BOOS, BRAVOS, AND TIDBITS

BRAVO to William Hickey, Plain Dealer TV critic, who indicts the local television and radio sportscasters for their daily neglect of "half the viewers of any given program" and continuing "to ignore the notable achievements of women in athletics." Hickey urges women to "organize a committee for the revocation of licenses, unless the offending stations promise to give women athletes their due."

BOO to all the above local television and radio sportscasters.

BRAVO to a federal judge in Boise, Idaho, who ruled that the City of Boise improperly fired six female police employees last year after what he called an "abysmal" investigation into alleged lesbian activity. The women sued the city for $10 million, contending that their constitutional rights were violated. While the judge did not reinstate the women, he ordered attorneys for both sides to prepare

ABORTION (continued from page 3)

overhaul of the British criminal law, Parliament enacted and King George III signed a basic criminal abortion law. The English common law became the model for similar laws in the United States, although it was not until several years later that abortion before quickening was made a crime in any state.

The nation's first abortion law was enacted in Connecticut in 1821, with other states following suit in due time. Many of the states, beginning with New York in 1828, added to their laws a general exemption for abortions "necessary to preserve the life of the mother."

Beginning in 1960, abortion (except to save the life of the woman) became illegal throughout the United States regardless of whether or not the fetus had quickened.

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court held that the government cannot interfere with the decision of a woman, in consultation with her doctor, to have an abortion during the first three months of pregnancy. That decision is still being interpreted. Questions as yet unanswered by the Supreme Court, but being litigated in lower courts across the country, are:

1. Does a pregnant minor have a right to terminate her pregnancy in private-without telling her parents-if she prefers?

2. If the federal government pays for medical care for poor women, including childbirth, should it pay for abortion as well?

3. What are the dimensions of the "informed consent" required for any medical treatment when applied to abortion? Must the woman be forced to hear a detailed description of fetal development?

4. To what extent may providers of first trimester abortions be subject to governmental regulations to which providers of other medical services are not subject?

The Religious Background

Both the Jewish and Protestant faiths recognize abortion under certain circumstances. Within the Jewish faith, the tolerance of abortion is least among Orthodox Jews, while Reform Jewish congregations are virtually all in favor of the right to choose abortion, as is the overwhelming majority of Protestant denominations.

Conservative and Reform segments of the Jewish faith approve of abortion not only to save the woman's life but also if pregnancy poses a serious threat to the woman's physical and mental health.

The current position of the Roman Catholic Church on abortion is of relatively recent origin. It was officially adopted in 1869, when Pope Pius IX terminated centuries of debate within the Church and firmly established the present position that under no circumstances is abortion justifiable..

memoranda on damages and indicated that arguments on the damage suit may be held in the spring.

BRAVO, BRAVO to TV-3's Amanda Arnold for calling commentator Dick Feagler on his sexist remark about wives in the latest of his periodic diatribes, and her continuing patient consciousnessraising of her male co-workers.

BOO to the Fire Chief of Iowa City, who wouldn't allow Linda Eaton, the only woman firefighter on the force, to nurse her son at the station in privacy during her work breaks (Plain Dealer, Jan. 18, 1979).

BRAVO to Mary Boyle (D-14), appointed to the Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Local Government Committees of the Ohio House of Representatives. (Sun Press, January 18, 1979).

Prior to that time, with the exception of three years. during the papacy of Pope Sixtus V (1588-1591), it was the position of the Roman Catholic Church that abortion was only punishable as murder if committed after the soul became rational or animated, generally considered to occur about 60 days after conception. In 1975 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted a plan to involve the Catholic Church and its members in a campaign against abortion rights. The Bishop's "Pro-Life Plan" called for public education to heighten opposition to permissive abortion, a legislative campaign directed to the enactment of a constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion and the adoption of federal and state laws and administrative policies to restrict abortions, and a political program to influence members of Congress and Congressional elections.

Excerpted from material prepared by Education for Freedom of Choice in Ohio 439 The Arcade Cleveland, Ohio 44114 579-0028

LETTERS (continued from page 2) personnel have published this newspaper for the two years I have been with What She Wants. I grew and changed, and the paper is mine because I worked on it. We all did.

The collective has business, planning, editorial, mailing or personal meetings once a week, plus spending one weekend a "month and two or three evenings in production. Knowing the labor involved, it still seems a miracle to me each month when What She Wants is printed at last and in my hands.

My main concern is that the newspaper survive,: In the collective, we had personality conflicts, of which I was eventually the center. No one who knows me would find that surprising. Because putting out this newspaper is most important to us all, the reason for our existence together, we all agreed I should take a leave of absence because that would make the job easier for everyone right now. I asked that my name be removed (temporarily, we hope) because I don't want the moral or legal responsibility when I have no direct input into collective decisions. I hope to be a Friend of This Issue as often as possible.

I hope also to see that friendly list increase. We must not lose this important means of communication. What She Wants needs money, publicity, local news written by local wimmin, subscriptions, more distribution outlets, help with everything. Search your hearts, sisters. Think about joining or helping the What She Wants Collective. That would be a good way to grow and change and take the future in your hands. I hope to return soon.

-Barbara Louise

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February, 1979/What She Wanks/Page 13