HerlandVoice-1989-03-v6-no03_ocr.pdf
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- HerlandVoice-1989-03-v6-no03_ocr.pdf
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VO LUME 6, NUMBER 3
MARCH, 1989
Around the Corner
MARTIN LUTHER KING
DAY MARCH
by Mary Reynolds
Oklahoma City - There were no police
dogs, not even very many policemen.
There were no fire hoses for crowd
control. There wasn't even the threat of
an appearance by the Ku Klux Klan.
Those who marched to the Martin
Luther King Day Rally at the State
Capitol faced no such obvious obstacles. The enemies they faced were less
visible and more insidious: apathy, an
ignorance of the compelling questions
of the 50's and 60's, a racism that hides
its face to avoid detection, a government
that cares more for rusting missiles than
for its -own people. These are enemies
that women and lesbians can understand, as we face many of the same
intangible antagonists.
So it was that I thrilled to see the
marchers turn the last corner to the
Capitol and heard their faint but resolute chanting as I struggled to get the
P.A. system set up in time for the rally.
When the marchers arrived, they
joined many others (especially the
elderly) who had driven to the rally or
walked shorter distances. As we gathered in the second floor rotunda, a
choir made up of 30 + volunteers from
the marvelous churches of Oklahoma
City's East Side led the singing of a
freedom song with an irrepressible
Gospel beat. They held no music in
their hands and didn't need anyone to
tell them the words. The message was
engraved on their souls and we all sang
from our hearts - "WHO SHALL?
WE SHALL!!"
Donna Compton introduced State
Representative Vicki Miles LaGrange
who was filling in for Rev. Jackson of
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES, INC.
2312 N.W. 39TH, OKC 73112 • (405) 521-9696
Oklahoma City, who was unable to
appear. She was a most capable replacement! Her oratory was as rhythmic and
masterful as any evangelist. She introduced the audience to Civil rights
pioneer Clara Luper, who most appropriately was " sitting in" with a large
group of children and young people just
as she did back in the 1950's. She
reminded us of the 1969 sanitation
workers strike here in Oklahoma City
where men laid their bodies down in
front of the trucks to keep them from
rolling unjustly. And over and over she
stressed her vital theme, "We've come a
long way, but we've got a long way to
go."
County Commissioner Shirley Danieis
introduced the 1988 Executive Director
of the National Rainbow Coalition, Mr.
Ron Daniels. He began by quietly
pointing out that most people associated Dr. King's work with the fight
against racism, forgetting that later in his
career, even when he died, he was speaking out against poverty and economic
injustice. His voice rose as he recounted
how Dr. King spoke out against the
Vietnam War because he realized that
the resources people needed for education and housing were being squandered
on killing. And he thundered as he
exhorted his listeners to keep constant
vigilance against the powerful but invisible foes that the struggle for human
dignity faces today.
Peggy Johnson, backed by the aforementioned mighty choir (and Nathaniel
Batchelder of the Peace House and
myself) led the assembly in "Ain't
Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around."
Several other "Sisters" were theresome marched in the march- because
they understood that lesbians share this
fight for justice and human dignity.
They recognize that we've come a long
way, but that we are still barred from
employment or paid less than we're
worth because of our gender or preference. And since many of us are poor,
we know that our tax money is not
going for our education or our housing
or our protection from crime but for
elaborate destructive toys conceived
and controlled by violent men.
I hope that next year more women
will take the time off from their everyday concerns to stand in solidarity with
us and with the followers of Dr. King:
to "just say no" to those who deny
human dignity for their own gain, to
hear dynamic speakers better explain to
us these pressing issues, and to be
moved by powerful music. And,~'esides
that, we need the practice. In the coming decade, our survival may depend on
our ability to hit the streets!
•
FOR LOVE AND FOR
LIFE: OU GLA BRINGS
JEB TO NORMAN
'/
The five days in October 1987 when
650,000 lesbians, gay men, and supporters converged on Washington D.C.
to participate in what was the largest
march ever hrld in our nation's capital
will be brought to Norman in a multiimage presentation. J.E.B., noted lesbian
photographer, is bringing her show
"For Love and For Life: The 1987
March on Washington for Lesbian and
Gay Rights" to the OU campus March
17. Her hour-long presentation brings
the speeches and sounds of the March
combined with narration and hundreds
of images by JEB and more than a dozen
other lesbian and gay photographers.
"It is my intention to put the march
into a context that all people can
appreciate", JEB said. "I also want ot
make sure that our progress in obtaining civil rights is fully seen and
remembered." JEB's show also hints at
events that have happened since the
March, such as National Free Sharon
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
Kowalski Day, AID's-relate protests,
and other grass-roots activities.
JEB has published two books of
photography which have been described
as "beautiful affirmations of lesbian
lives." Her fir st was Eye to Eye:
Portraits of Lesbians and her latest is
Making a Way: Lesbians Out Front.
