HerlandVoice-1986-08-v2-vo08_ocr.pdf
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VOLUME 2, NUMBER 8
AUGUST 1986
A LESBIAN IS ALWAYS A FEMINIST
by Mary Jo Osterman and Phyllis Jean Athey
a
A lesbian is always
feminist. Not all lesbians
think other lesbians are feminist. Not all lesbians
· claim to be feminist. Not all lesbians have articulated a political analysis of their oppression as
women and as lesbians. Certainly, not all lesbians
are overtly active in the broader sense of feminist political action. Yet, stripped of its various
political casings, the basic definition of "feminist" is "one who is ·pro-women." Therefore, any
woman who identifies herself as lesbian, as prowoman in . orientation, is a feminist.
In a society in which heterosexuality is compulsory, the "simple" act of claiming a lesbian label
for oneself is a counter-cultural act--a revolutionary naming of oneself--a feminist act. The personal is political in the everyday life of a lesbian, whether she is openly claiming the identity
or known only to herself. In the face of structural societal oppression, to be lesbian is to be
feminist is to be political is to be lesbian.
The act of claiming one's lesbian identity--of
"coming out" at least to oneself--is sometimes the
most radical, revolutionary, . feminist step a woman can take. It may take years for her to become comfortable with such a counter-cultural
label and lifestyle. And, in fact, living the identity personally may be as far as she ever takes
her feminism. In living as a lesbian, closeted or
open, she is a profound feminist statement,
whether she ever names it, or claims it, or
further acts on it.
The awareness· of the feminist political nature of
what and who she is !!<lY lead a lesbian to make
connections between her own oppression and the
oppression of others. As awareness dawns and
comfort with her counter-cultural stance increases, a lesbian may connect with one or more
of the many "feminist issues" on which politically
active women work, such as women's stererotypical sex roles in our society, lack of control of
BERLAND SISTER RESOURCES, INC.
1630 NW 19, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73106
our own bodies, domestic violence, rape, pornography, lack of child care and lack of equal opportunity in employment.
As she becomes connected with these feminist
issues, a lesbian !i!Y then become aware of the
deeper, broader levels of oppression in our society which radical feminists work to eliminate,
such as male domin._nce and exploitative power,
economic injustices, classism, racism, agism, handicappism, militarism and imperialism, and heterosexism and homophobia.
Or, as a lesbian, a woman may take her second
step as a feminist by connecting directly with
work against a homophobic society. She may join
a gay and lesbian speakers' bureau or learn. to
lead workshops.
She may start a pro-lesbian
newspaper, rap group or women's center. She
may begin to educate her co-workers, her family,
her friends, her religious community. Speaking
out against society's prevailing myths and stereotypes of gay men and lesbians is likewise a revolutionary step-a profoundly pro-women move-a
feminine stance.
Finally, somewhere in the consciousness-raising
process, early or later, a lesbian !!<lY make connections between the various kinds and levels of
oppression and how she lives out her own life.
She !!<lY then move from political awareness to
political analysis to political actions: campaigning
or lobbying for legal changes; demonstrating or
doing civil disobedience; funneling her financial
support to social change groups; withdrawing support from oppressive systems wherever she -can
politically, socially, economically, reliously; separating as fully as possible from society and working to build an alternate society.
But, whether or not a lesbian ever makes any of
these connections with the larger "feminist agenda," whether or not she ever connects her own
personal oppression with the larger oppressive
realities in our world, SHE IS, BY HER VERY
ACT OF BEING LESBIAN, A FEMINIST. If "all"
Continued on Pase 2
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We encourage the exchange of information, personal opinions on issues of concern to the Oklahoma women's community, and your stories and
experiences.
The editor reserves the right to edit and condense letters according to space limitations. Letters should be typed, double-spaced and signed
by the author(s). Include your address and phone
number. If you wish to be published anonymously,
indicate so, but include your name, etc., for our
information, in case the editor has questions.
Mail or deliver your letters to HSR, Inc., 1630
N.W. 19, Okla. City, OK 73106. Deadline is the
15th of each month.
Dear Friends, .
Thank you so very much for your continued support of my music. Many's the time you have
saved my sagging spirit from the depths by sharing the blues, songs and stories with me, especially at The Second Fret, but also at Berland
gatherings and the various other places I have
had the privilege to visit musically. As I write, I
am in the preparation stages for a trip to the
Womyn's Music Festiv~l in Michigan. When you
read this, you certainly will know more of how
those plans pan out so I won't say more here.
My main purpose in this communique is to let
you know of a brainstorm I had an~ to give you
a little preview. See, I can't seem to conceptualize making an album yet--financial woes, as usual,
and also vagueness at how I really want to present myself on ret:ord. Soo--I propose publishing
a book, a music book, of some of the songs I
have written.
I am excited about it for several reasons. For
one. thing, it sounds feasible. Also, it seems that
the cosmic energy has chosen to give birth to
Red Dirt Press, a new women's publishing company, at about the same time my brainstorm hit.
Cosmic, huh? And I talked to some friends and
soundingboards about it and the possibilities
loomed lovely.
