There are many reasons why the presence of women on the Web is so widespread, dynamic and growing. As our world turns towards new technologies for answers concerning issues of labour, community, activism and self actualization, the Web presents itself as the ideal medium for end-of-the-Millennium Feminism.

Web sites play various functions and it is difficult to classify them in the traditional categories of centers, networks, or magazines. For, a site can change daily, or can be updated only every few months. Some sites are operated by several different members who are united only in the Web pages represented. Other sites serve to disseminate events taking place, (or having taken place) while others promote an open dialogue with the public, offering regular emails of newsletters as well as contributions to on-line forums. The Web sites listed in our pages try to group together a selection of sites specifically concerned with women, feminist issues, the role of women in technologies and women artists. As these types of sites are growing in numbers daily, we have culled a cross section of sites in order to show the diversity in content and aesthetic concerns. We welcome suggestions, which we will add to our site as well as your comments.

 

ART CENTERS

Women's art centers function both as meeting places within the community and meeting places in cyberspace. These roles are predominantly focused on promoting women's involvement in new technologies and strategies for accessing these. As many of the centers also operate on-site support, exhibitions and workshops they are an invaluable resource to women artists wanting to connect with like minded artists. Featured here are sites devoted to feminist centers for video, Web, and art.

 

GIRL VIDEO/FILM ART

Groupe Intervention Video
A Montreal production and distribution centre for women video makers.
French, English

Video Femmes
A Quebec city women's production and distribution centre for video and film.
French, English, Spanish

Women Make Movies
A New York city women's production and distribution centre for video and film.
English

 

GIRL WEB ART

Studio XX
Montreal feminist socio-cultural intervention group dedicated to providing women with access to digital technologies.
French, English

Face Settings
A cross-platform forum to develop and explore the interests and needs of women on-line.
English

 

GIRL ART GALLERIES / MUSEUMS

La Centrale
Montreal artist-run centre and gallery dedicated to presenting women's art.
French, English

Women's Art Resource Centre
Toronto centre for the advancement of artistic practice by contemporary Canadian women artists.
English

Mentoring Artists for Women's Art
Winnipeg artist-run mentoring centre for women artists.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts
Washington, D.C. museum of women artists through history.
English

Axis: Foundation for Art and Gender
Amsterdam gender issues site.
English

 

GIRL NETWORKS

Networks on the Web are probably the most popular and dynamic places for the exchange of ideas and information, particularly for women. These networks serve as exchange places for things as diverse as job posting, conference calls, tips on how to make your own Web site and issues relating to women's role and presence on the Web. The main focus of these sites is the fostering of connections and the exchange of information between women. They are true networks in the sense that they both support the development of ideas and the achievement of projects in the "real" world. This selection of sites has been divided into politically activist networks, technologically activist networks, and lesbian specific networks.

 

GIRL ACTIVIST NETWORK

Federation des femmes du Quebec
A Montreal feminist activist network.
French

Women's Web
Canadian site concerning issues, resources and tools for women's social activism.
English

Virtual Sisterhood
A global women's electronic support network from Nova Scotia, Canada.
English, Français, Chinese, Deutsch, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese,
Russian

Feminist.com
Feminist activist site from New York city with up to date information and links.
English

Feminist Majority Foundation
Politically active network from the U.S.A. committed to empowering women.
English

Women Online Worldwide
U.S. network with chats, message boards, conferences and newsletter.
English

Association Feministe Voix d'Elles Rebelles
French community oriented feminist association for international solidarity.
French, English

Annuaire au Feminin
Web network for women, from France.
French, English

Amazone
Belgian conference and meeting centre for equal opportunities for men and women.
French, English, Flemish

Association Swisse Femmes Feminisme Recherche
Feminist community network from Switzerland.
French, German

 

GIRL TECHNOLOGY NETWORKS

Net Femmes
Montreal network developing tools and strategies for women in communication technology.
French

