Cherchez La Femme

Women of Colour are the centre and base of all feminism, but have also been ignored and excluded from the mainstream feminist movement across different points in time. Furthermore, white feminists have taken credit for the work that WoC have done that benefits all women. Moreoever, we must remember that the term 'intersectional feminism' was first coined and theorized by African American feminist Kimberlé Crenshaw in the 1980's to "capture the experience black feminism to anti-discrimation law" that affected not only gender but race too. At the same time, we must acknowledge that in Australia, Aboriginal women developed their own language around "feminism" - a kind of feminism that could not separate experiences of gender, race and colonial violence that has affected Aboriginal women, men, sistergirls and brotherboys. With over 250 years of colonisation and multiple waves of immigration in Australia the conversation about "feminism and race" needs to account for the lived experiences of Aboriginal people and people of colour that make up Australia today and how our experiences overlap and sometimes clash with each other. This show will be an opportunity for us to come together to teach, learn, and listen as we examine some of the difficult questions that arise at the intersection of race and gender. Our phenomenal host for the evening is Thanh H?ng Ph?m, a queer vi?t poet from "Queering the Air"; with panelists: Namila Benson: Broadcaster, advocate, Pasifika mama, feminist Yarramun Conole: Indigenous activist, writer, student Areej Nur: Radio journalist, and presenter, Still Nomads co-founder, festival and arts curator Amena Ziard: writer, broadcaster

Did you know there was a fat acceptance movement? Or that fat activists campaign for the right to reclaim the word “fat”, demand better “fatshion” and advocate for social acceptance of good health at any size? This CLF show will be a recap of one of our most powerful shows: Feminism and Fat. It was one of those knock out topics, because the discussion ranged across body acceptance and positivity, bodily autonomy, fashion, and the policing of women's appearances - to name just a few. Not only do we direct a lot of hatred at ourselves for being “too fat” but there’s a strong misogynist streak in social commentary around what women’s bodies should look like. We've invited some great thinkers from the movement to come and talk us through these issues and hopefully shed some light on a topic that is rarely looked at from this angle in the mainstream media. We're thrilled to be welcoming to the CLF stage an amazing host for this month, Jiselle Hanna. Jiselle is the producer of 3CR's Accent of Women, and has looked extensively at the issues of fat consciousness and body image, particularly, the intersections with race and sexuality. Jiselle will be joined by three amazing panelists: - Jenny Lee: feminist, academic, writer, activist - Elyse Lithgow: feminist, Instagram devotee, model, fatshion show director - Melissa D'or: feminist, fat fashion curator and organiser, 'Hey Fatty' co-founder

Are you at university? Been there, done that? Teach in one? Hoping to go one day? Women were officially allowed to enrol in university in Australia as early as 1880 and they now outnumber men as students. It might be a rite of passage for many but the barriers to higher education are still firmly in place for many women. That said, the academy is still a pretty big part of Australian cultural life, and the way women are treated and represented within it is pretty interesting to feminists. From feminist theory and gender critiques developed by academics, to the employment and promotion of women within universities, to the experience of female students on campus and gender biases in curriculum, there are a ton of problems for women in the academy. But it's not all bad news! Universities are often the spaces in which people discover feminism, activism and oppositional gender politics. There's massive potential in that kind of collectivism, and we also need to talk about the same mechanisms being used to exclude and punish people who don't conform. How can we harness the power of higher education to advance the feminist cause? What about the toxic masculinity on campus, for students and staff? How is feminism meaningfully expressed within the academy - as an industry, a sector, a cultural sphere? Where are the faultlines and opportunities and challenges for feminist academics? We thought it was time to have this chat about Feminism and the Academy, led by the amazing Jessamy Gleeson, who is wrapping up her PhD on feminist activism, and she's joined by an impressive lineup of femmo panelists! Shakira Hussein - author, researcher, feminist Carolyn D'Cruz - lecturer, theorist, feminist LJ Maher - educator, writer, feminist

The indomitable Van Badham heads up Melbourne’s monthly live talkfest CHERCHEZ LA FEMME as special guest host of FEMINISM AND CLASS, at the Melba Speigeltent on April 5. The Guardian Australia columnist, acclaimed playwright and VP of the Victoria Branch of the MEAA joins CLF as the first in a series of guest hosts in 2016, sharing her expertise on the ways in which class can unduly affect women. It’s a fact that working class women are more likely to experience disadvantage when it comes to the gender pay gap, superannuation, housing, healthcare and childcare. But despite these broad systems of inequality, and the fact that class is often overlooked in public discourse on gender discrimination and marginalisation, working class women have organised and mobilised their causes to create powerful and long-lasting change. International Women’s Day was established by working women who wouldn’t accept that their work and lives were less valuable than those of their middle class counterparts. The illusion that mainstream feminism provides a ‘one-size- fits-all’ solution to the issues facing all women continues to be challenged by staunch working class women who demand that their experiences be made visible to those in positions of power. And that’s only the beginning. Joining us to unpack the interactions between class and feminism, are our panellists: ? Alicia Sometimes | Writer, poet, broadcaster, feminist ? Kara Keys | Union organiser, activist, feminist ? Natasha Smith | Activist, researcher, psychologist, feminist

