HECATE Women's Health Collective Inc

Date: 05 Apr 2001

From: Women's Studies Association feminist oral history project

By: Ellis, Ellen, 1944-; Women's Studies Association (N.Z.)

Reference: OHInt-0556-02

Description: Ellen Ellis was born in Westport in 1944. Describes family life, her father (a diplomat), and a family posting to Canada in 1949. Recalls returning to Wellington and secondary school. Talks about her mother's health and treatment. Mentions university study. Describes teacher training college, and work at Victoria University Library, Wellington. Discusses sexuality and relationships. Talks about working at Alexander Turnbull Library, New Zealand Library School, working for Alister Taylor, and the challenges of being a sole parent in full time work. Talks about co-ordinating music for Harry Seresin's The Settlement restaurant, Willis St, Wellington. Talks about the development of her feminist consciousness. Comments on her mother's life. Discusses encounter groups, Bert Potter and Centrepoint. Discusses housing and discriminatory attitudes towards women. Mentions the Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB). Describes Wilderland Commune, Coromandel, New Zealand. Talks about her involvement in the Hecate Women's Health Collective and alternative health groups in Wellington. Describes National Archives work, the feminist librarians' group, teaching on the Women's Studies course, involvement with Women's Studies Association, working as a research consultant, and researching Sandra Coney's book 'Standing in the sunshine'. Talks about TV documentary research on abortion, and various writing projects. Mentions researching Boer War concentration camps. Reflects on feminism in her life, in relationships, housework, emotional equity, and feminist gains. Mentions that child care is still a critical issue. Other - Note: Part of interview was lost. During the recording, a completed tape was reused to record the next part of the interview by mistake. Interviewer(s) - Jill Abigail Accompanying material - CV, photo, biographical information form Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-8522 - OHC-8525 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 Electronic document(s) - abstract. 1 interview(s). 3 Hours Duration. Physical Description: Textual files - Microsoft word Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2650, OHDL-000999.

Date: 1980 - 1989

By: Women's National Abortion Action Campaign (N.Z.)

Reference: Eph-C-ABORTION-1980s

Description: Includes: "As a matter of fact"; a film about abortion. Sat April 4 1.30 Crossways ... Organised by WONAAC and Hecate for International Abortion Action Day. Abortion a woman's right. [1981]. (1 green copy, 1 smaller pink copy) For a liberal parliament on abortion: Kapiti M Shields; Miramar P Neilson; Wellington Central F Wilde; Western Hutt I Woolloff. [1981]. NZUSA Women's Rights Action Committee. Our bodies, our lives, our choice! Stop enforced labour. Repeal all repressive abortion laws. [1980]. (2 copies) SPUC's favourite philanderer, Cecil Parkinson resigns, but Kidd soldiers on. Published by the Society for the Promotion of Uppity Cocks. [January 1984] (2 copies) Women's National Abortion Action Campaign. Wome vs Dr Wall. Rally at Court of Appeal, Nov 22. Anti-abortionist Dr Melvyn Wall is asking the Court to introduce further procedural obstacles to a woman's right to abortion. [1982]. (2 yellow copies, 1 copy green print on white) Women's Rights Action Committee. Reproduction: our choice. The present abortion laws deny this choice! International Abortion Action Day, March 31st [1980]. See also separate folders of posters issued by individual pro and anti-abortion groups. Quantity: 6 colour photo-mechanical print(s) on posters (plus duplicates).. Physical Description: Photolithographs on posters, sizes varying below 500 mm.

