FemmSouth

In this episode, Leigh interviews Kadine Christie, a mother in her eighth year of homeschooling her three children. Kadine has her BA in sociology from Kean University and her Masters in Counseling from Capella University. She’s also a writer, has published work in several magazines, and is currently working on her upcoming memoir, I am Home.

Kadine shares her own education background growing up in Jamaica and then moving to the United States. Her story traces her tumultuous path through a failing education system and her falling back in love with learning once she was able to take control of it. She discusses curriculum, high school credits, and college prep, questions on many parents' minds. She talks about her daily routine with her children, and how she's been balancing virtual high school with homeschool curriculum while supplementing both.

What's inspiring about Kadine's approach to education is how she empowers her children to ask hard questions, to seek resources outside of the classroom, and to push back against an institution that often perpetuates a patriarchal, white-centric, perspective. Because we are also reading Bell Hook's "Teaching to Transgress" and having conversations about new social structures in light of the pandemic, the foundation that Kadine is building for her children may be a blueprint for what Bell Hook's describes as "education for critical consciousness" and "radical self-determination." At the very least, education from home may be a new frontier for parents that have never considered this option or have felt disempowered to do so.

In our commitment to amplify black female voices, this episode is an intimate conversation with Valencia, Clarice, and Wenter, three southern, black women in our FemmSouth book club, about their perspectives on racism and the BLM movement.  Join us as we hear their thoughts on police brutality, speaking out against racial injustice, allyship, corporate integrity, white supremacy, education, and the impact Hollywood representation of black beauty has had on their personal journeys towards self-actualization and self-love. 

This episode is longer than previous episodes because so much needed to be said that to trim it down to 45 minutes just didn't seem right.  We feel confident that you will think so, too.  

Please rate us and give us some positive feedback!

In this episode Leigh and Amaya interview Anna Swisher, a facilitator for Joanna Macy’s The Work That Reconnects. Anna explains the evolution of Macy’s approach over the last half of the century, the foundational basis of Macy’s work in Deep Ecology and Systems Theory, and walks us through the stages of the spiral through which the workshops are organized. Amaya shares her transformative experiences working with Anna following her own burn out, and how Macy’s work provides a necessary support network for activists and communities built around activism. Anna also talks about what to expect from the workshop FemmSouth is hosting Sunday, May 31st, which will be the first in a series that will connect our community with others around the globe.

This particular workshop will look specifically at the experience of being a woman, and how we feel, experience, and make sense of what is happening in the world. We will draw strength and insight from previous generations as well, exploring our unique stories as women in the context of global crises. Where are our gifts, strengths, and joys in this life? What breaks our hearts? What are we motivated and inspired to act on behalf of? How can our emotion serve us in catalyzing change? What resources do we have, where does our true power come from, and how can we make a difference? These are some of the ideas we will explore together.

This workshop is open to anyone who identifies as female, and/or is comfortable being part of a group that we will collectively refer to as “women.” Please feel free to invite other women in your own communities.

Zoom Workshop Sunday, May 31st 1-3:15 PM (CT)

Sliding scale donation $20-25 (€19-24 euros)

To register, email Anna Swisher at [email protected]. Donations can be made via PayPal, Venmo, or bank transfer. Zoom link will be sent after registration is complete.

Check out https://workthatreconnects.org/

Check out https://www.femmsouth.com/

In this episode, Shannon and Leigh discuss Octavia Butler’s dystopian, afrofuturistic novel, The Parable of the Sower and the current coronavirus pandemic. Butler has imagined an all-too-real version of the United States if things like climate change and corporate greed are left unchecked. Much like Butler's imagined crisis, this pandemic has amplified the stark social, financial, and political inequalities that define life for so many of us. It is also shining the necessary light on the people that hold our society together. Uncertainty for the future resides, leaving some wanting to return to “normal” as quickly as possible and some, much like Lauren Olamina, planting seeds for something new to emerge.

We discuss important themes of death & resurrection, and how this pandemic is a time to reflect and reimagine a new way of being based on trust, equality, collaboration, and most importantly, agency in creating a future that cares for all people and the environment. Has Butler created a dystopian civilization on the verge of utopianism? Should we all be reading utopian fiction for inspiration to rebuild? We will have to read the second book in the unfinished trilogy to find out.

