Make some noise, make some change and have a rockin’ good time with Lady Parts Justice!
It probably comes as no surprise that women’s rights are under attack, unless you’ve been living like an inhabitant of the Dark Ages, which America’s anti-women politicians clearly are. Women have always had to fight for their rights, and they always will unless people come together and do something to change all that.
That’s the idea behind Lady Parts Justice (LPJ), founded in 2012 by Lizz Winstead and co-conspirators after then-State Representative Lisa Brown was silenced for using the word “vagina” on the House floor when talking about (shocking!) women’s reproductive health. Lady Parts Justice is dedicated to using comedy, culture and digital media to sound the alarm about the erosion of reproductive justice across America.
For the second year, LPJ is hosting a nationwide day to celebrate women — V to Shining V — and LPJ Michigan is throwing a big bash in Detroit, where women and the people who love them can plot, scheme and change the laws disintegrating women’s reproductive access. The whole idea is to educate attendees about the shifty shenanigans going on in Michigan so they can take action to abolish the laws and lawmakers who promote an anti-women agenda.
Here’s what Winstead has to say:
Every day, politicians are voting for laws and policies that hurt women: restricting their access to safe, legal abortion and other reproductive care and health services, discriminating against them because they’re LGBTQ, refusing to give them equal pay for equal work — the list is endless and it’s infuriating. So instead of complaining about it we decided to do something about it. Lady Parts Justice is hard at work all year long, but this is a day when we have some fun and say ‘We’re going to work together to change laws and get rid of politicians who are bad for women and their lives.’
After a hugely successful debut event last year, LPJ Michigan is hosting a V to Shining V event on September 26th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at PJs Lager House, 1254 Michigan Avenue in Detroit.
Like all the V to Shining V events, the Detroit party is put together almost entirely by volunteers who are serious about making their communities a better place for women to work and live — and having fun in the process. Last year, the organizers spanned five generations of women, and this year’s group of feminist volunteers is just as diverse. That’s a big part of what Lady Parts Justice is all about, as an intersectional feminist organization that embraces all women and men.
The LPJ Michigan grassroots volunteer team has been hard at work for months putting together a stellar lineup of performers and speakers:
- Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence
- Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk
- Kary Moss, executive director of the ACLU of Michigan
- Mira Krishnan, feminist activist
- Renee Chelian, founder of Northland Family Planning
- Alex English, comedian and emcee
- Jassmine Parks, slam poet
- Sadia Ghazi, poet
- D.S. Sense, rapper
- Kelly Elizabeth, musician
- Tankini Kill, band
There will be a silent auction, too, along with plenty of other antics and activities.
The party begins promptly at 3 p.m. with a welcome message from Lisa Brown — so don’t be late! PJs Lager House will be open and serving food and drink, and V to Shining V will start greeting guests at 2:30. RSVP to the LPJ Michigan Facebook event to say you’re in and stay up to date on all the latest.
[Image credits: Graphic designed by Sara Cederberg; Lizz Winstead photo courtesy of Lady Parts Justice.]
