GENDER UMBRELLA Amy Clare Tasker, 25 January 2015 Connecting artists and advocates for gender equality. There are so many conversations about gender, men, women, trans and gender queer identities, and how the performances of these identities affects our work in theatre. How can we connect these conversations, these advocates, these organisations, these initiatives? How can we create a space where everyone feels invited to the conversation, whether they are male, female, trans, or any other gender? GAP Salon (Gender and Performance) an open space style discussion group which meets monthly in person, as well as keeping in touch via a facebook group where we share articles, casting notices, questions, and ideas. Find us at gapsalon.wordpress.com and @GAPsalon on Twitter Connecting today: Amy Clare Tasker, GAP Salon Lucy Avery, playwright Ellan Parry, designer Chloe France, director Andrea Carr, designer Francis Christeller, dancer and programmer Tracy Gentles, producer Leo Burton, producer Emma Rucastle, director Lucy Scott, Roundhouse young people's programme Nik Paldi, director Sophie? Organisations and Festivals to check out: Hear Me Roar feminist festival, Lancaster Split Britches, NYC lesbian performance artists “Woman Theory” - an academic movement to publish only work which includes women as well as men Big Girls Blouse by Kate O'Donnell, transwoman solo performance at Queer Contact in Manchester Clod Ensemble, woman led company with male and female artistic directors How to Be a Man - show at OvalHouse in May Phil Purvis book: Masculinity in Opera Woman Up: a series of talks and events Rose Company, an all female theatre focusing on classical works, in Lancaster Thanks everyone for these references and recommendations! Hope to speak to you all again soon! Tags: Gender, Women, transgender, men, gender, feminism, Feminism, women