Tag Archives: feminism

ARTS PROJECT: “The egg, the womb, the head and the moon” interdisciplinary collaborative arts project

From jisclist email (feminist academics)

Dear all,

“The egg, the womb, the head and the moon”, is a new and exciting, interdisciplinary collaborative arts project. It will last for a duration of nine months (42 weeks)- a time frame that purposefully mirrors that of the duration of pregnancy. Now into its ninth week, the site contains moving and powerful art and texts by artists, performers, photographers, academics and poets exploring a diverse range of subjects about the maternal.The project and site is due to be exhibited and presented at the AHRC Motherhood in Post-1968 Women’s Writing: Cross Cultural and Interdisciplinary Dialogues conference at the University of London’s Senate House in October.

This project is very much about making connections with a wider audience and creating dialogue around the art works, texts and posts, therefore I would encourage you to contribute to the project by adding comments in response to the site posts.

See the about page of the website and below for further information about “The egg, the womb, the head and the moon”.

All the best Helen Sargeant

About: 

“The egg, the womb, the head and the moon” has been created to show existing work and research-driven practice about the maternal by the Mewe arts collective in response to the title. The site includes documentation of visual art work, video, sound, performance and texts by members of Mewe, including contextual dialogue and blog posts that have arisen through the creative process. It is our aim to share our collective research and reveal the cross-disciplinary and collaborative nature of our practice in order to connect and exchange ideas with a wider audience.

The duration of this blog will be for nine months (42 weeks) – a time frame that purposefully mirrors that of the duration of pregnancy. At the end of three months (the first trimester) Mewe will be exhibiting and presenting this site at the AHRC Motherhood in Post-1968 Women’s Writing: Cross Cultural and Interdisciplinary Dialogues conference at the University of London’s Senate House.

By the second trimester we will be organising and developing an exhibition, and by the end of the third trimester we will show work created through a critical engagement with this website in various locations within Calderdale. The exhibition will therefore be born out of the communications and interactions made visible through this space.

This site will explore the following themes:

Changing Models of Motherhood

Motherhood and Fertility

Motherhood and Loss

Motherhood and the Media

Motherhood and Memory

Motherhood and Mental Health

Motherhood and Place

Motherhood and Sexuality

Motherhood and Technology

Motherhood and the Visual Arts

Motherhood and Work

NEXT HFC EVENT: THURSDAY MEET, 29th August 2013 at 7.00pm

I’ve been so bad at posting updates etc. but, in my defence, I’ve been away and busy. Anyway, hopefully some of you are planning to go to the next Thursday meet (29th August). I am.

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The Huddersfield Feminist Collective meets on the last Thursday of each month from 7pm at the Sports(person)man Pub, 1 St Johns Road, Huddersfield, HD1 5AY.

Please come along – it’s informal and fun and you’ll be made welcome! The Sports(person)man pub has kindly offered us a room for our exclusive (whenever possible) use.

Next meeting: Thursday the 29th of August 2013, at 7.00pm. See you there!

EVENT: Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp(aign)

Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp is held on the second weekend of every month. We arrive at camp on Saturday morning or sometimes on Friday evening (please ring to check we are there if you plan to come Friday evening). We stay until Sunday lunch-time.

Visit the events section for details for forthcoming camps.

All women are welcome to come along at any time – and male visitors are welcome at camp during the day, but not after dark.

You can get a flavour of camp life by reading the blog section. You can also download our new women’s leaflet (pdf below) containing basic information about the camp.

Site: aldermaston.net.

HELP: University of York research study – women’s experiences of termination of pregnancy

From email:

Hello

I work in the Sociology Department at the University of York and I’m getting in touch to ask whether your group might be able to help circulate/publicise information about a research project that I am running?

The project is funded by the Wellcome Trust (a UK research charity) and is using interviews to explore women’s and health professionals’ experiences of abortion provision in England. I am inviting women aged 18 or over, who have had a termination of pregnancy within the last 6 months, to participate in an interview about their experiences. The aim of the interviews is to allow women to tell their stories in their own words and to explore what this experience has meant to them. Interviews are strictly confidential and women will not be identified. The study has been ethically reviewed and approved by the University of York Economics, Law, Management, Politics and Sociology Research Ethics Committee.

I am trying to find ways to publicise information about the project to women, so that those for whom this is relevant can decide for themselves whether they want to contact me about taking part in an interview. I wondered whether you might be willing to circulate the advert (pasted below this message and also included as an attachment flyer) around your mailing lists, and perhaps post the information on your webpage?

Continue Reading…

PETITION: #losetheladsmags

It’s time for shops to Lose the Lads’ Mags

Today it’s no longer acceptable to have ‘girly calendars’ on office walls. Why? Because they create a sexist and degrading environment for female employees and customers. So why, then, do supermarkets and newsagents still think it’s OK to expose staff and customers to degrading, pornographic lads’ mags – the modern day equivalent of ‘girly calendars’ – in their stores?

