Episodes
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This month's edition is packed with women's voices from around the USA as the nation braces itself for the new regime led by president-elect Donald Trump.
First up, hear aurora linnea greet the listener before Mary O'Neill offers up news stories and information about women around the world. Then, enjoy the song "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" by Taylor Swift before listening to Thistle, aurora, Mary and Lola describe what led them to radical feminism and why they joined the WLRN team.
This show is dedicated to our future feminist endeavor of meeting up with likeminded feminists in person at the FiLia conference 2025 in the UK. https://www.filia.org.uk/tickets Please consider donating to our FiLia fundraiser by clicking on the donate button at wlrnmedia.com OR by going to the totally excellent radical feminist period products company GARNUU.COM and typing in "WLRN" at checkout. Thanks sisters! Be sure to share with your female friends and family! #WLRN #GARNUU #RadicalFeminism -
Dear Listeners,
Thanks for your patience as we get used to working without the stellar strengths and abilities of our former sound engineer and producer, Ms. Jenna DiQuarto.
We made the call-out for new sound engineers and producers, dear listeners, and she came! Please welcome our two newest members to the team, Freda Bear and Ann Castile. Ann took up the reigns this month and worked into the wee hours last night to finish up the production of this show. Great job, Ann!
Thistle too, is unsure about how much longer she can keep it up with the WLRN collective, so stay tuned for some big changes around here, sisters!
Thankfully, the younger generation is pickin' up the slack and Ms. Lola Bessis took the reigns this month on the topic, the interview and even the commentary! Lola's is a compelling voice clamoring for critical and free thought in a world full of an apocalyptic din. Thank you, Lola, for your work!
Dr Dina Siddiqi is a distinguished feminist anthropologist whose work delves into critical development, transnational feminist theory, and the anthropology of labor and Islam. Lola interviewed her for this episode turning its attention to the regions of the world known and Israel and Palestine on this one-year anniversary of Hamas' retaliatory invasion of Israel.
In Lola's commentary, she talks about her own life and what it means to her to think critically about the forces at work in the Palestinian people's current situation. She begs the listener to do her research and look back at this region's history, peoples, and cultures.
The music featured this month is "The Urgent Call of Palestine" by Zeinab Shaath.
Cover artwork is by WLRN member, Margaret. Her artist's statement is below.
"This month’s image is based on the idea of reflections. There is the Israeli flag (with its Star of David - symbolizing the Jewish religion / ethnicity) in the sky - also ‘reflected’ in the water - that turns into Palestinian rubble. With the Palestinian Flag layered over the water and rubble.
Of course, there are questions of Whose land? Whose water? Who has what rights? Where did those rights come from? And all the various ways of interpreting that." -
Episodes manquant?
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Greetings! Thanks for tuning in to our 101st show. Thistle, here!
It feels surreal to post this month due to the imminent departure of our beloved sound engineer and producer, Jenna DiQuarto.
Jenna has been with WLRN for 8 years and diligently produced our monthly show with care and craft. You leave some big shoes to fill, dear Jenna. Thank you for your years of service and dedication to the collective, to the station, and to our archives. You will be sorely missed by all of us!
Today's show begins with an announcement about our partnership with Garnuu.com/WLRN. Tune in to learn more about this exciting opportunity!
Our World News segment is written and delivered by Mary O'Neill with fill-in from Jenna DiQuarto. Caroline Parks was our editor this month and Jenna delivers her commentary about her experiences at this year's Fest as a shuttle driver and general volunteer around camp at the festival.
The interview segment is directly from the Land on a quiet morning before the mass haul out. Thistle got to sit down with her instructor, Elizabeth Boyce, WPI festival coach for the ukulele ensemble to hear her reflections on the event this year.
At the very end of the show, hear from our sponsor, Garnuu.com/WLRN and then it's onto our sign-offs by different members of the collective.