Date: 19 06 00 - 19 Jun 2000

From: YWCA of Wellington and Hutt Valley oral history project

By: Levett, Vera Schlesinger, 1935-

Reference: OHInt-0590-7

Description: Vera Levett was born in Trencin, Czechoslovakia in 1935. Mentions Jewish origin, and talks about her mother who was a seamstress and her father who was a doctor. Talks about escaping Czechoslovakia during World War II, cousins who died in concentration camps, the impact of the Holocaust, bombing, air raids in England, and emigrating to the United States. Talks about girlhood, school, university and her doctorate in clinical psychology. Mentions marriage, moving to New Zealand, two children. Talks about interest in feminism, joining National Organisation of Women (NOW), feminist literature on mental health. Mentions work as guidance counsellor and at the Wellington School of Medicine. Describes helping establish Hecate Women's Health Collective in 1979, and involvement in a television documentary on mental health that was critical of doctors. Mentions Hecate referring women to Levett for counselling, and mentions the Women's Resource Centre. Talks about friendship with Elizabeth Sewell, National Director of YWCA, who recruited feminists. Talks about tension between Sewell and YWCA's non-feminist lobby, and being a YWCA board member. Mentions collegues Faith Gibbons, Audrey Reynolds, Mary-Jane Rivers and Gail Powell. Describes self defence courses, sexual abuse discussions, board meetings. Comments on YWCA as a traditional organisation and feminists' impact on it. Mentions Hecate's closure by the end of the 1980s. Talks about decision to leave YWCA to work at Child and Family service, Hutt Valley Health and her private practice. Talks about feminism's impact on her children, and mentions adoption. Interviewer(s) - Jill Abigail Accompanying material - Project release form, biographical information, CV. Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-9070-9072 Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.20 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2875. Photocopy (coloured) mid shot of Vera Levett.

Date: 1979

Reference: Eph-B-WOMEN-1979

Description: Includes: Battered Women's Support Group Christchurch. Flier CORSO. The state of the world's women 1979 Feminists For Life proposes the Maternity Patient's Bill of Rights Hecate film evening. "Some American feminists; Rita Mae Brown, Ti Grace Atkinson, Flo Kennedy, Kate Millet, Betty Friedan. Crossways, 21 November [1979] The New Zealand Women's political party value base Organisation for Women's Health [Wellington]. [Appeal for fund]. Pink flier "Pioneer women, part one", edited & directed by Elisabeth Hawkins. New Independent Theatre [Auckland], 10-26 October [1979]. Flier PSA Seminar on the Working Women's Charter. St Andrews Church lounge, 3 November Reclaim the Night. March 19th Sept. The threat of rape is a life sentence for every woman; fight back. Womin only [Purple poster] Society for Research on Women. Mrs Anne C Martindell, American Ambassador. "The status of women in America". Beehive Theatrette, 10 October University Feminists. Woman strength; let's use it! Join University Feminists [Application form] Wellington Marxist-Leninist Organisation. University Branch. Support women firefighters; equal job oppportunities for women! Fight for free childcare! No job discrimination. Wellington Trades Council. Womens Sub-Committee. Suffrage Day celebration. Lower Hutt Town Hall, 19 September Wellington Women's Refuge Group. Notice announcing opening of the house 22 December [1979] Woman Party. Crossways, 8 December [1979]. Proceeds to Women's Resource Centre Women unite; reclaim the night. Wellington Rape Crisis Centre, Sat 22nd Sept [2 copies, one with song sheet] Women's Action Group, 58 Kainui Road. Press statement for immediate release [re allowing videotape to be made of women giving birth] Women's Arts Festival. Registration form (Yellow flier) Women's Electoral Lobby. Confidence-raising day. Crossways, 29 September Women's Electoral Lobby. Woman awareness; using the system. Crossways, 21 July [1979]. Flier Women's Electoral Lobby. Womens issues. meeting to hear the Hon J K McLay. Caltex Lounge, 27 August 1979. White flier Women's Electoral Lobby. WEL general meeting, Mrs Irene Johnson, Canadian High Commissioner. Suffrage celebration. Crossways, 17 September. Women's Liberation is gonna get your mama and your sister and your girl friend Women's Resource Centre. Friday night events. No. 6 Boulcott Street. Women's Resource Centre. Women's strengthening workshop. [Didi Chinmayii teacher with Ananda Marga]. All women welcome! Women's Studies Association. Second annual conference. University of Waikato, 24-26 August 1979 (Provisional date). Application form to present a paper (pink); and membership subscription form (green) Women's Studies Association. Annual Conference, 31 August - September 2 . Please note date change. Registration form (white) Workers' Communist League. Celebrate International Working Women's Day, March 8 Working Women's Alliance. Come and celebrate! March 8 - International Working Women's Day [Flier]. (2 yellow copies and one white copy) Young Socialists. The fight for women's liberation. Elizabeth Wheelahan, Australian feminist and socialist. Wed. 1 pm. Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Mimeographs and photocopies, sizes varying around 330 mm. Provenance: Acquired from various sources

Date: 1980 - 1982

From: [Ephemera of quarto size relating to nuclear weapons, nuclear power, anti-nuclear protests]

