On 9th March 2019 BWC, Brighton Dome and Brighton Museums once again joined forces to host the city’s largest annual International Women’s Day celebrations. Gender equality was firmly on the agenda at this free and inclusive event to celebrate women’s achievements and raise vital funds for BWC. This all-day event offered an expertly curated programme of inspiring speakers, activists and innovators, pay-as-you-feel workshops, arts and crafts, causes and campaigns, and fun for all the family.
In the ‘Justice for Women’ panel, women from both sides of the criminal justice system come together to debate what needs to be done to make Britain’s justice system a fairer place for women. Chaired by BWC Director – Lisa Dando, panellists included Caroline Lucas – Brighton Pavilion MP; Meena Patel – Southall Black Sisters; Lady Unchained – National Prison Radio; and Clair Cain – Women In Prison.
Sophie Cook, former Labour Party Parliamentary Candidate, RAF veteran, writer, broadcaster, photographer, self-harm and suicide survivor, and transgender – traced a journey from private torment to personal triumph in her talk Not Today: How I Chose Life.
In A Level Playing Field PR manager Karen Dobres and goalkeeper Faye Baker from Lewes FC discussed drawing a line under pay inequality in sport. Lewes Football Club is the world’s first pro or semi-pro football club to pay their women’s team the same as their men’s.
In her unique talk All Art is Propaganda Juliet Sargeant, renowned, gold medal winning garden designer and TV presenter, shared her experience of creating the first ever social campaign garden at The Chelsea Flower Show entitled Modern Slavery. In a special workshop for parents, carers, workers and anyone connected with children up to age eight, The Early Childhood Project explored questions like “How can we bring up our children with a conscious anti-bias attitude?”
Award-winning authors Juno Dawson and Tanya Byrne discussed intersectional feminism and the launch of PROUD, their teen LGBTQ anthology. Social entrepreneur, campaigner, single parent and feminist Muslim Miss YasminIsYasmin explored how being a whistleblower changed her world, and her love affair with Bangladesh. Authors Umi Sinha and Ruth Figgest, discussed the power of family patterns, how they shape us, the compromises women across the world have to make, and whether it is possible to break free and find our own ways of belonging, with specific reference to women’s continuing struggle for equality in both East and West.
Pay-As-You-Feel workshops throughout the day included A History of Deaf Women with Introduction to British Sign Language with Claire Chilton, Body Positivity with Free the Nipple Brighton, Tackling Period Poverty with Sister Society and The Red Box Project, The Joy of Singing with local homeless choir group – The Choir With No Name, Yoga with Christina Christoph, Children’s Coding with Barclays Digital Eagles, Words of Empowerment Placard Painting with Baxter & Bailey, Tackle Your Inner Critic with Soul Circus, Sing Your Heart Out with Aneesa Choudhry, Jam out with Soul of the City Choir!
There was plenty more to see and do around the Dome with The Women’s Liberation Music Archive Listening Party from Traumfrau, pay-as-you-feel buffet from The Real Junk Food Project, a pop-up by Brighton Feminist Bookshop with Myriad Editions, Cultural Sharing Area from the Network of International Women, Conversation Corner from BelongCon, pop-up dance performances by Swallowsfeet Collective dance group, and photo exhibitions by local women. Brighton Museum exhibitions were also open including Votes for Women, Queer Looks and The Museum of Transology.
Check out our IWD gallery here.