So, within this newsletter, please find the lyrics
to one of my songs, hopefully for your en.ioyment. The book, of course, will have lyrics, music, photos, etc., but now I am trying just to
whet your appetite, stir your interest and maybe
even storm your brains. Don't hesitate to write
me at P.O. Box 75842, OKC, OK 73147 with any
comments, hopes, dreams or pictures. I'll try to
drag out my trusty old Royal typewriter, not to
mention the whiteout, and answer.
I must say, it has taken me longer to compose
this letter than it did the last song I wrote
("High School Senior"), so I'll close now.
Peace,
Peggy Johnson
Continued from Page 1
she ever does in her lifetime is claim the
counter-cultural identity of lesbian and struggle
to live proudly and comfortably with that label
in the midst of a society full of oppression, she
is profoundly feminist--profoundly pro-women! She
has taken the most basic revolutionary step
toward freedom ahd justice.
HERLAND COFFEEHOUSE
presents
Wendi Patterson
Friday, August 29, 1986
8.:00 p.m.
Metropolitan Community Church
1900 N.W. 12, OKC
"ONE FINE DAY" VIDEO SHOWING
The video "One Fine Day" will be shown
at the beginning of the August. Collective
meeting for members, volunteers and their
friends.
If you've ever thought about getting involved with Berland, this is "one fine"
opportunity to come meet with us and
see the show.
You can contact the volunteer coordinators Heather at 789-3036, or Phoenix at
360-2585.
announces
the next meeting of the Collective
Sunday, August 10, 6:30 p.m.
Open to the Public
1630 N.W. 19, OKC
Publisher:
Editor:
Typesetter:
Advertising:
Circulation:
Berland Sister Resources, Inc.
Elaine Barton
Marian Hulsey
Marian Hulsey, 521-8434
700
The dynamite twosome has spent most of its
singing career trying to reach new and different
people with their music. For those who have not
experienced this unique brand of musical entertainment at music festivals or on their records
"Casselberry-DuPree" and "City Down," you have a
Spunky
musical treat awaiting you this fall.
DuPree's impish, gee-willikers stage persona
contrasts with her booming contralto-soprano,
detonating melody lines, then departing for her
own variety of birdcall-like warbles, gargles,
trills and clucks. A Haitian-American raised by
Jamaicans, DuPree's a natural who can't resist
reggaeing up even Sweet Honey's prayerful "On
Children."
Usually Casselberry's husky, sexy
baritone-alto lays down the foundations for
DuPree's vocal gymnastics, but Casselberry is also
a formidable lead vocalist.
Pflotocre<Jlt:SNronFarmer ·
J. Casselberry and Jacque Dupree
One number they may do is a rewrite of Dory
Previn's "Did Jesus Have a Baby Sister?" retitled
"Sister Jesus," poking fun at Christianity's builtin male chauvinism. Other favorites include Bob
Marley's "Positive Vibration," "Redemption Song,"
"Could You Be Loved" and Judy Mowatt's
"Sisters' Chant."
CASSELBERRY-DUPREE OFFER MORE-TRANS
It's more than reggae, more than gospel, more
than soul music. It's social, political and feminist
music, with shades of folk and jazz thrown in.
J. Casselberry and Jaque DuPree started what has
become a most complementary musical relationship when they met while attending Erasmus High
School in Brooklyn, New York. Each young woman, initially, . brought her own musical background
and strengths to the duo. To their mutual interest in folk, J. contributed the sounds of jazz,
folk, pop and soul, and Jaque, the styles of reggae and gospel.
What Oklahoma listeners will be treated to, at
4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 7, 1986, is the
culmination of that musical fusion, plus all the
strong political and social influences that have
occurred in their and our lives in the past ten
years.
There will be songs about love, about feminism,
racism, homophobia, life in the city, South African issues, Ethiopia. "We like to use the music
to talk about the world as we view it as black
women in Ainerica," Casselberry explains. "And
we like to emphasize the importance of the individual, and how one per~on can find strength.
Most of the· issues and problems we sing about
have similar roots. The economic and power factors are important, but it also seems that people
who have been in power for a long time in various countries have a fear of others, because of
differences of r~ce, culture and lifestyle. People
are afraid to open up to someone new."
PHOTO CRED IT:
EVA
Stacey Thomas McFarland and Monica Jackson
An added bit of excitement for the concert is
the opening for this pair by Stacey Thomas
McFarland and Monica Jackson of the Black Liberated Arts Center's Dance Company, BLAC
Moves Too. The company fuses African style
with other dance forms to yield yet another
facet of the dance world.
Tickets for this outstanding afternoon's entertainment are $8, $7 and $6 (balcony), in advance
sales, $9, $8 and $7, respectively, at the door.
The festivities will be held in the Civic Center
Little Theatre in downtown Oklahoma City, at
4:00 p.m., Sunday, September 7, 1986. Tickets
are available at Herland, The Earth (49th &
Western, OKC), The Earth (309 S. Flood,
Norman), The; Second Fret (3009 N. Classen,
OKC), or by calling 672-6459.
Even if you've already planned something for
this afternoon, cancel it--you'll be glad you did.
RESPONSE FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE
by Cleta Williams
I'm finding this article on sexually transmitted
diseases rather difficult to write and I'm not
sure why. I have talked in public about sex and
have written my fair share of articles concerning
transmission of diseases but as a lesbian, I suppose I was keeping a safer distance from those
problems than I knew. It hasn't been until now
that I realized that perhaps, just perhaps, lesbians are not' different--no better, no worse--than
our heterosexual brothers and sisters.
