WORKSHOP REPORTS
We planned the conference to take place over a long holiday weekend (Witsun) since many women cannot take time off work for st/c/i events. We therefore had three days to cover an enormous number of subjects related to women and health, most of which had been suggested or confirmed to us by the participants themselves in a questionnaire sent out at the end of 1980.
It was a difficult task to allocate times, but we decided on two plenary sessions, at the beginning and the end, with the rest of the time devoted to workshops
The first morning was given to the opening plenary session, and in the afternoon we grouped all the workshops broadly dealing with women and the medical system : health, poverty and racism, the role of women paramedics, abortion, population control and imperialism; and a workshop on the politics of self-help. The remaining time was devoted to workshops on : sexuality, contraception, pregnancy and childbirth, breastfeeding and nutrition, women and madness, women's research on natural medicine, menopause, lesbian health, and three practical workshops — yoga as a method of contraception. polarity massage, and massage and energy awareness. Four more workshops were added during the course of the conference : Third World women, international documentation and information sharing, women and violence, and dental
self-help. Some practical self-examination sessions also took place.
There were the inevitable conflicts of choice : some women felt they wanted to go to all the workshops, but this would clearly not have been possible even if there had more time. However, this section of reports on the workshops will hopefully give an idea of the scope of the topics covered
We would like to say that the reports are based on those given to the final plenary session by group rapporteurs and have thus been prepared by a number of different people. This explains the varying lengths and sometimes even contradictory information. We felt it important to let them stand as they are.
The resolutions at the end of this section were adopted at the final plenary session.
WORKSHOP ON HEALTH, POVERTY AND RACISM
The discussion began with a description of apartheid in South Africa. It was not hard to see the connection of racism, poverty, and health, and to see its applicability outside South Africa. The unequal distribution of wealth, based in no small part on racism, brings about an unequal access to services, in particular health services, and is responsible for miserable living conditions which in turn are responsible for ill health. The connection between racism and the economic structure of industrialized countries (with its Third World exploitation) was equally clear. The multinational corporations of the United States, Germany, Canada, Britain, and Switzerland received special censure.
The group then went on to examine the medical practices which are racism under the guise of preventive medicine. The myth in preventive medicine is that health education will solve all problems. Racism allows the economic and medical powers-that-be to attribute illness, due in fact to a lack of food or clean water, to filth and ignorance. They ignore the social and economic conditions under which the poor must live with contaminated water and inadequate plumbing, shelter, and nourishment because they do not have the means to do otherwise. They ignore that in India, for example, 80 percent of the disease is caused by lack of food and drinkable water. They ignore the fact that the profit orientation of Western medicine places medical care out of the reach of the poor. Instead, the establishment's response is to build modern
Western hospitals and to create a consumer mentality wherein good health is measured in terms of the number of operations one has had or the amount of medication one takes. This situation is especially reprehensible since the Western medical system has eliminated the indigenous health systems which previously existed. New needs of consumption have thus been created, but not the means of meeting these needs or the needs previously met under the old system. Furthermore, racism could also be said to be responsible for the stamping out of the indigenous health care system which was dismissed summarily as primitive and unscientific although its effectiveness had actually never been examined
Racism is evident too in the double standard of health education.Racism is evident too in the double standard of health education."Family planning" is pushed onto Third World women,sometimes with a zeal that borders on genocide, while for women of less dis favoured races or social classes maternity is eulogized as women's only means of fulfillment. This double standard is to be found as well in the practice of "dumping"in the Third World countries drugs and devices prohibited from distribution in the West because of dangerous side effects.
While racism can be seen within the medical system itself in that non-whites are invariably on the bottom of the hierarchy,racist attitudes on the part of health professionals also affect their patients. The more the person who comes to consult belongs to an economically disfavored social or racial category, the more the health professionals have the tendency to hold them responsible for their own ill health.
It was pointed out that racism and poverty are not exclusive It was pointed out that racism and poverty are not exclusive Third World residents, and a number of examples of racist health care in Europe and the U.S. were discussed. In France,there exists a prevention program designed in such a way that the health problems, and especially the mental health problems, of immigrant children can be singled out and followed. In Switzerland, as elsewhere, migrant women workers have difficulty in getting access to health care, in particular pre- and post-natal care. Sexism and racism seem to be joint partners in the practice of genital mutilation of young be joint partners in the practice of genital mutilation of young African girls in suburban Parisian hospitals. This practice had been defended on the grounds of respecting the values of a different culture, although one cannot help but note that other values of this culture are not respected. The performance of this operation, moreover, is a source of income for the hospitals.
An Italian woman spoke up to add that racism is not always An Italian woman spoke up to add that racism is not always limited to persons of another country or culture, but exists,for example, between the northerners and the southerners of her country.The workshop had come to a close, but a woman from England hastened to say that the need of Western women to listen to Third World women did not do away with the need for Western women to speak out and act on problems of racism in Western countries. Another woman expressed regret at the lack of time to discuss strategies for Western women to combat racism in their own countries and to struggle against their countries' participants in the process of impoverishment of the Third World.
THE ROLE OF PARAMEDICS
Margareth Nhariwa from Zimbabwe began the workshop by speaking of her experience in setting up a program of training village health workers as part of the Primary Health Care Program of the newly liberated country.* She emphasized how important these health workers are since they are the only people who really reach the rural population, and who are chosen by the villagers themselves. The health workers have a very important role of conscientisation. Apart from the questions of contraception, nutrition, hygiene, breastfeeding,herbal medicine, and actual illnesses, the health workers have to confront economic and social questions of a population who is seeking its autonomy as a whole, not only in the area of health.
Hari John from India and Gita Chakravarty from Bangladesh Hari John from India and Gita Chakravarty from Bangladesh also described their experiences. It was striking how similar their experiences are. In both cases the paramedics are chosen*
This presentation is reproduced in Section 3.
from within the community; they are the only hope for the from within the community; they are the only hope for the people - and especially the women - to have preventive and curative care because there are hardly any doctors, and the few there are, are generally uninterested in this type of health care.The advice given and treatment of common illnesses, breastfeeding,contraception, nutrition and hygiene bring about a notable improvement in the general health of the people.They seem aware that only they can solve these problems and that there is no miracle solution to be had from outside. The entire population benefits from paramedics in the Third World, but especially the women in their reproductive role :they can find help and advice for contraception and abortion,pregnancy and childbirth, from someone who knows what she is talking about.
It seems clear that paramedics in the Third World have a much It seems clear that paramedics in the Third World have a much more important role and have much more freedom of action than the paramedic in industrialized countries. In the latter the hierarchy is more rigid and dominated by the medical system which limits paramedics' freedom of action even though it is they who are in continual contact with the patients and who do the work — giving medical care as well as psychological support.In conclusion the group felt that once again research and technical feats are carried out by men whereas all the daily work,the sustaining of life, the improvements in living conditions,are done by women. It is women who are poorly trained and poorly paid, who make life livable.
ABORTION
We began with a round in which women from each country represented briefly described the abortion situation in their countries, and what specific interests they had.
We heard that in many countries abortion is illegal and women die from self-abortion or illegal abortion. We also heard that even in countries where abortion is legal and widespread,such as India, women die from non-sterile techniques and self induced abortions, because adequate services are simply not available
Women are still dying and becoming sterile from post-abortion Women are still dying and becoming sterile from post-abortion infections in Africa. Here, sterility is a problem in certain countries because women who do not bear many children for their husbands will be divorced.In the United States, abortion is legal but the very powerful right-to-life forces sponsored by the Catholic Church are campaigning to make abortion illegal through the control of the Congress
In some European countries abortion is either illegal or has In some European countries abortion is either illegal or has just become so (Netherlands, Belgium). In others it is only permitted in state-run facilities, where the upper limit is permitted in state-run facilities, where the upper limit is frequently very low (e.g. 10 weeks in France). In West Germany it is only legal if a woman's life is in danger, and in Switzerland the woman must go before a psychiatrist first if she wants an abortion on social grounds. In Sweden abortion is legal but only in hospitals and therefore it is elaborate and expensive. Many women suffer from post-abortion depression.In Italy abortion is legal but not widely available. Earlier this year a public referendum to keep abortion legal there passed by 70 percent majority. Feminists were surprised and have not yet analyzed why this passed against the massive opposition of the Catholic Church. The situation in many European countries is therefore that although abortion is legal in one way or another, it is still not very accessible to most women.So women have to go to other countries, or to groups of women who practice safe illegal abortion, or to "backstreet"and unsafe abortionists.
Most of the women in industrialized countries wanted to Most of the women in industrialized countries wanted to discuss strategies to combat laws which are un favourable to women. As women we reminded ourselves of the need to have the knowledge of doing abortions even in countries which at the knowledge of doing abortions even in countries which at present have favourable laws on abortion. The political climate is always changing, as the case of the United States shows only too well. This led to a discussion and demonstration of menstrual extraction and an impromptu discussion on the herbs to bring on menstruation which have been successfully used at the Dispensaire in Geneva. We discussed prostaglandins,the problems and lack of good research into it; natural dilatation devices such as laminaria (a seaweed from Japan)and Isabgole (a tree bark used in India), and herbs such as penny royal, mugwort and parsley, black and blue cohosh,and vitamin C megadoses.
Special emphasis was made on not using abortion as a form Special emphasis was made on not using abortion as a form of contraception especially because of the psychological and physical impact on women, which are not always recognized.Examples were given how, if abortion is done in a safe, supportive personal atmosphere, the experience can be positive and strengthening to a woman. She has made a decision about her life. The need for women to leave the isolation of suffering and share this experience seems to lessen the negativity of the situation. The importance of counseling and the need for a woman to understand what she is about to do was also discussed.
We saw too the need to share results of research going on in We saw too the need to share results of research going on in our countries. The Italians spoke of how often contraceptives as well as abortifacients are dumped on the Italian market after failure elsewhere. Even Rely tampons have started to advertise there now (Rely tampons have been linked with toxic shock syndrome). This really underscored the need for a network and conferences of this type wich raise the awareness of all women through the experience of sharing.
In conclusion, a woman from the World Health Organization In conclusion, a woman from the World Health Organization said that illegal abortion is the greatest women's health problem in the world, with thousands of women dying everyday and thousands more becoming sterile later from infections.
