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do~HERLAND ~
ICE
June, 1992
PRIDE
MIMI BACZEWSKA
IN CONCERT
Herland will present Mimi Baczewska in concert at the Hotel
Bohemia at 8 P.M., Saturday, June 13. Admission will be $5.00.
Advance tickets are available at Herland . Call Herland for
directions to the Hotel Bohemia.
Mimi's music speaks of love, of choice, of peace, growth,
freedom, women compassion, earth and more. Her folk, jazz, blues,
light-hearted, spirited style will fill you with hope and leave your
heart singing.
Much of Mimi's music is inspired by twelve years of simple
living on land in the Ozark Mountains. Her songs are enjoyed by
a diverse group of people spanning all generations.
Mimi has been singing for over thirty years and writing songs
for twenty. Her refreshing vocals are backed by piano and acoustic
guitar.
Her latest recording Turning Tide, is a true reflection of her
various styles and themes; an experience, a reminder, touching
depths with a light beauty. She carries us on a magic journey with
'f
a strong message of peace for all living things.
VOLUME 9 NUMBER 6
=POWER
Oklahoma Pride Week activities will begin on June 21st with the
Block Party in Oklahoma City and the Pride Picnic at Mohawk
Park in Tulsa. The culmination of Lesbian and Gay Pride Week is
the Pride Parade on June 28. The parade begins at Memorial Park
(N.W. 36th and Classen) in Oklahoma City and terminates at the
west side of the Habana Inn. Following the parade there will be a
street fair on the west side of the Habana. The theme for this year's
activities is "Pride Power".
Gay and Lesbian Pride Day began over 20 years ago in New
York City when a group of gay men and lesbians protested a
harassment raid by city police on a gay bar called the Stonewall.
For decades the lesbian and gay business community had been
victimized by frequent bar raids, shakedowns for protection money
and often-times violent harassment by both corrupt police agents
and organized crime members. Front page coverage of such raids,
complete with photographs, names, addresses and occupations of
the bar's clientele Jed to hundreds oflives destroyed and many lives
lost to despair and suicide. Stonewall marks the turning point for
gay and lesbian activists no longer satisfied to remain victims of
persecution in a repressive and intolerant society.
Today Gay and Lesbian Pride Week has taken on a broader,
multifaceted meaning for many in our community. It is an
opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions to
society made daily by lesbians and gay men which are all too often
overlooked or neglected. It is a time to memorialize those lost to
violent hate crimes and AIDS and to demonstrate solidarity with all
victims of racism, sexism, ageism and other oppression. For many,
Lesbian and Gay Pride Week is a time of personal empowerment.
It is an opportunity to publicly stand with peers, friends, loved ones,
and supporters and to demonstrate the existence of the lesbian and
gay community to the larger community.
The goal of Pride Network, Inc, the Oklahoma City sponsor of
Lesbian and Gay Pride Week, is to demonstrate through Pride
activities that while the political, economic, and moral beliefs of the
Lesbian/Gay community are as varied and diverse as any
community's we can work together, march together and celebrate
together with pride, joy, and dignity.
Herland will have a contingent marching in ·the Lesbian and
Gay Pride Para<;le. Come join us and experience the thrill of seeing
~
what a wonderfully splendid and diverse community we are.
NEWS FLASH
Oklahoma's Senator Boren and Representative McCurdy have
joined Representative Synar as co-sponsors of the Freedom of
Choice Act -- good news for pro-choice Oklahomans.
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES
2312 N.W. 39th, OKC, OK 73112
ST. SYBIL
Dear St. Sybil,
So, why are people still talking about the ERA'? Do we really
need it'? Didn't the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee women
equal protection under the law? And haven't all kinds of
federal and state laws been passed in recent years to help
promote equality for us, such as the Equal Pay Act, Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act, and Title IX of the Education Act?
Wearily,
Iwanna Wrest
Dear !wanna,
Wel1, no and yes. No, the 14th Amendment didn't guarantee
women their rightful place in the Constitution.
If it did, we
wouldn't have needed the 19th Amendment in 1920 to get us the
right to vote.
And yes, states and the Federal government have passed some
laws giving women more equality under the law. But what Congress
gives it can surely take away, and the right to equality under the law
is too important to be left to the whim of legislative bodies.
Consider the weird, mediocre and borderline ignorami who all too
frequently get themselves elected - think, for example, of Don
Nickles, Bill Graves, and Dan Quayle - and quail at the thought!
Is the ERA needed? In the words of the National Woman's
Party, "Passage of the Equal Rights Amendment as part of the
Constitution will make equality secure from political changes in ·
Congress and state legislatures." In the words of my old friend
Saint Abigail, Matron Saint of political spouses, "You're damn
right it is. We needed it in 1776 and we need it in 1992. What's
taking everybody so long to foment a good little rebellion around
here anyway?!"
