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Florence Schechter

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Florence Schechter
NationalityBritish
EducationBiochemistry BSc, 2014
Alma materUniversity of Birmingham
Occupation(s)Museum Director, Author, Public Speaker
EmployerVagina Museum
Websitewww.floschechter.com

Florence Schechter is the founder of the Vagina Museum and was director from 2017 to 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

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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

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Visitors at the Vagina Museum exhibition Muff Busters - Vagina Myths and How to Fight Them

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 to 2024.[1] 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.[27]

Writing

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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.[28] The book was published in March 2023 and is illustrated by Nadia Akingbule.[29] The book is suitable for ages 14+. As part of the marketing campaign, she went on tour to Cheltenham Science Festival, Surgeons' Hall Museum,[30] Burgh House,[31] and Conway Hall.[32]

Schechter is currently signed with United Agents.[33]

She has also written articles for a number of publications including DIVA magazine,[34] Metro,[35] and The Huffington Post.[36]

In 2024, she published a guide for the museums sector called "So You Want to Build a Museum".[37]

Public speaking

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Schechter has been working in the science communication sector since 2016, mostly based around biology.[38] She has written and presented a number of podcasts for Chemistry World, podcast of the Royal Society of Chemistry,[39] and for the BBC's Boring Talks.[40]

In 2019, Schechter performed her debut show "Queer by Nature" at Vaults Festival,[41] all about same sex sexual behaviour in animals.[42][43]

She has spoken at and contributed to a number of different conferences and festivals including Green Man Festival,[44] Imperial College London,[45] and Bradford Literature Festival.[46] She gave the keynote speech at SCI:COM 2022 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium[47] and British Science Festival 2024.[48]

Schechter has appeared in a number of podcasts including The Guilty Feminist,[49] Doing It with Hannah Witton,[50] Drunk Women Solving Crime,[51] and Arts & Culture.[52]

She was a contributor to the Peacock documentary Queer Planet, which premiered in 2024.[53]

Honours and awards

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Schechter came highly commended in the Women of the Future Awards in 2017.[54]

In 2019, she won Pioneer of the Year in the Sexual Freedom Awards.[55]

In 2020, she was nominated for the Rising Star of the Year Award with DIVA magazine.[56]

In 2023, she came highly commended in the Young Entrepreneur Category at the DIVA awards.[57]

Personal life

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Schechter identifies as bisexual.[58]