We demand that abortion be made safe, legal and available in all countries of the world and that it be done in a dignified,comfortable, non-judgemental atmosphere so that women everywhere will be able to control their reproductive lives and male choices about their own bodies.
We agreed to present a resolution to this effect to the plenary We agreed to present a resolution to this effect to the plenary session. (See resolutions).
IMPERIALISM AND POPULATION CONTROL
The workshop began with a discussion in which women described their experiences in several countries. From this arose several broader topics for discussion. The issue of Depo- Provera, especially in the Third World, arose frequently as a very important issue.
Experiences from Individual countries
India. Women recognize the need for population control,but have also been faced with the abuses. Women need invisible contraception, like injectables, but face the dilemma of also knowing the dangers.Ivory Coast women approach it from a different direction.They don't need population control as such, but wish to lower the infant mortality rate. For this the emphasis is on family spacing. Contraception is therefore an issue.
Women in Puerto Rico see their country as the experimental as the experimental ground on reproduction control for the world. For example, atone point, one third of all women were sterilized, many without their knowledge.
Health issues of reproduction control cannot be separated from the economic and political context. They must be seen in the framework of world imperialism and world
capitalism
As feminists we should be anti-imperialist, anti-classist, anti racist,,anti-patriarchy.
We must regain power over our lives by altering the distribution of resources and power, i. e. information, money,and decision-making
To gain the power and control we must learn the "technology of political action", and what is happening in transnationals who control the drug companies and the medical system.
Specifically, in reproduction control we need to know such things are :
— who does the research
— who develops the methods of reproduction control
— who distributes them
— how to develop our own criteria for research and areas of research.
We discussed ways to achieve such power / information for We discussed ways to achieve such power / information for action on women's health. Some of the issues involved were :
1. The nature of sources of money. That is, does certain money, even without specific conditions attached, dilute efficiency and discredit activities of women's groups ? We reached no conclusions. The two sides were expressed as : (a) those against taking money as it takes control from feminists, and (b) those for, since money is the only way to regain control. 'Take the money and run" was their philosophy.
2. The need to know more of the politics of international aid and the need to be eternally vigilant about how/wher /why/ effects.
3. Do we need all women's health network to enable us to get the above, and to share information on current research,results of alternative research, vigilance on abuse and research internationally ?
4. Can we be a pressure group ? Do we need such a network as above to enable this, to support such international pressure group action ?
5. How and what kind of action would such a pressure group /network take up, e.g. a concentration on intensifying the Depo Provera campaign ?
Depo Provera continually arose as an important issue. The Depo Provera continually arose as an important issue. The dilemma in general was reflected by that of the workshop group (i.e. we couldn't come to a definite stand). The two sides of this dilemma are :
1) Women's expressed need for contraception of a specific ) Women's expressed need for contraception of a specific type at a specific time and in a specific social / cultural /economic context, versus
2) (a) That this can become a racist stance, allowing one standard for women's health in the Third World and another in the First; (b) the knowledge of the negative side effects;(c) the need to ensure that women in the Third World can make informed choices
We also discussed issues of international action. Is it "dirtying"We also discussed issues of international action. Is it "dirtying"our hands to be involved at such levels, in such politics ? On the other hand, we must direct our energies to the larger international framework. We can learn much from the IBFAN campaign (see reports on breastfeeding workshop). As feminists we should recognize the whole range of strategies and not weaken the movement by devaluating any such strategies
REPORT FROM THE WORKSHOP ON SEXUALITY
workshop began with a discussion of myths, taboos, and customs of menstruation. It was pointed out that all myths and taboos lead to oppression in that no matter what forms the customs, myths, and taboos can take in different societies- be the form physical or pschological - they all serve to keep the control of female sexuality from the hands of women.
We also recognize that this lack of self-determination of our We also recognize that this lack of self-determination of our own sexuality plays an important role in women's oppression.But as a woman of Ivory Coast pointed out, there are / were elements in the customs, myths, and taboos which protected women or were useful to their health. Some taboos give a woman the right to ban men from some areas and to make decisions for herself. The simple doing away with myths and taboos, then, is not always beneficial to women. The women in the West recognized this as true for them in that the disappearance of taboos against sexual contact at certain times, for example, has resulted in the expectation that women are to be sexually available at all times.
After a description of some of the "coming of age" rituals After a description of some of the "coming of age" rituals in Africa, a woman asked one of the African women what,if anything, Western women could do to support the movement against genital mutilation. From the answer it was clear that such a struggle is one that cannot be waged through"outside" interference, although support is of course welcome.
The point was also made that Western women need not think no such problems exist in their own countries. As an example, the prevalence of unnecessary hysterectomies in Europe and the U.S. (as cures for "hysterical" women) was discussed. One woman noted that it was as if men think the problems they have with women stem from women's sexuality and that if they can make women somehow less "sexual",they will have fewer problems with them.
Another woman pointed out that on equal importance to Another woman pointed out that on equal importance to genital mutilation is psychological mutilation. It's not unusual that women who have their clitori do not know its function,or have never had an orgasm. This precipitated a short discussion on work being done with pre-orgasmic women in a women's health center in Basel, Switzerland. One of the points brought out here was the connection between women's in ability to reach orgasm and (1) women's fear / hatred / mistrust of their bodies and (2) their inability to ask for something for themselves.
Here an objection to the over-emphasis on orgasm was made,Here an objection to the over-emphasis on orgasm was made,and there seemed to be general agreement to a statement made by an Indian woman, expanding on the original objection: "Western women are obsessed with orgasms. We can't take male sexuality and apply it to women. We have to see sexuality in a wider context. We can't use orgasms as an oppressor of women." This introduced the question of what we want from sexuality. One woman who works with massage said she felt many women look to sex for physical contact,and some others for the release of tension — instead of taking tranquilizers. At this, another woman spoke up to say sexuality is being used to keep people preoccupied with sexual problems. There is a whole industry surrounding sex, she pointed out, from sports cars to cosmetics. "It's a good way of keeping people from thinking about oppression." "Especially if you're told that not to be preoccupied with sexis't normal !" put in another woman, (laughter) "Yet to think about sexuality is also a good way to raise consciousness of oppression," pointed out still another woman.
With time running out we tried to highlight a few connection between customs and taboos and women's oppression; the need to develop a less genitally focused definition of sexuality,although at the same time orgasms and control of our sexuality is vital and can't allow this issue to be shelved under the pretext that there are other problems — underdevelopment for example - that are more urgent; and the need to have solidarity with other women around the world. The general feeling seemed to be that the meeting itself made a good beginning at establishing such solidarity. As one woman put it, "Ten years ago I wouldn't have imagined a meeting such as this — bringing together women from all over the world — outside the international organizations. And they wouldn't talk about the things we've talked about today!
REPORT ON THE CONTRACEPTION WORKSHOP
We decided to try to work from the specific to the general— and so divided our agenda into three main areas of discussion.
1. Reports on the contraception situation in different countries.
2. A discussion / exchange of information on women-oriented contraception — diaphragms, cervical caps, cervical mucous studies, etc.
3. Brainstorming - covering such problems as dangerous contraception,and what we can do on an international level
Our first consensus was that it is artificial to separate the Our first consensus was that it is artificial to separate the different areas of the world. We are all being offered the same ind of choices. , .A woman from Senegal reported on the situation in her country, explaining that a high infant mortality rate as well as a low population density made it difficult for women to accept contraception. The average 45-year old woman has had seven children. The infant mortality rate is so high that a child has great value — and the sterile woman is very unhappy.
Nevertheless contraception or family planning programs are Nevertheless contraception or family planning programs are carried out in centers which give advice on general health,family, and home budget problems as well. Family planning only seems to be necessary in urban areas. The country women nurse their children for 2-3 years, and the couple is separated during this period.
One of the main causes of the high child mortality rate is One of the main causes of the high child mortality rate is very abrupt weaning. A new pregnancy is believed to poison very abrupt weaning. A new pregnancy is believed to poison the mother's milk. Child spacing is considered as a protection for the woman who can regain her full stength, and a protection for the child.
The contraceptive injection is very popular. In Senegal they The contraceptive injection is very popular. In Senegal they use Noristerat which comes from France. Otherwise, women use the same types of contraceptives as in Europe or the U.S.- except for the diaphragm which women are not used to.Clandestine abortion — often lethal — and infanticide are widespread, especially in Dakar.
A woman doctor from India began by saying that she had A woman doctor from India began by saying that she had used Depo Provera herself and was satisfied with it. She gave it to her patients. She stated that in a country where women(particularly in the rural areas) have no decision making power whatsoever the injection (Depo Provera) was in great demand.Indian women believe anything given by injection is better.She added that the oldest Depo Provera program is in TchengMai in north Thailand where 90 000 women have received Depo Provera. In a study where endometrial biopsies were performed on 50 women who had used Depo Provera for over ten years not a single case of cancer was discovered.There was no change in the number of cases of cancer reported in the hospitals in the region before and after the Depo Provera program.
At this point many of us asked : How long is long enough ? At this point many of us asked : How long is long enough ? One of the women pointed out that the DES daughters developed cancer 30 years after their mothers were given the drug
The major part of our discussion on woman-oriented contraception The major part of our discussion on woman-oriented contraception was devoted to an exchange of information about the cervical cap. Some women from the feminist health center in Rome reported on their experience with the cervical cap and the diaphragm. They have fitted 800 women -700 with diaphragms, 100 with caps. Only one woman became pregnant, and she felt that this was the result of having used old spermicidal cream.
There is a problem of fitting the cervical cap and teaching here is a problem of fitting the cervical cap and teaching a woman to remove it, but the Italian women felt this was not more difficult than for the diaphragm.
We discussed spermicides at great length. Nobody seems to know very much about them. Many of us agreed that will have to look into them. How efficient are they ? Are they will have to look into them. How efficient are they ? Are they dangerous ? Do we really need them ?
We also spoke about natural contraception - particularly cervical mucous observation. While this requires a bit of training, it frees us to use the cervical cap or diaphragm only when we are fertile. We have to take our life styles into consideration if we want to use these types of contraception successfully.