So pull up your socks, girl, and get back to work. Trust me,
you'll have plenty of time to rest soon enough.
Love,
Sybil
~
NEW MEXICO CUSTODY CASE
In a decision that looks other national court rulings in the eye
and clearly moves away from their reliance on antiquated
definitions for functional families, the New Mexico Court of
Appeals ruled that a non-biological lesbian mother may be entitled
to seek custody or visitation with the child she raised with her
former partner of 14 years. It is the first appellate victory in the
country recognizing a legal relationship between a non-biological
lesbian parent and a child conceived through donor insemination.
Furthermore, the New Mexico Court ruled that a parent "may enter
into an agreement with another person concerning the custody of a
child," including persons who are not biologically related to the
child, and specifically held, in very strong language, that "sexual
orientation, standing alone, is not a permissible basis for the
denial of shared custody or visitation." It is not yet known
whether the case will be appealed further.
~
SPRING RETREAT
SUCCESS
A GREAT
The rain was fun. There were many hours when it didn't rain
at all, and even when it did it was mostly a nice gentle shower that
was pleasant to be out in. There was one brief frogstrangler that
almost got a dog or two as well, but mostly it was very pleasant.
Speaking of dogs, this Retreat set the record for canine attendance;
it seemed there was a dog tied to every tree. They were all very well
behaved except for one, who shall be nameless, and has not been
invited back, despite winning an award for Most Improved in
Socialization. Sorry, JB.
The rain couldn't interfere with the great concert by Erica
Wheeler, a warm, funny and talented singer. Following her
performance we had a great time singing around the old campfire
before a soft drizzle began again around about midnight.
Many many thanks to all those who worked so hard and did
so much to make the weekend fun and enjoyable. For starters,
thanks to Chris and Pam T., who fixed up hearty, succulent,
delicious chili, both vegetarian and non, Friday night. And thanks
to Pam Y . for buying and bringing and organizing all of our other
foodstuff; and to Jingles for being Grand Doyen of the kitchen; a
job she performed with panache and flair, despite being disconsolate
that Mary wasn't there to harmonize with. Cindy did her usual
great job as DJ; the workshops were great, and everyone pitched in
to make light work of cleanup, etc. Thanks to everyone there for a
making it a great weekend. Hope to see you all at Roman Nose
October 16th!
~
WOMEN IN SPACE
During the recent flight of the space shuttle Endeavor,
Astronaut Kathryn Thorton became the second American woman
and the third woman to walk in space . Thorton participated in a
spacewalk designed to practice construction techniques needed for
building space station Freedom.
Earlier in the flight, shuttle commander Daniel Brandenstein
chose not to include Thorton in the unprecedented three person
spacewalk to rescue a satellite. Brandenstein said "since we're going
to be manhandling[emphasis added] the satellite we'll go with Tom,
Rick and Pierre." NASA flight director, Al Pennington, defended
the choice saying Ayers was the best choice "because of his height".
Ayers is 6 feet tall and Thorton is 5-feet-4.
The first woman to walk in space was Russian cosmonaut
Svetlana Savitskaya in 1984. American astronaut Kathryn Sullivan
~
also walked in space in 1984.
THE ASTON MASSAGE
SPECIALIZING IN SAFE TOUCH FOR INCEST SURVIVORS
NOW ALSO OFFERING MOVEMENT COACHING
RHONDA L. SMITH
Practitioner
(405) 942-4748
(405) 524-2958
HERLAN D VOICE, JUNE,
1992 2
THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT
(Full Text)
Section 1: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United
States or by any State on account of Sex
Section 2· The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by proper legislation, the
provisions of this article.
·
Section 3: This amendment shall take effect two years aner the date of ratification.
COUNTDOWN C AMPAIGN
Ten years ago, the Equal Rights Amendment lay on the
threshold of ratification. The ERA, authored by Alice Paul in 1923
and introduced in every congressional session since, was finally
passed by Congress in 1972 and sent it to the states with a deadline
of ten years for ratification by two-thirds of the states. June 30,
1982 marked the end of that period.
By 1981 , 35 of the necessary 38 states had ratified the
Amendment and a major effort was launched to get three more
states to ratify. Oklahoma was among the states targeted for the
Countdown Campaign organized by N.O.W. Among those flocking
to Oklahoma City was a grandmother from Washington State, a
young woman from Tulsa who sold her house and brought herself
and the proceeds to Oklahoma City for the duration, and scores of
women and men, black and white, gay and straight from all over.
Across Oklahoma in cities and small towns groups of women and
men came together to work for passage of the Equal Rights
Amendment. Unfortunately, anti-woman forces including Phyllis
Schafly and her minions, also poured money, time, and energy into
lobbying against the ERA, and their view prevailed.
Eventhough, the battle for votes in the Oklahoma Senate was
lost, the campaign for the ERA has had lasting significance.
