CJAM's Women's Radio Collective presents...

Two new shows with rotating themes and female DJs!

The music show, Milk and Vodka, which I've mentioned in a couple of my previous posts, airs on Mondays from 5pm to 6pm.

If you missed the two shows I briefly highlighted earlier, fear not!
You can still check out the archived versions of The Slits episode that Nicole and I collaborated on, or today's Crass show, that I hosted with Jill.

There is also a new spoken word show, Genesis, that will be highlighting different women's issues on a weekly basis. You can catch it Wednesday nights from 8:30pm til 9pm.

On this week's installment, Nicole and her friend Rachel will be discussing menstruation, which is always a fascinating topic that I plan to look into more in a later post! They're also featuring an interview with University of Windsor Women Studies professor, Nancy Gobatto. Ashley also wrote a very informative post about the Diva Cup in her blog, No Soap For Sale, that I recommend everyone checking out!

If you want more information on CJAM's Women's Radio Collective, you can visit their brand new Blog, that actually has zero information up currently (because it was just created today), but soon enough it will be OVERFLOWING with copious amounts of fem-related content, show updates and the like!

If you're interested in becoming a member of the Women's Radio Collective, you can sign up on the CJAM bulliten board, which is located in their lobby (which is located in the basement of the CAW)!

Happy listening!

CRASS: In My Red High Heels, I've NO CONTROL!

Crass was a British anarcho-punk band that formed in 1977. Their complex music subverted dominant culture with songs containing lyrics connected to anti-war movements, anti-racism, and feminism. They played a large roll within their musical scene, who viewed female punks as sex symbols. When men wore the ripped, tight, dominatrix-inspired outfits characteristic of early punk, they were simply subverting the system-but when women donned similar attire, along with heavy black eyeliner, it became an excuse for sexual harassment.

Despite the overwhelming amounts of masculinity within the punk scene, many women decided to join together and create gender-free spaces for feminist politic. They were often seen as “angry feminist punks” but their display of anger and expression in itself was a form of counter-action against how women in society were taught to act, and in this alone they managed to create a political statement.

Eve Libertine and Joy De Vivre decided to express themselves and their political stance by writing the Crass album, Penis Envy. The album was named after the Freudian theory concerning sexuality. It was written as a reaction to the male-dominated, “macho” punk scene at the time. Their lyrics to each song provide a comment on feminist politic and women representation.

Myself and fellow CJAMmer, Jill Bishop are hosting this weeks Milk and Vodka. So tune in tomorrow from 5pm to 6pm (91.5 fm or www.cjam.ca) as we highlight more Crass and give you a taste of Penis Envy.

Here is a fan made video of Berkertex Bribe:

OBAMA '09: This is what a feminist looks like. This is what a feminist sounds like.

In light of the Obama Inauguration, and Sonia's recent Smash The Glass post, I'm going to take a step back from feminist ideology in the creative world and move over into the realm of politics.

According to Elanor Smeal's article, "Is Obama What a Feminist Looks Like?" featured in the Huffington Post,

When the chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation board, Peg Yorkin, and I met Barack Obama, he immediately offered "I am a feminist." And better yet, he ran on the strongest platform for women's rights of any major party in American history. Feminist Karen Kornbluh, the platform's principle author, ensured women's rights, opportunities, advancement, and issues were addressed throughout the historic document.

It's not everyday that a man is featured on the cover of a feminist magazine, and as you can guess, this has struck up a lot of controversy. As you can see in the image above, Obama is in a Superman stance, with a shirt that reads, "This is what a feminist looks like." Many feminists believe that this image is problematic because it's suggesting that women are looking toward a male superhero in order to "save feminism," when women are capable of taking care of themselves.

Here is a CNN video showing how Ms. Magazine has been criticized, and also a defense from the editor.


In my opinion? These "feminists" need stop thinking that feminism is an exclusivity club, and realize that feminism is about PEOPLE who believe in women's rights. The Americans haven't broken the presidential "glass ceiling" quite yet, but I do not see this cover as anti-feminist in the least. I don't believe this cover is in any way showing that feminism needs to be rescued by a man, and it would be completely irrelevant if they showed a photo of Clinton or Palin (as the video suggests) on the cover of the "Inauguration Special." Also, NOT ALL WOMEN ARE FEMINISTS! *Cough* PALIN *cough*
I think the American feminists should be excited and happy that they are being represented by someone who exercises their rights and freedoms, regardless of gender or sex.

Going back to my first introductory post.
FEMINISM = EQUALITY
The fact that feminism is being represented by a MAN in this photo reinforces the progression of feminism. Isn't progression what we want? Don't we want our rights to be viewed as equal by all?

Apparently some people have forgotten.

It's important to remember that feminism is no longer a group of organizations or leaders. It's the expectations that parents have for their daughters, and their sons, too. It's the way we talk about and treat one another. It's who makes the money and who makes the compromises and who makes the dinner. It's a state of mind. It's the way we live now. - Anna Quindlen

We Want Revolution GRRL Style Now!

I originally wanted this to follow the introductory post, but I've been so side-tracked by all the awesome fem-content that has been happening in Windsor this past week that I didn't want to bombard you all with a million posts a day! So, before I go any further, I think a brief introduction into "riot grrl culture" is essential to all of you who are not familiar with this revolutionary movement that began in the early 1990's.