With time running extremely short, we decided that we With time running extremely short, we decided that we wanted to come to a few conclusions. Contrary to what we had felt at the beginning of the discussion, it seems that there are in fact different types of contraception for different women. How can we see to it that these contraceptives are not dangerous ? The Italians felt that we must impose our ways on the doctors who have (among other things) always said that women-oriented contraceptives were unreliable.Once we as women proved the contrary the doctors had to follow suit.Conclusions
1. Experimentation : there are two types, the first, women on - using natural methods as well as barriers. The second is widespread experimentation on whole populations.We must take a stand against this widespread experimentation.
2. Congresses : this is not only a forum, but a place for making proposals. We must develop strategies for our struggles. We must campaign on an international level,putting pressure on governments and pharmaceutical companies. And we can only do that if we know what is really happening in our different countries.3. Solutions : we must find a solution (or solutions) for women in all parts of the world. And we can only do that through better research programs.4. Contraceptive information : we must centralise contraceptive information. To do this we suggest that women indifferent countries send information to ICASC*, because we feel we should reinforce existing structures.5. Feminist research : we must have feminist research we can believe in. We are very suspicious of research paid for by pharmaceutical companies.
* ICASC- International Contraception, Abortion and Sterilization
Campaign, 374 Grays Inn Road, London WC1, England.
WORKSHOP ON PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
The first to speak was Rani Bang, specialist in obstetrics and gynecology from Wardha India*. She is responsible fora sector in the center of her country which includes 60 villages, 4 health centers and a small hospital - and finds herself confronted by a tremendous nutritional problem. There is one health worker per village (approx. 600 inhabitants)who has been trained in infant care and to provide checkups to mothers and the newborn, as well as to give advice on contraception. However, the village women still place greater trust in the traditional "dais" for their delivery, who come from the lowest social strata but on whom all village life depends. These "dais" have very little knowledege on hygiene, but they are very clever in detecting possible complications and in avoiding episiotomies. Still, they cut the umbilical cord with a sharp stone or with a farm implement, and use cow-dung to dry the umbilicus. As a result, the rate of infant mortality is high.
However, as the population does not trust the health-workers However, as the population does not trust the health-workers to take charge of deliveries, the health workers are trying to educate the "dais" in infection-preventing techniques
Although a pregnant woman is greatly respected in her country,Although a pregnant woman is greatly respected in her country,the situation of women is grim. They usually marry at the age of 14 or 15, and have 8 pregnancies on average of which only 3 to 5 children survive. They go on breast-feeding for 3 years, and spend 50 to 60 percent of their lives in pregnancy or breast-feeding, with dire nutritional results.
No man ever sets foot in the kitchen. The women prepare No man ever sets foot in the kitchen. The women prepare the food and serve the husband first and then the children,then eat whatever happens to be left over. Anemia and the deficiencies in vitamin A, the B-complex and calcium increase with the number of children a woman has, and results in one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world :37 deaths per 10.000 births. For every woman who dies, there are another 2000 women with dramatic health problems :pelvic difficulties during childbirth due to calcium deficiency,blindness due to vitamin A deficiency, high rate of eclampsia,and the slightest hemorrhage can be fatal...
There is no weight-gain in 60 percent of the women during There is no weight-gain in 60 percent of the women during the last three months of their pregnancy; their babies are small, weighing from 2,300 to 2,400 kg as compared to babies of 3200 kg born to wealthy women.
Breast-feeding is the rule : only 3 percent of women do not breast-feed. The high-powered advertising for artificial milk has been successful only among the wealthy. In India, pregnancy is avoided more by breast-feeding than by all other contraceptives I The new program promoting the contraceptive contraceptives I The new program promoting the contraceptive pills is proving to have quite the opposite results from the expected : since the pill inhibits lactation, it increases the risks of infant deaths and, because the women stop taking the pill regularly, they find themselves pregnant more often. India is a favored market for multinational companies producing contraceptive devices, but most women would rather be pregnant than take a contraceptive ! Rani Bang thinks that in rural areas especially, it would be wiser to invest all that effort in abortion. The women would not object to abortion,it is the doctors who object; most of the abortion services are available only in the cities.
Maternity Hospital : she was amazed to see to what extent Maternity Hospital : she was amazed to see to what extent deliveries here in Switzerland are "mechanized". All those contraptions and apparatus that are going to be used when a woman gives birth makes women believe that giving birth is not a natural process. She was, however, much impressed by the home delivery of the woman in whose house she was staying while in Geneva
She concluded by saying that she had heard a lot about women She concluded by saying that she had heard a lot about women in Europe helping each other; this sort of self-help is also practiced a lot in her country. As a woman and as a feminist,she thinks she could help improve the situation in her country by working more closely with the village "dais".
by the Dispensaire des Femmes (of which she is a member) with home deliveries, and explained why some women preferit, in this highly medicalized context
Over the past three years, the Dispensaire has covered 30. As there are on average 40 pregnant womenin the care of the Dispensaire at any one time, this meansthat one woman out of six chooses to give birth at home.Among the reasons given are the desire to have a more naturalbirth, in the presence of the family and close friends, thefact that this fosters closer ties between mother, baby andthe other people around. The Dispensaire does only "simple"deliveries, always in teams of two; no heavy medication isused, they use instead techniques of relaxation, sophrology,acupuncture and homeopatic preparations.
The fact that many women choose to give birth at home also has an impact on changing conditions in the hospital ! Women who still prefer to have their babies in the hospital are better able to formulate their criticism and to express their desires before entering the Maternity Hospital. Brigitte also stressed the importance for women to be really motivated when they choose home deliver.
As for the risks involved, they are of a different nature at home from those at the Maternity Hospital, but it cannot be said that they are less serious at the Hospital.
The Canadian women then told us that in their country, there are 50 percent fewer complications following childbirt there are 50 percent fewer complications following childbirth at home than in the hospital, in the case of normal pregnancies
In Lyon (France), a pressure group has managed to start home deliveries, attended by a mid-wife working together with the MLAC* women.
A woman from Holland said that while in her country the rate of birth-connected complications was low in any case, it was even lower in the case of home deliveries.
A Canadian woman reported on the over-medicalization of obstetrics in the hospitals : 80 percent of women get spinal anesthesia (an injection in the spine which provides anesthesis in the whole abdomen area), and forceps are applied in all cases : the rate of episiotomies is 100 percent, and 90 percent of women are given drugs.
A woman from Paris raised the question of the alarming increase of cesarian births : the rate of 30 percent in the United States, which is expected to reach 80 percent in 1990, is rapidly extending to Paris. Are we witnessing such a rate of degeneration in women of child-bearing age, or is this the result of a concerted plan by the medical establishment ? (Guess I)
The medical system would have us to believe that the best thing for mother and baby is a cesarian ! However, there is a movement afoot organized by feminists, consumers and para-medical practitioners to counteract this. At the same time, in the United States there is a growing repression of midwives practicing outside the hospitals, and home deliveries are legal only in two or three States.
An Italian woman suggested that it would be easy to avoid all birth complications, but a lot of money is being invested into the moment of birth while little or nothing goes into prevention. Her report on the situation in Italy showed that conditions there are hardly any better than those in India : it's still those who are poor that have the highest death rate.
Women from several different groups stressed how very important it is for women to receive adequate information.
A woman from Florence (Italy) elaborated on the importance of becoming informed and taking back control over our bodies and our health. Pregnancy and childbirth offer women the opportunity to grow and to mature. In Italy, the cities are so large that one's home may be very far from the nearest hospital. Her idea for Rome would be to have a house built where women could go for their confinement, a place that would be like a home but where medical interventions could take place if needed. An Englishwoman replied that there has been a higher rate of complications in small (medical) units, and that these presented all the disadvantages and none of the assets (of hospitals).
A good number of women defended home confinement, as one way to fight the established medical system, and in order to support midwives in their struggle for the right to practice.
* This presentation is reproduced in Section 3.
* MLAC : Movement for the Liberalization of Abortion and Contraception; in France, numerous groups practiced abortion before the Weil law was passed, now only 3 are left — in Lille, Aix-en-Provence and Lyon.
BREASTFEEDING AND NUTRITION
Kenya
This workshop began with a presentation by Margaret Kyenkya of the Breastfeeding Information Group of Kenya on the situation of women in Kenya with regard to infant feeding. The situation varies considerably from rural to urban areas, with many women in towns bottle feeding their children. One of the major problems is the fact that women who work in paid employment outside the home (great majority in urban areas) have no provision for breastfeeding. In Kenyan law, women have equal rights with men, which means that their working conditions have been made equal - or similar (or no) provision for maternity leave (which is currently two months in the public sector), or breastfeeding breaks at work. This should be a major fight for women in Kenya.
In rural areas where women work on plantations as casual workers, they frequently leave babies in the care of older children. This means they will use bottles, and combined with a lack of clean water, money and appropriate hygienic conditions, the mixture will frequently be badly made, inadequate or dirty. Babies often get sick, therefore, and die. In really rural areas, however, no bottles are found. A major problem here, however, is the availability of supplementary feeding or weaning foods when needed. More use could be made of locally-grown products, but the food industries have invaded this area and created imbalances — especially financial - which help to increase malnutition of infants.
A further presentation of surveys on breast feeding and nutrition in Kenya was made. One problem indicated was that the educated women teaching programmes of nutrition frequently bottlefeed their babies, thus creating a credibility gap (women are not going to think breastfeeding is best if counsellors are themselves bottle feeding). It is clear from the studies too, that where women breastfeed their babies for I 1/2 years (a traditional practice) there is a marked decline in fertility.
Contraception
The question of whether breastfeeding is a successfull method of contraception was discussed. Research carried out by La Leche League in the USA shows that breastfeeding totally on demand (i.e. feeding the baby on average every two hours) provides contraception for an average of 22 months. If feeding takes place at fixed hours, or is only partial, however, the contraception effect is greatly diminished. There was some feeling that for many women this is neither acceptable nor possible. It ties the woman to the baby, and also assumes that women can stay at home or be with the baby all the time, which is rarely the case in most countries and for most women of the world
IBFAN
This was followed by the presentation of the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN). Tracing the various campaigns in the promotion of infant foods, the IBFAN
member went on to describe how this culminated in a meeting organised by the World Health Organisation in 1979 on infant feeding practices. This meeting proposed drawing up an international code for the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, aimed particularly at curbing aggressive advertising which encourages women to bottle feed, and at promoting breastfeeding. It was at this meeting that IBFAN was formed with the aim of monitoring companies' activities around the world, and of bringing concerns of consumers to the forefront in the compiling of the Code.
