 LADYFEST returns to Dublin after 9 years with a bang!! Bringing you the best Dublin's music scene has to offer in female focused acts, LADYFEST kicks off at 7:30 in Sweeneys on Dame Street!
Tickets: €7.00 waged, €5 unwaged - available on the door. Featuring: Bitch Falcon Fauve Chapman Elaine Mai Marita Connolly Temper-Mental MissElayneous Big Girls Big Band Toy Soldier + more to be announced
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 We had a fantastic time marching in the 2013 Dublin Pride parade. Not only was it the 30th anniversary of gay pride in Ireland, but it was also the 20th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. It's amazing to think we've come so far as a nation in terms of LGBTQ rights in such a short time. However, there is still so much more to do. Marriage Equality, parental rights and more widespread acceptance and respect for LGBTQ people are still to be achieved. Judging by the huge numbers, energy and great atmosphere at Pride this year, it's only a matter of time! Check out some photos of our banner and display below. 
 Press Release & Podcast: Group of organisations to raise common points and reservations regarding Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill
Following the Oireachtas hearings with medical and legal experts on the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill, a group of 11 organisations not represented at the hearings come together today at a press conference to demand a range of changes to the proposed legislation. Representatives of the organisations collectively called for the following amendments to the Bill: 1. Offence Criminalisation: the proposed legislation replaces the Offences against the Person Act 1861 rather than repealing it. The government must repeal the relevant sections of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 and decriminalise abortion. Criminalisation does not work; it causes pain and suffering to women, is incompatible with international human rights norms and according to the ECHR has a chilling effect on women and doctors 2. Risk of loss of life from self-destruction There is no medical or clinical justification for the requirement that a panel of doctors authorise an abortion on grounds of risk to life arising from risk of suicide due to an unwanted pregnancy. The requirement of a second psychiatrist does not apply when a pregnancy is not involved. The Mental Health Act 2001 requires only two medical practitioners to authorise the involuntary detention of an individual on mental health grounds, including risk to life by suicide. The proposed legislation requires up to seven practitioners to assess risk to life by suicide due to an unwanted pregnancy and authorise a termination on grounds of such a risk to life. An arbitrary distinction is being drawn between physical risk to life and risk to life arising from risk of suicide due to an unwanted pregnancy. The current proposal requires unanimity between an obstetrician and two psychiatrists for the approval of abortion, giving the obstetrician – with no competence in suicide assessment power of veto over two consenting psychiatrists. Consultation with the woman’s GP should only take place with her prior consent. 3. Conscientious objection There should be an explicit duty to treat in a medical emergency regardless of any conscientious objection. Legislative provision must be made to ensure that medical professionals are required to declare anti-choice views, and that they have a duty to absent themself from any panel deciding on abortion. Any panel should only consist of non-conscientious objectors. It must be ensured that non-objecting providers are accessible and available throughout the country. 4. Formal medical review procedures A two-week review period is unrealistic and could result in serious and potentially fatal repercussions. Best international practice is that a decision is made within 3 days. Realistic timeframes must be included in the new legislation. 5. Broaden the scope of the legislation to include fatal foetal abnormalities and pregnancies resulting from rape and incest. Organisations supporting these changes include: National Women’s Council of Ireland, Action on X, Abortion Rights Campaign, Doctors for Choice, ICTU Women’s Committee, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Irish Family Planning Association, Irish Feminist Network, Termination for Medical Reasons Group, Cork Women’s Right to Choose Group and Galway Pro Choice Group What: Press Conference – Common points and reservations on Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill When: Wednesday, 22nd May, 10:30 am Where: Buswells Hotel, Molesworth Street, Dublin Listen to a podcast of the press conference here:  Hi everyone,
From the last discussion, people decided to chat about the idea of female masculinity; gender beyond sex, beyond binary, pleasure beyond principles and what have you. * Feminine/masculine – why can’t I be both? * Constructing masculinities in communities and within the individual: . Some suggestions to chat about: tdrag kings, butch/femme dynamics in relationships, genderqueers, queers, tomboys etc. Bewleys wasn't as quiet so we're meeting up in Seomra Sproai on the evening14th May from 7pm in the social sinema room (the first room on the ground floor- there'll be donation-based food and treats too :) ) looking forward to seeing a lot of you soon! x  The next book club will be held on Thursday, 2nd of May at 7:30pm in Bewleys cafe. All are welcome!
