Florence Schechter Explained

Florence Schechter
Caption:Schechter in 2019
Nationality:British
Education:Biochemistry BSc, 2014
Alma Mater:University of Birmingham
Occupation:Museum Director, Author, Public Speaker
Employer:Vagina Museum
Website:www.floschechter.com

Florence Schechter is the founder of the Vagina Museum and was director from 2017 - 2024.[1] She is also a consultant, science communicator, and public speaker.[2] Her debut book, "V: An Empowering Celebration of the Vulva and Vagina", was published by Penguin Random House in March 2023.[3]

Early life and education

Schechter's father is Klezmer musician, Grigori Schechter.[4] She graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2014 with a BSc in Biochemistry.[5] [6]

Prior to the Vagina Museum, she interned at the BBC Show, QI.[7]

Vagina Museum

In 2017, Schechter founded the Vagina Museum[8] after discovering that there was a penis museum in Iceland, but no vagina equivalent anywhere in the world.[9] She was the Vagina Museum's Director from 2017 - 2024. The first ever fundraising event was held at Unit 5 Gallery, London in May 2017.[10] The first pop up exhibition was held in August 2017 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The following year, it toured an exhibition around the UK called "Is Your Vagina Normal?".[11]

The Vagina Museum opened its first semi-permanent location in Camden Market with the inaugural exhibition "Muff Busters: Vagina Myths And How To Fight Them"[12] opening on 16 November 2019.[13] [14] To open the museum, a fundraising campaign was held which raised almost £50,000.[15] In 2021, the Vagina Museum closed its doors in Camden Market after the landlords refused to renew the lease in their unit.[16] [17] [18] The Vagina Museum reopened in its second location in March 2022[19] [20] in ENTER, a venue located in Bethnal Green.[21] The museum then opened in its long-term location in two railway arches in Bethnal Green after a crowdfunding campaign that raised over £85,000.

The museum is dedicated to being trans-inclusive.[22]

Schechter has lectured around the world about her work with the Vagina Museum, including the Royal Institution,[23] British Science Festival,[24] Conway Hall,[25] Freud Museum,[26] and National Student Pride.

Writing

On 11 October 2022, it was announced that Penguin would be publishing Schechter's debut book V: An Empowering Celebration of the Vulva and Vagina.[27] The book was published in March 2023 and is illustrated by Nadia Akingbule.[28] The book is suitable for ages 14+. As part of the marketing campaign, she went on tour to Cheltenham Science Festival, Surgeons' Hall Museum,[29] Burgh House,[30] and Conway Hall.[31]

Schechter is currently signed with United Agents.[32]

She has also written articles for a number of publications including DIVA Magazine,[33] Metro,[34] and The Huffington Post.[35]

In 2024, she published a guide for the museums sector called "So You Want To Build a Museum".[36]

Public Speaking

Schechter has been working in the science communication sector since 2016, mostly based around biology.[37] She has written and presented a number of podcasts for Chemistry World, podcast of the Royal Society of Chemistry,[38] and for the BBC's Boring Talks.[39]

In 2019, Schechter performed her debut show "Queer By Nature" at Vaults Festival,[40] all about same sex sexual behaviour in animals.[41]

She has spoken at and contributed to a number of different conferences and festivals including Green Man Festival,[42] Imperial College London,[43] and Bradford Literature Festival.[44] She gave the keynote speech at SCI:COM 2022 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium[45] and British Science Festival 2024.[46]

Schechter has appeared in a number of podcasts including The Guilty Feminist,[47] Doing It with Hannah Witton,[48] Drunk Women Solving Crime,[49] and Arts & Culture.[50]

She was a contributor to the Peacock documentary "Queer Planet" which premiered in 2024.[51]

Honours and awards

Schechter came highly commended in the Women of the Future Awards in 2017.[52]

In 2019, she won Pioneer of the Year in the Sexual Freedom Awards.[53]

In 2020, she was nominated for the Rising Star of the Year Award with DIVA Magazine.[54]

In 2023, she came highly commended in the Young Entrepreneur Category at the DIVA awards.[55]

