Birthright: Another type of birthing controversy

You've heard us examine the issue of choice many times here on Bread and Roses, usually in the context of reproductive freedoms and the abortion issue. As feminists we believe it's every woman's choice to determine what happens with her body. And this goes not just for the choice to HAVE a child, but for the choice of HOW that child is born. Here in Oregon, we are blessed to have the option to birth at home, in a comfortable and safe setting that fosters family bonding.

On February 12 on Bread and Roses, we are excited to explore the issue of birth rights, the home birth issue, and efforts nationwide to see that families have a choice when it comes to how they bring children into this world. Later in the show we'll be joined by midwives from ALMA to talk about midwives' model of care and the challenges that model faces from the more mainstream hospital birth model.

We'll also be joined by the co-chair of South Dakota Safe Childbirth Options, a group advocating for the implementation of safe homebirth options for families in South Dakota -- where trained midwives can -- and HAVE -- served jail time for attending home births. We'll also talk with a woman who chose to have an un-assisted birth in South Dakota, when there was no other option for homebirth available to her. We'll also take time at the end of the show for people to call in with their questions regarding home birth and midwifery.

Join us!

6 PM Pacific
www.kboo.fm
90.7 FM in the Portland area

12/18/09: Sex Trafficking and Mammograms

Join us for a two-part Bread and Roses this Friday, December 18, 2009!

Part 1. Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking Part 2. New Mammogram Mandates

6:00 - 6:30 Esther Nelson from the Sexual Assault Resource Center will be interviewed by Ashley about her work with local girls who have been trafficked into underage prositution here in the local community. Listeners will learn what warning signs to look for in order to protect our girls and inform them about traffickers' tactics.

6:30 - 7:00 Host Nico will interview local physicians about the new mandates that have recently been released around mammogram testing. Listeners will be able to call in to ask the doctors questions, as well as voice any concerns that they might have.

Join us!

Portland's All-Women Circus show 10/9/09

Join host Nico on Bread and Roses October 9 for a talk with members of Circus Artemis -- Portland's All-Women Circus!

Taking a cue from a legendary "strong woman," Portland's female circus artists have united under a common goal -- to blow audiences away with amazing feats of strength, skill and beauty. The circus will debut October 16-18.

We'll talk with creators and performers from Circus Artemis about the creation of the circus, traditional roles for women in circus performance, and how they're breaking barriers with the new show.

Natalia Kay from the Siren Nation music festival will also join us to talk about this year's lineup for the women's news and arts festival, coming up in November.

9/4/09 Show: Equalizing Girls' Education

School will soon be in session -- so it's time to focus on equalizing girls' education! We've come a long way since Title IX was passed three decades ago, but we still have a long way to go. Girls do get better grades than boys, but they're still lagging behind on standardized tests, and enrolling in the highest-tech subjects like physics, calculus, and chemistry. Teachers, whether they know it or not, still call on boys more than girls in class, and gloss over boys' aggressive behavior as part of their biological makeup. In this way, boys are also sold short by a perhaps-unconscious gender stereotype that expects them to be dominant in the classroom, and later the boardroom.

So what can we do about it? How do we help our students and educators work through gender stereotypes? And how can we continue to encourage girls to follow their dreams, and pursue careers in science, mathematics, and technology?

Join host Nico this Friday, September 4 at 6 pm for a discussion on girls' education worldwide, and efforts to level the playing field.

We'll be joined by Karen Jones from PCC/PAVTEC'S Middle School Girls Conference -- an annual conference that gives Portland-area girls exposure to careers in science, math, and technology.

We'll also be joined by Thomas Lwebuga and Julie Resnick, organizers at ZoomUganda -- a Portland-based charity currently raising funds to build science classrooms for a girls' high school in Uganda.

Rock Camp for Girls and Fat Fancy - August 14th

Join us this Friday, August 14th at 6:00PM as host Ashley Thirstrup speaks to campers and organizers of the 2009 Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls. The Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls is a non-profit that builds girls' self esteem through music, creation and perfomance. They provide workshops and technical training in order to create leadership opportunities, cutivate a supportive community of peers and mentors, and encourage social change and the development of life skills.

At 6:30, she will be talking with creators of Fat Fancy, an underground plus-sized clothing boutique. They will be discussing what it means to be 'size positive', and what we can do to support our sisters, daughters, friends, and ourselves in developing strong, positive body images regardless of our sizes.

7/10/09 Emi Koyama

Please join us Friday July 10, 2009 at 6:00PM Pacific as host, Ashley Thirstrup, talks with Emi Koyama, a local writer and social activist. Last year the city of Portland and the citizens of Montavilla 82^nd neighborhood began a campaign to criminalize sex workers by creating a Prostitution Free Zone. Our guest along with other concerned citizens, created a community group called 82^nd Cares in direct opposition to this repression. Last month she also helped to open up a safe center for sex workers in the same neighborhood called 82^nd and Foster Hospitality Space for Women. We will also talk about her work and writing around broadening worker's rights for sex workers, and what other feminists can do to support.

What Is Feminism Anyway?

Bridget B. here and I'll be your host for the next edition of Bread and Roses at 6pm on Friday, June 19. Set your dial to KBOO 90.7FM and listen in as I talk about Feminism with references from key voices from the feminist movement, including Gloria from All In The Family, Gloria Steinem and Rebecca Walker.

Yes, this will be my last show with Bread & Roses and I wouldn't have come this far in producing shows like this had it not been for the wonderful opportunities to create radio with the help of this collective. I'll still be on KBOO every other Saturday night from 7pm - 10pm hosting an Evening of Afrotainment and will continue to produce public affairs pieces for either podcasting or airing on other programs. Send me an email and let me know if you'd like to be added to the email list for future announcements on my shows.

Till next time...stay well.

Bridget B.