This month's musical selection is a song by Nedra Johnson, board member of WWTLC.org, singer/songwriter, and producer for Big Mouth Girl, an entity that produces a yearly festival on the Land in Michigan. The song is entitled August Moon and depicts the Michigan Magic women tap into when in hive mind mode among those sacred ferns.
Margaret's artist's statement follows about the featured cover art for this month's show. Thanks for tuning in!
Artist's Statement: "For Edition 101, I used some photos Thistle had from her time at the festival this summer. I basically took the photos and arranged them - emphasizing the banners - WLRN, PUSSY POWER, and RISE around a photo of a tent with musicians playing. I played with the colors - allowing it to become an abstract, and festive, unifying whole - like the festival itself." -
First up, hear Lola Bessis, WLRN's newest member greet the listener introducing herself and her professor, Victoria Brown, who later on in the program will talk about advances and setbacks in women's health.
Next, open your ears for WLRN's World News segment delivered by Mary O'Neill in which she highlights news from Iran and its death sentences for female activists, the Purple Saturdays movement in Afghanistan and news from the Gambia where Parliament just voted to maintain the national ban on female genital mutilation.
After the news, hear Sylvia Bagge's "Release the Medicine", a song about a woman's healing journey. Thistle met Sylvia in the year 2002 in the woods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula at the National Rainbow Gathering. Her words and music are true medicine for the heart and soul.
Then it's on to Lola's interview with Victoria Brown in which they discuss Ms. Brown's research before diving into the nitty gritty of the state of the medical establishment and women's health.
Stay tuned 'til the very end for Sekhmet's sobering commentary on the misogyny inherent within the medical system that underserves, ignores and does actual harm to women and girls. She concludes her piece with encouragement for us to take charge of our personal health and to know that doing so is an act of radical feminism.
As always, thank you for tuning in to WLRN's monthly handcrafted podcast put together by a team of volunteers who care deeply about the lives and matters of women.
To donate to the WLRN fundraiser Jenna and April talked about in today's show, please click here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ULAE4ZHPARLFE&ssrt=1723204852902
Make a note that your donation is going to our FiLia Fund. Thanks for tuning in and thank you for your support! -
Happy Independence Day! First up, hear Thistle greet the listener introducing the topic of "patriarchal patriotism" with Liz Miller and Sekhmet SheOwl.
After the greeting, hear WLRN's World News segment delivered by Mary O'Neill before enjoying American artist Whitney Houston's rendition of the patriotic song "America the Beautiful".
Next, stay tuned for a conversation Thistle had with Liz Miller, Contributing Editor of Spinning and Weaving, A Feminist Anthology for the 21st Century. They discuss this year's presidential election cycle, what it means for girls and women, and what we can do to build real democracy in our society.
At one point in the conversation, the Party of Women is mentioned. To learn more about the Party of Women go to: www.partyofwomen.org/
Finally, don't miss our in-house WLRN commentary by Sekhmet SheOwl who defines patriotism and points out how it is rooted in male power and is explicitly against women's interests for us to invest and participate in it. She says this is true no matter the nation and including right here in the good ole USA.
Thanks as ever for tuning in to WLRN's monthly handcrafted podcast. This month and going forward into the future until the FiLia conference in October 2025, WLRN is raising funds to send Thistle, Jenna and aurora as representatives of WLRN to participate in and report on the goings on. Our passes into the conference are covered but our flight and accommodations are not thus far... and that's where you come in!
To donate to the cause, please visit wlrnmedia.com and click on the donate button. Any amount is appreciated and we pledge to provide you with stellar WLRN coverage and participation in the FiLia conference 2025.
For more information about FiLia, go here: www.filia.org.uk/about-filia.
This month's cover image was created by Margaret, WLRN's graphic designer. Her statement about the piece is below.
