Podcast appearances and mentions of kate raphael

Kate Raphael talks to Shireen Zeidan, Administrative Coordinator of the Women's Support Center in Nablus, Occupied Palestine. The Women's Support Center works to empower and protect women while struggling for liberation for all the Palestinian people. Then Kate sits down with Tara Dorabji, long-time host of KPFA's APEX Express, to discuss Tara's debut novel, Call Her Freedom, a multigenerational novel of female strength and relationship, set in a fictional country very much like Indian-occupied Kashmir. With music by George Lammam Ensemble and Tracy Chapman The post All About Occupation: From Palestine to Kashmir appeared first on KPFA.

Today on the Show: The legendary William Means, co-founder of the American Indian Movement, and a leader in the struggle to free Leonard Peltier…And we'll continue our special reports from writer-activist, Kate Raphael, in the Occupied West Bank where violent settlers continue to collaborate with the IDF to threaten, beat and kill Palestinians and steal their land. The post Flashpoints – November 27, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Today on the Show: Israel continues its Genocide in Gaza. Nora Barrows Friedman documents another week of violence and mass murder in Gaza. And we'll feature a special report from writer-activist, Kate Raphael, from the Occupied West Bank where violent settlers continue to collaborate with the IDF to beat and kill Palestinians and steal their land. And where harvesting olives has become a deadly affair. And poet Anita Barrows joins us  with a poem on day 411 of the Genocide The post Flashpoints – November 20, 2024 appeared first on KPFA.

Today on  KPFA Radio's Women's Magazine  Kate Raphael and Rae Abileah  who will talk to Jewish Feminist Queer  author, scholar  and activist  Judith Butler about two topics she has become famous for reshaping and making part of everyday discourse, that is  gender and anti-zionism .  If  somehow you are one of the few people who  haven't heard of  American philosopher,  gender studies scholar and anti zionist and Queer feminist activist Judith Butler  they have written over a dozen books including their seminal book “Gender Trouble” which came out in 1990 and which shook up the academic and political world with her redefinition of gender.  And they have been have been a major  influence on  political philosophy, ethics, and the fields of third-wave feminism, queer theory ,and literary theory, and if that wasn't impactful enough  they  are also are  a huge force in support of Palestinian rights.  For Butler's  concept of gender as having  been constructed they have been seen as a threat throughout the modern world — to national security in Russia; to civilization, according to the Vatican; to the American traditional family; to protecting children from pedophilia and grooming, according to some conservatives and by Zionist they are excoriated as a defender of Hamas terrorism and banned from Israel. So we thought it would be important to talk to UC Berkeley Professor Judith Butler about her views on gender and zionism for fund drive and offer her newest book on gender as a thank you gift for your contribution to our fund drive.  And to interview Judith  Butler we are very lucky to have two experienced Queer activists,  novelist, journalist, anarcha/feminist and queer activist and a long-time producer with  KPFA's  Women's Magazine Kate Raphael is  co housing with social change strategist and ordained  Jewish faith leader Rae Abileah  and they will be leading  our  conversation with Judith Butler today .  In the first half of the interview  Kate Raphael will talk to  Butler about their  newest book on gender  and in the second half of the show Rae will talk  with  Butler about her  book “Parting Ways Jewishness and the Critique of Zionism” that came out in 2013  as well as  her thoughts about anti-zionism today. The post Judith Butler on Anti-Zionism and Gender appeared first on KPFA.

Today  we have a special show for fund drive co hosted by feminist Queer activists  Kate Raphael and Rae Abileah  who will talk to Jewish Feminist Queer  author, scholar  and activist  Judith Butler about two topics they have become famous for reshaping and making part of everyday discourse, that is  gender and anti-zionism .  If  somehow you are one of the few people who  haven't heard of  American philosopher,  gender studies scholar and anti zionist and Queer feminist activist Judith Butler   they have written over a dozen books including their seminal book Gender Trouble which came out in 1990 and which shook up the academic and political world with her redefinition of gender.  and they have been have been a major  influence on  political philosophy, ethics, and the fields of third-wave feminism,[2] queer theory,[3] and literary theory, and if they wasn't enough they  are also important to anti zionist activist and Queer activists since  to many in these movements they are  a huge force in support of these  movements. for Butler's  concept of gender as having  been constructed they have been seen as a threat throughout the modern world — to national security in Russia; to civilization, according to the Vatican; to the American traditional family; to protecting children from pedophilia and grooming, according to some conservatives and by Zionist they are excoriated as a defender of Hamas terrorism and banned from Israel. And to interview Judith  Butler we are very lucky to have two experienced Queer activists,  novelist, journalist, anarcha/feminist and queer activist and a long-time producer with  KPFA's  Women's Magazine Kate Raphael is  co housing with social change strategist and ordained  Jewish faith leader Rae Abileah  and they will be leading  our  conversation with Judith Butler today .  In the first half of the interview  Kate Raphael will talk to  Butler about their  newest book on gender “Whose Afraid of Gender” that looks at the right wings  utilization of gender to attack Queers, trans people  and women. And in the second half of the show Rae will talk  with  Butler about her  book “Parting Ways Jewishness and the Critique of Zionism” that came out in 2013  as well as  her thoughts about anti-zionism today.  The post Judith Butler – Challenging the right, gender binaries and Israeli settler colonialism appeared first on KPFA.

Hate to be that bummer podcast, but Zionism has invaded party culture, too.    Mama Ganuush discusses Adam Swig, a party promoter from the real estate empire that brought you San Francisco's posh Fairmont and St. Francis hotels.   Next, we talk Israel's colonization of the Playa, complete with a Nova Music Festival memorial, and a “No donations for Doctors Without Borders” policy at the queer Comfort & Joy camp.   More episodes on with Zionist culture-washing: “Civic Joy Brings Sorrow” with Mama Ganuush https://www.patreon.com/posts/civic-joy-brings-108848550?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link “Zionists and Counterinsurgency in Stop Asian Hate” with Dylan Rodriguez https://www.patreon.com/posts/zionists-and-in-103600189?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link “The Anti-Zionist Boycott of Manny's” with Deeg https://www.patreon.com/posts/anti-zionist-of-106162019?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link “Pinkwashing Genocide” with Brooke Lober, Deeg and Mama Ganuush https://www.patreon.com/posts/pinkwashing-f-108029935?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link “Queers for a Free Palestine” with Kate Raphael https://www.patreon.com/posts/queers-for-free-109660043?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link “Haaretz confirms Grayzone reporting it dismissed as ‘conspiracy' showing Israel killed own festivalgoers” (via The Grayzone) https://thegrayzone.com/2023/11/21/haaretz-grayzone-conspiracy-israeli-festivalgoers/amp/   Support us and find links to our past episodes: patreon.com/sadfrancisco  

Today   on KPFA Radio's Women's Magazine Lisa Dettmer and Kate Raphael talk to two Israeli spiritually informed Jewish activists and scholars about  what  the role  and effects are  of trauma are in living and growing up in the apartheid state of  Israel  on both their own lives, and the lives of others in Israel/Palestine and how that trauma and the exploitation of that trauma has supported the militaristic and colonialist Zionist state of Israel.  And we discuss  how racism and white supremacy are intrinsically part  of the  colonialist  Zionist project in Israel  from its founding and how healing from trauma is one of the important steps to peace. We talk to Meital Yaniv  who was born in Israel, and is learning how to be in a human form. they do things with words, with moving and still images, with threads, with bodies in front of bodies, with the Earth. they are a death laborer tending to a prayer for the liberation of the land of Palestine and the lands of our bodies. they keep Fires and submerge themselves in Ocean and Sea Water often. yaniv is learning to listen to the Waters, birdsongs, caretakers, and ancestors as they walk as a guest on the home and gathering place of the Cahuilla-ʔívil̃uwenetem Meytémak, Tongva-Kizh Nation, Luiseño-Payómkawichum, and Serrano-Yuhaaviatam/Maarenga'yam.yaniv is the author of bloodlines. They make offerings through true name collective. And we talk to Hadar Cohen who  is an Arab Jewish scholar, mystic and artist. She is the founder of Malchut, a spiritual skill building school teaching Jewish mysticism and direct experience of God. She cultivated her own curriculum on the cosmology of creation and teaches it through her training God Fellowship. Malchut is also home for her Jewish Mystical School that includes a library of her classes and a community platform for connection. She is a 10th-generation Jerusalemite with lineage roots also in Syria, Kurdistan, Iraq and Iran. Hadar consults and teaches on Judaism, multi-faith solidarity, spiritual and political activism and more. Her podcast, Hadar's Web, features community conversations on spirituality, healing, justice, and art. Hadar coaches and mentors people 1:1 as well as leads and facilitates groups and community gatherings. Hadar weaves the spiritual with the political through performance art, writing, music and ritual.  Hadar can be heard at her substack where she share writings, events and talks for people who want to stay connected https://hadarcohen.substack.com       The post Role of Trauma and need for healing in Israel w two spiritually informed Jewish Israeli activists, and scholars, Meital Yaniv and Hadar Cohen appeared first on KPFA.

Gaslighting and double-standards are all over the media and at schools, where Zionists often get put on pedestals, while pro-Palestinian voices get silenced. A discussion of how censorship works on and off college campuses, featuring: Dylan Rodriguez, co-founder of Critical Resistance and the Critical Ethnic Studies Association, and professor of Media and Cultural Studies at UC Riverside Loubna Qutami, co-founder of the Palestinian Feminist Collective and the Palestinian Youth Movement, and assistant professor in Asian American Studies at UCLA Shownotes: Palestine Legal: 'Distorted Definition: Redefining Antisemitism to Silence Advocacy for Palestinian Rights'  'Professor 'un-hiring' fuels battle for academic freedom' (Toshio Meronek, Waging Nonviolence) 'Students fight smears as universities back Israel's genocidal attacks' (Nora Barrows-Friedman, Electronic Intifada) A Communique on Sabotaging Zionist Infrastructure: Shutting Down Friends of the IDF (IndyBay) 'The Lobby' (Al Jazeera documentary on the Israel lobby, featuring UC Davis) Dylan on Instagram | Twitter | YouTube Loubna on Academia.edu | Twitter  Past episodes on Palestine: Queers for a Free Palestine with Kate Raphael; the Antizionist Boycott of Manny's with Deeg Support Sad Francisco and find links to our past episodes on Patreon.  If you are in the Bay this weekend: THIS SATURDAY, 12/2/23 Palestine solidarity action c/o QUIT! and Gay Shame, 1 p.m. at Market and Castro THIS SUNDAY, 12/3/23  Howard Zinn Book Fair    