Personal life

Schechter identifies as bisexual.[56]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: People . 2022-10-11 . Vagina Museum . en-US.
  2. Web site: Inside the World's First Museum Dedicated to the Vagina . 2022-10-25 . Time . en.
  3. Web site: Florence Schechter . 2022-10-11 . www.penguin.co.uk . en.
  4. Web site: 2017-12-31 . This Jewish Woman Is Creating The World’s First Vagina Museum . 2024-12-04 . The Forward . en.
  5. Web site: Schechter, Florence . 2022-10-11 . Johnson & Alcock . en-GB.
  6. Web site: Lawford . Emily . The biologist behind the Vagina Museum . 2024-12-04 . www.prospectmagazine.co.uk . en.
  7. Web site: O’Dea . Blathnaid . 2022-11-30 . 'Vaginas have always been a passion of mine,' says this museum founder . 2024-12-04 . Silicon Republic . en.
  8. Web site: 2017-03-29 . Vaginas deserve their own museum according to this woman . 2022-10-11 . The Independent . en.
  9. Web site: Meet Florence Schechter, founder of Vagina Museum . 2022-10-11 . Tatty Devine . en.
  10. Web site: Spencer . Hayley . 2017-04-25 . This woman is crowd-funding to create the world's first vagina museum . 2022-10-11 . Stylist . en.
  11. Web site: Amsen . Eva . The World's First Vagina Museum Encourages Conversation Around Gynecological Health . 2022-10-11 . Forbes . en.
  12. Web site: Luckhurst . Phoebe . 2019-11-12 . Why the world needs its first bricks-and-mortar Vagina Museum . 2022-10-11 . Evening Standard . en.
  13. Web site: Wadia . Zoe Paskett, Helena . 2019-11-16 . Everything you need to know about the Vagina Museum . 2022-10-11 . Evening Standard . en.
  14. Web site: World's First Vagina Museum Tackles FGM, Sexual Health, and More . 2022-10-11 . Global Citizen . es.
  15. News: 2019-09-19 . Vagina museum in London aims to 'banish shame' . en-GB . BBC News . 2022-10-25.
  16. Web site: Patterson . Sally . 2022-02-23 . Opening: Vagina Museum moves to Bethnal Green . 2022-10-11 . Hampstead Highgate Express . en-UK.
  17. Web site: The World’s Only Vagina Museum Is Closing Its Doors . 2022-10-11 . www.vice.com . en.
  18. Web site: 'Outpouring of support' as Vagina Museum seeks new home . 2022-10-11 . Museums Association . en-US.
  19. Web site: Vagina Museum finds new home after six month search . 2022-10-11 . www.civilsociety.co.uk.
  20. Web site: London’s Vagina Museum set to reopen its doors after six months . 2022-10-11 . uk.news.yahoo.com . en-GB.
  21. Web site: ENTER . Image . ENTER . the new location for The Vagina Museum © . 2022-02-21 . Vagina Museum reveals new ‘triple size’ location and reopening date . 2022-10-11 . Museums + Heritage Advisor . en-GB.
  22. Web site: Wakefield . Lily . 2022-03-19 . Founder of world's first Vagina Museum explains why it's for everyone . 2022-10-11 . PinkNews .
  23. Web site: Valentine's Day vaginas Royal Institution . 2022-10-11 . www.rigb.org . en.
  24. Web site: 2018-09-10 . Dispelling Five Myths About 'Normal' Vaginas . 2022-10-25 . HuffPost UK . en.
  25. Web site: Thinking on Sunday: Why the World Needs A Vagina Museum . 2022-10-11 . Conway Hall . en-GB.
  26. Web site: Development . PodBean . Conference: Solitary Pleasures in art and psychoanalysis- Florence Schechter Freud Museum London: Psychoanalysis Podcasts . 2024-12-04 . thefreudmuseum.podbean.com . en.
  27. Web site: Penguin to publish 'ground-breaking' book by Vagina Museum creator Schechter . 2022-10-11 . The Bookseller . En.
  28. Web site: Pavel . 2023-09-22 . Battling the stigma: The world’s first Vagina Museum . 2024-12-04 . Research Features . en-GB.