Her work also has been published in
numerous books, magazines such . as
"Ms." and "Off Our Backs;'' and is
found on book covers, album covers,
note cards, post cards. calendars, posters and in films and videotapes.
"For Love and For Live" will be
presented at p.m. Friday, March 17 in
room 200 Dale Hall, which is located
on the corner of Lindsey and Elm in
Norman.
The presentation is sponsored by the
OU Gay/Lesbian Alliance and the OU
Speakers Bureau as part of Gay Awareness Week. Admission is free, and
American Sign Language translation will
be provided for the hearing impaired.
For more information, call 360-8723
or 329-1307.
•
STATE MEETING
OK NOW will meet on Saturday,
March 11th from 12 noon until 4 p.m.
in Oklahoma City at the YWCA, 415
NW 5th. In addition to the usual
business, they will be discussing the
upcoming Annual Meeting and officers
for 1989-90. Be sure to attend.
The October meeting of OK NOW
was organized to be a planning session
for the future. However, few decisions
were made because of a lack of energy
and ability to make commitments for
other people to carry out projects.
Admittedly, these are tough times, but
we need to make some effort towards
planning a direction for OK NOW in
the next years. Hopefully, we will be
able to accomplish this at the March
11th meeting.
•
2
THE QUILT TO
BE IN OKC
The NAMES PROJECT QUILT is a
massive tribute to the tens of thousands
of people who have already died in the
AIDS epidemic. This memorial consists
of thousands of fabric panels, each
bearing the name of a single person lost
to AIDS. Created in homes across
America and the world by the friends,
lovers, and families of people killed by
AIDS, the panels arrive at the NAMES
PROJECT workshop in San Francisco
where they are stitched into the growing
quilt.
.
Inspired by the American Folk Art
tradition of quilting and sewing bees, the
NAMES PROJECT is a positive expression of personal loss as well as a dramatic illustration of the impact of AIDS on
our society.
On October 11, 1987, hundreds of
people gathered at the U.S. capitol to
view the inaugural display which was set
up to urge our government to increase
funding in the fight against AIDS. In the
· spring and summer of 1988, the quilt
made an extensive tour across America,
visiting more than twenty U.S. cities. In
October of 1988, the quilt once again
visited our nation's capitol. Seven times
the original size, it now contained the
names of 8,288 men, women, and
children who have died of AIDS.
Continuing its world wide exposure,
portions of the quilt were sent to places
as far away as Australia and South
America on World AIDS Day, December 1, 1988.
Now Oklahoma City will host the
quilt as a part of its Spring 1989 tour.
Because of its immense size, only part of
it will ·be on view here. Nevertheless, the
impact will be felt. Some of our own
Oklahoma names will be a part of the
quilt. And donations taken at the display will be distributed among local
AIDS service organizations, such as
Fishes and Loaves and chapters of the
AIDS Support Program in Oklahoma
City and Tulsa.
With the warmth and beauty of the
NAMES PROJECT QUILT, we can
combat fear and ignorance of this terrible disease, commemorate those who
have died, and educate those who don't
understand or care.
The Oklahoma NAMES PROJECT
Chapter urges your endorsement and
support of the event so that many more
people may be able to "REMEMBER
THEIR NAMES."
May 5-7, 1989 at INTERNATIONAL TRADE BLDG., · STATE FAIR
GROUNDS.
•
MARCH CALENDAR
OF LOCAL EVENTS
March 10 - Video Night at Herland,
7 :30 p.m.
1, '°<
March 11 - N .0. W. Meeting vat t;he
YWCA, 415 N\V 5th, 12 noon.
March 11 - Gay and Lesbian Awards
Ceremonies, at the American Legion
Hall, 6101 NW 50th, 6 p.m.
I
March 17 - J.E.B.'s OU presentation of
the Gay & Lesbian March on
Washington at 200 Dale Hall (corner
of Lindsey and Elm), Norman, at
8:00p.m.
March 18 - Potluck at Herland, 7:00.
Bring covered dish p.nd meet J .E.B.
March 22 - JUNE MILLINGTON!
At the Hi-Lo Club, 1221 NW 50th.
2 SHOWS: 8:00 and 10:00. Don't
miss this!
March 24 - Video Night at Herland,
7:30 p.m.
March 31 - Herland Coffeehouse
presents Nancy Scott in concert at
7:30p.m.
April 1 - Three of Hearts with Nancy
Scott at Hi-Lo Club, 1221 N.W.
50th, 9 p.m.
HERLAND IS ...