 Today we talk  about the genocide and occupation in Gaza by Israel  and the censorship that has exploded in talking about these situation along with the rise in anti semitism with  four Ashkenazi Jewish feminist activists about  the challenges and importance for jewish voices to speak up at this time   We are joined by Penny Rosenwasser, Ph.D., a racial justice leader at Kehilla Synagogue and a founding Board member of Jewish Voice for Peace. Her latest book is Hope into Practice, Jewish women choosing justice despite our fears. And we are joined by former kpfa women's magazine producer Kate Raphael. Kate  is a Lambda-nominated novelist, journalist, anarchafeminist and queer activist based in Seattle. Her award-winning Palestine mystery series features a Palestinian policewoman. She spent two years doing human rights work in Palestine and five weeks in Israeli immigration prison. We also have with us Rae Abileah who is a Kohenet Jewish clergy person, social change strategist, writer, and workshop facilitator.  Rae is a contributing author to books including Beyond Tribal Loyalties: Personal Stories of Jewish Peace Activists. She  co-leads delegations for Eyewitness Palestine) and received ordination as a Jewish clergy person by the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute. She's a first-generation American, and her Dutch, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Israeli ancestry informs her work toward dismantling white supremacy.  Lastly we hear from  Dov Baum, Ph.D, is an Israeli  feminist queer activist. She was the co-founder of several Israeli activist groups, including Who Profits from the Occupation, the Coalition of Women for Peace, and Black Laundry – Queers against the Occupation. Now she lives in the Bay Area and works for the American Friends Service Committee as its Director of Corporate Accountability and Research. She is also active with Boycott from Within and with Israelis against Apartheid. The post Jewish feminists Dov Baum, Penny Rosenwasser, Rae Abileah, and Kate Raphael speak out about Gaza appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael co-founded Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT!) in the Bay back in 2001. She talks about getting arrested in Israel for taping IDF harassment of Palestinians, why Palestinian liberation is a queer issue, and how Israel hired an SF-based PR firm to pinkwash Israel's genocide. Also check the archives for the recent episode with another QUIT! Member, Deeg, who speaks on the anti-Zionist boycott of Manny's in the Mission. Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism (QUIT!) Kate Raphael 'Major News Networks Sideline Palestinian Analysts' (Mari Cohen in Jewish Currents)  Budrus (documentary by Julia Bacha) Pinkwashing Exposed (documentary by Dean Spade and Amy Mahardy)

Voters across the country handed decisive victories to abortion rights in the elections on November 8th, just months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade showing access to abortion was a key issue for voters. Today we devote our show to talking about abortion and reproductive issues. We will start by looking at the fake clinics that exist that mislead women on their reproductive choices with a great documentary by Kate Raphael. Chana Wilson speaks with reproductive health care provider Dr. Shelley Sella about who seeks abortions, and how access has been disastrously affected in Post-Roe America. And lastly Kendall Crackow and Chana Wilson bring a story from Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb about her personal experience with abortion from their abortion stories series The post Abortion and reproductive care appeared first on KPFA.

Today on Women's Magazine we listen to a part of  an interview that Kate Raphael did with the late great lesbian feminist author Elana Dykewomon  in 2010.  But before that  we are gonna  talk to two   youth Alejandro  and Aaliyah,  who are creating and defining community as residents of the Youth Spirit artworks  Tiny House Empowerment Village in Oakland.  We will hear their  writings that are  coming out in a new book to be released next month.    We will also  talk to Alexandria Wilson to give us an overview of how the Tiny Village works. Alexandria is a case management worker at the Tiny Village.  And lastly we are joined by mumjahdah) MameDiarra Abdur Rahman who was a former RA at the Tiny Village. Since opening in the winter of 2021, the Youth Spirit Artworks Tiny House Empowerment Village (THEV) has provided housing for houseless youth between the ages of 18 and 23. Beyond shelter, however, THEV has also become a community—a place where young people can build friendships, make art, and think critically about the world they want to build. It was this atmosphere of community that gave rise to the THEV writing group, founded in June 2021 by facilitator Zoe Mosko who will also be joining us . Last month, the group published a book entitled “It Takes A Village: Tiny Houses, Big Voices” and they will be having a  book launch on Friday, November 4 where members of the public will be invited  for book readings, music, food, and the opportunity to purchase the book. The event is free, and will take place from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Tiny House Village.     The post Youth Spirit artworks Tiny House Empowerment Village and Remembering Elana Dykewomon appeared first on KPFA.

Bisexual Femmes... where would the world be without them? Rebecca Black lookalike/Everybody's favourite nonbinary MILF Pip is back to give us a femme history lesson and remind everyone to get off the internet because The Discourse sucks. Follow the pod on insta: https://www.instagram.com/thebisexualagendapod/ Pip! https://www.instagram.com/pipsuxx/?hl=en Pip's Etsy https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ThisShopSuxx Agenda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ToGBTlmQQ https://www.fiveforfive.co.uk https://www.asn.org.uk https://www.instagram.com/abortionsupportnetwork/?hl=en Bi The Way by Lois Shearing https://thebookishtype.co.uk/collections/pre-order/products/bi-the-way-the-bisexual-guide-to-life-by-lois-shearing The Feminine Art of Radicalisation https://open.spotify.com/show/2wJ2Yo7VorNLsPvBmXPx4b Trigger and Content Warnings (please message me if anything is missed) Main (1): femme invisibility, femme exclusion, biphobia, femmephobia, homophobia, misgendering, transphobia, binding, asking for pronouns, evil exes, self image, misogyny, gatekeeping, racism and appropriation, mention of LGB alliance, street harassment, body hair, objectification, beauty ideals, tattoos. Tarot (46): fetish, latex, ADHD assessment, disability, COVID anxiety, social anxiety. Agenda (1:04): abortion support, bisexual teen abortion stats, support for survivors, coming out, no kink at pride discourse, major transphobia, TERFS, sex education. References: The Reality Of Changing Your Pronouns At Work by Sadbh O'Sullivan https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/non-binary-pronouns-in-workplace My straight boyfriend gave me a queer pandemic haircut by Kate Raphael https://xtramagazine.com/love-sex/queer-haircut-straight-boyfriend-197564 Soft Femme Theory: Femme Internet Aesthetics and the Politics of “Softness” by Andi Schwartz Lani Ka'ahumanu https://theoutwordsarchive.org/subjectdetail/lani-ka.ahumana Freeklime Huddersfield https://freeklime.co.uk/ The Politics of Reality by Marilyn Frye Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution by Shiri Eisner The Bisexual To Be Corrected: Interrogating The Threat And Recuperation Of Women's Femme Bisexuality Hannah McShane Rebecca Black being hot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByJixYZkOgw&t=926s Music: Premiumwave Tarot: Queering the Tarot by Cassandra Snow

