feministsalon.org stands for supporting and promoting the idea of a humanist and inclusive society, in which each individual has their place and where diversity is taken for granted and seen as enriching.

We do not accept any kind of discrimination, whether it be against nationality, religion, cultural heritage, gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age or education level.

What is feministsalon.org?

The idea is simple: think globally, act locally.

The website will provide resources that could be interesting for people in regions in which women are hosting salons.

  • Events
  • Groups
  • An international database of experts in specific fields
  • A marketplace (selling, buying, trading)
  • Babysitting recommendations
  • etc.

In addition, content to be published which could be of greater interest at both, a regional and even international level.

  • Articles
  • Studies
  • Professional/freelance offers
  • Coachings/consultations
  • etc.

Of course, everybody is more than welcome to add their proposals and ideas on the website, or to be part of the network.

What is Alias Salon?

For the last two years, I’ve been hosting dinner parties for 6-10 women from my network to exchange ideas and network. I celebrate these women for different reasons: most of them I know from a professional context, many are now friends.

I realized that many stories told by those great, strong women were strikingly similar: no matter whether it was about salary increases, how they were navigating in mostly male-dominated working environments, the division in household tasks or raising children, whether in a relationship or as a single mother, or the perception of them as young, middle-aged or old – the narratives kept on repeating themselves.

So my idea was to gather these women – not in order to engage in “men-bashing”, but to share that they are not alone in their perceptions that inequality still exists. It’s not due to their “hypersensitivity”, like they are often being told, there are structural reasons that women are unable to enjoy their rights on an equal basis. And we are relatively protected in the west, in many countries women have to deal with much more serious problems, where they are being denied basic human rights.

These salons serve as a place to exchange ideas and to network. Often women seek to get advice in this protected space from other women who might have had similar experiences. Perhaps common projects arise – perhaps it’s just a lovely evening.

The concept:

Invite 5-10 women whom you know and you believe would appreciate a network in order to strengthen each other. You are providing the premises and are the host, everyone is bringing something to eat/drink – et voilá, you’re hosting a salon.

Why „Alias salon”?

Because I have had the impulse and my name is a mistaken version of the Latin word “alias”, the other. So it’s about another kind of salon.

What is „clouseauing“?

It is my made-up word, named after Inspecteur Clouseau, the character of The Pink Panther films. Clouseau for me stands for imperfection, self-irony and a good instinct for injustice. Hence “clouseauing feminism”.

And what do we understand by the term “Feminism”?

Equal rights. In all areas of private and public life. Everywhere. And for everybody.

Alia Pagin, October 2019, Founder

Co-founders:

Anat Ben David, Tel Aviv, Israel

André van Datselaar, Haarlem, The Netherlands

Anita Ivkovic, Frankfurt, Germany

Barzan Kadir, Frankfurt, Germany

Berry Verber, London, England

Giulia Silberberger, Berlin, Germany

Josephine Parnas, Copenhagen, Denmark

Julia Dietz, Frankfurt, Germany

Katarina Rubic, Frankfurt, Germany

Michelle Pirotta, Haarlem, The Netherlands

Susanne Gahler, London, England

Vicky Grech, Brussels, Belgium

Zümrüt Scheffler, Frankfurt, Germany

Jörg Schüler, Frankfurt, Germany

A big thank you to all those people who have been helping me to launch this project.

Thank you Michelle Pirotta, Susanne Gahler, Barry Verber and Gerhardt Schindler for helping me editing the text in English.