Feministing at Netroots Nation 2012

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The next few days are Netroots Nation, a big annual progressive organizing and blogging conference being held in Providence, RI this year. I’m at the conference, along with Zerlina and Katie. I’m currently at the LGBT pre-convening, organized by the badass Michael Rogers - Netroots starts in earnest tomorrow. We’ll be blogging from the conference for the rest of the week/weekend. (This isn’t Feministing’s first year at Netroots – you can check out some of our past coverage here.)

I’m ridiculously excited about the panel I’ll be on. It features a who’s who of trans lady bloggers – Autumn Sandeen from Pam’s House Blend, Dr. Jill Weiss from Bilerico, Monica Roberts from TransGriot, and yours truly. I’m super grateful to GLAD for organizing the panel - Jennifer Levi from the organization will be speaking as well. It’s a big effing deal to have this many trans woman bloggers in the same room. Here’s the details for the panel:

Blogging for Transgender Equality: History, Challenges and Progress

Starts: Friday, Jun. 8 10:30 AM

Ends: Friday, Jun. 8 11:45 AM

Room: Ballroom B

Transgender advocacy has exploded in recent years in no small part due to the ability of transgender people to connect nationally online. The immediate and swift outcry against the proposed stripping of gender identity protections in the Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA) demonstrated this community’s online power. But while blogging significantly shapes political activity within the transgender community, there is a risk that all of the community’s concerns may not be considered in online responses to real-world events. This panel will explore the historical development of the activated transgender community and the impact blogging and online activism have on its formation and focus. Presenters will share examples of the powerful role this online community plays in moving transgender rights forward, while also examining what is missing from the conversation.

Zerlina’s panel has the best title ever:

Ask a Sista: Black Women Muse on Politics, Policy, Pop Culture and Scholarship

Starts: Saturday, Jun. 9 10:30 AM

Ends: Saturday, Jun. 9 11:45 AM

Room: 552
This session was a big hit at Netroots Nation 2011. Our point of departure is that African-American women make up two-thirds of the black, Democratic voting bloc. Their votes are consistent but their programs are underfunded and voices routinely unheard. How can progressives expect the party to flourish without understanding this key voting block and their major influence in American culture? This session will shed light on African-American progressive women and their views on politics, policy, pop culture and scholarship to address how the Democratic party can mobilize them in 2012.

The panel features Cheryl Contee, Co-Founder & Partner at Fission Strategy and Attentive.ly, “Dr. Goddess,” aka Kimberly C. Ellis, Ph.D., communications strategist jenifer daniels, and of course our own Zerlina.

Katie’s also doing a panel, and she’s in a comedy show as well. Here’s the panel details first:

Funny Feminism: Joking Our Way to Gender Equality

Starts: Saturday, Jun. 9 3:00 PM

Ends: Saturday, Jun. 9 4:15 PM

Room: Rotunda

We all know the tedious stereotype about the humorless feminist, but the reality is so much different. One look at online feminism confirms that feminists really are funny, and usually funnier than the sexists they fight. The panelists will discuss the hows and whys of laughing our way to gender equality.

The panel features Amanda Marcotte from Pandagon, Jezebel founder Anna Holmes, and Jezebel blogger Erin Gloria Ryan along with Katie.

Katie’s also performing at Laughing Liberally Thursday evening. Here’s the deets:

Laughing Liberally

Starts: Thursday, Jun. 7 9:15 PM

Ends: Thursday, Jun. 7 11:00 PM

Room: Rotunda

Join the performers of Laughing Liberally for a free special engagement at Netroots Nation. Enjoy an evening of laughter from the left with top political comics from Comedy Central, The Onion and the Laughing Liberally National Tour. Featuring Netroots Nation favorites including Lee Camp, Katie Halper, Negin Farsad, Julianna Forlano, Baratunde Thurston, Lizz Winstead, Elon James White and more.  Laughing Liberally, the national comedy project of Living Liberally, has been touring the country, producing videos and special campaigns with progressive partners, running Off-Broadway in New York City and is preparing an election season of political laughter across the country. laughingliberally.org.

If you’re at Netroots definitely come by and say hi. I hope to see you at these events!

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