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Original poster

Alloa Womans Festival - the radical feminist alternative to the curated feminism of FiLia?

59 replies

IwantToRetire · 15/02/2024 00:37

Alloa Woman's Festival

Join us for the Alloa Woman's Festival, a vibrant celebration of women's achievements and empowerment! Taking place at the iconic Alloa Town Hall, this in-person event promises a day filled with inspiration, connection, and fun.

On Saturday, March 23, 2024, starting at 10:00 AM GMT, we invite you to come together with like-minded individuals to honor the incredible contributions of women in our community.
Throughout the day, you can expect an engaging lineup of talks and discussions from

Dr Julia Long, Fiona Broadfoot, Rhona Hotchiss, Kate Barker, Joan MacAlpine, Johann Lamont, Paula Boddington, Dr Em, Caroline McAlister, Rachel R Sanchez, Linda Thomson, Anne-Marie Ward, MurrayBlackburnMacKenzie, For Women Scotland, Womens Rights Network and so much more.......

War on Women's Bodies, Womens Spaces, Womens Representation are all up for discussion

Connect with fellow attendees, share your stories, and forge new friendships in a supportive and inclusive environment. This festival is an opportunity to celebrate women from all walks of life and to inspire one another to reach new heights.

Don't miss out on this empowering event! Mark your calendars and join us at Alloa Town Hall for the Alloa Woman's Festival. Let's come together to celebrate, learn, and grow!

Amazingly its free although donations are requested - full info here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alloa-womans-festival-tickets-505950620927?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Alloa Womans Festival

The 3rd Alloa Women’s Festival come and celebrate International Women’s Day

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alloa-womans-festival-tickets-505950620927?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

OP posts:
Weesparrowhawk · 16/02/2024 08:36

IwantToRetire · 15/02/2024 00:37

Alloa Woman's Festival

Join us for the Alloa Woman's Festival, a vibrant celebration of women's achievements and empowerment! Taking place at the iconic Alloa Town Hall, this in-person event promises a day filled with inspiration, connection, and fun.

On Saturday, March 23, 2024, starting at 10:00 AM GMT, we invite you to come together with like-minded individuals to honor the incredible contributions of women in our community.
Throughout the day, you can expect an engaging lineup of talks and discussions from

Dr Julia Long, Fiona Broadfoot, Rhona Hotchiss, Kate Barker, Joan MacAlpine, Johann Lamont, Paula Boddington, Dr Em, Caroline McAlister, Rachel R Sanchez, Linda Thomson, Anne-Marie Ward, MurrayBlackburnMacKenzie, For Women Scotland, Womens Rights Network and so much more.......

War on Women's Bodies, Womens Spaces, Womens Representation are all up for discussion

Connect with fellow attendees, share your stories, and forge new friendships in a supportive and inclusive environment. This festival is an opportunity to celebrate women from all walks of life and to inspire one another to reach new heights.

Don't miss out on this empowering event! Mark your calendars and join us at Alloa Town Hall for the Alloa Woman's Festival. Let's come together to celebrate, learn, and grow!

Amazingly its free although donations are requested - full info here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alloa-womans-festival-tickets-505950620927?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

The way your first post reads - ‘join us’ -it sounded like you were one of the organisers but later I think you say you might not get there as it’s far away. Is this cut and pasted from somewhere else then?

Alloa Women’s Festival is brilliant- but so is FiLiA. Other than scale, they’re very much arranged along the same lines; the organisers approach women to speak who they think other women will be interested in listening to.

FiLiA is a brilliant opportunity to hear from 100s of speakers/ panelists/ stall holders etc. No one forces anyone to go and they receive no conference funding. I’m very grateful for them doing so. It’s ran almost entirely by volunteers and the work these women must put it to making it happen is incredible.

Those who are critical should maybe organise the type of events they’d like to attend themselves.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 15/02/2024 18:41

I've never really understood the "head girl" accusations, but it means that Head Girls are the ones chosen to speak?

Well that could be a whole thread in itself. Those chosen to speak or those who presume to do the choosing (and why)!

But really it is the appropriating of the name Women's Liberation, which has or had, a particular way of working. ie no platform speakers, workers set up by local groups, campaigns etc.so that what is said heard and shared reflects what women are actually doing not what someone, a curator (or as Filia is known - the hostess with the mostess) thinks you should know about and be told how to think about it.

So for me it is always really great to see events that reflect that more grassroots representation of feminist activism.

I am sure there are many, but we dont always here. Some may prefer to be under the radar anyway.

OP posts:
vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 15/02/2024 18:12

Thank you, @IwantToRetire , that is helpful. I've never really understood the "head girl" accusations, but it means that Head Girls are the ones chosen to speak?

I suppose a day event needs speakers but I must admit, the LWS format of every woman has a story and a point of view to learn from is appealing. Though, it is true that some women are better at presenting their argument than others, public speaking is not easy. Maybe there will be group discussion too.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 15/02/2024 17:13

I thought Filia was the alternative to mainstream feminist gatherings?

This has been discussed on other threads, and dont want to spoil this thread. But the problem with FiLia is that it presents feminism as a hierarchy, ie a few "special" women who get to sit on platforms, whilst the rest of us are consigned to passive consumers of the hierarchies words. ie calling FiLias about Women's Liberation is just ridiculous, as it is exactly the opposite of Women's Liberation which was about grassroots organisers, and certainly there were no speaker on platforms. Anyone who attempted to set themselves up to do that would have been slow handclapped on the stage.

But for all I know the structure of the Alloa Festival may also be hierarchical.

I just posted because it shows if you look around local women are still self organising, and we need to wean ourselves of the idea that being a feminist means waiting for someone to organise something you can consume.

By the way I am not in Scotland and imagine given public transport and cost would be difficult to get to.

But certainly hope the days goes well.

And great to see the Forth Valley Feminists event as well!

OP posts:
WibblyWobblyWeeble · 15/02/2024 12:40

I'm going to both, and of course Women Won't Wheesht in Dundee, and wherever else they are this year.

ScoldsBridle · 15/02/2024 09:53

Donated and booked. Scotland needs events like this. Great line-up of speakers 😊

NonnyMouse1337 · 15/02/2024 06:12

I thought Filia was the alternative to mainstream feminist gatherings?

I've not managed to attend Alloa Women's Festival yet but it's great to see events like this being held in Scotland. Thanks to the organisers - I can only imagine the hard work involved in setting up such an event with so many good speakers.

TheSandgroper · 15/02/2024 02:59

@IwantToRetire Thank you for posting. I tend to find it six months later on YouTube ‘cos I live a long, long way away.

All power to your elbows, ladies. Thank you for your work.