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FemFest Celebrates Feminism In Pensacola

A celebration of feminism comes to Pensacola this weekend to benefit a local rape crisis center.  The event is called FemFest 2017, and it takes place over three nights is three different locations. Kirstin Norris is one of the organizers. "FemFest is a celebration of feminism here in Pensacola. And our beneficiary is Lakeview Center's Rape Crisis and Trauma Recovery Program."

The first night of FemFest is a feminist film festival Thursday evening at the First City Art Center. "We are going to have a screening of a couple of short feminist films in our first hour. In our second hour we are going to be moving over to another location at First City Art Center [and have] a panel discussion with several different experts on feminist theory about the relationship between transgender women and feminism."

There is no charge to attend the screening and panel discussion on Thursday evening, or the event on Friday evening at a new location. "We are very excited to host this event at Chizuko, which is a new event space in the Belmont/DeVilliars District." Friday's event is called Womanhood in Lavender, and it's presented by the Black Women Empower Collective."It's going to be a night of singing, poetry, dancing, visual art and it's all going to be center around black women." Friday evening’s event is open to people 18 years of age or older.

On Saturday, FemFest concludes with a production of Eve Ensler’s play the Vagina Monologues at the Artel Art Gallery. "We have a cast of local women. And the thing that we love about the Vagina Monologues is that these are real stories that come from real women."  There will also be an art sale Saturday evening featuring the work of local artists. "While we're at Artel, the Women's Studies Collective at UWF  will be having their Feminist Iconography exhibit on display."

Kirstin Norris says she hopes all people who come to this event leave with a more positive view of what it means to be a feminist. "Feminism is a hot topic right now and it has been for a long time. But I'm really hoping that people will walk away from this understanding that this is not a group of angry, protesting people. That we're really just here to celebrate. We are here to celebrate our differences. We are here to celebrate all of the wonderful diversity in our community. And we're here to come together and encourage and uplift one and other and that's really, for me, what feminism is all about."

FemFest 2017 is this Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. All events are open to all and are free of charge except for the performance of The Vagina Monologues at the Artel gallery on Saturday evening. Tickets for that performance are $10 at the door. 

Bob Barrett has been a radio broadcaster since the mid 1970s and has worked at stations from northern New York to south Florida and, oddly, has been able to make a living that way. He began work in public radio in 2001. Over the years he has produced nationally syndicated programs such as The Environment Show and The Health Show for Northeast Public Radio's National Productions.