INDEPENDENT
_ WOMEN'S FORUM
March 22, 1999

Kirk Blalock
Manager Public Affairs
Philip Morris
120 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017

iHi

Dear Kirk,
As you know, The Independent Women's Forum concerns itself with the issues that
beset American Women . The issues that affect business--environmental vexatious
litigation, multiple chemical sensitivity, endocrine disruption, implants and research
dollars that gets subverted for political gain rather than for cures and remedies--all these
issues are of concern to our work in junk science and women's health .
The recent National Press Club televised IWF seminar called Scared Sick examined the
unfounded health/science fears and litigation frenzy . (Dr . Marcia Angell's remarks are
enclosed) . Our last function at Le Cirque in New York City, Vogue, Essence, McCall's,
Cosmo, WSJ, New York Post, and Reader's Digest, etc . gave rave reviews that compel us
to convene the women's magazine press again in New York City . At that luncheon event
at the new Daniels restaurant, we will discuss the tampon scare with Dr . Elizabeth
Connelly and some environmental silliness .
Since 1992, IWF has been a haven and a megaphone for reasonable women . For some
time we have stood for fairness and equality between the sexes, without painting
women as victims and men as brutes . We provide a voice for American women who
believe in individual freedom and personal responsibility . We have made that voice
heard in the US Supreme Court, among decision -makers in Washington, and across
America's airwaves.

This year we all watched and helped radical feminism literally fall apart . Like Kate
O'Beirne says, "American women betrayed by feminism need IWF like a fish needs
cvater . . ." We know we have the platform, the message, and the moment .
Here again (aside from the health projects) is what IWF made happen this year despite
front-page distractions-• Another year of The Woman's Quarterly's lively provocative articles on issues of the
day and a year of Ex Femina which chronicled IWF activities ;
• Monthly SpeakerSeriesincluding the newsworthy panels on sexual harassment, and
the televised, "The Law, the Spin, the Moral Consequences ;"

• Programs and Projects :
Title IX-Play Fair project exposed the determination of political forces to shut down
over 300 collegiate male sport teams, and the litigation posed against some historic

P.O . Box 3058 • Arlingron Virginia 22203-0058 • TEL : 703•558•4991 • Fsx : 703•558•4994

Source: https://www.industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/docs/qpgv0099

 black colleges . John Stoessel's report on ABC's 20/20 program made breakthrough
news last May as a result of our influence ;
Campus Guild--Our campus program spread from Georgetown to Yale and Smith
this year . Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Stanford and others are poised to start
programs of their own, while we consider a national program called "Take Back the
Date ;"
Women and the Military--We were honored that our EVP, Anita Blair, was elected
Chair of the Congressional Commission on Military Training and Gender Issues . Her
year long study of women in the military testified before Congress last week and she
will file her report thereafter . In January she spent time in Bosnia;
Women and the Economy--Following Board Member Wendy Lee Gramm's lead,
IWF started a new permanent project which premiers the updated and reissued
Women's Figvres on Pay Equity Day, and three new booklets on the economy as a
women's issue . Planned are Hill briefings and major media on economic reform-with particular attention to women's balancing act at home and work ;
Legal Briefs--IWF amicus briefs made a difference in the Pixley adoption case,
safeguarding the life of that adopted child, and in the New Jersey ruling of welfare
reform and work . IWF pending briefs in the US Supreme Court on school sexual
harassment in January, and the California Bakersfield Title IX case are two cases to
watch.
Media! Did we have media attention this year! If you didn't see Barbara Olson on
LarryKing, Anita Blair on ABC's This Week, Barbara Ledeen on MSNBC or CSPAN,
Kate O'Beirne on CNN, Heather Higgins on Hardball or Amy Holmes on Fox, then
you heard many of us on talk radio . IWF averaged over 30 appearances monthly on
television, and sometimes hundreds on the radio . Over 500 print articles appeared
featuring IWF in the news or with written commentary . Our Web site continues to
get responses from everywhere, compelling us to revamp and enlarge capacity .

Philip Morris has been a friend to IWF in the past for good reason . (Two years ago
you gave us a $15,000 grant) . After all, who 'ya gonna call when you need a sensible,
intelligent woman's voice? Your yearly support can keep us competitive in the
marketplace of ideas . For this important junk science project, please help with a gift
of $20,000 to underwrite our work in the press to counter the nonsense and stifle the

litigation frenzy . You just might have a team member that can make the difference .

Enclosures

Source: https://www.industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/docs/qpgv0099