Women Create: Women’s Dissenting Voices
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/10/07
Women Create! is the world’s first ever conference exclusively for cancelled female and feminist artists from across the political spectrum.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What was the inspiration behind Women Create?
Victoria Gugenheim: The inspiration behind Women Create was that there was simply no place for dissenting female voices, and the artists and activists I know needed a space for both them, and the men and women who support them.
Women who have been at risk of cancellation, or who have been cancelled, feminists who have been cancelled and placed at risk, and women apostates who are at risk were the main catalysts as no place on earth catered exclusively to these women, so I thought I would create a space.
As it champions women’s freedom of thought, conscience and expression, I worked with Maryam Namazie to make it new part of the long standing Celebrating Dissent series produced by the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, an event which has also inspired me greatly with the courage of the female ex-Muslim attendees who have fled violence and persecution to find their voices away from tyranny.
Rosie Kay, who created Freedom in the Arts, also inspired me. And I kept seeing more and more women, all the good ones, get cancelled.
Moreover, I thought, “Grief, it’s gotten to the point that female artists have had death threats in Brazil for talking about vaginas in their work. I need to do something as this is ridiculous; it’s a human rights abuse.” And so here we are.
Jacobsen: Who are the women behind Women Create?
Gugenheim: The women behind Women Create are me, and the other adviser is Maryam Namazie. We also have a male ally called Magnus Timmerby. That is it. I have organized a vast majority of it myself until recently.
I also want to thank Angela Wild, Jenny Wenhemmar, Di Winn of Geek Practique, and Paula Boulton for their solidarity behind the scenes.
Jacobsen: What is the importance of this event?
Gugenheim: In a world that is rapidly encroaching upon the freedoms of women, including their creative freedoms, it is essential to lift up marginalized female voices, demonstrate that there is a growing problem both in the art world and worldwide, work towards solutions by making sure their stories and creations are visible, nurture creativity in other women, and be a catalyst for change. No other event is doing that.
Jacobsen: What are the highlights?
Gugenheim: We have everything from talks, panels, workshops, a mini film festival and more besides and art from women across the globe. We’ll have a Q and A with cancelled documentarian Vaishnavi Sundar, and a conversation with award winning writer Roxana Shirazi. It’s also the only event of its kind where a robust diversity of opinion between different women has even been tabled, so if you value genuine diversity of thought, it’s a must.
I’m also premiering a world first which I’m proud of; Painted Powerful, My Body is Mine, which is the world’s first bodyart project, documentary and exhibition working exclusively with female sexual violence/SA/DV/coercive control survivors as a way for them to take back their bodies after their ordeals, with a select few other women in tow, and a premiere of Music Video by EDM and Folk musician Shelley Segal.
More importantly, we have cancelled women from across the globe, be it from the USA, Canada India, Morocco,and women who have fled the Iranian regime, and it is essential to have those voices there.
We also have veteran and award-winning activists. It’s set to be a trailblazing yet grassroots event for the women who need it.
Jacobsen: How can folks get plugged in?
Gugenheim: If you want to get involved, go to WomenCreate.co.uk. You can also scout for us on Eventbrite or follow me on Twitter. My handle is Quirkathon.
Jacobsen: Any final points?
Gugenheim: Just as an extra, many women are coming who have lost their livelihoods or had years of censorship and cancellation, had rape threats, death threats, fatwas, all because they are women who want to create something that is against the status quo. We cannot live in a world where female artists are the new canaries in the coal mine and being gassed. We have to lift up their voices to maintain freedom of thought, conscience, and expression because the artists and creatives always tend to go first under tyrannt, and it is always women who bear the brunt of cancellation more so. And if we don’t stand with them, who’s going to be next?
Jacobsen: Thank you, Victoria!
Gugenheim: Pleasure!
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