. As a pubiic health nurse I
see, every day,
the growing incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and never once had it crossed my
mind that lesbians are at risk. The poem on
Gardnerella in last month's Herland Newsletter
destroyed that illusion. Since reading the poem,
I have given a lot of thought as to what can be
sexaully transmitted between lesbians and have
come up witu the rather disturbing realization
that nearly · everything transmitted between heterosexual and homosexuals can be transmitted between lesbians, given the right set of circumstances. Without trying to theorize as to specific
sexual practices of lesbians, let's discuss some
of the "right sets of circumstances."
·
All of the STDs are transmitted much more efficiently if contact takes place between mucous
membranes. The mouth, genitals and anus are
mucous membranes. Transmission of disease between mucous membranes is so efficient that it
can almost be guaranteed that if one partner has
a disease of the mucous me1J1.brane, and ,the partner has mucous membrane contact... transmission
of that disease will occur. STDs that thrive in
the vagina generally will thrive just as well in
the throat and rectum. Some of the diseases,
however, can be transmitted in what is referred
to as "droplet" fashion. That is, the bacteria, or
virus, or fungus can be contained within a droplet of moisture, and can survive outside the
warmth of the body for varying lengths of time-which means they can survive on inanimate as
well as on animate objects.
Gardnerella, like Trichomoniasis, yeast can survive on the hands for quite a while, and on inanimate objects, making a later transmission to a
mucous membrane possible.
Some of the "right sets of circumstances" would
most certainly include lack of proper hygiene.
Simple soap and water used before and after
lovemaking can make all the difference. If any
sexual aides are to be used, taking the time to
insure that they are really clean, before and after, will lessen the chance of anyone's getting a
disease.
I could take more time and describe all the sexually transmitted diseases and their effects, but
all that information is available in pamphlet form
in any health department. The main thing that I
feel that everybody needs to keep in mind is
that we are not any kind of special, select
group. Anything that everybody else is getting,
we can get. But there does seem to be a strong
likelihood that it is not quite as easy for us to
get it, althQugh I don't think anybody has ever
statistically looked into that.
With many of the sexually transmitted diseases,
a woman is going to know when she has a problem: burning, itching or odorific discharge. These
can be diagnosed and treated, free of charge, at
the local county health department.
Oh, I almost forgot that the initial reason that
prompted me to write this article was to explain
just what Gardnerella is.
Gardnerella is a
bacteria that lives comfortably in the vagina and
produces a good deal of frothy discharge and
itching, burning discomfort. It is easily treated,
and could well be prevented through the
judicious use of soap and water.
FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE FOR
WOMEN
A workshop by Jan Prickril
Saturday, August 23, 1986
10:00 a.m. - Noon
First Unitarian Church
600 N.W. 13, OKC
Free
Sponsored by Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
Piecework
A Poetry Magazine
Featuring the poetry of women of
Oklahoma and the south central region
Send your submissions and your S12 subscription to Piecework, Red Dirt Press,
Inc., P.O. Box 60693, OKC, OK 73146.
Name'~---------------------------Address.
_________________________
City______ ST_ _ Zip.______
TIME TO DO IT
. Don't wanna look back over my life and say,
"Hey, I meant to do that."
Wanna say I tried everything I set my mind to
And if I fail, well, I can't worry
'Cause at least I stuck my neck out
'Cause I couldn't come up with anything else to do.
Chorus:
'Cause I got time to do it; I got time to spare.
I got time to do anything worthwhile,
Time to show I care.
I'm not talking 'bout false hopes, no,
And I'm not talking 'bout dreams.
I'm talking 'bout just loving life,
No matter how it seems,
I got people I wanna be with and jobs I wanna do
Trains to ride to places to visit
I got heartache to get through
There are facts I wanna learn
And philosophies to expound
Breads to bake and rest to take
And tracks to run 'round and 'round.
There is a man whom I admire,
He's worked his whole life through.
He's got a happy home, some things of his own,
But there are some things he'd like to do.
He'd like to golf, he'd like to sail
But he can't find the time.
If I could do it,
I'd take his hand and give him some of mine.
Chorus! got some broken things I wanna fix
And words I wanna say
Rooms to paint and rivers to swim,
I got phone calls I need to make
There are letters to write and pictures to take
Tears to cry and laughs to laugh
And hands I wanna shake
I know you're out there
Listening to all these things I say.
Perhaps you're even thinking
That it's great I feel this way.
But if you're human and can identify,
Then I'm sure you've felt some of these things.
So ·this is the question that I pose
And here is how it rings.
Have you got time to do it;
Have you got time to spare?
Tell me you're not talking 'bout false hopes.
Say you're not talking 'bout dreams.
Say you're talking 'bout just loving life,
No matter how it seems.
I got a record to make, new places to sing
Baby cats to raise and swings to swing
Oceans to lie by before I die
Presents to give and new recipes to try
Yards to trim, new crafts to learn
Books to read and candles to burn
Air to breathe, new thoughts to get
You see, I don't know all of me yet.
0
1986 Peggy Carolyn Johnson
All rights reserved
FALL CLEANING GARAGE SALE
to benefit
Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
Saturday, September 13
7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 14
7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
It's time for Herland's annual garage
sale. This is an opportunity for you to
help yourself and Herland.
