Herland Sister Resources

saturday, december 13, 2008—6–9 pm
Individual Artists of Oklahoma is proud to announce a challenging exhibition of contemporary art, titled Gendering America, slated to run from November 20, 2008 through January 9, 2009. This group exhibit of visual art created by artists from across the nation, as well as Oklahoma, is intended to investigate and explore the impact of culture on gender development in America. “The artists in this exhibit address how we develop behaviors that are identified as masculine, feminine, or somewhere in between, as well as how those choices affect our personal and social lives,” said IAO Executive Director, Jeff Stokes, who is curating the exhibition.
“Each of these artists is interested in how men and women in America define and act out gender in relation to cultural memes,” Said Stokes. “ Are there natural forces and instincts that inform our choices, or are those “choices” guided by social agreement within a range of acceptable categories? How have the last 40 years, with the advent of Feminism, the Sexual Revolution and Gay Rights issues affected gender self-awareness/perception?”
“I found so many excellent artists addressing these issues,” said Stokes, “that I was able to bring together a wide range of perspectives which IAO hopes will generate important dialogue about gender in our community.”
Gendering America will feature works by artists John Hammer, Ursula McCarty, Angela Piehl, Morgan Price, Derek Grant Smalling, Mary Lou Stokes and Ann-Maree Walker.
“My work is an attempt to grapple with the weighty questions concerning gender and the formation of the self. I see the body as an active site of a variety of power plays, a tablet for the inscriptions and augmentations of the self . It is vulnerable to external manipulation by sources such as the media and advertising. Even the very clothing and accessories that adorn the body are codified surfaces that are read and interpreted by others,” says St. Louis artist, Ann-Maree Walker.
California Artist, John Hammer, investigates the ever evolving role and identity of gay men in America. Hammer states: “When I was in my twenties, way back in the late eighties and early nineties, being out was a political statement in its self. Now, being out is almost passé in its mainstream modernity.” “How is our identity defined when the aspect of absorption is within reach, and reaching such, we leave behind a history of “otherness”? Can we be both mainstream and queer?”
There will be an Artist’s Reception, open to the public, on Saturday, December 13th, 2008 from 6-9 pm, at IAO Gallery.

This week, our community lost one of its great sheroes, Del Martin. Del and her partner, Phyllis Lyon, have been legends within the lesbian community for as long as I can remember.
Born in San Francisco in May of 1921, Del met Phyllis in 1950 and shortly thereafter they founded the first national lesbian  organization, Daughters of Bilitis.  Understanding the relationship of religious dogma in the oppression of gays and  lesbians,  Martin and Lyon in 1964 joined religious and gay community leaders to form the Council on Religion and the Homosexual (CRH), which was at the forefront of the movement to gain religious support on gay rights issues.
Martin was the author of “Battered Wives” (1976) and the co-author of “Lesbian/Woman” with Lyon (1972).  She was first out lesbian elected to the National Organization for Women (NOW).
Del and Phyllis’ role in gay and lesbian rights was publicly
acknowledged when the mayor of San Francisco announced that they would be the first to be legally married in California on June 16th of this year.  After 58 years as partners, the two were at long last able to marry.
All of us at Soulforce are grateful for the relentless activism of
Del Martin throughout the years and we send our heartfelt
condolences to her wife, Phyllis.

Get out the vote, then come join Oklahomans for Equality on Tuesday, November 4th, for OkEq’s Election Night Watch Party.  The party will be from 7:00 p.m. til 10:00 p.m. in the Sue Welch Hall at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, 621 E. 4th Street (4th and Kenosha), in Tulsa.  Drinks and refreshments will be available.  Drawings every hour.  Watch parties will continue after 10:00 p.m. at The Eagle and Club Mavericks.  Log Cabin Republicans and Stonewall Democrats will have information tables available.  Call 918.743.4297 for more info.

Louise & Mary  Saturday November 1 Full Circle Bookstore 7-9 pm no cover
Election Day Tuesday November 4  7 am—7 pm
PFLAG-OKC  Tuesday November 4 Church of the Open Arms 7 pm
Herland Barbecue and Blues  Saturday November 8 at Herland 5:30 pm $6
OGLPC Monthly Meeting Monday November10 1236 NW 36 7 pm
PFLAG-Norman  Thursday November 13         St Stephens 7 pm
Sisters of Swing Friday November 14 UCO Jazz Lab 8 to 11 pm $7
Peace Festival Saturday November 15 Civic Center Hall of Mirrors 10 am to 4 pm
Herland Work Day Sunday November 16 1 pm
Herland Board Meeting  Sunday November 16 4 pm
OKC PRIDE General Meeting  Monday  November 17 Neighborhood Alliance 1236 NW 36  7pm
Miss Brown to You  Tuesday November 18 Galileo Bar & Grill 3009 Paseo 8:30 to 11 pm no cover
Covert Union in concert Saturday November 22 7:30 pm Church of the Open Arms $5 suggested donation
Holiday Open House at Herland Saturday November 29 5:30 pm

5:30 p.m. saturday november 8 
Join us for an evening meal of barbecue ribs at Herland on Saturday, November 8, at Herland.  If it’s good weather, we’ll be in the backyard, if it’s cold or damp, we’ll be inside.  Either way, we are bringing in BBQ ribs, potato salad, baked beans, dessert and drinks.  All for only $6.00!  We start at 5:30 p.m. and play some games afterward.