"To make the image for Edition 99, Patriarchal Patriotism, I used a photo I took at a Memorial Day parade, one I took of some bunting, and I found a couple of photos of bombs. The parade photo includes old cars and flags - which represent tradition, the patriarchy, and patriotism. There is a woman who is obscured by a flag (that seemed symbolic of how women are hidden and/or ignored) so I copied, enlarged, & centered that part of the image. The way the image got duplicated, people seemed to have lost their heads (also symbolic) - as the cars (and time) seem to drive over them. Also appearing ‘underground’ (and in our collective unconscious) are the bombs - USA bombs and Russia’s bombs." -
This Summer of 2024, put on your rain gear and come to Michigan for the Rise Festival on the Land and WPI. More info and how to get tickets here: https://wwtlc.org/summer/. All the women gathering on the Land is sure to make the Sun shine, sisters!
With guitars and grace, the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival lived and thrived on what is now known as "the Land", a place that continues to be a gathering spot for thousands of women every year.
This month's show begins with a PSA for the FIST conference happening in San Diego, CA over 4th of July weekend. Next you'll hear the greeting from WLRN member aurora linnea who introduces the next segment, WLRN's World News, penned and delivered by our correspondent Mary O'Neill.
Next, enjoy the sweet sounds of Antje Duvekot with her song Long Way before Jenna shares excerpts of an interview she did with long-time MichFest family, Donna Every.
Next is the We the Women promo for that gathering happening in the Pacific Northwest this Summer over the weekend of July 20th. Then it is on to Jenna's second interview with long-time women's music documentarian, Toni Armstrong Jr.
Finally, hear Sekhmet read a passage from Donna's journal that she wrote the Summer of 2016 while camped in the woods of Michigan.
Thanks, as always, dear listeners, for staying tuned to feminist-powered community radio, WLRN. Please listen, like, comment and share widely. -
First up, hear the We the Women promo WLRN created for that gathering happening in the Pacific Northwest this summer. More info at https://www.wethewomen.world/.
After the promo, we begin the show with a special 8th anniversary greeting from Thistle. Then, it is on to the world news with Mary O'Neill before we dive into our discussion of the Taylor Swift Phenomenon from the perspectives of Zinetta, Emily, KatyJean, and Jocelyn, and from the perspectives of authors Lierre Keith and Sheila Jeffreys. What a way to celebrate our 8th year together as a collective of media activist women! We are so blessed to have all of these amazing guests on our program to help us reflect on and understand ourselves better in the context of the Taylor Swift phenom and how it is impacting girls and women. We hope these discussions help us to make our OWN society of women speaking to women in an atmosphere of openness and mutual respect.
So, it is a long edition, Edition 97. Three hours long to be exact and it is packed with feminist community content. We are proud to present three PSAs this month for upcoming feminist events.
Kellie Jay-Keen will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 17th for a Let Women Speak event. Learn more at https://www.letwomenspeak.org/event-details/letwomenspeaknzjustice.
There is also a PSA for Feminist in Struggle's (FIST's) first national conference. Learn more at https://feministstruggle.org/ about that event happening the first weekend in July near San Diego.
WLRN is a place where we can take turns speaking and listening to each other to build ourselves up and into a movement powered by friendships and sisterhood. As Sekhmet says in her commentary this month, being part of a volunteer-powered collective is hard sometimes. Women don't always like each other or agree or get along, but at WLRN we have persevered because, as Sekhmet also says in her commentary, we are that loyal to the growth of feminism.
After the discussions of Taylor Swift, you'll hear a new song by Thistle called "The Tide" that she wrote after listening to Taylor Swift's Midnights and Folklore albums and getting inspired. She recorded it live in her apartment studio with a little "meow" right before she rocked it!
Emily also weighs in with a mini-commentary right before Thistle's song with some final reflections after the two discussions with our guests were completed.
And finally, stay tuned as ever for Sekhmet SheOwl's commentary at the end of the show. Thanks for listening. -
First up, hear Thistle greet the listener before Mary ONeill delivers WLRN's World News segment for April 4th, 2024.
With Earth Day 2024 approaching, we wanted to express ourselves as individuals in our collective to help weather the storms of climate change on the horizon together. The situation is so dire, that our reflections and feelings about living through the hottest year on record and going into another apocalyptic summer felt important to express. We wanted to reach out to you from our hearts and minds to build our Sisterhood and abilities to break on through to the other side!