The rapid expansion of the Mongol Empire in the thirteenth century cannot be attributed to a single new military invention providing technological supremacy over their enemies. The weaponry and equipment of the Mongols differed little from those of their enemies or from previous nomadic empires. Still, the Mongols were adept in employing the tools of their foes. As historian Timothy May wrote, “the Mongols rarely met a weapon they did not like.” Therefore, many questions have been raised regarding the usage, or lack thereof, of gunpowder weapons in Mongolian expansion, particularly outside of China. Today, we give a brief introduction to gunpowder weapons, both their history of use, their use by the Mongols, and the possible role of the Mongol Empire in the dissemination of these weapons. I’m your host David, and this is Kings and Generals: Ages of Conquest.   For some historians, like J.J. Saunders or Kate Raphael, the Mongols as both users of gunpowder and transmitters of its knowledge to the west is a total negative or extremely unlikely. They see no clear indication of it’s usage in the western historical sources, seeing possible mentions as too equivocal to be relied upon. But the great British sinologist Joseph Needham and his associates, after a thorough study of well over a millennium of Chinese written sources and archaeology, has demonstrated thoroughly that not only were a number of a gunpowder weapons a common feature of Chinese warfare by the thirteenth century, but that the Mongols also used these during their wars in China. More recent historians such as Iqtidar Alam Khan, Thomas T. Allsen and Stephen G. Haw, have advanced Needham’s arguments, arguing that the Mongols carried gunpowder weapons, such as bombs, fire-lances and rockets, west in their conquests over the rest of Eurasia. Stephen Haw in particular has suggested that the infamous smoke-screen employed by the Mongols in Poland at the battle of Liegnitz in 1241 was a gunpowder-based weapon.    To demonstrate this, we must very briefly give an introduction to Chinese usage of gunpowder. Chinese alchemists and engineers had been mixing various chemicals for medicinal and experimental purposes for centuries, including some of those which constitute gunpowder. Gunpowder itself was not the result of any single individual’s experiments, in the style of the old European fable of Berthold Schwarz, but rather a long series of trials combining materials -often, rather ironically, in search of elixirs to eternal life- which ultimately resulted in discovering a rather flammable substance. The first recipe for gunpowder finally appears during the Tang Dynasty in the 8th century CE, in a Taoist work urging alchemists not to mix saltpetre (potassium nitrate), sulphur and carbon-rich materials like coal, and to especially not add arsenic to the mixture, as the result would light aflame. The Chinese quickly found the energy produced by these materials quite mesmerizing when used in fireworks display, and found use for it in civil engineering and mining,  but contrary to some popular sentiments that the Chinese only used it for peaceful purposes, it appears they rather quickly applied this new material for warfare. From the 10th century to the 13th, the Chinese created a great number of weapons to violently disseminate knowledge of gunpowder. By 1044, possibly in reaction to military defeats against the newly established Tangut ruled Xi Xia Dynasty, the Song Dynasty was presented a collection of nine kinds of gunpowder weapons and three distinct gunpowder recipes in the Wujing Zongyao. This technology advanced under the Song Dynasty, which faced a collection of ever-more fearsome foes on its northern borders.   From the 10th century onwards, these weapons took a number of forms.  Bombs thrown from catapults (huopao), enclosed in pottery or fragmenting metal shells. Arrows (huojian) with incendiary packages strapped to them, launched from bows or massive mounted crossbows, developing into early rockets over the twelfth century.  Most infamous was the fire-lance (huojiang): a bamboo or metal tube capable of shooting a jet of flame three metres in length, sometimes with shrapnel and toxic materials packed into the tube to form a terrifying, flame-spouting shotgun. The proportions of consitutent chemicals were refined to increase power, with other additives such as lime to even human faeces to produce a number of horrific bombs; some to explode and throw armour piercing shrapnel, some to spread flame and destroy buildings, with others to have a choking, blinding gas dispersed by the explosion to envelop and confuse the enemy.   The Song Dynasty government was so reliant on these weapons -and so terrified of their foes acquiring them- that it prohibited the sale of any of the materials composing gunpowder to the Khitan Liao Dynasty or Tangut Xi Xia in the 11th century. Both lacked access to natural reserves of saltpetre producing lands. But with the Jurchen conquest of the Liao and Northern Song in the early 12th century, the newly formed Jin Dynasty seized not only stores of these weapons, but the knowledge and resources to produce their own. Now facing a powerful, gunpowder armed foe, this spurred a new stage of gunpowder experimentation by the Song Dynasty. The first textual references to fire-lances, rockets, and new kinds of bombs appear as Song forces desperately resisted Jin invasions. The Song were imaginative when it came to employing these against the Jurchen. The narrow crossing over the rivers into south China became the main lines of defence, and the Song quickly took to arming their ships with rockets and huopao, catapults capable of lobbing bombs against Jin troops, to destroy ships or cast poisonous clouds against men and horses. As early as 1127, Song officials were recommending that all warships be equipped with such weapons to repel the Jin. Other uses speak of the desperation of defenders, coupled with considerable access to gunpowder. The 1207 siege of Te-an is a well known example: the Song defenders filled tea sacks with rice straw, used matting and gunpowder to hurl against the Jin troops assaulting the walls. The Jin were quick to pick up such weapons too, a cause for no shortage of alarm amongst the Song court, among other things. While perhaps effective in slowing the Jin invasions of southern China, gunpowder weapons were neither key in the initial Jurchen conquests of the north, or in actually repelling them. Skilled leadership and political will, in addition to general miltiary resources and logistics, were by far the determining factors. Gunpowder weapons were another tool in an arsenal, rather than the defining strategic component as they often appear in popular imagination.    When Chinggis Khan invaded the Jin Dynasty in 1211, whole companies of Chinese siege engineers entered into his service, either willingly deserted to him or forced into service, bringign with them knowledge to construct various siege machines from catapults to rams. There is not, however, clear indication of the usage of gunpowder weapons against the Jin in these very first years of the conflict. One such Chinese siege specialist who willingly deserted, Guo Baoyu, accompanied Chinggis Khan west on his camapign against the Khwarezmian Empire. According to his biography in the Yuanshi, when the Mongols attempted to force a crossing of the Amu Darya, a number of Khwarezmian ships blocked their path. Guo Baoyu ordered a volley of huojian to be launched against the fleet. The ships were all set aflame, allowing the Mongols passage. While huojian originally and literally meant fire arrows, according to Joseph Needham, Jixing Pan, and Thomas Allsen, over the twelfth century the term came to signify rockets, when powdered gunpowder mixtures with higher percentages of saltpetre, charcoal and less sulphur made for effective rocket propellants.   In addition, the Persian historian Juvaini often makes a distinction between “fire, naphtha and stones,” being thrown into cities during Chinggis Khan’s Khwarezmian campaign, as if there were distinct incendiary weapons being used in addition to the naptha (i.e, petroleum) derived weapons more familiar in the Islamic world. According to Needham, naptha has been utilized for military purposes since the 4thc entury BCE, and remained a feature of armies in the Middle East up until the Mongol conquest. Juvaini’s flowery language makes it difficult at times to know if he was simply being poetic, or literal in terms of the weapons being used, even when he was an eyewitness to the events he describes. While Chinggis Khan certainly brought Chinese siege engineers westwards with him, it does not seem that gunpowder weapons made up a key component of his tactics. Likely, Chinggis lacked the resources to manufacture gunpowder and gunpowder weapons, and if he was making use of them, it was in limited quantities- his tactics for taking cities relied on skillful use of Chinese siege machines in great numbers alongside local forced labour and his powerful Mongol warriors. As mentioned earlier, gunpowder weapons were a tool in the arsenal, rather than a defining component. They lacked the ability to destroy walls by themselves: this was still the job of stones thrown from catapults, which the Mongols are expressly described using throughout the Khwarezmian campaign.    After Chinggis Khan’s death in 1227, his son and successor Ogedai completed the war with the Jin Dynasty, in the process cquiring greater experience with gunpowder weapons, and the natural and manpower resources to produce them. In the early 1230s there are a number of references in Chinese sources to the use of these weapons in the last years of the Mongol-Jin war. In 1231, for instance, the Jin utilized a new development in bomb technology, the heaven-shaking thunder-bomb (zhen tien lei), to sink Mongol ships in a naval engagement. These were bombs with high nitrate content in their  gunpowder mixture encased in a cast-iron shell. When set off, they created a monstrous noise like thunder, while also splintering the iron shell into a wave of armour and flesh tearing shrapnel, an early fragmentation grenade.   The most famous gunpowder engagement came the next year well recorded in a detailed description in the dynasty history of the Jin, the Jinshi, compiled under Mongol auspices in the fourteenth century. In 1232, the great Mongol general Subedei besieged the Jin capital of Kaifeng, in a year-long siege in which sides utilized gunpowder weapons. Subedei had catapults launched gunpowder bombs into the city, while the Jin defenders had a variety of gunpowder tools in their defensive arsenal. Mobile shelters pushed up to the walls of Kaifeng were annhilated by thunder-crash bombs dropped onto them via an iron chain. Additionally, great number of ‘flying-fire-spears’ (feihuojiang) were employed. Depending on the interpretation of the historian, these were either fire-lances packed with wads of shrapnel and arrows which when fired acted as a sort of flaming shot gun, while others like Jixing Pan suggets these were infact rockets.    Either way, they were used to great effect and in great numbers. At one point in the siege, a Jin commander took 450 men armed with fire-lances into the Mongol encampment, a surprise attack resulting in hundreds of Mongol troops killed or drowned then they tried to flee. The Jinshi remarked that the thunder-clap bombs and flying-fire-spears were the only two weapons of the Jin the Mongols feared. Yet, these devices could not arrest the fate of the dynasty. A scovered back in episode 14 of this series, the Emperor abandoned Kaifeng before the siege was complete, and the city fell in 1233, and the Jin Dynasty itself finally extinguished the next year.   We must emphasize again, that while terrifying, these gunpowder weapons were not themselves the key determining factors in these wars. The modern concept of all powerful, destructive guns, bombs and cannon must be ignored. The reliability of these early medieval weapons was questionable. Different proportions of the necessary chemicals, or in the design of a given weapon, might result in a device going off early, too late, or not at all. The range of these weapons was often short, and they were best utilized in the defense, in situations where their effect on enemy morale could be maximized. These bombs were not yet the secret to destroying city walls, though they could set fire to wooden structures, towers or gates along the battlements.    Regardless, they were a frightful weapon when used properly. Thus it seems unusual that Subedei, the commander of the final campaigns against the Jin who faced these gunpowder weapons, made little use of them in the great western campaign begun only a few years later. Though specialized Chinese artillery was employed against the Alans of the north Caucasus, Rus’ principalities and Hungarian, there is little direct indication of the use of gunpowder weaponry in the west. Many of the mostly wooden cities of the Rus’ principalities were burned, it is true, but the Rus’ sources generally offer no description of how this occurred, only that it did. Usually they imply the fire was started after the city already fell. In the case of the siege of Vladimir, the Nikonian Chronicle specifies that a great volume of stones were shot into the city, and that the church at Vladimir was burnt only after the Mongols stacked a great pile of wood next to it and set that on fire.   A possible indication of gunpowder usage is supplied by the Franciscan friar John de Plano Carpini, who travelled through the Rus’ principalities late in the 1240s bearing messages from the Pope to the Great Khan. In his report of his travels, Carpini offers a very accurate description of Mongol battle and siege tactics, with the intention that his observations be used to help prepare Christendom against further attacks. Carpini’s short description is worth quoting:   They reduce fortresses in the following manner. If the position of the fortress allows it, they surround it, sometimes even fencing it round so that no one can enter or leave. They make a strong attack with engines and arrows and they do not leave off fighting by day or night, so that those inside the fortress get no sleep; the Tartars however have some rest, for they divide up their forces and they take it in turns to fight so that they do not get too tired.  If they cannot capture it in this way they throw Greek fire; sometimes they even take the fat of the people they kill and, melting it, throw it on to the houses, and wherever the fire falls on this fat is almost inextinguishable. It can however be put out, so they say, if wine or ale is poured on it. If it falls on flesh, it can be put out by being rubbed with the palm of the hand.   As the Mongols, as far as is known, did not have access to Greek Fire, it seems that Carpini is attempting to describe an incendiary of unusual properties using cultural terms he was familiar with. And as Carpini’s knowledge of Mongol siege tactics largely came from his discussions with survivors in the Rus’ territories, it seems to imply that a special type of fire-causing weapon was used against the Rus’: quite possibly gunpowder weapons Subedei had brought from China.   The famous smoke screen employed by Mongol forces at the battle of Liegnitz in Poland in April 1241 may also have been a type of gunpowder weapon, as suggested by Stephen Haw.  Firstly, for those of you unaware of the context, here is the relevant quote from the description of the battle of Liegnitz, recorded in the fifteenth century Polish chroncile by Jan  Długosz.   “Among the Tatar standards is a huge one with a giant X painted on it. It is topped with an ugly black head with a chin covered with hair. As the Tatars withdraw some hundred paces, the bearer of this standard begins violently shaking the great head, from which there suddenly bursts a cloud with a foul smell that envelopes  the Poles and makes thm all but faint, so that they are incapable of fighting. We know that in their wars the Tatars have always used the arts of divination and witchcraft, and this is what they are doing now. Seeing that the all but victorious Poles are daunted by the cloud and its foul smell, the Tatars raise a great shout and return to the fray, scattering the Polish ranks that hitherto have held firm, and a great slaughter ensues.”   Haw suggests that the smoke weapon used at Liegnitz was the same as a category of smoke bombs used in Chinese warfare over the preceding centuries. Devices to deploy toxic smoke and smoke screens have been used in Chinese warfare since at least the 4th century CE, but during the Song Dynasty more effective versions were developed with gunpowder. in easily shatterable pottery containers, these weapons were packed with poisons, foul-smelling ingredients, shrapnel, arsenic and lime. Dispersed by the force of the explosion, these bombs unleashed a cloud or fog of painful gas containing lime and arsenic in order to blind, disorient and confuse enemy forces- very similar to the smoke weapon described at Liegnitz. Not understanding it was a gunpowder weapon, either a bomb or modified fire-lance, the Poles focused on the most visible ‘tool’ as the origins of the smoke, mistakenly identifying a Mongolian horse-hair standard as the device. The failure of the chronicle to describe the sound of the weapon going off could be attributed to the confusion of battle distance in time of Jan  Długosz’s compilation from the actual event. None of the contemporary Polish observers would have known what gunpowder was, and therefore failed to associate obvious things we would associate with it, such as the sound, lash of flight or actual mentions of delivering the weapon.    This is a point we must emphasize. The ambiguity of language of many western sources on the Mongols makes it difficult to  identify if a new gunpowder weapon was used. Not knowing what the device was, or lacking words for these new devices which the Mongols were almost certainly unwilling to let non-military individuals examine, it is hard to determine when a medieval author is using a term they were familiar with, such as Greek Fire or Naptha, to refer to a new technology which served a similar purpose. The fact that most chroncilers were not first hand witness, but recording accounts from survivors, means it is hard to  know how many details of a given day or battle’s events were accurately recorded, particularly as in the case of Jan  Długosz, who was writing almost two centuries after the battle of Liegnitz, and was at the mercy of whatever was recorded or survived discussing the battle in 1241.   On the other hand, it can be hard to tell if a source is  just providing a dramatic description of a more ‘mundane’ weapon. Such is the case of the Persian writer Juvaini’s account of Hulegu’s campaign in the 1250s, to which he was a direct eye-witness. Juvaini writes of how Hulegu was provided by his brother, the Grand Khan Mongke, a thousand households of Chinese catapultmen, as well as naphtha throwers. As the siege of the Nizari Assassin fortress of Maymun Diz, covered  back in episode 28, Juvaini mentions a large crossbow-like weapon deployed by Hulegu’s Chinese siege engineers, which he called an  ox-bow, in Persian, kaman-i-gav, a direct translation of the Chinese term for the weapon, ba niu nu, “eight-ox-bow.”. Juvaini writes that it delivered meteoric shafts which burnt the enemy, in comparison to stones lobbed by the defenders, which did little but harm a single person. The passage is as follows:    [A] kaman-i-gav [‘ox’s-bow’ ], which had been constructed by Khitayan craftsmen and had a range of 2,500 paces, was brought to bear on those fools, when no other remedy remained and of the devil-like Heretics many soldiers were burnt by those meteoric shafts. From the castle also stones poured down like leaves, but no more than one person was hurt thereby.   These ox-bows in Chinese warfare, as described by the Wujing Zongyao, could have gunpowder packages attached to the bolts, and were used in the same manner as Juvaini describes. While some historians like Stephen Haw see this as a clear usage of gunpowder, it must be remarked that Juvaini’s tendency for over-flowery language makes it difficult to gauge how literal this passage must be taken, though he was an eye-witness to the siege.   Generally it seems that gunpowder was little used in most of the Mongols’ western campaigns. Likely difficulties in travelling with it prevented them from taking great quantities of it, and at the time of the conquests there was not sufficient knowledge in the west which would allow them to procure more supplies. The matter was very different in the continuing Mongol wars in China, where under Khubilai Khan bombs were a main component of the wars against the Song Dynasty, which continued to employ them as well. Thousands of bombs were made every month in the Song Dynasty, though often they failed to properly supply these to the necessary border regions which needed them. One Song official in 1257 inspecting the arsenals of the border lamented how poorly supplied these vulnerable sites were in these weapons, and how despite repeated requests to the central government, amends could not be made. The Song continued to throw whatever they could against the Mongols as they advanced deeper into southern China, but by then the Mongols not only had ample supplies of these weapons for war in China, but manpower reserves, a powerful military structure and a leadership hell-bent on overrunning the south, driven by the energetic Khubilai who believed in the eventuality of his conquest. Khubilai’s great general Bayan set up ranks upon ranks of huopao during his drive to Hangzhou, lobbing stones to pound down the walls, gunpowder bombs to annhilated gates and towers and terrify the defenders withi. Against such an inplacable foe, the last of Song resistance was ground to dust.   Khubilai employed gunpowder weapons against other enemies as well. Most famously against the Japanese, where archaeological evidence, the account of the Hachiman Gudokun and the invasion scrolls of Takezaki Suenaga demonstrates the Yuan forces using iron bombs against the Japanese. Though as we mentioned in episode 26 discussing Suenaga’s scrolls, the addition of the bomb going off in the scroll was likely made later, as it is in different ink and Suenaga fails to mention such weapons. For such a boisterrous warrior like Suenaga to not mention surviving a terrifying grenade like that is rather unlikely.   It appears that an advance in gunpowder weapons was made sometime in the late thirteenth century. Near the ruins of Khubilai Khan’s summer capital of Shangdu, the earliest confirmed cannon has been found. Bearing an inscription in the ‘Phags-pa script dating it to 1298, a serial number, weighing just over 6 kilograms (13 lb 11 oz) and just under 35 cm (approx. 14 in) in length,  it suggests a product of considerable experimentation and systemization. Earlier, much more primitive and rougher models have been found which from archaological context imply they come from the last years of the Tangut Xi Xia Dynasty, crushed in 1227 by Chinggis Khan. It is probable that the evolution of fire-lances from bamboo to metal tubes was a stepping stone to larger metal tubes capable of larger gunpowder charges and projectiles, brought on by the emergency of the Mongol invasions.  Only in the last years of the 13th century did these models reach a level of standardization and sophistication to become bombards, and more and more sophisticated models are known from over the fourteenth century. There are a few passages from 13th and 14th century Chinese texts which may indicate the usage of these cannons, usually in naval engagements; where muzzle flashes seem to be described when Mongol ships fire upon fleeing Jin ships, or on small vessels at the blockade of Xiangyang launch projectiles, but from ships too small for catapult. Much like the western texts, the Chinese did not yet have a name for this new technology though. Calling them huopao, the same name for the catapults which threw gunpowder bombs, it is impossible to know, unless a description is given, which texts refer to bombs, and which to early cannons.    From 1288 we have perhaps the earliest description of small hand held guns or cannons. In the war against his rebel cousin Nayan, Khubilai Khan led his army against Nayan himself, but attacked from multiple fronts. One such operation was led by a Jurchen commander in Khubilai’s service, Li Ting. Using the word for fire-catapult or cannon, huopao, Li Ting and his small squad of Korean soldiers is described as at night sneaking into an encampment of Nayan’s men and setting off these weapons to great effect. From the context, it is clear that these weapons are too small and mobile to be catapults. In further support of this interpretation, it appears one of the actual weapons has been found. Discovered in 1970 in Heilongjiang province, nearwhere Li Ting’s troops fought Nayan, a small bronze cannon or handgun has been discovered from an archaeological site supporting a late thirteenth century context. Weighing 3 and a half kilograms, 34 cm in length, with a bore of 2 and a half centimeters, these were small, anti-personnal weapons. Not much use against walls, but devastating against men and horses. It is no suprise that Nayan’s rebellion was quickly crushed if Khubilai had men with such armaments at his disposal.   The Yuan Dynasty continued to produce cannon over the fourteenth century. One well known example from 1332 bears an inscription with its date and purpose of manufacture, intended to be used on board a ship for suppression of rebels. By the rise of Zhu Yuanzhang and the Ming Dynasty in the late fourteenth century, cannons and other  firearms were standard features of Chinese armies.  Over the Ming Dynasty, gunpowder weapons continued to advance into more deadly and efficient variants, but did not replace the basic tools of the Mongol conflict in China. Rockets, fire-lances, and bombs were used even into the Qing Dynasty, but supported by cannon, mines and two-staged rockets and even multiple-rockets launchers, similar to the famous Korean hwacha developed during the Imjin war. The Qing too would face fearsome nomads bearing firearms in the form of the Dzunghars, but by  then the military advantage was considerably in favour of the Qing.    We can also briefly note evidence for an even earlier usage of firearms, in the form of some controversial iconographic evidence in China. In the Dazu cave system in Sichuan, there is an extensive carved relief featuring individuals armed with a variety of weapons. One carved figure holds something visually very close to early designs of handguns or handcannons, from which clouds of smoke, and possibly a projectile, seem to be carved leaving. As these carvings dates to 1128, this would push back the development of the fire-arm even earlier, and suggest a much more widespread usage of cannon and gun than previously thought. However, the identification is hardly accepted. Some have suggested it was a later addition to the complex during repairs, while others have argued it is not depicting a fire-arm, but merely a wind-spirit holding a bag of wind. As it currently stands, there is no hard evidence for emergence of true fire-arms until the late thirteenth century during the Yuan Dynasty.   So did the Mongols spread gunpowder westwards? Recipes for gunpowder and even the first gunpowder weapons appear in Europe, the Islamic World and India late in the thirteenth century, after contact with Mongol armies. However, the diffusion is difficult to track due to the already mentioned ambiuigisties in terminology. It’s likely the Mongol armies did not travel with great quantities of powder and were reluctant to share it’s knowledge. It is notable though that when perhaps the earliest recipe for gunpowder is recorded in Arabic, circa 1280 by Hasan al-Rammah, he records most ingredients as being Chinese in origin, with saltpetre for instance called Chinese snow, or rockets as chinese arrows. A common word for gunpowder in Arabic and Persian meant [dawā’ in Arabic, and Persian dārū], a literal translation of the Chinese huoyao, fire-drug [ often shortened to just yao in 13th century] which implies that knowledge was transmitted directly from Chinese engineers in Mongol service. By the start of the fourteenth century, fireworks appear as  objects of regular entertainment in the Ilkhanate, and therefore transmission from the Mongols, in some fashion, seems certain.   In Europe there are tantalizing clues to transmission. A great number of diplomats, travellers, priests and merchants made the trek from Europe across the Mongol Empire and back, and many brought gifts from the Khans with them, or observed closely the Mongol army in an attempt to learn its secrets. The Franciscan friar, William of Rubruck, spent much time with a European goldsmith in Mongol service, William Buchier, the man who made the famous Silver Tree of Karakorum. Buchier appears to have worked often in conjunction with Chinese artisans in his work for the Mongols. Though Rubruck’s account does not describe gunpowder, Rubruck is known to have met, while back in Paris, the first European who did: Roger Bacon, who describes with amazement his experience viewing Chinese firecrackers going off in Europe. Even if the Mongol army itself did not directly or intentionally transfer gunpowder, or use it in quantities to replace their own bows and arrows, they opened the pathways which allowed its knowledge to move across the Eurasian continent. Over the early decades of the fourteenth century, fearsome hand guns and bombards became regular features of battlefield across the continent, the secret to gunpowder no longer restricted to the Chinese government.   Our series on the Mongols will continue, so please be sure to subscribe to the Kings and Generals Podcast to follow. If you enjoyed this and would like to help us continue bringing you great content, please consider supporting us on patreon at www.patreon.com/KingsandGenerals. This episode was researched and written by our series historian, Jack Wilson. I’m your host David, and we’ll catch you on the next none. 

