International Women's Day and a Letter to the Editor

In honour of International Women's Day and in the spirit of challenging attitudes, patterns and practices that sustain discrimination and violence again women, I composed the following Letter to the Editor of the Charlatan, Carleton University's Independent Weekly Newspaper.

Given that my initial reaction involved more profanities than I will admit to, I think the letter below articulates a reasoned and fair response to the article in question. I hope you enjoy my response and I wish all my sisters out there a Happy International Women's Day!

Men, get comfortable with “playing it safe rather than sorry when interacting with women."

Re: “Opinion: Feminism has put men on eggshells,” Mar. 6, 2013.

My first thought when I read the title of the opinion piece by Marc Yegani was “feminism has not put men on eggshells, men have put men on eggshells.” To be clear, when I say ‘men’ I do not mean all men, but in particular those men who find it burdensome to communicate with women in a way that respects their personhood and dignity. That respectful communication with women is perceived by some men as challenging or burdensome is one of the many indicators that we should all support feminism’s continued goals of confronting, dismantling, and eliminating patriarchy, sexism, and misogyny. It is these factors which make the scenarios described by Yegani challenging for both men and women. For example, I think that most women would appreciate being complimented on the quality of their work, not how they look, by their employers.

It is very disappointing to me that Yegani seems to be lamenting the situation of “men playing it safe rather than sorry when it comes to their interactions with women.” Not only is this ‘approach’ fortunate, because respect provides a solid foundation for meaningful relationships of all kinds, it is a necessary step toward eliminating discrimination and violence against women. That there are men out there who play it “safe rather than sorry” when interacting with women is a relief to me, all the more so when they actively integrate this ‘mindset’ and ‘approach’ into their lives. They are the men who I feel comfortable with, who make me feel appreciated and respected, and who don’t give me reasons to worry that I am at risk of being harassed, hurt and/or raped.

I am not suggesting that Yegani wants to sustain patterns and practices which oppress and harm women. He might view himself as one of those men who supports the “women’s movement … but from a distance.” I am also sympathetic to his point that some men find interacting with women to be an at times challenging, uncomfortable or confusing experience. I can honestly say that, as a woman, interacting with men has not always been a piece of cake. But I vocally challenge the idea that feminism is to blame for the discomfort that men might feel when interacting with women.

Addressing and confronting the factors that disadvantage, marginalize and oppress women in public and private life is a challenging process. It involves understanding that “playing it safe rather than sorry” is frequently a daily reality for women because we have legitimate reasons to fear that we could or will be victims of violence perpetrated by men. Ultimately, men who want to establish healthy and meaningful relationships with women will have to accept and get comfortable with “playing it safe rather than sorry.”

#J11 - Idle No More Day of Global Action

It's the night before a global day of action for Idle No More, a grassroots movement lead by indigenous peoples in Canada that has gained attention around the world. As each day passes there's always more to read, think about, and learn that I've found it difficult to make myself sit down and write. I will try to post what I've been working on soon, but I wanted to take a moment tonight to pause and reflect on what is taking place right now in Canada. I feel as if we are at a critical turning point and that what happens now has the potential to reshape all of our lives for the better, if we rise to the occasion. I am grateful to this movement for giving us this opportunity. 

Growing up as a non-indigenous, middle-class kid in Canada in the 1980s, I did not learn the ugly truths about colonialism, residential schools and the systematic exploitation of aboriginal peoples in my country. What I do remember learning about aboriginal people and their relations with European settlers was that they traded goods, such as fur.

It wasn't until I entered university and took a course on human rights that I learned about the exploitation, oppression and repression of indigenous people in Canada. It was a rude awakening. It wasn't that I didn't know that there were people living on this land before settlers arrived. I wasn't completely unaware that European powers had overtaken land that they had no right to. But until I studied history and read and heard people's stories, I didn't understand how that related to present day Canada, to relations between the Canadian government and aboriginal peoples, and to me.

Idle No More has reminded me that to understand Canada's present and our place in it, and to be a part of shaping its future, we need to learn more about our past. We need to listen to what indigenous peoples are telling us, to follow their lead, and to work in partnership with them to foster relationships are characterized by mutual respect, understanding, and good faith.

Tomorrow I will march to Parliament Hill and join indigenous and non-indigenous people in calling on the federal government to repeal legislation that threatens the integrity of our environment and the rights of aboriginal peoples in Canada and to commit to working in partnership with First Nations communities in a spirit of good faith.

