Internet Surfer 2.0/Internet Surfer 2.0 (Wayzata Technology) (1996).iso/pc/text/mac/faqs.272

Text File | 1996-02-12 | 28.4 KB | 661 lines

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.272



    In order to continue to achieve these goals and more, AWSDA needs
    the support of interested, motivated persons. We need you - men
    and women who care enough to show their support for AWSDA.  Men
    and women from all walks of life and all backgrounds.  Together we
    can make a difference.  Call or write to the address above or
    e-mail to "[e-mail]" for more information and an
    application form. If you e-mail to me, please be sure to include
    your postal mailing address. We look forward to hearing from you.

  American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [USA]
      132 West 43rd Street
      New York, NY  10036

    Founded in 1920. Pro- reproductive choice; pro- lesbian & gay
    rights.  [From ACLU Briefing Paper #1 (published in 1991):] "The
    ACLU is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 250,000-member public interest
    organization devoted exclusively to protecting the basic civil
    liberties of all Americans, and extending them to groups that have
    traditionally been denied them."

  Committee on Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE)

    The National Research Council (NRC) has established, within the
    Office of Scientific and Engineering Personnel, the Committee on
    Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE) in 1990.  The latter is
    responsible for activities for facilitating the entry and
    retention of a greater number of talented women into scientific
    and engineering careers. Therefore, they are mainly focused on the
    postsecondary segments of the Education/Employment pipeline. They
    held their first meeting in March 1991 and their activities are as
    follows:
      (1) collect and disseminate current data on the participation of
          women in science and engineering in the fields of academe,
          government, industry, and professional societies.
      (2) monitor the progress of efforts to increase the
          participation of women in S&E careers
      (3) conduct symposia, workshops and other meetings to explore
          the policy environment, to stimulate and encourage
          initiatives in program development for women in S&E, and to
          evaluate their effectiveness on a regular basis
      (4) propose research and conduct special studies on issues
          relevant to women scientists and engineers so as to develop
          reports to document evidence and articulate NRC
          recommendations for actions.

  Emily's List [USA]
      1112 16th Street, NW
      Suite 750
      Washington, D.C.  20036
      [phone]

    EMILY (Early Money Is Like Yeast)'s List is a "donor network" --
    the organization itself does not give money to candidates;
    instead, it recommends a list of candidates to the members of the
    network and the members write checks directly to the campaigns of
    the candidates they choose.  Their focus is on electing pro-choice
    Democratic women to state and national office.  They distribute a
    well-researched and very detailed (2 pages' worth) profile of each
    recommended candidate to the network membership.

    To become a member of EMILY's List, one must pay a membership fee
    of $100 every 2 years, and pledge to write a minimum of 2 checks a
    year, for a minimum of $100 each, to a minimum of 2 candidates.

  Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) [USA]
      1400 20th St. NW, Suite 104,
      Washington, DC 20036
      202-785-5100

  National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) [USA]

  National Gay and Lesbian Task Force [USA]

  National Institutes of Health: Office of Research on Women's Health
      301-402-1770

  National Roundtable for Women in Prisons [USA]

  National Women's Health Network [USA]
      1325 G Street, NW (Lower Level)
      Washington, DC 20005-2052

    Provides information on many aspects of health care for women.
    There is a bimonthly newsletter as well as an informational
    resource center provided. The newsletter is informative and very
    interesting.  They advocate reforms and legislation affecting
    research into women's health care, and availability of women's
    health care.  For example:
      1) Pushed for resources into women's reproductive health research:
      2) Pushed for safe drugs and medical devices;
      3) Provided information about menopause and "replacement" therapy drugs;
      4) Fought for reproductive rights
      5) Distributed information on women and AIDS
      6) Pushed for funding and research into breast health and breast cancer;
      7) Promoted maternal and child health care policies
      8) Worked on occupational health issues
      9) Pushed for a national health program

  National Women's Political Caucus [USA]

  National Women's Studies Association [USA]

  Older Women's League [USA]
      666 11th Street, NW Suite 700
      Washington DC 20001-4512

    The First and only national membership organization dedicated to
    improving the lives of mid-life and older women, OWL is a leading
    advocate for economic and social justice, exerting its influence
    in Congress and state legislatures on a vast array of public
    policy fronts, such as pensions, Social Security, insurance and
    health care.  They support expanded employer-sponsored pension
    coverage, increased access to housing, housing alternatives for
    the elderly poor, and the Family Medical Leave Act.

