In The Womens' Library - photocopying my work

Some of my past work is in the Womens' Library, currently housed on the top two floors of the London School of Economics. Back in the days of second stage feminism I wrote opinion pieces, book reviews, poetry and a short story for the Edinburgh Women's Liberation Newsletter and my pieces are in files on shelves in the open collection.

I decided to photocopy them while they were still there. The Women's Library, previously the Fawcett Library has had a number of house moves and when people move house items can get mislaid or chucked out. I had to apply for a visitors library card with photo ID. Bit of a faff, a few years ago when the collection was in a little building in East London I simply wandered in, got a day pass there and then and got copying. However a few years ago, whilst feeling depressed I sorted my copies into 'A list' and 'B list' and binned everything bar one story. Bad mistake, no matter how weak a writer thinks their work is there will always be a few lines or a theme that we can use and develop later.

What was there was much the same as last time, not the complete set of newsletters but well over half. Someone in our group, probably Mary McCann or Maggie Christie our two most long term workers had the presence of mind to send them, hot off the press and they got accepted as relevant documents.. Bristol did them same with their newsletter. I'm pretty sure Nottingham did too but Nottingham appears to be lost in transit.

Looking at my past work, it is evident that I was not Simone de Beauvoir, simply an ordinary woman writing for a local project that lasted about 12 years - I was involved in the latter half from 1987 to 1996. None of us got paid and we printed all contributions. Our reward was a complimentary copy and sometimes praise from other feminists that I met a various gatherings who told me that they had enjoyed reading my work. 

How great that the opportunity was there and it is great that Abctales is here now. I have always found it fairly easy to 'get my work out to people', writing, reading in bars, libraries and community halls, sometimes getting published as part of a community project.

Getting my work out to 'the right people' via submissions and competitions is a different game entirely. It seems impersonal as if I am throwing needles into a bale of hay that is shrouded in fog. Faceless, heartless. I very rarely bother, if it costs money, forget it. Where's the satisfaction, a few strangers reading my work and the chance to impress the type of people I generally avoid like the plague. And all for pennies...

Anyhow for those of you who have persevered beyond this last sour grapes paragraph I hereby list the 7 Demands of the Women's Liberation Movement. These were agreed by consensus in 1972 and appeared on the back page of every edition of the Edinburgh Women's Liberation Newsletter.

1. Equal pay for equal work

2. Equal education and equal opportunities

3 Free contraception and abortion on demand

4 Free 24-hour community controlled child care

5 Legal and financial independence for women

6 An end to all discrimination against lesbians

7 Freedom for all women from intimidation by the threat or use of violence or sexual coercion, regardless of marital status; and end to all laws, assumptions and institutions that perpetuate male dominance and man's aggression towards women.