WSW EDITORIAL

To look through the mail What She Wants receives is to be convinced of the diversity of the women and activity in the current women's liberation movement. Such diversity is a measure, not only of the health of the movement, but also of the connection of the present movement with its origins a decade ago. The influence of the guiding principles of the WLM of the

Interviews

60's continues in the priority of questioning, the importance of the thought and perspective of individual women, and the necessity of open discussion and disagreement without enmity.

That women's media contributes to the dynamism of the movement is unquestionable. The establishment of new publications provides needed outlets for

CONTENTS

International

Bernadette Devlin.......

Sandra McCarthy Kucinich.

France: 50,000 March for Abortion Rights... Spain: Protest for Abortion Law Reform..

News

Clio's Musings..

Local

Hard Hatted Women..

Letters...

NARAL/Ohio...

Off My Breast...

Classified Ads..

Find It Fastest......

What's Happening.

State and National

Gay March on Washington...

On the ERA:

Labor...

......

Management (Unfriendly Persuasion).

Injunction Against Meshel Amendment...

Poetry.

COVER PHOTO OF KRISTIN LEMS 1979 John Schults (see page 3)

What She Wants

back cover

What She Wants goes to production in the middle of the month. Copy should be submitted the first week of the month so that we can discuss it and edit collectively at our editorial meetings. Contact us for specific deadlines. Please print or type articles. Mail material to WSW, P. O. Box 18465, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118.

WHAT SHE WANTS IS:

A MONTHLY NEWS JOURNAL PRODUCED FOR ALL WOMEN. We always like input from our readers in the form of articles, personal experiences, poetry, art, announcements, and letters. We welcome women who are willing to help us in specific areas of the paper (writing, lay-out, advertising, distribution, publicity, etc.) and/or who are interested in our collective.

WHAT SHE WANTS ADVOCATES:

...equal and civil rights

...the right to earnings based on our need, merit, and interest

...access to job training, salaries, and promotions we choose

...the right to organize in unions and coalitions to advance our cause ...the right to decent health care and health information

...the right to safe, effective birth control and to safe, legal abortions ...the right to accept or reject motherhood

...the right to choose and express sexual preference without harassment ...access to quality education and freedom from prejudice in learning materials

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

A one-year subscription to WSW includes

12 regular monthly issues'

Individual $6.00 Contributing $15.00

Sustaining $25.00

And

Non-Profit Org. $10.00

For Profit Org. $15.00

DISTRIBUTION OUTLETS:

East: Appletree Books, Coventry Books, CWRU Bookstore, CWRU Women's Center, Food Communities, Food Project, Genesis, Hemming & Hulbert Booksellers

Central: Barnes & Noble, Publix Book Mart, Rape Crisis Center, WomenSpace

West: CCC Bookstore, Six Steps Down, Tish's Shoe Repair & Emporium

Akrom: Nature's Way

Kent: Kent Natural Foods Store

Columbus: Fan the Flames Bookstore

Boston, MA: New Words Bookstore

women's thought. For these reasons, the emergence of new women's and lesbian publications is, almost without exception, cause for celebration.

However, on occasion, the excitement over a new publication must be tempered by a consideration of the questions it raises. This is even more the case when these questions in some way reflect directions increasing numbers of feminists are taking.

Sisters United is a bi-monthly publication that witnesses the surge of interest in spiritualism among movement women. Produced by two women of Pentacostal background, Sister United offers an eclectic spiritualism to her readers. It is a curious blend of biblical quotations, apocalyptic projections, standard religious exhortations and reincarnation theory, among other things. These elements form the basis of the belief that "Homosexuality is a state of evolution, resulting from the person's soul having advanced to a higher spiritual state in a past life, thus making the present embodiment one wherein the spiritual and natural polarities have mixed-causing the person's Homosexuality."

While beliefs such as this may give some psychological solace to the many who have been battered into self-denigration by heterosexist society, this line of thought is somewhat alarming. It can be understood as a rephrasing of the "eye for an eye" mentality of the Judeo-Christian tradition; that is, it advances homosexuality, rather than heterosexuality, as the criterion of a natural superiority. Exchanging one form of chauvinism for another is neither a radical nor an effective strategy for social change. (Consider the integration of emigres into the American mainstream. It was only by standing on the backs of one nationality group that another group enlarged its stature in society. Society was left unchanged. Only patterns for admission were created.) The personal aspect of this type of thought is sobering. What need is there to work to develop your own humanity when, by decree, you are already superior to so many others?

It is not my intention to equate the religious tenets of the religion propounded by Sister United with the wide range of non-separatist and lesbian separatist variations of matriarchal religions and beliefs enjoying some popularity within the women's movement. But there are common elements.

If the spiritual beliefs many feminists now hold are a source of energy for personal change and political action, they are valuable. On the other hand, if these beliefs become a feminist way of escaping from the very real and painful problems we face, or if they become a rationale for other forms of intolerance, then they should be questioned vigorously.

-Marycatherine Krause

Moving?

If you're a subscriber, please let us know your change of address. Not only are we charged for issues returned to us by the post office, but you may miss an important issue of What She Wants!

WE ARE:

Terry Bullen, Carol Epstein, Linda Jane, Marycatherine Krause, Gail Powers, Mary Walsh CONTRIBUTORS (articles, poetry, graphics):

Mary Bugbee, M. B. Camp, Janet Century, Paula Copestick, Evelyn Hayes, Susan Lipkin, Sandy Pope, Barbara Winslow

FRIENDS OF THIS ISSUE (production):

Nickie Antonio-Bittner, Sandra Dowdell, Jean Loria, Pat O'Malley ADVERTISING, DISTRIBUTION:

Judy Gregory, Gale Stone

WSW depends heavily on its advertising income to survive. Some of our advertisers have helped to support us throughout the years, while others are relatively new. In return, we help them spread the news of their services throughout the women's community.

The next time you do business with a WSW advertiser, let them know you saw their ad and encourage them to continue their support. We would also ap preciate any feedback on the quality of the services they provide. With your help, we can ensure a mutually beneficial relationship.

November, 1979/What She Wants/Page!