be carefu l,
She will not hurt you
But she may stretch
Your mind,.
JUNE, 1982
PAGE 6
·My Point of View
bY Sus an
For those Okies PreParine to
join the 11GraPes of Wrath11-l ike
flieht out of Oklahoma City in
search of a communitY , and others
who have been depressed about the
cultural void in this area,
some new considera tion mieht be
Profitable .
--LETtS TALK WOMEN, who have started WIFE OF EARL CLEMENS:
a local ANNUAL wOMENtS MUSIC
By Jo
FESTIVAL, and Planned and carriPd
out many various activities
I saw your gravestone today, Eva
includine dinners, concerts, etc.
Marie.
It said you were the wife of Earl
--the WOMENtS STUDIES STUDENT
Clemens.
ASSOCIATION is also in Norman.
For 53 years you dwelt upon this Earth
and I know you were subject to
--an annual WOMEN AND MENTAL HEALTH
legalized prostitutio n.
CONFERENCE is sponsored bY a
But
I wonder:
Somethine excitine is haPPenine
erant bY the Oklahoma Humanitie s
Were
you a sister or a mother?
in OKC. Lesbians and eaY men are
C-ounci I.
Were you intelligent and creative?
becomine involved in lone-stand ine
What was your pain?
within the past few months, we
eaY and feminist oreanizat ions,
Did you know joy?
as a community have been VERY busY,
What did you believe in?
and new ones are beine formed at
with the result of:
a neck-brea kine rate.
I saw your gravestone today Eva
--LA SALLE DES FEMMES, an alterMarie.
native womyn1s bookstore , soon to
This is bY no means a comPlete
And I know you were a
be open on the corner of NW 19th
list of what is eoinP. on in OKC,
socially accepted slave.
But I wonder:
·and anY ommission s are accidenta l, and Blackweld er.
Who comforted you when you cried?
and certainlY not malicious .
Did
you know laughter?
--THE BRAZEN HUSSY RAY, a local
Some oreanizati ons that have
Were
you afraid?
lesbian/ea Y newsPaPer with limited
been around awhi .le i~crude:
Did you write or sing?
nation-wid e distributi on.
--our FAVORITE BARS
What did you hope for?
--an annual BAR-OWNERS PICNIC
--ARTEMIS HOUSE, a womYnts coffeeI saw your gravestone today, Eva
with free beer for al I.
h o u s e in No rm an , wi t h I i v e en t e rt a in - Marie •
--CHRIST THE KING MCC, a nonSurely you were more than
ment.
denominat ional church.
The
wife of Earl Cl~mens.
--the Pink Flamineois recent GAY
--OKLAHOMANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS,
ART SHOW.
a Political erouP with monthlY
The Brazen Hussy Rag would like to
add that "A Sister's Blood" (April
meetines.
--the new~ non-Potit ical GAY
Issue) was also written by Jo, and the
--the GAY ACTIVIST ALLIANCE,
AWARENESS ORGANIZATION on the OU
omission
of her name was not realized
oPeratine on the OU campus to
campus, which deals with eaY-ness
until after the paper went to press.
leeislate for eaY riehts.
and comine out.
Our apologies to Jo and our readers.
--the WOMENtS STUDIES PROGRAM
--the OKLAHOMA FREE PRESS, a new
DePartmen t of the UniversitY
eaY newsPaPer oPeratine out of
of Oklahoma.
Norman.
II HOTHIHG'S TOO GOOD FOi YOUI 00G
--Normant s WOMENtS RESOURCE CENTER.
lt seems to me .that we are al I
Also, within the Past couple of
involved in a verY excitine time
Years, we have created:
THE GROOM ROOM
in
Oklahoma CitYIS history. We
--THE PRODUCTION COMPANY, who
1421 N ■ Mckinley
are al I icomine out, toeether, and
have broueht such musicians as
will form the nucleus for the
Mee Christian , Robin Flower, and
future OKC Metropoli tan GaY
PHONI: 521 -'119
Mareie Adams to our area.
