In the first part of her testimony, Joanne talks about how Spare Rib magazine fitted into a broad spectrum of cultural influences growing up in the late 1970’s in Manchester.

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

Joanne Hollows - reader testimony for Liberating Histories - 1 of 3

In the second part of her testimony, Joanne’s talks talks about becoming politically active, teaching Women’s Studies in Adult Education, the importance of Spare Rib in supporting her developing political identity and how much she loved her Spare Rib Diary.

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

Joanne Hollows - reader testimony for Liberating Histories - 2 of 3

In the final part of her interview, Joanne talks about why she stopped reading feminist magazines and the importance of popular music and bands to the development of her personal feminism.

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

Joanne Hollows - reader testimony for Liberating Histories - 3 of 3

Hello, and welcome to Liberating Histories. I'm Victoria Bazin, and I'm Mel Waters. Liberating Histories is a project that looks at feminist magazines from the start of the women's liberation movement right up to the present day. 

The unique thing about this project is that it tells the story of the women's movement through women's movement magazines, and also from the perspective of readers of those magazines. 

So if you're interested in telling your story, visit our website, liberatinghistories.org and you'll find questions there that you can respond to and make a contribution to the histories of the women's movement.

A call to contribute to Liberating Histories

In the first part of her testimony Helen talks about her introduction to Spare Rib magazine in the early 1970’s. She discusses issues around women's health and in particular, mental health. [when reviewing the transcript, Helen corrected the date near the beginning of the recording from 1976 to 1973 when she would have been 22 or 3]

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

Helen McConnachie - audio testimony for Liberating Histories - 1 of 2

In the second part of her testimony, Helen talks about her mother's experiences as a young woman, feeling part of the Women's Mocement through Spare Rib and activism in the early 1980s at the Women against Violence Against Women conference.

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

Helen McConnachie - audio testimony for Liberating Histories - 2 of 2

Lin talks here about her involvement with a radical bookshop in Swansea in the 1970s called Revolt which was where she first encountered feminist magazines. She remembers attending Women's Liberation conferences and talks about sexuality and political lesbianism, women's health, self publishing and distribution and the importance of support networks.

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

A transcript of this interview can be found here: https://liberatinghistories.org/2023/06/07/lins-testimony-part-1-of-2/

Lin - Harwood - audio testimony for Liberating Histories - 1 of 2

In the second part of Lin’s testimony she talks about her working class upbringing, her grammar school education and experiences of going to university. She talks about women's hidden histories, class and the joufulness of solidarity.

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

A transcript of this interview can be found here: https://liberatinghistories.org/2023/06/07/lins-testimony-part-2-of-2/

Lin Harwood - audio testimony for Liberating Histories - 2 of 2

Liberating Histories' Mel Waters interviews Sally Orson-Jones about the origins of Shocking Pink magazine in the early 1980s for the project's Activist Legacies Roundtable event held at The Women’s Library (LSE), 22nd September 2022.

Sally Orson-Jones from Shocking Pink magazine at Liberating Histories' Activist Legacies Roundtable

Victoria Bazin introduces Marsha Rowe, co-founder of Spare Rib magazine at the Liberating Histories Activist Legacies Roundtable event held at the LSE in September 2022. In her session, Marsha talks about the origins of Spare Rib, some of the other people involved in its production and how the magazine was financed. 

The script of Marsha's talk can be found here: https://liberatinghistories.org/events/activist-legacies-roundtable-1/marsha-rowe-spare-rib-recording/

Marsha Rowe from Spare Rib at Liberating Histories' Activist Legacies Roundtable - September 2022

The Liberating Histories SoundCloud page is where we keep our recordings of speakers at our events and testimonials from people who have read and were influenced by second wave feminist print activism in the UK from the beginnings of the Women’s Liberation Movement in 1968 to the present day.

If you would like to get involved in the project visit https://liberatinghistories.org/testimonials/tell-us-your-story/ to find out how.

Liberating Histories

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