Hey Sistas, Soul Sistas

Women have it pretty hard. We’re supposed to constantly look good, smell good, and play nice with everyone. Well, screw that! During the SWAN Spoken Soul Showcase Saturday, let your hair down, skip the push-up bra, and experience what founder Deborah Magdalena calls, “a life-inspiring, soul-moving, belly-laughing, and rhythmically healing artistic weekend.” This will be the fourth year that local female artists unite for SWAN (Support Women Artists Now) Day — a movement founded by Martha Richards in the hopes of making it a national holiday. Of course, in a country of voters who will forgive someone their race before they forgive them their gender (see Amendments 15 and 19, and the 2008 Democratic primaries), we know we haven’t come that far, baby. However, we can rejoice that we are allowed to wear pants, smoke, vote, divorce, serve in our armed forces, and create amazing works of art (see Nan Goldin, Mary Cassatt, and Lady Gaga). We doubt you’ll see any meat couture at the showcase, but you will be exposed to female artists of all types, including spoken-word artists, musicians, writers, and visual artists. Most will have their work on display and for sale, so support your inner Melusine and fork over some money for their craft. Now that’s reparations. The road to equality begins at the Stage.

Sat., March 26, 6 p.m., 2011