Girl talk. Girl power. Girl show.
Last Friday night at the Kresge Town Hall, roughly 50 students gathered for an all-female artist showcase. This event, dubbed “Girl Show,” was hosted by Mega Phone, a weekly gathering of women to discuss, connect, encourage, and share experiences.
Mega Phone is a branch of Kick Ass Women Speaking Up, which embodies its title in its entirety. The group encourages women to comfortably speak out and feel supported in doing so.
Jenna Marx, an organizer of Girl Show, said it was inspired by the punk scene of Santa Cruz.
“My friends and I noticed that the shows were really male-dominated and we wanted a space that was motivating for women,” said Marx, a third-year community studies major from College Eight.
The showcase featured visual art as well as female musicians. A “make your own zine” table gave guests the opportunity to get their creative juices flowing as well. Zines covered topics such as pregnancy clinics funded by abstinence-only organizations, especially those in Santa Cruz, and the UC’s involvement with the development of nuclear bombs.
Musical artists that performed included Mother Ducker & The Eggs, Katy Murray, The Rainbow Kisses, Elena Rossman, and Thea Mertens — whose styles ranged from rock to bluegrass to a single acoustic guitar.
Harlequin Baby, the last band to perform, opened their set with an announcement about one member’s vagina. Sepand Mashiahof, a third-year College Eight student and a member of Mega Phone, brought out a colorful pillow. As he held it up, he introduced it as Sassy, his “very own vagina” that represented his personal girl power.
“When I think about what I do on stage, there’s no need for an identity crisis,” he said.“Men and women can share the same space together.”
This demonstration of girl power aroused a hearty cheer. “It’s empowering to see women and gay people on stage,” Marx said about Harlequin Baby’s performance. “So many people could identify and that doesn’t always happen.”
If Mega Phone or Kick Ass Women Speaking Up interests you, email the group at kickasswomen@gmail.com. The group meets at 8 p.m. every Thursday at 215 Storey St.
