Upcoming Femminista Fests

Two upcoming events that caught my eye from the BUSTline email--one on each coast of the US, neither of which I'll get to attend. (But if any of you do, I hope you'll fill us in!)

March 23 - Second Annual Feminist Film Festival, CA

The Davis Feminist Film Festival is a grassroots effort of local activists, students, and faculty affiliated with Gender and Global Issues at UC Davis. This festival strives to create a community space where issues of gender and its intersections with race, class, age, ability, and spirituality can be talked about in order to raise consciousness and create social change.

I like what their web site has to say about the word "feminist":

The word feminist can mean many things. To some, it is a dirty word, describing a “man-hating lesbian,” or a woman who dominates and verbally attacks men. Self-identified feminists, though, use the same word lovingly, to describe those who work to end any sort of gendered oppression. Academics frequently use the word to describe those with a critical awareness of the intersections of gender, race, and class.

. . . [W]e define a feminist as a radical supporter of human rights. Feminists address power differences in society and promote equality and understanding . . . .

March 24–25- National Young Women’s Leadership Conference, DC
Young feminists from around the country will come together and network to change the world. [Sounds good to me!]

The weekend, which includes two conferences, will focus on how young women can have an impact on domestic and global issues such as reproductive rights, sweatshops, big oil and war, the environment, the media, and violence against women. Speakers will include national leaders and experts of all ages to share knowledge, experience, and information.