A-' fer "IHJIUY"
CommunitY.
•
sing
1909 classen
a
little!
blvd . oklahoma city, oklahoma 73106
pnone l4U5J 524-7839
attend the LTW
2nd Women's Music Festival
MICHAEL
June 19
Lake Thunderbird
to---- ------- ------- -.
BRYAN
4051524-1062
K~i Killgore, M,ED.
U.. 8. Witzel
Counselor
... 1
counseling MrVice
425 N .W. 34th
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
o.w
Hair Stylist
WOMAN TO WOMAN
TheSa,,lpl,nl<jll
I ZZ, W. l"laln
amn- lldg.
Nomwl.Ok
Fo."4d••••Cal
»1~
wav
~ a better
to Ive.
111f a. w...,,., lulli 122 Okla. cae,, OK m• (4111 IIMll1
1711
THE BRAZEN HUSSY RAG
Nor-, OK 11111(4111t llHl1t
Olda.
OK mn
7WM717
JUNE. 1982
PAGE 7
CALENDAR
June 30! !
DEADLINE FOR RATIFICATION OF THE EQUAL
RIGHTS AMENDMENT!!
GAY PRIDE WEEK
JUNE 19, SATURDAY
July 9, Friday
LET'S TALK WOMEN 2nd ANNUAL
MUSI C FESIIVAL! !!
Lake Thunderbi rd, 9a,m.-?
WHERE WERE YOU IN 1 62?
JUNE 2 0, SUNDAY
Christ the King, MCC
special service, 11 a.m.
The Women's Resource Center of Norman,
Inc. is sponsoring a 1960 1 s Party to
benefit the Center, Friday, July 9,
from 8:00 p.m. to midnight at the Norman Moose Lodge, 2812 Classen Blvd.
While you're digging in your closet for
1960 s clothers, look for magazines,
records, posters, tee. also. There will
be an auction of 1 60 1 s memorabilia
and your donations are tax deductible.
Tickets are $10 each/$15 pair which
includes door prizes. Call the Center
at 364-9424 for information.
OHR Watermelo n Feast
Will Rodgers Park south
shelter, 2 - 6p.m.
1
Circa Club, "Summer RoundUp Show", 9p.m.
JUNE 21, MONDAY
The Brown Cottage, free
draws, $2 cover, 8-12p.m.
JUNE 22, TUESDAY
Col orado's, freed
$ 2 cover , 8-12p.m ,
August 5 - 15
2nd NATIONAL FEMINIST COMMUNITY CAMP
Overcome Feminist Fatigue! Iris Glen
Feminist Community Camp,Annapolis, .
Maryland, August 6 - 15, 1982. Write
Community Living for Women, Inc.,
P.O. Box 265, Edgewater, Maryland 21037.
ws,
Club Burgandy, sandwi ches
and a basket of cheer, 8p,m.
JUNE 23, WEDNESDAY
OHR Muti-medi a event
"Gay Heritage; Where Do We
Go From Here?", The Free
Spirit, 8p.m,
August 12 - 15
THE 7th MICHIGAN WOMYN 1 S MUSIC FESTIVAL
Sweet Honey in the Rock, Chris Williamson, June Millington,Margie Adam,Holly
Near,Teresa Trul,Therese Edell, and
many,many more musicians will be featured August 12-15.1982 .
For tickets or information, send a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to:
W.W.T.M.C., 1501 Lyons St.,Mt. Pleasant,
MI 48858, or call (517)772-0582.
~UNE 24, THURSDAY
DJ'S, Country/W estern Night
9p.m.
Carnab~ 3, extended happy hour
6-2
6p.m.-2a,m .
JUNE 25, FRIDAY
OHR'S 4th Annual Banquet,
Hilton Inn, 6:30p.m. - bar,
8p,m. - dinner, live music
by "The Street People",
tickets$15
tickets $15 in advance, call
848-7039 for informatio n
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
Women interested in Jo1n1ng the Committee
to Take Back The Night in Oklahoma should
contact the Women's Studies Program,
325-3481. This is -a statewide
committee whose task at hand is to
organize the third annual "Take Back the
Night March Against Rape" to be held
in Norman this Fall.