There are two ways you can participate:
1) bring your items to Herland, 1630 N.W.
19, and donate 25% of your sales to Herland. (You save licensing costs and hassle, while helping raise much needed
revenue for HSR; or 2) donate your items
to Herland--it's tax deductible.
Last year's sale was a great success.
Many people donated items and we appreciate your support. Do come and browse
the days of the sale.
For more information, contact Laura at
672-4141, if there are special items you
are looking to buy, if you'd like to make
a donation, or volunteer.
Group for Lesbians
WHO ARE CHEMICALLY DEPENDENT
or love someone who is
For Information, Call
Bette Kelley, M.Ed., CADC
(Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor)
405-949-2301
CALIFORNIA FACES AIDS QUARANTINE
Not since Anita Bryant stormed through gay
America in 1976 has the national gay and lesbian
community faced such a serious attack.
Extremist and political cult figure Lyndon
LaRouche has placed a measure on the California
ballot which may result in the quarantine of people with AIDS. Damned as "extremely dangerous"
by all California gay and lesbian leaders, and
even by Los Angeles City Councilmember Joel
Wachs, the LaRouche Initiative might well bar
anyone with AIDS, ARC or anyone who tests
positive for the, HTLV-III antibody, or even anyone who lives with persons in these groups from
teaching, going to school or working in the medical, food service or other public-contact areas.
Furthermore, its wording is also vague but potent
enough that quarantine of people in these groups
by the California State Health Department is a
possibility.
The Initiative, which will ·appear on the November ballot in California, qualified with a 70% validity rate, one of the highest rates for any initiative in California history. Although LaRouche's
National Democratic Policy Committee is based in
Washington, D.C., his California ·organization
PANIC (Prevent AIDS Now Initiative Committee)
took only three months of quiet grassroots organizing to gather the qualifying number of signatures from every county in California. NO ON
LaROUCHE Co-Chair Ivy Bottini notes, "The
LaRouche Initiative will make Prop. 6 look like
bootcamp in terms of what lies ahead. Make no
mistake--we cannot lose this one."
In 1978 the California gay and lesbian community, with mafor help from religious leaders and
then-Governor Ronald Reagan, defeated the
Briggs Initiative, a measure which . called for the
ouster of gay teachers. The Briggs Initiative,
popularly known as Prop. 6, was the culminative
attempt begun by Anita Bryant to throw the gay
movement back into the closet. Bryant's forces
were successful for almost two years in sweeping
across the country, from Florida to MinneapolisSt. Paul, in creating voter based anti-gay initiatives which reversed already passed city gay ordinances. Her much heralded drive, which cast a
national shadow over the young gay rights movement, was finally stopped in California with the
def eat of the infamous Briggs Initiative.
California and national gay and lesbian leaders
agree that the AIDS Quarantine measure will be
much harder to defeat. AIDS remains a complicated medical issue which panics the straight
community. "We are dealing with a life and death
issue, not employment," said David Mixner, the
political campaign organizer who engineer·ed the
Prop. 6 defeat. "We have to convince people
that this initiative . can actually spread AIDS because it will drive the disease underground."
Inadvertently, 1978's Proposition 6 played a major part in the development of the California gay
community, which has become more affluent and
broad-based than most in the nation. The Briggs
Initiative received so much mafor media publicity
that thousands of middle-class professional gays
and lesbians heard about the gay movement and
came out of the closet with their checkbooks.
Still, Mixner notes that, while it took 1.2 million
dollars to win Prop. 6, it will require 3.2 million
for the complex mafor media campaign necessary
to def eat the . LaRouche Initiative.
If you wish to help, make your checks pay~ble
and send to NO ON LaROUCHE, 7985 Santa
Monica Blvd., Ste. 109-174, Box N, Los Angeles,
CA 90046.
GREAT P.LAINS REGIONAL RODEO
The Great Plains Regional Rodeo, sponsored by
the Oklahoma Gay Rodeo Association, will be
held August 16-17 at the State Fairgrounds Coliseum. The Saturday and Sunday performances
begin at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Other events include 'the Claim Jumpers Party,
August 14, 7:00 p.m., Ramada .Inn N.W., 2801
N.W. 39 Expressway (admission, $2.50). The show
features Dena Kaye and Rod Henry. The Round·Up Party will be at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, August
16, at the Holiday Inn (admission, $5). The free
Awards Presentation will be at 8:00 p.m. Sunday,
August 17, at the Ramada Inn.
Tickets are $30 individually, or may be purchased as a package for $25, by calling
524-3298, 9-5, or 943-0843 evenings.
KEMCO
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PRINTING INC.
Kelley Mattocks
34().4301
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1601 S. Broadway. Unit D •Edmond. Okla. 73013
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Oeverly K. Evans, M.5.W.
1010 NW 45
Oklahoma City
521-8241
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presents
in concert
CASSELBERRY·DUPREE'
SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 4, 1986
4:00 P.M.