Pollsters observed that during the campaign, for the first time since
women won the right to vote, a gender gap in voting patterns was
apparent . Patrick Caddell, a Democratic pollster was quoted in the
Washington Post (3/29/82) saying " ... during the past 15 years, a
significant gap has developed between the views of men and women.
...women don't tend to follow their husbands or men in general
anymore. That' s a revolution of enormous political consequences."
Today, the Equal Rights Amendment continues to be a political
issue. It has been introduced in the current session of Congress as
it has been in each Congress since 1923. Feminist leaders continue
to call for its passage. At the April March for Women's Lives in
Washington, D.C., speaker after speaker pointed to the enactment
of the Equal Rights Amendment as essential for the protection of
women's rights in the United States. The implementation of the
Equal Rights Amendment will not be the end of the problem of
sexism in our society. It will, however, serve as a basis for change
and alleviate the ambiguous standards set by the Supreme Court.
Women will not quit working for its passage until the Equal Rights
Amendment becomes the law of the land.
Readers interested in learning more about the ERA Countdown Campaign are
encouraged toreadPatriarchy is Malarkey, a collection a/photos and observations by
campaign workers, which is available in the Her/and library.
~
WORKING FOR THE ERA
by MOC
The smartest thing I ever did in all my life was to become active
in the OK-ERA Countdown Campaign, even though I came in late,
in December 1981. I joined for three reasons: to help get the ERA
ratified in Oklahoma; to make good feminist friends who would
validate my view of the world and give me assurance I was not
crazy; and to give my then-13 year old daughter good role models.
My personal agenda succeeded better than the political one; the
ERA, of course, went down to defeat in Oklahoma, thanks to the
intransigence of a few sexist-to-the-bone legislators. But good
friends and role-models fo r my daughter I found by the score.
Of the things I remember most vividly about that titn"e, dragging
my daughter to rural Choctaw to knock on doors to solicit funds,
signatures on petitions, and letters to legislators took the most
courage (foolhardiness? but we were armed with righteousness!) and
was the most instructive. We learned the sure way, through
experience, that there is no way to tell from externals what a
person's beliefs will be. For instance, the nice looking young couple
who slammed the door in our face, reopening it only to hurl biblical
invective at our retreating backs. And the old man who scared us
half to death with his snaggle-tooth jack o'lantem mouth in an
unshaven face : much against our better judgment we accepted his
invitation to step inside, and there we had a very pleasant chat with
his wife while he wrote us a nice big check and told us to keep up the
good work.
And I remember the march at the state Capitol. My daughter
and I were to be bus greeters, meeting the out-of-town buses at a
pre-arranged spot near the Capitol, hopping on and guiding them
to their parking spaces. This was my first involvement as a
facilitator in something so big, and the night before I barely slept
from the excitement. I blush to remember how proud and happy I
was each time I leaped on a bus and guided it triumphantly to its .
space. The march itself was indescribably wonderful. The ERA
was basically lost by then, but the rally left many, many of us, with
the sure belief that this effort had been our Dunkirk; that this battle
lost was a watershed that would one day win our victory.
~
Offiu Hours By Apf>Oinlmtnt
Debra K Browning, RPh., D.D. S.
Comprthensivt Dtnlal Cart
5009 N Pmnry/vania,
Suite 103
3 Herland Voice, June, 1992
(40S) 843- 3281
mtahoma City. OK 731 12
EXTREMES IN FEMINIST THEORY AND THE
FIGHT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
by Deborah Fox
I remember back in my twenties, before I had awakened to my
feminism, hearing about feminists fighting for the ratification of the
ERA. I had been shocked to learn that women's rights were not
protected by the Constitution. How archaic, I thought. Didn't we
win equal rights years ago? I could not believe that our "civilized"
world had not risen in intelligence enough to see the ridiculousness
of withholding the rights of women. How Neanderthal! How
utterly infantile! Today I know our pursuit of equal rights is as
ancient as "civilized" Greece from which the supposedly great
philosophies, sciences and sociologies of today's "modern" world
spring. And I am continuously struck by the imbecility of sexism.
Equally disturbing is the fact that we seem to be on a merry-goround in the fight for equal rights and in maintaining the victories
feminism has won over the years (for example: legalized abortion,
our personal right to choose). For the past 50 years (or more
accurately the past 5000 years), we have been entangled with
patriarchy in our fight against their oppression of us. It seems like
a nightmarish dance in which we cannot free ourselves from an
oppressive partner (like battered wives who are too broken to leave
their abusive husbands), who spins us round and round till we are
too dizzy to let go.
We have been fighting patriarchy within the patriarchal system.
I have been wondering if this is futile. Alice Walker has said that:
"You can't fight the Master in the Master's house." Mary Daly
talks about false ideals "i.e., tokenism - which is commonly guised
as Equal Rights, and which yields token victories - deflects and
short-circuits gynergy, so that female power, galvanized under
deceptive slogans of sisterhood, is swallowed by The Fraternity.
