Many of you must be confused at the sheer amount of petitions, movements and posts about female empowerment these days. But a straightforward way to get yourself involved is to attend an online, all-women festival this month.
Held from July 15 to August 2, the second edition of the Festival of Women: N.O.W 2020 is back to start conversations on modern female solidarity. This is organised by T:>Works (formerly known as TheatreWorks), and spearheaded by artistic director Noorlinah Mohamed. Presenting stories and opinions by women from all walks of life, the festival wants to highlight gender issues in contemporary Singapore.
Noorlinah explains that N.O.W celebrates the diversity of the female experience. To her, it’s not just a movement to celebrate feminism. Instead, the festival narrows down on the intersections (class, race and gender) to reveal existing systemic problems that perpetuate inequalities.
“For example, this year, we work with non-citizen migrant married women performing verbatim accounts of transnational divorce narratives, as well as the researchers who did the field work,” she says. “In doing so, we ask ourselves, what is this society we live in and how can we make and hold space for others who do not fit in? Who has a voice and who gets heard? And how do those with access amplify, make, and hold space for others who may not enjoy the same privilege?”
A continuation from Noorlinah’s 2019 exhibition (Power of Letters), this is a standout section featuring 25 women interviewees from different industries. The interview topics range from social service to advocacy and highlight the gaps in society.
After eight years of research, the team at N.O.W has put together a documentary on non-citizen migrant women who are married. The documentary reveals their liminal experiences, dotted with financial woes and personal struggles. Other than that, the show also includes dialogues with prominent industry leaders like sociologist Dr. Quah Ee Ling Sharon, lawyer-poet Amanda Chong and AWARE researcher Chong Ning Qian. This is a must-see.
Artist-lecturer and Her World Tribe Member Ginette Chittick, along with her partner Hazel Lim, has turned their artistic process into a video. This is a documentation of the making of an exhibition that translates the narratives of unpaid labour into patterns and designs. Be stunned by the intricate tapestry weaving techniques as you learn about the hard work behind everyday items like tablecloths and handkerchiefs.