The Code of marketing was recently (May 1981) adopted at the World Health Assembly by 118 member governments against one (the USA). It calls on national governments to adopt laws, regulations or other measures to :
— halt all advertising and promotion of infant milk to the public
— halt the distribution of free milk samples (while permitting longterm supplies in cases of clear-cut medical need)
— halt the use of company-paid "mothercraft nurses" and "health educators"
— restrict industry gifts and other promotion to health workers
— require improved labelling to emphasize fully the importance of breast feeding and the hazards of artificial feeding
This was felt by I B F AN to be a great victory for infant health.
But baby milk companies will undoubtedly pressure national governments to draft weak national codes which undermine the intent of the WHO Code.Women
The question then raised was : how can we as women and women's groups help to apply the Code, or help to see that it is enforced ?
The group was unanimous in saying that the whole question of bottlefeeding versus breastfeeding is a universal one, and should not be seen as limited to Third World countries. In France, for example (as in many industrialised countries), many factors influence women away from breastfeeding : babies are not given to women at birth, supplementary foods are cheap and easily available, working conditions and the law do not provide for breast-feeding above two months (women can legally take unpaid maternity leave for several months, but only a minority of women can afford to do this). Most important, perhaps, is the fact that breastfeeding is not accepted culturally in countries like France. There are all kinds of taboos such as that it hurts, or makes your breasts sag, that women must not be seen breastfeeding in public, even that it is selfish for a woman to "keep the child to herself". There is a general cultural acceptance that there is no need to breastfeed over two months, if at all.
A more recent problem is also that it can be proved that mothers' milk in industrialized countries, at least, is full of poisonous substances, ingested through chemically-treated food. This is a powerful tool in the hands of the companies manufacturing baby milks because their products can be claimed "pure" and "sterile". Women have to beware of this kind of pressure, to see the role of the multinational companies in pushing their products, and in the use of the "pollution of mothers' milk" argument to encourage bottle feeding. Rather we should fight against chemical farming and processing of food and the pollution of the environment, which makes our milk polluted.
As women we cannot simply be "in favour of" breast feeding in a vacuum. We have to fight especially on the question of material conditions everywhere in the world — adequate income, maternity leave, housing, food and the importance given to having children in optimum conditions. The idyllic description frequently given of the joys and advantages of breastfeeding are not, in themselves, meaningful to us without all the other conditions fulfilled.
International Action
The group felt strongly that international action on breastfeeding is terribly important. Enumerated were :
— sharing information from our national situations — research, experiences, problems and actions — at the international level. This can be done informally or through some of the networks which already exist such as IBFAN and ISIS;
— the world over, women have responsibility for human life and we can jointly proclaim the importance of human milk in both its physical and psychological effects;
— the question of what women really need must be raised again and again, and pushed for all levels. We do not need to be told that breastfeeding is good; we need adequate maternity leave, good conditions of work, enough mone. housing, food etc. and less poisons in our environment;
- the group felt that all women present at the Conference should support IBFAN and make a commitment to keep watch on the activities of infant food companies in their
country, especially with regard to advertising of artificial baby milks. For instance. Nestle is already putting out "educational" material in Kenya on breastfeeding. These
posters and brochures contain highly questionable advice :breastfeed at regular hours and never at night; put the baby back to sleep immediately; thoroughly clean your
breasts before and afterwards. In fact this is precisely the kind of "advice" which has been given to women in industrialised countries for years, and which makes breastfeeding seem complicated and technical. Women can take actions by (a) demanding that their governments apply the WHO Code, and (b) sending examples of advertisments which do not conform to the Code to IBFAN (P.O. Box 157, 1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland), or ISIS (P.O. Box 50, 1211 Geneva 2). It was agreed to submit a resolution on the WHO Code to the entire Conference (see Resolutions); our responsibility may be different in industrialized countries from in developing ones. In the former we need to continually pressure governments and companies (whose headquarters are here). It is important to share this information internationally, though. In Third World countries more work may need to be done at local level in terms of : information to counter myths, training of counsellors, seminars to train doctors and paediatricians.
WOMEN AND MADNESS
When I chose the workshop on Madness I had no idea how
it was going to go, except that I thought I was going to listen to experts. Between the difficulty of listening to the translation and the knot in my stomach every time I decided to say something, I came out of it in a daze, thinking that there hadn't been enough time, and that nothing had been said of any importance. The next day I started writing about it, and I'm still at it.
Here are things that three women said about themselves :
— A woman who works in a place where there are men, who are nice guys, open-minded, and friendly. When she has her period, these colleagues are very understanding "oh, you're tense, sure, you don't feel well, don't get excited", and they don't take her seriously... This woman feels that she can go crazy in such a set-up.
— A woman wanted to have a child with her fellow, who was nice, said he was ready to help and all; they were living in a non-conformist environment. After childbirth, she had a
nervous breakdown. The experience marked her very deeply.
— A woman had a child that she decided to bring up alone, without staying in touch with the father. She knows other women who are single parents in her town, and women from the Women's Lib movement, but none of them are quite as alone as she. She told us that if this feeling of solitude continues, she thinks she'll go crazy.
I got the feeling from these personal stories that many women had come to the workshop because they had had an experience of madness, even though they do not define themselves
as crazy. Come to think of it, how "well" have you got to be to say that you never feel bad at all ?
It was also said that women may be called crazy by those around them because they rebel; or that others call themselves crazy because they have adopted the standards of society at large. The theory that loneliness in our society causes one to become mentally sick was also questioned; some said that even in an alternative life-style it has happened that a sister went off her rocker, and no one was able to help her. (This hit me very hard, because it was to some extent my own story; I think the worst is the feeling of being alone).
I also wonder where is the difference between mental illness and a back-ache; one can appear as mysteriously as the other, and be cured as easily. Anyway, as I listened to the discussions
after the workshop, I became convinced of one thing above all, and that is that we spend too much time trying to find various therapies and re-creating the therapist-patient relationship,
instead of trying to deal with our own madness. It's no use trying to take mentally sick women separately and one at a time, because madness is in everyone, and must be seen as
a collective phenomenon, in the life we lead. In this society, and as women, no one escapes it.
It's possible that even if a marginal, alternative milieu is better than the rest of society, it may still not be able to avoid a number of implicit standards and the traditional sex-roles which then block people in their social interactions. Nor have we found a satisfactory answer to the problem posed by the family : people enter into all sorts of relationships, there are differences of opinion on how to bring up children, and on whether to have children or not. There are frequent sources of friction, and it's not always easy to find even one good friend with whom we can agree
Of course, in the Third World things are much worse : Ah Fong from Mauritius told us that a woman who expresses the desire to marry a man from a different ethnic group than
hers might find herself interned in a mental institution !
As for us, who live here, we could, instead of searching for various types of therapy, we — "crazy women" — we could perhaps use our experiences in order to learn more about our own situation as women in order to formulate a feminist view of madness. I am more and more against specialists, above all in this sphere where the mere fact of talking about what goes on inside us to a "normal" person is enough to push us under
After all — what we want is not to be "normalized" but to find out who we are. We could start by working on something very ordinary, something like our menstrual period. Me, my periods have always been very difficult. (This time, it coincidated with the Conference. As Franpoise pointed out, at the Conference we could sit on the grass with the legs spread out, no need to worry about hiding our blood). I think many woman have problems with menstruation. Next year there's going to be another meeting on Women and Health, and we might try to get some personal reports from women to discuss at Amsterdam, on this subject or on some other topic, in order to gather more information about things that concern us all.
During our workshop, the theory that each person must be entirely responsible for herself was also questioned. In the Third World, a woman who has given birth, for instance,
stays with her mother or with some other relative, sometimes for several months. I want to thank the women who organized our Meeting here this year : I had never taken part in anything like it, and it has given me a tremendous lift to see that everyone was accepted, each one of us had her place here. If we ever get to see the day when we can say "we have overcome", I'm sure it will be in this kind of setting, where just being a woman, and even a crazy woman, is enough to be an expert !
I'm sorry if I've offended the women of co-couselling by my negative remarks on therapy : actually, I've tried co-counselling and I think it's fine.
WOMEN AND MADNESS
The workshop began with everyone raising topics for discussion or subjects in which they were especially interested. Among these were : sharing experiences among anorexic
and depressive women, the attitude of doctors towards mentally ill women, madness itself, post-natal, menstrual and menopausal depression as specific to women, and madness as a
social problem (women are considered mad when they don't conform to social rules). We decided to break into two groups, one to discuss what women's madness is, and the other to
talk about women's therapy
In the first group we started talking about our isolation which leads us to be more and more out of balance with the people around us. But how do we come to express certain kinds of madness ? Some women have internalised social norms so much that they think of themselves as not fitting in and therefore mad. Other women are so alienated by the
restrictive role in which society encloses us that when they rebel they are considered mad.
We then discussed certain kinds of depression which women seem to suffer from :
— post-natal depression : many women speak of having acute depression after childbirth, even if they give birth in happy surroundings. The change which the new child
brings is enormous. Suddenly the woman is responsible for the new baby as well as herself; she has much more work, ven in circumstances where friends are there to help.
— depression due to menstruation : is it true that there is a problem of hormones ? Canadian women are doing research into this, but the group talked of how menstruation could
be used as a positive experience
— using our heightened sensitivity at these times to explore ourselves more. But again the problem is that the world is built on the masculine model where there is no room for emotional irregularities !
There was also some discussion on the "depression" industry
— the money which pharmaceutical companies make on the manufacture and marketing of an enormous range of drugs claiming to combat depression
In the second group we exchanged experiences about various women's therapies. An English woman told us about R.D. Laing's community project in Scotland. Laing maintains
that schizophrenia does not exist as such, but only as a social phenomenon. His community project deals with schizophrenia at this level, and the discussion centred on whether we could
envisage creating a similar community experience for women to help overcome some of the "women's" madness already spoken of.