A non-profit corporation composed of a collective of wimmin - open to any womyn who
wants to be a part of it - which works to maintain a feminist library and bookstore, sponsors
workshops, retreats, concerts and other events for YOU. Herland's reason for being is to
provide a framework for a variety of projects for the support and enjoyment of the a~ea
wimmin's community. It is a place to learn and grow, meet other w1mm1n, develop lasting
friendsh ips, receive support and nurture the positive self-image that societal attitudes
sometimes make illusive to us. Herland exists to serve YOU.
Your donations are used to pay the mortgage and uti lities on the resource center, and
printing and postage for the monthly HSR Newsletter and Friend of Herland cards.
All of Herland's services are free, including the Newsletter. This is why your donation is so
important. It is Herland's lifeblood.
. - ----
~--
--- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- ---,
Around the Country
ROE V. WADE ALERT
Washington, D.C. - The anti-abortion
forces are, and have been, flooding the
U.S. Supreme Court with mail demanding the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Not
surprising, Associate Justice Sandra Day
O'Conner is the main target of the mail
campaign from the organized Right.
Frankly, this is indirect confirmation
that O'Conner has been the "swing"
vote on the High Court for this issue,
and not Justice Anthony Kennedy. The
bottom line is for each of us to write to
Justice O'Conner and re-emphasize that
the overwhelming majority of American
citizens want abortion kept safe and
legal. Encourage all your friends and
relatives to write immediately:
Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Conner
U.S. Supreme Court
One 1st Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20543
•
MARCH FOR
WOMEN'S EQUALITY/
WOMEN'S LIVES
WASHINGTON, D .C. - National
NOW is sponsoring another Women's
March to follow up the very successful
March held in 1987. With the election
of George Bush as President, most
people feel the need to re-emphasize
our commitment to women having control over their own lives. The March
will be held April 9 in Washington,
D .C. with the Step Off at 12 noon and
the Rally on the Capitol West Side at
1:30 p.m. If you are interested in attending the March contact GET Meeting
Planners; 1522 Connecticut Avenue
NW, Washington, D.C. 20036, Attn:
Vicki Ferguson. National has contracted with these meeting planners because
this is also the weekend of the Cherry
Blossom Festival, so D .C. will be full to
the brim. Make your reservations as
soon as possible. Buses are being filled
from Arizona, Kansas and Texas, so you
may want to contact National to coordinate with one of these groups.
•
ELLEN RATNER
APPOINTED TRUSTEE OF
SAMARITAN BOARD
First Person of Jewish Faith
to Join Christian College
Samaritan College and the Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Community
Churches (UFMCC) announced ... the
appointment of Ellen Ratner to the Board
of Trustees of Samaritan College. Ms.
Ratner is the President of the National
Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation -the
oldest lesbian and gay health organization
in the country-and is a nationally recognized leader of the lesbian and gay community. The UFMCC-a 20-year-old
international network of congregations
that provides lesbians and gays with the
opportunity for religious worshipestablished Samaritan College as a
training seminary for clergy representing
the Metropolitan Community Churches.
Ms. Ratner is the first person of the
Jewish faith to be appointed to the
Board of Samaritan College, a substantially Christian organization. Ms. Ratner's appointment ·reflects a decisive
step toward establishing the College as
the first accredited university with a
predominately gay and lesbian student
body-Samaritan's long-term objective.
"We are delighted that Ellen Ratner
will be joining our Board," said
Reverend Sherre Boothman, President
of Samaritan College. "She will be an
enormous asset. Her credentials are
outstanding, particularly her expertise
in the human services area where Samaritan has recently added a degree program," she explained.
"I look forward to devoting my time
and energy to the growth of Samaritan
College," expressed Ellen Ratner.
"Samaritan has filled a major void in
the lives of so many gays and lesbians. It
has a great future ahead of it, and it's
extremely fulfilling to me to know that I
will be a part of Samaritan's future."
The UFMCC was founded by Reverend
Troy D. Perry in 1968. The UFMCC
has over 250 congregations throughout
the United States, Central America,
New Zealand, Indonesia, Australia,
Canada and Europe. Over 400 students
attend Samaritan College in the United
States, Canada, Australia and Western
Europe.
Samaritan College has a long history
of service to the gay and lesbian community, and is committed to building a
university that will meet the special
needs of gays and lesbians. Its principal
goals are:
• to seek academic excellence;
• to provide professional leadership to
the gay and lesbian community;
• to encourage the self-value and expression of each student's full potential;
• to promote understanding of the
dynamics of oppression and the commitment to the journeys of liberation;
• and to recruit a top-flight faculty
committed to these values
In addition to serving as the President
of the National Lesbian and Gay Health
Foundation, Ms. Ratner is widely recognized as a leader in the field of chemical
dependency treatment for lesbians and
gay men. In 1974 she founded and
became Director of the Wollast©n II
Psychiatric Day Treatment Cente;~ New
England's largest day, treatment facility.
Ms. Ratner also co-directed the Boundaries Therapy Center in 1973.
