Hello everyone! We are Barefoot Alice!

We are a group of down-to-earth women in touch with the world.

Like Alice in Through the Looking Glass, we look to be inspired by the infinite possibilities of creativity and the imagination.

Through the medium of playback theater, we create fantastical journeys of life.

Our Story

Starting in 2005, GOH began putting on performances of the Vagina Monologues. Compared to the American showings, whose performers were mostly survivors of violence, the Taiwanese showings rarely had survivors sharing their experiences. As a result, GOH decided to empower its clients in becoming advocates by establishing Playback Theatre, an experimental theater troupe. With the Vagina Monologues therapist “Joe Sefen” serving as the guidance counselor, women with experiences of gender-based violence and an interest in gender issues were recruited. Slowly, the troupe grew from four members to ten and went from performing in front of just friends, family, and GOH clients and staff to a larger audience of social workers, at times inviting them on stage to participate in the performance.

Our Mission

Barefoot Alice is nurtured by GOH. All its members are amateurs, brought together by fate to bring light to gender violence. Through the power of sharing our life stories, we delve into the different journeys of life and reenact stories that deserve to be heard in order to sow seeds for an equal and just society.

From Being a Victim to Speaking Out Against Gender-Based Violence

By performing, participating in press conferences, being interviewed, advocating from the perspective of sexual violence survivors, and working with schools to organize workshops over the years, bit by bit, we have laid the foundations for Barefoot Alice as a solid voice against gender-based violence.

Our members

“This is a hard road to walk, but that is exactly why there will always be people around you willing to help.”- Shi Ruike

“There is something I would like to say to those who have gone through what I have gone through: Spring is always waiting for us after the bitter cold of winter.” – Yang Yang

“I want those with the same experiences we’ve had to know how we kept going. I want to help them and give them hope.” – Shu Zhen

“I went from being a victim to a helper of victims. When women stand up for themselves and find their voice, it is both beautiful and powerful.” – Hui Hui