This Monday from 1-2pm on KPFA Radio's Women's Magazine at 94.1FM and streaming and archived online at kpfa.org: As we demonstrate against the wide spread racism in this country we can not forget about the racism in sports where Black women athletes often experience the worst of misogyny mixed with racism. In our first segment, Kate Raphael talks with Dr. Joan Steidinger, author of , about struggles for equality of women and equality among women in sports. And next we look at the up to 20% rise in domestic violence during the Covid Pandemic. While the situation is horrific for all domestic violence survivors, accessing help can be particularly challenging for immigrants, including the large South Asian population in the south bay, specifically in Silicon Valley, where many women, many whom are privileged and economically independent, have no support system, are far from their families, and are not accustomed to calling the police to complain of their husbands, or accessing legal systems. Preeti Mangala Shekar talks to two women from local domestic violence groups that serve the south asian community; Zakia Afrin who manages the Helpline, Peer Counseling, Immigration Assistance and Legal Advocacy programs at Maitri in San Jose. and Bindu OOmmen Fernandes from Narika which also continues. to offer counseling, safety planning legal and shelter referrals and support groups via phone during the crisis. The post Womens Magazine – June 8, 2020 – Racism and Black Women Athletes; The Rise in Domestic Violence amidst Covid-19 Pandemic appeared first on KPFA.

courtesy Carolina de Robertis Award-winning novelist Carolina De Robertis discusses her newest book, Cantoras, which has gotten rave reviews. The New York Times calls it “Brazenly hopeful … a revolutionary fable, ideal for this moment.” De Robertis and host Kate Raphael have a deep discussion about queerness in Uruguay and immigrant communities, and how the terror of a military dictatorship affects people's lives on a daily, granular level. They also foray into the difference between Rioplatense (Uruguayan and Argentine) empanadas and Chilean or Peruvian ones. Then we hear from editor Marika Lindholm and some of the contributors to the new anthology, We Got This: Solo Mom Stories of Grit, Heart and Humor. With nearly half of US kids raised by solo moms at some point, someone you know needs this book! Marika is the founder of ESME, Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere, a great community for resources and support. Listen or download The post Novelist Carolina de Robertis on Uruguayan Lesbian History; We Got This: Solo Mom Stories appeared first on KPFA.