Currently, Ms. Ratner serves as a
member of the management team of the
Addiction Recovery Corporation,
which is dedicated to research, education and the prevention of addictions.
Press Release
f
LESBIAN AGENDA
CONFERENCE
So many lesbians are doing vital
work creating change to better this
world, yet our issues as lesbians are
rarely in the forefront for social change.
WHY?
It may be that we have not taken the
needed time to create a space for us to
really discuss what our issues are and
how to best promote our concerns on a
wide variety of agendas.
We need to acknowledge and validate
our vast differences of lifestyles and
work methods. We need to develop
ways to help us accomplish goals without pushing those powerful "territorial
buttons" that block us from trusting
each other.
Our greatest strength is our diversity.
Lesbians of every race, class, religion,
ability and ethnicity must be involved
Continued on next page
3
I'
Continued from previous page
in all aspects of planning the conference.
Whether you are a courageous lesbian
who deals with local, state or national
governmental bodies, an amazon challenging the might of the world's militaries or the average dyke who deals
with varying degrees of homophobia
while living the reality of loving women,
all our voices must combine to form a
community. As we learn to tap into the
power of our community, we become
an awesome force to be reckoned with.
Our lesbian agenda must come through
collaborative means to form a lasting
foundation. Dealing with differences
among ourselves is often hard but we
are strengthened when it is done successfully. Now is the time to use creative
means to get past our "isms," work
together and realize our potential. And,
we need to be able to laugh together.
An Ad-hoc group met in Washington
D.C. in September to discuss organizing
a national lesbian conference. A brief
summary of some of the recommendations from that meeting:
SCWSA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
(Please type or print legibly. Use this form for one person only.)
Name_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _,Phone: Day (
Address_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Ctty _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.State_ _ _ ___,Zip_ _ _ _ __
Institutional Affiliation._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Registration Fees: (all registration lees include membership in SCWSA)
Pre-Registration (deadline for pre-registration is March 10, 1989)
_ _ $25
Some of the suggested topics to be
addressed at the conference: lesbian
legal rights; custody; job security; unity
on definitions; visibility; women and
AIDS; \day care; fair housing; coming
out; racism; violence; money issues; and
the list goes on . . .
Watch for updates on planning for
the Lesbian Conference in upcoming
HSR Newsletters.
•
Regular
_ _ $10
limtted Means/Students
_ _ $12
Luncheon (12 p.m., Friday, March 31) _ _ I prefer vegetarian
$5
Feminist Cabaret and Coffeehouse (7:30 p.m., Friday, March 31)
On-She Registration (or after March 10, 1989)
$35
Regular
$15
limited Means/Students
$7
Feminist Cabaret and Coffeehouse (7:30 p.m .. Friday,
I
' .
. I
$_ _
1. This conference should be by, for,
and about lesbians.
2. The conference should be planned
according to feminist principles and
process.
3 . The planning and conference should
represent our diversity and welcome
all lesbians.
Eve(
•v
M~rch
31)
TOTAL ENCLOSED (Make check payable to UH-CL/SCWSA Conferance)
Special Needs (please indicate any special needs):
_ _ Signing _ _ Child Care
_ _ Other (pleaso specify)
l
Mail to SCWSA Conference, c/o Dr. Angela Howard Zophy, Box 400, Unlvershy of Houston-Clear Lake,
2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, Texas, n058-1098
For further information: Cynthia Miller (713) 488-9687 or Angela Zophy 488-9659 or 488-9370
HOTEL REGISTRATION FORM: MAIL THIS FORM BY MARCH 15 DIRECTLY TO:
Doubletree Hotel, 400 Dallas St. at Bagby, Houston, TX 77002
SOUTH CENTRAL WOMEN'S STUDIES ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE: MARCH 31 • APRIL 2, 1989
i
Name
Type of room requested:
Company_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Single/Queen
0$48
Address_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Single/King
0$48
Double/Queen
0$48
Phone (
Double/King
0$48
Sharewtth._ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Arrival Date and Time _ _ _ __
••to guarantee, send first night's depostt
Departure Date and Time _ _ _ _ __
_
_
Women's Studies Conference Invites All Feminists
Houston, TX - The South Central
Women's Studies Association will hold
its annual conference here, March 31April 1, 1989.
Hosted by the Women's Studies Program at the University of Houston Clear Lake, the conference will offer
over 60 paper presentations, workshops, demonstrations and panel discussions in all major disciplines.
4
The Keynote Speaker for this year's
conference will be Dr. Judith Fetterley,
renowned critic of American literature
and author of The Resisting Reader.
Dr. Fetterley will speak on "Mothering
and Reading"; women's values and the
act of reading a literary text.
Entertainment will include a feminist
cabaret and coffeehouse featuring local
poets, musicians, and other feminist
performing artists.
