Here are a few options for alternative media and media watch organizations on the web. You’ll find if you start checking these places out, as well as watching the six o’clock news and reading the paper, you’re going to get a much more complete idea of what’s really going on.
The Dissident – Maine’s Journal of Politics and
Culture
http://www.dissident.org/index.html
The Dissident is a journal of ideas and analysis, appearing in both print and on-line versions. The editors seek to provide a forum for Maine writers, activists and scholars committed to justice and political change.
Alternet – Independent News and InformationMs. Magazine
http://www.msmagazine.com
They Watch You
They watch you
and you rise for me
out of plastic easy-bake
oven.
Cookies and death soiled
with puzzle pieces of brain
leaking through the broiler.
Experience sizzling to burnt globs
of poems published under
intense circumstances.
They watch you,
unwrap you
I stand naked in your place
cause I begged to.
Steaming my core with
pre-heated intensity
your words thump, thump, thump
through light –
darkness is not a place for poets --
in the dark, you hide.
The light of the burner waked me
to watch you,
sleep in gas and linger
like food overcooked
but seasoned so distinctly.
"Peanut Crunching" keyboards
tapping with embroidered emotions.
Reflections,
I hear you,
The tape I have of you.
They watch you –
seeming, disbelieving
that straightedge persona.
Sylvia is jagged and raw,
like meat so red and juicy
it needs to cook
to bleed.
And I watch you,
because you are not dead.
Like soil, your words are
played on like a million
sporting events,
and I die with you,
because you faded in the
oven.
Cooked,
roasted,
boiled
and sizzled my poetry
to perfection.
A Glance At Valentine’s Day
Vanessa Pinkham
Valentine’s Day: a holiday associated with love, friendship, and lets not forget...chocolate. As February rolled around I began to hear things I would not have thought associated with this supposed joyous celebration: groans, snickers, and exclamations like "I hate Valentine’s Day!" "I’ve never had a good Valentine’s!" "It’s the stupidist holiday!" I have yet to hear, in fact, one pleasant or hopeful comment about February 14th. Why all the sour faces? Even as I look within at my own distaste for this holiday I can find no answers–except maybe that this holiday is also a chance for us to remember the times when love has burned us or been lost to us. Not an incredibly fun-filled topic for us to mull over at any time, much less a holiday. As I began to search for what Valentine’s Day should mean, and how we should be celebrating it, I realized that I had no idea where Valentine’s started. Could this holiday’s source breathe some life back into it?
In researching the birth of this celebration, I found that the background of Valentine himself is rather murky. There are many versions of the story, all tragic in their own way. And here they all are. Maybe the fate of poor Valentine will shed some light on this holiday for you:
Legend #1: Valentine was arrested in 269 AD for refusing to give up his Christianity. He was thenclubbed to death and beheaded by the Prefect of Rome on Feb. 14th. In 469 AD, Valentine became the patron saint of epilepsy, having suffered from it all his life. He also became the patron saint of lovers when the church assimilated the pagan fertility festival Lupercalia into their calendar. Not horribly romantic is it? Okay...next please.
Legend #2: Valentine lived in Italy in the third century. He was the Bishop of Terni and a renowed holy man. A Roman philosopher begged him to heal his dying son and Valentine said he’d do it if the man and his family converted to Christianity. A pagan prefect heard of this and had Valentine beheaded. Valentine is now associated with lovers because of an ancient late winter Roman festival in honor of the Goddess Juno, in which boys randomly drew the name of an unmarried girl and then beat her gently with a sheepskin to guarantee her purity. Again...not incredibly romantic and definitely a bit odd...whipping with sheepskin?!? But, moving on...
Legend #3: The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who disagreed with a law that emperor Claudius II decreed, in which soldiers could not be married because they made better soldiers as single men (all that pent up energy, you know). Valentine continued to marry soldiers in secret and was put to death upon discovery. Well, I guess that’s a bit romantic.
Legend #4: Another of these legends suggests that Valentine had been killed when trying to rescue Christians from Roman prisons. While in prison he fell in love with the prison guard’s daughter and wrote her a letter signed "From Your Valentine" before his death. Now that is quite endearing, really...
Legend #5: This last version is one in which the emperor Claudius II had ordered all Roman’s to worship the twelve gods. Valentinus, a Christian, refused to convert and was then arrested and sentenced to death. The jailor had a blind daughter, Julia, that Valentinus began teaching lessons upon the jailor’s request. One night, while Julia and Valentinus prayed, Julia’s sight was miraculously restored. On the eve of Valentinus’s death he wrote a last note to Julia signed "From Your Valentine." His sentence was carried out near a gate later named Porta Valentini in his memory. He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome. It was later said that Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. Now this is more like it don’t you think? We have love, friendship, healing, tragic death, and pink flowers.
What does this have to do with my life, you might ask. Well, the many tragic possible endings for Valentine may not be uplifting, and they may not get you in a better mood for the holiday, but it puts our Valentine’s Day in perspective, doesn’t it? It wouldn’t hurt us to smile a little and think that compared to St. Valentine our February 14th’s are pretty joyous occasions, and that the spirit of Valentine–the romantic, healing, sympathetic spirit--does exist in one form or another in all our lives...why not take just a moment to celebrate that? You won’t have to participate in flower, chocolate, and other "mushy" exchanges...cross my heart.