  Planned Parenthood [Int'l]

  Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights (RCAR) [USA]
      100 Maryland Ave., NE
      Washington, D.C., 20002-5625

    A coalition of diverse Christian and Jewish groups supporting a
    woman's right to abortion.  They link reproductive freedom with
    religious freedom, noting that an anti-abortion law would impose a
    religious view held by some citizens upon all citizens (the notion
    of personhood).  They present a distinct challenge to the notion
    that only "unbelievers" are pro-choice.

  Society for the Advancement of Women's Health Research, The [USA]

  Women of Color Caucus

  Women in House and Senate (WISH)
    Similar to Emily's List, but for Republican candidates.


III.  Feminist and Feminist-Oriented Magazines.

  The Women's Review of Books
      The Women's Review Inc
      828 Washington Street
      Wellesley, MA 02181

    $16/year-monthly except August--newprint--usually about 25 pages

    Editorial Policy: The Women's Review of Books is feminist but not
    restricted to any one conception of feminism; all writing that is
    neither sexist, racist, homophobic, nor otherwise discriminatory
    will be welcome. We seek to represent the widest possible range of
    feminist perspectives both in the books reviewed and in the
    content of the reviews.  We believe that no one of us, alone or in
    a group, can speak for feminism , or women, as such; all of our
    thinking and writing takes place in a specific political, social,
    ethnic and sexual context, and a responsible review periodical
    should reflect and further that diversity. The women's Review
    takes no editorial stance; all the views expressed in it represent
    the opinion of the individual authors.

  Ms.
      P.O. Box 50008
      Boulder, CO 80321-0008

    An advertisement-free magazine devoted to a variety of feminist
    issues.  Ms. has had a long history as a feminist magazine.

  The Network News
      National Women's Health Network
      1325 G St., N.W.
      Washington DC, 20005

    Women's health issues.

  Women and Guns
      Second Amendment Foundation
      James Madison Building
      12500 N.E. Tenth Place
      Bellevue, WA 98005

    Practical advice on self-defense from the woman's point of view.
    Besides gun reviews, includes topics such as self-protection at
    home, effective cover, who should (and should not) own a gun, gun
    storage options, teaching children to stay away from guns.  A
    refreshing feminist editor provides intriguing editorials.

  Health
      3 Park Avenue
      New York, NY 10016

    Women's health issues.


IV.  Feminist and Women-Oriented Electronic Mailing Lists.

  In subscribing to any of these lists, be sure to include your full
  email address at the end of the body of your message.  Do not count
  on the Reply: field arriving unscathed at the other end.

  A number of universities and companies have local women-only or
  women-oriented mailing lists; you may wish to inquire the postmaster
  at your site for any specific local information.

  All the information here was correct as of March, 1992.

  Amazons International

    Amazons International is an electronic newsletter for and about
    Amazons (physically and psychologically strong, assertive women
    who don't like or fit in with femininity as weakness, wimpiness
    and subordination and who are not afraid to break free from
    traditional ideas and restrictions about gender roles), and their
    friends and lovers. Amazons International is dedicated to the
    image of the female hero in fiction and in fact, as it is
    expressed in art and literature, in the physiques and feats of
    female athletes, and in sexual values and practices.  Contact:
    [e-mail].

  [e-mail]

    EDUCOM-W is an unmoderated list to facilitate discussion of issues
    in technology and education that are of interest to women.  The
    list is intended to promote discussion of how EDUCOM can help
    address those issues in its services to members.

