UT Grotto Meeting Report Wendsday, July 20 2005.
The grotto program was photos taken on the first all-female survey trip to Lechuguilla Cave led by Hazel Barton and Vivian Loftin. Dazzling photographs of cavers surveying through labyrinths covered with crystalline wonders. Forms of every type, from mammillaries in an ancient lake to aragonite bushes growing in gypsum pots. The trip was "an escape from this world" with both science and poetry. The essence of what caving is all about.
The all female cast, along with the references to 'caver goddesses' and the 'Lovely Ladies of Lechuguilla' does bring up the role of sexism in caving. This trip is just an indication, as if one was needed, that women are now established in the top levels of caving. Trips to Lechuguilla are to some extent a reward and recognition of meritorious service. This trip was a celebration and affirmation of the prowess and acceptance of women. Females are now so integrated into the fabric of caving that it won't be necessary to have an all women trip to J2 or Cheve. It would seem silly, like an all Texan trip to Huautla to recreate the old days. I was present many years ago when the UT Grotto voted to allow women on cave trips. (The other items of contention were guns and alcohol.) Cavers have made progress, but we are still part of the larger society.
Bill Russell -- ************************ Katherine Arens [email protected] Dept. of Germanic Studies E.P. Schoch 3.102 / Campus MC C3300 University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 78712 Office Phone & Messages: (512) 232-6363 Dept. Phone: (512)471-4123 FAX (512) 471-4025 -. .- _..-'( )`-.._ ./'. '||\\. (\_/) .//||` .`\. ./'.|'.'||||\\|.. )O O( ..|//||||`.`|.`\. ./'..|'.|| |||||\`````` '`" '` ''''''/||||| ||.`|..`\. ./'.||'.|||| ||||||||||||. .|||||||||||| ||||.`||.`\. /'|||'.|||||| ||||||||||||{ }|||||||||||| ||||||.`|||`\ '.|||'.||||||| ||||||||||||{ }|||||||||||| |||||||.`|||.` '.||| ||||||||| |/' ``\||`` ''||/'' `\| ||||||||| |||.` |/' \./' `\./ \!|\ /|!/ \./' `\./ `\| V V V }' `\ /' `{ V V V ` ` ` V ' ' '