References

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  1. ^ a b "People". Vagina Museum. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  2. ^ "Inside the World's First Museum Dedicated to the Vagina". Time. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  3. ^ "Florence Schechter". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  4. ^ "This Jewish Woman Is Creating The World's First Vagina Museum". The Forward. 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  5. ^ "Schechter, Florence". Johnson & Alcock. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  6. ^ Lawford, Emily. "The biologist behind the Vagina Museum". Prospect Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  7. ^ O’Dea, Blathnaid (2022-11-30). "'Vaginas have always been a passion of mine,' says this museum founder". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  8. ^ "Vaginas deserve their own museum according to this woman". The Independent. 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  9. ^ "Meet Florence Schechter, founder of Vagina Museum". Tatty Devine. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  10. ^ Spencer, Hayley (2017-04-25). "This woman is crowd-funding to create the world's first vagina museum". Stylist. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  11. ^ Amsen, Eva. "The World's First Vagina Museum Encourages Conversation Around Gynecological Health". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  12. ^ Luckhurst, Phoebe (2019-11-12). "Why the world needs its first bricks-and-mortar Vagina Museum". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  13. ^ Paskett, Zoe; Wadia, Helena (2019-11-16). "Everything you need to know about the Vagina Museum". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  14. ^ "World's First Vagina Museum Tackles FGM, Sexual Health, and More". Global Citizen (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  15. ^ "Vagina museum in London aims to 'banish shame'". BBC News. 2019-09-19. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  16. ^ Patterson, Sally (2022-02-23). "Opening: Vagina Museum moves to Bethnal Green". Hampstead Highgate Express. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  17. ^ "The World's Only Vagina Museum Is Closing Its Doors". Vice. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  18. ^ "'Outpouring of support' as Vagina Museum seeks new home". Museums Association. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  19. ^ "Vagina Museum finds new home after six month search". civilsociety.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  20. ^ "London's Vagina Museum set to reopen its doors after six months". Yahoo! News UK. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  21. ^ "Vagina Museum reveals new 'triple size' location and reopening date". Museums + Heritage Advisor. 2022-02-21. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  22. ^ Wakefield, Lily (2022-03-19). "Founder of world's first Vagina Museum explains why it's for everyone". PinkNews. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  23. ^ "Valentine's Day vaginas". Royal Institution. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  24. ^ "Dispelling Five Myths About 'Normal' Vaginas". HuffPost UK. 2018-09-10. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  25. ^ "Thinking on Sunday: Why the World Needs A Vagina Museum". Conway Hall. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  26. ^ "Conference: Solitary Pleasures in art and psychoanalysis- Florence Schechter". Freud Museum London: Psychoanalysis Podcasts. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  27. ^ LBTQ+ Women's Panel | National Student Pride 2021, 20 April 2021, retrieved 2022-10-11 – via YouTube
  28. ^ "Penguin to publish 'ground-breaking' book by Vagina Museum creator Schechter". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  29. ^ Pavel (2023-09-22). "Battling the stigma: The world's first Vagina Museum". Research Features. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  30. ^ "V with Florence Schechter". Surgeons' Hall Museums, Edinburgh. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  31. ^ "Burgh House Book Lab: Florence Schechter - V: An empowering celebration of the vulva and vagina". Pramstead. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  32. ^ "V: A Celebration of the Vulva and Vagina". Conway Hall. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  33. ^ "Florence Schechter". United Agents. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  34. ^ EDITOR (2023-03-01). "This week's podDIVA is a March issue debrief". Diva. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  35. ^ Schechter, Florence (2020-01-30). "I'm not surprised women turn to The Goop Lab for advice - it could be dangerous". Metro. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  36. ^ "Dispelling Five Myths About 'Normal' Vaginas". HuffPost UK. 2018-09-10. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  37. ^ Hardaker, Alistair (2024-07-24). "Former Vagina Museum founder launches guide for creating museums". Museums + Heritage. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  38. ^ Steve_X (2016-06-14). "SCIENCE SHOWOFF Croydon Comedy Festival, June 23rd". Science Showoff. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  39. ^ "Florence Schechter | Author". Chemistry World. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  40. ^ "BBC Sounds - The Boring Talks, #29 - Animal Vaginas". BBC. 2018-12-17. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  41. ^ "REVIEW: Queer By Nature at VAULT Festival". Diva. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  42. ^ "Book Queer By Nature Tickets Online - Comedy Tickets - Seating plan, Show times, Reviews, Cast & Info - London Theatre". Stagedoor. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  43. ^ Queer By Nature, Vaults, 20 Feb 2019, 22 October 2020, retrieved 2022-10-25 – via YouTube
  44. ^ "The Breakup Monologues with Rosie Wilby: Live from Green Man Festival - with Florence Schechter and Harriet Gibsone". podfollow. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  45. ^ "Appetite for Change: Stories of women in health, research and innovation". Imperial College London. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  46. ^ "The Vagina Dialogues". Bradford Literature Festival. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  47. ^ O’Dea, Blathnaid (2022-11-30). "'Vaginas have always been a passion of mine,' says this museum founder". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  48. ^ "16 of the UK's best scientific minds announced as Scientific Section Presidents". British Science Festival. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  49. ^ 353. Vagina Museum with Jessica Fostekew and special guest Florence Schechter | The Guilty Feminist. 2023-04-10. Retrieved 2024-12-04 – via shows.acast.com.
  50. ^ "The Vagina Museum with Florence Schechter". Doing It Podcast. 2019-11-13. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  51. ^ "139 Florence Schechter and the Honesty Box by Drunk Women Solving Crime". Podchaser. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  52. ^ "Innovating & Disrupting (with Florence Schechter at The Vagina Museum)". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  53. ^ "Queer Planet Trailer: New Peacock Series Will Explore Sexual Diversity in the Animal Kingdom". SYFY Official Site. 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  54. ^ "Florence Schechter | Author". Chemistry World. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  55. ^ "2019 Finalists". Sexual Freedom Awards. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  56. ^ @DIVAmagazine (February 22, 2020). "Founder of the world's first vagina museum @floschechter is on the shortlist for the #DIVAAwards20 Rising Star of the Year Award!" (Tweet). Retrieved 2022-10-11 – via Twitter.
  57. ^ "SHORTLIST 2023". Diva Awards 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  58. ^ EDITOR (2019-11-18). "What's it like to be… Director of the world's first vagina museum?". diva-magazine.com. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
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