Thursday, March 13
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
The Whispering Shelf
414 N College Ave
The Indianapolis Liberation Center is partnering with The Whispering Shelf for the next iteration of the “Sapphic open mic” (sapphic is a big-tent term encompassing all women who are attracted to women). It will be a night highlighting the thoughts, desires, and experiences of sapphics in Indianapolis through , poetry, music, or any kind form of liberation one takes to the mic.
In the opening acts of a nationwide assault on the LGBTQ community and women, along with compounded attacks on immigrants, Black and Brown communities, and the rights of workers as a whole—sapphics offer a unique perspective on resistance, community, and resilience under fire. For example, during the devastation of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ‘90s, lesbians stepped in and cared for gay men, even as the healthcare system and many of their own families refused to support them. Lesbians advocated for gay men, delivered groceries and medications, and handled funeral arrangements for those who died from complications to AIDS. Our history is not separate from that of gender oppression, Black oppression, immigrant oppression, and these intersections make our community stronger in the face of every assault.
How can we push the collective imagination of our people towards a world of love, freedom, and true equality? Where have we, as a diverse and multinational community come from, and how do we plan to move forward? As Angela Davis said, “Our histories never unfold in isolation. We cannot truly tell what we consider to be our own histories without knowing the other stories. And often we discover that those other stories are actually our own stories.”
We are inviting those who identify as sapphic to share music, spoken word, song, or dance. We also welcome folks from all communities to come and experience this night of expression and exchange. There’s never been a better time to show up to learn from the stories and sounds of sapphic liberation.