Books

Don't Fence Me In (2000, Random House Australia)

Wendy's autobiography provides a unique insight into the past few decades of Australian life via the various aspects of her story. It's a journey that takes her from 1950s country schoolgirl to campaigner for abortion and contraception, from 'colonial' teacher to deputy chair of the ABC at one of the most turbulent times in the broadcaster's history. In this candid memoir Wendy is equally revealing about the behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing in major boardrooms as about her early backyard abortion.

This book reaches across the interest spectrum, from women keen for the insights of one of the major forces of the women's movement in Australia, covering her important work with WEL, FPA and beyond, to corporate consumers interested in her insider's views of the Australian Bicentennial Authority and the board of the Star City Casino, and the development of her 'portfolio career'.

A Fair Go - Portraits of the Australian Dream (1999, Focus Publishing)

50 years ago every Australian was technically a British citizen. The introduction of Australian citizenship in 1949 saw renewed pride in our country and in what it was to be an Australian. And for our many immigrants, the commitment expressed in coming to this land could now be proudly reflected with an Australian passport.

A Fair Go - Portraits of the Australian Dream commemorates the first 50 years of Australian citizenship by capturing the hopes, the dreams and the stark realities of what it is like to call a new country home. Seen through the eyes of some of our most prominent and successful immigrants, we relive those nervous first impressions of this vast brown land, experience the unique beauty of the Australian landscape anew, and reflect on the opportunities that this free and diverse nation offers its citizens.

Profiles include cosmetics entrepreneur Judit Korner, broadcaster Caroline Baum, boxer Kostya Tszyu, winemaker Wolf Blass, artist Judy Cassab, businessman Sir Arvi Parbo, designer Akira Isogawa and the Honourable Jim Spigelman QC, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW.

Raising Your Child in a Sexually Permissive Society (1984)

 

Sex Education and the Intellectually Handicapped with Lydia Fegan (1984, Health Tech-Service)

Co-authored with Lydia Fegan of the Autistic Association of NSW, then updated with the Family Planning Association of NSW's Anne Rauch and re-released in 1993 by Maclennan & Petty as Sexuality and People with Intellectual Disability, this book teaches how to provide honest, accurate information about about all aspects of sexual development from basic explanations for young children to more detailed information appropriate for adults. Topics covered include HIV/AIDs and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. It candidly discusses sexuality and the attitudes of both individuals with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers. Sample dialogues and case situations, discussion of sexual rights for people with intellectual disabilities, and policy guidelines for organizations also are included.

Extract from an American reader's review in 2003: "You just don’t see these books in bookstores in the US. This book ... strives to help parents and caregivers deal appropriately and sensitively with the sexuality of their developmentally disabled children as they grow into adults. The author is aware that this isn’t the easiest topic to discuss and spends a lot of time exploring the repercussions of not discussing sex with their kids [same as with everyone... they will find out anyways] and outlining a good timeline for sharing information about sexuality. The author allows many developmentally disabled adults to share their own stories about sex and relationships, helping the readers get a grasp on how these issues can seem to people with an intellectual handicap.

The book is full of practical advice: dealing with birth control, menstruation, sexual experimentation, masturbation, homosexuality, etc and the author gives parents small scripts that may help them broach these subjects with their children. The overall tone is one of respect and guidance. While adults shouldn’t be making decisions about their children’s sexuality, they may need to be more closely involved than they might expect in their kids' and adult children’s sex lives than they might have thought: McCarthy relates one story of a couple who goes on a honeymoon and takes the bride’s mother along as a chaperone, resulting in some amusing wedding night anecdotes. This book isn’t necessarily light reading for those who have no need to avail themselves of its contents, but it does a good chapter by chapter overview of the issues involved with the sexual maturation of the disabled and how to best approach it as a supportive and helpful guide."

Teaching About Sex; The Australian Experience (1983, George Allen & Unwin Australia)
Written with the Australian Federation of Family Planning Associations.

This book provides the basis for teaching about sex. The contributors are all experienced teachers who believe that it is not too much sexual knowledge but too little accurate knowledge which may damage the intimate relationships of many people. Sex education is here to stay: no child or adolescent who watches TV, who reads magazines, who goes to the cinema or who talks with other young people can avoid learning about sex. But the information obtained in these ways is often inaccurate and sometimes destructive to a person's sexuality. The remedy is to find out what adolescents want to know about sex and teach them in a sensitive, non-judgemental way.

"At last a well-written, sensitive book about sex education. It should be read by all parents and all teachers."
Derek Llewellyn-Jones, author of Everywoman