Edition 89: Digest of Michigan Women's Music Festivals with Jenna, Emily, Lou and Thistle
Sep 7, 2023
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Guests Jenna, Emily, Lou, and Thistle discuss the Michigan Women's Music Festivals. Topics include gynocentric encounters, culture, music, gender ID laws in Norway, Iranian feminist activists, a detransitioned woman's experience, and the importance of women's culture and community.
The podcast highlights the importance of women's festivals in Michigan and the sense of community and celebration of women's culture they provide.
It discusses the sentencing of a prominent GOP donor to prison for engaging in sex crimes and the need to protect vulnerable children.
The podcast features an interview with a detransitioned woman who shares her journey and challenges the mainstream narrative around gender and transition.
Deep dives
The Power of Women's Festivals in Michigan
This podcast episode explores the significance of women's festivals in Michigan, highlighting the sense of community and celebration of women's culture. It discusses the experience of attending festivals such as Big Mouth Girl, Whippy, and the Michigan Family Reunion, featuring interviews with participants and musical performances. The podcast emphasizes the importance of women's spirituality, unity, and the need to continue the legacy of the original Michigan Women's Music Festival. It also touches on various topics such as transgender activism, consciousness-raising, and the empowerment found in women-only spaces.
Leading GOP Donor Sentenced for Sex Crimes
The podcast covers the sentencing of a prominent GOP donor, Anton Lazaro, to 21 years in prison for engaging in sex crimes, including sex trafficking and exploitation of minors. The judge emphasizes the need to protect vulnerable children and describes Lazaro's actions as devoid of empathy. The episode also mentions a study revealing that female genital mutilation causes significant harm, leading to over 44,000 excess deaths of girls and women each year. Other segments touch on topics such as arrests of women activists in Iran, mistreatment of an autistic girl by the West Yorkshire Police, and the South Carolina Supreme Court upholding a near-total abortion ban.
The Journey of a Detransitioning Woman
The podcast features an interview with Lou Rosenblatt, a young detransitioning woman, who shares her personal journey and experiences with transitioning and detransitioning. Lou discusses her struggles with gender identity, the pressure to conform, and how she found solace and empowerment through radical feminism. The episode highlights the importance of providing support and understanding for individuals navigating their gender journeys and challenges the mainstream narrative around gender and transition.
Building Community through Ukulele and Music
The podcast explores the power of music and community-building, particularly through the ukulele. It features an ukulele choir workshop at a festival called Whippy, led by Jory Costello of Big Bad Gina. The episode includes interviews with participants and highlights the joy and connection found through music-making. It emphasizes the impact of music on personal expression, empowerment, and the sense of belonging within a community.
Michigan Festivals and the Importance of Women's Spirituality
The podcast delves into the significance of women's spirituality and its role in the Michigan festivals. It discusses the importance of goddess singing, honoring the goddess within, and embracing women's divine connection to nature. The episode emphasizes the need for women to reclaim their spiritual practices and recognize the power and unity found within the female community. It also touches on the history and legacy of the original Michigan Women's Music Festival.
Welcome to our annual digest of Michigan Women's Music & Arts Festivals! This Summer of 2023 was packed with gynocentric encounters, culture and music!
First up, hear long-time WLRN member April Neault greet the listener with her announcement that she is stepping back from her monthly duties with WLRN after this edition and that we are looking for a new volunteer to work our YouTube channel and do some video editing. You'll also hear a special announcement from April about a women's speaking event happening in Ottowa, Ontario Canada on September 9th. For more info about that event, go to womensrightsmatter.ca.
Next, Mary O'Neill delivers WLRN's World News segment that includes stories about gender ID laws in Norway and the ongoing crackdown on Iranian feminist activists. Next, enjoy "August Moon" by Nedra Johnson, a long-time Michigan performer and founder of Big Mouth Girl on the Land.
After the world news, we take you on a journey to a rainy tent at MFR where Thistle and Emily interview a young detransitioned woman who attended Fest in Michigan for the first time this year. Enjoy the ambient sounds and a visit from a neighbor who walks over to chat about the big puddle of water under her tent after the rain! Also, enjoy Lou's beautiful and moving performance of "If I Wrote You" by Dar Williams during this interview segment.
Following the interview, you'll hear Ferron's song "Misty Mountain" right before jumping into Jenna's commentary about her experiences at Fest this year and how women's spirituality and spiritual practices are essential to getting out of the bounds of patriarchy.
After Jenna's two cents, the listener is treated to Thistle's commentary interwoven with clips of her performance of two of her original songs on the Land, an ukulele choir rehearsal, and a trip to the marketplace downtown in the women's village that springs up every year on the Land.
Thank you so much, dear listeners, for tuning in to our woman-powered monthly show and for spreading it far and wide throughout the Femisphere. Join us next month for a digest of the Women's Declaration International - USA's Convention happening over the weekend of September 16th in San Francisco. Thanks to WLRN member Emily Faye for stepping up to cover this herstoric event.
To donate to the cause of feminist-powered community radio, please visit our Wordpress site at wlrnmedia.com and click on the donate button. Or, go to our merch page and buy any number of fabulous WLRN merch items to both donate and display your love of feminist radio on a t-shirt, mug, or sticker! #WomenSpeakOut #LetWomenSpeak #Michigan #MichFest
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