This list of activist organizations can be used as a resource for any personal or academic missions you may be on. This is not a comprehensive list of organizations in Maine; however, contact with these organizations can lead to more and more . . . Check out what sounds interesting.
MULTI-CULTURAL AWARENESS
Center for Vision and Policy
P.O. Box 16007 Portland, ME 04101
207-774-6866
Multi-ethnic organization. Catalyst for transforming economic, ecological, social and gender justice issues via grassroots efforts. Focusing on Native American and diversity issues.
Let Cuba Live
P.O. Box 245 Brunswick, ME 04011
207-443-2899
By direct action, education and legislative efforts, Let Cuba Live works to normalize U.S. relations with Cuba. They also promote discussion of life in Cuba, so we can learn from them.
ECONOMIC JUSTICE
Coalition for Economic Justice
285 Water St. 19 Augusta, ME 04330
207-621-9815
Labor Party
PO Box 1812
Portland, ME 04104
207-780-1247
Web site: http://portlandpages.com/laborparty/
Fighting for a living wage for the work that you do! The Labor Party is a political party that exists to build a powerful movement around a new agenda for working-class people.
Maine Center for Economic Policy
P.O. Box 2422
Augusta, ME 04338
207-622-7381
E-Mail: mcep@mint.net
A non-profit, non-partisan research and education organization providing analysis of state budget and tax policy in Maine, and its impact on vulnerable populations.
WORKING FOR PEACE – LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY
CONA-Citizens Offering New Alternatives
P.O. Box 6
Walpole, ME 04573
207-563-5531
Maine Solar Energy Association
RR 1 Box 7751
Jonesport, ME 04649
207-497-2204
E-mail: sunwatt@juno.com
Promotes public awareness about energy conservation, solar energy and other renewable energy resources in Maine.
RESTORE: The North Woods
7 N. Chestnut St.
Augusta, ME 04330
207-626-5635
Dedicated to restoring the natural integrity of the North Woods ecoregion through advocacy, public awareness and citizen activism. Working to create a Maine Woods National Park and protect endangered species.
WOMEN’S ISSUES
Feminist Times
185 High St.
Belfast, ME 04915
207-338-1429
E-mail: janders@acadia.net
A monthly statewide journal of news and issues featuring the achievements of women, and providing a public forum for women's ideas and opinions on world, national and local events.
Maine Centers for Women, Work, and
Community (formerly ME Displaced Homemakers Program)
Stoddard House, UMA
46 University Drive
Augusta, ME 04330-9410
207-621-3440 or 1-800-442-2092 (ME only)
E-mail: adaigle@maine.edu
MCWWC provides comprehensive community-based workforce development and entrepreneurship training for displaced homemakers and other workers in transition. Develops leadership and advocacy skills on women's education and training, employment and self-employment in the Maine economy.
Maine NOW (National Organization for Women)The largest feminist grassroots organization in Maine. Active in securing increased women's rights: reproductive freedom, lesbian/gay rights, ERA, economic justice and in eliminating racism. Local chapters in Bangor, Brunswick, Farmington, Kennebec Valley & Portland.
FAMILY ISSUESMaine Children's Alliance
PO Box 2446
Augusta, ME 04338-2446
207-623-1868
E-mail: mainekids1@ad.com
The future of our communities is invariably linked to the well-being of our children. The Maine Children's Alliance endeavors to give children and families a strong voice to insure every child in Maine has the chance to succeed.
Maine Coalition for Family Crisis Services
128 Main St.
Bangor, ME 04401
207-941-1194 (Administrative calls only)
E-mail: mcfcs@agate.net
MCFCS recognizes that the abuses of power in society foster battering by perpetuating conditions which condone violence against women and children. It is the statewide coalition's mission to work for major societal changes necessary to eliminate personal, institutional, and cultural violence against all women and children.
Peace Action MaineThe state office of National Peace Action provides leadership on disarmament and conflict resolution, works to shift voter opinion to support for a peace economy, and urges the transformation of economic priorities, and substantial cuts in military spending to meet pressing human and environmental needs.
Peace and Justice Center of Eastern MaineA center for peace, justice and environmental programs and activities in five counties of eastern Maine. Sponsors films and educational programs, provides meeting space for groups, has a resource library, hosts community-building events, and works in coalition with other groups on issues of mutual concern.
PICA: Peace Through Inter-American Community ActionCentral America solidarity group working for economic, social, and environmental justice for all people of this hemisphere. Current program: Bangor/Carasque, El Salvador Sister City Project and Clean Clothes Campaign to educate the greater Bangor community about sweatshops, and conduct a petition drive to keep sweatshop suppliers from stocking Bangor's store shelves.
WORKING WITH THE GOVERNMENTThe MCLU is a non-partisan, statewide organization that defends and promotes the constitutional rights of Maine people through litigation, lobbying and public education.
Maine People's Alliance
192 State St.
Portland, ME 04101-3712
207-761-4400
E-mail: mpa@gwi.net
Dessima Williams to Speak at Women in History Banquet March 2
UMF will be holding its Women in History Banquet on Thursday, March 2nd, from 5:30-7:30 pm in the North Dining Hall. We are lucky to have the prominent human rights advocate Dessima Williams as our keynote speaker this year. Dr. Williams will be giving a talk entitled "Strengthening the Global Human Rights Movement." A Grenadian, Dr. Williams served as the country’s Permanent Representative at the rank of Ambassador to the Organization of American States from 1979 to 1983. During this time she was also a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly and representative to the International American Commission of Women. After the overthrow of the Maurice Bishop government, she continued her work in international diplomacy by working with non-governmental organizations. Dr Williams served as Vice
President of OXFAM America, an organization which fights hunger worldwide, and as a board member of the Center for International Policy. She founded the Grenada Education and Development Program, a rural based organization providing scholarship, mentorship and other programs to low income Grenadians, and co-founded HAITIwomen, an initiative to support Haiti’s democracy by supporting its women. She was the 1989-1990 Peace Fellow at the Bunting Institute at Radcliffe College, and is currently a professor of sociology at Brandeis University.
