Resources & Archives ESEC Brings Dissection Choice Issue to MA Women's Caucus (Spring 2000) — House Bill 1904, which would guarantee Massachusetts' students the right to use non-animal alternatives to dissection, is again making its way through the state legislature. The bill was "on hold" for some of '99, pending appointment of a House Co-Chair to replace Rep. Harold Lane. Now, with the appointment of Rep. Lida Harkins, the Bill is again underway toward its passage and is catching the attention of many would-be supporters. According to NEAVS' affiliate, the Ethical Science and Education Coalition (ESEC), the bill is also a women's issue for a vast array of reasons. In a letter to Ann Paulsen, Women's Caucus Chairperson, ESEC's Dissection Advisor outlines a decade's worth of research into how dissection alternatives benefit girls and young women. Writes Susan Gaines, "For much of the 90s, I worked full time helping students and teachers find appropriate non-animal methods to use in place of dissection. I attended every national science and biology teachers' conference. Invariably, the hottest topic was how to motivate girls to pursue careers in science. However, instead of suggesting alternatives to dissection, participants always argued that girls simply needed to 'toughen up' and be like boys if they wanted to get ahead in the sciences. "However, statistics show that girls objected to dissection five times more often than did boys. And for every girl who spoke out, there are hundreds of others afraid to voice their concerns through fear of ridicule, failing grades and harassment. Many of these girls are highly intelligent, computer literate, and are in advanced placement courses. Far from 'squeamish', they will gladly work on a donated human cadaver. However, they balk at the idea of taking life unnecessarily when there are excellent alternatives available." Adds Theodora Capaldo, EdD, ESEC's President, "Simply leaving the decision about providing dissection alternatives up to individual teachers is not enough. Even within the same school system, there may be wide variations in policy. Passage of House Bill 1904, which ESEC has been working diligently to ensure, will mean that students across the state will consistently be allowed the choice of a cruelty-free learning experience." Back to UPDATE 2000 Series, Vol. 1, No. 1 Spring mainpage.