A Canadian woman who works in a rape crisis centre described how the workers there do not only try to deal with the individual woman's distress in rape cases, but also to carry out
a public campaign against rape in order to ultimately change societal attitudes and behaviour. They compile statistics on rape, give speeches, and always accompany women through
Two important points were raised :
— It is good to be able to understand the social causes of madness, but this does not necessarily help one resolve the problem as an individual or help one to live with it;
— it might be useful to make a distinction between women whose depression has a clear cause (rape, battering, etc.) and those for whom such causes are not so evident. The
example was given of consciousness-raising groups where sometimes women end up asking for therapy in an institution the legal procedures. Women from England spoke of the similar work being done in rape crisis centres there, and Swiss women spoke about the refuges for battered women in their country.
which is defined as making the link between the personal and the political. It is very popular, and women often leave one group in order to start their own. There are already three state-supported radical therapy centres. There are also "bodytalk" groups which meet in the local health centres. These groups work with simple body movements and a verbalisation
of what is being expressed through the body. They are particularly aimed at women, especially from poor backgrounds, to help them regain confidence in what society has often
degraded in them the most: their bodies.
Another group experience which took place in Berlin was discussed. The group was financed by the people's university and led by two therapists. The women in the group began to
realise that they were not alone in their situation, and were able to help each other because they started to understand the mechanisms which led them to be depressed : putting
themselves down, repressing aggressiveness, always putting others before themselves, etc.
Then followed a discussion about new and old therapy methods. There was no consensus on these, but we felt that one important criterion in evaluating therapeutic methods is
whether the "therapist" and the "client" have a relationship of exchange, and whether there is an attitude which helps towards women gaining autonomy.
We ended by talking about the problem of needing therapy. One woman said she had to constantly work on herself, on her internalised oppression. This kind of work can be done
without therapy as such, but certainly needs support from women in the movement. Every woman who works on herself in this way faces the danger of losing her identity as "woman"
in the way that society defines it. The feminist movement must work at expanding the notion of women's identity as widely as possible so that we no longer have to face the
danger of becoming a non-woman.
WOMEN'S RESEARCH INTO NATURAL MEDICINE;
The Workshop began with a presentation by the groups which practice natural medicine : the Dispensaire des Femmes, Gruppo per la Saluta de la Donna (Rome), Hari John (S. India),
Carol (England) and Maria Angela (Vigevano, Italy)
The Dispensaire des Femmes of Geneva began the presentations. They use various approaches including homeopathy in which they treat the whole constitution according to
"unicist" concepts, that is, prescribing only one medicine at a time. They also use acupuncture, especially for amenorrhea after stopping the Pill, stimulation of labour in childbirth,
painful periods, general health of pregnant women, and obesity.
The collective has been using herbal medicine for a long time. They began by treating vaginal infections with plants, and for the last three years they have been using abortifacient
plants and those which bring on periods. More recently they have begun using plants for the treatment of cervicitis and pre-cancerous cervices, breast cysts and uterine fibroids
In general they also try to treat the whole person. Frequently problems are related to over eating or bad diet. All this is discussed at length with the women who use the Dispensaire.
The Gruppo per la Salute de la Donna (Women's Health Group) in Rome have based their research on a German book "HexengefliJster" (Witches' Whisperings). Their research
into natural medicine on the principle of self-help has changed their attitude towards themselves and towards the group, and has led them to change their own life-styles (e.g. by
avoiding drugs, eating differently). At present they have an acupunctor and an herbalist in the group. They use propolis (a sort of gum which bees use to block holes in the hive and
to harden the wax) as a disinfectant and healing agent, lavander vinegar for irrigations, and infusions of boxtree for warts.
They spoke out against the attitude of "triumphalism" which is sometimes attached to using new natural medicines. They maintain that criticism of modern western medicine should
not lead to a blind acceptance of all "alternative" medicines. They use the same criteria for evaluating all medicines.
The self-help from the Netherlands (Utrecht and Amsterdam) and New Zealand both spoke about their work. Neither give direct services, but concentrate on making information available on homeopathy and naturopathy
Carol, a member of the Politics of Health Group in London, works in the clinic of a college of Naturopathy and Osteopathy. She feels very isolated there because of her feminist
beliefs. However, she also practices at home, encouraging women to understand their own bodies. She thinks it very important to find out why someone gets ill, which means she
also has discussions on the political and social causes of illnesses with those who come to see her.
Hari John, a Western-trained doctor, now practices popular medicine in South India. She spoke of how there was a great tradition of village medicine, which was rejected during the
period of colonisation. Yet there are many advantages of this village medicine - it is cheap and easy to obtain and understand since the knowledge exists within the village itself.
She came back to using this kind of medicine since western medicine is inappropriate and far too expensive. She mentioned in particular two plants called niairia and chimensis
which are extremely effective in combatting infectious hepatitis, a serious and widespread problem in India and against which western medicine has no antidote. Niruria is also effective
in odema and other complications of pregnancy such as eclampsia. She also spoke of the practices of the "Dais" - traditional midwives - in massaging the perineum thus
avoiding episiotomies, and in encouraging the squatting position for delivery.
Maria Angela, an Italian herbalist, has a large clientele of women to whom she sells teas, essences, argil and algae. She emphasized how important it is that medicinal herbs as well
as food stuffs be grown organically, and that the fight against environmental pollution is vital to health.
It is difficult to summarise the discussion which followed. One of the concerns was whether it is to share these alternative methods with women, and how much such methods
help them to become autonomous. Herbal medicine seems to be the easiest to deal with, but those in favour of acupuncture and homeopathy felt that we should also try to develop
different attitude toward knowledge, not always regarding it as powerful. Others wanted to know more about the work of the witch doctors in India. The discussion finished with
a more western concern : screening for cancer, such as the Vincent bio-electrical tests, the Vernes tests (specific test of blood protein), and tests done on urine which help an examination
of the whole person.
MENOPAUSE
This workshop was led by Norma Swenson and Kathy McPherson from the menopause collective in Boston, USA. They defined a woman as menopausal if she is older than 45 and
has not menstruated for two years or more. There are certain physical effects of menopause, which were discussed at length (see below); but also sociological and cultural effects.
This varies considerably from one culture to another. In Western countries where youth is exalted and women are only considered desirable as sex objects, menopause
tends to be a negative experience and seen as "the end of life". In India the picture is different : the menopause is seen as just one more stage of maturity. Older women
often have a specific role to play in, for instance, bringing up their grandchildren. In some African countries older women acquire greater freedom, enabling them to become
more active in public life. On the other hand, one Indian woman emphasized that women in her country are frequently prudish, and rarely express their real feelings. Also, the
relative freedom given to menopausal women is a good commentar on how women are treated during their reproductive period. Nonetheless it seems that it is especially in the
West that menopause is experienced as a crisis, with frequent or severe depression and even suicide.
The ending of menstruation is due to a gradual diminishing In the production of the hormone estrogen in women's bodies from about the age of 45 onwards. This frequently
produces certain physical effects such as hot flushes, heavy perspiration, dryness of the vagina, and osteoporosis (fragility of the bones), (it is important to note, however, that
estrogen continues to be produced in small quantities in the body until the age of about 70.) However, these physical effects are only signs of passing from one stage of our lives
to another, and not symptoms of an illness as many doctors would have us believe. Doctors — especially U.S. doctors — insist on prescribing estrogen treatment as a therapy for
these symptoms or "syndrome". In doing so they certainly help to promote products of the pharmaceutical companies who are waging massive publicity campaigns to convince
women that only estrogens can protect them against osteoporosis and guarantee "eternal youth". This without mentioning the (proved) secondary effects such as cancer of the
uterus (a risk increasing 5-15 percent if the treatment lasts five years or more), thrombosis, plebitis, gall bladder infection, and nervous depression.
In 1977 the women of the National Women's Health Network in the USA got together with various feminist and consumer groups to mount a campaign against this false advertising.
They brought the companies to court and won the case, forcing the manufacterers to include with their products a notice listing the possible side effects as well as the conditions for
which the product is indicated, such as osteoporosis.
The discussion also dealt with some alternative remedies which women have been using, and which doctors never speak of. Vitamin E seems paVticularly effective for hot flushes and
other effects of menopause; vitamin D and sunshine are very important for producing calcium in the bones (although the latter has never been studied scientifically), as are certain
mineral salts (calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus) and trace elements. Several women mentioned homeopathic remedies and infusions for hot flushes. Norma said she had found
the best solution for hot flushes : an oriental fan which she always carries with her I Another woman spoke of how doctors never tell you that the best way to stop dryness of
the vagina is to continue to have orgasms!
All the participants who belonged to menopause groups stressed how important such groups are not only for sharing information about alternative remedies, but especially for the
mutual support they provide. Going to a doctor usually leaves a woman isolated. One woman said that she found the best "treatment" for the effects of menopause was physical
activity, love, and the women's movement!
LESBIAN HEALTH
Marjo and Dieneke from the Netherlands started the workshop by offering time for introductions. After that they talked about their work at the Women's Health Clinic in
Amsterdam. They opened their Health Center four years ago, but it was only a year and a half ago that they started to offer Lesbian care. After a year they noticed that there weren't so many illnesses that are specific to Lesbians as that the problems were directly related to their oppression as Lesbians. For example, a doctor being consulted for a vaginal infection might ask questions such as "do you have painful intercourse" or "what method of birth control are you using". The Lesbian group that met once a week dealt with medical problems such as psychiatric experiences, social problems and alcoholism. Some of the questions the Lesbian group raised among themselves last year were : what do we as Lesbians want to change in our health system, and what can we do about it ? As a result of these discussions an article was written for a medical journal discussing changes that doctors should make in their attitudes that assume all womyn are heterosexual. The Netherlands womyn are also going to give a speech on the same subject for a conference of gynecologists and sexologists. This came about when one of the gynecologists who had read the article approached the group and asked them to speak on the subject of Lesbian oppression in gynecology. (Womyn from other countries attending the workshop were somewhat amazed at this). Inside their own group at the Health Center they began confronting the health workers about their heterosexual assumptions. Their work and discussions in the future will focus in particular on the problem of compulsory heterosexuality.