In addition to her keynote address at the banquet, Dr Williams will visit classes during the afternoon and lead an open discussion for students and faculty. For UMF students with concerns in the area of human rights, hearing Dr Williams speak will be an valuable experience. Tickets for the Women in History Banquet are free for UMF students, who can pick up tickets at the Student Activities Office, x7346. For others, tickets cost $10 each and can be purchased at the Student Activities Office, the UMF Bookstore, or in town at the Calico Patch.
The Nordica Celebration of the Arts at UMF on March 24th
The Year 2000 Nordica Celebration of the Arts will take
place at UMF on March 24th, from 7-9 pm. The theme of this years performance is
Thresholds. The event will feature a wide variety of music. Musical groups
performing include Mountain Air and The Hopeful Corvettes, as well as members of the
choral group Continental Harmony. The music provided by these groups as well as individual
member of the community and UMF will be varied enough to suit all tastes. Proposals have
been accepted from Celtic singing by The Hopeful Corvettes, to an operatic performance by
Community member Kate Ried. There will also be a performance by an Armenian Dance group,
several readings of both poetry and prose, and visual art displayed. The evening is free
and open to the public; donations support the UMF Women’s Studies Center. For more
information call x7387.
Fifty-One % will have full coverage of both of these events in future issues
Don’t forget, March is Women’s History Month!
My (or your conception of my) race, gender and class, and how they have shaped my socialization, experience and personality.
by Faye Joost
Let me start with gender. I was born March 12, 1979, in Kent County Hospital in Warwick, Rhode Island. The first thing they said to my mother after it was determined that I would indeed live was "it’s a girl." This is the first thing you know about me when you see me. When you look at me, you see a woman, perhaps in her early twenties (I’m twenty now), and you assume (how does the saying go?) Certain things about how my life been, what I’m doing now, where I’m headed. All this from the first look.
She must have a boyfriend now, or maybe she’s still with her high school sweetheart (isn’t that cute, maybe I’ll go throw up now). I had my first crush on a boy in second grade. His name was David and he had curly hair. But I didn’t really like him, I liked him because all of my friends said they did.
If she’s not married yet, you say, give her a few years. Soon she’ll even be having children. (A woman’s identity is based on those she calls family. She has no self, she is determined by other.)
When I was very young I wanted to be a performer. By the time I was in fifth grade I wanted to be president. (Funny connection.) By high school I wanted to be a nurse, then finally a teacher. I wonder why that is. Yes, I do care about people, I do want to work with them. But is it possible that I was socialized to want that? (I think it is.) I think it also had much to do with what my mother wanted for me. You don’t think that "the majority of women, just as the majority of men, work out of economic necessity to support [themselves or] their families." You seem to think of work as a privilege that allows the women to have some extra spending money for frivolous items.
You don’t look at me and see feminist. You think that good women don’t need change. All my life I have feared change. I fear a momentary loss of control. But every change I have ever lived through was the most positive experience so far, until the next change rolled around. Now I strive for change. It is forward moving and positive.
She couldn’t possibly have a political agenda (women don’t believe in politics and if they do they certainly don’t vote, so it really doesn’t matter.) (Guess what? I’m a woman, and a feminist and I vote.)
No one sees me as a lesbian. (A lesbian can’t be a breeder, she can’t come in contact with children because she will corrupt them. She couldn’t possibly have a monogamous relationship (why don’t you try holding yourselves up to that standard). Is she even a she? That’s just not natural, what can she possibly do for patriarchy?)
If you do see lesbian, after you ask what made her that way (she must have had some terrible experience, that explains it) it stops there. I have wanted to be with women my entire life, before I even realized I am a sexual being, I wanted to be with women. I think this came before I was ever victimized, but I’m not sure. Why does it matter? Must everything have an explanation? If you think it is possible to define a person, or even love, go ahead. Me, I’ll just stick with the feeling.
You can’t see whole woman. You no longer see a person who is getting ready for a life with a family other than the one she was born into. All of this because I no longer fit into your prescribed role of gender. You no longer see a woman with an innate need for marriage and motherhood (I want to be a mother), or concerned about appearance, or emotional, or always controlling anger. I spent years controlling anger, then suddenly one day I was consumed. I could not breathe. I watched the walls close in on me. I wouldn’t let anyone touch me, but I needed someone to hold me. No one will hold a person who is pushing them away. I told no one who was listening that my soul ached. Then I swallowed pills, end the pain. Minutes later a friend called me. I threw up then laughed till I cried.
I rage when I need to now. I am amazed at how often I must.
You don’t see a conformer, or dependent (I am both dependent and independent), or inept, or neat, or unoriginal, or gentle or weak or frightened. (I did spend many of my twenty years being scared). Now I transform my fear whenever I can into positive energy. If that doesn’t work I let it go. Just let it go. You don’t see passive (these are your gender stereotypes for females. I think the only one I still fit is confused). You have deemed me a gender bender, and you think when gender is bent it will break. Which means I am broken – which must be why you’re always trying to fix me.
