Yesterday, I pointed you to an article I wrote comparing the media invisibility of the third annual BlogHer conference for women who blog, with the glut of attention bestowed on the YearlyKos, which I called:
"a conference for left-leaning bloggers made popular by the blustering A-list boys of the "netroots."
I stand by this statement. But it strikes me that readers may have gotten the misimpression that I intended to portray the entire YearlyKos conference as by, for and about only men, and blustery A-listers, at that. That wasn't my intention, and in case anyone is wondering where the great women are at BlogHer, I wanted to post a little heads-up that they're pretty much going to be everywhere (see the linked PDF for the conference schedule).
I'll be there with a press pass, so look for me if you're attending. Gina Cooper (who offered "netroots" action strategies during the session she and I spoke on at BlogHer last weekend) is the YearlyKos's executive director, Feministing.com founder Jessica Valenti (also a WIMN's Voices blogger) will be in numerous sessions, former In These Times staffers and WIMN's Voices allies Jessica Clark and Tracy Van Slyke will be leading a feminist blogging caucus, Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte (who has also guest blogged for WIMN's Voices) and other WIMN allies and colleagues including CultureKitchen's Liza Sabater, journalist Garance Granke-Ruta, blogger Jill Filipovic from Feministe, and many others I'm about to list will be organizing, strategizing, networking and using a space that, while undeniably linked to and self-promotional of a certain kind of new media guy who isn't interested in and sometimes actively rails against feminist bloggers' concerns, is also a time for connection and collaborations to be built. The following are some sessions that progressive women who blog, especially those who write about politics, or who discuss feminist issues on your blogs, or who have issues with resource allocation online, or etc. may want to seek out:
Bloggers Brunch
Hunter, Jane Hamsher, Duncan Black, Jessica Valenti, Liza Sabater, Markos Moulitsas
Sunday, Aug 5, 11:00-1:00 100a-c
Feminist Blogs Caucus
Moderators: Jessica Clark, Tracy Van Slyke
Thursday, Aug 2, 4:30-6:00 402a-b
Mother Talkers Caucus
Moderators: Elisa Batista
Thursday, Aug 2, 4:30-6:00 106b
Women's Netroots Caucus
Moderators: Julielyn Gibbons
Thursday, Aug 2, 12:30-2:00 101a
...plus many caucuses for various consistuency bases.
Choice of the day:
Blogging While Female
Admit it, ladies. You've all had the conversations. Why aren't there more prominent female bloggers? Or are there many -- they just don't get linked to? Should you worry about that weird guy who keeps writing about what you look like? Why are some blogs seen as progressive and others not? How well does the netroots work with women candidates? Is it easier for women to write from behind pseudonyms? The blogosphere was supposed to be a place where gender didn't matter and voice was all. So what happened? Join top female bloggers to discuss the issues that come with the territory of being female in the 'sphere -- and what can be done about them.Panelists: Garance Franke-Ruta, Jessica Valenti, Gina Cooper, Amanda Marcotte
Saturday, Aug 4, 10:30-11:30 101b
Super tired (it's after 3am), so no time for as many links to these fab women as i'd usually throw in -- Google them, though.
Make sure to check these out!
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And, if you're in Chicago for YearlyKos or if you simpy live there, you may also want to check out an event I'm running for Women In Media & News tonight.
As I wrote last week, Women In Media & News will be hosting a fundraising event in Chicago tomorrow, Aug. 2 at 7:00pm that will be part meet-greet, wine-and-cheesy goodness (read: FUN!), and part dynamic discussion between me and Anne Elizabeth Moore (Don't Pin Your Hopes on Katie Couric: How Women Can Confront, Challenge and Change Contemporary Media ) about problems in media representations of women, the state of independent media production, the challenges and possibilities of media activism and indy publishing, and more (see below for full description of the talk). Anne and I sketched out our conversation today, and I promise you it'll be exciting and provocative -- and also structured to include a whole lot of interaction with attendees, whose questions will guide the evening's discussion.
You bring the questions, we'll bring the wine, cheese and, of course, the snark.
We'll also bring you a few special guests, including Veronica Arreola (WIMN board member and Chicago Parentblogger), Paula Kamen (WIMN's Voices blogger and Chicago author and playright), Gwynn Cassidy (Real Hot 100 cofounder), and others.
The event will be hosted by Women and Children First, an amazing independent bookstore that is a staple of the Chicago activist, literary and arts communities. See W&CF's website for address and logistics.
WIMN is honored to be chosen by W&CF as their Organization of the Month -- which means that 10 percent of all the sales that you make in their bookstore will go to support WIMN's programs -- but only if you bring this donation coupon with you when you make your purchase:
Please RSVP to our Evite if you can make this great discussion!
Note for readers who aren't in Chicago -- we're working out whether or not the coupon can be used for online purchases -- I'll give an update as soon as that's settled.
Thanks WCF! We've long supported independent booksellers, and we couldn't be more pleased that they're hosting our Chicago fundraiser, and that they've dedicated 10% of your sales to support feminist media analysis, education and advocacy. As readers of WIMN's Voices, whenever you shop at Women and Children First, bring this handy donation coupon with you (they won't be in the store!) -- you get a great book, CD, magazine, t-shirt, or stationary and Women In Media & News gets a donation. We both win!
EVENT DETAILS
Where: Women & Children First, 5233 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640, Tel: 773.769.9299
When: Aug. 2, 7pm
TOPIC:
Don't Pin Your Hopes on Katie Couric: How Women Can Confront, Challenge and Change Contemporary Media - a discussion with Jennifer L. Pozner and Anne Elizabeth Moore
Why do journalists consider Hillary Clinton's "fat thighs" newsworthy in coverage of her presidential bid, while Dick Cheney's beer belly is never noticed by political reporters?
Are women all really vapid, pathetic, gold-digging whores, as so-called "reality" TV producers would like us to believe?
Feminist media activism and independent media production can interrupt this misogynistic media landscape - but how can either survive in a fractured funding climate?
These are just some of the meaty issues that will be tackled in a dynamic conversation between Jennifer L. Pozner, founder and executive director of Women In Media & News (WIMN), the national media analysis, education and advocacy group and the host of the popular WIMN's Voices group blog, and Anne Elizabeth Moore, publisher of the dearly beloved but recently-deceased Punk Planet magazine and author of Hey Kids: Buy This Book and the forthcoming Unmarketable: Brandalism, Copyfighting, Mocketing and the Erosion of Integrity. As two of the leading voices in women's media activism and production, Anne and Jennifer will explore issues facing contemporary women in media content, production and policy, and offer strategies and solutions you can use to pursue progressive, feminist media change.
(Note: This will be a fundraiser for WIMN: donations not required, but suggested.)
This post originally appeared at WIMN's Voices: A Group Blog on Women and the Media , a project of Women In Media & News, the national women's media analysis, education and advocacy group. To bring Jennifer L. Pozner to speak to your campus or community group, or to send her blog tips, email info [at] wimnonline [dot] org. To subscribe to WIMN's free media alert list, see the Action Center at http://www.wimnonline.org/action/.