In our episode, we mention the Livestream event, Movement Building in the Time of the Coronavirus Crisis, hosted by Angela Davis, Naomi Klein, & The Movement for Black Lives. You can find this webinar and others on the Rising Majority website.

In this episode, Leigh interviews Reverend Ellen Sims from Open Table United Church of Christ in Mobile and Elizabeth Denham, LGBTQ+ advocate and owner of The Franchise Woman magazine. Both are connected to the advocacy & family support groups, Rainbow Mobile and Prism United.

If you've lived in the South for long, you know that churches can have a huge impact on the violence, fear, discrimination and rejection experienced by many LGBTQ+ persons. Despite the fact that many churches espouse an open door policy for all people, LGBTQ+ people are often met with disappointment at the realization that this inclusion does not extend to them or that their inclusion demands that they remain silent about their experiences.

In this episode, we discuss what true acceptance and inclusion look like beyond the lip service given by many churches, even ones that profess to be progressive. Ellen shares her congregation's open and affirming statement and how she has intentionally changed imagery and language to expound a non-gendered and non-anthropomorphic representation of God. She also addresses trauma inflicted by society and church and how she is particularly sensitive to reconciling and healing such trauma.

As a mother of a gay son and active member of the church, Elizabeth discusses her family's challenges within the church once her son came out and they became more vocal advocates for LGBTQ+ rights. She shares how she had to find a new church and a new denomination to protect her family. That search led her, her husband, their children and her parents to a church where each of them is loved and accepted and where their son is able to fully participate without discrimination.

Join us as we open the conversation.

Music by Emily Ellis Richards @emilyellisrichards

Here are some links for some of the organizations we mention in the episode:

Rainbow Mobile---https://rainbowmobile.org/

Prism United---https://prismunited.org/

Open Table United Church of Christ---https://www.opentableucc.org/

The Franchise Woman, https://thefranchisewoman.com/about-us/

The Gift of Struggle, https://www.thegiftofthestruggle.com/

Matthew Vines The Gay Debate...---https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezQjNJUSraY

In this episode, we go out into the community to see how Christian Feminism is being discussed and practiced in the local area. Leigh interviews Judith Comer, an ordained Episcopal Minister, and Jessica Deese, a mother of four children who is active in her local church community and school.

In this episode, we discuss the value of Feminist Theology from seminary to the pulpit.

Although Feminism and Christianity have often been cast as incompatible, and they certainly have a history of opposition, Christian women (among many others) have been challenging androcentric language (language that is oriented around the masculine) and scriptural interpretation that is both hierarchical and oppressive since the early first wave feminist movement in the 1800's. For example, some may not know that Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote The Woman's Bible, in which she reframes biblical interpretation used to vilify and oppress women for hundreds of years. So, why haven't Feminist & Womanist Theologians made more of an impact across Christian culture in America? What challenges do they face in small, predominately conservative areas like ours, and should women remain in a patriarchal institution when the fight for equality seems so uphill?

We also discuss how lay women can advocate equality and justice in their church communities and push back against the more fundamentalist narratives and political agendas that are dominating the conversations about Christianity and Christian values?

Join us as we tackle these issues and more.

Amazing cover art by Kelly Green @humblepaperartist & @warriorkellygreen. Please check out her work! We love her!

Music by Emily Ellis Richards @emilyellisrichards

We would love for you to support our work at Patreon @ https://www.patreon.com/Femmsouth

You can join our FB Bookclub group @FemmSouthBookclub

In this episode, Leigh and Shannon discuss restoring the equality of the Divine Feminine in Christianity by centering on biblical women and feminine expressions of the Divine in scripture. We look at Christian supremacy and its legacy of oppression. We learn the historical roots of feminism in Christianity, investigate where feminism has already shaped the Church, and identify where feminist theology has failed to reach local congregations. We ask whether women can continue to advocate for change within the institution by using language and liturgy that is centered on a discipleship of equals in the commonwealth of God, rather than a hierarchy that prioritizes white, cisgender, heterosexual men.