This method of vampirizing the Female Self saps women by giving
illusions of partial success while at the same time making Success
appear to be a far-distant, extremely difficult to obtain 'elusive
objective'. When the oppressed are worn out in the game of chasing
the elusive shadow of Success, some "successes" are permitted to
occur - "victories" which can easily be withdrawn when the victim's
energies have been restored. Subsequently, women are lured into
repeating efforts to regain the hard-won apparent gains".
And Riane Eisler has said that: ".. to give these 'women's issues'
top priority would mean the end of the present system. It would
mean a transformation from a dominator to a partnership society.
And to the androcratic mind - the mind of many of our world's
present leaders - this is not a possibility".
Could it be that our hard-won victories (that we must
continually fight to regain), and the victories we are still seeking
within the patriarchal system, are a distraction from our greater
liberation? Could our energies and resources be spent in a better
pursuit, that would yield a greater, more permanent result? I know
for myself that I do not wish to wait (haven't women spent too
much time "waiting"), for "a better future" or spend my life for
future generations (feminism has shown me the futility of
martyrdom\woman's Self-sacrifice and woman's need for
selfishness. My life is happening as I write. NOWis the only time
we have. Our lives are every bit as valuable as those of a future
generation.
Some feminists have asked, are Equal Rights within the
patriarchal system even desirable? And once the women, after the
oppressive, time-consuming arduous struggle, gain political
positions within the men's political system, can they really free the
lives of women? Can the patriarchal system really be transformed
from within it? Sonia Johnson believes that: "Voting for either men
or women in this system is voting for the system, for patriarchy"
and that "To the degree that this moment we feel independent of
men and their system and do not participate in it, we live in a world
where patriarchy cannot exist" . Will gaining the ERA really give us
the lives we want, the freedom that is our birthright?
Looking at the extremes, we have on the one hand women who
advocate placing most of our energy in fighting patriarchy within
the patriarchal system and on the other hand women who advocate
dropping out altogether and placing all our energy in creating
microcosms of the feminist macro-world we envision .
I opt for a middle road, dividing my energy and resources in
half, affirming and supporting both courses of action, neglecting
neither, hoping that no matter how much each side disagrees with
the other, each will still remain loyal to the ultimate goal and
support each other in spite of differences.
Starhawk says that "if we want to change consciousness in this
nation, we first need to have a vision in our minds of what we want
to change it in to . We need to have an image, [our feminist vision of
a better world], and we need to create that image and make it strong
[by living it in our lives NOW, as best we can]. And we need to
direct energy and, in some way, ground it in reality [political
activism.] Brackets mine.
I feel that both extremes (and everything in the middle), are
necessary for the end of patriarchy and the creation of a better
world. I suspect that bowing out of either arena would be a victory
of the Backlash against feminism. Our feminist foresisters who
fought for women's right to vote, to abortion, to an education etc.
raised the consciousness of humanity and woke women to our
feminism in general. I think there is truth within both extremes of
feminist philosophies, and I believe that is the reason feminism has
been able to bring us to the powerful position women now occupy we women need to recognize and act upon this obscured fact, as
Eleanor Smeal, founder of the Fund forthe Feminist Majority, says,
"If women all got together on the same day, on the same hour, we
would go over the top."
Rainbow Sisters, Amazons, Daughters, Mothers, Lovers,
Crones, let's stick together. Let's not permit anything to divide us,
nor allow anti-feminist propaganda to blind us to the powerful force
we are. We are on the brink of a quantum leap! The Goddess is
alive, magic is afoot!
'i'
PUBLISHED BY: Berland Sister Resources, Inc., 2312 N .W. 39,
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE: Margaret Cox, Deborah Fox,
Pat Reaves
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Subscriptions to The Voice are free upon req uest.
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Herfand Voice, June, 1992 4
1992
APPEAL FILED IN CUSTODY CASE
TARGETING THE SENATE,
An appeal has been filed in the custody case in which Judge
Powers of Cleveland County ruled a mother to be an unfit parent
simply because of her lesbianism. At this time it is not known ifthe
case will be heard first by an Appeals Court or will be heard by the
Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Herland is continuing to support the efforts of this family
through our legal defense fund. To date, pledges and contributions
total more than $1500; however, additional funds will be needed for
the lengthy and expensive appeal process. Plans are underway to
put together a cookbook as a fundraiser for the defense fund.
Volunteers are also needed to help plan a volleyball tournament
which is tentatively scheduled for August 8 and 9. Please call
Herland if you who would like to serve on either committee or
contribute recipes for the cookbook.
