John Beks - 9 /10 /2018
Most of tonight’s talk is taken direct from my previous presentation, 28 years ago, on 20th November, 1990, to be exact.
On that date, this Club conducted a debate on the subject of women as actual members of the Rotary Club of Warrnambool, - in other words (to put it simply), should they be just seen, and not heard?
Over the previous 10 years, our Club had lost as many as 53 members. The “filling of shoes” of whatever style, was therefore becoming imperative!
How many of those Club members present tonight, were members of this Club at that time, in 1990???? (Obviously not a single female! Nor any married one, for that matter!)
Therefore, the presence of women in our Club, for all subsequent new members, has always been a fait accompli. For the ladies, now enjoying their membership, the re-telling of the battle for their “emancipation” would also be of interest, as it will be for the gents.
The case FOR admission of women into our Club, was presented by myself, and OPPOSED by Rtn Jim Little : those of who knew Jim, will agree that he was not such a little, but a sizeable (!) opponent. I felt I had jumped into the deep end, but decided to dog-paddle to the best of my ability, since I was the one to initiate the debate!
I did not have access to Jim’s notes, but a Bulletin report of the occasion, recorded the following arguments, as used.
Jim –leaving no doubt he was speaking on behalf of other members also - saw our Rotary Club as a man’s club, in the tradition of forefathers, citing that as his reason for joining originally.
He warned of the ramifications of mixed membership: he foreshadowed problems such as:
- the position and attitude of wives of Rotarians
- the personal difficulties to be experienced by females, if only a
very small number of women should join
- wives wishing to join the same Club as their husbands (God forbid!)
- the perceived threat of numerous resignations, should mixed membership come to pass.
“How would we, men, fare, should we apply for membership of a club, such as “Quota”: we would very smartly be told, where to get off!
Better for a new, mixed Club to be formed.!!”
In reply, assuming the role of devil’s advocate – tongue-in-cheek - I gave a historical outline of the type of male attitude, women have had to endure, from absolute debasement (as espoused and propagated by authority), to the well-known, well-worn, politically incorrect “women-jokes”, most men (and women with a balanced sense of humour!) might still enjoy today.
I reiterate a selection of the quotes I used at the time, all coming from some of the great male minds of the Christian Church of the past, and they are NOT intended to be humorous on my part.
“A woman should be covered with shame at the thought, she is only a woman” (St. Clement of Alexandria, ca.190 A.D.)
“Among all savage beasts, none is found so harmful as woman” (St. John Chrysostom, ca. 388 A.D.)
“Women are not made to the image of God” (St. Augustine of Hippo)
“Women are the gate of hell” (St. Jerome)
“Woman is a sick she-ass…. A hideous tapeworm … the advance post of hell” (St. John of Damascus)
“Woman is slow in understanding and her unstable and naïve mind renders her (by way of natural weakness) to the necessity of a strong hand in her husband. Her ‘use’ is two-fold: animal sex and motherhood” (Pope Gregory the Great)
and one can only laugh or cry about this one:
“Woman is an occasional and incomplete being …. A misbegotten male. It is unchallengeable, that woman is destined to live under man’s influence and has no authority from her Lord” (Thomas Aquinas)
In 1989, 29 years ago, - the year prior - the Rotary International Constitution had been amended, referring to members as PERSONS, and, as a result, the following year, women were already joining Rotary in over 30 countries.
With R.I.'s acceptance of women in Rotary, there was an implied “command from above” that Clubs should encourage mixed membership: continued discrimination against women only to be considered as tantamount to “apartheid”.
I then made the proposition, that my dear wife, Patricia, at the time a Nursing Supervisor, had all the qualifications and attributes to make an ideal Rotarian, should she have the wish to do so, which she never had!! (Like some wives and partners, she was happy for me to be in Rotary, but it did not fit into her own fulfilled life and scheme of things)
Now then, should this Club decide against the admission of women, how could I have gone home, looked into her beautiful eyes and told her, that – simply on the basis of gender - her kind is not considered good enough to qualify for membership of an organisation, which at all times poses the question: “Is it fair to all concerned”? And I threw out this same challenge for every other male in the Club, unless they knew what was good for them!!!
Instead, I personally would have preferred to take up Jim’s suggestion, and become a foundation member of a new, mixed Club.
Rather than have a vote on the matter on that night, it was left to the Board of the time to decide at a date later into the New Year. You can understand, that either way, it would take a courageous decision, and that the issue might have to be decided in the form of a test case. But who could wish to expose a lady friend or acquaintance to this type of “running the gauntlet”, even though the whole exercise would be conducted (at boardroom level) without her knowledge?
Whilst I was aware of some rumoured objections, with veiled threats of subsequent resignation, - following some lobbying of quite a number of members. - I was encouraged by comments, - and I remember well the words of Rtn Ian Sharman : “If anyone objects, tell him to come and see me!”
GOOD ONE , IAN!!
So, not wishing to get shot down in flames at the first attempt, by nominating the likes of the “madam” of a local brothel or some lady of ill-repute or easy virtue, fellow Emmanuel College staff member, Rtn Alasdair Brand and I concluded that we could not fail our test-case by coming up with a person of impeccable character and reputation, by nominating a NUN as our Club’s first female member : we considered that a politically clever manoeuvre.
As fate would have it, some months prior, Sr. Rose Marie Glennen, Principal of Emmanuel College, had had exposure to Club members as guest-speaker on the subject of the amalgamation of St. Ann’s and Christian Brothers Colleges.
The rest is history: and so it came to pass, that on the 2nd of April, in the year of the Lord, 1991, (when Rtn Eric Williams was “top-honcho” in the Rotary Club of Warrnambool and Paul Keating was emperor of Canberra) a girl was “born” into the said Club, nominated by Bob Stuchberry and myself. (Eric recalls that he nearly choked on his Christmas Dinner when Bob, by phone, forewarned him on Christmas Day).
Eric still contends that Rose's induction was the highlight of his presidential year.
To my knowledge, not one member did resign over the issue!
And it was with a great deal of personal satisfaction, that, with 10 years after 1990, we had our first female Club President in Anne Adams: followed in more recent years by Kate Williams, Judy Ross, Marie Bennett, Janet Blackley and Svet Lineham.
As a footnote, I would like to comment on the then attitude of other local Clubs, in the matter of complying with Rotary International’s implied directive, to extend membership to persons of a sex, opposite to the male gender. The emerging Daybreak Club immediately “embraced” women (so-to-speak!) : one other Club did, and one did not!
On the positive side, that leaves Clubs such as ours with a greater potential of attracting a richer source of membership, and hasn’t it paid off!!!
Finally, I stand by the belief, that civilisation has some way to go, whilst discrimination, of any kind, persists, particularly on the part of those, perceived to know better, and (at times) that may include us!
Consider this issue, within the context of THE ROTARY FOUR-WAY TEST of the things we think, say or do:
- Is it the Truth?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Thanks, girls, for coming! We are a better, stronger Club because of you!
THANK YOU!