    To subscribe, send a message to listserv@bitnic with the following
    line of text:

      SUB EDUCOM-W Your_full_name

    where Your_full_name is your name, not your login ID.

  femail

    Femail is intended to provide a forum for discussion of issues of
    interest to women, in a friendly atmosphere. The basic tenets of
    feminism and the day-to-day experiences of women do not have to be
    explained or defended.  Men and women can join, but everyone
    requesting to be added to the mailing list MUST provide the
    moderator with: 1) a full name; 2) a complete uucp path to a
    well-known host or a fully specified Internet address; 3) the
    correspondent's gender (for records and statistics only).  NO
    exceptions.

    To subscribe, send email to [e-mail]

  feminism-digest

    This is a simple collation of the articles that appear on usenet's
    soc.feminism.  It is not a mailing list in its own right, although
    subscribers are told how to send their articles via email to the
    newsgroup.  It is intended for anyone unable to access
    soc.feminism or simply wishing a digest format.  At present, the
    articles are not filtered.  Anyone can join.

    To subscribe, send email to [e-mail].

  GENDER

    Gender issues.  To subscribe, send email to
    [e-mail].

  Kol-Isha

    Halachic questions and issues concerning women's roles in Judaism.
    It is a moderated list available through the courtesy of
    israel.nysernet.  The list encourages Achdut Yisrael and so
    is open to a member of any group, so long as other group member's
    positions are respected.

    To subscribe, send a message to [e-mail]
    with the text

    subscribe kol-isha Jane Doe

    Substitute your own name for Jane Doe (do not put in your login or
    email address).  Do not specify a subject line and do not include
    any other text in the body.

  SAIS-L

    Science awareness and promotion.  Send email to
    [e-mail] or [e-mail].

  sappho

    Purpose: A forum and support group for gay and bisexual women.
    The list is not moderated, but may become so if the volume and/or
    content begins to warrant it.  A digest version is available; if
    you want it, be sure to mention it in your addition request.  Men
    who want to "listen in," for whatever reason, are requested to try
    other mailing lists instead; sappho membership is limited to
    women.

    To subscribe, send email to [e-mail].

  SWIP-L

    Feminist Philosophy.  Send email to
    [e-mail].

  systers

    Systers is a mailing list intended for professional and technical
    women in computer science.  This is a women-only list.  Academic
    and industry people are both welcome.  In general, you should be
    finished with undergraduate studies and either working in Computer
    Science (in industry or academics) or completing Masters/PhD. work
    in Computer Science.

    To subscribe, send email to Dr. Anita Borg at
    [e-mail].  She will give you all the
    addresses that you will need for participation on systers.

  WISENET

    Women in science, mathematics or engineering and students
    interested in those disciplines are encouraged to join a newly
    established network to help them progress in their careers.
    WISENET/Midwest is a Midwest network that promotes women and girls
    of diverse backgrounds in science, mathematics and engineering.

    To subscribe, send email to listserv@uicvm (bitnet) or
    [e-mail] (internet).  The format in the body
    of the message should be

        SUBSCRIBE WISENET your_full_name

    Where your_full_name is your own name, not your email address.

  WITI (described above)

    Send email to [e-mail].


  WMST-L

    WMST-L has been formed to facilitate discussion of Women's Studies
    issues, especially those concerned with research, teaching, and
    program administration, and to publicize relevant conferences, job
    announcements, calls for papers, publications, and the like. The
    list also serves as a repository for syllabi and other files
    related to Women's Studies.

    To subscribe to WMST-L, send the following command via e-mail or
    interactive message to listserv@umdd (Bitnet) or
    [e-mail] (Internet): Subscribe WMST-L Your_full_name.
    For example:

      Subscribe WMST-L Jane Doe

    For more information, or if you have materials that you'd be
    willing to put on file, please contact Joan Korenman, Women's
    Studies Program, U. of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD
    21228-5398 (korenman@umbc or [e-mail]).

  WON (described above)

    Send email to [e-mail] or [e-mail].


