Feminist Theologians Meet in N. Y.

By Lorine M. Getz

Union Theological Seminary in New York City was the site of the first national meeting of the Feminist Institute of Theology November 21 and 22. An outgrowth of discussions in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C., over the past two years between concerned women involved in universities,

ether

seminaries, synagogues, and churches, the gathering focused its attention on feminist theology as it relates to all women of all faiths.

Planned by an Ad Hoc Committee comprised

primarily of women from Harvard, Boston Theological and Union to discuss and ratify a State-ment of Commitment and Proposal for Structure for the National Organization, the two-day seminar. became a lively polylogue among the nearly two hundred women--black and white, straight and lesbian, lower and middle class, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and "feminist”.

The program began Friday evening with dinner in the Union Refectory where participants gathered around tables set with Judy Chicago's "Dinner Party" theme. A panel discussion on "The Future of Feminist Theology" moderated by Carter Heyward followed, Panelists included Elizabeth Fiorenza, a Catholic theologian from Notre Dame University; Judith Plaskow, co-author of Womanspirit Rising and Jewish feminist; and Katy Canon, a black feminist poet.

Fiorenza initiated the discussion by outlining seven critical needs related to the future of feminist theology: 1) for women for the first time in the history of Western Civilization to claim their own theology impacting society and culture in a radical way; 2) for the discovery of an integrating metaphor with which to construct a functional definition of "god"; 3) for resistance to the temptation to harden into doctrinal factions which would once again set women in isolation from one another; 4) for intellectual rigor to combat inconsistencies and criticism; 5) for facing and exploring the societal patterns of

Court Rules Immigration Law Unenforceable

Immigration Judge Bernard Hornbach ruled in San Francisco on November 7 that an unsolicited, unambiguous, self-acknowledgment of homosexuality is insufficient evidence for exclusion of a gay alien. Ruling on the admission of Carl Hill, a British subject visiting the U.S. for a two-month vacation, Judge Hornbach held that a Class A Medical Certificate is required for exclusion of homosexuals under the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act. This ruling, if upheld on appeal, eliminates the remaining area of contention in the long fight waged by the National Gay Task Force and Gay Rights Advocates to change anti-gay federal immigration policy. In August 1979, U.S. Surgeon General Julius Richmond held that there was no medical or scientific basis for a diagnosis of homosexuality, and ordered Public Health Service physicians to decline referrals made by the Immigration and Naturalization Service for such determination.

"We are pleased and gratified by this decision which we fully expected," commented GRA Legal

Director Donald C. Knutson. "Especially encouraging was the sensitive and compassionate language used by the court in its description of this dehumanizing law." In his opinion read from the bench, Judge Hornbach severely criticized Congress for attempting to hide violations of human rights behind the cloak of medical science.

NGTF Co-Directors Charles F. Brydon and Lucia Valeska, who were present for this precedent-setting hearing, expressed their appreciation for the judge's position as well. "This victory is crucial, particularly at this time when many lesbians and gay men are concerned about the future of our movement during the next four years," commented Brydon and Valeska. "With GRA, we will pursue the immigration issue through the appeals process and continue to press forward on other fronts as well. The fundamental questions of civil rights and the right to privacy for gay people are unchanged, and we expect to build on this and other victories in the months and years ahead."

Coping Mother Punished-Loses Children

In a number of recent divorce cases, judges have taken advantage of the progressive idea that men too can care for kids and have deprived working women of their children. Under a new guise, the courts are still punishing women for deviating from traditional roles.

For instance, a court has deprived Bille Garde, a census clerk in Washington, D.C., of the custody of her two daughters. Garde works fulltime, and her husband Larry told the court that his former wife never had time for their two little girls, was never home and left them perpetually with babysitters as she pursued her career. Garde says she was simply coping, as most working mothers must, with the double demands of a job in a new city, apartment hunting and child care.

Garde described last summer's custody hearing: ""The substance of their testimony attempted to paint

4/What She Wants/December, '1980

a picture of me as an overly ambitious career woman who never wanted children. There were questions about how many times I had baked the kids cookies." The judge has awarded custody of the children to Larry Garde, newly remarried and living in a mobile home. Billie Garde, with a 3-bedroom apartment, is fighting the court decision.

The Women's Equity Action League Fund is collecting donations to help Garde with her legal expenses. Maxine Forman, spokeswoman for the fund, said, "We usually help with employment or education discrimination cases, but this is more than just a custody case....Judges are saying, 'You will not be economically free, upwardly mobile. You will stay in your place, take a secondary job.' This attitude affects women down the line, with lower Social Security benefits, a total life pattern."

1

19

-The Guardian 'December 3, 1980

J

violence against women; 6) for remaining a critical theology of liberation amid increasing repression and regression, and 7) for recognizing and combating the oppression within religion itself. She also suggested the founding of a new religious community, "Sisters Against Sexism," dedicated to fighting for the survival of feminist theologians, especially against the pressures and threats from the New Right.

Panelist Judith Plaskow insisted on recognition that there is no one feminist theology, but many feminist theologies. She challenged members not to devour one another over conflicting theological opinions at a time when society threatens to undermine women's consciousness in general. She suggested creating some new religious structures to support women's emerging religious experiences. Speaker Katy Canon stated that black women are (continued on page 9)

Puerto Rican Women

By Betty Ortiz

Nearly 350 Puerto Rican women from the castern United States and Puerto Rico gathered in Philadelphia from November 14-16 to participate in the eighth annual meeting of the National Conference for Puerto Rican Women (NACOPRW). The NACOPRW is the only nationwide grassroots Puerto Rican women's organization. It offers national networking for local chapter members and lobbies on issues affecting women and Hispanics, such as employment, fair housing, and bilingual education.

Conference topics focused on the need to organize activities and achievements to obtain equity for Puerto Rican women in education, politics and the family. Of special significance was the question which faces the Puerto Rican woman when she must com bine her traditional role as the pillar of the family with being a productive person in the economi

JOBS NOT WAR JOBS OR INCO

END ATTACKS ON MINORITIES AND WOMEN

The Call/cpf

SAVE

DAY CARE

8pUC KIDS'

world. The women in attendance spoke often of the need to develop meaningful careers instead of settling for low paying, menial jobs.

In the workshop, "Hispanic Women in the Private Sector", those in attendance agreed with the panelists that participation of Hispanic women was almost non-existent. Two panelists, who both had MBA degrees from Ivy League colleges, articulated their own successes as top executives of large corporations.

Another workshop focused on the changing roles of the family. Some women expressed concern about senior citizens losing their secure place in traditional Hispanic families and their fear of being institu tionalized. Generally, the participants agreed that more Hispanic women are working outside the home and are becoming more involved on both a personal and political level about issues affecting women. As a result, more of the women were seeking higher education, becoming more career conscious, and were better informed about utilizing available resources to develop their own life expectations.

Four representatives from the. Cleveland area attended the three day conference in order to bring information to the local chapter.