Some womyn from Africa who were present at the workshop said that Lesbianism is not the public phenomenon it is in industrialized countries, but they know that Lesbianism does exist in their countries, and believe that because of feminism is likely to become an issue of greater force in the future. One of the questions they had concerned how womyn are influenced to become Lesbian. Lesbians in the group thought the issue is not how womyn are influenced to become Lesbian but how womyn are forced to be heterosexual. We think there are many Lesbian relationships which are not called Lesbian. Whether a womon identifies herself as Lesbian depends on her economic independence from men for survival, and on the social acceptance of womyn's autonomy and sexuality. Societies that do not recognize autonomous womyn
cannot accept the idea of Lesbianism.
We next discussed alternative fertilization and parthenogenesis. Very few of the womyn were knowledgeable as to how parthenogenesis might work although it was mentioned that there is a group that is working on methods (like using yoga) to allow both ovaries to release eggs at the same time. These eggs would then merge in the same way as ova and sperm. A womon doctor in Great Britain did a study in 1957 which stated that this process occurs as often in nature as womyn bear fraternal twins. The need to do research on this subject, and to be aware of men's research, was considered a necessity by the group because of the possible wide-reaching social repercussions of modern male science. (What if womyn were no longer needed to bear children ?)
In the western part of the Netherlands it has been possibleIn the western part of the Netherlands it has been possiblefor the last five years to receive alternative insemination insome clinics. Some Lesbians have been rejected, some havebeen accepted after the obligatory interviews. The Lesbiangroup Is trying to find out the "right answers" so they canspread the information. (Addition : After the conference awomon from Berlin talked about a clinic in Great Britainthat is collecting sperm from upper class men (involved inpolitics, arts, ...) and donating this sperm to upper classwomyn only. There is the possibility that sperm will begiven on the basis of classism and racism elsewhere as well
A lot of research has been done by womyn about how to do alternative insemination ourselves. Lesbians of the Health Service Clinic in Colorado Springs, USA, have conducted workshops on this.
A womon in our group raised the question "why do Lesbians want to become mothers 7 " This issue was not dealt with because we chose as a priority to discuss the problems that
Lesbians encounter with heterosexual womyn, especially when working on the same projects.
Our experience as Lesbians in womyn's health clinics has
- Lesbians are accepted as health workers but usually there
been :
is no discussion of Lesbianism in the groups.
— Womyn's health clinics focus on heterosexuality (contraception and other problems of heterosexual womyn trying to change oppressive aspects of their sexuality with men.)
— Lesbians give plenty of energy to the womyn's projects ut quite often we don't feel that there is space for us as Lesbians — either in the work or in the teams.
- Heterosexual womyn often don't seem to see the different aspects of discrimination against Lesbians and how they might have internalized heterosexism; nor, we often feel, do they want to. Instead there is a great deal of defensiveness of heterosexuality and, sometimes especially, of motherhood. One Lesbian said she felt the heterosexual
womyn in her group, most of whom have children, believe mothers, but not Lesbians, to be "real womyn".
A crucial point is the examination of why one chooses to be a mother, or heterosexual. For Lesbians to raise this question is usually seen by heterosexual womyn as an attack on their
(hetero) sexuality.
then stems from the fact that they think of Lesbianism solely in terms of sexuality (the erotic) and do not see its political and social implications. Equally important is that they ignore the social and political implications of heterosexuality. They analyse heterosexuality in terms of their own oppression, but they fail to recognise the rewards for "choosing" heterosexuality
and the punishment for choosing Lesbianism. That is, they fail to recognise that there exists an institution of compulsory heterosexuaiity, that compulsory heterosexuality is an important
factor in the oppression of womyn, and that by their failure to confront their own heterosexist assumptions, they contribute not only to the oppression of their Lesbian sisters, but to the
oppression of themselves.
certain heterosexist, sexist, classist, and racist beliefs. We think that every womon has a responsibility to root out her own classist, racist, sexist, and heterosexist attitudes and
behaviours. In the same way that you should not expect womyn to teach men about their sexism, that you should not expect womyn of colour to constantly teach white womyn
about racism, that you should not expect working class womyn to confront upper and middle class womyn on classism, you should not expect Lesbians to continually educate heterosexual
womyn. It's nice if we are patient with one another and helpful on an individual basis, but we should not categorically expect the oppressed to shoulder the burden of educating
the oppressor.
Our history as Lesbians is that we have worked actively in support of heterosexual womyn's concerns in the womyn's movement. It is now time that heterosexual womyn do likewise
for Lesbians.
for Lesbians.
WORKSHOP ON DENTAL SELF-HELP
The announcement for this workshop appeared on the bulletin- board rather late, and the only time that could be set aside for it was on Monday afternoon, after the closing Plenary
session; this explains why so few women attended, which is a great pity, given the importance of dental health to all of us.
The announcement for this workshop appeared on the bulletin- board rather late, and the only time that could be set aside for it was on Monday afternoon, after the closing Plenary
session; this explains why so few women attended, which is a great pity, given the importance of dental health to all of us.
Why are teeth so important ? Good, sound teeth are not only a matter of "a beautiful smile", they also play an important role in our psychological and physical well-being : tooth
decay can lead to the spread of infection to other parts of the body, while loss of teeth not only makes us feel old and infirm, but actually starts a circular process of inability to
assimilate certain foods, leading to malnutrition, leading to further disturbances in our overall health and mental outlook.
decay can lead to the spread of infection to other parts of the body, while loss of teeth not only makes us feel old and infirm, but actually starts a circular process of inability to
assimilate certain foods, leading to malnutrition, leading to further disturbances in our overall health and mental outlook.
Dental "self-help" means two things, essentially : knowing how to take proper care of our teeth to prevent decay, and knowing as much as possible about the anatomy of the mouth
and teeth in order to be in a better position to deal with the dentist when repair work becomes necessary : knowledge is power!
and teeth in order to be in a better position to deal with the dentist when repair work becomes necessary : knowledge is power!
Anatomy
Teeth begin to form in the embryo, and their early development is affected by the health of the mother since they are made up of nutrients supplied by the mother's blood stream :
calcium and phosphorus are the chief minerals concerned in the development of teeth, but magnesium, fluorine, and others are also required.
Teeth begin to form in the embryo, and their early development is affected by the health of the mother since they are made up of nutrients supplied by the mother's blood stream :
calcium and phosphorus are the chief minerals concerned in the development of teeth, but magnesium, fluorine, and others are also required.
The visible part of a tooth is called the clinical crown; it is covered by enamel. The part of the tooth which is below the gum is covered by cementum. Inside the enamel and
cementum is a bony substance called dentin, and embedded in the center of the dentin is the dental pulp, a soft tissue which contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels.
cementum is a bony substance called dentin, and embedded in the center of the dentin is the dental pulp, a soft tissue which contains nerves, lymph and blood vessels.
One the tooth is fully formed, the enamel — if damaged by decay or accident — can not be regenerated. Neither can dentin. This is why preventing tooth decay is so important.
Caries
Tooth decay, or dental caries, is the end result of acids dissolving enamel. The acids are produced by bacteria which adhere to the tooth surface and form plaques. When sugars or starches
come in contact with the plaque, acids are produced in a matter of one-half to one and a half minutes, and increase in concentration so that at the end of thirty minutes it may be sufficient to dissolve enamel.
Tooth decay, or dental caries, is the end result of acids dissolving enamel. The acids are produced by bacteria which adhere to the tooth surface and form plaques. When sugars or starches
come in contact with the plaque, acids are produced in a matter of one-half to one and a half minutes, and increase in concentration so that at the end of thirty minutes it may be sufficient to dissolve enamel.
Prevention advice
Proper dental hygiene would therefore require changing dietary habits on the one hand, to limit or, better, to eliminate altogether foods which are high in starches and sugars; and
efficient brushing of the teeth, with the use of dental floss and soft wooden toothpicks, immediately after every "meal", be it only a snack, on the other. It is therefore a good idea to
carry a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste and dental floss in one's handbag; thorough rinsing of the mouth with water after eating is the least that one can do. The effectiveness
of brushing to remove dental plaque can be checked by means of special tablets, which you can get in a pharmacy, and which, when dissolved in a glass of water, will stain
the parts of the teeth which are still covered by plaque.
Proper dental hygiene would therefore require changing dietary habits on the one hand, to limit or, better, to eliminate altogether foods which are high in starches and sugars; and
efficient brushing of the teeth, with the use of dental floss and soft wooden toothpicks, immediately after every "meal", be it only a snack, on the other. It is therefore a good idea to
carry a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste and dental floss in one's handbag; thorough rinsing of the mouth with water after eating is the least that one can do. The effectiveness
of brushing to remove dental plaque can be checked by means of special tablets, which you can get in a pharmacy, and which, when dissolved in a glass of water, will stain
the parts of the teeth which are still covered by plaque.
The bristles of your toothbrush should not be too hard and should have rounded ends to prevent injuring the gum. The motion should be "from red to white", i.e. from the gum towards
the tooth.
the tooth.
The best dental floss to use is the un-waxed kind : cut off a sufficient length to wind the ends around your two index fingers, then gently push it between the teeth, taking care not
to cut the gum. Pull it back : if the floss comes out frayed, this may indicate the formation of a carie on the inner surface of one of the teeth.
to cut the gum. Pull it back : if the floss comes out frayed, this may indicate the formation of a carie on the inner surface of one of the teeth.
Failure to remove debris and deposits from the tooth at the gum margin results in the eventual formation of tartar with a consequent irritation and inflammation of the gum. If allowed
to go untreated, this inflammation may progress into chronic periodontosis, or pyorrhea with ultimate loosing of the teeth. Tartar, or calculus, should be removed regularly by
the dentist.
to go untreated, this inflammation may progress into chronic periodontosis, or pyorrhea with ultimate loosing of the teeth. Tartar, or calculus, should be removed regularly by
the dentist.
In addition to proper brushing, using dental floss and soft toothpicks to clean between the teeth we can also learn to use a dental probe (a hooked metal instrument) in order to
detect caries early when they are still very small. The dental work involved will then be minor, and relatively less painful and less expensive. Probes, and dental mirrors, can be purchased
from dental supply stores, or maybe your dentist can sell you these items at second-hand prices.
detect caries early when they are still very small. The dental work involved will then be minor, and relatively less painful and less expensive. Probes, and dental mirrors, can be purchased
from dental supply stores, or maybe your dentist can sell you these items at second-hand prices.