V.  Catalogues.

  National Women's History Project
      7738 Bell Road
      Windsor, CA  95492
      [phone]
      8-5 Pacific Time

    The blurb on the cover says that the catalog is a resource for
    "Posters, Women's History Month Celebration Supplies, Gifts,
    Books, Videos, Display Materials, Classroom Materials".  The
    function of the project is to promote women's history in
    classrooms, workplaces and communities. The catalog gets bigger
    every year, and reading through it is always inspiring.

  Scarecrow Press Catalogue
      52 Liberty Street
      PO Box 4167
      Metuchen NJ 08840
      1-800-537-7107


--------------

My thanks to: Nancyjane Bailey, Anita Borg, Natalie Cohen, Janet Chin,
Ellen Eades, Marc R. Ewing, Kathleen Freeman, Thomas Gramstad, Mary
Dee Harris, Stacy Horn, Eileen S. Kostolni, Dian Lopez, Diane L.
Olsen, Linda C.  Perry, Carolyn Turbyfill, Heidi Wolf, and Sue J.
Worden.

--------------

Please mail in comments, additions, corrections, suggestions, and so
on to [e-mail].


--Cindy Tittle Moore

"A woman with a mind is fit for all tasks."
--Christine de Pizan (c.1363 - c.1431)
Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu soc.feminism:5681 news.answers:4643
Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!usenet
From: [e-mail] (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism,news.answers
Subject: soc.feminism Terminologies
Supersedes: <feminism/[e-mail]>
Followup-To: poster
Date: 17 Dec 1992 06:02:26 GMT
Organization: University of California at Irvine: ICS Dept.
Lines: 467
Sender: tittle
Approved: [e-mail],[e-mail]
Expires: 25 Jan 1993 06:02:10 GMT
Message-ID: <feminism/[e-mail]>
References: <feminism/[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
NNTP-Posting-Host: pit-manager.mit.edu
Summary: This post contains a description of a variety of feminist
         groups and ideas.  It is intended to give readers of
         soc.feminism a common basis for understanding different terms
         that get thrown around.
X-Last-Updated: 1992/08/06

Archive-name: feminism/terms
Version: 1.4
Last-modified: 6 August 1992

Copies of this FAQ may be obtained by anonymous ftp to
pit-manager.mit.edu (18.172.1.27) under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/feminism/terms.  Or, send email to
[e-mail] with the subject line "send
usenet/news.answers/feminism/terms", leaving the body of the message
empty.

Summary of changes:
"Kinds" of feminism alphabetized.  Material feminism added.



A variety of movements in feminism means that calling one's self a
feminist can mean many things.  In general, members of the following
categories of feminism believe in the listed policies; however as with
any diverse movement, there are disagreements within each group and
overlap between others.  This list is meant to illustrate the
diversity of feminist thought and belief.  It does not mean that
feminism is fragmented (although it often seems that way!).  Much of
the definitions presented here are inspired from _American Feminism_
by Ginette Castro; there is a definite American bias here.  Other
sources were _Feminist Frameworks_ (2nd ed.) by Jaggar and Rothenberg
(which is a worthwhile but incomplete reader that tried to sort out
these various schools of feminist thought).  Any additional, balancing
information from other countries and/or books is more than welcome
(and will be incorporated).

Defining various kinds of feminism is a tricky proposition.  The
diversity of comment with most of the kinds presented here should
alert you to the dangers and difficulties in trying to "define"
feminism.  Since feminism itself resists all kinds of definitions by
its very existence and aims, it is more accurate to say that there are
all kinds of "flavors" and these flavors are mixed up every which way;
there is no set of Baskin Robbins premixed flavors, as it were.

  Amazon Feminism

    Amazon feminism is dedicated to the image of the female hero in
    fiction and in fact, as it is expressed in art and literature, in
    the physiques and feats of female athletes, and in sexual values
    and practices.

    Amazon feminism is concerned about physical equality and is
    opposed to gender role stereotypes and discrimination against
    women based on assumptions that women are supposed to be, look or
    behave as if they are passive, weak and physically helpless.