CIVIC CENTER LITTLE THEATRE
(Channing Square, downtown OKC)
RESER YEO SEA TS
Ticket Outlets
The Earth, 49th & Western, OKC
The Earth, 309 S. Flood, Norman
The Second Fret, 3009 Classen, OKC
Herland, 1630 N.W. 19, OKC
or call 672-6459
$8 advance, $9 at door
$7 advance, $8 at door
GENERAL ADMISSION (BALCONY)
$6 advance, $7 at door
OPENING WITH
Stacey Thomas McFarland
and
Monica Jackson
of the
BLACK LIBERATED ARTS CENTER'S
DANCE COMPANY
Blac Moves Too
Phot o Credit: Sharon Farmer
A dance company based in African
style, married with other dance forms
to present another facet of the dance
world that is here in Oklahoma City.
WOMEN'S STUDIES BUDGET CUT AGAIN
PEGGY GOES TO MICHIGAN
This time it's to · the bare bones for the Women's
Studies Program at OU. The '86-'87 fiscal year
budget for the. University of Oklahoma is out,
minus one supply budget for Women's Studies.
Peggy Johnson is planning to make the pilgrimage
north to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival
this month.
The Second Fret, 3009 N. Classen, is sponsoring
a "Send Peggy to Michigan" concert Saturday,
August 2.
What this means is the loss of the library, the
only one of its kind in the state. This is enormously tragic for hundreds of students and other
library users.
This is your last chance to see Peggy perform
before her "Post-Michigan Blues Songs, Slides
and Stories Show" at The Second Fret, Sunday,
August 17.
Women's Studies is located on the 5th floor of
the· Physical Sciences Center, 601 Elm St., Rm.
530, Norman, OK 73019, 325-3481.
MCC TO HOST FALL FOLK FESTIVAL
WOMEN VETERANS FORM GROUP
In late September or early October, Christ the
King Metropolitan Community Church is sponsoring a folk festival, which will be open to the
community. The festival will held on a Saturday
afternoon, outdoors at Spencer. Anyone interested in performing should call the church at
521-8352. (Leave a message and someone will
contact you.)
The Women Veterans Organization has been
formed for women veterans of any branch of military service.
The main purposes of the
organization are to gain recognition for women
veterans, to inform them of the benefits
available, and to serve as a social and support
group.
According to Rosemary Smith, the organization's
founder, there are between 16,000 and 20,000
women veterans iri Oklahoma and she would like
to see increased membership.
Festival goers are invited to bring a picnic
lunch, lawn chairs or blankets, and come ready
to sit back and enjoy an afterno9n and evening
of fun and music. Also, if anyone wants to set
up arts and crafts or literature booths, you are
encouraged to do so. It promises to be a super
way to end the summer on a really high note.
For more information, write to Rosemary Smith,
Box 770363, Oklahoma City, OK 73177.
TUCKER SEEKS HOUSE SEAT
MCC is located at 1900 N.W. 12, Oklahoma City,
OK 73106.
Candalon (Candy) Tucker, who has been active in
the City and State Chapters of the National Organization for Women, is running for the House
of Representatives District #85 seat.
HAPPY HOUR
M-F, 4-6, Sat. 10-2
2 for 1 Cash & Carry
tissue wrapped
Tucker has 19 years professional business experience in the areas of banking, sales, marketing,
public relations and journalism.
To find out how you can help in her campaign,
call 840-2740 or 842-2342, or write Tucker for
House, P.O. Box 780274, OKC, OK 73178.
t. kreppI
fl oral de1ign 1tudio
PELTIER SEEKS HOUSE SEAT
Wanda Jo Peltier, past president of the. Oklahoma Women's Political Caucus, has announced
that she · will run for the Oklahoma City District
93 seat in the State House of Representatives.
Peltier, a Democrat, is seeking the seat currently
held by Jan Collins, a Republican.
A former college English teacher, Peltier has
operated a research and technical writing business· since 1977. She was president of Gov.
David Boren's Commission on the Status of
Women.
Anyone wishing to help in her campaign is encouraged to contact her at 425 S.W. 51,
Oklahoma City, OK 73109.
528-8580
2426 classen boulevard • aklahama City. oklahoma 73106
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LARRY M. PRATER, M. D .
Office Hnun
By Appoiotmcot
SII Cl~11tn Prnfcssinn•I Bids.
1110 N. Cla11cn Blvd.
Oklahoma Ciry. Olr.. 7)106-6808
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NEWS BRIEFS
••The decision of Coors beer to expand to · over
40 states across the country has not been well
received. In January the Boston City Council
unanimously passed a policy · "discouraging official
participation in any event involving the promotion
of Coors beer." According to Councilor David
Scondras, "Coors has a long history of anti-gay,
anti-labor, and .racist business practices . " Boycotts have also been started in Ohio and Michigan. A coordinator of a California boycott committee states, "The City of Boston has done
something every major progressive city in the
country should do. It's terrific and proves that
the boycott will follow Coors wherever it goes."
from Lesbian Connection, Vol. 8, No. 6
°Clef1t PreH' With Power of Each Breath: A
Disabled Women's Anthology has received the
President's Committee on, Employment of the
Handicapped 1986 Rook Award, given to· works
which "improve the image of people with disabilities and increase general knowledge in the .field
of disability."
Editors Susan Browne, Debra
Connors and Nanci Stern received the award May
San· Francis.co Mayor
1 in Washington, D.C.
Diane Feinstein responded by proclaiming May 1,
1986, "With the Power of Each Breath" Day in
San Francisco.
