Sometimes I am overwhelmed by my love for the women in my life. As everyone knows, while I love the men for certain, ahem, appendages, I truly am a man-hating feminist. Or at least that is what people on the James Randi Educational Foundation forum think, and who am I to disappoint them?
But the real love in my life, the true glue that keeps me together is my women friends. I sometimes say that I am incredibly lucky to have such a group of friends, both in real life and on the internet, but that is not true. I work hard at my finding the right women to be friends with, and I do not suffer fools lightly. I am the fool the be suffered!!
So I want to have a conference, a Lilith Fair of 2009 if you will, (ah Lilith Fair, such sweet, sweet memories). However my rules are strict: no drum circles, no smudging, no blessings to the east, west, south, or north. In fact, the only ceremonial move allowed will be if you choose to pour a 40 ounce of Starbucks on the ground for the homies that have left us!
So who is in?? Book discussions, parenting discussions, sex discussions, religion discussions, songs, karaoke (I am looking at you Jennifer Jacobs and Taylor Proctor!) and the required trashing of the women not present -kidding, but we know it will happen. In fact, if you choose not to come, you are basically giving consent to be trashed.
Menstrual cup demonstrations and Betty Dodson workshops will be allowed, but in a different room. Daphne Ross can show us how to make your partner more, um, disciplined. Swoopy can offer discussions of what it is like to be a female podcaster in an asshat, I mean, man infested field. Kim Rogers can do the same with academia. Wyndi can expose us to alternative ways to be with men; ah, well, lets just let Wyndi tell you about that. Her friend Lacey can assist.
Wyndi and Heidi can then teach a class called "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People with Inappropriate Sexual Conversation and Creative Cursing!" Laura McGeorge can up the ante in her class on advanced creative cursing. She and her friend Cyndi can also teach a class on advanced debauchery! Rachael Ayscue can give a seminar on how to pick up men (and women) without trying at all and while wearing you glasses, sweats, and baseball hat.
Karin can show us all how to do monthly breast exams, and how to allow your partner to see the real youI can teach a class on how to achieve great body image no matter what you weigh. Jennifer O'Shields can teach us all how to dance in a way that both hypnotizes and distracts the enemy. Mel and Angie can teach us how to remain disgustingly happy in a long-term relationship, even when it is apparent that your love and affection truly make other people ill with jealousy. We can also use our cell phones for ritual phone prank calls to boys and girls, but only after we have achieved a 75% intoxication rate towards the end of the night.
Skepchicks Maria and Elyse can teach us about writing an online blog that is both informative, funny, and guaranteed to attract hordes of hot, nerdy science geeks. Kimberlie can teach us all about quilting and using embroidery to create inappropriate t-shirts for all occasions. Mary Wellborne can help teach us about self-esteem and how to raise cool, independent daughters and Kylie in Australia can teach us how to raise girls that are critical thinkers. Liza and Heidi can teach about how to use Skype! Maria Maltseva can teach even the most upbeat of us how to look sultry, hot, and tortured at all times. Debbie Sellars and Liz Saviano Cain can show us how to be upbeat throughout your whole life, even when it seems impossible. Eileen can assist Debbie before her own class on how to kill your cheating ex with your mind.
Twyler Palmer can teach us how to score higher than your dreams in bejeweled, and Anna can teach us to canoe. Susan can teach us how to raise twins without killing them, yourself, or your husband. Jill Jones can teach us the proper use of the word unique, and Deb Wright can teach us how to raise two kids while working the night shift.
Bonnie Smith can teach us to use pottery to kill people, or just for artistic expression. Missy Voronin can teach us how to succeed in corporate America, and Elizabeth Humbert can do a workshop called Geology Rocks.
Ok, I am rambling at this point. I know I am forgetting some people's talents, so feel free to add them in the comments, here or on Facebook.
Movies and TV:
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Muriels Wedding
Heather
Buffy (duh)
Music:
Tori Amos
Garbage
Sarah McLachlan
Neko Case
Nina Simone
Cibo Matto
ABBA
Feel free to add movie and music suggestions as well.
I am thinking a Skepticamp for Cool Chicks. Cool Ladies in Theory Camp. CLIT Camp 09??? Or perhaps CLIT track at Dragon Con??
Who is in????
Anyone who knows me well, knows I am not joking.
It is now a challenge!
I elaborated on Facebook, but suggest perhaps a breakfast on one of the mornings as an informal-get-together. If there is to be any sort of major project (which, I should point out – evidence of prior skeptical-based-conferences have illustrated that they have been of equal interest to both genders) – it probably is a little too late to get it into the Dragon*Con schedule?
But certainly I’m a member of sites that people could check out: http://www.criticalteaching.org/ is one. :) They’ll be producing resources for interested attendees of D*C. :)
The BarCamp conference format has been adapted to many different domains, from tech (where it originated) to the creative arts, banking, photography, politics, education, skepticism and many others.
Fundamentally these events are about tearing down the barriers to sharing knowledge within communities, so they’d seem to be universally applicable.
I encourage the womenfolk of Dixie to give it a try. ;^D
I am in! Maybe do a test run and then aim for a track at DC in the future? We will be in the US next summer and if it works out I would love to participate. I can contribute to the areas of science and research, raising children abroad, bi-lingual and cultural children, and the struggles of being girlfriendless in a foreign country! Plus I am sure we can find other uses for my vast randomness :)
Rock on girl I love it!
Found my way over here from Skepchick, and have now added you to my RSS feed and Twitter!
I would not be able to come, as I am in OKC, but had to suggest another kick ass awesome music suggestion:
Amanda Palmer. She has a great single called “Oasis” about rape, abortion, and religion. I love her.
I found you via the rape discussion on Skepchick, and wow, nothing blows me belief in the goodness of humanity like watching people trying to explain that women wouldn’t get raped if they’d just quit being drunking slutty whores. GAH!!!
I then followed your link to the JREF forum, and I think I need a drink now.
Thanks for speaking up.
Ok, typo city. Sorry.