The Doubletree Hotel at Allen
Center, located in the theater district of
downtown Houston will be the site of
the conference. Convenient, elegant
and charming, The Doubletree is offering a special conference rate of $48.00
for a single or double room. Accommodation arrangements may be made
by March 15 by calling the hotel at 1800-528-0444. - Specify that you are
attending the SCWSA conference. •
HERLAND NEEDS YOU!
What does Herland Sister Resources
mean to you? Many of you have passed
through the doors of both our old
location and now our new home on
39th Street.HSR has affected all of us in
one way or another: through new friend,
ships, sisterhood, love, caring and sup,
port. We've grown through the years
and will continue to do so with support
from all of you.
We always are in need of volunteers
to either staff the center or work on the
building. We have several committees
that need volunteers, including the
Resource Center committee, Fundrais,
ing, Programming, Library, Newsletter
and Volunteer Committee. The con,
tinued success of HSR depends on
people getting involved and making a
difference in our community. We must
all work together to ensure our place in
society.
Think about this and your involve,
ment with HSR, because without your
help we could be another statistic like
the Bookstore in San Antonio and
Several others acrosss the United States.
In these depressed economic times in
Oklahoma it is difficult to make ends
meet and HSR fully understands that.
Many of you see us in a new location,
but we too have needs.
We know many of you give faithfully
of your time, talent and money, and we
are very appreciative of your continued
support. We cannot survive without
you.
•
HELP!!!
Herland needs you now more than ever. Herland's monthly bills:
Mortgage
Utilities
Gas
Sewage
Electric
Insurance
Newsletter printing & postage
(This cost is defrayed somewhat
by paid advertising)
TOTAL EXPENSES
$260
$ 40
$ 38
$ 25
$ 75
$200
$638
Herland extends sincere thanks to those precious few who have sustained
her through regular donations.
Herland's new location has caused her expenses to almost triple. With fewer
donations coming in due to difficult economic times for everyone Herland is
left perched precariously close to extinction. This potentially disasterous
financial situation can be alleviated if Herland's 700+ newsletter subscribers
donated just $1 a month. Please ask yourself if Herland is worth the price of 2
Cokes or a pack of cigarettes a month to you. If so, please let us hear from you
via the form below.
PLEASE HELP!
Thank you!
YES! I WILL HELP. I AM SENDING MY DONATION OF $_ _ _ __
NAME-----~--------------~
ADORESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
STATE
CITY
.--
""
~
ZIP
Meet the Board
A NEWYEAR,
A NEW SISTER #4
MEET KATHY C.
It took us awhile, but the board
finally has new Sister #4, Kathy C. The
previous Sister #4, Pat C. (no relation),
moved up to Sister #3 in January. Kathy
agreed to fill the position at our January
board meeting (okay, Sisters, you can
untie her now-it's in writing).
Kathy is not a native Oklahoman.
She was born in the spring of 1955 in
Minnesota and is the middle child of 5
brothers and 5 sisters, and came to
Oklahoma after a three-and-a-half year
stint in the Army.
"I couldn't find a job back home,"
she said, "so when I came to visit an
Army buddy in 1978, I found a job and
stayed."
As a dispatcher, Kathy sometimes
maintains a strained work schedule
when she has to work double shifts to
cover for those who are sick or on
vacation. One would think the life of a
dispatcher would bear some stories, but
not according to Kathy.
"The emergencies are few and far
between," she said. "Everything else is
pretty boring. I was unemployed at the
time or I'd probably be doing something else. I don't think anyone chooses
to become a dispatcher. It's something
that just happens to them."
While hoping to fill a supervisory
position in the near future, Kathy is
also contemplating a return to the academic life at Central State in the fall
where she will be finishing work on a
degree in computer science.
After talking with her, it seems to me
that this quiet, unassuming individual
has lived a varied life. Stationed in
Germany while a member of the better
half of the Army, Kathy was what she
called an electronic eavesdropper, monitoring radio transmissions from other
countries, transcribing them and sending them to those inquiring minds in
the military.
When she's not dispatching or volunteering for Berland, Kathy reads and
listens to music. She has taken on the
job of stripping off the old paint from
the woodwork in her house and is
planning to finish it as close to its
natural state as possible.
Kathy found out about Berland in
1983 when a friend on a softball team
took her to the bookstore on 19th and
Blackwelder.
"I can remember the stock of books
the first day I went there," she said. "A
whole four titles! What impressed me
the most was the fact that there were
actually titles about lesbians as well as
books on the subjects. That's when I
picked up a book and saw two women
kissing on the cover. Talk about an
identity realization. That was all I had
been wanting to do since I was 14-go
to the beach and kiss women! Don't ask
me what I'm doing in Oklahoma."
Kathy didn't get involved with Berland at that point, but she became a
steady customer who started volunteering so she could read the books.