    Amazon feminism rejects the idea that certain characteristics or
    interests are inherently masculine (or feminine), and upholds and
    explores a vision of heroic womanhood.  Thus Amazon feminism
    advocates e.g., female strength athletes, martial artists,
    soldiers, etc. [TG]

  Anarcho-Feminism

    Anarcho-feminism was never a huge movement, especially in the
    United States, and you won't find a whole lot written about it.  I
    mention it mostly because of the influential work of Emma Goldman,
    who used anarchism to craft a radical feminism that was (alas!)
    far ahead of her time.  Radical feminism expended a lot of energy
    dealing with a basis from which to critique society without
    falling into Marxist pleas for socialist revolution.  It also
    expended a lot of energy trying to reach across racial and class
    lines.  Goldman had succeeded in both.  Radical feminist Alix
    Schulman realized this, but not in time to save her movement.
    She's put out a reader of Goldman's work and a biography, both of
    which I recommend highly.  [JD]

  Cultural Feminism

    As radical feminism died out as a movement, cultural feminism got
    rolling.  In fact, many of the same people moved from the former
    to the latter.  They carried the name "radical feminism" with
    them, and some cultural feminists use that name still.  (Jaggar
    and Rothenberg don't even list cultural feminism as a framework
    separate from radical feminism, but Echols spells out the
    distinctions in great detail.)  The difference between the two is
    quite striking: whereas radical feminism was a movement to
    transform society, cultural feminism retreated to vanguardism,
    working instead to build a women's culture.  Some of this effort
    has had some social benefit: rape crisis centers, for example; and
    of course many cultural feminists have been active in social
    issues (but as individuals, not as part of a movement).  [JD]

    Cultural feminists can sometimes come up with notions that sound
    disturbingly Victorian and non-progressive: that women are
    inherently (biologically) "kinder and gentler" than men and so on.
    (Therefore if all leaders were women, we wouldn't have wars.)
    I do think, though, that cultural feminism's attempts to heighten
    respect for what is traditionally considered women's work is an
    important parallel activity to recognizing that traditionally male
    activities aren't necessarily as important as we think.  [CTM]

    I have often associated this type of statement [inherently kinder
    and gentler] with Separatist Feminists, who seem to me to feel
    that women are *inherently* kinder and gentler, so why associate
    with men?  (This is just my experience from Separatists I know...I
    haven't read anything on the subject.)  I know Cultural Feminists
    who would claim women are *trained* to be kinder and gentler, but
    I don't know any who have said they are *naturally* kinder. [SJ]

    As various 1960s movements for social change fell apart or got
    co-opted, folks got pessimistic about the very possibility of
    social change.  Many of then turned their attention to building
    alternatives, so that if they couldn't change the dominant
    society, they could avoid it as much as possible.  That, in a
    nutshell, is what the shift from radical feminism to cultural
    feminism was about.  These alternative-building efforts were
    accompanied with reasons explaining (perhaps justifying) the
    abandonment of working for social change. Cultural feminism's
    justification was biological determinism.  This justification was
    worked out in great detail, and was based on assertions in
    horribly-flawed books like Elizabeth Gould Davis's _The First Sex_
    and Ashley Montagu's _The Natural Superiority of Women_.  So
    notions that women are "inherently kinder and gentler" are one of
    the foundations of cultural feminism, and remain a major part of
    it.  A similar concept held by some cultural feminists is that
    while various sex differences might not be biologically
    determined, they are still so thoroughly ingrained as to be
    intractable.  There is no inherent connection between
    alternative-building and ideologies of biological determinism (or
    of social intracta- bility).  SJ has apparently encountered
    alternative-builders who don't embrace biological determinism, and
    I consider this a very good sign. [JD]

    I should point out here that Ashley Montagu is male, and his
    book was first copyright in 1952, so I don't believe that it
    originated as part of the separatist movements in the '60's.
    It may still be horribly flawed; I haven't yet read it. [CTM]

  Erotic Feminism

    [European] This seemed to start (as a movement) in Germany under
    the rule of Otto von Bismarck.  He ruled the land with the motto
    "blood and iron". In society the man was the _ultra manly man_ and
    power was patriarchal power. Some women rebelled against this, by
    becoming WOMAN. Eroticism became a philosophical and metaphysical
    value and the life-creating value. [RG]

