umsu.wom*n's

As part of the Women’s Dept. free female-friendly fortnightly film sessions, we will next be showing ‘Pray The Devil Back To Hell’, the amazing story of the women’s peace movement in Liberia. Facebook event page here!

ABOUT THE FILM (from praythedevilbacktohell.com)**

‘Pray the Devil Back to Hell is the extraordinary story of a small band of Liberian women who came together in the midst of a bloody civil war, took on the violent warlords and corrupt Charles Taylor regime, and won a long-awaited peace for their shattered country in 2003.

As the rebel noose tightened upon Monrovia, and peace talks faced collapse, the women of Liberia – Christian and Muslims united – formed a thin but unshakable white line between the opposing forces, and successfully demanded an end to the fighting– armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions.

The women of Liberia are living proof that moral courage and non-violent resistance can succeed, even where the best efforts of traditional diplomacy have failed. Their demonstrations culminated in the exile of Charles Taylor and the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first female head of state, and marked the vanguard of a new wave of women taking control of their political destiny around the world.

This remarkable chapter of world history was on its way to being lost forever. The Liberian war and peace movement were largely ignored as the international press focused on Iraq. Moreover, the women’s own modesty helped obscure this great accomplishment. Pray the Devil Back to Hell reconstructs the moment through interviews, archival footage and striking images of contemporary Liberia. It is compelling testimony to the potential of women worldwide to alter the history of nations.’

**For a film about civil war it is relatively not that graphic, however there are a few scenes where stories are told of physical and sexual violence. Please consider there to be trigger warnings attached to this film!

Hope to see you there!

- Belle O’Connor

From the Belgrave Survival Day 2012 website:

Come and join us for the fifth annual Belgrave Survival Day event, which celebrates the survival of the oldest living culture on the globe through live music, storytelling, traditional dance and craft.

The indigenous line up for the 2012 event is:

* Emerging hip hop act, Yung Warriors, comprising Tjimba Possum Burns & Danny Ramzan (D Boy). Very talented and both in their 20′s, they have recently been touring the nation with Coloured Stone and were the live acts at the 2011 ‘Dreamtime at the G’ AFL match between Richmond and Essendon. A second album, Standing Strong, is due out shortly.

* Lou Bennett – formerly a member of the band, Tiddas, she has been an integral member of the Black Arm Band as well as venturing into live theatre, a solo musical career and academia.

* Noted historian and academic, Dr. Gary Presland, who has written signficant works on Koori (and natural) life both pre- and post-colonisation.

* Rodney Augustine (Save the Kimberley) will speak about the imminent threats to his beloved lands/seas of the Kimberley.

* Jindi Worobak Dance Group- younger members of the Wurundjeri council peforming traditional dance.

* Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie – he hails from Roeburne in Western Australia and embraces both traditional and modern artistic mediums. Affectionately known as ‘Little Joey’, Gnarnayarrahe has appeared in film and stage. A man of many talents, he is as competent with guitar as didgeridoo, traditional dance to Elvis impersonator.

* Our MC for the day is Leila Gurruwiwi from the Marngrook Footy Show (ABC TV). A well entrenched member of the alternate Footy Show, she recently has turned her attention to co-producing a new ABC TV series shot in the Northern Territory. Leila is around the same age as the Yung Warriors and they represent a new wave of emerging indigenous performers for whom the sky is the limit.

Wurundjeri elder, Uncle Bill Nicholson, will perform Welcome to Country and smoking ceremonies. Aunty Dot Peters will also speak on the day. There will also be a range of indigenous craft stalls and a bush tucker BBQ. The event is FREE and all welcome.

For further information or comment, contact us via email at survivalday@gmail.com

Written by Monica Roberts and first posted at TransGriot

Chelsea Sayre, my fellow columnist at Transadvocate and editrix of the Trans Femmergy blog wrote an interesting post entitled It’s Bigger Than Your Womanhood.

It was in her words ‘a rant directed at the trans women who want absolutely nothing to do with feminism (no one in particular) because a mean, scary woman somewhere called you a name or the wrong gender.’

Well Chelsea, I’m one of those transwomen who wants nothing to do with feminism and the disrespect it aims at us.
Continue reading →

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog which you can view if you are curious about how it’s gone since starting a few months ago.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,500 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 42 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.