Christmas gifts for feminists - 2011 edition

Wondering what to get your feisty lady-friend, awesome gal pal, ball-busting sister, or otherwise kick-ass woman? Well, here are some suggestions.

Feminist necklace

Handmade by "nappyhappy" in England, this charming little necklace is available to order through Etsy.

£10 ($16.22 CAD), plus shipping.

Awesome panties!

Knickerocker makes these awesome Wonder Woman panties in two different styles, plus a pretty awesome pair of uterus panties.

Only $4 each, plus shipping.

Beer cozies for the ladies

It has a fucking unicorn on it!

Order through the Bust Boobtique

$9 plus shipping

Subscription to a feminist magazine

There are three great feminist magazines I recommend, check em out:

Ms. - $42.00
BUST - $29.95
Bitch - $34.95

*all prices are for a one year Canadian subscription

Gift certificate to a second hand store

Feminists love consignment shopping. Well, at least every feminist I know does. Here are my favourite second hand stores in Calgary:

1. Trend - located in Kensington
2. Rewind Consignment - located downtown
3. Vespucci - located at Elbow & Heritage SW

Rosie the Riveter memorabilia

This Rosie the Riveter action figure is only $10, and she comes with a lunchbox and rivet gun! I've also seen these action figures at Paper Roots stores in Calgary.

Or, you could always go for a Rosie wall clock or lunchbox.

Feminist tote bag

Feminists always get a bad rap for being humourless killjoys. Buy this bag for the feminist in your life so that everyone knows she's a bright and happy feminist. Yes, we do exist.
£10 ($16.22 CAD), plus shipping.

P.S. This History vs. Herstory tote bag is pretty cute too.

1950's style feminist magnets

I love these retro magnets. They're usually around $6 each and available in stores like Twisted Goods and Paper Roots in Calgary.

Yummy bath and beauty products

LUSH bath bombs and other yummy products are great for ladies who want to use vegetarian, chemical-free, cruelty-free beauty products. There's lots of pre-made gift packs to choose from.

Feminist books

Two of my feminist friends, Juliet and Tamara, recommended these new books:

Big Big Love: A sex and relationships guide for people of size (and those who love them). This book is for people of every gender, size and sexual orientation.
$13.13 on Amazon.ca.

Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed Down World by Lisa Bloom. The author outlines the ways that we as a society, and particularly women, have fallen off the intellectual path, and points to how damaging this has been to us on many levels. $18.90 on Amazon.ca.

Virginia Woolf earrings

These are awesome and only $8 (+ shipping)!

I also found a pretty cool Virginia Woolf t-shirt for $21 (+ shipping).

The Great Wall of Vagina: Changing female body perception through art

British artist James McCartney spent five years plaster casting 400 women’s vulvas for his sculpture The Great Wall of Vagina. The project is an exploration of women’s relationships with their genitals.

James came up with the idea while he was working on a different sculpture for a sex museum. He discovered that many women have anxiety about the appearance of their genitals, incorrectly believing they are ugly or abnormal. “It appalled me that our society has created yet one more way to make women feel bad about themselves” he said. He decided to do something about it – so he created art that dispels misconceptions about what women look like “down there.”

The women who volunteered to participate ranged in age from 18 to 76. There is great variety in the vulvas, as you would expect given there are 400 of them. One has multiple piercings, two are from identical twins, there are mother and daughter castings and transgendered men and women. There are even casts from a woman pre and post natal, and another pre and post labiaplasty. 

The sculptures are fascinating to look at and people can view them without feeling shame or discomfort because the images are not pornographic. They allow women (and men) the opportunity to see the immense diversity in female genitalia. Each one is completely different and completely normal.

Check out the videos below to learn more about James and The Great Wall of Vagina (which should probably be called The Great Wall of Vulva, since the vagina is your birth canal, while the vulva is your sex organ. But I’ll forgive James that grammatical mishap, because his project is awesome!). 