  Eco-Feminism:

    This branch of feminism is much more spiritual than political or
    theoretical in nature.  It may or may not be wrapped up with
    Goddess worship and vegetarianism.  Its basic tenet is that a
    patriarchical society will exploit its resources without regard to
    long term consequences as a direct result of the attitudes
    fostered in a patriarchical/hierarchical society.  Parallels are
    often drawn between society's treatment of the environment,
    animals, or resources and its treatment of women.  In resisting
    patriarchical culture, eco-feminists feel that they are also
    resisting plundering and destroying the Earth.  And vice-versa.
    [CTM]

    This is actually socially-conscious environmentalism with a tiny
    smattering of the radical and cultural feminist observation that
    exploitation of women and exploitation of the earth have some
    astonishing parallels.  The rest of "eco-feminism" turns out to be
    a variation on socialism.  The Green movements of Europe have
    done a good job of formulating (if not implementing) an
    environmentally aware feminism; and while Green movements
    were not originally considered a part of eco-feminism, they
    are now recognized as a vital component. [JD]

    (If I remember correctly, a couple of feminist groups, including
    NOW have joined up with Green parties.  [CTM])

  Feminism and Women of Color

    In _feminist theory from margin to center_ (1984), bell hooks
    writes of "militant white women" who call themselves "radical
    feminists" but hooks labels them "reactionary" . . .  Hooks is
    refering to cultural feminism here.  Her comment is a good
    introduction to that fractious variety of feminism that Jaggar and
    Rothenberg find hard to label any further than to designate its
    source as women of color.  It is a most vital variety, covering
    much of the same ground as radical feminism and duplicating its
    dynamic nature.  Yet bad timing kept the two from ever uniting.
    For more information you might want to also read hooks' book and
    her earlier reader, _ain't i a woman?_ Whereas radical feminism
    was primarily formulated by educated white women focusing on
    women's issues, this variety was formulated by women who would not
    (because they could not) limit their focus.  What is so
    extraordinary is that the two converged in so many ways, with the
    notable exception that the women of color were adamantly opposed
    to considering one form of oppression (sexism) without considering
    the others. [JD]

    I think an important work in the history of feminism and women of
    color is Gloria Anzaldua and Cherrie Moraga's anthology, _This
    Bridge Called My Back: Writings By Radical Women of Color_.  It's
    my belief that the unique contribution of women of color, who
    experience at least two forms of discrimination daily, provides
    balance and reality to much of the more theoretical forms of
    academic feminism favored by educated white women.  [EE]

  Individualist, or Libertarian Feminism

    Individualist feminism is based upon individualist or libertarian
    (minimum government or anarchocapitalist) philosophies, i.e.
    philosophies whose primary focus is individual autonomy, rights,
    liberty, independence and diversity.

  Liberal Feminism:

    This is the variety of feminism that works within the structure of
    mainstream society to integrate women into that structure.  Its
    roots stretch back to the social contract theory of government
    instituted by the American Revolution.  Abigail Adams and Mary
    Wollstonecraft were there from the start, proposing equality for
    women.  As is often the case with liberals, they slog along inside
    the system, getting little done amongst the compromises until some
    radical movement shows up and pulls those compromises left of
    center.  This is how it operated in the days of the suffragist
    movement and again with the emergence of the radical feminists.
    [JD]

  Marxist and Socialist Feminism

    Marxism recognizes that women are oppressed, and attributes the
    oppression to the capitalist/private property system.  Thus they
    insist that the only way to end the oppression of women is to
    overthrow the capitalist system.  Socialist feminism is the result
    of Marxism meeting radical feminism.  Jaggar and Rothenberg point
    to significant differences between socialist feminism and Marxism,
    but for our purposes I'll present the two together.  Echols offers
    a description of socialist feminism as a marriage between Marxism
    and radical feminism, with Marxism the dominant partner.  Marxists
    and socialists often call themselves "radical," but they use the
    term to refer to a completely different "root" of society: the
    economic system.  [JD]