Women Human Rights Defenders

November 29th is International Women Human Rights Defenders Day.

Today, I'd like to bring your attention to an extraordinary human rights defender: Crystal Lameman. Crystal is an activist from the Beaver Lake Cree First Nation, a Sierra Club Prairie activist, the Peace River tar sands campaigner for the Indigenous Environmental Network in Alberta, Canada, and a mother of two children.

I heard Crystal speak at Power Shift 2012, a youth conference focused on developing and sustaining "an environmental and climate justice movement" capable of transforming society for all persons. Crystal's speech inspired me and brought tears to my eyes, as well as those of many other participants at the conference. I encourage you to take the time to watch and listen to her talk and join her in defending the rights of First Nations communities in Canada. I've provided a link a video below.

Read more about Crystal and other women human rights defenders on the Nobel Women's Initiative 16 Days of Activism blog.

International Women's Day - 100 Years

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. This morning I listened to a special edition of CBC Radio's The Current to mark this day. I wiped tears from my eyes as I walked along a busy downtown street, listening to an interview with Xinran, author of Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love. Xinran and others remind us that although a great deal of progress has been made toward the protection and promotion of women's equality, dignity, and human rights, progress is an ongoing process and we have a long way to go still.

For example, I remember being shocked by the statistic that "up to 70 per cent of women experience violence in their lifetime" when I was researching the topic of violence against women for a law class assignment in high school. It's been almost 20 years since I encountered that statistic and it has not changed.

So, while I believe that International Women's Day is a cause for celebration it is also a day to remember that the struggle continues for our equality, dignity, and human rights. Fortunately, there are a lot of dedicated, strong, powerful people - women, men, girls, and boys - involved in this struggle. Let's do what we can to support this movement and build a better world for us all!

National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Violence Against Women

Twenty-one years ago today, 14 women were murdered at L'École Polytechnique in Montreal. They were murdered by a 25 year old man, Marc Lépine.

On the anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre, vigils and ceremonies are held across Canada to mark this day, which was designated a National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Violence Against Women by the Parliament of Canada in 1991.

This year representatives of the opposition parties (the Liberals, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP) gathered on Parliament Hill to mark the December 6th anniversary and the day of remembrance. Among those present was Heidi Rathjen, a survivor of the École Polytechnique massacre. Rathjen is a member of Polytechnique Students and Graduates for Gun Control, a group which advocates for gun control in Canada, in particular the maintenance of the long-gun registry.

Earlier this year, the Conservative Party attempted to scrap the long-gun registry. I recall holding my breath as I waited for news about the final vote in the House of Commons. The long-gun registry survived, but the vote was too close for comfort (153 to 151) and, following the vote, Prime Minister Stephen Harper "vowed to keep up his party’s effort to kill the registry, which he has denounced as a costly and ineffective." [1] Like many others, I remain appalled that the Conservatives and our Prime Minister are determined to scrap the registry, despite the fact that everyone from victims of violence to police have proclaimed the importance and usefulness of the registry.

Today, I call on the Conservatives and Prime Minister Harper to cease their attack on the long-gun registry and to preserve this important tool in the fight against gun violence.

For more information, please read the following article:

Anniversary prompts criticism of Tory gun policy

[1] Long-gun registry survives tight Commons vote

In defense of maternal health and access to safe abortion services

It's been too long since I posted on this blog and I have to apologize for not speaking up sooner on an issue that I care deeply about. The issue I am referring to is access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including safe abortion, and the Canadian government's failure to address this issue in Canada's maternal health initiative for the upcoming G8 meeting. The Canadian government has failed to provide a comprehensive strategy for addressing maternal health.

I've included, below, a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper about this issue. I urge you to write to Prime Minister Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca), as well as the Minister for International Cooperation Beverley J. Oda (oda.b@acdi-cida.gc.ca) and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon (Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca), as well as your local MP, to urge them to develop a maternal health initiative that is comprehensive and fair. If you do write to the Prime Minister and others, please let me know and feel free to post your letters in the comments section and/or inform me if you would like me to publish them here.

I've also included links below to articles that address this topic and related issues.

-----------------------------
Dear Prime Minister Harper,

When I read the headline "CIDA abortion advice ignored: records" I was dismayed. I have written before to express my concern that Canada's Maternal Health Initiative does not address the critical need for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including access to safe, legal abortion.

