Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Beyond God The Father: An Essay Review, Anne Barstow Driver

Women's Studies Quarterly

Mary Daly has attacked patriarchal values where they originated and where they remain most entrenched, in the religious institutions of our society . Daly blasted the church's anti-feminism six years ago in her widely-read book The Church and the Second Sex. Now she has criticized the theological assumptions that underlie those anti-feminine practices. More than that, in Beyond God the Father (Beacon Press, 1973) she has promised to move beyond criticism to begin a reconstruction of theology. She will give equal validity to both male and female experience in order to make a new spiritual revolution. As one who is …

News Briefs, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Sexism In The Social Work Curriculum, Mary C. Schwartz

Women's Studies Quarterly

The purpose of this paper is to examine parts of the social work curriculum in order to discover the various kinds of sexist bias present in the materials used in social work education. My intent is to give a sense of what these sexist biases might be by discussing some concrete illustrations from materials used in two basic social work courses, "human growth and development" and "family casework." The course on human growth and development is supposed to provide part of the crucial knowledge base that a social worker needs in order to formulate a psychosocial diagnosis and treatment plan. …

Why Discuss Men In Sexist Society?, Agate Nesaule Krouse, Barbara Taylor Desmarais

Women's Studies Quarterly

Can we ever stop worrying about men? When we teach women's studies courses, work with women's caucuses in professional organizations, or speak to various groups about feminism, we often do more than our duty. In addition to dealing with the problems of of women, we also consider those of men. Recently, however, both of us have begun re-evaluating our efforts. Our experience with a particularly bothersome workshop, "Women and Men in Sexist Society," started us thinking.

As co-chairwomen of the Midwest Women's Caucus for the Modern Languages, we were responsible for organizing five workshops for the 1973 Midwest Modern Language …

Campus News: University Of Texas/Arlington, Jeanne Ford

Women's Studies Quarterly

Feminists' activities at the University of Texas at Arlington have received official sanction in two areas: first, the Women's Studies Center completed its second year by offering five courses and conducting a research project; second, reports for the Status of Women Committee have drawn attention to inequities in salary and promotion policies.

In October 1971, as a direct result of the feminist movement throughout the nation, the former president of the University appointed six faculty and six staff members to the Status of Women Committee, currently seven women and five men. While no student is presently represented on the Committee, …

Review Of Women In America By Thomas Crowell, Laurie Olsen Johnson

Women's Studies Quarterly

From time to time we will review at length some special books or series of note. This, the first of those longer reviews, will replace the usual short book reviews this quarter. Women in America is a Thomas Crowell series available in hardcover ($5.50 each). Dell plans to reprint those marked with an asterisk.

Block, Irvin. The Lives of Pearl Buck: a Tale of China and America.

McKown, Robin. The World of Mary Cassatt.

*Meltzer, Milton. Tongue of Flame: the Life of Lydia Maria Child.

*Meltzer, Milton, Lawrence Lader. Margaret Sanger: Pioneer of Birth Control.

*Moore, …

National Conference On In-Service Education, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

The Feminist Press has announced it will sponsor the nation's first Conference on In-Service Education to be conducted November 21-23 on the campus of SUNY/College at Old Westbury.

The focus of the conference will be sex-role stereotyping and the teaching of history and literature. Delegates from the school systems of nine major cities are expected to participate.

Women's Studies And The Community: Some Models, Catherine Stimpson

Women's Studies Quarterly

One of the virtues of Female Studies VII (The Feminist Press, 1973) is that it enhances our awareness of the fact that women's studies is in a new phase. Among the features of that phase are: 1) an international interest in women's studies; 2) more respect from foundations and government agencies; 3) a concern for women in the curriculum of secondary and primary schools; 4) a worry about both the continuing hostility and indifference on the part of traditional academics and the danger that apparent converts may be little more than exploitative bandwagoneers; 5) consolidation within existing programs; and finally, …

International News: Four New Feminist Presses, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

In the last few months, we have received announcements of the founding of feminist presses in England, Japan, Germany and France.