In the next few months The V(Jicc will bring you profiles of
kminist, pro-choice women running for the US. Senate. Last
month we profiled Barbara Boxer of California and Carol Mosely
Braun oflllinois. This month we will profile Dianne Feinstein and
Elizabeth Holtzman. Ifyou are moved to send financial support for
any of these women, you might send a donation to the Women'S
Campaign Fund, 120 Maryland Avenue, NE, Washington, D.C.
20002; or the Emily List, 1112 16th Street Nw, Suite 750,
Washington, DC 20036. "Emily" is an acronym for "Early Money
Is Like Yeast': referring to the almost magical effect of abundant
money early in a campaign.
NEW MUSICAL To BENEFIT OKC
AREA HIV/AIDS COALITION
Carpenter Square Theater will present a special benefit
performance of it's current offering , the work-in-progress
production of CHANGJN'LANES, on June 10.
Nationally known author, composer, and lyricist Mark
Houston has chosen Oklahoma City and Carpenter Square as the
site of the debut of his latest show before its Equity opening at
Kansas City's Unicorn Theatre. Oklahoma City audiences will be
the first in the country to see this latest Houston comedy.
CHANGJN' LANES chronicles the advent ures of a family
from the small, fictitious town of Heaven, Oklahoma who have the
good fortune to inherit a bowling alley in a large northern city. The
musical provides a comical look at the problems of transplantation
and the inevitable shift in relationships tha t occur with such
upheavals.
The production staff and cast of CHANGJN' LANES involves
some of Oklahoma City's best talent, including award-winning
costumer Charles England, internationally-known artist Nick
Backes, and musicians Eylse Angelo and Mary R eynolds of"M iss
Brown to You" and "Sisters of Swing", Steve Elkins and Jo hn
Wilcox of the University of Central Oklahoma and K enny
Thompson of "The Jagged Edge" and the "Arbuckle Mountain
Boys."
The cast of CHANGIN' LANES includes Randall Etherton,
Mary Freed, Joanne H ill. Linda Parrish, Eddie Smart, Sheryl
Waters and Ellen Webster.
!?
Call 232-6500 for ticket information .
The Women's Sports Foundation has set up a toll-free number, 1800-227-3988 to answer questions about girls and sports including
how to find a coach or qualify for an athletic scholarship.
In 1967, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a 24-year-old graduate student, was
monitoring a high-powered telescope when she noticed an unknown
signal from outer space. Hero bservations later proved instrumental
in the discovery of what we now know as pulsars, a milestone for
which her immediate supervisor, Anthony Hewish, won the Nobel
Prize. (From THE BOOK OF WOMEN by Lynne Griffin & Kelly McCann.)
!?
5 Herland Voice, June, 1992
DIANNE FEINSTEIN - California; Former San Francisco
mayor and last year's Democratic nominee for governor, Dianne
Feinstein is vying for California's other U.S. Senate seat. Coming
within a hair's breadth of winning California's governorship after
a hard fought race, Feinstein begins this campaign with high name
recognition and favorability rating across the state as well as a
strong national fund-raising network.
During her ten-year tenure as San Francisco's first woman
mayor, Feinstein appointed a record number of women to office,
including the first woman City Attorney and City Treasurer. Other
credits include creation of San Francisco's first Office of Child Care,
an innovative toxic waste program, and a successful crimeprotection program. She has also been an outspoken advocate of
reprodu ctive choice .
Feinstein is running for the seat currently held by John Seymour,
who recently was appo inted to the post by Governor Pete Wilson.
Feinstein's ability to raise early money, rekindle her national
network, and put together a full fledged fund-raising operation for
what could be at least a $10 million race will be key to her success.
ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN-NewYork: The youngest woman
ever elected to Congress, Elizabeth Holtzman served eight years in
the House of Representatives (1973-1981) as an effective leader for
women's righ ts, co-founder of the Congresswomen's Caucus, and
mem ber of the H ouse Judiciary Committee during the impeachment
hearings of R icha rd Nixon.
Elected District Attorney for Brooklyn in 1981, Holtzman spent
the last decade successfully refo rming New York State's rape laws,
establishing tough new measures to fight drugs, and revolutionizing
treatment of child abuse victims.
Currently serving as New York City's first woman comptroller,
Holtzman 's sound and innovative fiscal policies already have saved
New York millions of dollars in interest on city bonds. She also has
created unprecedented opportunities for women and minorities by
appointments in her own agency as well as by encouraging the use
of minority and women-owned financial institutions.
Few wome n - or men- in public life have the depth and breadth
of experience of Elizabeth Holtzman - making her eminently
~
qualified to serve in the U. S. Senate.
If
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521-11407
A DIFFERENT VIEW
JR's report from "Over There" in Wales
By the time you read this I'll be back in Oklahoma, restored to
health but probably feeling a bit naked without my wool undershirt! I won't miss the cold or cricket--once described as "The game
which the British invented in order to have some concept of
eternity." I will miss the mountain outside my window, and the
walks .. .but most of all I shall miss Mrs. Greenwood and Black
Eye'd Suzie, knowing that we won't meet again in this life.
