Women's Liberation Radio News

You are in for a special treat! Start off the hour with the musical selection “Dandelion” by Heather Maloney and then be intrigued & inspired by the first interview clip featuring Linda Conroy, conference founder, speaking with Thistle Pettersen. After a brief musical interlude of “The Spirit of the Plants” by Lisa Thiel, you’ll hear how YOU CAN WIN A FREE TICKET to the conference followed by interview excerpts with conference keynote speaker, Isla Burgess from New Zealand and author of “Weeds Heal: A Working Herbal” and “Notes from a Biophilic Garden: Reconnecting People, Plants and Inscape” released in 2017. After the excerpt with Ms. Burgess, enjoy Thistle’s song “We Are More” before being reminded again of how to win a free ticket to the conference. After that, hear an interview excerpt with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, world-renowned doctor & herbalist, in which she talks about her offerings at the conference as another keynote speaker. Then hear the song “Corn Mother” by Lisa Thiel before enjoying the final interview excerpt with intensive workshop presenter, Whapio, an elder Midwife and Educator who talks about her workshop on sexuality as a path to the divine. Finally, round off the hour with Sekhmet SheOwl’s commentary on the importance of women gathering to study and co-create woman-centered culture amidst and surrounded by the natural world. Thanks for staying tuned to WLRN! Learn more about the conference here: www.midwestwomensherbal.com/. Listen carefully to this special edition on the Midwest Women’s Herbal conference for your chance to WIN a FREE TICKET to gather with amazing women healers, herbalists and creatives in the beautiful woods of central Wisconsin June 1st-3rd 2018.

This week, we're keeping things simple, streamlined, for our women's liberation music hour. Simple and streamlined, yet elegant and deep. Featuring talented composer Mary Watkins and readings from the classic novel, The Wanderground, by Sally Miller Gearheart, we will take a journey with sound and story guided by these two sisters of the revolution. Here is an introduction to these two women of power: Ms. Watkins is the recipient of several granting foundations such as Meet the Composer, National Endowment for the Arts, Gerbodi Foundation, Zellerbach Family Fund and Calfornia Council for the Arts. She is an eclectic composer. She is also a pianist, arranger, recording artist and record producer. Much of her music reflects a love for many styles of music whether jazz, gospel, Latin, country, rock, classical or pop. She has composed for solo piano for both adults and children, wind ensembles, string quartet, chamber and full symphony orchestra. She has also composed for theater, dance and film, songs for solo vocalists, vocal ensembles and large choruses. In 2015 she was commissioned by Women in Music to write a 22 minute symphonic work for the National Women's Music Festival which was premeired in July, 2016 in Middleton Wisconsin. She has completed three operas, Queen Clara, with Lance Belville as librettist, and her second opera, Dark River, in which she composed both music and libretto, commissioned by and premiered at the Oakland Opera Theater and later premiered on the east coast at Mt. Holyoke College. The production of her latest opera, Emmett Till, created with Clara Coss as librettist, is currently in the planning stages with The Harlem Lyric Opera Theatre Company for the 2018-2019 performance season. Play List: All music from Mary Watkins' album, SpiritSong: 1. Comin' Home 2. Mirrors 3. Playground 4.Manhattan Mist 5. Spirit Song 6. Moonlight Chapel 7. Changing Seasons While continuing her work as a composer, Mary Watkins continues to perform both solo piano and as part of her ensemble group. She conducts improvisation workshops, and teaches piano and music theory privately in Oakland, CA. She will be performing on the 45th anniversary tour with Olivia Cruises in early April! Sally Miller Gearhart is an American teacher, feminist, science fiction writer, and political activist. In 1973 she became the first open lesbian to obtain a tenure-track faculty position when she was hired by San Francisco State University, where she helped establish one of the first women and gender study programs in the country. She later became a nationally known gay rights activist. Enjoy these two treasures, combined into one hour! Blessed be. Phoenixx

Anya Robyak, an Early Childhood Education expert with two decades of experience, discusses the important intersection of feminism and education. She highlights the need for teachers and parents to collaborate in promoting equity for children. Robyak critiques the traditional nuclear family and its impact on gender roles, while exploring how to introduce feminist concepts to young learners. The conversation delves into creating equitable learning environments that support girls and challenges societal gender norms, encouraging critical thinking and non-stereotypical interactions.

You have until midnight on February 14th, 2018 to pre-order this fabulous shirt! Listen to the PSA for instructions on how to get in on this wonderful opportunity to support the design work of Ms. Kacie Mills, the winner of WLRN's 2017 t-shirt design contest AND to support the We Want the Land Coalition, the group seeking to purchase the Land the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival was on for forty years.