Call to performers for Take Back the Night

If you're a singer, poet, dancer or just passionate about ending violence against women, then you should consider being part of Take Back the Night 2011 in Calgary. The Call to Performers was just released - check it out!

Call to Performers for Take Back the Night - Calgary, 2011

Calgary’s 28th annual Take Back the Night event will be held on Friday, September 23, 2011 at 8 p.m. in Connaught Park at 11 Street and 14 Avenue SW. Take Back the Night is an international movement designed to raise awareness about violence against women and to support the well-being of those who have been and are in abusive situations. Each year between 200 to 500 women, men and children attend this free event in Calgary.

The evening begins with a rally featuring local speakers, musicians and artists. Attendees will then take to the streets for a march to symbolize the right women have to walk the streets and feel safe. 

The Take Back the Night planning committee is seeking individuals or groups to perform or speak during the rally. The tone of the rally is respectful and serious, so only performances that are sensitive to the nature of this event will be considered. The types of performers we are seeking include:

• Musicians, singers, songwriters


• Spoken word poets


• Dancers


• Speakers (i.e. someone who has been personally affected by violence, or has a loved one that has been affected)

Performances are short – if you are speaking, dancing or performing spoken word poetry, we ask that your presentation be no longer than 5 minutes. Musicians/singers will have the opportunity to perform one to three songs, depending on the total number of musicians chosen.

If you are interested in applying to be part of the Take Back the Night rally, please email tbtncalgary@gmail.com by Thursday, September 1 at 5 p.m. and tell us:

1. Who you are and what you do


2. The type of performance would you like to share at Take Back the Night


3. Why you want to be part of Take Back the Night


4. If you require or if you will be bringing any special equipment for your performance

We will confirm that we have received your email and will let applicants know which performances were chosen for the rally on or before Sunday, September 4.

If you have further questions, please email tbtncalgary@gmail.com or phone 403-816-5818. You can find out more about the event by visiting the website or Facebook page.

Tonight: Interview with playwright Catherine Banks

Tonight we're interviewing Nova Scotia playwright, Catherine Banks. In 2008 her play Bone Cage was awarded the Governor General’s Award for Literature (English) Drama.

Catherine's new play, It is Solved by Walking, is premiering this week in Calgary through Urban Curvz Theatre, our local women's/feminist theatre company!

The play runs from April 28 - May 7 at the Joyce Doolittle Theatre (in the Pumphouse Theatre). Tickets are $22 for adults, $17 for students and seniors. There is a "Pay What You Can" preview performance on April 27.

For ticket purchase and information call 403-263-0079 or visit UrbanCurvz.com.

Urban Curvz theatre explores the drama of a lesbian wedding

It’s a girl’s dream: a wedding day with all her friends there to support her. But when her friends are rapidly falling in and out of love with one another, and her wife-to-be is too busy keeping the peace to pay her any attention, the bride is ready to explode. The play is described as "a mix of physical theatre and high-stakes pillow fight."



Urban Curvz is an award-winning theatre company based in Calgary. Their work "reflects the wit and intelligence of the women in this city" and celebrates the female experience as a source of autonomous art.



Love(her)/Fight(her) at Lunchbox Theatre

February 17–25, 2011

Evening shows are at 8 pm, except Fridays which are at 9 pm.

No shows Monday or Saturday

Additional Sunday matinee at 2 pm.

For ticket purchase and information call 403.265.4292 or visit UrbanCurvz.com

Tonight's Show: Feminism & Art

Tonight we're discussing feminism and art - two wonderful things that go together so well. We'll be interviewing local artist and feminist, Teresa Posyniak, whose art often features the female body. Her art also reflects her interest in women's issues such as domestic violence.

We'll also be discussing the upcoming feminist art show BODY / IMAGE. The show features art by local folks who explore issues of womanhood, the female body, body image, etc. in their work. The opening night of BODY / IMAGE is Thursday February 3 (7 - 9:30 p.m.) at the Marquee Room, and will feature performances by burlesque dancers, a drag king troupe, and spoken word artists. Admission is only $4 and all proceeds go to Take Back the Night - a grassroots feminist organization that raises awareness about violence against women.

