The workshop is conceived as a social experiment of reversal. In a youth-obsessed society that stigmatises sex work, older sex workers’s knowledge and experience is undervalued. What happens when we listen to sex workers as wise elders? What does one learn about society, pleasure and sexuality through this form of labour?
Sitting in an intimate circle, we will listen to the stories of two experienced sex workers who carried on working through past their 50’s. You will have the chance to ask questions (anonymously or openly) and participate in the discussion. This space is created to celebrate and center the experiences of older women. Everyone is welcome to participate, but we especially encourage 50+ women to join!

LiLI-member Sara De Vuyst will participate in the Still Aged by Culture on trends in cultural gerontology at the University of Southern Denmark.

Much attention is paid to the work of young artists, but less to older artists and writers. At this literary buffet, we will sit together and read texts written by women in later life. The readings will be accompanied by a tasting of foods and drinks which become tasty, sparkling or simply different over time. You are welcome to bring a text you would like to share or just drop in, and we will take care of the rest. This event is especially directed to 50+ women. Reserve a place!
Other women’s flowers is a project dedicated to highlighting the work of women writers in informal, playful and festive ways. Its core element are literary evenings where we discuss texts we like with each other while sharing a meal. For this edition in Konvooi, Other women’s flowers will collaborate with the research group LiLI to bring attention to older women writers and readers, and the pleasures of reading, writing and coming together to discuss it all.

Op intimiteit op latere leeftijd rust nog altijd een taboe. Vooral als het gaat om verlangens en genderexpressies die niet passen binnen een heteronormatief kader. 50+ lesbische, biseksuele en queer vrouwen en non-binaire personen worden onzichtbaar in de media en worden vaak op een stereotiepe manier gerepresenteerd. Daarom is er nood aan een radicaal ander verhaal.

In deze workshop gaan we stereotypen omtrent deze doelgroep doorbreken door het maken van collages en zines. Er zal een veilige ruimte gecreëerd worden waarin deelnemers met pen, schaar en lijmstiften in de aanslag kunnen samenwerken om heteronormatieve ideeën over seksualiteit en ouder worden uit te dagen.
We voorzien artikels, magazines, poëzie, fotoboeken, comics, graphic novels, en zines ter inspiratie, maar deelnemers mogen ook eigen materiaal meebrengen. Laat je creativiteit vrije loop!

Deze workshop is onderdeel van een onderzoeksproject over seksualiteit en intimiteit van 50+ vrouwen en non-binaire personen aan de UGent (https://lili.ugent.be/nl) en zal begeleid worden door Nina Nijsten (Echo zines + drawings)

The first session focuses on creative writing: how do you write about sex and eroticism in later life? You take the first steps towards composing your own text and become acquainted with the LiLI project. During the second session, you can share your writing with the group anonymously. You receive feedback and can refine your text further.
The language of the workshop is Dutch, with guidance in English for those who prefer it. You can write your text in the language of your choice (NL/EN/FR).
Please note! You need to register for both sessions. It isn’t possible to attend the sessions separately.

Hoe staat het met de liefde in de laat-kapitalistische samenleving? Kan liefde een revolutie in gang zetten? Deze avond onderzoeken we de toekomst en radicale potentie van liefde.

By Dr. Evelien Geerts (Research Fellow, the University of Birmingham)

By Lea Spahn (Philipps Universität Marburg)

Three days seminar which aims to explore the specific ethical issues that arise in the conduct of ethnographic research, how to overcome them, and how to develop a more reflexive and relational ethics approach.

By Prof. Dr. Elisabeth De Schauwer & Dr. Inge Blockmans (Department of Special Needs Education, Ghent University)