(Poor thing, she broke. Luckily for her, someone has stopped to help, we’d better keep driving, but first everyone look at the accident on the side of the road. God damn! What’s with all this traffic?)
I guess I’m lucky at least that you don’t blame the fact that I’m broken on my race. No one blames anything on my race. I know the stereotypes that don’t apply to me, being white. Do you? If I were Asian, you would see a sweet china doll, or an evil dragon lady . . . but you see white. If I were black, you would see a mammy, or a too powerful matriarch (or both) . . .but you see white. If I were Latino, you would see me as sexy, loud and fiery, or undereducated and submissive . . . but you see white. If I were Native American, you would see a heavyset, workhorse squaw, or an Indian princess . . . but YOU SEE WHITE.
The only class anyone ever sees, it seems, is the middle class. But that’s okay, because that’s the only one. When I was two, my family (three of us, my mom, sister and me) had twenty dollars a week for food. We got our clothes from anyone who was our size, regardless or stains or blemishes. Now we live in a four bedroom house with enough food for anyone who is hungry. We have an in ground pool and an office slash gym. (We are the poster family for middle class success.) Everyone in this country is supposed to be in the middle class (some of the lucky ones are in the upper middle class.) We live in the land of opportunity. Everyone starts out life with an equal chance (yea, equal if you consider one team climbing a mountain with nothing at all, and another being carries up on a ski lift as equal. Do really need to say it? The American Dream is Bullshit.)
What you see when you look at me is a middle class white woman. These are the exact things that limit your ability to see a whole person. When you look at a person, and merely see Class, Race, Gender, that person is reduced. They are no longer a person, really, but the product of limitations you have placed on them.
You can’t see me. You see, when you look at me, only who you think I am.
Feminist News for February 2000
Abortion Key Issue in Presidential Campaigns
Abortion is a key election issue for both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Governor George W. Bush and Senator John McCain continue to vie for anti-choice support. Gov. Bush, who opposes abortion as well as mifepristone (RU 486), recently received the endorsement of the anti-abortion group, the National Right to Life Committee. McCain has said that the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Vice President Al Gore called upon his Democratic presidential opponent Bill Bradley to join him indefending abortion rights against Republican presidential candidates. Gore implored Bradley to "Stop trying to divide us on the issue of choice and fight the real enemy."
[Source: Associated Press – February 1, 2000]
VT House Committee Approves "Civil Rights Package" for Lesbians and Gay Men
The Vermont House Judiciary Committee voted 8_3 for a
"civil rights package" that would create the most comprehensive system of
domestic partner benefits in the nation. Those who were in favor of legalized marriage
said that the "separate but equal" benefits were not enough. After the emotional
debate, Representative Steve R. Hingtgen, who backed legalized marriage for lesbians and
gay men, said that "Pursuing the domestic partnership path validates the hate."
Conversely, Representative William J. Lippert Jr., House Judiciary Committee's
vice-chairman, who also backed legalized marriage, said the domestic partnership benefits
package "will be the single most forward-looking piece of legislation for gay and
lesbian people in the entire United States, and this is still very big news."
[Source: New York Times – February 2&9, 2000]
Women Medical Faculty Face Discrimination
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, female medical school graduates are more likely than male medical school graduates to pursue careers teaching at medical schools, but once in these positions, women are far less likely to receive promotions to senior faculty positions. Female medical schools graduates in America between 1979 and 1993 were 10 percent more likely to pursue a career in academic medicine. The study's author, Lynn Nonnemaker, a sociologist with the Association of American Medical Colleges, said that there are encouraging signs that women graduating in the 1990s may be getting closer to parity than in previous decades. She did caution that achieving parity could take a long time since women still represent only 10 percent of medical school faculty members.
Congress Approves 'Date Rape' Drug Bill
The United States House of Representatives passed a bill that would significantly toughen federal laws for the possession and distribution of the 'date rape' drug. GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, acquired the street name 'date rape' drug because men have slipped it into the drinks of unsuspecting women who are then sexually assaulted while unconscious. Only a few drops of the drug slipped into a drink can cause a person to lose consciousness within 20 minutes, frequently leaving the victim with no memory of what happened. Under the federal legislation, anyone caught in possession or distribution of the drug could face up to 20 years in prison. The House voted 339-2 in favor of the bill. Right-wing Representatives Ron Paul (R-TX) and Helen
Chenoweth (R_ID) voted against it. The bill was sent to President Clinton for his signature.
[Source: Tribune News Service – February 1, 2000]
Senate Passes Bankruptcy Amendment
The U.S. Senate passed a bill by Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) that would bar anti-abortion extremists from discharging any legal judgments against them by filing for bankruptcy. Vice President Al Gore returned to the
Senate today to break a possible tie vote, but the amendment passed 80-17. Schumer introduced the bill as a result of an alarming trend of anti-abortion extremists filing for bankruptcy after being assessed with clinic-related judgments in courts. Schumer has cited the case against Randall Terry, founder of Operation Rescue, who filed for bankruptcy in 1998. Terry, former leader of Operation Rescue, has been sued and found liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars by several individuals and organizations for his activities against women and women's health clinics.
