On Tuesday March 4, Toronto’s City TV aired a program entitled “Whatever Happened to the Women’s Movement,” part two of a four part series. The program referred to Real Women as the “anti-women’s liberation movement.” Its aim, it said, was to “slow down the march towards equality.”
The TV program represented the media at its worst: it was a blatant attempt to discredit Real Women. Reporter Thalia Assuras made every attempt to link Real Women to violence against women. This was done by means of film footage of bombings of U.S abortion clinics and the burning of the Toronto Women’s Bookstore, which were interspersed throughout the five minute program.
Typical of the media coverage which Real Women has attracted, their views on such issues as equal pay for work of “equal value,” easier divorce, abortion or, family needs, were distorted or not represented at all. Rather than focusing on the objectives of Real Women and the rationale behind them, City-TV seemed intent on launching an outright attack.
Chaviva Hosek, President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women was interviewed as an expert on Real Women; she saw them as “scapegoating women.” Other feminists added that Real Women were also self-righteous people perpetuating violence against feminists. The concluding line was that they were but a small minority.
Real Woman President, Grace Petrask, and Legal Counsel Gwen Landolt will launch a complaint with City-TV officials.