Fillings in adjacent teeth should always be of the same kind, contact between two different metals, for example an amalgam filling and a gold inlay, may produce an electric current
causing migraine headaches and other complications.
causing migraine headaches and other complications.
An interesting sidelight concerning the effect of tooth caries and infection on the health of the individual comes to us from Oriental medicine, according to which the different teeth are
connected with specific internal organs; thus the incisors are connected with the meridian of the bladder and kidneys, the canines with the meridian of the liver and the gall-bladder,
the pre-molars (bicuspids) with the colon and the lungs, the first two molars with the stomach and the pancreas, and the third molar, or wisdom tooth, with the meridian of the heart
and the small intestine. All the more reason for us to keep all our teeth in good condition !
connected with specific internal organs; thus the incisors are connected with the meridian of the bladder and kidneys, the canines with the meridian of the liver and the gall-bladder,
the pre-molars (bicuspids) with the colon and the lungs, the first two molars with the stomach and the pancreas, and the third molar, or wisdom tooth, with the meridian of the heart
and the small intestine. All the more reason for us to keep all our teeth in good condition !
STATEMENT OF THE GROUP "WOMEN FROM THE THIRD WORLD"
In discussing ways whereby women from the developed and the developing countries (First and Third World, respectively) could help one another to achieve a truly human
world, we realized that since women's oppression derives from international capitalism and patriarchy, what we must do to guarantee total and complete liberation is to concentrate
our efforts on a two-fold objective : socialism and feminism.
world, we realized that since women's oppression derives from international capitalism and patriarchy, what we must do to guarantee total and complete liberation is to concentrate
our efforts on a two-fold objective : socialism and feminism.
To that end, we call on all feminists throughout the world :
1) To consider women's problems as part and parcel of the struggle for social transformation. Therefore, to be aware of the danger of pursuing separate objectives one by one,
of taking action without a prior thorough social, economic and political analysis, i.e. to be aware that this involves the risk of fragmentation of effort and becoming a fringe
movement;
1) To consider women's problems as part and parcel of the struggle for social transformation. Therefore, to be aware of the danger of pursuing separate objectives one by one,
of taking action without a prior thorough social, economic and political analysis, i.e. to be aware that this involves the risk of fragmentation of effort and becoming a fringe
movement;
2) To not only ensure the existence of an autonomous women's movement, but also to effectively cooperate with other social and political groups which are active in seeking
a change;
a change;
3) To see to it that development aid fosters real independence and autonomy for the Third World, rather than being used as a tool for capitalist penetration, and, especially
in the field of health, to ensure that projects are not set up in the economic or political interest of the industrialized countries, exclusively.
in the field of health, to ensure that projects are not set up in the economic or political interest of the industrialized countries, exclusively.
We call on all women who hold key positions in institutions which finance the Third World aid to acquaint themselves with the condition of women in the Third World and, in elaborating
policies and criteria for projects, to do so in active collaboration with the women who initiated these projects.
policies and criteria for projects, to do so in active collaboration with the women who initiated these projects.
In the same breath, we appeal to the women of the Third World who receive funds from agencies of the First World to unite in setting their own conditions when they accept
such funds.
such funds.
We believe that each group has the right to set its own priorities in the light of its own political, economic and social context, and that this right must be respected.
We experienced this feeling of solidarity throughout the four hours we spent listening to, and getting to know one another; we came to the conclusion that the feminist movement's
success depends on continuing this process of exchanging information on a world-wide scale, especially between women of the First and the Third World, and, if possible, also with
our sisters in the Second World.
success depends on continuing this process of exchanging information on a world-wide scale, especially between women of the First and the Third World, and, if possible, also with
our sisters in the Second World.
We congratulate ISIS and the Dispensaire des Femmes for having created this possibility for us to get together, and we urge them to continue to promote and expand this process
of sharing information, especially through future international meetings such as this one.
of sharing information, especially through future international meetings such as this one.
INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION, DOCUMENTATION AND NETWORKS
This workshop was an addition to the planned programme. In several other workshops the question of how to keep international information flowing on women and health was
raised, what the problems are, and whether additional networks are needed.
This workshop was an addition to the planned programme. In several other workshops the question of how to keep international information flowing on women and health was
raised, what the problems are, and whether additional networks are needed.
Existing Networks
Three international networks dealing with women and health internationally already exist.
Three international networks dealing with women and health internationally already exist.
1. The Boston Women's Health Book Collective (Box 192, Sommerville, MA 02144, USA, authors of Our Bodies Ourselves), who have been putting out a regular bi-monthly packet of material, sent to approximately 600 women's health groups in the States and elsewhere. The group scans medical journals and periodicals, newspapers, population information and women's publications for information concerning
women and health. This is then photocopied and compiled as a "packet". It is almost entirely from US sources; the group feels that since most of the major developments in medical technology and planning with regard to health projects elsewhere are made in the US, it is particularly important for us as women to keep abreast of this information. The distribution of the packet is highly selective and limited; it goes only to those groups which Boston feels will be able to use it directly in their work, or pass it on to groups and people who can. The packet is expensive to produce, but the Boston group think it is worth it. Until now they have been financing the packet from royalties of their book, but these are rapidly diminishing, so they are seeking funding elsewhere to continue the packet service.*
women and health. This is then photocopied and compiled as a "packet". It is almost entirely from US sources; the group feels that since most of the major developments in medical technology and planning with regard to health projects elsewhere are made in the US, it is particularly important for us as women to keep abreast of this information. The distribution of the packet is highly selective and limited; it goes only to those groups which Boston feels will be able to use it directly in their work, or pass it on to groups and people who can. The packet is expensive to produce, but the Boston group think it is worth it. Until now they have been financing the packet from royalties of their book, but these are rapidly diminishing, so they are seeking funding elsewhere to continue the packet service.*
2. ISIS (Women's International Information and Communication Service, C P . 50 (Cornavin), 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland) which covers all areas of the women's movement, not only health. They have extensive resources on women and health in different parts of the world. Most importantly, they have an international network of contacts, and are set up to be able to put people and groups in touch with one another, and to distribute information on request. They have published three ISIS International Bulletins on women and health (two in English, one in Spanish, not counting the present publication), and an International Women and Health Resource Guide, jointly with the Boston Women's Health Book Collective (BWHBC). This Guide brings together annotated listings of groups, literature, Vilms, etc. on women and health internationally, and is the only source of its kind.
ISIS is funded by donations and subscriptions.
ISIS is funded by donations and subscriptions.
3. ICASC (International Contraception, Abortion and Sterilization Campaign — A Woman's Right to Choose, 374 Grays Inn Road, London WC1, England) is set up to share information internationally on the issues concerned with abortion, contraception and sterilization, hold regular planning meetings (for the moment within Europe) where information is exchanged, and publish a quarterly newsletter which brings together information on these issues from all over the world. The ICASC network consists primarily on national groups across the globe who are directly involved with action and research on reproductive issues.
There was some discussion about these networks and how they relate to the different national groups and networks. Many of the people in the group are receiving information from one or all of the networks, and felt they are useful. Major problems which were raised are:
a) language : the three networks put out most of their material in English. This means for many countries it must be translated if it is to be used at local level. In the other direction, national and local groups could send information to the networks in the original language, but the question is whether BWHBC, ISIS and ICASC should then translate this material into English, or pass it on in the original. But how useful is, say, an Italian piece, sent out to 50 different countries ? Whether we like it or not, English is probably the most universally understood language and therefore the most useful for international networks. It was agreed that it is much easier and more practical to do translations at local level.
b) cost : translation, and especially dissemination of material costs money. Most national groups and networks have a tremendous problem with this. Duplicating costs are high nearly everywhere in the world, and postage costs are soaring. National groups have to find their own way to finance these operations, although it might be possible to try to get international funding for coordinating some of these networks.
c) identifying sources of information : one major difficulty, especially in dealing with medical information is being able to assess the validity of the information and what its real source is. The Boston packets are good in this way because they always identify the source of the information. This is very important in that most medical and health information still comes from establishment sources, which (to say the least) have no special concern for women. , On the other hand, one of the major things we have learned in the women's health movement is to be critical of all information and attempt to evaluate it for ourselves. Also, there is beginning to be more information from
women and women-centred research now available.
d) direct service / information work : the relationship between the "hands-on" groups (i.e. thoses involved in providing direct health services) and those involved more in providing information. Very often the "hands-on" groups have no time to sit down and write about their experiences or practice, or even to use to the full some of the information they receive. Other groups put more emphasis on making good information available. It was felt important to make this distinction and understand that this kind of division of labour is mutually beneficial.
e) overload of information : there is so much printed matter around that it is difficult to be selective; also some groups may be more interested in certain topics that others. As far as the international networks are concerned, it is impossible to select out certain information for certain groups (even if one knew all of their specific interests). Again selection has to be done at local level, but always giving feedback to the international networks.
International Campaigns
The networks, then, already exist and seem to function well. The discussion then focussed on the fact that we are not only concerned simply with information sharing, but with issues. Issues are international, especially as regards women and health. Contraceptive research was one area where it was felt that much more coordinated information and action internationally were necessary. ICASC can certainly help in sharing the information, but carrying out the research is more complex.
The networks, then, already exist and seem to function well. The discussion then focussed on the fact that we are not only concerned simply with information sharing, but with issues. Issues are international, especially as regards women and health. Contraceptive research was one area where it was felt that much more coordinated information and action internationally were necessary. ICASC can certainly help in sharing the information, but carrying out the research is more complex.
A proposal was made to try to launch a coordinated international study on contraceptive research. Information could be collected by national and local groups about current contraceptive research being carried out, and then a meeting to discuss the findings and future strategy could take place. On the basis of this, women could pursue their own research into contraception (including abortion and sterilization) and share this information internationally via the existing networks. Clearly much more money would be needed for this. (Note : an information group met to discuss this further after the Conference had ended. Contact Mira Savara, Feminist Resource Centre, 13 Carol Mansion, 35 Sitladevi Temple Rd., Bombay 400016, India.)