Feminism At A Rural University: A Report From The University Of Idaho, Cheri Register

Women's Studies Quarterly

Moscow, Idaho, the dried pea and lentil capital of the world, is situated between Potlatch and Genesee, 85 miles southeast of Spokane, Washington. Its population is 13,000, a figure that must include a good share of the 7,000 students at the University of Idaho. It is not listed in national feminist catalogs—a lack that is due less to the failure of local feminist efforts than to the urban bias prevalent in the women's movement.

In my two years with the University of Idaho Women's Center, I watched—and, I hope, helped—a new spurt of feminism take hold in Moscow. I spent …

News From The Campus, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

The list of official women's studies programs is still growing (see additions below), and so is the number of innovative college courses and facilities offered for women. Here are a few examples we found especially interesting.

Back Matter, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Addition: La Mujer: En Pie De Lucha, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Seattle Schools Clean House, Deirdre O'Neill

Women's Studies Quarterly

Credit for awakening the Seattle schools' feminist consciousness lies with 55 women physical education teachers and coaches, who three years ago cried foul. Frustrated and angered over long-standing sex discrimination against women employees and students, they filed a complaint with the Washington State Human Rights Commission (HRC).

During the two and a half years of investigation by HRC, 40 of the women originally involved in the suit left the district. The persistence of the remaining 15 was rewarded by the recently signed conciliation agreement which promises corrective action by women and girls in physical education and athletic programs. In addition, …

Introducing High School Students To The Women's Movement, Sharon Henricks,, Etta Magnusen, Jodi Wetzel

Women's Studies Quarterly

But every time I got into an argument with either a chauvinist male or a chauvinist female, I found I lacked the arguments to support my point. I found that some people don't believe that discrimination is wrong or that everyone should have an equal chance. This class gave me good, solid arguments.—a college student.

For the second year the Minnesota Women's Center (MWC) and the Living-Learning Center (LLC, a part of University College) at the University of Minnesota are offering a directed-study project, "Introducing High School Students to the Women's Movement." Two main goals of the two-quarter, six …

Slide Protest, Lallo

Women's Studies Quarterly

A poem.

Administering A Women's Studies Program, Juanita H. Williams

Women's Studies Quarterly

The essay that follows answers some of the questions posed in last issue's Editorial. It was first read at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association in August 1973. Comments in the form of correspondence or essays will be welcome.

The Women's Studies Program at the University of South Florida completed its first full year of operation in August 1973; and concomitantly, I concluded my first year as an administrator of the Program. Is administering a women's studies program any different from administering a history or an economics department? In some respects not. All department chairpersons and program directors …

News Briefs, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Teaching In The Community Classroom, Toni Mester

Women's Studies Quarterly

Despite academic chauvinism in women's studies, it is possible to teach off-campus and get paid. As an hourly instructor in women's literature for the San Francisco Community College District, I have been able to help raise feminist consciousness in the community and draw a part-time professional wage. I created my job myself, although I share its economic insecurity with hundreds of other "hourlies" in local community colleges. The benefits—flexibility, autonomy, and student variety—may encourage others to seek or invent similar work.

In 1968, with an M.A. in English, teaching credentials, and not much hope of teaching in the job-tight Bay …

Any Change In Sexist Texts? Feminist Press Staff Survey Education Publishers, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

Are American publishers planning to do anything about the sexist bias found in their textbooks?

In order to answer this question, two Feminist Press staff members—Merle Froschl and Phyllis Arlow—conducted interviews this spring with 37 representatives of 15 New York educational publishers encompassing (with their subsidiaries and divisions) more than 200 educational publishers.

The study followed a more comprehensive investigation by Feminist Press staff of the state of sexism in the high school English and social studies curriculum. This larger study, initiated in September 1973, was conducted with the help of a generous planning grant from the Rockefeller Family Fund.

Schools: News And Resources, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

Another U.S. Congressperson, Senator Charles C. Percy, has introduced legislation to promote equal educational opportunities for women. The Women's Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974, like the Women's Educational Equity Act introduced by Representative Patsy Mink and Senator Walter Mondale, "is an attempt to call a halt to the processes that have robbed women of their potential. ... " Senator Percy contends that landmark laws such as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 are alone not enough to ensure equal educational opportunity for women. While the Mink and Mondale bill will "create a new program to support a …

Trade Union Consciousness Grows Among Women, Rosalyn Baxandall

Women's Studies Quarterly

An historic occasion: more than three thousand women from every state, representing at least 58 different trade unions, met in Chicago on March 23 25 to found the first Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW). Regional preparatory meetings had been held in New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. For about one-quarter of the women present, this was their first trade union conference.