"It was great," she said. "I was really
impressed with what they were trying to
do with the bookstore. There was so
much energy. What impressed me the
most was the amount of renovations
they did on the store. I was very
intimidated by their talent, by the fact
that these women knew how to put in
ceilings, level floors and put up a false
wall. Four y~ars later, I'm putting in
windows and plumbing in another
building that has to be renovated. I
don't know what it is about bookstores
and lesbians and renovation, but they
seem to go hand-in-hand."
Kathy claims her impression hasn't
changed.
"I still like kissing women on the
beach," she said. "But a lot of the initial
innocence has been lost. I'm still very
fond of the books and literature, but
the initial thrill of discovery is gone."
Kathy's main duties for Berland over
the years have been to order books for
the bookstore and maintain the mailing
list on her home computer.
"It's mainly because of the mailing
list that I'm on the board," she said.
"For protection and confidentiality the
mailing list must be in the hands of a
board member at all times, so when I
volunteered to take care of it, I also
joined the board."
Claiming guilt as the reason for
becoming Sister #4 (and the tight ropes
that held her in the chair), Kathy is
optimistic about her future with Berland, but only up to a point.
"I'm looking forward to computerizing Berland more," she said. "But the
thought of someday being Sister #1 is
scary. If you go back and think of how
far Berland has come in the last few
years, the activities it has generated, the
energy, the tasks that have been accomplished. . . This has been done by
some very dynamic Sister #ls. To think
that you're going to have to fill their
shoes or at least try to maintain that
level is intimidating."
Kathy tends to be a big dreamer when
it comes to Berland, hoping to see a
computer sitting in the office at the
resource center, an increase in the book
inventory, videos available to rent, a
TV and VCR available to watch videos
on and an upswing in the used book
bin.
"We're going to have to move slowly
and concentrate on what we want to
accomplish," she said. "Fundraising is
going to take a special effort. We have a
phone now because once we concentrated on it, we got the job done. That's
the kind of power and energy this board
has. Once they set their goals and with
adequate resources, it comes about."
All board members have their. own
visions about Berland: wher~vfshe's
going, how she's going to get there,
what they would like to see her doing in
the next five years. Kathy is no different.
"I would like to see all the stuff I
mentioned," she said. "I see Berland
as
I
a Women's resource center. I want to
see her become more involved in networking with other women's groups and
political organizations.
Kathy not only enjoys the books and
the availability of them, but also the
sisterhood.
I
"The women bonding together to
accomplish something is great," she said.
"The retreats are fun, but I'm going t.o
have to suggest a beach to the camp
director. I just like getting together with
the women and doing something, whether
it's putting in windows or plumbing or
getting together to order books. There's
a special relationship between everyone."
Kathy feels that Berland has a lot to
offer the individual, even though we
aren't open for business as much as we
would like.
"Berland can offer a sympathetic
ear," she said. "We offer a place for
women to go for books, periodicals,
music and entertainment. There's the
newsletter, referrals for counseling, Friday Night Videos, coffeehouses and
concerts. We offer a place they can
come to see people and to have at least a
reference point to get what information
they need."
Continued on next page
5
Continued from previous page
The importance of Her land in Kathy's
life was evident in my last question to
her: What does Herland mean to you?
"It's such a growth process for me in
just being able to come to terms with
myself," she said. "I've done a lot of
growing up. There are so many times
when Herland is such a whore. You love
her so much and she takes all your
money and all your energy and leaves
you more infatuated with her. You can't
stay away. I think about the people over
the years who have been to the store to
buy books. They're learning about themselves and about me. I see the walls
we've created and the walls we'.ve torn
down. In a word, it means 'myself.' She
represents so much of me by wanting to
reach out to other people, to help
somebody come to terms with herself
when she's confused, the fun, the
laughter. It represents women. I don't
know where I'd be without Herland .. . I
don't want to know where."
•
CHANGE OF ADDRESS?
If you are p lanning to move, and you don't
want to miss any issues of the HSR Newsletter, please let us know you new address
BEFORE you move. For your protection the
Post Office wil not forward the Newsletter, and
Herland will not c hange your address without
your authorization. Therefore, to ensure
receipt of the Newsletter, fill out and mail us
this change-of-address form BEFORE you
move. The form may also be used to add your
name to the mailing list.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS FORM
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Old Address - - - - - - - - - - City -
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Mail to:
6
Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
2312 N.W. 39th
Oklahoma City1QK 73112
Letters to the Editor
Dear Sisters of Herland:
After reading Sondra Metzger's article
on the "Memorable Moments" of Herland,
I wanted to write and offer all of you my
congratulations for your continuing efforts
and for all that you have accomplished in
keeping a wimmin's bookstore alive and
well in OKC.
