Ladyfest Berlin 2011

"LaD.I.Y.fest is a non-profit, woman/lesbian/trans* (wlt*) organized, volunteer run ‘Do It Yourself’ (D.I.Y.) festival of music, art, film, discussions and workshops organized and orchestrated by feminist activists, artists and musicians of various genders. It helps to showcase the skills and talents of a diverse group of groundbreaking feminist people working in the arts, community building and activism. It is a participatory festival, and most importantly, a community festival that is bound together within a worldwide network.

The history of Ladyfest traces back to the Riot Grrrl movement in the US which took place in the beginning of the 90’s. When the term ‘girl’ became more and more adopted by both the fashion and music industries, the grrrls took matters into their own hands and created the tougher and more mature ‘lady’ to create a new subversive term that they could better relate to. They formed a more fitting and independent identity to show that feminism could be cool, refractory, sexy and nasty at the same time. After the first Ladyfest 2000 in Olympia, the idea soon spread to England, Italy, The Netherlands and Germany. In 2003 three independent Ladyfests happened in Hamburg, Berlin and Leipzig.

In 2010, LaD.I.Y.fest is happening for the 8th time in Berlin. Throughout the entire event, we endeavour to take the initial ideas which inspired the original Ladyfest by - ‘empowering the presence of women in the arts’ and taking them further - outside of the binary gender system.

It is about empowerment and the political project of quashing preconceptions of what determines identities. Our goal is to redefine gender stereotypes and styles.

All genders are welcome at all events at LaD.I.Y.fest Berlin (unless otherwise stated)." (http://www.ladyfest.net/?page_id=2)

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