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Now that Kitchener's bylaw regulating the display of adult books and magazines is firmly in place, the K-W Status of Wumen's Committee on Pornography is setting its sights on Waterloo. Monica Heide, chairperson of the committee, said that the group plans to approach Waterloo city council within the next month seeking similar legislation. At the same time. she said. the K-W Status of Women will be lobbying for changes in the definition of pornography at the provincial level. Heide said that the Status of Women has mixed feelings about the Kitchener bylaw. - - _ l "On one iiiiiiruvii," lléppy (the bylaw) is in place because it restricts the display of the material and keeps Pat Arbuckle Chronicle Staff FWe’re next as Status of Women continues pornography purge Public education is the key to fighting pornography and other forms of violent entertainment, said Joan de New, chairman of the Canadian Coalition Against Violent Entertainment (CCAVEJ -hTiiGF,UiiiaTniGn, Was guest speaker last week at a public forum sponsored by the United Church Women at First United Church. . "Many people feel there's nothing that can be done. They need to be informed that they can make a choice. an educated choice." she said. - _ Admitting to the audience that she is not an expert on the subject, De New said that her first real exposure to hard core pornography came at the recent Toronto Symposium on Media Violence which she helped orga- “I was stunned speechless after the symposium," she said. Describing pornography as a "thinking" or dehuman- izing of people, De New stressed that it is not the exposure of bare flesh that concerns her but the "kind of attitude formed in viewers to what they see." People are affected in different ways by pornography or any kind of violent entertainment. Some act out their Dehumanization at root of pornography problem To Program or Not to Program That is Today's Question! Leave the programing to the experts while you learn to operate a microcomputer. Our software was designed by the experts so you know it's got to be good. We offer these Adult Courses - INTRODUCTORY - for the computer illiterate APPLICATIONS - for the somewhat experienced WORD PROCESSING - for the typing whiz All courses are 8 weeks long and start the week of April 30. Registrations are now being woepted. Preschooler. Children and Teen’s courses also available. 'Th'inging' poses major threat feelings, others become withdrawn and cut themselves off from society but desensitization to violence is inevitable, De New feels. _ _ _ "Ws attitudinal _ when you can thing people, you can do violence and it doesn't bother you," she said, adding that similar tactics are used in the armed forces to desensitize soldiers so that they can kill the enemy without feeling remorse. -iiiia GiGGLie New most, however, is the growing availability of pornography to children, anything from adult magazines at, the corner store. to videotapes. "Children are taking a look at this material and they think it is normal. They don't have the life experience to see that this is not the way society can work positively - it is not normal," she said. The Canadian Coalition Against Violent Entertain- ment. a Hamilton-based organization, is concerned about the effects of media violence, of which pornography is only a part. Still, because it has the potential to affect every member of society, both men and women, De New believes that pornography is everyone's business. it out of the view of children but we're concerned about the way it is stated, the definition of pornography that is given," she explained. A lot can be done to fight the harmful effects of pornography she said, but any effort has to begin with personal education - becoming aware of what porno- graphy is, its dangers and its availability in the community. That information should then be passed on to others. Any municipal bylaw regulating pornography must incorporate a provincial government definition which makes no distinction between erotica and pornography. This could mean that anything from medical texts to pictures of a mother breastfeeding her baby could be restricted under the present legislation. "That's clearly not the intent of the bylaw. It should restrict material that sexually stimulates with violence and degradation." Heide said. "We're not against sexually stimulating material providing it does not impinge upon the dignity and worth of the persons who at Waterloo ram the 145 Lincoln Rd. 885-3500 Waterlgqjgmilv , WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18. 1904 - PAGE 5 "We need to educate the men we know to the problem, increase their awareness level, help them to see what is really going on," she told the largely female audience adding that she believes intelligent responsible people would change their attitudes to pornography if they were aware of the long-range dangers and implications. De New calls Kitchener's new bylaw regulating the display of adult books and magazines a "positive step" in protecting children and young people but she also urged members of the audience to support store owners who do not sell pornographic material and to write letters. The. Hamilton women recently sent a letter to pop singer Michael Jackson expressing concern about the violence on the Thriller video and urging him to take a leadership role in reducing rock music's preoccupation with vio- lence. participate." "iiirkiichener bylaw states that adult books and magazines must be displayed a minimum 1.67 metres from the floor with only titles showing. A __ . Heide said that at present the Status of Women and municipal politicians are hand-tied. Although all might agree that a more precise definition of pornography is needed. municipal bylaws must follow guidelines es- tablished at provincial and federal government levels. "We are going to lobby there (the provincial level) to get some changes in the laws that govern municipal bylaws." she said, adding that a proposed overhaul in the Criminal Code by Federal Justice Minister Mark MacGuigan could have a profound impact on current pornography legislation. CORNER ONTARIO I DUKE STS., KITCO'EIER AND WATERLOO SQUARE Joan de New