There’s this meme that the slime pitters are trying to pass around that my petition to have Justin Vacula removed as the co-chair of the Pennsylvania state Secular Coalition chapter was part of a bullying campaign against him. I won’t try to tell anyone I’m particularly nice to Vacula, but really, I think a bullying campaign generally has to consist of more than answering when someone asks me what I think of something or standing up for upset people who don’t have a platform of their own. Of course, in this case, I’m going to do something that isn’t quite either of those. Continue reading “What Melody Hensley Has to Teach You About Professionalism”
Women in Secularism
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A Taste of 2012
There was one fairly obvious theme on this blog in 2012. Anyone who’s been around for most of it knows I did an awful lot of feminist blogging. That started all the way back in January, when I interviewed Melody Hensley on Atheists Talk about the Women in Secularism conference. Feminism is always pretty overt at the ScienceOnline conferences in Raleigh as well.
Things really ramped up at the WiS conference, of course. My most-read post this year is the one I wrote during the conference and on the plane on the way home, when I realized an off-hand comment from Jen McCreight was going to be very big indeed. So I followed up quickly to put some of that energy to good use. I’m very happy to say it was successful, if not entirely easy going. Continue reading “A Taste of 2012”
Women in Secularism 2 Registration Now Open
An awful lot of people were sorry to have missed the Women in Secularism conference last year. They couldn’t afford to go after the Reason Rally. They didn’t know the conference was welcoming to men. They didn’t find out in time to make it a priority. Whatever the reason, they didn’t go.
If you were one of those people, you’ve got another chance. Registration for Women in Secularism 2 just opened today. It’s May 17-19, 2013, once again in D.C. And just look at that list of speakers:
Lauren Becker educator, organizer, vice president & director of CFI Outreach
Ophelia Benson author, editor, commentator, Butterflies & Wheels
Jamila Bey author, editor, journalist
Soraya Chemaly writer, activist
Greta Christina writer, blogger, Greta Christina’s Blog
R. Elisabeth Cornwell evolutionary psychologist, executive director of Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science US
Vykie Garrison creator of No Longer Quivering
Debbie Goddard activist, organizer, director of CFI On Campus and African Americans for Humanism
Adriana Heguy biologist
Melody Hensley executive director of CFI–Washington, DC, organizer, Women in Secularism
Teresa MacBain public relations director, American Atheists
Amanda Marcotte author, journalist, executive editor, Pandagon
Katha Pollitt essayist, critic, poet
Edwina Rogers executive director of the Secular Coalition for America
Amy Davis Roth artist, blogger, skepchick.org
Desiree Schell activist, podcast host, Skeptically Speaking
Shelley Segal singer, songwriter
Rebecca Watson cohost of Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, creator of skepchick.org
Stephanie Zvan blogger, Almost Diamonds, radio host, Atheists Talk
Huh. Lookit that. Yes, I’ll be on one panel and moderating another next year. That means you won’t get the full benefit of my live-tweeting all the sessions, so you’d best see it in person.
Prices are discounted through March 15 of next year, but I wouldn’t wait that long. It won’t surprise me at all if registration is full this year.
Atheists Talk: Melody Hensley on the Women in Secularism Conference
I usually post these on Fridays, but this Sunday, I’m doing the interview rather than just hosting. That means you get to participate more than usual. If you have questions you’d like asked during the show, leave a comment. I can’t promise we’ll get them all in, but we’ll do what we can.
2011 was an interesting year for women in the secularism movement. We were more visible than we’ve ever been, both in the U.S. and across the world. At the same time, a simple request to respect women’s wishes with regard to being hit on at atheist events provoked months of discussion, both positive and very, very negative.
In the middle of all of this, the Center for Inquiry announced that they would be hosting the first Women in Secularism conference May 18-20 of this year in Washington, DC. The list of speakers is diverse and highly accomplished. The reaction to the announcement was…varied.
This conference is the brainchild of the Executive Director of the DC branch of the Center for Inquiry, Melody Hensley. Join us this Sunday as we discuss with Melody the impetus for the conference, the contributions of women to the secularism movement, and what attendees can expect from the conference.
Related Links:
- Conference information and registration
- CFI’s announcement of the conference and the discussion that followed
- One speaker’s reaction to the accusations of rampant “radical” feminism over the conference
Listen to AM 950 KTNF this Sunday at 9 a.m. Central to hear Atheists Talk, produced by Minnesota Atheists. Stream live online. Call in to the studio at 952-946-6205, or send an e-mail to [email protected] during the live show. If you miss the live show, listen to the podcast later.