Editors --- "'Sit down Girlie': Girlie does sex" [2001] AltLawJl 110; (2001) 26(6) Alternative Law Journal 305

• 'SIT DOWN GIRLIE'
• Girlie Does Sex
• Sexpo
• Sex drive
• Infertility

'SIT DOWN GIRLIE'
Girlie Does Sex

Sexpo

Out of sheer dedication to duty and for the sole benefit of her loyal readers Girlie checked out Sexpo in Melbourne during November. Of special interest was the public health section with information on HIVIAIDS and other transmissible diseases such as Hep. C. Having completed her tour of duty of that interesting section of the exhibition Girlie stumbled upon the more lurid side of life and was cautiously studying a rather ferocious looking vibrator 'with pearls, motion controls, extra wide girth and a free packet of body glide' when a young women whispered, 'I've got one of those. It's fantastic!' Dr Sally Feelgood informed Girlie that if God had been a woman she would have designed the penis to be a replica of this fantastic device.

From a man wearing nothing but a very small pair of shorts and a dazzling smile Girlie purchased an orgasmatron. This multi-pronged device turned out to be a head massager. It feels great! While Girlie was bemused by the scantily clad go-go dancers and marvelled at the ability of sex workers to actually stand up in shoes designed by a psychopath for the purpose of torture, while wearing nothing more than a fringe around the minge, her overall conclusion was that Sexpo brought together a happy bunch of people ready and willing to give advice and assistance on making sex fun.

Sex drive

Dr Sandra Pertot writing in Australian Doctor (23/11/2001) notes a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found one in three women described themselves as lacking interest in sex. Dr Pertot thinks the figures would be similar in Australia where general practitioners see so many women complaining of having no sex drive.

She also describes problems treating these women as there is no general agreement about what sex drive actually is and no widely accepted treatment. Part of the problem, she writes, is the belief that sex drive for men and women is the same thing and is a physical feeling. Dr Pertot writes:

Sexual norms, however, are so­ cially constructed: 100 years ago, moral women shouldn't have orgasms; 50 years ago women who initiated sex might be considered too aggressive by their husbands; 30 years ago oral sex was thought of as a perversion.

She concludes that our modem definitions of normal sex are still narrow and rigid, as biased as at any time in history.

She urges therapists to explore individual differences between the partners, relationship issues, unrealistic sexual expectations arising from current sexual stereotypes, and lifestyle factors, as well as the more traditional issues relating to personal history such as family of origin characteristics or a past history of sexual assault.

Infertility

The continuing quest by lesbians to access IVF services has led to some interesting responses. The West Australian (15/11/2001) reports:

'Lesbians who want children have two labels they can lay claim to -in WA they are 'socially infertile'; in Victoria it's 'psychologically infertile'.

The two labels came from reviews of the IVF laws in each State following a Federal Court decision that found Victoria's IVF laws were in breach of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Act. The Infertility Treatment Authority in Victoria is now looking at new guidelines for fertility clinics that would give access to services on the basis of 'psychological infertility' which would allow treatment for single women or women who have been sexually abused or assaulted. The new label was thought to allow lesbians to argue they should have access because they are psychologically averse to men. The Victorian Infertility Treatment Authority subsequently withdrew its proposals because of 'the political climate'.

While the notion of 'psychological infertility' arose from a desire to provide services to women who had experienced some form of sexual abuse or violence that had left them psychologically unable to have sex with men is fine, to brand perfectly normal lesbians as 'psychologically infertile' is insulting and discriminatory.

The Victorian government was quick to deny the label would assist lesbians to access IVF services and the Opposition spokesman for health, Robert Doyle, branded the guidelines as 'anti-family' saying: 'It is totally ridiculous to suggest that this Act was brought in to cater for this sort of self-indulgence and to make the male completely redundant in the idea of the family'.

Mr Doyle should take a look around him. He might then see the enormous number of families where men are totally redundant having abrogated their responsibilities for their children. He might also see the many lesbians and gays who care for their own and other people's children when marriages or relationships have failed. In WA the Gay Law Reform Bill, if passed, will allow all medically infertile women, regardless of the1r sexuality or marital status access to IVF treatment. Evangelist groups are opposing the Bill and people like Margaret Court, who for years has been belting balls around, says her supporters 'love' gays and lesbians and they just want to help them to overcome their affliction. After all, according to Ms Court, God made men for women and women for men. Girlie wonders who made lesbians and gays?

Jenny Taylia

Jenny is a Feminist Lawyer

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