This month's commentators include in order of appearance in the show:
Sekhmet SheOwl
Emily Faye
Jocelyn Crawley
aurora linnea
Thistle Pettersen
After the commentaries, you'll hear Thistle's song "bike lane", https://soundcloud.com/thistleandthorns/12-bike-lane?in=thistleandthorns/sets/animal-dreams, a song written while on a bike music tour down the west coast the summer of '05 when Hurricane Katrina hit the Louisiana Coast.
We live in a world full of man-made disasters, sisters. Earth Day itself was born of an oil spill disaster off the coast of California in 1969. It's time to get those little boys to clean up their messes and for us to be in charge for a change! How do we make that happen? We here at WLRN believe it is in banding together that we find our weaknesses and strengths and we ultimately weave the strands of our community together into a patchwork quilt that heals hearts, minds, and bodies.
Happy Earth Day, dear WLRN listeners and followers!
At the end of the show, stay tuned for the WLRN-sponsored We the Women Event promo designed by our team members. We the Women is a women-only camping event happening in the Pacific Northwest this Summer from July 19th – 21st. For more information go to WeTheWomen.World.
This month’s cover art was designed by WLRN’s Graphic Designer, Margaret. The following is her statement about the cover:
“For the Earth Day 2024 image, I wanted to include an image of the earth and some images of women – with the show being women talking about the state of the earth.
I drew the earth image by referencing a NASA earth image, and got textures from an image of a beach, as well as an image of brain synapses. The image of women at the top (which were shadows of women turned right-side up) also includes the texture of the dirt – so it becomes women as part of the earth. Some of the brain synapses add color and texture, remind me of arteries and tree roots (etc.), and become symbolic of consciousness, connection, and life. The silhouettes of women on the bottom – with the part I used being the tops of their hair – also reminded me of landscapes. So another earth-woman connection. I added a blend and combined the layers with various effects on an iPad.” -
Welcome to our 95th podcast in a monthly series that began back in May of 2016!
We are happy to present the work of Silvia Guerini this month as captured by WLRN member aurora linnea. Ms. Guerini released a book called From the 'Neutral' Body to the Post-Human Cyborg published by Spinifex Press in October.
First up, hear aurora greet the listener and introduce the content of the show before Mary O'Neill delivers our world news segment that includes stories from Gaza, the UK, and the US. There are supplemental stories added by Jenna and Jocelyn to conclude the segment. Here is the link promised about the letter from Jewish women calling for an end to the weaponization of rape and sexual assault in the war in the Middle East: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJfU_ooRqCKA8u3-PB8mV0FBkqoBelFN1VH_u3-MqWWQdFXQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2pRNTuGxdhtCNIbqXLAq5240Ex8q2NYLfd5oO8mKJvO0VQ2E_YLgbd9Os
Next, enjoy the song Heart of the House by Alanis Morissette before Emily introduces the WLRN interview segment with Silvia Guerini as read by Jenna and aurora.
The interview segment is followed by the song "Kill the Messenger" by Shawn Colvin.
Finally, be sure to stay tuned 'til the very end for Sekhmet SheOwl's poignant commentary on the state of female fertility and reproduction under patriarchy.
Thanks, as always, dear listeners, for staying tuned to WLRN, YOUR Feminist Community Powered Radio Station.
Statement from Margaret, WLRN's graphic designer, about the cover this month:
"With the images I create, my intent is to be more suggestive than literal. The primary image is a Petri dish with ova. The grid over the top of it all is from a photo I took during an eclipse (the sun shining through a patio chair with holes) - represents people trying to control nature with technology. The dots allude to women’s ova waiting to be fertilized with a machine (some of the dots within dots were created through layering). An image of the machine used to insert sperm into eggs in a Petri dish is in the background overlayed on top of some of the silhouettes of women. The silhouettes of women - are meant to look erased and/or distressed. I use ‘Procreate’ on an iPad to layer images and combine colors and textures, as well as adding text and information." -
This month of February we explore the world of lesbian love and relationships with Leaf & Firewalker, a lesbian couple who have been together for 39 years and are thriving.