**Due to the homophobia of the Boy Scouts of
America, the New England Women's Musical Retreat will not be held this year. On May 18,
when NEWMR organizaers met with officials of
the Boy Scout camp they've rented for the past
several years, they were informed that three new
conditions had to be met: the word lesbian had
to be removed fr.om all printed materictls, the
chapels could not be used, and there would be a
25% increase in the amount paid for insurance.
According to NEWMR organizers, "We reached a
unanimous decision that we could not comply
with the first condition which is directly counter
to the purpose and philosophy of NEWMR."
Believing it was too late to find a new site for
this year, they decided to tr.y to find one for
'87 (250 acres, preferably woman-owned). In the
meantime, they need to cover the $5000 in
expenses the:y've already incurred thfs year. To
contact them, write NEWMR, P.O. Box 217, New
Haven, ·CT 06513, 203-529-6840.
WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY--AUGUST 26. 1986
The 36th anniversary of women's gaining the
right to vote in the United States is, by
coincidence, also the day of the primary
elections. This August 26, 1986, women are urged
to exercise that right--VOTEI
FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE FOR WOMEN
Herland Sister Resources, Inc., is · sponsoring a
free workshop on "Financial Independence for
Women," Saturday, August 23, from 10:00 a.m. Noon, at the First Unitarian Church,: 600 N.W.
13, Oklahoma City.
Jan Prickril, CLU, will be conducting the workshop, desigried to answer questions which surface
as we consider financial planning.
"Many independent women of today are overlooking a threat to their security and independence,"
according to Prickril. "All too often we procrastinate taking some action or feel we do not have
sufficient resources to plan for our financial
futures."
Come with your questions about how the stock
market works, or mutual funds, or how to reduce
your taxes and begin planning your current finances all the way to retirement.
For more information, contact Nancy at 525-5691.
l'>ilur r
U:u.stom 3Jemelry & [eather Design
(l!I '-ppoinlmrnt l~nl!I)
(405) !i25·8!i24
l!iOT N. m. 28th ~trrrl
f)ltl~homa
U:it!I. ©ltl1ho111a '73106
"LOVE MAY BE BLIND, BUT
HANDWRITING AIN'T!" ·
Professional Analysis of Compatibility
Shelly Zaikis, C.M.G.
405-946-6928
IT'S AVAILABLE
nsaf e at Home, Safe Alone, a book designed to
teach coping and survival skills to latchkey children aged seven to 11, includes sections: Myself,
Communication, Family Rules, Healthy Habits,
Getting Around, Emergencies, Preventing Accidents, and Planning Your Time, and may be ordered for $4.95 each from Miles River Press,
1009 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314.
**The Printer, a women-owned print shop in
Washington, D.C., is currently looking for an experienced printer. Ability to run an A.B. Dick
360 a must. The Printer has been in existence
for seven years and serves the lesbian, gay and
progressive communities. Owners are willing to
help with relocation to. the D.C. area.
Call
202-332-3945 days, and 202-529-8764 eves.
••The Women's Project currently is funded to
work on Social Justice Project, anti-racism/human
relations workshops and bi-racial forums on topics of mutual concern; Sr11thern Technical Assistance Project, technical assistance to domestic
violence programs; workshops for feminist and
domestic violence organizations nationally, on
homophobia, internalized homophobia and lesbian
strategizing.
If your group would like to sponsor a workshop,
contact the Women's Project at 201-372-5113, or
write 1601 Dennison, Little Rock, AR 72202.
The Women's Project is funded by the Winthrop
Rockefeller Foundation; the Conrad Hilton Foundation, the Chicago Resource Center and the
Windom Fund.
**"Choosing Children" is a great film about. les·
bians' choosing to become parents. It looks at
the decision making process, the ways different
women have chosen to become pregnant, and the
families we form--mother/child units, nonbiological
mothering, couples raising children, with gay men,
and extended families of friends. Rental for film
or 3/4" video is $65 for one day of educational
use. There is a rate for public screenings where
admission is charged, but they are very good
about working out affordable screenings. Write to
Cambridge Documentary Films, P.O. Box 385,
Cambridge,MA 02139.
.. "Speaking Our Peace" is a film about women,
peace and power and explores the concept of
peace as much more than the mere absence of
war.
$90 rental fee from Christin Everly,
Bullfrog Films, Oley, PA 19547, 215-799-8226.
••Poets Audre Lorde, Joy Harjo, Marge Piercy,
Ntozake Shange, May Sarton, June Jordan,
Bernice Reagon, Susan Griffin, Margie Adam, to
name only a few, are featured on audio cassettes and available from Watershed Tapes, P.O.
Box 50145, Washington, D.C. 20004, 202-722-9105.
••The 7th Annual West Coast Music & Comedy
Festival will be Labor Day weekend, August 29-Sept. 1, in Yosemite, three hours east of San
Francisco. For more information, send legal-sized
SASE to WCWMF, 13514 Hart St., Van Nuys, CA
91405, 808-904-9495.
••Womyn's Monthly Potluck and Coffeehouse,
food and entertainment, including open mic, is
available in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Contact Su,
P.O. Box 748, Fayetteville, AR 72702.
••Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work,
Vol. 1, No. 1, is off the press. Charter subscriptions are $20 for individuals and $30 for institutions from The Feminist Press, City University of
New York, 311 E. 94th St., New York, NY 10128.