This week we have our biggest episode yet – literally in that we have 7 guests on mic to talk about Grandma’s Marathon. Grandma’s is one of the fastest marathons in the US, held in Minneapolis in June, and we put together a big team of Tracksmith runners in an attempt to get Olympic trials qualifiers. About the runners: Jeff Seelaus (2:17:08): An Amherst College grad and Philadelphia native, Jeff qualified for his first Olympic Trials at Grandma’s with a big 4-minute PR. Louis Serafini (2:21:34): Louis is the coach of all the women in this episode and an accomplished runner in his own right. He qualified for the 2020 trials with a half marathon this spring. Gabi Drummond (2:49:15): In her first “official” marathon, Gabi was on qualifying pace through 20 miles before hitting a rough last 10k. Gabi is also a Johns Hopkins grad and PhD student at MIT, so she’s the brains of the operation. Jess Petersen (2:51:26): A Reebook employee and Syracuse University grad, Jess ran her second ever marathon and PRed after a three-year break. Alexandra Conway (2:54:13): Alexandra is a Brown University grad and recent Tracksmith convert who notched her personal best at Grandma’s. Kate Raphael (2:53:28): The youngest and most recent graduate, Kate is a Yale grad who tackled her first marathon only a year out of college and logged an impressive (if challenging at points) debut. Ravenna Neville (DNF): A Wesleyan University grad, homeowner, and lawyer, Rav is an accomplished badass in many fields. Rav is the most experienced marathoner of the group, but a hamstring tweak sidelined her on the day of Grandma’s. One word of advice about this episode – it may be a little hard to tell who is talking and when if you’re not familiar with everyone’s voices. Just roll with it – the stories themselves are what make the episode so funny, interesting, and even inspiring. Subscribe wherever you get podcasts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Enjoy!

Kate Raphael recaps her week leading in to her debut marathon at Grandma's in Duluth, the race itself, and what is next for her in the sport. Kate bravely chased an Olympic Trials Qualifying time and came away with a finishing time of 2:53:28 and a newfound love and respect for the marathon. Listen to learn her takeaways from the experience.

Kate Raphael reflects on her first road 10k: a tale of accountability, knowing herself, and breaking the tape in her tune up race.

In April, the Socialist Feminist Working Group of Philadelphia DSA hosted a gathering of 200 leftist feminists from all over the U.S.  It was the first explicitly socialist feminist national convergence in this country since 1975, when more than 1500 women gathered in Yellow Springs, Ohio for the first National Socialist Feminist Conference. Is socialist feminism making a comeback? As recent events concerning the International Socialist Organization and Worker's World Party illustrate, it is certainly badly needed.   On this fund drive special, we present a selection of interviews from our Socialist Feminist Pack, compiled by Kate Raphael and Lisa Dettmer. The pack includes authors Elana Dykewomon (Beyond the Pale), Helen Zia (Last Boat Out of Shanghai),  Tithi Bhattacharya (Feminism for the 99%; she was also the keynote speaker at the recent Philly conference), Zillah Eisenstein (The Audacity of Races and Genders), Seattle city council member Kshama Sawant, educator Lois Helmbold and activist Leslie Cagan.  They discuss the Yellow Springs conference, the resurgence of DSA, real and perceived splits between “socialists” (presumed male) and “feminists” (presumed bourgeois and white) and how women are organizing now toward a socialist future. Also included is a clip from the Third World Panel at the 1975 Socialist Feminist Conference. The post Fund Drive Special: Socialist Feminism Past, Present and Future appeared first on KPFA.

Chapter 2 of “The Why” details Kate Raphael’s approach to an OTQ at Grandma’s Marathon. She details why this challenge is important and she details the thrill of the unknown.

What's all this about anti-Semitism in the Women's March? Rosalind Petchesky, MacArthur fellow, socialist-feminist scholar and activist with Jewish Voice for Peace, questions why accusations made nine months ago are suddenly hitting the mainstream media just weeks before the third national Women's Marches are scheduled to step off. Petchesky's Appeal to Jewish Women to Support the 2019 Women's March and Its Leaders has been viewed over 15,000 times and shared widely on social media. Tune in for a wide-ranging conversation with Kate Raphael and Elizabeth Rosner, author of Survivor Cafe: The Legacy of Trauma and the Labyrinth of Memory, about writing, teaching and dealing with intergenerational traumas experienced by many people across the globe. The post January 7, 2019: Memory, Trauma, and the Politics of Fear – Conversations with Rosalind Petchesky and Elizabeth Rosner appeared first on KPFA.

We look at the culture of gendered violence in the US and Bolivia, and hear from feminists working to shift the perceptions about survivors. The recent reports of a woman's harrowing night with Aziz Ansari has sparked debates around consent and agency. Feminist activists and scholars are pointing out the gaps in understanding of the relationship between sexual repression and sexual violence. In the first half hour, we listen to an interview with Amita Swadhin, an activist, educator and Just Beginnings Collaborative Fellow dedicated to fighting interpersonal and sexual violence against youth. They spoke with KPFA's Preeti Mangala Shekar of KPFA's APEX Express  about a vision for society in which everyone is capable of articulating their own desires and having them respected. In the second half of the show, we hear from feminist activist and scholar Leny Olivera Rojas from Cochabamba, Bolivia. Today Bolivia has the highest rate of sexual and physical violence against women in Latin America – and femicides are multiplied by the numbers of women dying from illegal abortions. Olivera-Rojas is part of a grassroots movement to end femicides in Bolivia and create an autonomous womens movement through collective land ownership. For more information, contact her at lenyoliverarojas@gmail.com. Hosted by Kate Raphael and Corinne Smith  The post Creating Cultures of Consent and Safety in the U.S. and Bolivia appeared first on KPFA.

Jess & Jamal interview author and activist Kate Raphael about her new Palestine mystery novel. They also discuss the vilification of NFL players by President Trump for taking a knee during the National Anthem.

Kate Raphael, host of Women's Magazine and author of two mysteries set in Palestine, talks with crime & suspense writers Judith (JL) Newton (Oink! A Food for Thought Mystery), Amy S. Peele (Cut! A medical mystery) and Jennifer Dwight (The Tolling of Mercedes Bell). All four authors use the crime/mystery genre to explore themes of social justice. The four will be part of a She Writes Mystery tour beginning Friday, August 4. The post Womens Magazine – July 31, 2017: What's the feminist appeal of murder & mayhem? appeared first on KPFA.

Fida Jiryis, a Palestinian from the Galilee, now living in Ramallah, discusses the experience of returning from exile to live inside Israel's borders, the differences between writing in English and Arabic, and why she chose to write a women's fiction book with a Canadian non-Palestinian protagonist. Fida is one of the contributors to the best-selling new book, Kingdom of Olives and Ash: Writers Confront the Occupation, a partnership between the Israeli project Breaking the Silence and U.S.-based authors Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon. We also speak with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, whose groundbreaking work An Indigenous People's History of the United States surprised everyone by landing on the New York Times best-seller list.  Roxanne reflects on the founding of the women's movement, and how our history of colonialism, genocide and slavery have led to endless war. Roxanne will be in conversation with Women's Magazine's Kate Raphael on Sunday, July 16 at the third Peace Talk sponsored by Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. The post Occupation Palestine / Occupation America appeared first on KPFA.

You might have heard of WINGS, the Women's International News Gathering Service. Your community radio station might even broadcast WINGS. In May this year, WINGS hosted an international webcast, where the producer there, Frieda Werden gathered women community broadcasters from right across the world, and we spent about two hours together, live on the web, discussing how and why we got involved in community broadcasting, and how it's enabled women to get connected. This week's show features excerpts from this webcase, and particularly, you'll hear the voices of Frieda Werden, the host of the webcast and of WINGS, the first guest Sheila Katzman and guest Kate Raphael. First up, Frieda introduces Sheila Katzman. 

We talk with Bo (Rita D.) Brown, who spent eight years in prison for her work as part of the revolutionary George Jackson Brigade.  A white working-class butch from rural Oregon, Brown was known as the “Gentleman Bank Robber,” for a number of years in Seattle.  Brown talks about coming out, becoming politicized and her relationship with Black Panther Assata Shakur. Bo Brown is now dealing with Lewy-Body dementia; a benefit for her expenses will be held on May 13 in Oakland. Then we sit down with two activist-authors who have written novels about climate change:  Susan Griffin, author of 20 books over 50 years, including the classic Woman and Nature, whose latest work (in progress) is The Ice Dancer's Tale, her first novel; and Ellen Meeropol, author of House Arrest and On Hurricane Island, whose newest book, Kinship of Clover weaves mental illness, family secrets and climate activism. Susan Griffin will be in conversation with Women's Magazine's Kate Raphael on May 21 at the second of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom's Peace Talks, from 3-5 pm at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley.  Griffin's topic will be How War Erodes and Destroys Democracies, which we also touch on in tomorrow's interview. The post Womens Magazine – May 8, 2017 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael comes to storytelling with the belief that our greatest connections in life happen when we have the guts to share our truths. She finds that sharing her stories in public is the most challenging, scariest, and rewarding practice there is. Kate also seeks -- and finds -- heart-warming connections through travel, cooking, and making films through her film production company, Studio Kate. (studiokate.us) Urban Tellers February 3, 2017 RITES OF PASSAGE Kate Raphael live at The Fremont Theater in Portland, OR Portland Story Theater, hosted by Lawrence Howard and Lynne Duddy pdxstorytheater.org MAY THE NARRATIVE BE WITH YOU.

What lessons should and shouldn't we take from the election debacle, and how do we seize on the strengths we have right now to turn in a new direction? Kate Raphael sits down with Uruguayan born novelist Carolina de Robertis, filmmaker Pamela Harris and acclaimed poet, performer and novelist Aya de Leon. Carolina De Robertis is author of The Invisible Mountain, Perla and The Gods of Tango and teaches creative writing at San Francisco State University. She is also a former staff member at Bay Area Women Against Rape and cofounder of Exhale, a nonjudgmental after-abortion talkline which calls itself Pro-Voice. Pamela Harris's extensive credits include the award-winning documentary Land of Promise: The Story of Allensworth, about a historically black town in California that faces the threat of encroachment by agribusiness; and Waging a Living, a PBS documentary about low-wage working families. A former Fulbright Fellow, she holds a masters degree in journalism from UC Berkeley. Aya de Leon's is Director of June Jordan's Poetry for the People, teaching poetry and spoken word at UC Berkeley. Her work has appeared in the Village Voice, Washington Post, American Theatre Magazine, and has been featured on Def Poetry, in Essence Magazine, and various anthologies and journals. She was named best discovery in theater for 2004 by the SF Chronicle for “Thieves in the Temple : The Reclaiming of Hip Hop.” Her first novel, UPTOWN THIEF, a Latina Robin Hood heist story, was published earlier this year. The post Feminist culture producers make sense of the moment appeared first on KPFA.

