''We'Moon: Gaia Rhythms for Womyn'' is an astrological and lunar calendar datebook, featuring art and writing submitted by, for and about women.
[ Woodward-Smith, www.goddess-pages.co.uk winter 2008 issue] "Wemoon" means "women," "we of the Moon" (for other
alternative political spellings, see
Womyn
''Womxn'' and ''womyn'' are alternative political spellings of the English word ''woman'', used by some feminists.D. Hatton"Womyn and the 'L': A Study of the Relationship between Communication Apprehension, Gender, and Bulletin Boards"< ...
). The datebook was founded in 1981 and is published annually in Oregon, USA, by Mother Tongue Ink (d.b.a. We’Moon Company). ''We'Moon'' is a publication focused on “helping women make their daily lives sacred and align themselves with Earth and Moon rhythms.”
History
''We'Moon'' was inspired by the women’s liberation and emerging people's movements of the 1960s and 1970s, and came to fruition in the 1980s as a vehicle for the creative expression of women's empowerment and
earth-based spirituality. The idea of a special calendar for women—based on lunar, solar and astrological cycles—originated at Kvindelandet, an international
women’s land in Denmark where 50–60 lesbians from different countries lived together in the late 1970s. The first ''We'Moon'' was self-published in France in 1981 under the name of Mother Tongue Ink, as a pocket-sized astrological moon calendar diary, handwritten in five languages. The first five editions were pocket-sized, homemade, and continually evolving in format, design and technology, changing languages every year. During these years, the datebook was created by groups of volunteers in various locations in Europe.
''We'Moon '87'' was the first edition created in the U.S., where production has remained. Mother Tongue Ink, d.b.a. We’Moon Company, was incorporated in 1995. In 2009, Mother Tongue Ink published a children’s book, ''The Last Wild Witch'', by
Starhawk
Starhawk (born Miriam Simos on June 17, 1951) is an American feminist and writer. She is known as a theorist of feminist neopaganism and ecofeminism. In 2013, she was listed in Watkins' ''Mind Body Spirit'' magazine as one of the 100 Most Spir ...
, illustrated by Lindy Kehoe. ''In the Spirit of We’Moon – Celebrating 30 years – An Anthology of We’Moon Art and Writing'', was released in 2011. ''In the Spirit of We'Moon'' is "an anthology of writing and art originally published in the annual publication ''We'Moon'', with commentary and other new material."
Contents
''We'Moon'' sends out an annual Call for Contributions to women internationally, and publishes approximately 250 pieces of original art and writing in each year’s datebook. ''We'Moon''’s thematic focus includes feminism, goddess and earth-based spirituality, world community, environmentalism, peace and justice.
The datebook includes articles by astrologers Gretchen Lawlor, Heather Roan Robbins,
Susan Levitt
Susan Levitt (born 1955) is a San Francisco astrologer and tarot card reader
Tarot card reading is a form of cartomancy whereby practitioners use tarot cards to purportedly gain insight into the past, present or future. The process typically ...
and Sandra Pastorius. Lunar phase and astrological aspect data are listed for each date.
Over the years, ''We'Moon'' has published work by thousands of contributing women, including writings by
Joanna Macy
Joanna Rogers Macy (born May 2, 1929) is an environmental activist, author, and scholar of Buddhism, general systems theory, and deep ecology. She is the author of twelve books.
She was married to the late Francis Underhill Macy, the activist ...
,
Starhawk
Starhawk (born Miriam Simos on June 17, 1951) is an American feminist and writer. She is known as a theorist of feminist neopaganism and ecofeminism. In 2013, she was listed in Watkins' ''Mind Body Spirit'' magazine as one of the 100 Most Spir ...
,
Susun Weed,
Winona LaDuke
Winona LaDuke (born August 18, 1959) is an American environmentalist, writer, and industrial hemp grower, known for her work on tribal land claims and preservation, as well as sustainable development.
In 1996 and 2000, she ran for vice president ...
,
Carolyn Gage
Carolyn Gage (born 1952) is an American playwright, actor, theatrical director and author. She has written nine books on lesbian theater and sixty-five plays, musicals, and one-woman shows. A lesbian feminist, her work emphasizes non-traditiona ...
,
Myshkin,
Vicki Noble,
Donna Henes,
Alice Walker
Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist. In 1982, she became the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, which she was awa ...
, and founding editor Musawa, and art by
Monica Sjoo,
Tee Corinne
Tee A. Corinne (November 3, 1943 – August 27, 2006) was an American photographer, author, and editor notable for the portrayal of sexuality in her artwork. According to ''Completely Queer: The Gay and Lesbian Encyclopedia'', "Corinne is one of ...
,
Meinrad Craighead, Toni Truesdale,
Betty LaDuke, Sandra Stanton, Leah Dorion,
Max Dashu
Maxine Hammond Dashu (born 1950), known professionally as Max Dashu, is an American feminist historian, author, and artist. Her areas of expertise include female iconography, mother-right cultures and the origins of patriarchy.
In 1970, Dashu, ...
, Sudie Rakusin and Hrana Janto.
[ ''In the Spirit of We'Moon'', MTInk 2011 p. 242 - 249]
References
{{Reflist
External links
''We'Moon''
Ecofeminism
Women's culture
Fiction set on the Moon
Calendars
Feminist art
Religion and the arts
Astrological texts
Wiccan feminism
1980s in modern paganism