Feminist Bargins: Women & Children First Used Book Sale

Here's some shopping for a cause this weekend - stop by Women & Children First, Chicago's feminist book store, this Saturday and Sunday August 1 and 2 for the annual Used Book Sale. Proceeds will benefit the Women's Voices Fund. The Women’s Voices Fund, a project of Women & Children First Bookstore and a grantee of the Crossroads Fund, raises money to help sustain and develop an ongoing program series focused on women’s lives, ideas, and work. This unique work which has been offered only at Women & Children first for the last twenty-five years, is crucial to guaranteeing that a wide and diverse range of women’s voices and the best voices in children’s literature continue to be heard.

While you're there, why not spend a little of this week's paycheck on a new book from the store, or sign up as a member for $25 and get discounts all year long? In this tough economy, it's the small independent businesses who are suffering the most - help keep great local companies like Women & Children First going by putting your wallet where your values are!

Poet, Activist, Loudmouth Staceyann Chin Coming To Chicago

Women and Children First, Chicago's feminist bookstore, will host performance poet Staceyann Chin on Wednesday April 8th at 7:30pm. Chin will read from her recently released book, The Other Side of Paradise: A Memoir. Says the store:

Outspoken queer performance poet Staceyann Chin electrifies audiences wherever she performs, from New York’s Nuyorican Poets Café to Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway or the International Gay Games Opening Night Ceremonies at Chicago’s Soldier Field. In her searing and ultimately inspiring new memoir, she recounts her poignant story from heartbreak and tragedy to determined survival and finally thriving. Dorothy Allison raves, “[Chin] shows me a culture I knew far too little about—the everyday life of young people in Jamaica and the threat of violence over anyone who might be too independent or queer or outrageous. How wonderful that this outrageous, talented, determined woman has given us her story.”

And what a story it is. Born on the floor of her grandmother's home in Jamaica to a women who didn't want her and a man she didn't know, Staceyann Chin escaped Jamaica's brutally cruel anti-homosexual society, moving to New York to "live in exile", as she puts it. Life in exile has been busy though, as she's not only become a well known poet, performer and writer, but she's also taken nearly all top poetry awards, had her one-woman show go international, appeared on TV and in films, and still found time to work for justice and equality, especially for GLBT people in her homeland.

After seeing her read at the opening ceremonies of the Gay Games several years ago, I can only promise that this will be one night you won't soon forget. Need a sneak peak? How about this video:

WOW Gift Guide: Books For The Feminist In Your Life

If you're looking to spread a little literary cheer to a feminist in your life this holiday season, WOW recommends the following books! (Be sure to check back to the blog this week, we're doing a series of feminist gift ideas and suggested charities all week!)

How about some classics -
Betty Friedan was sick and tired and bored - and she wrote it all down, and shared it with other housewives, and a movement spread.



Simone said it, hundreds translated it, and here we are, reading it today.



No feminist's book shelf is complete without Gloria's recollections.



Now some third wavers -

These two can be controversial at times, but they capture the turmoil of a generation.



Rebecca writes about feminism and biracial and religious identity in an honest, forthright way.



Seriously, listen up!



Collections from favorite feminist magazines -

Best collection of magazine articles ever from Bust!


Ten years of bitching...


Oh Sassy, you were something, may you rest in peace.


Stay tuned for more feminist gift ideas coming this week!

Now That's What I Call Indie Media: Community Supported Publisher South End Press

Thanks to Lisa Jervis at Bitch Magazine, who turned me onto South End Press this week with her post about their recent troubles staying in business. Like many independent media outlets, South End Press is struggling with delayed and missing payments from larger organizations like Borders (R.I.P. Punk Planet),  and is asking their community members for help.

I headed on over to South End's website to see what Lisa was so riled up about, and that's when I discovered their Community Supported Publishing program, the first of its kind that I know of. Based off the Community Supported Agriculture programs that have raised awareness and support for sustainable local farming, the Community Supported Publishing program aims to do the same for books. For a monthly donation, members receive all new titles as well as select back list and bestsellers.

And what a catalog is is! Forthcoming titles like Breeding A Nation by Pamela Bridgewater, current new releases like Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew's Toolbox for Sustainable City Living, and back catalog releases like the classic Ain't I A Woman by bell hooks and Signed, Sealed and Delivered: The True Life Stories of Women In Pop by Sue Steward and Sheryl Garratt all caught my attention.

South End Press is currently in the running for a $10,000 prize from Ideablob, so take a minute and show your love with a vote, and help keep independent media alive!

Happy Birthday BUST!

Love 'em or hate 'em, the gals at BUST Magazine celebrate fifteen years of keeping it going this month with a special birthday issue featuring Amy Sedaris jumping out of a cake on the cover. A feminist magazine that is often described as being smarter than Sassy but more fun than Ms., BUST has been heralded as the savior of third wave feminism about as often as its been called the fourth horsewoman of the fempocolypse. (Yes, I made up that word.) BUST's hard hitting coverage of underreported issues with a smart and biting tone (female genital mutilation, feminist Mormans, and a Suicide Girls expose) have been occasionally tempered with questionable advertising decisions (like tobacco ads in an issue that decried the increase in ovarian cancer among young women) and a few editorial slip ups... remember the accessory spread that suggested some, ahem, illegal activities a certain flat mirror could be used for? No one is perfect, but BUST comes close to being the perfect voice for a generation of feminists that came of age after our moms (or grandmas) already won most of the fights for us. Providing frank sex advice, endless DIY project ideas, fashion for all sizes, and endless reviews of your next favorite book, movie or record (Chicago's Kid Sister is feature this month), BUST is irreplaceable in the hearts and minds of women across the globe. BUST keeps on keepin' on - even expanding their empire to include a book, an annual Holiday Craft Fair, and a variety of spin-off projects from editors Debbie Stoller and Laurie Henzel. BUST continues to survive and thrive, inspiring now a second generation of women and girls. From the ladies of WOW to the ladies of BUST, we salute you - Happy Birthday!

PS - Coincidentally, today's post falls on the birthday of another special lady, WOW's very own Elizabeth. Happy Birthday Elizabeth!!