*What’s on this week? *
This Thursday 13/6 (yikes, that’s tomorrow!) we’re holding the second edition of our Manifestos series, with longtime MFU collaborator Margaret Mayhew discussing the SCUM Manifesto. Was it Swiftean satire or a political program? 6.30-8pm at The Alderman, 134 Lygon St East Brunswick.
*“ ‘Life’ in this ‘society’ being, at best, an utter bore and no aspect of ‘society’ being at all relevant to women, there remains to civic-minded, responsible, thrill-seeking females only to overthrow the government, eliminate the money system, institute complete automation and eliminate the male sex.” * In 1967, New York writer and hustler Valerie Solanis started selling mimeographed copies of her booklet arguing for the violent overthrow of the Patriarchy, and the biological elimination of all men. The manifesto has been mired in controversy ever since; over whether the extremist demands were serious precursor to radical feminism, or part of a literary device satirising the prevailing view of women as ‘the weaker sex.’. 50 years after its publication, Margaret will consider if and how the SCUM manifesto can be considered as relevant to and useful for gender politics of the 21st century. We will examine the role of scandalous critique in informing radical movements, and consider how the SCUM manifesto continues to influence feminism and transgender politics today.
>> Dr Margaret Mayhew is a Melbourne based artist, academic and activist.
She is interested in how the politics of gender and sexuality are enacted through everyday cultural practices particularly in visual culture, fashion, craftivism, sex entertainment and life drawing. She has taught at La Trobe University, Melbourne University, University of Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney.
*What’s coming up? *
*Thursday 20 June **Welcome to the Coven: Organising Feminist Activism in the Digital Age
<https://melbourne-free-university.org/welcome-to-the-coven/>*
*Sunday 23 June **SUICIDE: A Crossing Avenues Workshop
<https://melbourne-free-university.org/suicide-crossing-avenues/>*
*Thursday 27 June What’s going on in Venezuela? *(details coming soon!)
*Missed a session? *
Catch up on any sessions you missed by streaming them from the MFU’s page <https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Melbourne+Free+University%22>
on the Internet Archive — John Bradley’s fantastic talk on learning language, learning country is now up here <https://archive.org/details/MFU190502245191.03Pm>!
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