BODY / IMAGE - feminist art show in Calgary

Take Back the Night Calgary presents BODY / IMAGE - a month-long art show and opening night event to bring communities together and to promote awareness around violence against women in Calgary.



The BODY / IMAGE art installation brings feminist issues to the forefront as local artists present work along the theme of the power and tribulations of womanhood.



BODY / IMAGE

When: February 3 – 28, 2011

Where: The Marquee Room, 612 8 Avenue SE



Opening night celebrations

When: February 3, 2011

Features: Performances by local spoken word artists, professional Burlesque dancers and gender-bending Drag Kings.

Cost: $4 - proceeds from the opening night cover charge will support awareness campaigns and community initiatives run by Take Back the Night Calgary.



Further details may be found at Take Back the Night Calgary, the Facebook event page, or by emailing tbtncalgary@gmail.com.

Feminist art show - call for artists!

Take Back the Night Calgary and Market Collective are issuing a call for artists for a month-long showing in February 2011 titled BODY / IMAGE. The event will showcase art from all visual fields, including projection work.

Art will hang on the walls of the Marquee Room (612 - 8 Ave SW Calgary) for the whole month of February. Additionally, select pieces will get extra exposure through the Market Collective event during one weekend in February (date to be determined). Both are high traffic spaces and well known and respected in Calgary's arts community. This is a great opportunity to showcase and/or sell your work.

The theme of the show is beyond the female body - exploring the struggles and power of womanhood. It's about advocating for a positive self-image and evoking the importance of feminism in its many forms. Naturally, the theme is up for interpretation by the artist.

Further details about the call for artists can be found on the Take Back the Night Calgary website. All submissions must be received by January 15th, 2011 at midnight.

London gallery displays tribute to Mexico's missing and murdered women

Since 1993, hundreds of women in the in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez have been declared murdered or missing. No one knows exactly how many women have been affected. Local rights groups estimate that 300 women have been killed this year alone; official figures are significantly lower. And no one is able to give an accurate estimate for the number of women missing.



Most of the murdered young women were poor local factory workers and students, and many of the killings were truly horrific, involving sexual violence and rape.



When the murders first began they captured the world's attention for a while; dozens of journalists investigated, and numerous books and songs were written. But to date, most cases remained unresolved, and it is still a mystery why women are being targeted in this way.



Two hundred artists from around the world are involved in the 400 Women exhibition, which is is showing at Shoreditch Town Hall in London, England until November 28.



Here are three examples of the portraits:

Rosa Maria Rivers was raped and strangled in July 1999. She was 36 years old.

Artist: Anita Klein

Elizabeth Rodriguez Perez has been missing since November 1999.

Artist: Jane Archer

Melissa Gonzalez Luna was 16 when she disappeared more than three years ago.

Artist: Andres Basurto

To read more about this exhibit and see more portraits, click here.

Feminist stuff you should do this weekend!

There are a whole bunch of cool things happening this weekend that Calgary feminists should definitely check out!

1. Margaret Cho at the Jubilee - October 1

She's a funny feminist. Some people say those two things can't exist together, but Ms. Cho is proof that they can. Check out her video about the elusive G-Spot.



2. The Penelopiad at the Martha Cohen Theatre - Until October 9

Written by an awesome Canadian feminist, Margaret Atwood, The Penelopiad is Atwood's interpretation of the classic story, The Odyssey. It tells the story of Penelope, the faithful wife of the wandering warrior-king Odysseus, during her 20-year wait for his return home. It’s also directed by a woman - Vanessa Porteous - and features eleven female actresses.


3. Screening of the film ‘December 6’

Local feminist film maker, Cara Mumford, hosts a screening of her film December 6. The film makes use of spoken word poetry, dance and collage to send a message about the Montreal Massacre of 1989.