Penny Rosenwasser is an activist and author of “Hope Into Practice: Jewish Women Choosing Justice Despite our Fears.”  On this edition of Making Contact she reflects on her personal journey to embrace her identity as a Jewish woman while fighting for human rights for all. Listen to stories, history and poetry that explore internalized anti-Semitism and racism, victimization and privilege, and Jewish politics around Israel and Palestine.   Featuring: Penny Rosenwasser, Author, educator and activist with Middle East Children's Alliance Smadar Lavie,  a Mizrahi U.S.-Israeli anthropologist, author, and activist Kate Raphael, writer, feminist and queer activist and radio journalist, Kris Welch, radio producer and host Poem by Aurora Levins Morales   For More Information PennyRosenwasser.com   The post Choosing Justice Over Fear appeared first on KPFA.

Kate's an artist and filmmaker who has produced over 100 stories for dozens of foundations and nonprofits over the past five years. But there's one story she's never told: her own. She has the raw footage at the ready: reels and reels of Super 8s rescued from the basement of her family home back in Virginia. It's so hard to watch but, as she dips her toe into "the before," the "after" seems to change. Tune in to her website, www.StudioKate.us, to see the film when it's done! URBAN TELLERS November 14, 2015 TAKING THE LEAP Kate Raphael on stage at Alberta Abbey for live storytelling with Portland Story Theater Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard www.portlandstorytheater.com

First, Sharon Sobotta talks with Kumu Hina, subject of an award-winning PBS documentary, about gender and sexuality in native Hawaiian culture.  Then Nina Serrano interviews Women's Magazine producer and Palestine solidarity activist Kate Raphael about her debut novel, Murder Under the Bridge. Finally, singer/songwriter Bonnie Lockhart, founder of the activist singing troupe Occupella and climate justice organizer, sings original songs to promote the Northern California Climate Mobilization, which will be held Saturday, November 21 at Lake Merritt Amphitheater in Oakland. The post Womens Magazine – November 16, 2015 – Transgender Native Hawaiians; a Murder (Mystery) in Palestine; Singing to Stop Climate Change appeared first on KPFA.

Jeannine Etter interviews Community Activist, Black Lives Matter member and National Poetry Slam champion Theo EJ Wilson, on his viral video “In Defense of Black Women” where Mr. Wilson challenges the toxic narrative that Black women are the sole cause of the destruction of the Black Family. Then Rebecca Jordan-Young, Tow Associate Professor of Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies at Barnard College and author of Brain Storm: The flaws in the science of sex differences joins Kate Raphael to discuss gender policing and sex testing in sports, since sex is an important part of everyone's life, and people are encourage to enjoy it, and that's why the idea of get a sex machine is not that outdated anymore.  A recent ruling by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport in the case of sprinter Dutee Chand suspended the practice of “hyperandrogenism regulation” by the International Association of Athletics Federations.  Where did this type of sex testing come from, and what does the ruling mean for the future of women's sports? The post Womens Magazine – August 24, 2015 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael interviews blogger Bee Quammie about 5 Historical Black Women you may never have heard about and more… The post Womens Magazine – March 16, 2015 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael in conversation with Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and The Jane Austen Book Club.  Also Jazmin Morelos, coordinator of the Urban Lactation Project.  Fowler also cofounded the James Tiptree, Jr. Award for science fiction or fantasy which challenges our concepts of gender. We also speak with Jazmin Morelos, coordinator of the Urban Lactation Project, which hosts several San Francisco events for Breast Feeding Awareness Month. The post Women's Magazine – August 11, 2014 appeared first on KPFA.

Art as transformation:  Kate Raphael talks with filmmaker and novelist Lucia Puenzo, whose film THE GERMAN DOCTOR (WAKOLDA), adapted from her novel, opens next week.  Tara Dorabji talks with Shailja Patel, whose one-woman show Migritude, is now a book published by Kaya Press, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this week with a reading at City Lights.  And filmmaker and activist Tracey Quezada talks about what's wrong with the criminal justice approach to child sexual assault and what we can do to address this public health problem as a community. The post Women's Magazine – April 14, 2014 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks with Egyptian filmmaker Jehane Noujaim about her award-winning film THE SQUARE and the role of women in the Egyptian uprising. Noujaim's previous films include THE CONTROL ROOM and EGYPT, WE ARE WATCHING. Then Tara Dorabji talks with midwife Treesa McLean about how new California laws governing licensing of midwives affect access to home birth and women's choices about their prenatal care. The post Womens Magazine – Jehane Noujaim's THE SQUARE appeared first on KPFA.

Lisa Dettmer talks with Sarah Schulman about the cooptation of international queer institutions to “pinkwash” Israeli apartheid; Kate Raphael sits down with Mickey Eliason, Ph.Dyk, to discuss the groundbreaking Dyke Diagnostic Manual (Edition III, Revised).  Plus poetry by Tai Rocket & Kai Green, trans men of color, on intersecting identities.  And updates on protests at Frameline and SF Pride. The post Women's Magazine – June 24, 2013 appeared first on KPFA.

One year after the brutal police attack on thousands off Occupy Oakland protesters, what has the movement accomplish? Where is it now? Kate Raphael speaks with Laleh Behbehanian and Tory Becker. And Democrazy Now: Karinda Dobbins and Dhaya Lakshminaryanan on their pre-election comedy show. The post Women's Magazine: Occupy Oakland at One – October 22, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks with Syrian feminists Afraa Jalabi & Mohja Kahf about the state of the Syrian uprising and the prominence of women in the revolution. Also Sarah Shourd informs us about a fundraising effort for Syrian refugees living in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus. The post Women's Magazine: Special on Syria – September 24, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

On the anniversary of the start of Occupy Wall Street, Kate Raphael asks if the movement is helping us build a new world or just a dressed up form of patriarchy? Cyn, Kaitlyn and Frank of Occupy Oakland's Feminist and Queers Against Capitalism and Shaista Husain of Occupy Wall Street's Safer Spaces and Immigrant Justice Working Groups – share their thoughts on this and other Occupy-related issues. The post Women's Magazine – September 17, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael speaks with Vicki Abeles about her documentary, Race to Nowhere. Abeles' film suggests that the American school system's emphasis on achievement is doing more harm than good. Then Eryn Mathewson speaks with former Georgia Congresswoman, Cynthia McKiney, about the Peace and Freedom party and why she supports marijuana use legalization. The post Women's Magazine – September 10, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks with Louise Turcotte, leader of one of the community college unions involved in the massive student-led protests in Quebec; and Preeti Shekar interviews Ayesha Mattu and Ify Okoye about their new book, Love, Inshalla: The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women. The post Women's Magazine – August 20, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks to journalist with Sydney Brownstone about the case against feminist Punk Band, Pussy Riot. Then Eryn Mathewson speaks with author and Media Advisor, Joan Ryan about her book, Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnastics and the current state of elite women's athletics. The post Women's Magazine – August 13, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Roke Noir, director of The Siren Theatre Project, speaks with Kate Raphael about her upcoming multimedia work “Playing with Fear,” which weaves together the personal stories of 30 Bay Area artists. And we look at the contributions of groundbreaking feminist director, writer and humorist Nora Ephron, through film clips, interviews and others' words about her. The post Women's Magazine – July 9, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Tara Dorabji sits down with faculty of the Voices of Our Nations writing workshop, the only multigenre workshop for writers of color in the U.S. Kate Raphael talks with the authors of Queer Injustice: Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States. And we get a wrap up on pride events including the annual Dyke March and a mic check at Frameline LGBT film festival. The post Women's Magazine – June 25, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael speaks with Sarah Schulman, coproducer of the film United in Anger, which shows tomorrow, June 19, at 11 a.m. at the Castro Theater as part of the LGBT Film Festival. Kate also interviews Cyd Nova, one of the activists who is reconvening ACT UP in San Francisco. Then, Eryn Mathewson talks with veteran sexuality educators, Mollena Williams and Julie Galles about how to help youth and adults navigate the wide world of sex. The post Women's Magazine – June 18, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks with gay activist and historian Joey Cain about the radical roots of the modern gay liberation movement and its founder, Harry Hay. And we also hear an interview with Michelle Reed, who turned getting laid off into an opportunity to follow her dream by opening a plant store in San Francisco's Mission District. After broadcast, segments and links will be available at http://kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com. The post Women's Magazine – June 11, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

On Memorial Day, we look at the intimate connections between militarism and masculinity in our culture. Kate Raphael talks with author Kathleen Barry about her book Unmaking War, Remaking Men, and with filmmaker Jacqueline Olive about her film in progress, Always in Season, exploring the legacy of lynching and the movement for restorative justice. After broadcast, segments will be available at http://kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com The post Women's Magazine: Militarism and Masculinity – May 28, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Susan Youssef speaks to Kate Raphael about her new film “Habibi,” – which retells one of the world's oldest love stories and simultaneously challenges the stereotype of the oppressed Arab woman. **We are giving away 2 tickets to the May 10 film screening of Habibi – so call in to win! When you hear the prompt, call 510-848-4425!** Then we honor International and Immigrant Workers Day or May Day and hear from two SEIU union members– Jamilah Din and Evelyn Curiel – about their work, how public sector workers are affected by city budget issues, and why they are pushing back against the contract concessions the city of San Francisco is asking them to make. The post Women's Magazine – April 30, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael speaks to Rose Aguilar about the War On Women – being waged between the Romney and Obama camps. Ana Martino (via WINGS) talks about the value of house work, and getting feminists to reclaim the word, house wife. The post Women's Magazine – April 16, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Coming up this weekend, Purple Moon Dance Project celebrates 20 years with its most ambitious project yet, “Uhane.” Ten unstoppable women over 60 share over 950 years of stories. Kate Raphael talks with artistic director and founder Jill Togawa and performer Susan Almazol. Also writer, teacher, and activist Elana Dykewomon reflects on the passing of Adrienne Rich and what it means to “move to the head of the line” of feminist writers. The post Women's Magazine: Looking Back and Moving Forward – April 9, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Lisa Dettmer remembers lesbian ecofeminist and animal rights activist and author Marti Kheel. Kate Raphael talks with Sahar Francis, director of the Palestinian prisoner support group Addameer, about the case of hunger striking political prisoner Hana Shalabi, whose detention was a focus of International Women's Day in Palestine. And we talk with Loubna Qatami of the Arab Cultural Center about the upcoming Arab Women's Conference in San Francisco. The post Women's Magazine March 12, 2012 – March 12, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