First up in the podcast, hear Emily Faye greet the listener before Thistle delivers the WLRN World News segment that includes stories about the World Health Organization's "Trans and Gender Diverse" guidelines, the plight of Ann Menasche in San Diego, CA, and new restrictions put in place for women and girls by the Taliban, among other stories.
Next, after enjoying Dolly Parton's song "All I Can Do", stay tuned for a 40-minute interview segment with Leaf & Firewalker, a lesbian couple Emily met at a women-only gathering a few years back that impressed her due to their love and devotion to one another and lesbian community. They founded WomonTown, a lesbian neighborhood that caught the attention of Kansas City Public Television which made a documentary about their project. https://www.kansascitypbs.org/local-shows/womontown/ Below, find the bios of these two amazing women they turned in to WLRN for publication.
B. Leaf Cronewrite is Maryann Hopper’s crone name. She hangs out with djembe drummers, creative writers, and old crones who inspire her wit and willingness to confront invisibility. Since the Womontown documentary about her activist pursuits with her partner, Drea Firewalker, was released, she's finding film festivals to show it and spread the word of lesbian community building. She is a writer and a storyteller who grew up in Mississippi. Her short story collection, Don’t Let the Flies In and her first novel, A Lineage of Deception, can be found on Amazon. Her next collection of lesbian adventure stories, Where Risky Women Travel, will be released in the spring. She is a member of the Georgia Writers Registry. She has a Master of Arts degree from the University of Memphis.
Drea Firewalker: As a crone, I realize standing in my power gives me the right to be bold, claim my wisdom, and pursue my life as I wish. I've traveled the world and listened and learned from many people while sharing what makes this life worth it all. I graduated from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. I spent many years in property management and investment. I am one of the founders, along with my partner B. Leaf Cronewrite, of Womontown, an intentional womyn’s community that existed in Kansas City for a few years in the early 1990s. I enjoy reclaiming childhood stories. By introducing a fictional character, MyTe Dyke, into these tales, I empower the heroines and add magical communication with many beings. I hope to challenge many to retell their tales with inspiration from MyTe Dyke. Today, I create my glass art, tend my flower gardens, hold powerful rituals for womyn, and love this life.
Finally, stay tuned 'til the very end for Sekhmet SheOwl's commentary that gets to the heart of the matter of lesbian love which is to say that it can only happen in a healthy way if we find our own self-love first.
Thanks, as ever, dear listeners, for tuning in to WLRN's monthly podcast. Please consider donating to the cause of feminist-powered community radio by clicking on the donate button at wlrnmedia.com. #lesbianlove #ValentinesDay #RomanticLove -
Happy New Year to all of our listeners and supporters! Thanks for tuning in to our 93rd edition podcast!
First up, hear a rendition of Auld Lang Syne by Celtic Woman before WLRN's aurora linnea greets the listener and then delivers WLRN's World News segment.
Next, hear Terra Lightfoot with her song No Hurry before listening to Liz Miller, Thistle, and Emily discuss what they feel are the top stories of 2023 and what to look for in '24.
Stay tuned 'til the very end for Sekhmet's commentary reflecting on 2023 and how so much stays the same despite the march of time. She recommends we connect with other women and take care of ourselves as individuals in our development and healing as we head into 2024.
Thanks, as always, dear listeners, for staying tuned to WLRN, YOUR feminist community-powered media center in the Femisphere! -
First up, hear WLRN's greeting with member Mary O'Neill who later on in the show, delivers her commentary on the situation women are facing in the regions known as Israel and Palestine.
This month, one of our newest members, Kathleen Miles, wrote and delivered WLRN's World News segment. Hear stories from around the world before listening to the song Prayer of the Mothers by Yael Deckelbaum.