  29. Web site: V with Florence Schechter - Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh . 2024-12-04 . museum.rcsed.ac.uk.
  30. Web site: Burgh House Book Lab: Florence Schechter - V: An empowering celebration of the vulva and vagina . 2024-12-04 . Pramstead . en.
  31. Web site: V: A Celebration of the Vulva and Vagina . 2024-12-04 . Conway Hall . en-GB.
  32. Web site: Florence Schechter United Agents . 2023-05-16 . www.unitedagents.co.uk.
  33. Web site: EDITOR . 2023-03-01 . This week’s podDIVA is a March issue debrief . 2023-05-16 . diva-magazine.com . en-GB.
  34. Web site: Schechter . Florence . 2020-01-30 . I'm not surprised women turn to The Goop Lab for advice - it could be dangerous . 2023-05-16 . Metro . en.
  35. Web site: 2018-09-10 . Dispelling Five Myths About 'Normal' Vaginas . 2023-05-16 . HuffPost UK . en.
  36. Web site: Hardaker . Alistair . 2024-07-24 . Former Vagina Museum founder launches guide for creating museums . 2024-12-04 . Museums + Heritage . en-US.
  37. Web site: Steve_X . 2016-06-14 . SCIENCE SHOWOFF Croydon Comedy Festival, June 23rd . 2022-10-25 . Science Showoff . en.
  38. Web site: Florence Schechter Author . 2024-12-04 . Chemistry World . en.
  39. Web site: 2018-12-17 . BBC Sounds - The Boring Talks, #29 - Animal Vaginas . 2024-12-04 . BBC . en-GB.
  40. Web site: Team . Editorial . 2019-02-25 . REVIEW: Queer By Nature at VAULT Festival . 2022-10-25 . diva-magazine.com . en-GB.
  41. Web site: Book Queer By Nature Tickets Online - Comedy Tickets - Seating plan, Show times, Reviews, Cast & Info - London Theatre . 2022-10-25 . Stagedoor . en-gb.
  42. Web site: The Breakup Monologues with Rosie Wilby: Live from Green Man Festival - with Florence Schechter and Harriet Gibsone . 2024-12-04 . podfollow . en.
  43. Web site: Appetite for Change: Stories of women in health, research and innovation . 2024-12-04 . Imperial College London . en-GB.
  44. Web site: The Vagina Dialogues . 2024-12-04 . Bradford Literature Festival . en-US.
  45. Web site: O’Dea . Blathnaid . 2022-11-30 . 'Vaginas have always been a passion of mine,' says this museum founder . 2024-12-04 . Silicon Republic . en.
  46. Web site: 16 of the UK’s best scientific minds announced as Scientific Section Presidents . 2024-12-04 . British Science Festival . en-GB.
  47. 353. Vagina Museum with Jessica Fostekew and special guest Florence Schechter The Guilty Feminist . 2023-04-10 . 2024-12-04 . shows.acast.com.
  48. Web site: 2019-11-13 . The Vagina Museum with Florence Schechter . 2024-12-04 . Doing It Podcast . en-US.
  49. Web site: 139 Florence Schechter and the Honesty Box by Drunk Women Solving Crime . 2024-12-04 . Podchaser . en.
  50. Web site: Innovating & Disrupting (with Florence Schechter at The Vagina Museum) . 2024-12-04 . Apple Podcasts . en-GB.
  51. Web site: 2024-05-16 . Queer Planet Trailer: New Peacock Series Will Explore Sexual Diversity in the Animal Kingdom . 2024-12-04 . SYFY Official Site . en-US.
  52. Web site: Florence Schechter Author . 2022-10-11 . Chemistry World . en.
  53. Web site: 2019 Finalists . 2022-10-11 . Sexual Freedom Awards . en-US.
  54. Founder of the world's first vagina museum @floschechter is on the shortlist for the #DIVAAwards20 Rising Star of the Year Award! . 1231188147180130312 . 2022-10-11. DIVAmagazine.
  55. Web site: SHORTLIST 2023 . 2023-05-16 . Diva Awards 2023 . en.
  56. Web site: EDITOR . 2019-11-18 . What’s it like to be… Director of the world’s first vagina museum? . 2022-10-11 . diva-magazine.com . en-GB.

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