Webgrrls Montreal
Montreal chapter of the international networking community for women in or invested in new media and technology.
French, English

Women's Space
Ontario feminist e-zine and women's internet campaign for equal access to technology.
French, English

Wired Woman
Canadian organization where women can learn and share ideas about new media technology.
English

Women in Multimedia
San-Francisco non-profit organization concerned with the social implications of emerging technologies.
English

Institute for Global Communications Women's Net
San-Francisco network supporting women's organizations by providing and adapting telecommunications technology to enhance their work.
English

Women in Technology International
California association dedicated to advancing women in technology.
English

Center for Women & Information Technologies
University of Maryland network working to rectify women's under-representation in information technology.
English

The Ada Project
Yale network tapping internet resources for women in computer science.
English

The Syster's Home Page
California organization for technical women in computing.
English

Penelopes
Association for the development of women in technology from Montreuil, France.
French

Internenettes
Paris association for women working in technology.
French

Old Boys Network
Germany international cyberfeminist organization.
English, German

 

LESBIAN / GENDER NETWORKS

Lesbian.org
American site promoting lesbian visibility on the internet.
English

Euro-Sappho
European network for lesbian sites.
French, English, Spanish

Webzine Autrement Internaute
French

 

GIRL ZINES

Feminist magazines have a new presence on the Web. They are a cross between the political stance of Ms. and the entertainment value of Mademoiselle mixed in with a good dose of cyberfeminism. Eclectic and fun, they are geared at informing, entertaining as well as providing valuable information, features, interviews and dossiers that concern women while providing a high content of discussion around women and technology. Magazines are often also the product of networks and centers, and so distinctions between the two can often be difficult. Included here is a selections of "magazines" that have regularly appearing issues and which cover a broad spectrum of topics, which are however, nonetheless always focused on women's issues. The zines are categorized by theory publication, and feminist zines that cover a wide range of topics.

 

GIRL THEORY

Women and Performance
Feminist theory, performance and cyberspace journal from New York.
English

N. Paradoxa
International feminist art journal from the U.K.
English

VNS Matrix
Australian collective investigating narratives of domination and control surrounding technoculture.
English

Leonardo
Special issue on Women, Art and Technology.
English

Women and Computer Science
A page of links of writing on women and computer science.
English

The Media Theory Site
U.K. site about the relationship between the mass media and people's identities, genders and everyday lives.
English

Sherry Turkle's home page
Sherry Turkle, cyberfeminist, home page of essays, research and links.
English

Dolores Bulimic Breakfast
Theory and creative writing piercing the borders of cyberspace.
English

Feminista
San-Francisco on-line journal of feminist construction.
English

Guerrilla Girls
Feminist activist artists' web site.
English

Brillo Magazine
Feminist theory magazine with an attitude.
English

 

GIRL WEBZINES / MAGAZINES

Shebytes
Toronto cultural and issues related webzine.
English

Cybergrrl
New York city webzine dedicated to inspiring, informing and celebrating women.
English

Geekgirl
Australian technology webzine for women.
English

Women's Wire
U.S. magazine promoting tools, community, ideas, networks and resources for women.
English

Hellfire
The webzine with BADitude.
English

Planet Grrl
Funky yet mature British webzine on women's issues.
English

Viva la Venus
Fun webzine full of advice and issues for women.

Brazen Hussies
Atlanta based self proclaimed "Mae West Feminists" and their webzine featuring articles on: gossip, gas, guys and getting off.
English

Grrls Space
U.S. independent network of grrl sites created by and for women and grrls.
English

A Web of One's Own
Ezine created by women in Belgium.
English

 

GIRL RESEARCH

Researching on the Web is probably the most valuable tool that the internet can offer. Here are a few suggested sites that offer search engines and list specifically focused on women.

Femina Web Search for Women
Searchable directory of links to female friendly sites and information on the WWW.
English

Feminist Bookstores Index
Index of feminist bookstores across Canada and the U.S.
English

Valérie Lamontagne