Women of the Book Who Go By the Name Feminists

I am giving a workshop at the 9th March Feminist Gathering that will be held at the Hackney Social Centre. My workshop will be during the early afternoon, and is called, “WOMEN OF THE BOOK WHO GO BY THE NAME FEMINISTS”. Here is a bit of a blurb with the details:

WOMEN OF THE BOOK WHO GO BY THE NAME FEMINISTS

This workshop is OPEN to practicing Jewish, Christian and Muslim women who label themselves feminists………………………………..and all other women who self identify as religious and feminists.
There would be a brief opening talk of say 10-15 minutes on the assumption by most people that feminism and traditional religion are at odds with each other. I would hope that this would be a non-judgmental environment, so that women of all three faiths had the freedom (without censor or condemnation) to describe what it means for them to be a woman of the Book and a feminist.
The workshop will run for an hour.

Time: 14.30pm – 15.30pm

Location: Hackney Social Centre, 231 Lower Clapton Road

Bus stop: Lea Bridge Roundabout

hackneysocialcentre.blogspot.com
Contact the organisers: 9thmarch@lists.riseup.net
www.myspace.com/march9thlondon

A Salutation To My Father

International Women’s Day 2008 is just over two weeks away, and I am slowly packing my bags in preparation for my journey across the pond to the UK – London to be exact. I cannot count the number of times I have been to the capital, as I have been a regular visitor and at times a very, very, very part-time resident for 21 years; however I have only been celebrating IWD in the UK for 4 years. Last year I unable to cross the pond for International Women’s Day, as there was a snafu with my passport, so this year will be all the more special for me.

I have booked and planned on attending at least a dozen women based events whilst in London, and I am even giving a workshop at the 9th March Feminist Gathering called, “Women of the Book Who Go By The Name Feminists” - More about that in a future blog entry.

London holds a special place in my heart, as it is more than a city for me. It is the home of some of my closest friends. It is a place where I truly grasped the concept of being a citizen of the world and lastly and most importantly it is the place that my dear, late father encouraged me to travel to over two decades ago.

My dad, a WWII vet wanted to instill in all his children an understanding that the world was far bigger and more expansive and more complex that the neighborhood, city and country one was born in. He wanted his children to appreciate that the world had a myriad of perspectives. Indeed we may not agree with those perspectives, but he wanted us to know they existed. So at his encouragement I started my international travels in London, and I have now visited most of Western Europe. It is my hope in the coming months to expand my travels beyond Europe to say the Middle East or parts of Western Africa, but I digress.

So as I prepare to cross the pond yet again, I am ever so grateful for my father (and my mother), and I am reminded of one of the last conversations I had with my dad. He said he had hope that he had been a good dad to me. I assured him that he had been the best father as he was the father I needed. You see my dad not only gave me his love of math he had also gave me his curiosity of the world. And how many women can truly say their father gave them such a precious gift? So with all my heart and love thank you daddy, for giving me London and the world…………………………and may you and ma continue to rest in peace.

Debra – Buddy’s eldest child

9th March Feminist Gathering

Here is the info on the 9th March Feminist Gathering from the organisers:

9TH MARCH FEMINIST GATHERING


Building on the energy of International Women’s Day 2008, we are bringing
together feminists from many backgrounds and political positions for one exciting and thought-provoking day of workshops, discussions and network building.

FEMINIST GATHERING:

Sunday 9th March 2008

12:00-1:00pm

1) Fem/mes talk: consciousness-raising and coffee session
2) Open discussion on feminist childrearing
3) Feminist and queer movements in Belarus

1:15-2:15pm

1) Sex workers and feminists: why they need each other
2) Women seeking asylum
3) Women’s self-defense

2:30-3:30pm

1) Sex trafficking: myths, migrant sex workers and labour rights
2) Consent and community response to sexual assault
3) ‘Women of the Book who Go by the Name Feminists’
(For women who self- identify as religious and feminists)

3:45-4:45pm

1) F-T-eminism: workshop on feminism for male-identified trans people
2) Feminist erotic media and diy porn
3) Abortion rights: defending and extending reproductive freedoms

5:00-6:00pm

1) Slut/Goddess pleasure activism
2) Negotiating safer sex
3) Solidarity between trans and feminist movements

VENUE:

Hackney Social Centre,
231 Lower Clapton Road,
London

hackneysocialcentre.blogspot.com/
Bus stop: Lea Bridge Roundabout

Contact us: 9thmarch@lists.riseup.net
www.myspace.com/march9thlondon

Activities throughout the day:

Bike Repair
Luxury massage corner

Films:
6:30-8:00pm

Eve Ensler’s ‘Until the Violence Stops’
Marie Vermeiren’s film on the stop rape
paper bag project

Creche: There will be a creche provided so contact us if you will need places.

The day is open to all genders and sexualities although some workshops may be for specific groups only: for example, women or trans only.

The venue is a squatted building, therefore although wheelchairs can access the space, facilities are limited and many areas are not child-friendly.

Building on the energy of International Women’s Day 2008, we are bringing
together feminists from many backgrounds and political positions for one exciting and thought-provoking day of workshops, discussions and network building.