The Brussels Post, 1980-11-05, Page 10BUSINESS
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10' THE' !MUSSELS POST, NOVEMBER, 5, 1980
omen must act, sped
You have ,to take yourself learning not to ,be afraid;and
seriously.first," she stressed improving your self image. A
and said 'that women Vecial film, a guest speajcer
interested in change and
BY SHELLY WHIM
The silencing of women
through the centuries has not
been a deliberate exclusion.
But if women want more
input in future ideas and
tomorrow's culture, they
must start acting now.
Dr. DOrothy Smith, a
professor of sociology from
the University of Toronto,
addressed a group of over 25
women with this thought at a
recent meeting in Clinton.
Women from a variety of
interests and livelihoods,
from their early 20's to senior
years came out to hear Dr.
Smith speak to the Huron
County Women Today group
on October 23.
Dr. Smith explained that
women have had little say in
society, and as a result much
or our culture has been male
dominated.
The unintentional silenc-
ing began over 500 years ago;
when men joined together to
exchange ideas, thoughts
and to write books. At t .tha
time, the circle of scholars
and Intel lecnials were like a ,
social group and women
were not purposely rejected:,
"The social process
worked and women were just
not there to take part" Dr.
Smith explained.
Since that time, men have
held dominant pesitions in all
parts of society, in politics,
art, literature, religion and
industry.
"The work of women in
the home has been invisible
worl,,," Dr. Smith stressed,
"even we (women) couldn't
see it as a work process."
But she noted that in the
last century there have' been
rumblings in society and
women have begun realizing
that housework takes time,
effort and skill and is an
important and necessary part
of our culture.
"It's the general view of
society from which women
have largely been omitted,"
she noted, explaining ,that in
the past work has gone On to
keep women in their place.
However, Dr. Smith
referred to the
"underground river of
women," a continually sur-
facing group of intellects and
talented women who have
taken important places in
society.
Despite few opportunity to
expand their talents in the
male dominated world, many
have been able to overcome
the barriers and obstacles
and women like the Bronte
sisters and Emily Dickinson,
for instance, produced
classic literature and poetry
in the 1800's.
EXTRAORDINARY SKILL
"Women have produced
work of extraordinary skill,"
Dr. Smith explained and
encouraged that quilting, a
domestic chore of the past, is
now regarded as an art and is
gaining prominence in
culture.
In the past, women who
attempted to speak up in
spiritual or political leader-
ship were actively sup-
pressed. Jane Boughten and
her daughter Lady Youge
were burned at the stake in
the 15th century for their
attempts to interpret the
Bible. Anne Hutchinson was
banished from her
community when she tried to
teach religion.
Others were guillotined as
an example of what Would
happen when women
stepped out of. place and, in
the early 1900's an Americans:
Mrs; Packard, was
institutionalized in an insane
asylum for holding religious I.
opinions different than her
husband's. Husbands had
this right; Dr. Smith
explained, but Mrs. Packard
was able to win her release
in theiwidely publicized case.
Women have also been
systematically excluded from
religion and politics in the
past and. Dr. Smith said that'
in Canadian and• American
medical schools, a seven per
cent limitation was set for the
number of women studying,
in the schools.
Some progress has been
made since then, encouraged
Dr. Smith. and she added,
"We don't see this -savage
process in North. America
today."
"But in a daily routine
way," she noted. "It can be-
seen that women still don't '
have a voice in culture."'
In education for example,
the largest proportion of
women 'teach primary
grades. Seventy per cent of'
elementary teachers are
women, 33 ' per cent are
secondary teachers, 19 per
cent are community college
instructors and 12 per cent
work - in Canadian
universities. Only three pre
cent of their women are full
professors.
LITTLE AUTHORITY
Dr. Smith stressed that
she wasn't implying that the!
elementary teachers didn't
have an important place but
stated, "Women are not
located in positions where I
they have a say or any,
authority."
"Men have ari,authority in,
the world of culture and
thought," she went on to
say, explaining' that the
position of authority not only
comes on an individual basis
but men are Chosen for these
positions because of their
sex.
"Their authority is like an
organization," 'Dr. Smith
noted. "They don't appear
as themselves alone. Their
words count for one
another."
As further illustration of
the -male dominated society,
Dr. Smith explained that
men control topics of con-
versation. She told the group
that it's a common fallacy
that women talk more then
men, but in fact women
supposedly talk more only
becau se they , have had
limitations set. If they exceed
theie, they're said to be
talking too much.
In. California, research has
shown that men may
interrupt women, but when a
Woman interrupts a man, she
is penalized and her behavior
is disapproved. of.
At meetings and important
discussions men will have
more input than women who
may also be present, but Dr.
Smith reasoned, "Men don't
do this to women, it's like a
pattern we've all learned and
we keep it going."
"It's like a game," she
explained and said that when
men discuss topics it's
like they're tossing a ball to
one another, if a women
interjects, even though the
ball hasn't been passed her
way, her idea is usually
passed over or remembered
later when a man picks it up
as his own thought or says,
"What Dorothy meant was
But the future doesn't
haVe to be this way. Already
women are widening their
bounds and opportunities for
better professional and
personal lives are increasing.
"But you have to begin
with oneself," Dr. Smith told
the group, "So your children
may grow up a little different.
You have to talk together and
try to do things differently."
Speaking from her own
experiences Dr. Smith said,
"I used to be a quivering
piece of jelly, 10 years' ago.
You may now say •she speaks
with such authority, but this
didn't' come naturally. I had
to work on it." ,
TAKE YOURSELF
SERIOUSLY
improvements need good
assertiveness training and
networks, like the Women
Today, group.
The county wide
organization has scheduled
another meeting on
Thursday, November 20.
Women of all ages and
interests are invited to this 7
p.m.' meeting at the board of
education offices at the
corner of Albert and Princess
Streets in Clinton.
Proposed topics of
discussion for this evening
will include; dealing with
hostility and. disinterest;
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