I lived there in the 70' s ... As an author,
I had the privelege of doing public readings
at the Herland store on Blackwelder for my
mysteries Mts. Porter's Letter and The
Burnton Widows. Double Daughter
is my newest adventure featuring Lesbian
sleuth Nyla Wade-just released from
Naiad Press in October.
When I get to thinking that the third
wave offeminists has been drowned by this
country's right wing conservative backwash,
hearing of your valiant struggle to keep a
sacred space for womyn open and available
gives me considerable hope. And the support of bookstores and readers, particularly
for those of us who still value writing about
and for our gay people, is an essential
source of inspiration.
I've had the opportunity to meet bookstore owners and readers in various parts of
the country, most recently with the release of
Double Daughter-from the warm, wellstocked shelves of Category Six and Book
Garden in Denver, to Pasadena's Page
One and A Different Drummer in Laguna
Beach. And in Louisville, Colorado, you
can get used books and wimmin's books
with a welcoming smile where you wouldn't
expect it-at Beebo's, just a block from the
local tavern. We are everywhere. In
Colorado Springs, Together As One has
turned a spare bedroom into a delightful
space -small but rich with womyn' s music
and writing, t-shirts hung in the corners like
kites. They believe they can provide a
positive force of cohesion in their community. They still believe in community.
These are your dear sisters in the struggle
to keep wimmin' s bookstores open. I think
it's a straggle too many of us ignore and
fail to appreciate. How shocked I was to
find thqt all the womyn' s bookstores in
New York City are gone. So these special
places to meet and browse the literature
that is uniquely our own cannot be taken
for granted.
Along with my congratulations to you,
then, this letter is a call to action to the
womyn of Oklahoma City. We're still
getting 59¢ on the dollar to men, but we
ought to be spending it with each other.
What a simple way to show support, to
dam up the new tidal wave of judgement
and condemnation washing over us, especially with the continued spread of AIDS.
We have Herland, and that is herstory.
That we have my books and those of the
many other Lesbian feminist authors is
herstory. That we have gay presses growing
in strength is herstory. Perhaps the most
important herstory is our courage in this
complicated world. The courage to abandon
our closets for ever, the courage to create
and validate our special, precious places like Herland.
We can all make herstory. Value your
bookstore. Every time you buy books, thank
the Goddess you have that place. Remember the fires of the past, when books were
burned, as were witches and Lesbians.
Value the voices of those who write for you,
and those sisters who get these books into
your hands. Maybe it starts when Wf value
ourselves.
'V
•
All the best continued success to each
and every one of y~u at Herland Sister
Resources.
Vicki P. McConnell
•
Editors Note: Thank you, Vicki, for
your words of encouragement. Herland's
energies are growing along with the Center's quantity and variety of stock and
local wimmin's consciousness!
•
The HSR Newsletter is offered as an open forum
for community discourse. Materials printed herein
reflect the beliefs and opinions of the authors of
the articles or letters, and not necessarily those of
the Newsletter or the Herland Board.
PUBLISHED BY: Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
2312 NW 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
EDITOR: Karen Lewis
CHIEF REPORTER: Sondra Metzger
ADVERTISING MGR.: Laura
TYPESETIING: Rhonda Smith
and Loral Reeves
CIRCULATION: 700
GENERAL INFO: (405) 794-7464 or 672-4141
VOLUNTEER INFO: 528-0604
ADVERTISING: 672-4141
DEADLINE on all advertising and submissions is
the 15th of each month.
SUBSCRIPTIONS to this Newsletter are free
upon request.
COFFEEHOUSE
NANCY SCOTT:
BOTH SIDES OF ME
by Mary Reynolds
There is nothing in my record collection that is quite like Nancy Scott's Both
Sicks of Me-it's unique. That's why I
often cue it up on quiet mornings
around the house, especially rainy ones.
But there are other good reasons to
listen to this excellent first album.
Both Sides of Me creates a definite
mood. It's as if Nancy invited you to sit
around her breakfast table and share
her hopes and heartaches. And it feels
good to be there, because Nancy is a
very warm hostess, and somehow that
comes through the speakers. The album
has an unashamed Texas outlook and is
reminiscent of the laid-back Austin
scene where it was produced.
Nancy's poetry is lean and tight. Not
the obscure kind. No digging for
meaning here-it's all crystal clear. But
there's plenty of depth in the way
Nancy sheds new light on those ancient
situations that face modern lovers.
Emotion stays close to the surface on
this album. "Lost in Austin" is a
humorous tale with a little sadness in
the back of the throat. But "Laying the
Cards on the Table" is a sad song with a
clever turn of phrase that is sure to
bring a smile. The images in "Moon"
and "Winter Comes Softly" are so
vivid as to be almost painful.
The other element that makes Both
Sides of Me songwriting at its best is the
way the music is a perfect fit for the
lyrics. Nancy's music reminds me of the
original songs of Mary McCaslin.