Next up, hear excerpts of a discussion WLRN's Thistle Pettersen and Emily Faye had with long-time American anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. Cindy lost a child to the US war with Iraq in 2004 and has been a peace advocate and anti-war campaigner ever since. She gives us her take on the origins of the conflict and the underlying imperialism she sees at the root of it.
Finally, stay tuned 'til the very end for Mary O'Neill's commentary on the subject wherein she examines the impacts the conflict is having on innocent women and children.
Thanks for staying tuned to WLRN, YOUR feminist community-powered media service. -
This November 2023 Edition of the WLRN podcast explores the concept of body image and how it's exploited by patriarchy. Mary O'Neill delivers the world news, updating us on women's situation regarding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, among other stories. Emily treats us to a conversation she had with Zinetta, a radfem sister from the PNW, on how the concept of body image is introduced to girls and then used to control and subjugate women for the rest of their lives. Resident desert dweller and thinker Sekhmet SheOwl brings us her thoughts at the end of the podcast, and offers the listener some ideas on how to break away from the male-driven attachment of self-worth to body image.
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Greetings! Thank you for your patience as we grease our wheels here at WLRN Studios! This lil' podcast is arriving to you one day late so the elves at WLRN could make it great!
First up, hear Edition 90's greeting from Thistle before diving into the World News segment with Mary O'Neill wherein she reports on JK Rowling's new book, the Taliban, AI-generated pornography, and more.
Next, hear Loretta Lynn's song "One's On the Way" before hearing an excerpt of the round table discussion Thistle conducted with Fran Luck, Jeannette Cooper, Ann Menasche, and Holly Hart last weekend.
Jeannette is a mother, scholar, and a founding member of Partners for Ethical Care, a nonprofit organization focused on raising awareness and supporting efforts to abolish the affirmation model of “gender identity.” She has testified in legislative hearings across the country supporting bills to protect children from "gender identity affirmation." She resides in Chicago and has been vaccinated against right wing cooties.
Holly Hart has been a second-wave feminist and lesbian activist since 1970 when she founded Portland Gay Liberation with two gay men. Holly was the Chair of Oregon's Task Force on Sexual Preference, the first official state entity in the nation to study and make recommendations on how homosexual women and men could be better served by government and non-profit organizations. As an attorney, she represented many gay women and men in child custody disputes with their former heterosexual married partners. In 1980 she opened up Old Wives' Tales Restaurant and Women's Center, providing a place for second-wave feminists to gather, and as the first alternative to lesbian bars in Portland. OWT served the women of Portland in this way for 34 years, until 2014. After retiring from OWT, Holly became active in radical feminist organizations like Sovereign Women Speak, WoLF, and WDI-USA, and is now Oregon Co-Chapter Leader for Gays Against Groomers.
Ann Menasche is a civil rights attorney living in San Diego, CA. She is a lesbian feminist who is a founding member of FIST (Feminists in Struggle), a political group for women in the U.S. to organize and strengthen female solidarity. Ann is a member of GASBR, the Green Alliance for Sex-Based Rights and comes from a long tradition of voting and running in the Green Party having become disillusioned with America's two-party system.
Fran Luck is the host and producer of Joy of Resistance Radio: Multicultural Feminist Radio @ WBAI in New York. It is the only terrestrial radio program (not a podcast) created and hosted by a radical feminist.
Finally, stay tuned for Sekhmet SheOwl's commentary on the subject at the very end of the show! Thanks for tuning in to another WLRN podcast! -
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 -
Welcome to the 88th edition of WLRN's monthly handcrafted podcast for this first Thursday of the month in August 2023.
Festival season is upon us in full force! Emily and I (Thistle) were just in the woods of Michigan for Big Mouth Girl and WPI and are now getting ready to go back for MFR (Michigan Framily Reunion). Jenna and her wife are en route to the Pines as I write this description to join hundreds of women for another Michigan music festival. O' August! It has been a month for womyn's music, art, culture, and community for over 45 years now since the very first MichFest that Lisa Vogel and friends conjured for us.