As you've noticed, I decide to name my blog "Wake-Up-Grrl," rather than "Wake-Up-Girl." The "Grrl" is taken from an underground feminist punk movement called Riot Grrl. It addressed itself with notions of second and third wave feminism and the bands of it's era addressed issues of femininity, female empowerment, domesticity, and sexuality. Besides the pro-fem music that was being produced, the women involved also began promoting a D.I.Y (Do It Yourself) ethic through art, zines, political action, etc.

The entire movement was basically fueled off the fact that these women felt underrated and unnoticed within the male-dominated punk rock scene. So they decided enough was enough and put their DIY ethics into good use and decided to change the way their community saw them.

The movement's origins has often been credited to bands Bikini Kill and Bratmobile.
Bikini Kill's lead singer Kathleen Hanna (also of Le Tigre and is pictured above) played a large role in getting the whole thing moving. At the time, she opened an art gallery in Olympia and started putting on shows there, and eventually formed Bikini Kill (as I mentioned before) in a reaction to the lack of women musicians.

The whole "riot grrl" idea has been fostered into feminism since it's origins. It presented feminism in a new and interesting way. Most people at the time thought of feminism solely in the context of "if I want to get a job in a corporation, feminism will let me make the same amount of money as a man." This movement emphasized the creative capabilities of women, and laid relevant women issues out on the table for the world to see and recognize. It's played a large role in influencing the progressive feminist thought, and continues to embed itself within underground culture to this date.

The Slits: Who invented the typical girl? Who's bringing out the new improved model?

The Slits are anything but "typical girls." This all-girl experimental punk-rock quartet from the UK formed in 1976, releasing two albums, "Cut" and "Return of the Giant Slits" and then called in quits in 1981. After a VERY long hiatus and several line up changes, they decided to reform 2006, releasing "Return of the Killer Slits," touring the US, and continuing to work on stuff together today.

Their dub/punk fusion was considered to be very "avant-garde" compared to the sound other punk bands from their time were producing, and because of their uniqueness they still remain one of the most influential bands of all time.

I remember the first time I heard The Slits. My friend Nicky made a mixtape for me way back in tenth grade. She put on the song "So Tough" and I was instantly drawn to their genre-bending sound.

If you haven't heard them yet, you're in luck! Myself and fellow classmate/CJAM volunteer Nicole Markham are hosting the Women's Radio Collective's "Milk and Vodka" tomorrow night from 5-6 and it's going to be a complete hour dedicated to The Slits! We're going to be going through their discography and playing our favs, so be sure to tune into CJAM 91.5fm.

Roxi Dlite: Using Burlesque as a Source of Female Empowerment

Burlesque is a form of theatrical entertainment involving parody and exaggeration. It's rooted within nineteenth century vaudeville theater and was later resurfaced in the early twentieth century as a blend of satire, performance arts and adult entertainment.

Dayna Renaud, or better known by her stage name, Roxi Dlite, is Windsor's leading Burlesque dancer. She blends performative art, elaborate costumes, old-timey music, story lines and even aerial acts into her shows. She has been performing since 2004, and since then she has been featured in many Burlesque shows and festivals all over Canada and the United States.

Roxi Dlite's shows, consist largely of a female audience. She claims that "Burlesque has become gender friendly....I think the main reason why women are drawn to burlesque is because it's a form of empowerment." Burlesque is also constantly redefining beauty because women of all body sizes are featured.


Thanks to Kate Hargreaves for allowing me to pick out some information and quotes from her article, "Roxi Dlite Shakes It Up By Stripping Down," which was featured in the October 2008 issue of WAMM magazine, as well as her feminist zine, "Hysteria."

You can find out more about Roxi Delite from her website or watch videos of her live performances on her youtube.

But, if you want to check out her performance LIVE, she's playing TOMORROW night, January 16th, 9:30pm at The Chubby Pickle with punk band, The Gutter Hearts and Ska band, Brass Knuckles.

She's so very...I don't care

"We Don't Need Another Wave" by: Cristy C. Road

Feminists are not bra-burning nutcases, birkenstock-wearing fascists or "man hating, job stealing, god defying lesbians."
The "idea" of feminism is often misconstrued as the hatred of men, amongst a slew of other things. So first and for most, I should clarify what exactly feminism is.

Feminism: The belief in the right of women to have social, economic and political equality with men.

There you have it. Feminism = equality.
Easy.

You'd think that after nearly a century of progressive feminist thought, society's apathetic view of women would have shifted it's gears, but we're still stuck within in a male-dominated culture that needs to WAKE UP and take a look at all the rad females who are changing our world. WAKE-UP-GRRL is dedicated to all the women musicians, writers, zinesters, photographers, cinematographers, artists, crafters, designers, publishers, whatever! You name it.
Some you've heard of... some you have not. They're all doing their part in keeping "grrl culture" and "DIY ethics" alive and strong in our society and deserve to be recognized.
Everything from girl related issues, to feminist perspectives and most importantly, an homage to all the strong, fierce, artistic women of today.

As for myself, my name is Cristina, and I'm a third year English student at the University of Windsor. I'm involved with CJAM's Women's Radio Collective, write for The Lance, and am VP of Generation Magazine and The Art's Society... so needless to say, I've been heavily involved within Windsor's art community for the past however many years. I've noticed that there is a lack of women representation not only in our city, but within the whole scope of art/music/etc. Myself and a few friends put on an annual music festival, Smash the Glass, here in Windsor that showcases all of our lovely lady talent and put an end to all apathy toward women artists!
But...more on that later.

Welcome to WAKE-UP-GRRL! An homage to feminism and the arts.
- Cristina

"You don't have to be anti-man to be pro-woman." - Jane Galvin Lewis