Over two years ago, I stopped outside the newspaper shop to
talk to a beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel--because I always
stop to talk to Cavaliers if their owners let me. This owner, Mrs.
Greenwood, introduced Suzie and then herself, as is appropriate in
such encounters. We discovered that Suzie is the great-grandmother
of the two puppies I bought in Wales and brought to Oklahoma.
On this trip I'd been back in Deganwy several weeks and hadn't
seen Mrs . G and Suzie striding down the road to the shops, so one
day I stopped by their home. Mrs. Greenwood greeted me with that
same beautiful smile and her eyes were still incredibly blue, but
they'd begun to cloud around the edges; and, as I followed her
down the hall, I noticed her narrow shoulders were more stooped
and she moved very slowly. "Suzie, we have a guest!" she called out
as we went into the living room.
Black Eye'd Suzie lay in her bean bag bed by the side of Mrs.
G's chair, sound asleep and looking every inch a show dog with her
thick wavy coat gleaming and her long long ears draped gracefully
on the pillow. "She's a little deaf now," Mrs. G whispered. "She's
over 15, you know." She raised her voice and said, "Here's a nice
lady come to see you, Suzie!"
Suzie opened her eyes, lifted her head and tasted the air. Her
once brown eyes were nearly grey, but she peered in my direction
and gave me a couple of tail-wags before dropping off to sleep
again.
"I'm so glad you came," Mrs. G said, "because I'm not sure I'm
doing the right thing for Suzie and I did so want to talk to someone
about it."
Over tea in thin china cups ("These were my grandmother's, so
they must be over two hundred years old .") Mrs. G told me that
both Suzie's back legs are now paralyzed, and she knows that
sometime soon she'll have to let Suzie go. "I couldn't bear for her
to suffer," she said, "but I told the vet that when he comes to put
Suzie to sleep, bring two needles so that I can go too."
She has stopped going out except as necessary for supplies,
seeing few people other than the doctor, vet, and the butcher who
cooks her a chicken or a roast twice a week and delivers it. She and
Suzie, content in each other's company, go though their daily
schedule of grooming, meals, medication and potty stops. Mrs. G
takes care of herself because Suzie depends on her, but a few days
before my visit she had been washing her feet in the bathroom sink
when one foot slipped and she fell backwards, hitting the laundry
hamper. She was obviously in great pain but up and dressed and
taking care of her and Suzie's needs.
I chided her about leaning over to pick Suzie up, so she let me
carry the little dog out to the grass for the 4:30 toilet trip (which
follows Mrs. G's cup of tea and Suzie's saucer of milk and half a
biscuit). Her forelegs seem quite strong, and she dragged herself
around until she found just the right spot for an extremely healthy
bowel movement. I offered to carry her back, but Mrs. G said that
they needed their bit of exercise; so the old woman snapped the
leash on the old dog and they went on their little "walk"--the 20 feet
or so back to the door. Mrs. G supported herself with a cane on
one side and helped Suzie get along by pulling on the leash. Every
yard or so they both stopped to rest. Suzie would sit and check out
the scents wafting by, and Mrs. G would get herself repositioned on
her cane for the next yard. I was almost in tears, but Suzie showed
no sign of pain and Mrs . Greenwood seemed pleased with Suzie's
efforts.
I feel so enriched by the time with Mrs . G . She has a
wonderfully musical voice and such vivid memories . Born when her
mother was 50, the youngest of eight children (one of whom died in
infancy), she grew up in the Lake District, near Wordsworth
country. She showed me a photograph from about 1910, a family
portrait of her mustached handsome father and gorgeous mother
with swept-back hair, surrounded by five beautiful girls with long
blonde hair and ribbons and ruffles and two fine looking young
men--replicas of their father except for the mustache. Mrs.
Greenwood is the pretty child sitting at her mother's feet clutching
a lop-eared plush rabbit. "His name was Peter, and I slept with him
until he was threadbare and his stuffing came out."
The tov was named after the rabbit in Mrs. Greenwood's
favorite bo~k, written by their neighbor who delivered eggs to them
every week. Her name was Beatrix Potter and, as the creator of
Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter Rabbit, she remains almost a
cult figure in much of the world. "She was my hero, even though
she scared me at first. She seemed gruff and always wore an old felt
man' s hat, but when she started to talk ... oh, everything she said
sounded like an adventure!"
Mrs . Greenwood has no children: her marriage to a handsome
young man quickly became a nightmare of physical brutality, and
Mrs. G did something very unusual at that time--she left, walked
out, taking only a small suitcase and leaving behind her large dowry
and good name. Over the years, through hard work and
inheritance, she was able to furnish her home with beautiful things.
When I commented on what excellent taste she has, she chuckled
and said, "Everything here is of good quality, but nearlyworn out!"
then patted herself on the chest.
