CONCEPT
What gave you the sovereign right to oppress my sex?
Feminist philosophy dates back to the Late Middle Ages when Christine de Pizan combated general slandering about women in The Book of the City of Ladies. Should I be sorry that I was born in a female body? The question is, of course, rhetorical. But I can be sorry that I was born into a world where women have always been dominated, as Simone de Beauvoir puts it.
During the French revolution, the fight for human rights also became a feminist fight. Olympe de Gouges who waited for her theatre piece to be performed in vain, responded to the new version of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen with her Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen. Man, she protested, tell me, what gave you the sovereign right to oppress my sex?
I will answer: If it was given by God, let me tell you that there is nothing up there. If it was given by a tribe leader, emperor or king, I say: I live in a Republic. Fascist leader? The answer is a verse by Sylvia Plath: The boot in the face!
Feminism is the fearless speech nearing its peak with the 25th anniversary of the City of Women. It’s time for a feminist Champagne Aria!
Dr Eva D. Bahovec,
Honorary President of the City of Women Association
xx
Long live Cities of Women!
This year, the City of Women Association was awarded the prestigious international Princess Margriet Award for Culture given by the European Cultural Foundation. As they stated, we offer “a hopeful vision of democracy by redefining our understanding of culture and its capacity to improve a common European social reality”. Also, for the second time, The City of Women festival was given the EFFE Label (2017–2020) awarded to the festivals fulfilling the highest quality standards. At the same time, we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of this contemporary art festival with a feminist note.
Reaching this milestone, we find that the need to promote women in culture, emphasise the female perspective and defend women’s equality in every sphere is no smaller today. This year, the festival therefore promotes #HerStory – women’s history. Vesna Leskošek, former Honorary President of the City of Women, claims that this term does not cover a special history valid only for women but a “missing part of general history that has so far mainly valued men’s events”. This means that women’s history can only be written with the realisation that historiography is a fight for interpretation. And if we wish to think the future, we must listen to #HerStory: to stories of women of all genders.
Long live Cities of Women!
The Festival Team