In honor of Women's History Month and International Women's Day, we rebroadcast two interviews done by Kate Raphael. She discusses the history of International Women's Day and the importance of Internationalist Feminism with Bay Area activists, Aileen Clarke Hernandez and Judith Mirkinson. Kate also speaks with professor and author, Michelle Wallace, about race, gender, and black feminism. The post Women's Magazine – March 5, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Eryn Matthewson speaks with Lateefah Simon, MacArthur fellow for her work on civil rights and women's empowerment; Kate Raphael interviews Zainab al Khawaja, leading Bahraini human rights activist; and Saria Idana talks about her solo show exploring the Israel/Palestine issue, “Homeless in Homeland.” The post Women's Magazine – February 27, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael speaks with writer, Matthilda Bernstein Sycamore, about the new anthology, Why Are Faggots so Afraid of Faggots? Then Preeti Mangala Shekar speaks to Jeff Bucholtz about his documentary film, A Way from Violence. The post Women's Magazine – January 30, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Today we welcome 2012 by taking a look at some the issues we covered in 2011, and highlighting our favorite shows of the year. You will hear from Kate Raphael, Preeti Mangala Shekar, Lisa Dettmer and Eryn Mathewson – critiquing the gay marriage movement; reviewing the film, The Help; analyzing issues for girls in the 21st century, and exploring how being a slut can be feminist? The post Women's Magazine – January 2, 2012 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks with textile artist and Howard University Prof. Karen Hampton about her work and the show Invisible Lineage at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. Then we hear a talk by Sujatha Jesudason, Executive Director of Generations Ahead, on sex selection, genetic technology and the meaning of reproductive choice. And we hear feminist voices from Occupy Oakland's West Coast Port Shutdown. The post Women's Magazine – December 19, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Eryn Mathewson speaks with Amnesty International's, Rini Chakraborty about the Troy Davis execution and death penalty activism. Kate Raphael interviews Arnetta Smith, Florencia Manovil, and Cole about the new comic drama, Dyke Central. Then we end by honoring the passing and legacy of Wangari Matthai by rebroadcasting an interview she did with Preeti Mangala Shekar and Lisa Dettmer in 2006. The post Women's Magazine – October 3, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael speaks with Dr. Leonard Sax about his book, Girls on the Edge: the four factors driving the new crisis for girls. They discuss the impact of technological advances on girls over the last 50 years. Then Eryn Mathewson interviews Nenna Joiner, owner of adult gallery, Feelmore 510 about opening an adult store in Oakland and what you can find there. The post Women's Magazine – August 29, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Eryn Matthewson speaks with Dr. Brittney Cooper and others about the controversial film, “The Help”; Kate Raphael talks with Lynn Hershmann Leeson about her documentary, “!Women Art Revolution” and Preeti Shekar speaks with Aniruddhan Vasudevan about his upcoming show Brihannalla, part of the Queer Eye South Asian LGBT film and art fest. The post Women's Magazine Goes to the Movies – August 22, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

On today's show, Kate Raphael speaks with NOW President Terry O'Niell about the debt ceiling debate, and to former prosecutor and legal blogger Debbie Hines, about the Casey Anthony and Strauss-Kahn cases. Then Eryn Mathewson discusses nuclear disarmament activism with independent policy analyst, Elena Ilina Nicklasson. We close with event updates from the Women's Community Calendar. The post Women's Magazine – July 25, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks with Lebanese-American cartoonist Jennifer Camper and Syrian American activist Alia Ghabra about the relevation that the popular Syrian American lesbian blogger Amina Arraf was really a white heterosexual man. Then, Kellia Ramares asks the question “Why must we pay to live on the planet we're born on?” She talks with Genevieve Vaughan, author of For-Giving: A Feminist Criticism of Exchange; Janelle Orsi, co-director of the “sustainable economies law center”; and Roxanne Meadows of The Venus Project, who envisions a future “resource-based economy.” For links, go to http://kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com. The post Women's Magazine – July 4, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Lisa Dettmer talks with author and psychotherapist Harriet Fraad about how the Great Recession is transforming gender roles within marriage; and Kate Raphael speaks with journalist Lauren Wolfe about a new report documenting rampant sexual violence against journalists. Plus the Women's Calendar. The post Women's Magazine for Monday, June 13 – June 13, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Malihe Razzazan talks to Zahra Noorbakhsh about her one woman comedy show, Maria M. Oppett and Renee Camilla tell us about KPFA's First Voices Media Program, and we replay Kate Raphael's interview about the alleged rape involving IMF head, Dominique Strauss-Kahn . Yvette Hochberg closes us out with the Women's Community Calendar. The post Women's Magazine – June 6, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael  talks with the authors of a new book on criminalization of LGBT people in the United States, and you will  hear from filmmaker Maher Sabry about the role of LGBT people in the Tahrir Square uprising in Egypt.  Plus the Women's Calendar. You can hear it online at www.kpfa.org/womensmagazine The post Womens Magazine – April 11, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael speaks with writer and organizer Courtney Desiree Morris about confronting sexism, misogyny and gender violence in progressive social movements, and with Brazilian feminist Professor Cecilia Sardenberg about Dilma Roussef, Brazil's first woman president.   The post Women's Magazine – January 10, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.

Today we are rebroadcasting Kate Raphael's interview with author, Angela Bonavoglia, about her book – Good Catholic Girls: How Women are Leading the Fight to Change the Church.  Then Nina Serrano interviews singer, Meklit Hadero. We end with updates from the Women's Community Calendar.   The post Women's Magazine – December 20, 2010 appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael speaks with Vicki Abeles, producer of the film Race to Nowhere, about challenging the achievement culture in education; and Simin Yahaghi interviews Torange Yeghiazarian on theater in Iran. After broadcast the segments will be available at http://kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com   The post Women's Magazine – December 6, 2010 appeared first on KPFA.

Another View of the Crisis at KPFA and Pacifica. Kate Raphael and Preeti Shekar are joined by Pacifica Executive Director Arlene Engelhardt, lawyer and former board member Carol Spooner and former staff member Maria Gelardin to discuss Pacifica's history of conflict, the tensions between paid and unpaid staff and how to best serve our communities. And Lisa Dettmer speaks with economist Stephanie Luce about how women's unpaid labor has historically been devalued in the US economy. Plus the Women's Calendar.     The post Women's Magazine – Community media-maker Mary Ratcliffe and singer-activist MamaCoAtl appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael and Preeti Shekar are joined by Pacifica Executive Director Arlene Engelhardt, lawyer and former board member Carol Spooner and former staff member Maria Gelardin to discuss Pacifica's history of conflict, the tensions between paid and unpaid staff and how to best serve our communities. And Lisa Dettmer speaks with economist Stephanie Luce about how women's unpaid labor has historically been devalued by the labor movement. Plus the Women's Calendar. The post Women's Magazine – Another View of the Crisis at KPFA and Pacifica appeared first on KPFA.

Epcerpts of the award-winning film, “Ruthie and Connie: Every Room in the House.” This delightful documentary follows the lives of Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz. The two met in 1959 as heterosexual married neighbors in Brooklyn and 15 years later, left their husbands for one another. The lifelong partners overcame both internal and external homophobia to become unapologetic and outspoken lesbian educators and activists. Kate Raphael interviews Ruthie and Connie and producer Donald Goldmacher about the film and its impact on their lives and society. The post Women's Magazine – October 4, 2010 appeared first on KPFA.

As we mark Women's Equality Day, we ask what it means to seek equality in the context of a society deeply rooted in inequality. Cynthia Enloe talks with Christine Ahn about how militarism depends on women's participation; and the founders of the radical magazine make/shift talk with Kate Raphael about their project of inspiring and representing playful resistance and alternatives to systematic oppression. Plus the Women's Calendar and more. After broadcast the show and segments will be available on our blog, http://kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com   The post Women's Magazine – Equality Only With Justice and Peace appeared first on KPFA.

This week on Women's Magazine, threatened cuts to Social Security will disproportionately impact women. Kate Raphael talks with Kathie Piccagli of the Older Women's League about this issue. And we hear part of a speech by Dave Zirin on women and sports given at the 2009 Socialism Conference in San Francisco. Plus a tribute to the late political prisoner and activist, Marilyn Buck, and the women's community calendar. Monday at 1:00 p.m. on KPFA, or any time at kpfa.org. After broadcast, the program segments will be available at kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com.   The post Women's Magazine – August 9, 2010 appeared first on KPFA.

On this week's Women's Magazine, you'll hear about some delicious diversions to fill up those long summer nights.  Kate Raphael talks with author & writing teacher Elaine Beale about her new work Another Life Altogether, and takes us to the set of the lesbian musical Left of Oz.  And Sharon Sobotta meets extraordinary women writers at the New York Book Fair. To download the show at any time at kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com.   The post Women's Magazine – Summer time is play time appeared first on KPFA.

Kate Raphael talks with queer activists from Palestine, Toronto and San Francisco about the Israeli government's efforts to win support from the lesbian/gay/bi/trans community during this Pride season.  Simin Yahaghi talks with Iranian filmmaker Shirin Neshat about her spectacular new film, "Women Without Men," and Fabled Asp founder Laura Rifkin tells us why 2010 Is the Year for Honoring Disabled Lesbians. After broadcast the show will be available at kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com.   The post Women's Magazine – Queers reject Brand Israel; Iranian filmmaker Shirin Neshat presents Women Without Men appeared first on KPFA.

We've all heard about the recent church sex abuse scandals, but there are many more we haven't heard about – notably those cases the victims are women.  Kate Raphael interviews Angela Bonavoglia, author of Good Catholic Girls: How Women Are Leading The Fight to Change the Church.  Nina Serrano and Yvette Hochberg present Flower in her Hair: interview and songs with composer/singer Meklit Hadero; and Kate will talk with Ronit Avni, producer of the award-winning film Budrus, about how girls and women led a Palestinian village in saving their land. The post Women's Magazine – May 3, 2010 appeared first on KPFA.

Malihe Razzazan talks with Susan Abulhawa, author of Mornings in Jenin, a powerful narrative of the Palestinian refugee experience.  Preeti Shekar speaks with Cambodian human rights and feminist activist Mu Sochua, and Kate Raphael talks to Janelle White about sexual assault prevention and next weekend's Walk Against Rape. Monday at 1 p.m. on KPFA, 94.1 FM and online at kpfa.org.  After broadcast, the show and its segments will be available on kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com.   The post Women's Magazine – Palestine, Cambodia and Sexual Assault Awareness Month appeared first on KPFA.

In observance of Administrative Professionals Day, formerly known as National Secretaries' Day, Kate Raphael talks with office workers fighting for union recognition at Hastings College of Law, and with Linda Blum, author of Between Feminism and Labor: The Significance of the Comparable Worth Movement.  Plus more feminist poetry for National Poetry Month and great music by Dolly Parton and Aretha. After broadcast the show and its segments will be available on our website, http://kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com.   The post Women's Magazine – April 12, 2010 appeared first on KPFA.

This Monday, Women's Magazine features a conversation with Starhawk, renowned women's spirituality teacher, author and activist. Kate Raphael talks with Starhawk about the reinvention of goddess worship in the context of the women's movement, her new children's book The Last Wild Witch, and the recent Gaza Freedom March.  Also, Gabrielle Wilson interviews Sumbul Ali-Karamali, author of The Muslim Next Door: the Qur'an, the Media, and that Veil Thing.  That's Monday, March 22, at 1:00 p.m.  After broadcast, the show and its segments will be available on the Women's Magazine blog, kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com. The post Womens Magazine – March 22, 2010 appeared first on KPFA.

