27 MARCH 1982, Page 15

Letters

Sisterwrong

Sir: It was refreshing to read Roy Kerridge's sensible and witty view of the dreary women's lib movement (13 March) but in describing the feminist bookshop `Sister- Write' he omitted one important piece of in- formation. This bizarre organisation is Propped up by the Government — via a grant from the Equal Opportunities Com- mission which finances its mail-order catalogue of dreary feminist books. One of the latest gems to be published and paid for In this way is 'a collection of graffiti from women's public toilets'. `Sisterwrite' was the subject of an enthusiastic feature article In EOC News (the Commission's publica- tion ___. sent free to anyone who asks for it) and is only one of a number of such organisations being fed with our money. Others include the Cardiff Radio Trust (f4,500 to 'employ a part-time educational broadcaster to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the radio's output to counteract sex stereotyping and to produce and present programmes') and something called 'Rights of Women London' which received £6,658 for 'a project to increase public awareness of the provision regarding Indirect discrimination in the Sex Discrimination Act as it relates to women's employment; to enable women at work to Identify discriminatory practices which Might fall within this provision; to show how the law may be interpreted and the evidence may be employed so as to ensure that this provision is used to the fullest ex- tent,.

It really is time a government committed to reducing public expenditure lopped off the E21/2 million which keeps alive this par- ticular quango. No one would miss it except the lavatory explorers of `Sisterwrite'. Joanna Bogle

2 Redford Avenue, Wallington

Surrey 5