A woman who works in Tesco told us, “I hate that Tesco sells these mags and papers like the Sun and the Star. In the store I work in there is a laddish culture and I don’t think having these magazines help that…”

Lads’ mags portray women as dehumanised sex objects. There is extensive evidence this fuels sexist attitudes and behaviours and creates a conducive context for violence against women.

We’ve also obtained brand new legal advice showing that shops selling lads mags’ – like WH Smith and Tesco – are potentially breaching equality legislation. Stocking and displaying lads’ mags and papers with Page 3-style front cover images can constitute sex discrimination or sexual harassment under the Equality Act. Employees could take legal action on this basis and, where the magazine is visibly on display, customers could also have a claim. Legally as well as ethically, lads’ mags are well past their sell-by date.

That’s why we’re joining with Object, Women’s Aid, End Violence Against Women and many others to tell shops to lose the lads’ mags.

Sign the petition and ask shops to lose the lads’ mags!

As is the case with ‘girly calendars’, people shouldn’t have to see sexist, degrading lads’ mags when they are going about their work or doing their shopping.

Sign the petition today.

EVENT: York Feminist Network picnic (20th July)

From email:

Hello Huddersfield Feminist Collective!

Just wanted to let you know about a ‘Yorkshire Feminists’ picnic that we (York Feminist Network) are hosting on Saturday 20th July in York.

Details from our Facebook event:

We are hosting a picnic for Yorkshire feminists from across all corners of our fine county!

On Saturday 20th July, from midday onwards, you will find us at the community gardens opposite The Golden Ball (pub) on Cromwell Road in York.

Women, men and children all welcome!

Bring food and drink, as much or as little as you like. As hosts, we shall endeavour to provide as hearty an offering as we are able of some of the ‘picnic essentials’ – sandwiches, cake etc. We will bring as many blankets as we can scramble together, and will also provide all nibbling accessories (cups, plates etc).

Anyone able to bring along a football / a frisbee / any other object capable of providing entertainment for young children, that would be much appreciated.

Continue Reading…

NEXT HFC EVENT: THURSDAY MEET, 30th May 2013 at 7.00pm

The Huddersfield Feminist Collective meets on the last Thursday of each month from 7pm at the Sports(person)man Pub, 1 St Johns Road, Huddersfield, HD1 5AY.

Please come along – it’s informal and fun and you’ll be made welcome! The Sports(person)man pub has kindly offered us a room for our exclusive (whenever possible) use.

Next meeting: Thursday the 30th of May 2013, at 7.00pm. See you there!

SURVEY: Take our Feminist movement survey (UKFeminista)

Tell us about your passions, priorities and needs in our online survey

What feminist activities are you most inspired by? What do you want to campaign on? And what kind of support do you need to organise for a world without sexism?

We want to hear from feminists across the UK about the exciting things you’re doing and how we can help you do them. We’ve developed a short online survey and would love you to take part.

And if you complete it by Friday 7 June you’ll be entered into a draw to win a UK Feminista t-shirt and bag!

Here’s the link to the survey: ukfeminista.

PETITION: Brave’s Merida Gets a Disney Make-Over

Click for larger.

In 2006, The Walt Disney Company bought the computer-animated feature film powerhouse Pixar.  This makes the lead of their most recent movie, Brave (2012), not just a princess, but a Disney Princess.  Merida is having a royal coronation at the Magic Kingdom this morning.

For her coronation, the princess has gotten a good ol’ Disney makeover. On the left is the new Merida (“after”) and on the right is the old Merida (“before”).  Notice any differences? [Rest, socimages.]

Here’s a petition for you to sign to change Merida back (change.org).

Related:

EVENTS: Wendy Houstoun’s 50 Acts (only Yorkshire date, Lawrence Batley Theatre – 22nd May)

The Guardian gave Wendy Houston’s 50 Acts an unusual 4 Stars for her “…personal contribution to the voice of grumpy middle-age. From the frustrations of an unreliable memory to the aggravation of a world fogged by corporate-speak, this multidisciplinary solo show covers a gamut of reasons why a woman over 50 might be angry. Assembled out of 50 short segments of dance, text, film and music, it approaches the subject of ageing through a wonderfully economical and unexpected kaleidoscope of angles.”

Wendy Houstoun’s 50 Acts at thelbt.org.

Wendy Houstoun | 50 Acts

A warm and intimate evening tackling ageism and other modern rubbish…  

A dancer, choreographer and mentor to a generation of artists who remains committed to finding new forms to address her themes. Over the years, her work has developed a uniquely distinctive style that combines movement with text, and meaning with humour.

Wendy has worked extensively as a solo performer and in collaboration with companies and artists such as DV8 Physical Theatre, Tim Etchells and Forced Entertainment, Nigel Charnock, performance artist Rose English and Vincent Dance Theatre.

A maverick and enduring artist, 50 ACTS sees Wendy in a spirited retaliation against ageism and other modern rubbish, small dances and big ideas, stupidity and much, much more.

Book here.

 ’…one of the most forthright and gifted independent performers of her generation’ DANCE MAGAZINE