Growing More Radical With Age: A History of The Feminist Movement
In recognition of Women’s History Month, Wrong Brain will offer a series of lectures exploring the history of feminism. Four 45-minute talks led by artist and activist Phoenix Mayet will be held at the Wrong Brain Headquarters every Monday evening (7-8:30 pm) during the month of March.
Each of the four lectures will focus on the history of the feminist movement as reflected in the wave metaphor, which is used to delineate major shifts in the development of feminism. The slide presentations will include an examination of the significant individuals and events that shaped the period in review. We will look at historical photographs as well as some of the influential art made by women and feminists of the time. The evenings will also include time for Q&A and discussion.
Monday, March 6 @ 7pm : The opening lecture, entitled, “The First Wave – The Origins of Women’s Activism” will begin with the Temperance, Abolitionist, and Suffrage movements of the 18th and 19th centuries and look at the seeds of contemporary feminism planted by our activist foremothers, including Wollstonecraft, Truth, Goldman, and De Beauvoir.
Monday, March 13 @ 7pm : The next week will pick up with “The Second Wave – The Personal Gets Political”. The second wave began with the approval of the birth control pill and would include the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment by Congress, the enactment of Title IX, and the publication of “Pornography” by Andrea Dworkin, which would ignite the ‘sex wars’ of the 1980’s.
Monday, March 20 @ 7pm : The series continues with “The Third Wave – Integration and Intersection”. 1990’s feminism was marked by its acceptance in the academic community with the founding of the first PhD Women’s Studies program in the US. It was also a time in which feminist theory would extend beyond the confines of the institution and make a serious effort to include the voices of queer and non-white feminists. The theory of intersectionality would come to highlight the connections and relationships between all people and assert that until all are free, none are free.
Monday, March 27 @ 7pm : The series will close with “The Fourth Wave – Beyond the Women’s March”. The announcement of the Women’s March on Washington inspired women and men around the world to step up and proclaim the importance of feminism and its call for equality for all people. What will become of this renewed energy and interest? This lecture will bring the conversation to the current moment and invite the audience to participate in envisioning the future of feminism.
About the Speaker: Phoenix Mayet is a conceptual artist, feminist, and social activist who’s work addresses issues related to gender, trauma, and personal identity. She holds degrees in English from Cornell University and UNH. She maintains a fine art studio at the Washington St. Mill in Dover, NH.
For questions about the lecture series please contact Phoenix Mayet – phoenix@phoenixmayet.com
