FEMME HIVE is for queer femmes but also those who are queer feminine and do not per se identify as ‘femme’ (this is partly due to the fact that ‘femme’ is not a common identity within the Berlin queer scene). Through the power of Femme Feminism and love, this event is meant to match fun with open dialogue about how queer femininity is dealt with/received, including intersectional femme experiences of race.class.trans-identity.ability.&.body-politics, focused ultimately on validating and celebrating the feminine!
FEMME HIVE is about…
✲ the complexity & queerness of femme
✲ the freakish & non-heteronormative nature of femme
✲ the queering of femininity/the feminine
✲ the concept of femme feminism
✲ varying and intersectional cultural interpretations and relationships to queer feminine
✲ the currency (and place) of femme / the feminine in queer spaces
✲ femme sexuality / desire
✲ the fear of the feminine / femme-inine
FEMME HIVE focuses on…
✲ creating femme positive space in Berlin
✲ creating dialogue, visibility and allyship for femme/queer feminine in Berlin/Germany (and the world!)
✲ creating an international-friendly femme space where we can learn from and gain support from femme friends from all over
✲ creating a body / fat positive environment where all body shapes, sizes, colors and abilities are welcome
✲ having fun, being playful, dressing up, and celebrating the positive and powerful feminine
Allies at FEMME HIVE…
FEMME HIVE recognizes that there are amazing femme allies out there, people who are also maybe femme-curious (or closeted) who want to attend but are not ready to identify as femme or even feminine, queers who want to learn how to be better allies to femmes, and individuals with complicated genders that have aspects of femme and other fabulous mix-matches in their gender expression(s). So, we have a few things we want to mention about what the focus of this conference is: FEMME HIVE is primarily a space for femme / queer feminine identified individuals. This means that all queers and allies are welcome, but it is important to think about what it means to be an femme ally. Here are some suggestions / things to consider doing during the conference. Allies at FEMME HIVE are asked to:
✲ lead/attend discussions on how to be better allies to femmes/queer feminines (ie. discuss misogyny against femmes/feminine in queer spaces)
✲ be aware of your physical/verbal space during events (ie. remember this space is for femmes / queer feminines and they should have priority over space in workshops / discussion; if a workshop is full and a femme comes late and can’t get in, as an ally it is best to then give up your spot in the workshop)
✲ speaking with or addressing problematic or sexist comments from other attendees – they need your support in becoming better allies! Making mistakes is not a crime, so be caring and speak with people / listen before making judgements or assumptions. We will not grow / change as a community unless we work together and support each other in a caring & compassionate way to become better allies to one another. Being an ally at FEMME HIVE means that you support femmes in addressing hard situations instead of femmes having to educate those being offensive. If something seems weird, you can always ask how you can offer support if you are not sure what to do.
♡ We assume that people coming to FEMME HIVE are respectful, loving and open minded, and are coming to learn and / or give their support and appreciation towards the celebration of femme / queer feminine! We ask that you be aware that for some people, they are there to meet other femmes, not to flirt or get sexual attention, while others will be very happy about this. Some attendees will wish to have deep conversations about gender or other topics, and others may wish to left alone. It all depends on the person, so just be aware and thoughtful. ♡
About us…
Femme Hive was started and is being co-organized by Angie and Elliat, two femmes living in Berlin who want to help create more femme positive and celebratory spaces! Through feedback and submissions from femmes in Berlin and abroad, the conference has taken its current (and evolving) form, and would not be possible without the brilliant support from the vast amount of people contributing their skills, knowledge and time to make this conference sparkle!
Angie is a Greek (well, at least half) queer fat femme from Graz, Austria, who’s moved to Berlin about 2 years ago. She is a doctoral student at the University of Graz, but is researching & writing her thesis at the Institute for Queer Theory in Berlin. She is an events organizer and recent puppy mom, as well as a TV and book junkie, which is how she found out about femme identity after struggling through a tomboyish and isolated adolescence and very confused early adulthood. She was very excited about moving to Berlin to experience concentrated Femme Power, but soon found that there’s some room for improvement here. So when the opportunity presented itself to help create femme space, connect with other amazing femme people*, and have some fun in the process she jumped on it and started working on FEMME HIVE 2014, which was pretty much the fierce, femme-savvy, and most glittery experience she was hoping for!
Elliat is a queer femme dyke from Olympia/Seattle (US) who has been in (and out of) Berlin for the past 9-5 years. Elliat creates work in multi-media/documentary film, faux-queen performance art, heritage+arts research.curation, and cultural event organization, as well as practicing taro cards and reading sci-fi+witchy books on the side. As a white fat working class teen with queer-core/feminist roots + femme family, Elliat came out as femme at age 19, and has been lucky to have amazing femme mentors, friends and relatives contributing to the continual process of embracing the powerful, complex and subversive aspects of being queer femme. While Berlin has become a second home, it unfortunately has too often fallen short of having space where being femme/queer feminine is treated with any value, let alone celebrated (except on stage as ‘the entertainment’). After helping start the Berlin Femme Mafia in 2009/Femme Show 2010, inspiration has risen yet again, with the aim that FEMME HIVE 2014 can create space for femme to be fun, smart and real, if only in moments where one can find comfort and value in the fabulousness and power of one’s own femme-ness.
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