On-Air Interviews and Readings featuring Writers and Artists

Simone de Beauvoir discusses the art of writing

Recorded in Paris with Studs Terkel, Simone de Beauvoir describes her philosophies of life and writing her memoirs, discussing: her childhood upbringing in Catholic school, dynamics with her parents, artistic influences in her life, the experience of being a woman writer, and wartime.

Tags Art, Autobiography, Catholic school, Childhood, Literature, Parents, philosophy, Writing

Marilyn Coffey

Irene Yarrow hosts writer and poet Marilyn Coffey on the show Everywomanspace. The program starts with Marilyn reading several of her poems: "Insight," "The Diet," "Wordlessly," and "Observation." Irene and Marilyn discuss Marilyn's brief career in journalism and development as a writer, and the writing of her novel, Marcella, a coming-of-age story. Marilyn then reads an excerpt from Marcella.

After the excerpt, Marilyn Coffey explains the projects she has been working on more recently--her second novel, books of essays, and teaching English at Pratt Institute. Irene and Marilyn discuss the difficulties of switching between various forms of writing, like poetry vs. prose vs. non-fiction. Marilyn also reflects on how joining the Women's Movement and becoming a feminist has changed her writing and the reception of her writing. They discuss how deeply ingrained the patriarchy is in their lives and consciousnesses. Marilyn reads a final poem, "Cold," to end the program.

Tags Childhood, Discrimination, Feminism, Job Discrimination, Literature, Poetry, Sexism, Social Movements, Women's Political Movements, Writing

Victoria Brownworth Speaks with Bertha Harris

Victoria Brownworth interviews author Bertha Harris in an episode of Amazon Country. Bertha discusses how writing has been a means of freedom and escape for her, and how she would like fiction to help define what it means to be a lesbian. They also explore whether and how the patriarchy has an impact on what women write. They ruminate on the overlap between politics and art.

Tags Bertha Harris, Discrimination, Feminism, Lesbian authors, lesbian identity, Lesbian Literature, Lesbian Musician, Lesbian Separatism, Lesbian Writer, Media, Music, Songs, women's music, Writing

13th Moon: Marilyn Hacker and Grace Paley

Presented in the Women's Studies series, this episode contains poetry readings by Marilyn Hacker, an editor for feminist literary magazine 13th Moon, and poet Grace Paley.

Tags Feminism, Lesbian authors, Lesbian Writer, Literature, Poetry, Writing

The Deadly Nightshade: Pamela Brandt and Helen Hooke Speak about the Nightshade and Women's Music

This episode of The Women's Music Hour contains an interview with Pamela Brandt and Helen Hooke, who make up one of the first American all female bands, The Deadly Nightshade.

Tags Feminism, Lesbian Musician, Media, Music, Songs, women's music

It's a Jungle Out There: Jan Alpert Speaks with Rita Mae Brown and reads from her Books

Jan Alpert and Rita Mae Brown discuss Rita Mae's career path and motivations outside of being a writer, as well as her involvement as a street organizer in the women's and gay rights movements. Occasionally throughout the interview, Jan will read excerpts from Rubyfruit Jungle, Rita Mae's first novel, and In Her Day, Rita Mae's second novel. While discussing In Her Day, they cover the lessons Rita Mae learned from writing it.

Tags Activism, Civil Rights, Discrimination, Lesbian Activists, Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, Lesbian authors, Lesbian Writer, Organizing, Rita Mae Brown, Social Movements, Violence, Women's Political Movements, Writing

The Varied Voices of Black Women

Donna Allegra hosts members of The Varied Voices of Black Women, a touring poetry and music production, on The Lesbian Show. Guests include poet Pat Parker, singer and percussionist Linda Tillery, pianist Mary Watkins and Gwen Avery.

Tags Black Lesbians, Black women, Feminist Theater, Music, Performing Arts, Theater, women's music

Mischief Mime

On this episode of The Velvet Sledgehammer, Donna Allegra interviews members of Mischief Mime, a two woman theater troupe from Ithaca, New York. Mischief Mime tours and teaches nationally to prove artists can make it outside of the larger cities.

Tags Feminist Theater, Performing Arts, Theater

Disquieting Muses and Women on Trial:
The Forbidden Texts of the Three Marias

For this episode of All Night Sunday with the Radio On, Suzan Shown interviews the cast and creator of Disquieting Muses: A Response to the Suicides of Women Artists, discussing the feeling of obligation to find a man, get married, and otherwise fulfill the role of what a woman is supposed to be.

Episode includes a reading of an untitled poem by Marilyn Monroe. Features a recording of Women on Trial: The Forbidden Texts of the Three Marias, a one-night only performance about the case of three women authors who wrote against Portugal's dictatorship and were subsequently put on trial.

Tags Activism, Femininity & Masculinity, Feminist Theater, Gender Roles, law, Marriage, Mental Health, Performing Arts, Suicide, Theater

Disquieting Muses: A Response to the Suicide of Women Artists

Suzan Shown interviews the cast and creator of the theater show Disquieting Muses: A Response to the Suicides of Women Artists, which examines suicides among women artists.