The handsome father and two sons were killed in W.W. I; and
of the five pretty girls, only two are left--Mrs. G and a sister of 92
years old who lives in a nursing home too far away to visit.
So, there's that dear old lady of 89 and her sweet old dog of
over 100 human years, just living for each other. The vet has said
that, as long as Suzie is eating well and not suffering, and as long as
Mrs. G is willing to care for her, there's no need to consider the
Long Sleep. It's never far from Mrs. Greenwood' s mind , though;
and, although she is always so bright and cheerful, sometimes as
we're talking she glances down at Suzie and her eyes fill with tears.
She reaches down and touches Suzie's silky head and goes right on
with the conversation, with never a break in her smile or voice.
Suzie and Mrs. Greenwood gave me a different view of love and
long-term relationships, one I feel privileged to have seen.
!f
Mowing • Fertlllzlng • Trimming
• Light Hauling •
"We Are Insured"
Nanc:y
794-6884
Herland Voice, June, 1992 6
1993 MARCH ON WASHINGTON
CLINIC DEFENSE NEEDED
"The Lambs of Christ" is the horribly inappropriate name for
a radical anti-choice group which works to destroy women's lives;
they have been especially active in opposition to the work of Dr.
Susan Wicklund, the courageous Minnesota doctor who flies into
North Dakota to provide the only legal abortion service available
in that state. The Lambs of Christ have put concrete blocks in Dr.
Wicklund's driveway to prevent her from leaving her house; they
follow her daughter to school and put up pictures of the daughter
in the school with signs saying "My mother kills little babies".
This horrendous group is coming to Wichita on June 5. They
will hold a rally on that date, and on Saturday, June 6, plan to close
Wichita's three clinics.
Other people plan to keep the clinics open. If you receive this
newsletter in time and are in driving distance of Wichita, you might
want to call your local pro-choice or clinic defense group, to see
about carpooling up Friday night or Saturday morning; in the
Oklahoma City area you can call Herl and at 521 -9696; or just get in
your car and go. The Wichita Pro-choice Action League is located
at 528 S. Blakeley, just two doors from the Tiller Clinic, which is
located at Kellogg and Blakeley. Their phone number is (316) 6812121.
'f
RALLY FOR JUSTICE
IN BARTLESVILLE
Ronny Wayne Lewis was charged with 1st degree rape in the
brutal attack of Kathy Oliver on July 29, 1991. This charge was
reduced to Sexual Battery by Washington County District Attorney
Craig Corrigan, and Lewis received a 2 year suspended sentence
with no time served. This was done without the knowledge or
consent of Kathy Oliver. Ms. Oliver had asked the District
Attorney to request in court that Lewis be liable for her medical
costs; this was not done.
A rally has been planned for Wednesday, June 17 at 11 :30 a.m.,
at the Court House in Bartlesville, 420 S. Johnstone. The rally is
designed to show support for Ms. Oliver; to affirm the belief that
the brutality of rape is a vicious and life-scarring crime; and to
demand that Craig Corrigan resign or be terminated from the office
of District Attorney.
'f
To A Clown
You laugh,
Everyone loves you,
But you still seem blue,
You pretend,
A taste of wine,
And all is fine
You cry,
Only then you can be free,
Wilen no one can see.
You die,
We'll lay you down
With the face ofa clown.
mj. klukas
7 Hertand Voice, June, 1992
The second meeting of the National Steering Committee for the
1992 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights
and Liberation was held in Dallas, Texas on May 9 and 10. Because
of the gender and racial requirements of the organization, the
committee expanded the number of co-chairs from 3 to 4 seats prior
to the election. The elected co-chairs of the 1993 march are: Scout
of Chicago, IL; Nadine Smith of Tampa, FL; Derek Livingston of
Providence, RI; and Billy Hileman of Pittsburgh, PA.
The items of the March platform were adopted. In general, the
platform planks cover demands regarding; 1) equal civil rights based
on sexual orientation, identification or gender; 2) anti-racism; 3)
education and concerns of students; 4) universal health care; 5)
reproductive freedom; 6) partnership and family; 7) general and
specific calls for an end to discrimination.
Twenty-two working committees are now operational including
the Differently-abled/Physically-challenged committee, which
formed in Dallas. This committee will plan and evaluate access for
the march and all auxiliary activities, with the goal of total
involvement of the disabled constituency.
The newly elected co-chairs all expressed their enthusiasm for
the March and the organizing process. According to Scout, "This
meeting was a big success. We are putting the components together
for a truly incredible event in Washington next year. The feeling of
the members of the Steering Committee was excitement as they left
Dallas. We will succeed in sending the message to the bashers and
homophobes that we are stronger than ever." Co-chair Nadine
Smith said, "Our platform is extensive because the attacks our
community end ures are extensive. It is the scope of our demands
that have enabled our community to come together for the
organizing of this march. The foundation of diversity in our
national committee will make us stronger as organizers, and
broaden the impact of the m arch."
