I have explored some of these themes in other work (6) and hope this year to continue exploring the implications of what I consider an important difference between modern and postmodern, androcentric and woman-inclusive perspectives. I believe we need to continue to seriously question the assumption that community members and students are generic people. Just as generic "man" does not include the gendered woman, generic "student" and generic "community member" does not include the gendered student or community member.

Similarly, members of communities and students are differently located in terms of race, ability, immigration status, responsibility for children, employment status, sexuality, source of income and so on. To erase difference on any level is surely to restrict our ability to meet the needs of students, community members, family members and workers who live the experience of these locations in all facets of their lives, including in literacy programs.

Betty-Ann Lloyd is a white, middle-class researcher with a wide variety of life experience. She is currently doing interdisciplinary research at Dalhousie University in feminist research, critical theory, language and power, social welfare policies, and training opportunities for women who are single mothers on social assistance. If you wish to be on the mailing list for information on the second phase of research, please contact CCLOW.

1. Discovering the Strength of our Voices is available through CCLOW. Use the order form in this issue or see ordering information on page 28.
   
   
2. Lloyd, Betty-Ann, Discovering the strength of our voices: Women and literary programs. Toronto: Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women, 1991, p.42.
   
   
3. Ibid, p.38.
   
   
4. Ibid; p.41.
   
   
5. Gaber-Katz, Elaine & Watson, Gladys M. The land that we dream of... A participatory study of community-based literacy. Toronto: OISE Press, 1991, p.27.
   
   
6. Lloyd, Betty-Ann, Learner-centred does not necessarily mean woman-positive: The experience in literacy programs. Paper delivered in May 1991 at the annual meeting of Canadian Women's Studies, Kingston, Ontario.

References

Cox, Rita & Sanders, Leslie (eds.) "Women and Literacy", special issue of Canadian Women Studies, 9(3&4), 1989.

Ellsworth, Elizabeth. "Why doesn't this feel empowering? Working through the repressive myth of critical pedagogy. "Harvard Educational Review, 59, 1989.

Horsman, Jenny. Something in my mind besides the everyday: Women and literacy. Toronto: Women's Press, 1990.

Lather, Patti. Getting Smart: Feminist research and pedagogy with/in the postmodern. New York: Routledge, 1991. (see review this issue)

Rockhill, Kathleen. "Literacy as threat/desire: Longing to be SOMEBODY." in Jane Gaskell & Arlene Mclaren (eds.) Women and Education: A Canadian Perspective. Calgary: Detselig, 1987.

Rockhill, Kathleen. "e-MAN-ci-patory literacy: An essay review of Literacy: Reading the word and the world. "Canadian Woman Studies, vol.9, nos.3&4, 1989.

Luttrell, Wendy. "Working-class women's ways of knowing: Effects of gender, race and class." Sociology of Education, 62 (1989).

Maher, Frances. "Toward a richer meaning of feminist pedagogy: A comparison of 'liberation' and 'gender' models for teaching and learning." Journal of Education, 169 (3), 1987.

For a full bibliography to Betty-Ann's research, please write to the Editor, Women's Education des femmes.