••The Meridian Gay Theatre Playwrights and
Directors Group is accepting entries for the 7th
Annual Jane Chambers Memorial International
Gay Playwriting Contest. Deadline is October 1,
1986. For contest rules, send a SASE to P.O.
Box 294, Village Station, NY, NY 10014.
**Integrated Circuit, a national coalition of community, feminist and labor activists organiz ing
the
microelectronics . industry,
has
around
published a summary of its First National High
Tech ·Organizers meeting. The report describes
the network, a high tech resource directory, and
how interested activists can foin. Send $1 to
East Coast Committee, P.O. Box 1342, Brookline,
MA 02146.
••women for Sobriety can be contacted at Box
618, Quakertown, PA 18951, 215-536-8026.
••Ikon's special issue is "Art Against Apartheid:
Works for Freedom," introduction by Alice
Walker. Includes a special section by South African writers. $7.50 from Ikon, P.O. Box 1335,
Stuyvesant Station, New York, NY 10009. Their
next issue will be on "Women & Love."
••women in the Houston area, write Hazelwitch
Productions to find out about lesbian concerts
and events, theatre, dances and workshops: P.O.
Box 66242, Houston, TX 77006, 713-526-7828.
OKC
AV HELPLINE
528-GAYS
E'RE HERE TO HELP
BOOK SHORTS
Home in Your Hands, by Lee Lynch, $7.95. Includes some of the · most important writing in
dykedom. Many of these stories glance into the
lives of characters from The Swashbuckler and
Toothpick House, 10 or so years 1 later. Some of
whom (surprise?) became alcoholics and co-alcoholics. It gives us images of dyke sobriety in
and out of bars, and includes a story that is the
clearest, most insightful description ·of lesbian
co-alcoholism. (Carol Seajay)
The House at Pelham Falls, by Brenda Weathers,
$7 .95. An atmospheric novel of suspencse set on
the wintry coast of Maine about a woman who
has fled there to escape her love for another
woman, only to encounter the lesbian ghost of a
woman dead 100 years.
Naming the Violence: Speaking Out About Lesbian
Battering, Kerry Lobel, ed., $9.95~
Breaking
another silence, this anthology deals with physical and emotional abuse in lesbian relationships.
It challenges us to face the issue and to address
the needs of battered lesbians.
Your Native Land, Your Life, by Adrienne Rich,
$6.95. "This is poetry of re-vision. Identifying
herself as an alien, as one despised and endangered, she allies herself with ... all inheritors of
broken promises." (San Francisco Chronicle)
Sisters of the Road, by Barbara Wilson, $8.95.
Pam Nilsen, the feminist sleuth in Murder in the
Collective, is looking for teenaged Trish Margolin
and the murderer of Trish's best friend. Her
search brings her into contact with the world of
teenage prostitutes and runaways on the streets
of Seattle and Portland. Wacky humor and sanely
home-based feminist perspective.
Our Dead Behind Us, by Audre Lorde, $6.95.
"Black, lesbian, mother, cancer survivor, urban
woman; none of Lorde's selves has ever silenced
the others; the counterpmt among them is often
the material of her strongest poems." (Marilyn
Hacker)
No Safe Place, Buberman and Wolfe, eds., $9.95.
An anthology looking at rape, child abuse, sexual
harassment, sexual asault, pornography and wife
battery.
Part of My Soul Went With Him, by Winnie
Mandela, $6.95. "Mrs. Mandela's recollections,
graphic and down-to-earth, suggest the superior
competance and exemplary courage that have
transformed the wife of a leader into a leader."
(The New Yorker)
The Hungry Self: Women, Eating & Identity, by
Kim Chemin, $6.95. "An inspired psychoanalytic
meditation on contemporary female identity and
eating disorders." (Phyllis Chesler)
Miriam's Well: Rituals for Jewish Women Around
the Year, by Penina Adelman, $9.95. The first
edition of a Rosh Hodesh ritual collection, containing pathbreaking religious and women's lifecycle ceremonies that include Jewish music,
American folklore and poetry. It includes bibliographies and references to other new rituals
being developed in the US and Israel. It also
comes with a mus'ic cassette, $6.
The Mother Machine, by Gena Corea, $7.95.
"This book is to the politics of birth, reproduction and reproductive technologies what Susan
Brownmiller's Against Our Will was to rape."
(Laura Lederer)
Woman of the Boundary Waters: Canoeing,
Guiding, Mushing and Surviving, by Justine
Kerfoot, $14.95 hard. The power in this book is
that of a woman doing exactly what she wants
to be doing, living in a land of matriarchal trees,
Indian traditions, and saying yes to nature's
demands in a land of harsh winters, living at
peace with the peoples already in that land.
A Long Sound, by Joan Larkin, $8.95.
The
second book by the widely anthologized poet,
writing about issues of alcohol' and recovery;
sensuality and self-love; parenting and lesbianism.
The Cross-Cultural Study of Women: A Comprehensive ·Guide, Duley and Edwards, eds. Presents
arguments from various theorists on the causes
of male dominance in society and examines how
cultural forces have affected women's roles in
India, China, Oceania, Latin America, sub-Saharan
Africa and the Islamic Middle East.
