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JANUARY 1977

HOLLY NEAR AND MEG CHRISTIAN A REVIEW

By Edward Rawlings

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

fit apparet for men and women, reserving to themselves what is functional and assigning to women styles that conform to male fantasy and power needs. Hence, women in "men's" clothes are simply reclaiming the right to determine for themselves what they will wear denying the right of the oppressor to define them. (In any case, "passing" has always been a tool of the oppressed to grab some of what the oppressor has maintained for himself.) And even if women wore jeans to mock men (which is clearly not the case), the mockery of the oppressed is wholly different in both cause

REH

and effect from that of the oppressor, since it is not sub-❘ sidized by power. The factor of power makes complementary actions an illusion.

In fact, the entire argument for "political drag" ignores or deliberately negates the very basic relationship of power and oppression. it rests on the "male-liberation" theory that it isn't men who oppress women but roles that oppress men and women. The fact is that men do oppress women, and the role they are "forced" into is the role of the privilege, or the oppression, of power. A man who refuses to understand this is maintaining his privilege and is hence our enemy. I'm sorry for the sufferings of the drag queen. I'm sorry for the

R.H.

sufferings of the black pimp and the working class rapist and the Jewish 'wife beater. I'm sorry for any oppressed man who reacts to his oppression not by fighting his oppressor but by attacking

women.

But I'm more sorry for the women he hurts. If women understand our own oppression, we won't allow compassion to prevent us from fighting our enemies. We can work with, or at least support, men who acknowledge their oppressiveness and sincerely work against it. But the men who continue to oppress us even to the extent of using our own movement to justify it are our enemies, and we must fight them.

Meg Christian and Holly Near.

Cleveland audiences had an The central focus of the music opportunity recently to hear a was women. They sang songs of musical performance that difwomen's oppressions such as fered in many ways from most "Sister Woman Sister," a song concert experiences. Holly Near by Holly about women in mental and Meg Christian's show on institutions, or "Put Away." a December 10th covered more song on a similar theme. ground that one would expect from a two hour presentation of music. Along with some sen, sitive vocal and instrumental sections they also gave the audience spots of humor, love songs, personal experiences and most importantlya political and social consciousness.

Holly and Meg's music is bringing this alive again, bringing new messages, and people are listening. It is significant to note that their non-sexist music has become quite popular without having gone through the usual

Many of the songs were positive, supportive and hopeful, like "The Road I Took," a song by another feminist writer, Barpara Keith, Holly's song "Flying." "Nicolia," featuring a three-part sing along or their moving closing number, "Rock Will Wear Away."

Of these, the latter is the most The contrast between the two unique in the popular music of artists provided a nice variety in the seventies. Political music the concert. Holly's music was was more often heard in the six-more intensely political, covties by singers such as Joanering topics varying from ApBaez, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon,palachian women to Vietnam Peter, Paul and Mary and others, and Hiroshima ("No More Genobut of late seems to have becide in My Name'). Meg's music come mostly a 'cliche" left from focused more on women's that era. issues as in, "Mama, Mama," her song about coming out to her mother as a lesbian woman and in a song about a relationship with a black woman in which the final moment was lost by "the fear of being queer." Holly's voice, a more gutsy. "music-industry-soaring, loose type of sound machine", (Rolling Stone complimented Meg's more exacMagazine, RCA Records, Belkin ting, professional vocal delivery Production, etc......) but has and clasically-styled guitar acbeen spread through some companiment. Together their socially conscious institutions vocal harmonies were definitely such as The Indo-China Peace the musical highlight of the Campaign, Redwood Records evening. Both were prone, how(Holly's company) Olivia ever to diluting their messages Records (Meg's company-a by sometimes trying too hard woman owned and run recorlyrically and vocally and thus ding company) and Cleveland's letting the musical feel fall by own Oven Productions. the wayside. I would have found

or bith al ble noqulayan ise