'f
Oklahoma NOW
The Oklahoma Now State Council met Saturday, May 23, 1992,
to elect officers and set goals for the coming year.
New officers elected were: Coordinator, LoReacy Moses; Vice
Coordinator, Dana Tiger; Treasurer, Jill Holmes; Secretary, Linda
Lyons; and Legislative Coordinator, Laura Rhodes. The Cleveland
County NOW newsletter committee will be asked to expand The
Vision to become the State newsletter.
Goals for the coming year include:
- working against and helping to defeat State Initiative 642, which
would severely restrict abortion in Oklahoma;
- lobbying for the Freedom of Choice Act, which would codify at
the Federal level a woman's right to choose abortion;
- targeting and working for women and pro-choice candidates at the
state and federal levels; and
- chapter development, including the reactivation of the Metro
OKC NOW and Tulsa chapters, and development of a chapter to
serve Western Oklahoma.
The next meeting of the Oklahoma NOW State Council will be
held Saturday, June 20, at 1:00 o'clock p.m. It will be held at the
Belle Isle Library, 5501 N. Villa, (Villa and the Northwest
Expressway) in Oklahoma City. All NOW members and all
'f
feminists interested in joining NOW are welcome to attend.
Spring Retreaters! Please check all the gear, baggage, supplies, etc you brought back from Robber's Cave and see if maybe you got
Jingle's massage bag in with your things by mistake. If so, please call Herland at 521-9696 and leave a message; we will arrange to pick
it up. Thanks.
You can help make a panel to be added to the AIDS Quilt when it is displayed in Oklahoma City. The Porthole will host sewing sessions
and will be working on at least ten panels for the Quilt. Contact Shatzy at the Porthole for more information.
A National Directory of Women ofColor Organizations and Projects has been published by the Women of Color Resource Center. The
Directory includes the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and contact people in women-of-color organizations throughout the USA.
It is indexed by issue and by race/ethnicity/nationality. Single copies are available for $7.00 each + $2.00 shipping and handling from
the Women of Color Resource Center, 228 Fulton St. Suite 103, Berkeley, CA 94704.
World War II women's/lesbian's memorabilia is being collected for the Lesbian Herstory Archives. Among the items of interest are
diaries, letters, magazines, photographs, uniforms, insignia, medals, ID cards, discharge papers, recruitment posters, propaganda items,
training manuals, sweetheart pins -- anything about women's lives during the war. Call or write Marcyne 908-354-9052 or Marsha
Labovitz, P.O. Box 127, Middleville, NJ 07855.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is organizing town meetings for lesbian of color to speak out about the lives of lesbians of color,
how they differ from and/or are similar to those of other lesbians and people of color. For information contact the National Center for
·
Lesbian Rights, Lesbians of Color Project, 1633 Mission Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103.
Levi Strauss & Company, with 23,000 United States employees, has become the largest company in the nation to offer health benefits
to the domestic partners of its unmarried employees - so remember, next time you slip into those comfy, durable, wonderful jeans, you're
not just making a fashion statement, you 're making a political statement. Talk about the personal being political. ..
For the phone number of local P-FLAG helplines in over 270 communities, call 1-800-4-FAMILY. The helpline messages are taped
in both English and Spanish.
The 3rd annual statewide Oklahoma HIV/ AIDS Coalition conference will be held June 11-12 at the University of Oklahoma. The theme
of this year's conference is "Sharing the Challenge." It will focus on helping people, communities, businesses and government understand
the challenges of living with the virus. A series of workshops will specifically address lesbian/gay issues. The conference will be held
at OU's Center for Continuing Education, 1704 Asp, in Norman. Pre-registration fee is $25. To register, or for further information,
call Alan Nyitray, 405/271-4636.
If you are looking for a new car or truck, you might want to know that General Motors uses animals in its safety tests, abusing many
thousands of pigs, dogs, rabbits, ferrets and mice. According to PET A (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the world's other
automakers maintain a higher safety record than GM, by using crash dummies and computer models rather than living sentient animals.
If enough people tell GM that they won't buy another GM product until this testing stops, the testing will stop.
Don't forget-- Herland is open every Saturday from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. and every Sunday from 1 P.M. - 6 P.M. Drop by to check out
a library book, read the women's magazines and newsletters, buy new books or just to visit. See you at Herland!
The 13th annual conference of the Gay and Lesbian Parents Coalition International (GLPCI) will be held in July 3-5 in Indianapolis,
Indiana. The theme of the gathering is "Freedom, Friends, and Family! -- Celebration. For information contact Vickie Harris (317)
353-6636 or John Sheets (317)253-2280 or write GLPCI, P.O. Box 50360, Washington, D .C. 20091.
Herland Voice, June, 1992 8