Have you ever felt frustrated about the representation of women in journalism? I have! I'd love to see more women journalists reporting in all fields but I know there are serious structural forces working against this. I also think there's a problem with selecting women as subjects and experts, with the same long-held ideas that women only know certain things, or that audiences don't trust female voices. Recently we've had national discussions about harassing women journalists at work (Mel McLaughlin, Monica Radulovic) the integrity and intelligence of competing women journalists has been called into question (Samantha Armytage, Virginia Hausegger), and columnists have gone public about the abuse they receive just for doing their job (Van Badham, Clementine Ford). So it has real issues, and is undergoing massive changes, but journalism is still one of the major ways we make sense of the world. Like many sectors it can be hugely difficult for women, both as practitioners and subjects, but also genuinely empowering, so we're going to spend the next CLF talking to some incredible women journos about their experiences and insights. Join me as I welcome to the CLF stage: Giselle A. Nguyen: columnist, activist, feminist Amy K. Middleton: editor, writer, feminist Laurel Irving: television reporter, broadcaster, feminist

If you read about them in the mainstream media you'll know that selfies are the end of civilisation as we know it, especially if women and girls are taking them. But we've always found ways to subvert the male gaze and represent ourselves as we want to be seen, and the rise of the selfie has happened at a nexus of culture, technology, politics and art. So whether you think selfies narcissistic and vain or a powerful tool for self-knowledge and alternative ideas, come along and talk about it with some cool feminists! Absolutely amazing lineup this month: Lian Hingee - Frocks and Frou Frou creator, Guardian blogger, fashion maven, feminist Lauren Scott - famous on the Internet @OreoSpeedwagon, social commentator, photographer, feminist Jack Stewart - budding educator, derby skater, activist, feminist Virginia Fraser - artist, writer, historian of Australian film, feminist

Recorded Tuesday October 6th, 2015. The public conversation around violence against women is more candid than ever before and appears to have a real momentum. Of course, feminist activists have spent years forcing this issue into the mainstream media and asking the hard questions about toxic masculinity and the resulting harm experienced by women (and children). We know that social movements, like feminism, are the most effective agents in bringing about lasting and broad-based changes toward a more progressive society. No community should accept the reality that women are statistically more likely to experience violence in their lives, at the hands of a partner or in their home, and that sexual violence is a matter of when not if for many of us. 60 women have been murdered in Australia this year alone, and many more have experienced violence, overwhelmingly at the hands of men. We know this but we don't always know what to do with that knowledge. Cherchez la Femme will continue in a long tradition of asking feminists for their ideas on how to keep focus on this issue, discussing what tangible steps can be taken to reduce it and how we might meaningfully contribute to a genuine cultural shift on male violence against women. We are incredibly honoured to welcome these guests next month: Celeste Liddle: commentator, unionist, Indigenous activist, feminist Grace Lee: President of Transgender Victoria, advocate, advisor, feminist Nabila Farhat: formerly of Shakti Women's Refuge, public speaker, feminist Jax Jacki Brown: disability and sexuality activist, writer, feminist Fiona McCormack: CEO Domestic Violence Victoria, feminist We'd like to extend a warning that the conversation could be confronting or even triggering for some, given the nature of the subject. If you need to talk to someone about issues raised in this episode, we encourage you to call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), or look at the resources available at http://www.dvrcv.org.au/

Recorded 1st Sept, 2015 Women have always been absolutely crucial to the struggles of the Left and continue to form the backbone of many campaigns for social justice, workers' rights and income equality. There is no question that the women of the Left have fought and won, not only for themselves but for many members of marginalised groups. Feminist movements have not only been successful in advocating for women; feminists meaningfully participate in a broad spectrum of left-wing organising and consciousness-raising. But many of us have experienced passive and aggressive sexism in left-wing spaces, and this feels even more disappointing and difficult than the usual injuries inflicted by the patriarchy. Is it that the cultural imagination positions class struggle within a masculine framework? Or is it just that structural sexism affects every environment, even those committed to class equality? For those of us on the broad progressive Left it can sometimes be frustrating to have our concerns about gender sidelined, or even blatantly disrespected. But engagement and activism on the Left still arguably remains the best chance we have of integrating our fight for gender justice into the bigger picture of a fairer society for all. So let's talk about it! We fully expect this to be a robust and passionate discussion among colleagues and friends, taking full advantage of the space we've lovingly created at CLF - respectful, collegial, constructive, but most of all, warm and funny when it really matters. Incredibly excited to announce this stellar lineup: Tanja Kovac - National Co-Convenor of Emily's List Australia, special consultant to the Royal Commission into Family Violence, activist, feminist Van Badham - columnist for Guardian Australia, acclaimed playwright, Vice President of Victorian Branch of MEAA, feminist Hiba Casablanca – Campaign Organiser for the Victorian Trades Hall Council, advocate for young workers, Women of Colour, and LGBTIQ youth, feminist Clare Ozich - Executive Director of the Australian Institute of Employment Rights, long-time policy advisor to The Greens leadership, lawyer, feminist Find the complete CLF podcast archive at http://cherchezlafemme.com.au/podcasts/, or copy+paste this link (http://www.mskarenpickering.com.au/podcastdownloads/clf.rss) into your preferred podcast software to check out past episodes.

Cherchez La Femme - Feminism and Birth.mp3

Cherchez La Femme - Feminism and Birth.mp3