Having said all that, today's show is not as edited as some of the editors on the team would have liked, but it is still perfect in its own imperfect way, as all of our collectively created shows are.
First up, hear Emily greet the listener before diving into Mary O'Neill's world news segment in which she features, among other stories, news on sexual violence in Brazil and the abortion ban in Texas. Aurora linnea contributes a short segment during the world news to pay tribute to the late great singer/songwriter Sinead O'Connor who died on July 26th in London. Be sure to stay tuned for that passionate and moving piece from aurora.
Next up, hear Sinead's song "The Emperor's New Clothes" in its entirety before we move into the interview Emily and I did with Elizabeth Chesak, a desisting woman who speaks out about how transgenderism impacted her life.
Sekhmet SheOwl delivers our commentary this month at the end of the show that desists on certain radical feminist takes on desisterhood and detransitioning. It is a thoughtful and well-crafted commentary on a subject that has puzzled women since the dawn of patriarchy. How do we deal with internalized misogyny in women who have bought in to male rule at some point in their lives and in one way or another? We grapple with this question frequently at women's festivals during workshops and in conversation. The wonderful thing about festival is that women work it out, whether it is by finding the right neighborhood to hang out in, or by attending a workshop to talk it through. Women are resilient and creative when we come together away from the influence of men.
We end the show with Sinead's voice, as the team at WLRN is sorely feeling the loss of our sister songbird who died too soon. Thanks for staying tuned to handcrafted, community-powered feminist radio, WLRN. -
Welcome to Edition 87 wherein WLRN explores the varied experiences and meanings of Pride, a yearly celebration of LGBTQ+ during the month of June.
First, hear Sekhmet SheOwl greet listeners before handing the mic to Mary O'Neill who delivers WLRN's world news segment. Next up, hear an excerpt of the song "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift before hearing Thistle & Emily's discussion with VF and Jade of Women Speak Florida about Pride events and their event called "TERF Pride" coming up in NYC on July 23rd. To learn more about TERF Pride, email [email protected].
After the interview segment with VF and Jade, hear April Nealt's reading of aurora linnea's 2021 piece entitled "Pride: Corporate Patriarchy's Celebration in the Streets" https://wlrnmedia.com/2021/06/18/pride-corporate-patriarchys-celebration-in-the-streets/ before staying tuned 'til the very end for Sekhmet's commentary on the subject.
Thank you, as always, dear listeners, for staying tuned to WLRN, YOUR feminist community-powered radio station in the Femisphere. -
Enjoy this 86th edition of WLRN's monthly podcast as the heat wave hits America this early Summer in June!
This month, Jenna features an interview she did with Gwen Hoffman, a woman with 25 years of experience working in the "giving" fields of crisis intervention, CPS investigations, and childcare. She holds degrees in Psychology and American Studies and is currently pursuing a PhD in History. She and Jenna explore the idea of "social work" and how it is much broader than what we traditionally think of when we hear the term.
Before the interview, Mary O'Neill delivers the world news segment including a story about the latest Pulitzer Prize winner who is a man claiming to be a woman and a story about British Cycling and their ban on men entering races in the women's division.
After the world news, enjoy the entire song "We don't need another hero" by Tina Turner before the interview.
Finally, stay tuned 'til the very end for Sekhmet SheOwl's fantastic commentary on the subject of social work, what it is, and why so many women are drawn to the field. Sekhmet ends her commentary with a shout-out to all of the women who do social work because, without them, the world would be in a far worse state than it is.
Thanks for tuning in to WLRN, YOUR Feminist Community Powered Radio Station in the Femisphere. To pick out some cool merch and support the station, check out our cool merch line here: https://womensliberationradionews.com/merch/ -
Welcome to the 7th-anniversary edition of Women's Liberation Radio News!
This month's show focuses on the Let Women Speak Movement in the USA and all that has happened since the Sisters for Sisters conference in Madison last year.