This week on the Women's Liberation Music Hour, Phoenixx features ideas and words of Janice Raymond, author of A Passion for Friends, amidst an hour of music that celebrates Gyn/affection. I hope you enjoy and are moved and inspired to deepen your female friendships as they are truly political! Song List: (in background)Praise Her Shawna Carol The Woman in Your Life Alix Dobkin All That You Have is Your Soul Tracy Chapman Womyn Copper Wimmin Sister Cris Williamson This is our Clan Carolyn Hillyer Circle of Women Nalini Family of Women Linda Shear Woman Loving Women Teresa Trull Never Gonna Be Your Bride Carrie Rodriguez As Cool as I am Dar Williams I Come from Women Amy Carol Webb Sisters in Struggle Lesbians on Ecstacy Golden Girls Cynthia Fee Side note: Cris Williamson/Teresa Trull/Barbara Higgbie are performing along the East coast at the end of March! Details I know most about is their show in Carrboro, NC on March 30 at The Arts Center. Tickets are available through the venue. NOT TO MISS this incredible Gyn/affectionate performance from three long time friends!!!!

Bev Jo, a legendary lesbian feminist and separatist activist, and Meagan Tyler, a senior lecturer and author, discuss the complexities of love and sexuality in today's world. Bev shares insights on the deep connections between feminism and lesbian relationships, while Meagan critiques patriarchal norms regarding women's sexual experiences. They dive into societal pressures surrounding penetrative sex and challenge accepted narratives that diminish women's desires. Together, they advocate for a more inclusive understanding of love, emphasizing the significance of female friendships and authentic connections.

WLRN's Thistle Pettersen was able to connect with Venice Allan on January 22nd to talk about her recent suspension from the UK Labor Party. Ms. Allan is accused of bullying and harassment of Labour Party officials and trans-identifying males. These people include Heather Peto, TIM running for MP and already on the Labour Party's All Women Shortlist, Lily Madigan, Women's Officer, Jon Lansman, recently elected to the National Executive Committee, Paris Lees, a trans-identifying male activist, Eddie Izzard famous cross dressing British comic and CLITORIS, an unknown ‘cis’ councillor bloke from Anne Ruzylo’s constituency. Ms. Allan was also targeted in an open letter from some Irish feminists that you can see in the link below. They do not want her to come to Ireland on the We Need To Talk Tour that is slated to have an event on February 14th. https://feministire.com/2018/01/22/an-open-letter-to-the-organisers-of-the-we-need-to-talk-tour-from-a-group-of-feminists-in-ireland/amp/?__twitter_impression=true Ms. Allan and other feminists are promoting a gofundme campaign to raise money to take the British Labour Party to court for not following their own rules about people running for women's positions within the party. Ms. Allan and others argue that men running for women's positions in the party should have a gender recognition certificate in order to run. Those accusing her of bullying are saying they do not need the certificate to run for women's positions, but rather that the "unwritten policy" of the party is to allow men to self-identify as women and run. https://www.gofundme.com/fighting-for-female-representatives

This week, in honor of two old strong female activists of social and racial justice, I dedicate this hour of music and spoken word to Jackie Anderson of Chicago and "Jan" of South Jersey. Please read of Jackie Anderson's life of service to Lesbians and other oppressed peoples: PASSAGES Activist, professor Jackie Anderson dies - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News - Windy City Times Songlist: Miss Celie's Blues Suede Barely Blue Wild Things Cris Williamson The Changer and the Changed Fannie Lou Hamer Sweet Honey I'm Every woman/Respect Aretha Franklin Great Diva Classics No Man's Mama Carolina Chocolate Drops Leaving Eden The Magdalene Laundries Cris Williamson Motherland By Way of Sorrow Bearfoot Cry, Cry, Cry Oughta Be a Woman Sweet Honey Breaths Still Gotta Get up in the Morning Sweet Honey Still the Same Me Four Women Nina Simone The Best of For Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash Joy Harjo Weaving the Strands Yesterday's Lessons Sharon Isabel Any Woman's Blues Woman Slaughter Pat Parker Any Woman's Blues Stop Killing Us Lenelle Moise Madivinez How Long? Sweet Honey Breaths Emily Remembers Suede On the Day We Met Mirror Helen Jane Long

Max Dashu, Riane Eisler, and Starhawk discuss ancient gynocentric societies, challenging stereotypes, exploring matrilineal societies, and the possibility of creating a gynocentric culture in the 21st century.

This week for Deep Winter’s Women’s Liberation music hour, I feature songs from female musicians of various parts of the world. All but the first one are either purely instrumental or have lyrics that are not in English. I hope my selections will help to shift your consciousness away from the ordinary, bringing the deep calm of yourself as Female and all the expansiveness and connectivity to Her and Her beneficent Life. Photo Credit: Hamid Sardar-Afkhami Girl-child is of theTsaatan (Dukha) Reindeer Nomads from the Mongolian North Play List: In background: Siber-Shaman Sainkho Namtchylak Naked Spirit Into the Dark Melissa Etheridge Breakdown Moon Chant Aco Takenaka Moon Chant Embers Helen Jane Long Embers Collage of Koleda Carols (Bulgarian) Kitka Women’s Vocal Ensemble Evening Star Shaman Weavers’ Dance Carolyn Hillyer The Wyched Wombe Trollobundin (Live) Eivor Palsdottir Rain Foryar, Min Modar Eivor Palsdottir Vision Hildegard of Bingen Rosna Livada Labooratorium Piesni Rosna It Ain’t Necessarily Evil Mari Boine You Never Know Mari Boine Eight Seasons