The Love of Good Women, by Isabel Milter,
$8.95. Available in October, the second novel by
the author of the most popular lesbian novel to
be published in the last 20 years, Patience and
Sarah.
Leaning Forward, by Grace Paley, $8.95. In this
first, very strong collection, Paley the poet demonstrates the same 'g race, economy, directness
and emotional punch that characterize her famous
prose.
Good ·Enough to Eat, by Leslea Newman, $8.95.
A funny novel about a not-so-funny subject: Liza
Godbery;, 25, Jewish, straight, is bulimic. Slowly,
her life begins to change and you will meet
Anemone, her first woman lover; Harvey, her gay
roommate; and · the nursery school kids from
whom she sneaks peanut butter snacks.
Dykes to Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel,
$6.95. These cartoons are about modern lesbian
life. Bechdel 'is well-versed in the mores and
quirks of the lesbian life she celebrates, including focks, politicos, roommates, lovers, luppies,
first dates, fantasy women.
The Female Man, by Joanna Russ, available in
September.
Black Sisters. Speak Out: Feminism and Oppression in Black Mrica, by Awa Thiam, $6.95. Polygamy, clitoridectomy and . sewing up the vagina
(infibulation) are the weapons used by men to
control millions of women. The author lets some
of the most oppressed women in the world speak
for themselves. She makes plain that these practices are not remote and "barbaric," but part of
a pattern of universal violence from men towards
women.
Giving Up the Ghost, by Cherrie Moraga, $5.95.
A two-act play about a woman, her younger self
and, possibly, her older self. An emotionally
haunting encounter that asks us as women to
look back over our shoulders and face the unforgettable.
Making Peace With Food, by Susan Kano, $14.95.
A step-by-step guide to freedom from diet/weight
conflict. Very sane, basic, centered information
that starts with debunkin&; the myths and goes
on through learning to eat spontaneously, learning to love ourselves, sorting out values, self
expression, making choices, freedom from preoccupation and more. It concludes with a chapter
for loved-ones and offering support, rather than
sabotage. Workbook size and format.
This list represent. only a portion of the books
we can order for you. If the book you want is
in stock at our distributor's, we can anally set
it in approximately two weeks.
BOOK ORDER FORM
Name
Address
_______________________________
----~-------------------------------
Nursery Rhymes (An Equal Rhymes Amendment),
by Father Gan.der. Takes sexist, raCist and violent messages out of the Mother Goose version
and replaces them with positive messages of
equality, love, the work ethic, good nutrition,
and conservation of resources while maintaining
the rhyme and wit.
The Motherpeace Tarot Playbook, by Vicki Noble
and Jonathan Tenney, $9.95. A workbook on
many ways to use · the Motherpeace cards and
the interactions of astrology and the tarot, as
well as further insight in the cards, guided
exercises, meditations and more.
Seeing Red, by Sophie Laws, Hey and Eagan,
$5.95. Looks at the politics of pre-menstrual
tension from a feminist perspective. It criticizes
the isolation of one phase of the range of
physical · and emotional effects of menstrual
cycles, the "symptomization" of ordinary feelings
and emotions, untested "drug therapies," and the
backlash effects of the PMT legal defense
practices.
r------~--1
I
I
I
Loral C. Reeves
C.P.A.
1014 Cedardale Drive
Okla. City, OK 73127
405/495-1094
I
II
"«
T _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ _
CLASSIFIED
ADS
City__________________ State_ _ Zip_____
Telephone_____.___- L ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
HOME FOR RENT, N. W., 2 bed, heat, air,
furnished or unfurnished. Call 672-4141.
Quan.
JUST US, a dating magazine exclusively for
women wanting to meet women. $10 (refunded)
for details and sample copy to JU, P.O. Box
80521-E, Atlanta, GA 30341.
Title
Price
Sl.50 + .25 each addtl.
5.254' sales tax
HERLAND NEEDS VOLUNTEERS FOR LAWN
MAINTENANCE. Check with person working
weekends or call 672-6459.
TOTAL
Mail to:
Mailorder
Berland Sister Resources, Inc.
1630 N.W. 19
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
FEMINIST HOUSEMATE WANTED to share
home in Britton area. Call Roxanna, 848-3058.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS:
Rates:
1-20 words, S2.50, 1 time
21-30 words, S3.50, 1 time
r
~
~rt
JOIN US
YOUR ANNUAL DONATION HELPS SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS. AND ACTIVITIES OP HSR,
A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SBRVING THE OKLAHOMA WOMEN'S COMMUNITY
Your donation. regardless of classification, entitles you to a 10% discount on store stock,
concert tickets, workshops and advertising; a monthly newsletter; use of the lending librar:-·
and resources, and MORE.
Donations may be made via cash
or check
. Please indicate if this
is a monthly pledge_.
STATE_ZIP_ _PHONE_ _ __
MAIL TO: Berland Sister Resources,
1630 N.W. 19
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
Upon receipt of your annual donation, you will
receive your Friends of Berland card, to be pre·
sented for store and concert discounts, and a
receipt for your tax purposes.
Benefactor
Sponsoring
Contributing
Sustaining
Household
Associate
Special
l~udent,
Sl,000.00+
500.00+
200.00+
75.00+
40.00+
25.00+
10.00+
Senior Citizen 60 years & older, Other)