In addition, Schumer cited perhaps the most blatant example of anti-abortion extremists trying to use the bankruptcy laws to evade judgments, which comes from Planned Parenthood v. ACLA (American Coalition of Life Advocates). In this Oregon case a federal jury found the defendants guilty of threatening providers, and awarded the plaintiffs $107.5 million. Five of the twelve individual defendants filed for bankruptcy within days of their court-ordered depositions.
This amendment will help to clarify that extremists cannot use bankruptcy laws to avoid financial responsibility for the damages they have caused. Even after a court or a jury has found the defendants liable and assessed financial damages for the violence committed, these anti-choice individuals attempt to use the bankruptcy laws as a shield for their illegal behavior.
[Source: The Associated Press - February 2, 2000 and Feminist Majority Foundation]
Women in Kuwait Attempt to Vote
Several hundred Kuwaiti women attempted to register to vote in protest over the legislature's rejection of a bill giving women the right to vote and run for office. Women were turned down outright at some center but were permitted by other officials to register their names in unofficial logs. The protesters were met with less resistance Tuesday than in the past when voter registration offices simply closed to women. Kuwait's constitution grants equal rights to women and men, but only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote adult males over the age of 21 who have been naturalized for 20 years or more and their male descendants at age 21. By these standards only 113,000 out of 793,000 Kuwaitis are registered voters.
[Source: The Associated Press - February 1, 2000]
Words of Wisdom from Introduction to Women’s StudiesMothers and grandmothers are sometimes so inspiring (and surprising)
I asked Nana what she thought of women today. She replied, "I think they're great. I think they're too strong sometimes . . . If a woman has a good, strong man... I know you won't like this, but I think if a woman has a man who she can rely on, one who allows her to be herself and isn't afraid of her strength.... then this woman can blossom." I countered with, "Then do you think every woman needs a man?" "It doesn't hurt," she answered with a wry look on her face. "Does every man need a woman?" I asked. "Oh, yes," she said, "It's been proven that men will die earlier without--if they aren't married or with a good woman."
She defines feminism as "being a person first. It's being proud of being a woman, without having to throw your gender in someone's face." When asked if she was a feminist she offered, "Yes. Definitely. And I wouldn't want to be a man for a million bucks." We discussed society's expectations for women in her generation and in mine. She feels society has come a long way, with a "larger middle class and a lot less class-ism". She feels society places too much emphasis on women's "behinds and breasts" nowadays, and thinks the rights and privileges once given to only a select, wealthy few are available to all now. She is positive about her life, and conveys that she feels very lucky.
Erin Clark, from Interview with a Crone, 1999
I was interested in hearing what my mom had to say about feminism now. Although she compared the 1970s feminist movement to a screaming adolescent (she asserts that it was very reactive), she says that the movement is now in its mid_life. Feminists who don’t like the way their lives are now will accept that, and will take active steps to change the direction of their situations, whether it be through leaving an abusive spouse, getting a better education, or by choosing to stay home raise a family. When asked to define what she thought feminism is, my mother said, with much consideration, that it is a "woman’s attempt to live her life in the way that she chooses," in which she feels free of social norms and expectations. My mom insists that she is all for women’s liberation. After I asked her if she believed she is a feminist, she quickly and resolutely replied, "Oh, yes!" She admits, however, that she hasn’t always been. In her early adulthood, my mother says she wanted a man’s protection. Now, however, she is content to make her own decisions, to own her own property, to care for herself and her family, and to lead her family.
Finally, I ask my mom one more question. I say, "How have you learned the definition of feminism?" My mother grins from ear to ear, and replies that she has learned it from watching the feminist movement evolve, from witnessing her own self change, and from seeing examples from other women in her life; she says, "That’s how I learned what feminism is – through women."
Tracey Stuart, from Interview with a Crone, 1999
Get mad about the abuse of women, in all its forms.
"Why do men batter and get away with it?" The answer lies within our culture. The culture in which we live passes on beliefs that men are superior. Messages are received through the media: television, magazines, movies, computers, and books all state in one way or another that men dominate women. The traditional roles set for men were that they were the "tough guy": strong, powerful, independent, and in control. Women were seen as "Cinderella": quiet, pretty, dependent, and weak. When a man hits a woman, some of the culture has the attitude that the woman must have done something and therefore deserves it. I believe that men batter simply because they feel they have the right to control women. They perceive women as objects of control and obsession. Women stay in these relationships for all kinds of reasons, but ultimately because they are controlled by the violence. Fear overtakes love, respect, and trust within the relationship as the battering continues and escalates.
Holly Cloutier
Would people, especially the female population, feel more secure with themselves or would people feel completely lost without a certain trend to follow? It is hard to be a woman with this beauty myth constantly hanging over our heads. You can hardly get through one TV station without seeing some beautifully skinny woman dressed in the newest line of clothing in its skimpiest form. You can't pick up a magazine without seeing the latest "most beautiful woman". You can barely enter into a conversation with a male without one of them making a comment about some "hot chick that just walked by." It is the most degrading, annoying thing that I can think of and I wish there was a way to disengage myself completely from it. If people can't see my beauty for what it is then I don't want them anyway.
Jen Lovejoy
Men who think they know it all, are usually the one’s who have the most to learn.
During President Roosevelt’s term in the White House, he saw the decline in the birth rate of white children as a "race suicide." However, I’m sure if he noted a decline in the birth rate of Black, Hispanic, or Native American children, it would have been perceived as a relief that there would not be so many little minorities running around. Angela Davis does a good job showing what a double standard this country has when it comes to reproductive rights for whites vs. "the rest."