Please call or write WSP, University
of Oklahoma, 601 Elm, Room #530,
Norman, OK 73019, and share your ideas,
energy, networking ski ll s and ask to
be put on the Committ ee 's mailing li st .
JUNE 26p SATURDAY
OHR's 2nd Arts and Crafts Show
The Free Spirit, 1~6p,m.,
wine and cheese
Tony's North, special show
JUNE 27, SUNDAY
OHR Urban Country Cookou t and
Dance, 2-7p,m,, fo r l ocati on
and info, cal l 848-7039
Women' s Resource Center Public Announcement:
We are interested in starting a group
for adult women who have had incest
experiences in their childhoods. A
number of cli ents and community prof-
Nitel ife, fr ee keg, $ 1 cover,
8p .m.
Sadl le t ramps , va r ie ty show,
9:J Op .m.
SUBSCRIBE .
Name _____ _____ _____ __
••• to the BRAZEN HUSSY RAG
and everY month enjoy the
latest news, entertainm ent,
and informatio n it has to
offer the lesbian, feminist,
and ~aY communiti es.
6 issues - s4.oo
12 issues - $8.00
Address _____ _____ ______
City______ ____Zip _____ __
Mai I to :
B. H. R.
•
1630 N.W. 19th
•
Okla. CitY, OK
73106
essionals have indicated to us that it
would be helpful for these women to
talk with others who have had similar
experiences. The group will be held in
the late afternoon or early evening; the
specific day and time will be arranged
based on client response. For more
information, or to make referrals, call
Joy Leuthard or Ka.r ilyn Cummins at
364-9424 .
CLASSIFIED ADS
Ambitious novice looking for slave to
master. Experience preferred. Humor
necessary. Send picture and resume to
Val ~/o Brazen "~ssey.
Seeking support group of Lesbians
into celebate monogamy. Meeting
at Reeve's Park in Norman, Monday
night, June 28 at sunset.
Traveling dyke desires summer
r esidence. Prefer rural situation with
garden work and animal care . Available June 21st to August 21st. Reply t c
)ak c/0 Brazen Hussey .
Disabled Woman needs massage therapy.
Willing to barter equal time or part
cash sometimes. Contact Della c/o
Brazen Hussey.
Bull rider seeking partner for earnival business to accompany rodeo
circuit. Must be able to handle
horses and drive long-distan ce. Send
personal profile of related experience to Tex c/o Brazen Hussey.
Witchy dyke wishes gatherings with
others at pot luck vegitarian feasts
on new and full moons for celebration
and energy-rais ing. Write to Crescent
c/o Brazen Hussey.
Attractive middle-aged lesbian looking
for young butch mate. I am a proffessional librarian who plans to retire
in a few years and travel the world
with a companion. Into self-healing
diet and positive attitudes. Send
biography and photo to Sal c/o Braze n
Hussey.
Brazen Hussy Rag Staff:
Lisa, Y..ristie, Susan~Mar y,
J,R., Myra, TJ, Jana
Thanks again Denny and
Susan G.
The Brazen Hussy Rag is a
collective ly run journal servi n
the lesbian , f eminist and ga y
communi ti es of metro OKC. The
Braz en Hussy encourage s its
readers t o write le t ters and
essays for publicatio n. Please
shar e any i nformatio n on local
or nati onal news in the form of
calendar listings and news
bri efs. All materials should
be t ypewritten . Deadline for
all s ubmis si ons is the 10th of
each month.
Submi ssions should be mailed
to :
B.H.R
16JO N,W, 19th
OKC, Okla. 73106
The theme of next month's
issue will be "Unity, Division,
and Burnout - the future of the
feminist movement" . We welcome
your views on the subject.
Classified rates are $5 for
three lines (approx, 25 words),
$2 for each additiona l line.
For informatio n on ad rates o
placing an ad, contact Lisa or
i s ti e
848-60
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