Controlling Reproduction

Inquiring minds all over the world are occupied with the study of population trends right now. Men all over the world are beginning to formulate policy to regulate birth rates which means, of course, policy which regulates women and their bodies. Since we are not being consulted, it is up to us to inform ourselves and to make our views known on the subject. Recently there have been many preparatory studies for the World Population Conference held in Rumania. The latest U.S. census, which is taken every 10 years, has been released and analyzed with some very surprising information. We are experiencing the lowest rate of population in Unites States history.

Why is there world wide concern about population growth? The world population is increasing faster than ever before in human history-not because of rising birthrates, but because of lower deathrates. If the present world population rate continues at slightly more than 2% per year, it is estimated that world population will double in 35 years.

But the increase is not uniform. Because of continuing high birth rates and lower death rates, some countries, like India, are experiencing very high growth rates. While the U. S., western and eastern European and Scandinavian countries have very low birth rates and lower death rates combining to produce less than replacement population growth. In other words, for every hundred persons who die at a given time, there are less than one hundred persons being born.

This in itself would not be alarming. It is the allocation of resources like food and fuel to the to the countries with lowest growth that is alarming. Reactions to the misallocations could be large scale starvation in the three quarters of the world which "has not", revolution and seizure of resources from those who "have, or voluntary redistribution. In our little corner of the world, the U.S.A., sharing will not be the choice-food exports are being cut, as are foreign aid programs.

What She Wants has open meetings, and any women interested in fennist newspaper work are welcome to attend. The response to our paper has been exciting and we really need to have more people working on it. All of us in the WSW collective have other jobs or go to school, and we put the paper out on our own time. Not only do we need writers and people to sell the paper; we need people to write us letters and give us feedback. We usually meet on Saturday afternoons. Call us at 321-1677 or write P. O. Box 18072, Cleveland Heights, D. 44118

STAFF:

Laurel Brummet, S. J. Caldwell, Laurie Campbell, Jane Darrah, Marian Dorn, Pat Flanagan, Linda Freeman, Barbara Geiser, Kathy Greenberg, Nancy Handley, Sandy Handley, Rita Hawkins, Meredith Holmes, Gail Hopkins, Sheri Pawski, Barb Reusch, Valerie Robinson, Linda Rothacker, Karal Stern, Mary Waxman, Jackie Wessel, Helen Williams, Melanie Youngs, Debbie Nagle,

This publication in on file at the International Women's History Archive, 2325 Oak St., Berkeley, California

Imperialism-not the "population bomb" or the weather-causes starvation in the third world. The Guardian

The U.N. Debate exposed the thinking behind this action. In one camp stood the U.S.A. and the Vatican state with a few other dependent countries, and in the other camp stood all the other countries. The position of the American delegates was that giving more resources to areas with high growth would only result in higher growth and that only the grim experience of starvation would make them stop their irresponsible breeding. The Catholic hierarchy opposed birth control and favored charity-another route to starvation.

The other countries of the world rejected these arguments by pointing out that the

growth comes from lower death rates, not higher birth rates, and that, historically, lower birth rates have always occurred in countries with better living conditions. In other words, get ready for a fight.

How will the U.S. prepare to hold on to our goodies? It will probably attempt to increase population, increase production, woo more allies (possibly the eastern Europeans, as evidenced by greatly increased trade in industrial commodities) and pour more and more money into military technology. Will we American women be sucked into this grisly plan?

On the reproduction front we should note that while before only Ireland had a national policy restricting birth control informationnow Argentina has made birth control pills illegal and Chechoslovakia and Hungary and Japan have restricted access to abortion.

Here in the U.S., there is a renewed battle to restrict abortion and we have yet to reach persons below the age of 18 with birth contro! information and devices. Where is our lower birth rate coming from? Not from birth control pills as you might expect-but from sterilization. The decrease in births is coming from a decrease in second children among married women in the 30 to 40 age bracket--and they are being sterilized to accomplish this. On the other hand, increasing proportions of young women are marrying and having their first child. In other words, more young women are able to marry than ever before and start families. Also, the socalled "illegitimacy" rate was, and has been, climbing fast among women below age 18until recently with the availability of abortion, it dropped a bit.

It is on this reality that we must base our future strategy to get control of our bodies and reproduction. Discuss this with your discussion group, your political action group, your friends and use What She Wants to communicate your ideas.

Ms. Claus For The Cause

It was the night before Christmas, and all was not well. Santa Claus had developed a bad case of diarrhea and was too weak to climb down any chimneys. So Ms. Claus decided to take his sleigh-ride for him.

They were using this Christmas Eve to match up toys with the names on the lists. Final prepa rations were made at last, and Ms. Claus bundled up for her ride through the night. She toted the bags to the sleigh and hitched up the reindeer. As she climbed in, she spoke a few words to Rhonda the lead reindeer to tell her that all was going to work out well.

And off they went... The first stop was delivering a choo-choo train to six year old Betty White. Ms. Claus sild down the chimney, set the train under the tree, and paused to smile at how happy this little girl was going to be. But quickly now because many more stops had to be made.

Next was her stop at the Parkers house where Bonnie and Clyde both wanted Hot Wheels. When this was accomplished, Ms. Claus proceeded on to the Bell's house where their little boy had his heart set on a pair of roller skates. Then it was on to deliver the clown with twoclown outfits and six shades of face paint to Bozo Brown. Now to little Pat and Dick's house where the fascinating Watergate game

would be a big surprise. Next door at the Love's house she delivered a pair of squirt guns to Christy and Columbo.

Getting back into the sleigh, Ms. Claus rode on into the night spreading joy into every home. Presents were given to each small child with no "good" or "bad" label to stop her. You see, Ms. Claus had thrown out her husband's "only good little children's" list and was giving presents to one and all. Which is how it should be, shouldn't it?

MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY CHANUKAH

FROM WHAT SHE WANTS

page 2/What She Wants/December, 1974