Something that I have noticed many times before about this country and its leaders is we treat people who are different just that way– differently. Not for any good reasons, but for reasons we make up based on our own ignorance and fear of people who don’t look, act, and talk the way we do.
Jessica St. Clair
It is a lot easier to get information from the stereotype of a woman than from a real woman, because then the presenter can carry on the image that women are useless and know nothing. If MSNBC had actually used Nelson as a pundit, the men would have then had to face the fact that a woman, and an African American woman at that, proved to be equally as smart or smarter than them. Boo hoo. I wonder if they would like some cheese with that whine? Why can’t society just accept the fact that women are intelligent, striving creatures too and that if given the chance, we too could flourish?
Colleen Patterson (In response to the article "So You Want to be a Pundit," in which Jill Nelson describes MSNBC discriminated against her when she tried to get a job)
Society has always taught that some things are better left unsaid or undiscovered. Reason: they hate it when things are in an uproar, when people start to fight for what they believe in. Society is sometimes afraid to face the truth, because it is scared of facing the consequences. But there are things that need to be discovered and worth exploring. I believe that the things that will make us better people, that will give us more understanding of ourselves and where we stand in our lives, are always worth the exploration. Especially when it comes to women and the rights and equality that we deserve.
Laura B. Giasson
Inspiration from Dance – UMF Goes to the New England Dance Festival
Faith Sargent
On Friday, January 21st through January 23rd the UMF Dance Company attended the New England Regional American College Dance Festival. The Festival was hosted by Bates College in Lewiston, and began in 1973.
The theme of this years dance festival was ‘Diversity in Dance." Thirty different colleges and universities took part in this years festival, including UMF, which performed during the informal concert on the second day of the festivalTHe name of the piece we performed was Chaotic Diversity, Sense Impressions and some Logical Systems of Thought, choreographed by Leah Cordes. The dances in this piece included Leah, Gina Rozzi, Emily Vogler and myself. And energetic piece, it was very three dimensional and included a variety of movements and use of levels. It was an opportunity and an honor to perform at the festival, amongst such a wide range of talent.
Twenty-seven classes in different dance styles such as Ballet, Modern, African, Middle Eastern and Jazz were offered to all participants. Throughout the festival were dance performances choreographed by the different colleges from around New England. These performances were judged by three adjudicators and discussed and critiques at the end of each concert. The ten winners of the forty-five some odd dances would perform in the Gala concert on the last day of the festival.
The Michael Foley Dance Company also performed several pieces choreographed by Foley, who was himself a graduate from Bates. All five of the pieces performed had a similar theme – gender ambiguity. Often choreography can be stereotypical to the roles man and women play in society, with the males picking up the females and being the "strength" of the dance. In Foley’s choreography the line between male and female was blurred almost to the point of being invisible. The first piece began as usual, with male and female, but by the end of the piece you were unsure of what would happen next. The piece ended with the female carrying the male off the stage. In an audience who’s majority was female, this was well received.
The choreography was refreshing – one piece especially stands out. It was Michael Foley himself on stage, wearing a huge skirt. The piece was called Joan and was accompanied by medieval music. The most memorable aspect of this piece was that it was a tribute to Joan of Arc being performed by a man. His choreography was bold and consisted mostly of upper body movements. He had no inhibitions, and the choreography caused one to be thoughtful about gender roles, and the breaking down of sterotypes in our society.
Many of the colleges’ pieces consisted only of women, and the themes varied from being on the
brink of insanity, to spirituality. If the choreography of the pieces didn’t reflect the theme of diversity, the dancers themselves certainly did. It was beautiful to see how a variety of body types was present in the dances. No longer are only thin, long-limbed women seen as able to be dancers.
Overall the festival was an inspiration to those of us who have chosen to make dance a part of their lives. It was an opportunity to make live, eat and breathe dance for three days.
V’s Sex Column: Aphrodisiacs...Myths and Facts
I was watching late night television and found myself glued to the screen, not in wonder, as the announcer was probably hoping, but rather in incredulity. Rubbing that oil on my partners genitals was going to make sex better? Please. But the men in the room watching television with me seemed to think so. "I’m going to get me some of that," they announced, lascivious grins on their faces, pats on each others backs. Oh dear, I thought, are people really going for this? I decided to investigate.
Within five minutes of my first internet search I already knew more than I wanted on almost every way to improve sexual satisfaction through aphrodisiacs. Cardamon boiled in milk helps with impotence and premature ejaculation; vanilla–originally from the word " vaina," which means vagina–has a mild love arousing effect; saffron makes erogenous zones more sensitive; ass’s penises increase the size of a man’s penis; a nutmeg, honey and boiled egg mixture prolongs intercourse; pepper rubbed on the head of the penis gives "matchless enjoyment"; a pepper, lavender, honey, and ginger mixture enlarges the penis; stuffed womb of cow increases fertility; coffee-–drinkers have better sex lives than non-drinkers...and the list goes on and on. Some people are spending hundreds of dollars on truffles, animal genitalia, animal horns, and other exotic substances, not to mention the new "scientific" ones on infomercials, in a quest to better their sex lives. Well, this would be fine I guess, if any of it really worked.
