Page 31 - aruba-today-20180120

A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 20 January 2018
Award may drop name of author tied to sterilization movement

By LISA RATHKE nonfiction and short sto- was a woman who did a
Associated Press ries, was on a committee lot of good and was par-
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — of the Vermont Commis- ticularly the antithesis of
The Vermont Board of Li- sion on Country Life, which the eugenics movement,"
braries has recommend- was linked to the eugenics Lang said Wednesday.
ed changing the name of movement. In the 1930s, The name change rec-
a children's book award some Vermonters of mixed ommendation should not
that now honors a promi- French Canadian and Na- be interpreted as an in-
nent Vermont author and tive American heritage, as dictment of Fisher, said
activist accused of once well as poor, rural whites, Bruce Post, chairman of
supporting sterilizing peo- were placed on a state- the Board of Libraries.
ple with severe mental sanctioned list of "mental "The Board was aware, to
and physical disabilities. defectives" and degener- varying degrees, of the
The board said it wants ates and sent to state insti- Vermont eugenics move-
to remove the late Doro- tutions, such as the Home ment, but it felt that it was
thy Canfield Fisher's name for the Feeble Minded in In this Oct. 20, 1942 file photo, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, novelist, not the purview of the
from the award to bet- Brandon. Some had sur- literary critic and humanitarian, sits at her flat-top desk in her Board to involve itself in
ter match contempo- gery after Vermont in 1931 home in Arlington, Vt. that larger issue," he said
rary times and connect became one of more than Associated Press by email.
with young readers. The two dozen to pass a law that movement were rac- wise. Hixson's father, John The board also recom-
award, which was named that allowed for voluntary ists. Dorothy Canfield Fisher Paul Scott, was a genetics mended to the state li-
after Fisher in 1957, honors sterilizations for "human was not," Hixson, who has and psychology research- brarian that the name of
excellence in children's lit- betterment." Judy Dow a Ph.D. in sociology and er. "It's just unfortunate the award be reviewed
erature. The board's unan- is a descendant of one taught at Michigan State that people are looking for every 15 years or sooner
imous recommendation of the families targeted University, wrote to the someone to attack," Hixson if appropriate. The state
to the state librarian last and a teacher of Native board. "In fact, DCF com- said. librarian did not return a
week came after discus- American culture. When batted racism all her life." Helene Lang, a former lit- phone call seeking com-
sions about Fisher's asso- she raised concerns about Hixson, of East Lansing, erature professor at the ment.
ciation with the state's eu- Fisher's association with the Michigan, said Fishers' tem- University of Vermont who Hixson said she under-
genics movement, which movement and her treat- porary support for "the ster- has portrayed Fisher in liv- stands the need to con-
had been described as ment of Native American ilization of people with se- ing histories, also stood up nect to the children of
an attempt to deal with and French Canadian vere mental and physical to protect Fisher's name. today and what they're
social and economic characters in her writing, handicaps" stopped in the She said Fisher's service reading."I have grandchil-
problems through steriliza- Fisher's 81-year-old grand- early 1930s when Fisher's on the committee did not dren," she said. "And their
tion and breeding in the daughter, Vivian Scott Hix- soon-to-be son-in-law — mean she ever supported world is so different than
1920s and '30s. son, balked. Hixson's father — and oth- eugenics. "My goal was to the world that we grew
Fisher, who wrote novels, "Many of the leaders of ers convinced her other- protect her because she up in."q

Robert Redford addresses Weinstein, Me Too at Sundance

By LINDSEY BAHR here," she said. In response
AP Film Writer to assault allegations dur-
Sundance Institute founder ing the festival and height-
Robert Redford did not shy ened sensitivity to sexual
away from addressing the misconduct, the festival
elephants in the room — has taken strides to ensure
Harvey Weinstein and the the safety of its guests, in-
#MeToo — Thursday at cluding instilling a public
the Sundance Film Festival, code of conduct and a 24-
saying that the fallen exec- hour safety hotline in part-
utive is not "going to stop nership with Utah Attorney
the show." Both the linger- General's office.
ing shadow of Weinstein, "It's a bit of a ground zero,"
who long lorded over the said festival director John
indie film festival, and the Cooper.
Me Too movement domi- Redford also addressed
nated conversation at the the Me Too and Time's Up
historically tame opening movements saying that
day press conference in he's, "Pretty encouraged
Park City, Utah. right now."
"Harvey Weinstein was a "It's bringing forth more op-
moment in time and we're Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford speaks during the opening day press conference at portunity for women and
going to move past that," the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018, in Park City, Utah. more opportunity for wom-
Redford said. "I don't think Associated Press en in film for their voices to
he's going to stop the for Weinstein have denied those instances happened revelations and conversa- be heard and have their
show." In recent months, all allegations of non-con- at the Sundance Film Fes- tions around sexual mis- own projects," Redford
Weinstein has been ac- sensual sex. tival," added Keri Putnam, conduct are creating a said. "The role for men right
cused of two instances of "We were sickened to hear the executive director for new awareness. now is to listen and to let
assault at Sundance, in- along with everyone else the Sundance Institute. "This isn't a new conversa- women's voices be heard
cluding actress Rose Mc- about Harvey's behavior "They are nothing we were tion for us, but it's a new and think about it." The
Gowan's rape allegation and even more so to learn aware of at the time." moment and we're not go- Sundance Film Festival runs
from 1997. Representatives that at least a couple of Putnam said that recent ing to go backward from through Jan. 28.q