Both Sides of Me is an album of fine
tunes, accessible yet original, which is
so difficult in the country-blues genre,
where it seems it has all been done
before. These songs are like a breath of
fresh air, and I think that "Reason for
Singing the Blues" should become a
standard for enthusiasts of that form.
Also my cats like it when I sing it in the
bathtub.
Nancy sings with an even-tempered
deadpan delivery which is absolutely
devastating to this reviewer. You'll have
the opportunity to experience that in
person when she appears at the Berland
coffeehouse on March 31st and at the
HiLo on April 1st.
The arrangement ideas on Both Sides
ANNOUNCES
FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEO
March 10th, 7:30 p.m. at Herland
Presenting "Before Stonewall"
plus
"Two in Twenty - Part I"
(A lesbian soap opera)
J.E.B.
Saturday, March 18th, 7:00 p.m. at Herland
Open Pot Luck - Come and
meet J.E.B. and
bring a covered dish.
FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEO
March 24th, 7:30 p.m. at Herland
Presenting "The Life and Times of Harvey Milk"
plus
"Two in Twenty - Part II"
COFFEEHOUSE
Friday, March 31st, 7:30 p.m. at Herland
NANCY SCOTT!
I
singer/songwriter/guitarist from Austin
THE NEW HERLAND CENTER IS NOW OPEN:
SATURDAYS 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. & SUNDAYS 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
at 2312 N.W. 39th St.
HERLAND BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD THE 3RD
SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 2312 N.W. 39TH
4:30 p.m.
of Me are inspired although sometimes
in execution they fall short of their
intent. Hats off to bassist Lynn Kellerfine job! It's tough for the lone, unarmed
singer-sonwriter to confront the mighty
technology that it takes to get the stuff
on vinyl, but Nancy wins the fight much
more often than she loses, and those
great songs come shining through. This
is a very ambitious project in terms of
sessions and musicians. And I say, so
what if the seams are showing a little?
The liner notes show that about one
zillion people had a hand in making this
album. So it's a very friendly, hands-on,
womanly kind of album. And that really
comes through, especially on those rainy
mornings when it's just you and the
housework.
•
7
HOUSECLEANING, Pet Sitting and Grooming, Housesitting,
Classifieds
Odd Jobs. Affordable rates. References on request. 842 -4225.
FREE LESBIAN MAIL ORDER CATALOGUE: Descriptions of over 300 books/videos. Send two 25¢
stamps. Womankind books, Dept. HS, 5 Kivy Street,
Huntington Sta., NY 11746.
SOUTHERN WOMEN'S MUSIC AND COMEDY
FESTIVAL! Anyone going to SWMCF? I would like to
arrange ride from Atlanta airport to the land. Call
405-525 -8522.
STEP BACK IN TIME! PLUMS B&B for women only,
LESBIAN WRITERS! LESBIAN MANUSCRIPTS
WANTED for immediate publication: romance, mys-
antiques, private baths, full breakfast, parking. For brochure: 160 Bradford St, Provincetown. MA 02657. (508)
487-2283.
teries, & Sci-Fi novels. Send first 5 chapters with
SASE/Postage to: Rising Tide Press, Dept HS, 5 Kivy
St., Huntington Sta., NY 11746.
Please SUPPOrt the
Businesses who SuPPort Herland!
If you've never experienced
Magic Hatt"s
a massage, you don't know
what you're missing.
Massage is gaining worldwide recognition as one of
the best ways to reli~~ the
stresses of everyday ~ife. •
" Stress Management"
Therapeutic Massage
CHURCH OF CHRIST
DANNY
FOR GAY PEOPLE
MEETS THURSDAYS, 7:30 P.M.
102 EAST HEFNER ROAD
IN OKLAHOMA CITY
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. BOX 60873, OKC OK 73146
(405) 787-1253 OR JANIE (405) 755.7259
"Life's.ab ____" ...
and then you get a
massage!
Sall\.1 Dlcvitts
525-5907
B.W.W.T.A. Affiliated 1
c
Q)
E
Q)
"'Q)
t:
.,,>
"O
"O
"iii
a.
l
Designs With Lettering
REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Custom Signs and Lettering
359-1900
P. 0. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
321-2148
HSR would like to thank the women of OWL for their generous
donations of signs for our new building.
Adolescent ... Group ...
Family Therapy
"Return" yourself to normal. Alleviate the stress
of tax time by treating yourself to a massage!
oouch of Qold
848-6429
HEALTHFUL • STRESS RELIEVING MASSAGE
6y
SHIRLEY M. HUNTER. M.A.
Melanie ~- McKiddy
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR
MASSAGE THERAPIST
PINN PARK OFFICE COMPUX •SUITE 102
11001 N PENNSYLVANIA• OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73'12
360-6945
8