Tags Art, Discrimination, Feminst Theater, Mental Health, Performing Arts, Suicide, Theater

Viv Sutherland Speaks with Myrna Lamb about Her New Play

Myrna Lamb guest stars on Women's Studies to talk about her new play, Apple Pie. Apple Pie is a musical theater piece about a woman's life in Nuremberg. The play grapples with issues of moral truths and internal and external judgement. Myrna and Viv also discuss the difficulties and complexities of being a woman playright, and various ways that the play attempts to tackle sexism, racism, and anti-semitism in society. They also discuss Myrna's run-ins with male directors in theater and the complex feelings people have about male directors directing women's stories.

Tags Anti-Semitism, Feminist Theater, Racism, Sexism, Theater

Interview with Marge Piercy

On this episode of Everywomanspace, Irene Yarrow interviews poet and author Marge Piercy. Marge discusses her book "Woman on the Edge of Time" and (side B) reads her poems "To Be of Use" and " Living in the Open."

Tags Literature, Marge Piercy, Poetry, Publications, Writing

A Woman's Place - Kate Millett Speaks About Sita

(Side A) Viv Sutherland welcomes listeners to The Velvet Sledgehammer and announces that the show's program will include "Hot Flashes," women's news from "Majority Report"; a story on "A Woman's Place" produced by Irene Yarrow; and an interview of author Kate Millett about her book Sita (1976) conducted by Judy Pasternak and Viv Sutherland.

The first segment is "Hot Flashes," a women's news report announced by Nancy Borman. Topics covered include: an "anti-wedding" event sponsored by Majority Report to discuss the sexist details of marriage contracts, Valerie Solanas reprinting Scum Manifesto after the original publisher went out of business and the copyright reverted to her, New York's announcement of plans for a large-scale Women's Rights rally, events for Lesbian Pride Week, and a bill to legalize abortion in Italy.

Irene Yarrow then introduces a tape about "A Woman's Place," a feminist collective in upstate New York that has existed for three years but is now in danger of closing due to lack of support. Irene recorded this tape at "A Woman's Place" and features women's songs, poetry and feelings about what the retreat has meant to them. The recording begins at 19:25 and continues onto side B. Irene announces that women interested in learning about "A Woman's Place" or contributing to save it can contact her. She attributes the music in the recording to Ruth Pelham, and the poetry to Erica Silver.

Kate Millet guest stars in the last segment, discussing her new autobiographical novel, Sita, with Judy Pasternak and Viv Sutherland. Kate describes the plot of Sita as "the plotline of the woman destroyed." She rebuffs "malicious" reviews that called her work either "icky" and "pukey" or "pornographic" for being queer. She considers these reviews to be motivated by bigotry. Kate recounts that a major motivation in writing Sita was to describe the loss of a lover, which she felt does not exist in any other book. She says she wanted to "write a very musical and very romantic book in praise of love: in praise, even, of its melancholy and possible futility." Kate also discusses hoping for "company" in writing "these kinds of books," but that she is alone in having to "take abuse" for them. With Judy Pasternak and Viv Sutherland, Kate Millett reflects on activism and efforts to dismantle the patriarchy. The interview closes with discussion of Kate's visual art.

Tags Abortion, Activism, Art, Autobiography, Death and Dying, Discrimination, Gay Pride, heterosexual marriage, Lesbian Pride Rallies, Love, Marriage, New York, Pornography, Publications, Queer Activism, Romance, Women

Women Writing Series - Episode 2

Irene Yarrow opens this episode of Everywomanspace with information about Lesbian Switchboard and Identity House to help listeners who want to know how to reach the gay community. She recommends these organizations and coming-out groups, along with consciousness-raising groups, for any woman who wants to get together with other women to discuss issues relating to feminism or lesbianism.

Irene interviews Jan Clausen, a poet and writer from Oregon who reads her short story, "The Warsaw Ghetto." Irene and Jan discuss autobiographical writing, the experience of writing about friends and acquaintances, incorporating the political into personal writing, and receiving feedback as a writer. They also debate the question of whether feminist and lesbian writers should publish with women's presses or commercial presses, prompted by a questionnaire Jan sent to a number of lesbian writers, which she describes as her "writing community." Finally, Irene asks Jan if she feels that her stories with "lesbian content" limit her to a lesbian audience. Both hope that all women would be interested in women's content, regardless of sexuality. Jan also reads her poems, "The Christmas Letter" and "This is a Poem for You, Mary."

Irene also takes questions from callers (side B) including a woman asking for advice on how to find resources to respond to her younger sister coming out and a woman who wanted to share her opinion that publishing through women's presses will be the only option when the women's movement "goes out of vogue."

Tags Autobiography, Coming Out, Feminism, Lesbian authors, Lesbian Community, Lesbian feminism, Lesbian Writer, Poetry, Writing

An Evening with Anaïs Nin - interviewed by Judy Chicago

Part 4 of the Women in the Arts series, introduced by the director of Drama and Literature at KPFK, Clare Spark Loeb. Judy Chicago hosts and interviews author Anaïs Nin on the subjects of feminist literature and women's liberation. They discuss a disagreement they previously had about anger and women's liberation. Anaïs also reads from and discusses her book, Fourth Diary.

Tags Art, Autobiography, Feminism, Literature, Sexuality, Women's Liberation Movement, Writing

Pleasure by Barbara Barracks

Author Barbara Barracks is interviewed on the show Prose, produced by Sharon Martin. Barbara reads Chapter 10 of her novel Pleasure.

Tags Feminst Theater, Literature, Sexuality, Theater, Writing

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