University News Last updated 02 December
Women from the West Midlands who were involved in addressing inequalities in Birmingham in the 1980s have shared their experiences in a new podcast, which has been created as part of Birmingham City University (BCU) research into gender equality within the city.
The six-episode series has been produced by oral historian, Dr Siobhán Stevenson. Each episode features two women reflecting on the challenges of working towards gender equality.
They explore collective power, intersectional identities, race, sexuality and the representation of diverse women's voices and stories, all within the context of 1980s Birmingham.
“It was really important for us to focus on women’s history and the issues facing our city then and now,” said Dr Annette Naudin, an expert in gender equality and cultural work at BCU.
“The Barbara Webster Collection – now housed in the BCU Arts, Media and Design archive – is great, but the podcast brings it to life. It creates a bridge from the mid-80s to what life is like for women living and working in Birmingham now.
“We hear from real women who remember together, create new shared memories, rejoice and laugh, talk about what’s changed and identify the challenges that remain the same.”
In episodes one and two, Ming de Nasty and Mo White explore art and photography as activism.
Episodes three and four feature Emma Woolf MBE and Sue Gorbing, who discuss their work as part of Birmingham City Council’s Women’s Unit and representations of women over time.
In the final two episodes, Surinder Punn and Dr Karen Patel reflect on the Race Relations Unit and their work to achieve equality and inclusion whilst acknowledging intersectional identities.
The podcast is available to stream now on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts.
Launched at a special event at BCU’s School of Art, the podcast builds on recent research carried out by the University, notably the Gender Equality: 40 years on! project.
The project was funded by a British Academy Leverhulme Small Research Grant.