As chosen by the last book club's attendees, the play of the month is: The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. You can find the script online for free, or probably also printed. There's a HBO TV series, or you could go to see the play (let us know if you find an Irish production this month!) "I was worried about vaginas. I was worried about what we think about vaginas, and even more worried that we don't think about them. . . . So I decided to talk to women about their vaginas, to do vagina interviews, which became vagina monologues. I talked with over two hundred women. I talked to old women, young women, married women, single women, lesbians, college professors, actors, corporate professionals, sex workers, African American women, Hispanic women, Asian American women, Native American women, Caucasian women, Jewish women. At first women were reluctant to talk. They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn't stop them." Good Reads Vagina Monologues Page Reviews: Guardian Review of The Vagina Monologues, http://knollpaper.wordpress.com/current-issue/gender/vday/ To facilitate discussion, we'll have these ground rules: -Everyone has the right to contribute to the discussion -Refrain from personal attacks, criticise the idea and not the person -Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of age, gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious belief, disability, membership of the travelling community, marital status or family status. We'll be in the back of Bewleys in the restaurant section. The reservation will be under Irish Feminist Network.  When: Thursday, 4th of April, 7:30pm to 9:30pm Where: Bewleys Cafe on Grafton Street The Book: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Facebook Event: IFN April Book Club How to find us: We'll be downstairs in the restaurant section. Our reservation will be under Irish Feminist Network. We'll have the book displayed upright on the table. About: **Trigger warning: This book deals with mental illness and suicide** Recently, Faber have released a 50th anniversary edition of the book and there's been some controversy about the cover: Guardian article on Bell Jar Cove And here's some more info: Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under--maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational--as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic. Goodreads Review Book reviews: Independent Newspaper Bell Jar Review This one has major spoilers: Classic Lit Bell Jar Review There's also a movie from 1979: IMBD Bell Jar Film Page To facilitate discussion, we'll have these ground rules: -Everyone has the right to contribute to the discussion -Refrain from personal attacks, criticise the idea and not the person -Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of age, gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious belief, disability, membership of the travelling community, marital status or family status. Happy reading & hope to see you next month!  Thursday, 16 February 2012, 19:00 until 22:00, Stag's Head Pub. Facebook RSVP here.
Want to get involved? Want to tell us what we should be doing? Now’s your chance….! ... Our 2nd volunteer meeting will take place at 7pm on Thursday, February 16th at the Stag's head pub. We will be talking about our activities, giving you a chance to share your opinion and gathering your feedback on the IFN. It will also be an opportunity to meet like-minded people over pints, share experiences and make new friends. In future we would like to hold monthly volunteer meetings. We would like to revive the IFN’s old Feminism in the Pub series, but we can't do that without you guys! Come along, air your views and make your suggestions.
We’re right there with you!
Everyone is welcome and we would love to see you there!  Action on X
Public Meeting Twenty Years After X: Where Are Our Rights? Tuesday, February 21st, 7.30pm, Gresham Hotel, O’Connell Street Facebook event: RSVP here Speakers include:
On February 21st, 1992, the High Court issued a permanent injunction which barred a 14-year-old girl, known only as X, from leaving the country to terminate her pregnancy, the result of rape. Two weeks later the Supreme Court ruled that when a pregnant woman’s life is in danger, including from suicide, she has the right to an abortion here in Ireland. Yet in 2012 after all the expert committees, after two referendums in which the people vindicated a woman’s right to life-saving abortion, after several court rulings doing the same and an acknowledgment from Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore that such legislation is necessary – all we’ve got is another expert committee. The delay is inexcusable and unacceptable. Legislation is long overdue. The courts have ruled, the people have spoken – it's time for the Government to act. The Action on X Alliance had been formed by concerned groups and individuals to campaign on the immediate passing of this ruling into law as directed by the Supreme Court and also one year after the C case judgment in the European Court of Human Rights.  Sisters by June Levine Next Book Club: December 6th. The book: Sisters by June Levine
th at Accents Coffee & Tea Lounge, Lower Stephen Street. This month’s book is June Levine’s ‘Sisters: The Personal Story of an Irish Feminist’. To find out more join the IFN Book Club group on Facebook and all are welcome to join (even if you don’t get a chance to read the book!). You can also click attending on the event here. What: Discussion of June Levine’s ‘Sisters’ at the IFN Book Club When: Tuesday, December 6th at 7pm Where: Accents Coffee & Tea Lounge, 23 Lower Stephen Street Accents is located just off Stephen’s Green, their Facebook page is here and website here. Directions walking from Stephens Green shopping centre here.  The IFN needs YOU! Want to get involved? Want to tell us what we should be doing? Now’s your chance….! Our 1st volunteer meeting will take place at 7pm on Tuesday, December 13th at the Duke pub. This will be an introductory meeting to talk about our activities, give you a chance to share your opinion and gather your feedback on the IFN. It will also be an opportunity to meet like-minded people over pints, share experiences and make new friends. In future we would like to hold monthly volunteer meetings. We would like to revive the IFN’s old Feminism in the Pub series, but we can't do that without you guys! At each meeting we’ll discuss a particular issue or campaign. Come along, air your views and make your suggestions.
Want to write for the blog? Want to organise campaigns? Want to inspire a feminist revolution..? We’re right there with you! Everyone is welcome and we would love to see you there! Emma |
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