Josey, The Indignant Daughter

Josey, the Indignant Daughter is an audio musical inspired by Northumberland based heroine, feminist and social reformer, Josephine Butler. Written by singer-songwriter Katie Doherty and featuring women from across Northumberland, the musical looks at Josephine’s story through a modern lens, reflecting the concerns of women today.

Josephine Butler (1828-1906) was an English feminist, social reformer and advocate for the rights of women, with a particular concern for women’s rights in British law. In 1886, she successfully repealed the Contagious Diseases Act legislation, which had an impact on the dignity of women and external examinations. In attacking the Contagious Diseases Acts, Butler honed in on an area of serious inequality, in which female sex workers were subjected to intrusive examinations which were not required of their male clients.

The podcast, brought to you by November Club, explores how prominent women like Josephine Butler have been written out of history and how the campaigns they led are still relevant. Exploring gender equality and female activism, the audio production features a community choir of women from across Northumberland as well as young women from local schools Cramlington Learning Village and Duke’s Academy in Ashington.

Josey uses binaural sound. For an optimum listening experience, headphones are recommended. You can listen here.