You’re thinking “Really? But it’s 2010?!”, and we echo that sentiment. But have a look for yourself by entering the key words ‘Feminist Radio Show, Canada” in your Google search bar, then scroll through the results in bewilderment at the slim pickings. Of course there are several radio shows throughout the country broadcasted by the larger media chains that broach the topic on occasion, but it’s obviously not often or prominent enough to appear in standard search results. Trying to educate the mainstream media or revolutionize their programming is a daunting task, but there are different ways to get feminist voices heard. Thankfully, media co-ops, community and university radio stations across the country are filling the gap by allotting airtime to feminist discourse. Through our national network, we’ve encountered some inspirational girls and young women who are using the radio as a medium…is there a movement on the rise?

At the Zoom in on Girls gathering we held in Vancouver BC earlier this spring, we met members of The F Word Media Collective, a volunteer-run, non-hierarchical group of women connected by common beliefs of feminism and social justice, who use blogs and their weekly radio show (the only explicitly feminist 1-hour radio show in all of BC!) to explore varied aspects of feminism through humour, discussion and interviews. Contrary to mainstream media’s practices, airing their show through Vancouver’s Co-op radio allows them to “shy away from the expert culture by inviting a diversity of guests and women from the community…basing the discourse on the lived experiences of girls and women to bring a critical lens to the way we create and report media” says Leslie Wilkin, co-host/producer of The F Word. 

Leslie believes that it is important to bring feminist voices on the airwaves because it serves to “really challenge what’s going on and to suggest that we still have a lot of struggles and a long way to go, but also to celebrate what women have done, what women today are doing and the way that feminism is transforming in the third wave. Feminist discourse has become broader and more diverse in that we're having dialogues about intersecting identities, racism, and queer identity; broadening the dialogue about feminism in moving away from this idea that we are just this homogeneous movement that we all have the same beliefs…that we’re stuck in the 80’s. So radio is really a good forum to get these messages out.”

The F Word also hopes to inspire groups of young women to do a show in their community and get their voices out there. “Women and girls are still really silenced and oppressed in the media, and radio is one way to reclaim that space. It can be extremely empowering and very important in the social justice dialogue.”  Her advice to girls and young women who want to start their own radio show is “Go for it! Partner up with women who share your values; coming at any project collectively makes it much less intimidating…if you have a co-op, community or college radio station in your area, these could be great places to propose a 1 hour show a month to start, or contact a show that has a feminist perspective and ask them if you can get a 10 min slot. The other option is podcasting which is a great medium. Download a program like Audacity and experiment with recording your voice. Connect with either a podcast network or start posting them on your Facebook or myspace page. But you don’t have to go that far, just getting used to hearing your voice speak about feminism, getting comfortable with your own belief system and then sharing it can be a very empowering experience.”

Interestingly enough, Leslie’s tip of proposing to do a 10 min slot on an existing feminist slanted radio show, is how 5 girls aged 9 to 17 yrs old from the Centre Filles program at the YWCA in Quebec City ended up hosting, producing and “teching” their monthly 1 hour show Radio Centre filles at their local community radio station. 

In 2008, the girls were inspired by a workshop given by the amazing ladies from Authentik Magazine and wanted to explore different ways of creating their own media through a medium that doesn’t traditionally have a strong female presence. Having decided on radio, they formed a special ‘radio committee’ led by girls and for girls, under the supervision of Valerie Beaudoin, the Women’s Leadership program coordinator at the YWCA Quebec. The committee started drafting an action plan to decide on the overall vision, choice of topics, music and guest list of intergenerational role models.

Having heard of their initiative, Monique Foley, the host of the feminist show ‘Mes amies de filles” on Quebec city's community radio station CKIA, invited them to do an interview and then allowed them to host a short segment on her show. She was so impressed by the content, their self-discipline and abilities, that she offered them the full hour once a month. The impact of the show on the girls was phenomenal. As Valerie noted, “teachers and parents noticed a big increase in self-confidence which translated to their academic performances. The girls kept abreast of the latest news and events, became aware and concerned about the impact of new laws and brought a critical analysis to celebrities’ comments and behaviours” 

On why it’s important to hear girls’ voices on the radio, Valerie believes that “We need to share women’s history with our girls if we don’t want to move backwards. They are facing some scary things, so it’s important for them to understand feminist ideals, to talk about it in their own words, to acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to do and to develop self-respect to be able to stand up to all forms of violence. Using their own language to speak about women’s leadership as seen through their eyes and based on their experiences, can demystify feminist discourse and may allow some other girl’s dreams to take flight. It’s also important for the boys to hear and understand the girls’ world, their fears and dreams. ” 

For girls who want to start their own show, Valerie suggests they visit their local station and request a tour. “There’s nothing like seeing how it works for yourself. You might find out that it isn’t for you but if you are interested, go for it! You have to believe in your dreams to move forward.  It’s about team spirit and teamwork, so create a small committee, and find a mentor or radio host you can collaborate with, then work hard, persevere and never give up.” Radio Centre filles is also looking forward to merging forces with girls’ radio shows across the country. They invite girls who are interested in starting their own show to contact them for support and possible collaborations.

So what’s the future for feminist radio? Considering that Simon Fraser University in BC is now offering a course called Pirate Writing: Radiophonic Strategies for Feminist Consciousness, you could say that the future is looking bright with or without the support of the mainstream media. But until then, throughout the country, girls and women of all ages are stepping up to the mic and telling it as it is for them as feminists, inspiring listeners to engage and hopefully do the same.

The F Word radio show can be heard live every Saturday from 8am to 9am PST on Vancouver’s Co-op radio 102.7 FM or you can listen to their podcasts on Rabble. Visit their website to find out more about their programming and their new Youth Media Project.

Radio Centre Filles can be heard every 2nd Wednesday of the month on CKIA 88.3 FM, Radio Basse-Ville in Quebec city at 6 pm on the show 'Mes amies de filles'.

Check out Girls Action’s zine Make Some Noise: A young women’s guide to media arts and social change, for more tips and tricks!