On KPFA radio's Women's Magazine this Memorial day we will be presenting a special Memorial Day's tribute by daughters to the Mothers in their lives and around the world, from Argentina, to Palestine to Iran and in the U.S., to mothers who have survived the hidden war on women both damaged and whole, and been survivors, the peace makers, care takers in the family and in society. An alternative to the Hallmark Card version of Mother's Day and the Memorial Day celebration of soldiers this special recognizes our Mothers as the hidden soldiers.
Jehane Noujaim discusses her film, THE SQUARE, which documents the Egyptian revolution from its earliest days through the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi. Jehane also talks about the role of violence against women in suppressing the protests, who was behind it and why. Is it worse now in Egypt in general and for women in particular? Noujaim has a refreshing veiwpoint. THE SQUARE, on the short list for an Oscar, opens at the Roxie on January 17, and becomes available on Netflix at the same time.
30:00 min.
Tara Dorabji talks with midwife Treesa McLean about a new California law which will greatly expand access to midwifery and home birth, but also restricts the ability of women with "high risk" pregnancies to choose home birth and midwifery care.Tara and Treesa discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of the new law AB1308. The new law opens the door for midwives and licensed birth centers to bill MediCal. However, the self-determination clause has been removed, which makes it illegal for a midwife to attend a high-risk home birth. California Families for Midwives advocates for more choices including where, how, and who attends women during their children's birth. 17:00 min
The Pink Ribbon Culture; Narratives on Breast Cancer
And we hear part of Caity Goerke’s interview with Emilia Nielsen, whose research on breast cancer narratives reveals that women feel pressured to "perform" breast cancer in a way that emphasizes optimism. This approach, fueled by the pink ribbon industry, delegitimizes anger and activism, says Nielsen. It robs women of the productive power of anger and focuses only on cure and not causes. This program is excerpted from a syndicated feminist radio show, the F Word, station CFRO out of Vancouver, BC. Click on the link to find archives of previous shows from The F Word. 13:09 min.
Women's Magazine speaks to Sara Lazar of Commondreams.org about Chelsea Manning's plans to transition and the military's response: "we don't do that..."
It's long been said that there were no women invited to speak at the March on Washington. One woman was invited, however: Myrlie Evers, widow of Medger Evers. When Ms. Evers could not attend, Daisy Bates, a leader in the Arkansas NAACP and of the Little Rock school desegregation, was asked to speak instead. Ms. Bates spoke briefly during a "Tribute to Women," as part of which A. Philip Randolph read a poem while women leaders sat on the podium.
Ella Baker
Dorothy Height and other prominent women in the civil rights movement wanted a woman among the nine main speakers at the event, and this is what the male leadership refused.
We listen to interviews with Ms. Height, part of Ms. Bates' speech, and an interview with Barbara Ransby, author of Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Democratic Vision.
California prisoners have been on hunger strike for seven weeks to end solitary confinement. To find out how to pressure Governor Brown check out www.prisonhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com
Click here to listen to August 26 KPFA Women's Magazine.
Code Pink Delegates Report: CIA's Drone War in Pakistan
Interviews with delegates from the Code Pink trip to Pakistan in October 2012. Guests include Medea Benjamin (co-founder of Code Pink and Global Exchange, and author of Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control), as well as Dr. Dianne Budd and Toby Blome who went to protest U.S. drone strikes in the tribal regions of Pakistan. Hear the stories of the people and of the international movement to STOP drone strikes and alert the world to this 21st century arms and surveillance race. Want to know more? Go to droneswatch.org
Women's Magazine's Kate Rafael discusses the new Syrian opposition coalition with Afraa Jalabi of the Syrian National Council and Mohja Kahf, Professor of Literature and Gender Studies at the University of Arkansas.
courtesy: Mohja Kahf
"This is not your father's revolution," says Mohja Kahf. There is an active and escalating non-violent, grass roots movement in Syria. Mohja and Afraa give a personal and political account of the Syrian revolution. There are over 33,000 prisoners of conscience in Syria prisons. 472 are women. They have been there for over a year without due process. Stay in tune with the grassroots movements in Syria through links on Stop the Killing Campaign Facebook page.
"Brides of Peace": In the Middle of Madness, Four Women March for Nonviolence in Syria
By Mohja Kahf
Four young Syrian women staged a women’s march for nonviolence through the middle of Medhat Basha market in Damascus, Syria, on November 21, 2012. In the finest tradition of subversive street theater, all four dressed in bridal gowns and veils, carrying red banners... Read more
Television for the Discerning Feminist Palate
Is television shaping ideas about women, simply reflecting, or are the lives of television women completely divorced from the lives of real women? Next we dissect gender roles on some of the hottest shows on television (Nashville, Revenge, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Girls) with bloggers Camille Morgenstern of TurnUpTheSass and Anna Sterling of feministing.com. 27:02 min.
Special note to KPFA members: Don't forget to vote for the KPFA board members. Your ballot is due in New York on December 11, so get it out
early. And if you're not a member, please donate to KPFA and mention Women's Magazine. Thanks.
To listen to the entire show click here. 59:49 min.
It's KPFA Fund Drive time. Kate Raphael explores questions of masculinity, personal violence and the relationship of this to institutionalized violence in today's society.
Today's show presents the film Living Along the Fenceline about seven courageous women who live alongside US bases from South Korea to Puerto Rico challenge the assumption that military bases make them safe, and advance alternative ideas of peace and security. This clip includes an excerpt from the film and an interview with producers Debbie Lee and Gwyn Kirk. Listen now or get MP3
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In our Veterans' Day show, we speak with Cindy Whitman-Bradley about the new book About Face: Military Resisters Turn Against War. She tells the stories of some of the women resisters interviewed in the book. 13:16 min.
We also speak with Emily Yates of Iraq Veterans Against the War about her service and how she came to Iraq Veterans Against the War. She talks about what happens to women vets when they come home and how Operation Recovery is helping veterans. In this interview Emily also gives an update on Scott Olsen who was seriously injured by police at Occupy Oakland. 18:17 min.