Terry O'neill, new president of the National Organization for Women, shares her vision for building the grassroots movement to win the Equal Rights Amendment, welfare rights and single-payer health care for all women.  And don't miss the premiere episode of Real Talk with Kiki & Miz Chris, a groundbreaking exploration of living as lesbians of color in the East Bay, with DJ Olga T and spoken word artist Ramona Webb.  Monday at 1 pm on KPFA or online anytime at kpfawomensmag.blogspot.com  Produced by Kate Raphael with Kiki Poe and Christine de la Rosa.   The post Wome's Magazine – November 2, 2009 appeared first on KPFA.

Feminists resisting militarization: the military coup in Honduras has rolled back women's rights and human rights, and feminists are out in the streets protesting this assault on their freedom. Margaret Thompson of the Feminist International Radio Endeavor interviews Daisy Flores, a young organizer with the Honduran group Feminists in Resistance.And, Zanne Joy of Code Pink talks with Kate Raphael about the campaign to stop the use of deadly drones by the U.S. military in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and on the Mexican and Canadian borders.Plus Jovelyn's World and the community calendar.   The post Women's Magazine – Black August Commemoration: Part One appeared first on KPFA.

Women changing the world through art: Journalist Carol Harvey talks with artist Christine Hanlon about her work depicting homelessness and poverty in San Francisco; Kate Raphael speaks with Carolina de Robertis about her new novel, The Invisible Mountain, a story of three generations of Uruguayan women; Kiki Poe and Christine de la Rosa on Bliss Weekend: Oasis for Women of Color in the Desert.  Plus Jovelyn's World and the women's calendar, and featuring music of Mack Mistress and Eliza Gilkison.   The post Women's Magazine – Women changing the world through art appeared first on KPFA.

Long before Beyonce, before Mariah Carey, before Halle Berry, singer, actor and author Eartha Kitt was struggling with racial identity. We've got that story, plus a discussion between Ana maria Loya and Kate Raphael about the racial impact of Judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings on Women's Magazine this afternoon at 1pm on KPFA, 94.1FM and online at www.kpfa.org. Hosted and produced by Safi wa Nairobi, with contributions from Kate Raphael, Jovelyn Richards and Yvette Hochberg.   The post Women's Magazine – The Impact of Race in Arts and Politics appeared first on KPFA.

Update on feminist activist and politician Mu Sochua under threat in Cambodia; the Delhi High Court decriminalizes homosexuality – Preeti Shekar explores what this means for gay rights in India. Kate Raphael interviews author Kris Steinnes on her new book Women of Wisdom. Plus Jovelyn's World and the Women's community calendar.   The post Women´s Magazine – July 6, 2009 appeared first on KPFA.

Think the days of 'Help Wanted: Male' and 'Help Wanted: Female' are gone? Not really, say commentators Linda Hirschman and Paula England, who speak with Women's Magazine reporter and producer Kate Raphael about Hirschman's recent op-ed in the New York Times and the women involved in President Elect Barack Obama's transition team. Also, Swedish Social Democrat, Margot Wallstrom, Vice President of the European Commission, discusses her work with the Council of Women World Leaders and her fifty-fifty plan in an interview with Women's Magazine reporter and producer Safi wa Nairobi. And as the year comes to a close, Preeti Shekar and Jovelyn Richards pay tribute to women who have made their transition, including Odetta and Miriam Makeba. We've also got Jovelyn's World, a reminder about the First Voice Apprenticeship Programme openings and the calendar of events for the upcoming week. Hosted by Preeti Shekar and Jovelyn Richards, with co-production by Safi wa Nairobi. The post Women's Magazine – The Last Chapter in the Book: A New Beginning appeared first on KPFA.

A look at Proposition 8  and talk about  what went wrong with the No on 8 campaign, whether  issues of racism have divided us,  and we look at  the invisible  underlying economic  issues of the anti-gay marriage movement  and  move us beyond looking at religion and homophobia and give us an alternative progressive vision of how to view this issue. Lisa Dettmer talks  with NYU  Professor Lisa Duggan and Kenyon Farrow both from Beyond Marriage.org.  And we will also look at the Economic and Financial Crisis and ask " What's Feminism Got to Do With It?"  Kate Raphael talks with feminist economist Cecilia Conrad and policy analyst Erica Williams. The post Women's Magazine: A look at Proposition 8. – November 17, 2008 appeared first on KPFA.

Ism's: Racism, Sexism, Heterosexism and Looksism.Kate Raphael presents perspectives from the New Jersey 4 on their incredibly long sentences and successful appeals, while Veronica Faisant interviews editor/musician Sabrina Cahpadjiev and writer/fat activist Stephanie Howell about the book, Live Through This: On Creativity and Self-Destruction. The post Women's Magazine – August 4, 2008 appeared first on KPFA.

What happens when women's organizations become professionalized? Do career organizers drive out volunteers or help them participate more fully? How does corporate or government funding limit the political positions they can take?  Kate Raphael talks about the Nonprofit Industrial Complex with current and former leaders of San Francisco Women Against Rape. Plus, Sara Jaka explores art and activism with musicians Betsy Rose and Melanie deMore, who will be performing together at an upcoming benefit for Code Pink Women for Peace. The post Women's Magazine – April 21, 2008 appeared first on KPFA.

Global Fund for Women's Africa Program Officer Muadi Mukenge talk to Preeti Shekar and Masum Momaya about the enormous violence against women in the Congo. Also, Lisa Dettmer highlights the alarming rise of HIV/AIDS among African American women; and Kate Raphael talks with organizers of Free Tibet protests in the Bay Area. The post Women's Magazine – March 24, 2008 appeared first on KPFA.

Abortion rights, empowering immigrant women and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Kate Raphael reports from the Walk For Life and the counterdemonstration against it; Preeti Shekar speaks with organizers of a workshop for professional immigrant women entering the U.S. workforce, and Safi wa Nairobi presents a collage  of African American women activists' voices.http://democracy-sometime.blogspot.com The post Women's Magazine – January 21, 2008 appeared first on KPFA.

Death and Dieting. Kate Raphael talks to Gina Kolata, sicence writer with the New York Times, about her new book, "Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss and the Myths and Realities of Dieting."  Meri Simon interviews Dr. Michelle Peticolas about her four-part documentary series "Secrets of Life and Death." All that plus the women's calendar.   The post Women's Magazine – December 24, 2007 appeared first on KPFA.

Recent incidence of violence against women within the African American Community have triggered a discussion on leadership and responsibilty. Two woman who have raised their voices and concerns are Gina McCauley and Aisha Shaheda Simmons. Gina McCauley, an attorney in Texas, was so upset by the portrayal of black women in the mainstream media that she began a blog called what about our daughters. Aisha Shaheda Simmons is a writer, lecturer, activist, and filmmaker whose works examines issues of race, gender, homophobia, rape, and misogyny. Her recent film No! explores sexual violence in the African American community. Africa Jones recently spoke with Gina McCauley and Aisha Simmons. Plus, the right to have sex is a topic rarely discussed when addressing reproductive health and rights issues. Sarah Olson reports from SisterSong 2007 , a four-day national conference entitled "Let’s Talk about Sex" held in Chicago, May 31-June 3, and hosted by African American Women Evolving.Speakers and presenters at the conference spoke about creating a sex-positive culture in the context of reproductive justice. And finally, Kate Raphael reports on the surreal experience of three U.S. feminists who were prevented from leaving the Philippines in an effort to brand them as terrorists. Plus the Women's Calendar and more. The post Women's Magazine – August 20, 2007 appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA Women's Magazine explores the impact of global economic policy on the lives of women in India and Zimbabwe. Kate Raphael talks to local musician Julie Drucker, who recently returned from Zimbabwe, about the economic collapse in that country and how it is affecting the lives of the traditional women musicians. Preeti Shekar interviews leading Indian feminist journalist Kalpana Sharma about the drastic impact of globalization on rural and urban India, and how it is particularly affecting women's status. Sharma also talks about the depoliticization of most Indian media, and the rise of community radio. We get an update on the struggle of workers at Emeryville's Woodfin Hotel for fair wages and dignity. We hear comedy from Palestinian standup comedienne Maysoon Zayid and music from Zimbabwe, India and Turkey. Airs Monday, July 23, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. at 94.1 FM KPFA; also available online at www.kpfa.org/womensmagazine The post Women's Magazine – July 23, 2007 appeared first on KPFA.

Africa Jones interviews the director of the documentary "Killers Paradise" a film about femicide in Guatemala; Kate Raphael talks with the activist group Breast Cancer Action about corporate sponsorship of breast cancer fund-raising and the upcoming Avon walk in San Francisco; Safi Wa Narobi speaks with Courtney Hermann producer of the film "Standing Silent Nation" about the Lakota Nation's struggle with the federal government over tribal sovereignty; and we will have a tribute to musician Joan Armatrading who will be playing in San Francisco this Tuesday night at the Great American Music Hall. The post Women's Magazine – July 2, 2007 appeared first on KPFA.

Poetry and Secretaries: A Time to Celebrate and Commemorate In the first half hour, Women's Magazine continues celebrating National Poetry Month with artists including Lucille Clifton, who celebrates African American heritage and feminist themes; Jayne Cortez, who puts much of her political, musical and surreal poetry to the music of the Firespitters; poet musician Joy Harjo, an enrolled member of the Muskogee Indigenous people; Ofelia Zepeda, a member of the Tohono O'odham Nation; and Shanghai-born Wang Ping. In the second half hour, Women's Magazine acknowledges Administrative Professionals' Week, a time of lunches, flowers and umbrellas embossed with company logo. Some support staff appreciate the appreciation, but others say they do not want to go out to lunch with the boss. Clerical workers Kate Raphael and Rosemary Lenihan share interviews from many of their coworkers about the meaning of this corporate holiday. It's Poetry and Secretaries: A Time to Celebrate and Commemorate, Monday 23 April 2007 on KPFA's Women's Magazine. Producers: Kate Raphael, Jovelyn Richards, Catalina Vasquez and Safi wa Nairobi. The post Women's Magazine – April 23, 2007 appeared first on KPFA.

Theme: violence against women. Janelle White from San Francisco Women Against Rape; Joy Duenas from Gabriela Network; Athena Colby, author of a study on human rights abuses in Haiti; A special report on the trial of eleven women from the Raging Grannies arrested in Philadelphia last July for attempting to enlist. In recognition of International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2006 and a recent United Nations report on violence against women Kate Raphael interviews Janelle White from San Francisco Women Against Rape; Joy Duenas from the Gabriela Network focusing on issues affecting women in the Philippines and Asia Pacific and Athena Colby, author of a study on human rights abuses in Haiti about the recent U.N. study on violence against women. Later on in the show, Safi Wa Nairobi has a special report on the trial of eleven women from the Raging Grannies arrested in Philadelphia last July for attempting to enlist. The post Women's Magazine – December 4, 2006 appeared first on KPFA.