Putting Lesbians Back in Focus - one day workshop by new group the Lesbian Project

[IwantToRetire]

This one-day workshop in central London aims to put lesbians lives back in focus. Speakers include eminent academics, lawyers, and journalists. Talks will be accessible for all. Everyone is welcome.

Topics include: lesbian spaces; lesbian visibility; lesbians and pornographic culture; lesbians in the justice system; lesbian representations in the media. Tickets are priced at £10 to cover our costs.

Doors open at 9am, talks start at 10am. Sat 25 Mar 2023

www.tickettailor.com/events/thelesbianprojectevents/865221

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I have to say I am really disappointed by this. Seems to be the same old friendship networks setting themselves up as the talking heads that the rest of us are just meant to sit passively and listen to.

When you think of the threads on here from women talking about the difficulties they have had living as a lesbian in 21st century UK, it seems a real cheek!

Wouldn't it have been great to have given everyone the equal opportunity to talk.

We need a lesbian Let Women Speak. Let Lesbians Speak. Let Lesbians Exist. or ...

No doubt there will be a book, or some such product that can be consumed.

(Also a bit troubling but there seems to be a US based group called the Lesbian Project, that is more about lifestyle lesbianism, and I think includes those identifying as etc.. Would have been good to have checked on whether the name was in use elsewhere.)

Oh I don't know

TALK TITLES
Lesbians and the importance of lesbian space Dr Sue Regan 
The lesbian-feminist project of the 1980's: visibility and politics Professor Rosemary Auchmuty 
Lesbians, loneliness, and love: challenging robotic pornographic culture Professor Kathleen Richardson
Lesbians and justice Professor Jo Phoenix
Representation of lesbians in the media Julie Bindel 
The criminalisation of lesbians Harriet Wistrich

Apart from Julie Bindel I haven't heard of many of these names before - I've heard of Harriet Wistrich obviously but I've not heard her speak about lesbians specifically, isn't her background in defending women facing criminal charges as victims of domestic abuse?

Jo Phoenix has been affected in her work for holding gender critical views, but I've not heard her talk about being a lesbian that much.

I don't occupy lesbian circles but I understand they are ever-decreasing so anything that extends them seems like a good idea. The porn topic is interesting to me as a straight woman as it's a specific area which affects perceptions of lesbians and lesbian relationships so I could learn something about what the objectivisation of them does to them.

Lesbians dont need to be lectured to by other lesbians.

The whole point of meeting up would be to give space to everyone's issues.

Not the pet topics of women who think they can speak for the rest of us.

Its like FiLia. Turning what was a radical progressive process into a passive consumet event.

I think you're over reacting. It's not an event that you want to attend, but others will. It's a standard set up with speakers talking about specific topic.🤷‍♀️

In the second wave the talks would have been more like plenaries and would have been followed by breakout workshops and/or passing the mic around.

Looks great! Thank you for sharing OP.

I haven't heard of all the speakers but always enjoy hearing Julie Bindel.

I think it looks great. Some of us enjoy conferences and speakers. It's brilliant to see events by and for lesbians. Nobody has to go, but please don't swamp it with negativity because they don't (and can't) do something that appeals to everybody. I've seen so many good initiatives get killed by that over the years. If you can't support it, just wish it well!

Actually, I'm upset by your response OP. Why on earth is it 'a real cheek' for women to organise an event that lots of others - but not you - would like to go to? If you want an open mic event for lesbians, why don't you organise one?

My my. A commentator on FWR having an opinion. Why the whining?

Get a life. I bothered to share it.

But I think it is part of a far wider current trend that is not only about the individuals who even think that they should be on a platform, to the far more troubling situation that so many think politics is about sitting in rows being a passive consumer.

And as I say this consistently about FiLia, the epitome of feminist entertainment inc., and others why wouldn't I say it here.

I dont understand what function it serves, and dont understand why any one would think that it is progressive.

And I think the less pretentious contributions by lesbians on FWR address current issues far better.

Exactly

Totally off topic but accidently hit a link I haven't really noticed that allows you to share a post to facebook and other platforms. And not just your own comments.

Is that okay ?

OPwhy don't you set up the kind of event you want? There's room for both

Ah, I see this is a sectarian thread. Count me out. This whiny old lesbian has been politically active for 40 years and in that time I've seen so many fine initiatives (and individuals) destroyed by trashing and head-girlism. Depressingly, the reason why Stonewall was so successful - much as it pains me to admit it - is because it refused to be democratic or take on everyone's interests.

I'm beyond bored with it. The women who organised this event are not your enemy.

Well, I think it's cool and I wish I was in London in March.

Of all the things to criticise on a feminist forum, I am surprised that a lesbian conference and Filia have been targeted.