Technically an aphrodisiac is any food, drink, drug, scent, or device, that promoters claim can increase sexual desire, or libido. A broader definition includes those products that help with sexual performance. According to the FDA, however, so called aphrodisiacs–including anchovies, adrenaline, licorice, scallops, and the Spanish fly–are based in folklore, not in fact. Sometimes the reason for an item’s reputation as aphrodisiac is obvious; antler horns resemble erect penises, ginseng resembles the human form, and sex organs of animals known for their procreativity–bunnies and goats–can be construed as something that might rub off. Chillies, curries, and other spicy foods have been termed aphrodisiacs because they raise heart rate and sometimes cause sweating–similar to reactions experienced during sex. Other aphrodisiacs are glorified because of their rarity and mystery. Chocolate was once considered the ultimate aphrodisiac, but this wore off after it became more readily available.
There is no proof that ginseng or animal horns, or any other over-the-counter drugs, have any effect on human sexual reaction. The mind, however, is the most potent aphrodisiac there is. These aphrodisiacs may seem to work because the mind believes that they will. One might ask themself what is missing in their own relationship, that is making them look elsewhere for help. The FDA insists that maintaining overall mental and physical health with exercise, a good diet, and a good mental state is good for your sex life, and definitely more dependable than deer sperm and frog’s legs.
Personally, I think the best aphrodisiac is nothing you can get over the counter. It is climbing into a warm bed with the one your heart holds dear...it doesn’t get any better than that! Until next time, -V
Go
She moved a strand of hair from her face
and I knew
the way she was wringing
her hands and rubbing them together
as if to make a flame
but she put out mine that night
doused it without even saying the words
I didn’t need to hear them
she took a deep breath
and licked her lips intently
to soften her words perhaps
she gave it all away with her eyes
never meeting mine
searching the ground
the sky
I know she heard it
the uselessness of the moment
the edge that we had reached
teetering on the seam
neither of us wanting
to say the words
she reached for my hand
and I pulled her close
fighting the urge
to smell her hair
but I could not
forget the time
when we held each other
and she complained
that I hugged her too tight
too long
so I let her go
-Steph
Erica- If you can’t have one fake it.
Talia- You can use a orange peel as a diaphragm.
Dale- You can’t get a woman pregnant for a certain amount of time, because she is immune to your semen.
Jocelyn – Well, ninety percent of the worst advice I’ve heard came from Cosmopolitan Magazine. I think there was one once that said something about wrapping a schrunchie around the base of the penis. I can’t remember why.
Elizabeth – My mom was like, oh, you and you’re girlfriend can sleep in the same bed. Don’t lesbians just cuddle?
Tim – Someone told once that women couldn’t actually have orgasms. It was all just a big conspiracy to make us feel like we had to work harder.
Vanessa- The worst advice about sexual matters that I ever got was that if you cross your legs your period will stop.
Lee- You cant get pregnant if you have sex standing up.
Amy- The worst sexual advice I’ve ever heard was a man saying "Oh no you can’t get pregnant using the withdrawal method.
Jay – Forget foreplay . . . Just stick in.
Sharon – Wait ‘till you’re married. How lame is that. How are you supposed know if you want to marry someone then? You could get married, and find them repulsive.
Alana – I don’t understand . . .but it’s so good with men.
Dawn – If a man has an erection, and it doesn’t get . . . relieved I guess you’d call it . . . his testicles get all swollen and could fall off.
Tom – I had a girlfriend once who always wanted to try having sex on a beach. I don’t suggest it, sand hurts.
Alice – My mom, as horrifying as that is, once told me that she whispered to my father that she was wearing a matching bra and underwear, and he couldn’t wait until they got home.
Inside My
Church in Dixfield, Maine
Kiya Seigle
On Sundays, I wander
to this house of love, that tastes as good
as hot cocoa
with extra marshmallows.
This sacred place is filled
with silver laughter, with
the sounds of water splashing
as the littlest miracle among us,
the perfect angel we’d all been quickly waiting for,
for nine heavy months,
plays with her toys
in the bathtub.
We watch The X-files.
And this is as close to God
as I will ever
get.
What’s the Difference Between Nightline and Saturday Morning Cartoons? . . . Not Much
Media from around the world followed the World Trade Organization summit meeting in Seattle, as tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered to voice their concerns about corporate globalism, environmental abuse and labor rights. The ensuing arrests, police abuse and property damage dominated much of the mainstream media discussion. But one news outlet in particular stood out for their peculiar lack of coverage: Since the demonstrators began gathering and marching on Monday, Nov. 29, ABC's Nightline did not so much as mention the events unfolding in Seattle.
Nightline's record on covering the World Trade Organization is not terribly impressive to begin with. A search of the Nexis news database finds that the words "World Trade Organization" or "WTO" have rarely been uttered on the show, and haven't been mentioned at all since a passing reference on June 26, 1998.
One explanation might be found in Nightline's Oct. 4, 1994 broadcast. In his introduction to a discussion of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades (GATT), Koppel explained to viewers that capturing the public's attention with light news was "relatively easy, even when the subject has little or no widespread impact. Impact is not what draws a crowd, high interest does."
Koppel named the O.J. Simpson case as an example of low_impact news that interests everyone, in contrast to the GATT, the mere mention of which, he said, "seems sufficient to turn most otherwise active minds to mush." He continued: "Our problem is holding onto your attention with a subject that will have enormous impact on your lives, but is seen as being so complicated that we'd rather take the consequences than a close look." (During one seven_week stretch in early 1994, Nightline devoted 45 percent of its airtime to discussions of the O.J Simpson trial.)
