March 11, 2013: Special International Women's Day Edition

 On this exciting edition of Women's Magazine:

• URGENT ACTION FUND FOR WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS

“We need students, we need housewives, we need professional people, we need high profile people like religious leaders and actors, and singers and musicians, to all speak out in one voice against violence against women. One Billion Rising provides us with that opportunity.” – Sunila Abeysekera 

www.urgentactionfund.org

Kate Raphael speaks with Kate Kroeger, executive director of the Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights, which provides funding to grassroots women's organizations in the Global South on an emergency basis, responding to applications in any language within 72 hours.

• LABYRIS, the LGBT organization in Kyrgyzstan

 Anna Kirei, cofounder of Labyris, the LGBT organization in Kyrgyzstan, discusses the queer and feminist movements in the former Soviet Union and especially in Central Asia.  She also talks about the commercialization of International Women's Day in the Soviet Union.

Click here to listen to this segment. 27:20 min.

or Get MP3

• Rally to save City College, Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 4:00 PM in front of City Hall, San Francisco. More info at www.saveccsf.org

•  Workers at Walmart organize for respect, better wages and affordable healthcare.

And in keeping with the labor origins of International Women's Day as International Working Women's Day, also hear from Venanzi Luna of OURWalmart about the ongoing struggle for justice at the nation's largest private employer.



Listen now. 20:47 min.

or Get MP3

• Register now for the 6th Annual Bay Area Arab Women's Conference. $15 for students, $25 general admissions. Registration fee includes lunch.

Click to listen to the entire show and to hear about other fabulous events for Women's History Month. 59:51 min.

July 4: Arab Lesbians Live! and "Beyond the Money Paradigm"

A few weeks ago, kidnapped Syrian American lesbian blogger Amina Arraf was unmasked as Tom MacMaster, a straight white guy from the U.S., now living in Scotland.  Then, the blogger who first promoted and later helped expose him was found to be ... you got it, another straight guy, leading John Stewart to comment "It turns out, the lesbians we care most about in the world are dudes!"

We talk about the meaning of all this with Lebanese American cartoonist Jennifer Camper, who says "I always assumed men were pretending to be lesbians, and I always figured they would end up talking to each other."  Turnabout is fair play, she says, so she created the blog hetwhiteboy where she, as an Arab lesbian, can pretend to be a white man pretending to be an Arab lesbian.  Also joining us is Alia Ghabra, an actual Syrian American lesbian, who talks about what's really happening for LGBT folks in Syria, and what the support for Amina says about the Arab queer community.  (cartoon at left (c) Jennifer Camper)

Listen here or Get MP3

To learn more about queers in the Arab world, check out these excellent sites:
Bint el Nas, online journal "designed to serve the needs and interests of women who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (including female-to-male and male-to-female trans* people in any state of transition), and who are identified ethnically or culturally with the Arab world"
Meem, a community of lesbian, bisexual, queer and questioning women and transgender people in Lebanon
Al Qaws for Gender and Sexual Diversity in Palestine
Aswat Palestinian Gay Women
Helem, Lebanese Protection for LGBTs

Jadaliyya, an independent ezine produced by Arab Studies Institute, a network of writers associated with the Arab Studies Journal
Now Lebanon, for up-to-date info about Arab Spring and political news from the Arab world

Listen to entire July 4 show, including "Beyond the Money Paradigm" from WINGS, and the Women's Community Calendar.