For this discussion, we draw inspiration from the book, a New Feminist Christianity: Many Voices, Many Views, which is a collection of essays edited by Mary E. Hunt and Dianna L. Neu. As a whole, these essays take an intersectional approach and consider a multitude of issues from many voices in academia and in the church, including women of color, women from various denominations, and the queer community, which is why we chose it. We wanted a text that would explore feminist theology as a way forward, but one that does not fail to directly address oppression and cultural hegemony.

Join us as we discuss restoring the equality of the Divine Feminine in Christianity by centering on biblical women and feminine expressions of the Divine in scripture. We look at Christian supremacy and its legacy of oppression. We learn the historical roots of feminism in Christianity, investigate where feminism has already shaped the Church, and identify where feminist theology has failed to reach local congregations. We ask whether women can continue to advocate for change within the institution by using language and liturgy that is centered on a discipleship of equals in the commonwealth of God, rather than a hierarchy that prioritizes white, cisgender, heterosexual men.

We recognize the challenge, but we hope at the very least to open a conversation towards reconciling difference. Can feminists find spiritual fulfillment in the Christian faith, and can Christian women feel empowered to question and challenge the patriarchal/kyriarchical structure of Christian institutions to enact change? We say yes, and it's already happening.

Artwork--© “St Mary Magdalene” by Br. Robert Lentz OFM, Courtesy of Trinity Stores,

https://www.trinitystores.com/. (800.699.4482)

Bonus episode featuring singer, songwriter and musician, Brenda Bledsoe. For over 17 years, Brenda has been writing songs inspired by the people and places that have impacted her life. She's been playing the flute and guitar for even longer.

In this episode, Brenda shares her new song, Let Your Truth Out, inspired by the recent violations against women's reproductive rights in Alabama. Brenda also discusses her own journey into speaking and living her truth after years of working in a male-dominated, corporate job. Now she's living her dream, playing folk music and building a farm with her husband.

We hope this song inspires others to speak their truths and live fully without fear of oppression.

If you want to listen to more music by Brenda or catch a live show, visit her website @https://brendabledsoe.com/

She's also a member of the Gypsy Spark Band, which is a collaboration between Brenda, Jimmy Lumpkin, and Talia Lumpkin. Check out their music @https://gypsysparkband.com/

For the second part of our episode on Trans Feminism, Sarah and Leigh interview transgender friends in the community to talk about coming out in the south. We hear transwomen’s perspectives on living with gender dysphoria, what coming out to their families has been like, how the church has influenced their transitioning, and what they think about passing within the socially constructed gender spectrum. We hear from a mother who is having to advocate for her child in the face of unsupportive family members and trying to build her own support system with close friends.

These interviews reveal just how important supportive family and friends are to the mental well being of trans gender and nonconforming individuals. This may seem intuitive for most of us, but discrimination is still rampant and creates barriers to self-esteem, proper mental healthcare and other essential human rights.

We are working to build awareness and support in our community by starting a Prism chapter in Fairhope and by talking more openly about trans issues. If you are interested in supporting LGBTQ+ youth in our area, reach out to Sarah Rutledge Fisher @https://www.facebook.com/PrismFairhopeAL/

Let us know what you think, and get into the conversation by joining our online FB Bookclub Group @FemmSouth Bookclub.

Join us as we explore Sarah McBride's book, "Tomorrow Will Be Different," a touching, personal memoir that covers her transition story, her journey into transgender activism, and the tragic loss of her husband to cancer. Sarah's book is also a primer on the many complex issues facing the transgender community through the lens of her life as a transgender woman and LGBTQ+ activist. It's a great way for people who are not already personally connected to the trans world to engage with empathy and understanding.

Sarah's story is also an avenue to explore the ways in which the issues faced by the trans community arise from the same patriarchal oppression that we confront in our study and practice of feminism. Since trans issues are feminist issues, we must work to educate ourselves to be effective allies. To that end, we discuss our society's evolving understanding of gender, our problematic tendency to assign value to passing, the Title VII cases currently before the Supreme Court, and other trans-feminist issues.

Let us know what you think, and get into the conversation by joining our online FB Bookclub Group @FemmSouth Bookclub.