Experts in this field, which include representatives of both government and non-government organizations, have demonstrated and stated categorically that where women are unable to access safe, legal abortion, maternal deaths are higher. Thousands of women and young girls die every year from complications associated with unsafe abortions. I am deeply concerned that the Canadian government has become part of the problem where it should be a leader in finding solutions.

I renew my call for you to reconsider your stance on this issue and to salvage the international reputation of Canada by including access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including safe, legal abortion, in our Maternal Health Initiaive.

If there is any doubt in your mind, or in the minds of your colleagues, on this issue, please remember this: it's not too late for Canada to change our stance; however, if we do not (change our stance) it will be too late for countless women all over the world. Unfortunately, for many women and girls, it already is too late. Somewhere in the world, right now, a woman, a girl, a mother, a daughter, a sister is dying because she was unable to access safe abortion services. This is not acceptable. I urge you to act now to save women's lives.

I look forward to reading about a change in policy in the coming days.

Thank you.

--------------------

Links

CIDA abortion advice ignored: records
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/05/25/cida-abortion-maternal-health.html

Scientists urge G8 to help reduce unsafe abortions
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/814998--scientists-urge-g8-to-help-reduce-unsafe-abortions

G8 ministers agree to disagree as Canada opposes abortion funding
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/801575

The cynical use of abortion politics
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/cynical+abortion+politics/3070960/story.html

Aid groups advised to ‘shut the f--- up’ on abortion
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/803859

Abortion not part of maternal-health initiative, development minister says
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/abortion-not-part-of-maternal-health-plan-development-minister-says/article1472837/

Birth control won't be in G8 plan to protect mothers, Tories say
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/birth-control-wont-be-in-g8-plan-to-protect-mothers-tories-say/article1502796/

International Women's Day

Celebrating the 99th Year of International Women's Day (1911-2010)

Tonight I attended a fantastic event at the National Archives of Canada for International Women's Day. The title of the event was “I’m Still Not a Feminist, But…” The title is, for those who know something about the organizations that sponsored and held the event, definitely tongue in cheek. It speaks to the reality that, despite the momentous leaps and strides we have made toward women's equality, we still live in a world where many women do not want to be associated with the term 'feminist'. For someone, like me, who proudly proclaims herself to be a feminist, this is disconcerting. I empathize with those who refuse labels, because they can be and often are used in ways we do not agree with. Unfortunately, we live in a world where labels are used to define us (albeit not always accurately), whether we want them to or not, and so I would rather don the 'label' of feminist and demystify, reclaim, and honour the empowering nature that I think it embodies than shy away from it because it's been maligned by it's opponents. Now, back to the event tonight ...

The evening was put on by a coalition of organizations, including: Ad Hoc Coalition for Women’s Equality and Human Rights • Amnesty International Canada • Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) • Galldin Liew LLP • Harmony House • Inter Pares • Nobel Women's Initiative • OCTEVAW • Ottawa RebELLEs • Oxfam Canada • PACT Ottawa • Peacebuild • Planned Parenthood Ottawa • Women's Event Network Ottawa • Women Against Slavery • Women's Worlds 2011.

What all of these organizations have in common is that they advocate, uncompromisingly, for women's equality and human rights. It was wonderful and encouraging to see so many people there tonight to celebrate International Women's Day. So many people attended that, by the time the presentations started, there was standing room only. People stayed and stood, cheered, clapped, and laughed. We all know what we are up against, that there is a global battle going on for equality, justice, and human rights, but taking time to celebrate each other, our strengths and hard work, is also important.

I was inspired by the short essays and spoken word, the skits and videos, and presentations tonight. I was particularly inspired by the spoken word piece, which one an award tonight. It was written and performed by a 15 year old girl from Ottawa, Rayna Farr-Dutchin. Unfortunately, she could not be there in person, but a video of her performance was shown. I worry some times about the perception that young women today (and tomorrow) have of feminism. Do they know what it is, really? Rayna and the other award winner, Sarah Lavoie, showed me that yes, indeed, there are young women out there who are proud to call themselves feminists. I wish I could share their pieces with you, but, unfortunately, I don't have a copy. You'll just have to take my word for it. But I don't want to leave you without something deeply inspiring, so I've included, below, a powerful piece of poetry by a wonderfully talented, inspiring, powerful and amazing woman: And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou.



Happy International Women's Day!

Love,

The Global Sisterhood