October 3, 1:00 p.m.
Temple B'nai Tikvah - 900 47th Avenue SW
Free admission

Tonight's Show: Tribute to Jasmine Valentina and interview with feminist film maker

Tonight we pay tribute to feminist, artist, and all-around awesome lady, Jasmine Valentina. Jasmine was tragically killed in Brooklyn, NY a few weeks ago, and Calgary's arts and feminist communities have been mourning ever since. Tonight we look back on an interview we did with Jasmine last year, play some music from her fave bands, and remember how rad she was.

We will also interview local feminist film maker, Cara Mumford, about a screening of her film, December 6. Cara's film is described on her website:

December 6 is a short poetry dance film set to a spoken word
commentary by Evalyn Parry about societal and media responses to violence against women, with the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre as the central focus. The film includes performances from 14 female dancers, showcasing a variety of world dance traditions, symbolizing that violence against women can happen to any woman, anywhere.

Film screening in Calgary
Sunday, October 3
Temple B'Nai Tikvah
900 47th Avenue SW
1:00 p.m.

Art of Social Conscience

Norm Magnusson's public art, The I-75 Project, is an "art of social conscience." The artist uses signs that look like state-sponsored historical information signs, located at rest stops along the Interstate-75, to display messages about everything from the male-female pay discrepancy to homophobia to healthcare. Norm describes his signs/messages as "gently assertive and non-confrontational, firmly thought provoking... and just a little bit subversive."

Interstate-75 starts in Michigan (on the Canadian border), and then travels south down to Florida. After leaving Michigan, the highway doesn't touch another Democratic (Blue) state - it's Republican territory all the way down. These left-wing messages are likely to ruffle some feathers in the States! What a cool art project, and a great way to challenge people's ideas on some very sensitive topics.

Feminist Tattoos!

Tonight: Interview with Members of the Ellipsis Tree Theatre Collective

Tonight's show will feature an interview with two members of the Ellipsis Tree Theatre Collective. In the interview, we discuss the important existence of a collective like Ellipsis Tree in Calgary as it consists almost entirely of Afro/Caribbean-Canadian women.

Their latest production is the Pulitzer Prize winning play entitled "Ruined" by Lynn Nottage which made its Canadian premiere(right here in Calgary!) this past Friday. The play deals with sexual exploitation of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the war and runs until August 28th at The Lunchbox Theatre (160 115 9 Avenue SE). They will also be hosting a speaker symposium entitled "Breaking The Silence: Rape As A Weapon of War" at the Glenbow Museum on August 22nd (free admission!) in conjunction with Ruined. The symposium will host both women and men from the Democratic Republic of Congo who will speak on their experiences with war and violence against women and will feature an exhibit, "Walk With Me: Lived Experiences of The Sex Trade".


For details/tickets, those interested can visit ellipsistree.ca
Be sure to check the "Ruined" and "Breaking The Silence: Rape As A Weapon of War" event pages on Facebook as well.


We will also be sharing some great music for the second part of the program, so be sure to tune in tonight on CJSW 90.9 FM at 8:00pm (MST) for the goods!

Take Back the Night - Calgary 2010

We’re excited to announce the official date and location of Take Back the Night - Calgary 2010. The program and march will be held at Connaught Park (11th St and 14th Ave SW). The park is centrally located, just north of 17th Ave and eight blocks south of the 10th St C-train station.

The march will take place on September 23 at 8:00 pm. Arrive early to participate in creative activities and to see our memorial. Here’s where YOU come in: We want to hear from feminist artists, writers, musicians and general creative types. This year’s theme is all about how we can impact our environments by protesting violence against women. Who better to envision a feminist future than artists? Email tbtncalgary@gmail.com if you’re interested in reading, creating art, performing, or if you have any other ideas you’d like to pitch!