First up, hear the greeting and world news segment with our newest member, Ms. Mary O'Neill before enjoying Alix Dobkin's song "If it Wasn't for the Women."
Next, join Thistle as she, Jennifer Thomas, and Katyjean reflect on all that has happened in the USA since the kick-off of the Let Women Speak Movement last year in Madison on April 23rd.
Jennifer Thomas is a Women's Rights Campaigner and a Free Speech advocate. She founded RevFemRebellion and RevFoxx and is now leading the direct action group, #GetMenOut. Her next move is a #FreeSpeechForWomen event June 16th in Pittsburgh Pa.
Jen is also the lead organizer of Protest ACLU this coming August in Washington DC.
Katyjean has been politically active for 25 years defending abortion without excuse or apology. She discovered radical feminism after being called a bigot for the first time ever while talking on LinkedIn about the JK Rowling essay. Since then she has been a loudmouth with a "JK Rowling summoned me" sign in numerous actions east of the Mississippi and all over the internet. She is the founder of FemaXX, Co-choreographer of XX Salute, and an amateur stand-up comedienne.
Finally, enjoy two guest commentaries this month from Katyjean and Alexandra R. aka Pinwheel Art. Both these women are mothers and have a lot to say about motherhood and the role mothers play in the Let Women Speak Movement.
Alexandra R. AKA Pinwheel Art is a Community Artist/Activist as well as a visual artist and mother of soon-to-be five. She earned her BFA in General Fine Arts in 2006 and her MA in Community Art in 2007 from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Alexandra's feminism has always centered on the mother-child dyad and she enjoys exposing other women to how healing childbirth and motherhood can heal society. Alexandra has been organizing Free Speech for Women Events in the southeastern USA for a year now. These events highlight the struggles women face in a society that sees us as second-class citizens, whose voices do not matter. Alexandra is constantly looking to connect more women around the nation so that we might have free speech events in every state. Please reach out for more information or to donate to the cause and receive some Woman-Centered stickers, created by Alexandra, at [email protected]
Thanks for tuning in to WLRN! We hope you enjoy this podcast and all 85 of them at wlrnmedia.com. To donate to the cause of feminist-powered community radio, please click on the donate button on our website or better yet, grab some WLRN merch here: https://womensliberationradionews.com/merch/ -
Happy Spring! We love it when we get to release a show on the full moon as the season changes!
First up, hear Jenna DiQuarto greet the listener before aurora linnea reports on events that happened around the world on March 8th, 2023, International Women's Day.
Then, stay tuned for the world news from Emily Faye including coverage of drag show legislation, the school shooting in Nashville, and legislation around the medicalization of children.
After listening to the song "Safety in Numbers" by Joan Osborne, enjoy a lively discussion of the 1960s and 70s feminist movement, including a definition of and analysis of collectives with Sekhmet SheOwl and Bonnie Atwood. https://www.veteranfeministsofamerica.org/legacy/BONNIE%20ATWOOD.htm Bonnie discusses the Furies! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Furies_Collective
Finally, stay tuned for Thistle's commentary on the subject wherein she describes her vision and intention for the WLRN collective and begins the celebration of next month's show that marks 7 years of existence for this little radio station known as WLRN. Thank you to all the sisters, past, present and future, who have helped build our Fempire, but especially to Thistle Pettersen, Sekhmet SheOwl, Jenna DiQuarto, April Neault and Aurora Linnea who have all been part of the collective for two or more years come this May 2023.
To complete the program, Jenna DiQuarto talks with listeners about our JK Rowling - WLRN billboard campaign. We are 1/5 of the way there, sisters! Please make your donation today to get this billboard up in time for Mothers' Day! https://www.givesendgo.com/JKRowlingBillboard-WLRN
Much Feminist Love to You this Spring! We hope it is sunny days and blue skies for our all of our listeners. To donate to WLRN to support our work, please click here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ULAE4ZHPARLFE&ssrt=1680789352205 - Montre plus