Despite the global importance of the WTO talks, not to mention the level of citizen involvement, it seems that Nightline opted to "take the consequences" rather than a "close look." Among the stories Nightline judged to be of "higher interest" this week than the WTO protests was "Father Wants Son to Return to Cuba" (12/1/99). The show that aired on Friday, November 3 told the story of Precious Bedell, a woman who spent time in prison for murder and earned a master's degree while incarcerated.
Jennifer Pozner, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) Media analysis, critiques and news reports
Somewhere along the line, someone decided that it is more important to keep people entertained than to keep them informed. That sounds like an insult to me. In an age where information is power, those who control the media use it as a tool. As someone wise once said, the media doesn’t tell us how to think, but it does tell us what to think about.
The massive demonstrations that occured in response to the meeting of the World Trade Organization in Seattle at the end of November were intriguing at least, revolutionary at best. What do you know about them? Do you know what the activists were trying to say? Were you familiar with the WTO before? Do you know much more about it now? Think back to what you saw on your TV and in the papers . . .
Now read this.
This is not the place for a full fledged education on the WTO. . . but it’s better than nothing
The WTO (World Trade Organization) was set up in 1995. The fact that most of the world had never heard of the WTO until this past year is a testimony to the degree of secrecy in which the WTO has worked. Its purpose is to set basic rules in governing trade. There are 135 member countries and each has a "trade minister" who is the delegate to the WTO. In this country, our trade minister Barchevsky has 500 official advisors. Of these advisors, 5 come from environmental groups and 11 come from labor groups. The remaining 484 advisors are from major US corporations. This is a definite tilt to the corporate side, and almost every one of the disputes ruled on by the WTO has been decided in favor of corporations and profits with little to no consideration for such things as human rights, the environment, safe working conditions, and food safety. Indeed, despite the fact that the international boycott of South Africa was a major factor in ending apartheid, such boycotts are no longer permitted under WTO rules.
WTO’s scope goes beyond such things as ensuring that foreign and domestic goods are treated equally. Disputes between nations are decided by a tribunal of three "trade experts" in Geneva, Switzerland. The proceedings are entirely secret, with no media or public allowed. When a dispute has been settled by the three trade experts, there is no appeal; no information is given about how or why they reached their decision. The WTO has the power to rule for or against the national laws of participating countries. When the WTO rules against a national law protecting the environment or outlawing child labor, the losing country must either pay large fines or change its law. It is obvious that poor countries will have no choice but to change their laws in accordance with WTO demands, because they could never afford the fines levied. There have been eight challenges against public interest laws (some of them US environmental laws); in all eight cases, the WTO declared the trade barriers (such as protecting dolphins and sea turtles) were illegal. Five of the eight rulings involved food safety.
There are legitimate reasons for establishing rules for international trade, but the way in which the WTO is constituted is not a reasonable way for rules to be established.
The preparation that went into the organized protests against the WTO was formidable and thorough, and the protests had a number of goals (see top of centerfold). Prior to the arrival of the WTO participants, the organizers of the protest had actually succeeded in arranging a day long meeting between the WTO and members of various Non-Governmental Organizations. This, even if only symbolic, was a tremendous accomplishment. To my knowledge it was the first time that the WTO has ever made such a concession.
While the WTO participants were to arrive in Seattle on Monday, the 29th of November, the "protestors" from all over this country and all over the world began to arrive on the 25th and 26th. In the weeks before, numerous sessions had been held to educate people about non-violence and peaceful protest. Friday the 26th was the first major event. The entirety of Benaroya Hall in downtown Seattle was filled with persons coming to learn from the International Forum On Globalization’s "Teach in against WTO." (Alternet Independent News and Media has an article about the resonating effects of this teach-in throughout the country, www.alternet.org/publicarchives/scott1229.html). Educational forums, teach-ins, concerts, workshops and lectures were held from early morning to late at night to assure that those participating were fully educated about the issues involved.
The next day the WTO was to begin its morning sessions. Events occurred throughout Seattle. Some people gathered downtown around the Westin Hotel, where the delegates were staying, and the Paramount Theater where the delegates were to gather for a meeting. The purpose of gathering early was to observe and/or commit civil disobedience by non-violently preventing the delegates from getting from the Westin into the Paramount. Participants were well trained in passive resistance . . . . Instead of bringing a bolt cutter and cutting the chains that protestors had used to chain themselves to block the passage, the police sprayed tear gas/pepper spray over those who were chained and unable to move. This started things off on the wrong foot . . . . Despite this, little to no violence [from the protestors] occurred. In the end, the protestors were successful. The WTO cancelled its event at the Paramount and ended up postponing their work session for almost five hours.
An official decision that seemed to be made in advance was not to arrest those committing civil disobedience. It is hard to believe that, with all the publicity the protest organizers received the city did not
know that civil disobedience was one of the problems they would have to deal with. The early morning TV news, showing a group of protestors chained to a large banner and barely able to move being tear gassed, was unnerving and inflammatory. Several other groups sitting down, blocking streets, or engaged in other forms of non-violent protests, were also tear gassed.
Most of us will never know why certain decisions were made. We have to assume that the Seattle police were not alone in making decisions, because the scope of the WTO participants and the involvement of President Clinton would have required that FBI, or ATF, Presidential security be involved in deciding how the events would be handled.
Except from a report by Thalia Syracopoulos, a Seattle resident who was involved in organizing the demonstrations, and witnessed them first hand.