When Ronald Reagan announces even minimal cuts in federal funds for education, a chorus of anguished, orchestrated yelps go up on cue from the media and academia. We are given tear-jerking rhetoric about worthy students who will be forced to abandon college and look for a job in the cruel world.
A good antidote for the bleeding hearts about education cuts would be to read the Registration Book for the 14th National Conference on Women and the Law held in Washington, D.C., April 7-10. The second page of this booklet explains that it cost “hundreds of thousands of dollars to prepare and plan this Conference,” which was sponsored by seven area law schools: American, Antioch, Catholic, George Mason, George Washington, Georgetown, and Howard.
The financial impetus came originally from Antioch Law School, which was founded with federal funding about a decade ago. Since a new law school is about the last thing in the world for which federal funds can be justified, Antioch was apparently started specifically to train leftwing legal activists at the taxpayers’ expense.
The Conference had 214 workshops. No words of mine can describe them nearly so well as the following direct quotations from the Registration Book itself.
“Lesbian as Mother: Custody Issues. Overview and tactical approach to child custody issues, as they pertain to lesbian mothers. Litigation strategy for practitioners representing lesbian mothers in custody battles will also be presented.”
“Career Options for Lesbians: Traditional and Non-Traditional Legal Spheres. Roundtable discussion led by panelists representative of employment options available to lesbians pursuing careers in law. Options appraised will include law firms, teaching positions, and starting law collectives, among others.”
“Legal Challenges to Discrimination Against Lesbians. General overview of the law regarding discrimination against lesbians in civil, criminal, and employment contexts, including: right to privacy; universities and other public forums; civil service and private employment.”
“Surviving Law School as a Lesbian. Brief presentations followed by open discussion. Topics to be addressed include: the pros and cons of being out to one’s school community; coming out as a lesbian after starting law school; the process of finding supportive environments. Workshop open to women only.”
“Lesbians and Motherhood — In That Order! Artificial Insemination and Adoption. Examination of considerations to be made by lesbians who choose to become mothers; legal ramifications of the choice. Topics include: artificial insemination — anonymous vs. known donor; adoption; enforceable (?) documents concerning partners’ legal relationship.”
“The Politics of Women’s Sexuality. Facilitated discussion of the personal/political ramifications of women’s choices of sexual relationships (lesbian, heterosexual, bi-sexual, celibate); exploration of myths about different sexual orientations; homophobia. Workshop open to women only.”
“Lesbians and Elected Office: Can You Do Both? Presentation by lesbians who have held or are holding elected offices. Topics to include: factors surrounding a decision to run for local, state, or national office; campaign strategies; lesbianism, polling and the media; and can an out lesbian REALLY be elected?”
“Legal Aspects of New Reproductive Technology. Legal issues resulting from new technologies such as test tube babies, children’s rights, parental rights, and special issues for lesbians and disabled women.”
“Winning In Electoral Politics. Discussion of the campaign tactics and tools needed to win an election, with special attention paid to combating New Right tactics, the role of Political Action Committees (PACs), and overcoming barriers facing women candidates.”
“Stay the Curse: A Feminist Critique of Reaganomics. Appraisal of the ‘New Federalism’, budget cuts, regulatory destruction, and supply-side economics, as they affect women, particularly TWW/WC and disabled women. Consideration of the use of international law to attack the policies of the Reagan Administration.”
“Prostitution Issues. Workshop will address the relationships between prostitutes’ rights, abortion/reproductive rights and lesbian rights. Panelists will also discuss the current state of the law, and the social and economic consequences of decriminalization versus legalization of prostitution.”
“Genitalia and the Constitution. Panel discussion of the importance placed on anatomical differences between women and men in constitutional doctrine.”