In addition, the group identified other networks to which we might have links : the International Baby Foods Action Network (P.O. Box 157, 1211 Geneva 19, Switzerland) which coordinates information on action taking place on the breastfeeding / bottle feeding concerns (see report on breast feeding and nutrition workshop); and Health Action International, a recently-formed "international antibody" set up to resist ill-treatment of consumers by multinational drug companies. It comprises a broadly-based network of consumer, professional, development action and other groups, one of whose concerns is looking into contraceptive drugs and pharmaceutical companies' activities in this field. Three organisations can supply further information on this network : International Organization of Consumer Unions, P.O. Box 1045, Penang, Malaysia; BUKO Pharma-Kampagne, c/o Dritte Welt Haus, August Bebel Strasse 62, D-4800 Bielefeld 1, Federal Republic of Germany; Social Audit, 9 Poland Street, London W1V 3DG, United Kingdom.
It is also very important to know what meetings are taking place on women and health around the world. Population establishment institutions, aid agencies and churches are all international and therefore affect us as women internationally, especially with regard to issues surrounding birth control. Several meetings were mentioned : the IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) meeting on family planning (April, Indonesia), the Latin American Association on reproductive research (June, Mendosa); the Oxfam / World Neighbours Seminar on Depo-Provera (September, Malaysia). The group stressed the importance of our monitoring and sharing the outcoming information if at all possible.
* NOTE on Boston Packets : In order to raise funds to continue the packet service, BWHBC needs to receive letters from as many women's groups as possible, stressing the importance of the service, and stating how it is used. These letters of support will help them show how much the service is needed.
YOGA AS A METHOD OF CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION
The experience of the Netherlands women In August 1980, an Israelian woman, Reuma Cohen, came to Amsterdam to teach a workshop on controling the menstrual cycle through the using of a series of yoga and gymnastic exercises,. By "control" she meant eliminating menstrual pain, shortening lengthy periods, regulating irregular or nonexistent cycles, menstruating on the day you wish (whether or not you are pregnant, i.e. birth control), inducing your period up to 10 days over due (mini-abortion), and inducing ovulation for women who wish to become pregnant.
After participating in the workshop, our group began doing the exercises ourselves. When we felt that we had mastered them, we started passing them on to our friends, woman-towoman. Then, because of the number of women wanting to learn the method and because motivation would be easier to maintain, we began teaching the exercises in groups. The idea was that participants could then practice together once the course was over.
A group typically consists of about 12 women (depending on the space) and two of us. Three evenings are spent doing the exercices themselves and one evening is for talking about our experiences with menstruation. We give information on self-help as well, showing how to do self-examination and describing other methods of learning about our cycles. We also talk about other ways of dealing with menstrual pain, like massage, herbal teas, etc. This "course" is followed up three months later by an evening where women can talk about their experiences using the method. We are keeping a record of these experiences.
taught gradually, for example, in regular evenings in the week over the space of many months, so that women can practice and work together. As it is, we give a kind of "crash course", where women can learn the rudiments and must afterwards practice it alone. Unfortunately, we do not have enough women-power to teach it any other way, at the moment.
The Israelian women have had very good results with the method. They have groups which meet on a regular basis running for several years. As a method of birth control, it is nearly 100 percent effective, although somewhat less so far women who wish to get pregnant, that is for regulating or inducing ovulation.
We are more reticent about recommending the method as a means of birth control. Our experience is that many women have what we call the "pill mentality". By that, we mean that women would like to be rid of all problems surrounding menstruation and birth control without bother and effort (and without having to look critically at what is happening to their health). If a pill can do that, well, then one takes a pill. This is, obviously, a general attitude which exists in our society and which the medical establishment caters to. Our method, however, cannot work within this mentality. It is experimental at present and requires much time and hard
work to master properly. We urge women to be very sure that they have complete control before they rely on it as a form of birth control. What does seem to work almost immediately, is that menstrual cramps are greatly reduced and your period becomes more regular and shorter.
work to master properly. We urge women to be very sure that they have complete control before they rely on it as a form of birth control. What does seem to work almost immediately, is that menstrual cramps are greatly reduced and your period becomes more regular and shorter.
The method
Around 1966, Aviva Steiner, a yoga and gymnastics teacher in Israel, started asking herself why it should not be possible for women to gain control over their reproductive organs. After all, in yoga you learn to master your breathing and your heartbeat and influence various body organs. Why not the uterus ? So, she began compiling exercises taken from yoga, gymnastics and dance with this goal in mind. She travelled to different countries and learned very old dance forms used by women for centuries to influence their menstrual cycle. Then, she put all the exercises together in a system for initiating the menstrual flow and / or ovulation.
Around 1966, Aviva Steiner, a yoga and gymnastics teacher in Israel, started asking herself why it should not be possible for women to gain control over their reproductive organs. After all, in yoga you learn to master your breathing and your heartbeat and influence various body organs. Why not the uterus ? So, she began compiling exercises taken from yoga, gymnastics and dance with this goal in mind. She travelled to different countries and learned very old dance forms used by women for centuries to influence their menstrual cycle. Then, she put all the exercises together in a system for initiating the menstrual flow and / or ovulation.
Roughly, the system involves learning to feel and use the muscles in the pelvic region, particularly your uterus. The main movement is a jerking contraction and relaxation of the muscles around the tailbone. This is done at a high speed, so that the blood circulation is increased (comparable to running). Through exercises, the blood is "directed" towards the uterus, the muscles of the uterus open up and the lining is expelled. The exercises have the general effect of increasing the blood circulation in the reproductive organs. In this way, ovulation may be facilitated. The exercises probably have some kind of effect on hormonal production, but exactly how this occurs is unclear at present.
The exercises have been divided into series : one series for regulating the menstrual cycle, one for initiating the menstruation, one for abortion and one for initiating ovulation for women who want to get pregnant. The series range from 25 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. They are done to music. They are strenuous (like sport), but they are also fun to do. It is very pleasant to "feel" that part of your body and the exercise is healthy, too. Unless a woman has a lot of back trouble or can't use her legs, she should be able to learn and do the exercises. Obviously, if she is in poor physical condition it will take longer and should be done more gradually.
A few final words about the significance of this method for women : In the beginning, we were overjoyed to hear this method. Finally we can achieve complete control over our menstruation and reproduction. We are free from oppressive abortion legislation, dangerous contraceptives, painkillers with side effects, and hormone treatments !
Hardly short of revolutionary, we thought. Our initial enthusiasm has been somehow dampened, however. To begin with, the method is obviously limited to those women who have the time and energy to learn it. Although this doesn't take longer than a few months, it is a luxury that many women cannot afford. Thus, it is not the universal answer to all our reproductive and menstrual problems.
Also, the method is clearly in an experimental phase. Before we can be sure that it works, we need to test it. This needs a commitment on the part of the women who are doing it now and takes a lot of time, especially considering the way it is being taught - in small groups and in our free time. This is a problem, of course, for all "natural methods". We do not have the money, the time and the other resources which pharmaceutical industries have at their disposal.
Despite this, we do feel that the method is important and should be made available to as many women as possible. Going to the Women and Health conference in Geneva was a first step towards making the method public. Since then, we have had numerous invitations to do a course for women's groups all over Europe. It is much more that we can handle at the moment. We are doing the best we can, however, to pass the method on and we hope that, in a few years, more women will be able to report about their experiences with it.
Kathy Davis c/o Zelfhulp Amsterdam Krammerstraat 32 I 1078 KJ Amsterdam Holland
WOMEN AND VIOLENCE
Whenever one talks about women and violence it is to concentrate on the aspect of woman as victim of violence (rape, beatings, threats, unequal laws, confining social role).
Whenever one talks about women and violence it is to concentrate on the aspect of woman as victim of violence (rape, beatings, threats, unequal laws, confining social role).
During the workshop, however, we also asked ourselves how to react to violence against women in this context. It seems that these two aspects are indivisible because the role imposed on us by the patriarchal society conditions our expression of violence. The image of woman as victim and as defenseless follows after us in daily life as well as in our fantasies and in films. We think that this image of "victim" must be changed - contradicted. We need to learn how to answer back to the aggression of men.
We told stories of concrete experiences :
— learning self defense through such techniques as Wen Do which some women have success with,
— using the same vocabulary as those who aggress us in the streets,
— presenting theater scenes in the streets, in department stores, in public transportation which depict the oppression of women,
— making legal complaints in cases of rape or battery and injury. This seems difficult for a woman who has survived an attack, even if she has the support of a feminist group or friends, because it is difficult to take the time to go
through all the procedures, difficult to confront the questions, difficult to expose oneself to public opinion, and to know that a trial, such as they are in Western Europe, is useless.
— learning self defense through such techniques as Wen Do which some women have success with,
— using the same vocabulary as those who aggress us in the streets,
— presenting theater scenes in the streets, in department stores, in public transportation which depict the oppression of women,
— making legal complaints in cases of rape or battery and injury. This seems difficult for a woman who has survived an attack, even if she has the support of a feminist group or friends, because it is difficult to take the time to go
through all the procedures, difficult to confront the questions, difficult to expose oneself to public opinion, and to know that a trial, such as they are in Western Europe, is useless.
We also spoke of how we experience our bodies and our strength. We noticed that cultural habits limited us in our movements even in our games as children. The fear to take physical risks, to fall to fight, to get dirty, etc. Happily we see
certain cultural and educational customs crumbling little by little.
certain cultural and educational customs crumbling little by little.
Violence is the basis of all oppression. It is clear that violence can be excised in different ways and that a physical as well as psychic integrity of the human being can be achieved. This is why we find it important to support all women and all persons who struggle, and to be in solidarity with those on the geographic, economic, and religious fringes. The disagreements of governments do not represent disagreements between inhabitants of those countries !
the sexual mutilation practices in certain Third World countries. We do not want in any way to compare any two specific situations - one in Europe, the other in Africa - but we
do want to bring together our problems and our victories against oppression throughout the world.
do want to bring together our problems and our victories against oppression throughout the world.
We are convinced that we can defend ourselves by ourselves,without our fathers, our brothers, our husbands, the police or judges!
The world needs spirited women like ourselves, who are willing to fight back !