Ethel Eugene spends approximately 15 hours on average on each poster, and Frankie Teardrop single-handedly wheat pastes them all over the city. A Slut Island poster by Ethel Eugene. Eugene strives to draw images of the performers on the posters to "show how much we respect and celebrate these artists.
Accordingly, Slut Island aims to increase the visibility and appreciation of marginalized performers, and to be inclusive of an audience by striving to ensure safer, harassment-free spaces. I interviewed Ethel Eugene A. Samantha Garritano about the impetus to set up a queer, feminist DIY haven like Slut Island, how the presence of active listeners can make venues safer spaces, and how the event posters she designs with representational drawings of the performers are tools for advocacy.
Merray Gerges: The name of the festival itself sounds similar to, and may be a dig at Sled Island [an annual independent Calgary-based music and art festival], but Slut Island is a response to the general lack of festival programming that prioritizes women-identifying people.
You want to have the space to call that out and know that people will take you seriously. MG: How is Slut Island a safe space? In the event that someone does feel unsafe, which could mean a wide range of things, they have someone to talk to who cares. MG: What are active listeners and how are they trained? Active listeners are trained to be alert and engaged and to respond with care.
If a person is not trained in active listening or harm reduction, they might call the cops or something, which is obviously the shittiest idea ever. There are things that we could do to help each other without involving cops. MG: Are all the venues accessible this year? EE: Yes, yes, yes. If this behaviour is reported to us you will be asked to leave.
