Archived Radio Show

Original Radio Show  ID:
WSA211206

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Featuring

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1. Commentary by Elaine B. Holtz, Host of Women's Spaces

2a. Mary Moore, Local Activist, Organizer of the Bohemian Grove protest.

2b. Lois Perlman, Local Activist 

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1. Commentary by our host Elaine B. Holtz: I have two special guests joining me on the phone, Mary Moore and Lois Perlman. I met Mary many years ago when she organized the Bohemian Grove protest here in Sonoma County. We will be talking about her life as an activist and the writing of her memoirs with Lois Perlman, an activist, as well.  

2. Our guests Mary Moore and Lois Perlman talk about writing the memoirs of Mary Moore, and share highlights of Mary's life as an activist. Mary shares the difficult time of having her children taken from her because of her early anti-racism activism and having Black men come over to the house, which was objected to by her now former husband. Mary emphasizes that one must neglect one "ism" for another, that racism, sexism and classism are related. Classicism is why Mary focused her attention on the Bohemian Grove and its annual gathering of the rich and powerful men, and she organized annual protests at their gates near Monte Rio. Lois is going over 800 binders that Mary has assembled over the years in her archive, which has been promised to the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley, to help weave the memoirs.

About our Guest Mary Moore: Born in San Luis Obispo in 1935, Mary Moore has been a social justice activist since 1962 focusing on issues or racism, sexism, and classism. In the late ‘seventies she organized a statewide network to stop Diablo Canyon and Rancho Secco nukes. She co-founded the Bohemian Grove Action Network in 1980 to raise awareness of the elite and small network of men with outsized influence that gather annually at Bohemian Grove in Sonoma County. In the late 1990s, there was a spate of police killings here in Sonoma County, Mary along with many others did a lot of local organizing which led to the US Commission on Civil Rights to hold hearings in Sonoma County. A presentation there on the local deaths attracted national attention.

In 1997 Mary was one of the co-founders of the Sonoma County Free Press and kept it going for over 10 years and continue to stay involved. Mary was also involved in the Women’s Movement and is one of the co-founders of the radio show, “Voices De Mujeres,” on KBBF 89.1FM which is still on the air every Saturday from 1-2pm.

She is currently working on an archives project for the Bancroft Library in Berkeley, Calif. and is currently writing her memoirs/book called, Unfit Mother,” in collaboration with Lois Perlman. Unfortunately, due to her activism Mary lost Custody of her three children which will be covered in her book. Along with her activism she is a dedicated mother and grandmother, her motto is, “if you want peace you must work for justice.”

Guest Link:

Mary Moore email: justice3@sonic.net

About our Guest Lois Perlman:  Lois Perlman is a theater artist, director, community activist, and a co-founder of North Coast Coalition for Palestine. You may have seen her perform at a number of local theaters, and she also directed several plays, including “My Name is Rachel Corrie.” As an activist she was part of a group that convinced the people of Sacramento to shut down the Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. In the 1990s she worked with Act Up Sonoma County to provide public funding for HIV/AIDS services and to proclaim a county-wide Gay Pride Day. At present she is helping Mary Moore write her memoirs.

Guest Link: 

Lois Perlman email: Lois5@sonic.net

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Herstory

Our history is our strength. Check out important dates to remember in herstory at the National Women's History Alliance

Herstory Events:

December 10, 1869 – Wyoming is the first territory to give women the right to vote.

December 10, 1938 – Pearl S. Buck receives the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Good Earth.

December 14, 1961 – President’s Commission on the Status of Women is established to examine discrimination against women and ways to eliminate it.

Herstory Birthdays:

December 13, 1903 (1986) – Ella Baker, organizer, tried to develop local leaders for civil rights campaigns but found male leaders in the NAACP quite unwilling to delegate power, helped lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference until Dr. King took over, worked with the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

As a supplement to the History of individual women, I thought it would be a good idea to remind us how far we have come and some of the changes that were made giving women more independence and a voice, therefore for the next few months beginning November 1, 2021, this segment will include:

40 Basic Rights Women Did Not Have Until The 1970s

The list is thanks to HistoryCollection.com, which cites the sources:

  https://historycollection.com/40-basic-rights-women-did-not-have-until-the-1970s/  

17. Women Didn’t Really Have A Voice

Of course, females have always been able to talk, but this didn’t mean that the things they said had any impact on what people thought. While countless girls fought for women’s suffrage and other rights marches, most males, especially in professional careers, wouldn’t and didn’t have to listen to what girls had to say. This concept not only included their opinions on civil and household matters but also opinions for their own bodies. Typically, until around the 1970s, most women had to listen to their husband in how he wanted things down in his home.

16. They Couldn’t Obtain a Degree in Women’s Studies

It wasn’t until 1956 when the Women Studies program came into existence in Australia. From there, the program slowly grew into other parts of the world. However, the United States’ colleges didn’t start catching on to women studies until the late 1960s. In 1969, Cornell University became the first college to offer women studies classes. A year later, San Diego State University established the first Women’s Studies Program in the United States. 1972 saw the establishment of Feminist Studies, and then 1977 saw the creation of the National Women’s Studies Association, which focuses on women’s history in education.

15. Women Weren’t Able to Get Any Job

Today, it’s hard to think about all the jobs women couldn’t get before the 1970s. Before women started demanding gender equality for jobs, women could only apply for specific positions, such as secretary or teacher. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 worked to end workplace discrimination; however, it continued in several states and among hundreds of professions. Even though employers couldn’t legally reject women for jobs because of their gender, they could reject women for other reasons. Some employers would skip applications by women while others would produce a different reason for not hiring them.

14. She Couldn’t Divorce Over Domestic Violence

Before the 1970s, getting divorced was difficult. Females had to prove that their husband had wronged them to obtain a divorce. However, proof didn’t mean that women would be able to get a divorce successfully. Some of the reasons, such as adultery, became acceptable. However, other reasons were not seen as acceptable, such as spousal abuse. Wives couldn’t officially protect themselves from domestic violence until the 1990s. However, starting in the 1970s, it became acceptable for a woman to ask for a divorce because of domestic violence.

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Announcements 

The 2021 Peace & Justice Center's Annual Awards Online Ceremony of 11/13/2021 can be viewed online at the Center's youtube channel:  https://youtu.be/cwoTmx6CjRE

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Music Selections

The Opening and Closing Theme song The Woman in Your Life is You is done with permission of the Composer and Singer Alix Dobkin ((August 16, 1940 – May 19, 2021) Alix Dobkin death was just announced - Thank you for all you did for Lesbians to be recognized and Women to be honored. May you rest in peace. See our Interview with Alix Dobkin on 12/1/2014 at   and our Memorial to Alix Dobkin on 11/24/2021 .

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For music purchasing opportunity, supporting the artists: 

Link:  Spinitron.com Playlist for Women's Spaces Show