by Moema Viezzer

Moema Viezzer, a Brazilian anthropologist, writer and feminist activist helped form Rede Mulher ( Women's Network) in Brazil, which  she describes in detail below. In the late 1970s, she co-wrote with Domitila Let Me Speak, the personal testimony of Domitila's life and struggles as a poor miner's wife in Bolivia.

This article originally appeared in The Myth of the Information Revolution edited by Michael Traber (Sage Publications. London, England, 1986.)

The United Nations "Conference for Women."" held in Nairobi. Kenya, in July 198.^. powerfully demonstrated the important role played by communication media in the international women's movement. The fact that over 2.^0 films dealing with women's issues were presented at this major international forum showed that film is a strong and effective medium for conveying reality.

In the case of national and international systems of mass media, however, the situation in different. In Latin America, for example, those who directly suffer the consequences of the misuse of radio, television, film and the press, know that they are object of oppression for people and institutions who hold economic and political power. As far as women are concerned, these media arc channels of male domination which systematically reinforce oppression on a worldwide scale.

In the face of this we have seen — especially over the last ten years — increasing determination among women in general, and among a small percentage of men. to bring about change. Initiatives have taken various forms and range from a sustained attempt to discredit the image o\n portrayed by the mass media to finding new ways of using traditional media, and even inventing new methods of communication. Some of these initiatives are described in the following pages, which deal mainly with alternative communication and grassroots education among women in Latin America.

Changing the Image of Women

In the 1970s a movement began to change the traditional image of women in the media. The United Nation's Women's Decade has helped to lift the debate on to an international level, creating a surge of interest in women's issues. However, the mass media in general still portray a traditional view of women, limiting her to her "privileged" position — domestic life — in which her prime role is to serve the world of men.

The new territories that have been won in the media for women are still very limited, and although there are possibilities for further change, these are not likely to effect the social structure. The mass media provide no real opportunity for the discussion of women's concerns, nor do they serve as a serious means of communication between women. On the other hand, there has been an increase in the use of alternative methods of communication, developed specifically for women mainly by feminist groups. In Brazil, for example, the newspapers Nos Mulheres (We Women), Brazil Mulher (Brazilian Women) and Mulherio (Little Women) serve a committed readership, and some headway has been made by women in radio and television. Throughout the Latin American continent ILET (Instituto Latinoamericano de Estudios Transnacionales) is doing important work, and Isis International (Women's International Information and Communication Service) is one of the most comprehensive women's networks in the world. Both organizations produce alternative publications and documentation, which are of good quality but have only a small circulation, mainly within the groups that help to produce them. These important initiatives are restricted in their efforts to promote communication among grassroots women by problems such as illiteracy — in the case of the press — and the high cost of other media, such as film and video.

One trend that is becoming increasingly important in the women's movement is the growth of communication systems among the poorer sectors of society. These alternative methods of communication serve the interests of the women's struggle against oppression through Latin America. In particular, they help women to reflect and act on issues related to the subordination in society. There is no doubt that, out of this movement, a new female psychology is emerging. The problem is to find effective ways to communicate this new movement and its vision — the "new woman."