Reference: Eph-B-NUCLEAR-1983/1984

Description: Includes material produced about the following subjects and by the following organisations: Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (N.Z.) International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Inc. NZ Branch National Consultative Committee on Disarmament New Zealand Federation of Labour. Wellington District Council New Zealand Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Committee Pacific Peoples Anti-Nuclear Action Committee (PPANAC) 1983: Flier about the visit of the British warship 'Invincible' [1983] Hecate Women's Health Collective. One ship and 400 sailors not only makes New Zealand a nuclear target but brings other health risks for women (3 August 1983) (2 copies) Cross your legs for [peace [flier, one yellow and one white copy] NZ Foundation for Peace Studies. Dr Helen Caldicott and William Caldicott. St Andrews, 6 April [1983] Help stop French tests; make your voice heard. Write to French Embassy ... Gather 14 July Civic Square [1983] Independent, nuclear free, free pacific. Rex Rumakiek of the Vanuatu Pacific Community Centre. Nationwide speaking tour. Lounge / Smoking room, Wednesday 13 [1983] Librarians for Nuclear Disarmament. meeting 17 August [1983] The Nuclear Horror Show - [flier re preparations for this on 16-17 July 1983] The Nuclear Horror Show is a parade of images + sounds ... part of the anti 'Texas' march on Wed 10th ... (2 copies)Come to 238 Wakefield . The Nuclear Horror Show will also storm the streets alone + unaided on Fri 12 ... [1983] Protest and survive; oppose the nuclear-armed USS Texas, August 10-15 The Nuclear Horror Show is a parade of images + sounds ... - to protest the visit of the British warship Invincible out - Keep N.Z. nuclear free (green sticker) Invincible, due in Wellington 25th November [1983]. Flier (3 copies) K.G.M. RAT Dispatch #5 "Yes dearest" (3 different sheets) Wellington Peace Squadron. USS Truxtun protest, 25 May [1983?] (2 copies) Wellington Public Library. The nuclear question. 1983 [Reading list] (2 copies) 1984: Advertisement Washington Post. Entry form for support of the Washington Post advertisement. Closing date 30 October 1984 First annual NZ Nuclear Weapon Free Zone conference, 22-23 September [1984] Hamilton Peace Centre. "Yes Lange, no nukes" (bumper sticker) NZ Nuclear free Zone Committee. Hiroshima ... again?[1984?] Larry Ross on Positive NZ neutrality and security in a nuclear age. Friendship House, 20 June [1984] NZ Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Committee. Colonel David Hackworth speaking tour of New Zealand. "Confronting the nuclear age". Nuclear /[National] Party; NZ's only nuclear weapon party (sheet of three circular fluorescent lime stickers) Nuclear free and Independent Pacific. Support Kanak independence in New Caledonia. March Monday Sept 24. Assemble Civic Square 12 noon [1984] Nuclear free and Independent Pacific "Survival kit" (An empty brown paper bag, issued at Cobweb demo outside Parliament, 24 May 1984) Nuclear Weapon Free Zone certificate issued to Wellington YWCA on 4 July 1984 Support Greenham women (Flier distributed at "Beyond ANZUS" conference, 16-18 June 1984) Includes sheet of 2 circular stickers: "Nuclear weapon free zone New Zealand" [1980s?] Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Photolithographs, relief prints, sizes varying up to 330 mm. Provenance: Some items donated by the YWCA 2007, Dr Margaret Bailey 2006, and the Security Intelligence Service, 2013.

Date: 1980-1982

By: HECATE Women's Health Collective Inc

Reference: Eph-B-WOMEN-Hecate-1980s

Description: Includes: Bill of Rights for pregnant women Depo Provera case history HECATE news sheets [ca 1982] Herbal remedies for vaginal infections, and other fliers for infections Herbs for healthy sleep and relaxation List of HECATE handouts as at February 1981 (2 copies) Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Mimeographs and photocopies, sizes varying up to 330 mm.

Date: 1980

By: HECATE Women's Health Collective Inc; New Zealand Working Women's Council; Society for Research on Women in New Zealand; Wellington Marxist-Leninist Organisation; Women's Electoral Lobby (N.Z.); Women's Resource Centre; Women's Studies Association (N.Z.)

Reference: Eph-B-WOMEN-1980

Description: Ephemera about women, women's issues, and women's rights, including a calendar of women, fliers and posters for women's events and fliers and posters about particular issues. Quantity: 1 folder(s) containing 55 pieces of ephemera.

Date: [1980-1982]

By: HECATE Women's Health Collective Inc

Reference: MS-Papers-7998

Description: Events newsletter, workshop news, brochure outlining work of collective and blank questionnaire for book on women's body image Source of title - Supplied Quantity: 1 folder(s). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Duplicated material