Evaluating A Women's Studies Course, Joan Borod, Susan Dorsky, Carol Hull, Ellen Keller

Women's Studies Quarterly

Some fifty women attended the first Women's Studies Evaluation Conference in June 1973, at Wesleyan University. About half had previously taught women's studies courses. Literature and the social sciences were heavily represented; there were no hard scientists. We came with questions about the value, even the possibility, of evaluating women's studies courses and programs. We wondered whether any measuring technique could isolate one class as the cause of change in a student. We questioned social science methodology, and we speculated about possible alternative methodologies.

Self-Portrait: Feminist Dean, Adrian Tinsley

Women's Studies Quarterly

The following was a presentation at the Modern Language Association's convention in December 1973, under the heading, "Life Styles of Academic Women." We hope to print other portraits in future issues.

The token number of women in administration is increasing in a token way, at least in state and land-grant universities, according to a report from the National Association of Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. Eight hundred and sixty-four women held major administrative positions in 1972-73; while two years earlier, in 1970-71, sixty percent of the state universities and land-grant colleges surveyed had no women administrators who met the criteria of …

Review Of Hillbilly Women By Kathy Kahn, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

HILLBILLY WOMEN by Kathy Kahn (Doubleday, 1973: $7.95) "tells what it means to be a woman when you are poor, when you are proud, and when you are a hillbilly." This book focuses on women who are usually left out of feminist discussions of oppression: poor and working class white women who live in the Southern Mountain region.

Women's Studies At Suny/Albany, June E. Hahner

Women's Studies Quarterly

Women's studies at the State University of New York at Albany began in the fall of 1971 with a course on Women in Modern Literature offered through the School of General Studies. The following fall the faculty Women's Caucus at SUNY/Albany formed a subcommittee to develop a women's studies program, which by the spring of 1973 offered an undergraduate minor. We now face new decisions.

Letter To The Editors, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

I just read your report on education in Minnesota in the Women's Studies Newsletter (Winter 1974). I'm pleased that you gave some coverage to Minnesota, which, from my current geographical vantage point, seems like a progressive paradise. However, the emphasis in your paragraph on the State Board of Education is somewhat misleading.

You mention the State Department of Education's certification requirement and then add that "groups like the feminist Emma Willard Task Force" have been used to teach the sexism component. Actually, there would be no such certification requirement without the Emma Willard Task Force. I am one of the …

Editorial, The Feminist Press

Women's Studies Quarterly

It's been a year since our last editorial. We continue to receive encouragement about the Newsletter especially from people who like the mix of news about elementary, secondary, and higher education. But we wonder about the fact that we've had no negative criticism of our coverage or our features. And we're sorry, frankly, that we've been able to provoke no debate, and only a trickle of correspondence from our readers. In the interest of provoking such debate or correspondence, we offer several clusters of questions that need answering. We hope you'll try one or more of these.

Analyzing Physical Education For Equality, Jean L. Ambrose

Women's Studies Quarterly

On his last day in office, New Jersey's Governor William T. Cahill signed into law A823, a bill prohibiting discrimination in the public schools of the State. The bill states simply:

No pupil in a public school in this State shall be discriminated against in admission to, or in obtaining any advantages, privileges or courses of study of the school by reason of race, color, creed, sex or national origin.

Teaching About Black Women Writers, Barbara Smith

Women's Studies Quarterly

As a Black female who is also a graduate student in English, I have always felt outside the mainstream of Anglo-Saxon male consciousness which pervades the course materials I have been required to investigate. My long and deep involvement with Afro-American literature has been individually fulfilling, but I have never had a course in it nor gained the impression that white scholars view it as anything approaching valid art. Women's literature also strikes a responsive chord, but with both sets of non-mainstream writers there have been problems for me. I am not a Black male, but a female; I am …