Women's Media Network (continued from page 2)

quoted or asked to speak on how issues and events affect them, nor are issues and events pertaining primarily to women (including our achievements and aspirations) considered "newsworthy”.

Not just Third World people, but American feminist organizations and alternative media must constantly struggle to remain free of American government influence in terms of funding, the granting of tax-exempt status, and more direct censorship. WIMN needs also to concern itself with remaining free of governmental control, regardless of which country or political system is involved. To what extent women receive justice in each country should be our overriding concern.

In our attempts to promote access to more accurate information concerning women, we should not overlook the censorship issue, whether internal or external. A free press is an enlightened concept; only if poorly used does it become destructive.

Among feminists, we must also face internal issues of power and freedom and of privilege by race or class, regardless of nationality. Americans were criticized at the conference when the absence of Black American women was noted. The French too were questioned for incorporating the name "Women's Liberation Movement" so that only one group could lay claim to it. There were similar discussions among Third World women about oppressive relationships among women in their own countries.

Through the process of confronting some of these issues, the women at the conference voted to adopt five general principles to guide the philosophy of WIMN. They were that I) all people and groups have the right to speak for themselves; 2) media as a tool for liberation and education should be available to all on an equal basis; 3) feminist analysis is the basis for the network and as such should incorporate the political, economic, and social aspects of issues; 4) * the views of oppressed groups and persons are crucial and should be sought out and their participation facilitated; and 5) the resources/programs/activities of WIMN will be accessible to all women, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, or political persuasion.

Gaining group harmony on operating principles, however, proved more difficult. Here, as often throughout the conference, First World-Third World tensions surfaced. Some proposals were loaded with rhetorical terms such as "cultural imperialism". Other proposals advocated endorsing the MacBride Report and the New World Information Order, despite the fact that they had not been explored or explained to the group, and in spite of their controversial and politically charged content, even at UNESCO. Some women seemed to feel that feminism was somehow a First World luxury and that fighting sexism was a First World problem. We did agree, however, that WIMN should participate both in mainstream and alternative media, and that it should set up two-way communication to change perceptions of women and increase awareness of problems and alternatives for change. We also agreed that WIMN should facilitate South to South (Third World) as well as North (First World)-South information flow.

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ference. That group, it appeared, would select the steering committee. As the full conference was adjourning, a woman from Pennsylvania attempted to meet with American women to select who should represent us on the committee. No one responded to her call. Actually, some American women left the conference early. Some expressed discouragement with the anti-American tone. Others were dissatisfied with the disorganization of the conference and were embarrassed by the lack of planning for participation of American women of color. This oversight contrasted with the Women in Print conference in Washington, D.C. last October, when women of color were contacted to encourage their attendance. At that conference, financial assistance was also offered to those women who needed it to attend. Additionally, the near total absence of American feminists working in the mainstream press (including Ms. Magazine) detracted from the conference. Most women in attendance from other countries, however, were professionals in alternative Third World or feminist communications and media. In general, a number of American somen felt discredited and discouraged from participating fully in discussions and decisions.

Despite the confusion surrounding certain issues, the first steps have been taken to form an international news and information exchange for women. With more dialogue, we can create specific ways to avoid the traps of internal conflicts, cultural bias, and government control in these difficult times of rapid social and economic change. In our search for accurate, authentic information about women, will our feminist sense of justice enable us to transcend our differences to present informed and perceptive alternative feminist views? A news and information network as set forth in the philosophy of WIMN would enable women to learn of each other without passing through the subjective filter of men's perceptions of us and, as such, would be a significant contribution to women and to the world's future.

"Coming Out" (continued from page 1)

policy with the partner as beneficiary to enable her/him to hire an attorney if a legal battle over the estate ensues. "You need a lawyer you can trust and tell everything to," she said. Whenever possible, matters should not go to court. Adequate planning could prevent this, but where there is a dispute, she suggested the parties could select people to act as arbitrators.

Rivera also suggested that couples prepare inventories while they still feel good about each other, not during a break-up. These inventories would specify, for claims purposes, who brought which items into the relationship as well as which items were purchased jointly.

Joint tenancy agreements could be arranged where appropriate, Rivera felt, but she advised that joint bank accounts are inappropriate, "since money is a terrible lever". Further, basic insurance law dictates against having two individuals as co-owners of a car. If the couple purchases a home together, a contract should specify each person's contribution as well as the method of dividing the worth of the house in the event of a break-up.

At the end of her workshop, Rivera encouraged gays and those who support gay rights to march in

Unfortunately, the process for implementing these principles remained unclear, especially to the women from the U.S. There was talk of a steering committee for this purpose which would chosen the next day. the Ohio Gay Pride Parade in Columbus on June 26

Almost all women from the U.S. had to leave, however, since the conference had been presented to sas a two-day event. Women from other countries, and I assume the conference planners, met for four days, one day before and one after the full con-

or to send a contribution to The Stonewall Union, P.O. Box 8355-A, Columbus, Ohio 43201.

The conference was sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University Gay Student Union and the GEAR Foundation.