This Week's Show: National Aboriginal Day

Monday June 21st (that's today!)is National Aboriginal Day and in honor of this, we are devoting tonight's episode of Yeah, What She Said to the many talented and influential indigenous women and women's groups of Canada and beyond. We will be spotlighting such individuals as Cheryl L'Hirondelle, Daphne Odjig, and many more. We'll be sharing music by some amazing artists as well (i.e. Tagaq, CocoRosie). Tune in! And remember, it's a full hour now, so you have time to settle in and get comfy with us!

Here are just a few links to some of the groups and individuals we will be chatting about.

Painter, Daphne Odjig

Multimedia/Visual Artist, Cheryl L'Hirondelle

Filmmaker, Cara Mumford

The Native Women's Association of Canada

Join us live at 8:00pm (MST) on CJSW 90.9 FM in Calgary, AB Canada and www.cjsw.com worldwide.

And be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode!

Feminist Poetry Reading - Thursday May 6

Bernadette Wagner has been involved in Saskatchewan's feminist and activist community for over 25 years. Although her writing has appeared in journals, magazines, online and in many other places, "This Hot Place" is her first book of poetry.

Bernadette's poems are an examination (and cross-examination) of place, heart, politics, the socio-placement of women in the land and their quest for spiritual grace and worth. Her poetry is invluenced by both her feminist beliefs, as well as the natural landscapes of Saskatchewan.

Check out Bernadette's book and hear her read at her upcoming poetry reading in Calgary:
Thursday May 6 @ 7:30 p.m.
Pages on Kensington
1135 Kensington Rd. NW

Kick-Ass Feminist Event - This Saturday!

What?
The Feminal Artery is a female centered event that will showcase a culturally diverse body of female talent. While women are the focus of the event, the event is not limited to women, and is open for appreciation by all.

Who's preforming?
Dance groups, acoustic artists, spoken word, bands, DJs.
See the complete list of artists.

Where/When?
Saturday May 8, 2010
Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Centre, 1320 5 Ave NW, Calgary
Noon to 1:00am

Cost?
$2 suggested minimum donation at the door. Proceeds will be donated to a women's group in Bolivia known as 'Mujeres Creando' or 'Women Creating,' which will allow the event to have a lasting impact outside of Calgary.

Other information:
-All ages (mature audiences @ 7:30pm)
-Alcohol served to patrons of legal age

Get out there and support our lovely local women!

Feminist Recommendations for the Calgary Spoken Word Festival

Calgary’s Spoken Word Festival is on right now! And there are at least three events that seem very woman-related and of interest to feminists. Check them out! (The best part is they’re all $10 or less!)



Gutsy Gals Do Lunch

Join two edgy gals and do lunch the way lunch should be done. This event will feed your mind and satiate your senses – and may we add, cultivate your inner wild-child.

Wednesday, April 21

Cathedral Church: Corner of 7th Ave & 1st Street SE

Noon

Free



Unveiling the Breath

Listening to the voices of Muslim men & women who have experienced an Islamic country will diffuse the myths, and create breathing space for myths and misconceptions to be over-written by truth, transparency and common understanding.

Saturday, April 24

Big Secret Theatre, Epcor Centre

2:00 pm

$5 plus GST



Story Circle Woman Song

Each year we gather to celebrate the strong voices of dynamic women of diverse cultures and ages! Good Goddess: Listen to the earth! Amplified!

Sunday, April 25

Big Secret Theatre, Epcor Centre

1:00 pm

$10 plus GST

The VaJayJay Monologues come to Calgary

The VaJayJay Monologues is showing in Calgary from April 29 to May 8, 2010.



Showing Tuesday – Saturday @ 8:00pm

2:00pm matinee on May 2nd & 8th

$10 Artist’s Matinee on Thursday, May 6th at 2:00pm

Pay what you can preview 8:00pm April 28, 2009



$22.00 for adults

$17.00 for students/seniors/equity artists



For tickets call 403-263-0079 or visit Urban Curvz.