Common Speaking, November 1981, volume 1 number 1

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| am Black and a woman at the same time.
This fact holds endless political possibilities.

But we all know whenwe have such a choice that fighting for equality
as a Black person is much more important. Besides Black women
have always been liberated in their heads. They've never let their
men step on them and they've always had to work for a living.
Besides, equal opportunity for White women, because somehow it’s
amore socially acceptable cause, is actually making things harder for
Blacks, especialiy Black men. Anyway the civil rights movement
became unnecessary in 1968.

Black people have all that they need. Do you think it’s time that the
turned to help somebody else?

First of all, Black women do need feminism. There is sexism in the
Black community. Although it may stem from different origins, and
have different dynamics, it exists. When it is encountered it hurts. | was
at a meeting not too long along where we were discussing Ntozake
Shange’s play FOR COLORED GIRLS. Two of the men in the room said
they felt “washed out” afterseeing it. It just didn’t portray Black men in
a favorable light. They felt that somehow somebody should of put a
good word in for the men. | mean all Black men weren't that way.
One of the men then proceeded to object fo The Women’s Roomon
the grounds that. it showed all men to be whimps. | do agree that all
Black men or all men in general are not whimps but | see no
difference between the potential offensiveness of “whimpy men”
and “she’s a brick house.”

I'm sure every Black woman has heard Black men say things that
make her cringe. So how come there aren't more Black women
involved in the women’s movement? First of all there is a kind of
“experiential myopia” in the women’s movement. For instance, take
one favorite feminist scenario: Woman marries at very young age
probably before she knows what she is doing. They have kids. Wife
stays at home all day taking care of the kids. Husband dies or husband
asks for a divorce. is forced out in the job market for the first time. she's
never worked for pay in her life. This is a viable scenario for many
women. But Black women have always had to work for pay even if it
was very little. The fact that they got to work as cooks and maids for
White people has as much to do with being Black as it has to do with
being a woman. Secondly, it is hard to tell for a Black woman where
oppression is coming from. Even when women got the vote in this
country there were still Black women in this country who couldn't vote
because they were Black. When women began to enter the good
universities of this country, there were Black women who couldn't get
in because they were Black. Some of the early advances of the
feminist movement did not have effect on Black women because of
their color. Finally, there is a difference in the cause of sexism among
Black men. Some Blacks are sexist not only because of their sex but
ALSO because of White racism. Whites have always associated the
more negative aspects of “maleness” with the Black male. They were
considered to be oversexed, always after innocent White women,
shiftless and lazy. In short they were considered to be just a different
kind of ape. Black men never got to take advantage of the more
positive “traditionally male” characteristics such as being a leader,
being strong, having good judgment, being independent. They have
missed out on the more positive aspects of manhood. Black males
will have to be liberated as males first before many of them will
begin to take feminism seriousy. For this they need the support of
Black women. In short Black women have two fights to fight, each no
less important than the other.

The feminist movement has not done enough to consider the basic
differences between the experiences of women other than the White
middle class. When you are White and have enough to eat you can
worry about whether or nof your consciousness is sufficiently raised. If
you are other than White and middle class you have a lot more to





worry about before you have time to consider yourself as a woman. If
the feminist movement is to attract women from different cultures
they must help all women develop themselves as people. Some
might have more worldly needs than others. But we have to learn to
accept them all.

—Franetta McMillian

Cystitis—Women’s Health

Next to the common cold, cystitis is perhaps the most common
health problem for women at Swarthmore. Nurse practitioner
Barbara Smetana estimates that Worth Health Center treats about
twenty cases of cystitis a month. Over fifty percent of Swarthmore
women can expect to contract cystitis during their college
years; sometime in her life, nearly every women gets it.

Cystitis is a general term for inflamation of the urinary bladder. It is
much more common in women than in men because women have
a very short urethra, so that bacteria from the intestine are easily
carried into the bladder. Ordinarily, most bacteria are flushed out by
urination and don't have the opportunity to establish colonies in the
urinary tract. However, if something interferes with this natural
defense mechanism, such as an obstruction that prevents complete
emptying of the bladder, the bacteria can multiply and cause an
infection. Conditions that can set the stage for urinary tract infections
include irritation and swelling of the urethra or bladder as a result of
sexual intercourse, pregnancy, bike riding,or the use of irritants like
bubble bath, hygiene sprays, douches, or the diaphragm, and
psychological stress and fatigue. In young women, sexual activity is
the most common and most distressing precipitant of cystitis. Many
women first contract cystitis when they first become sexually active,
change sexual partners, or increase the frequency of sexual
intercourse.

Although cystitis can be treated easily and is usually not serious, its
symptoms can be both annoying and alarming, especially to a
women who has never heard of it before. Symptoms of cystitis include
intense pain on urination and a constant need to urinate, even when
the bladder is empty. Occasionally, blood may be present in the
urine, which leads many women to fear severe illness, such as cancer.
Some women suffer repeated attacks of cystitis throughout their lives.
However, at its best, cystits can be quickly treated with antibiotics or
sulfa drugs. At its worst, it can spread to the kidneys and cause
pyelonephritis, a condition seriously impairing kidney function. Thus, if
you suspect you may have cystitis, it is important that you have a urine
culture as soon as possible and receive proper treatment. If infections
become recurrent, you should probably see a urologist, who will
check for an obstruction or structural abnormality of the urethra,
possibly requiring surgery.

Of course, the best way to deal with cystitis is to exercise good
preventative measures. Drinking lots of fluids can help to prevent
bacteria from building up in the bladder. Many women find that
cranberry juice alleviates symptoms of cystitis and helps to prevent
recurrence. You should wash your vulva and bottom regularly and be
careful to wipe yourself from front to back after using the toilet, so as
not to get bacteria from the anus into the urethra. Always empty your
bladder before and after intercourse, especially if you are using the
diaphragm. Women who use the diaphragm and experience
recurrent attacks of cystitis should probably consider switching to
another contraceptive method. If you exercise proper preventative
measures, there is a good chance that cystitis will not become a life-
long problem.