Body Image: Glasgow Women's Library Story Cafe

Glasgow Women’s Library is no ordinary library! The only resource of its kind in Scotland the women’s library has become a true national treasure recognised as a nationally significant collection the museum recently became an Art Fund Museum of The Year finalist.

The library supports thousands of women across Scotland every year to improve their lives through services and programmes, including support and activities that tackle a wide range of issues from poverty and women’s health, sexuality and surviving violence.

Glasgow Women’s Library heads to WOW Perth this September to deliver a fascinating talk on the issues surrounding body image and menstruation. Come chill out and listen to readings as some of the best women writers worldwide get to grips with body image in fiction and poetry.

Ahead of the Body Image: Glasgow Women’s Library Story Café symposium I chatted to Nadine and Morag who will be facilitating the conversation to hear the issues surrounding body image in today’s society.

Both Nadine and Morag are equally impressive in their career achievements and are leading the way in female empowerment.  Nadine Aisha Jassat is an award-winning writer, creative practitioner, and professional in the movement to end gender-based violence. Nadine’s work has drawn significant acclaim; in 2017 she was named as one of 30 Inspiring Young Women Under 30 by YWCA Scotland, and in 2018 went on to win a Scottish Book Trust New Writers’ Award. Nadine joined Glasgow Women’s Library in 2018 as a part-time Development Worker for the National Lifelong Learning Project.

Morag Smith studied English Literature in Glasgow then lived in Germany for some years before returning to Scotland where she worked in community learning and development, adult literacies, creative writing and literature development. In July 2009 she joined Glasgow Women’s Library as National Lifelong Learning Development Worker. She works with GWL’s learning team and a wide range of partner organisations, including libraries, community groups and women’s prison services, to deliver bespoke learning programmes, events, and workshops. Body image and menstruation are subjects which have been tackled in empowering, funny and moving ways by diverse women writers and we want to share some of this great writing with as many women as possible

Nadine divulged "there's still a lot of stigma to battle in terms of talking about menstruation and women's bodies, and women are facing an onslaught of pressures towards their bodies whether its from the media telling them to be 'beach body ready' or how their bodies are treated in institutions which judge them for covering too much or not covering enough, so by talking about it we hope to create a safe space to discuss these issues and celebrate the diversity and power of our bodies?"

Glasgow Women's Library works around Scotland to engage women of all backgrounds and ages in talking and learning about issues that are important to them. 

If you are interested in hearing more from Morag and Nadine on Body Image, Make sure you head down to Body Image: Glasgow Women’s Library Story Café on Saturday 29^th of September at WOW Perth.

See first hand the fantastic work that Glasgow Women’s Library are involved in.

*** WoW - Women of the World Festival in Perth takes place from the 29th to the 30th of September at Perth Theatre.  Download the full brochure for all the details here  ***