Important Winnipeg Dates

(1) Today is World Aids Day, and while I wasn't able to make it to any of the events due to work today and baby-sitting this evening, here are the details for those interested.

Nine Circles Community Health Centre - 705 Broadway

Winnipeg Event Schedule for World AIDS Day - December 1

9:00 am Pipe Ceremony
10:30am Press Conference
12noon March from Nine Circles to the Legislature
2:00-4:00pm Paint a Memorial Tile
6:00pm Remembrance and Celebration of People Lost to HIV/AIDS

(2) Wednesday is December 6th, the 17th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre and the National Day of Action and Remembrance on Violence Against Women. On December 6th, 1989 14 women were brutally murdered. If you can't make it to any of the remeberance events, at least take a moment to read through their names and think of them.

Geneviève Bergeron (b. 1968), civil engineering student.
Hélène Colgan (b. 1966), mechanical engineering student.
Nathalie Croteau (b. 1966), mechanical engineering student.
Barbara Daigneault (b. 1967) mechanical engineering student.
Anne-Marie Edward (b. 1968), chemical engineering student.
Maud Haviernick (b. 1960), materials engineering student.
Maryse Laganière (b. 1964), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique's finance department.
Maryse Leclair (b. 1966), materials engineering student.
Anne-Marie Lemay (b. 1967), mechanical engineering student.
Sonia Pelletier (b. 1961), mechanical engineering student.
Michèle Richard (b. 1968), materials engineering student.
Annie St-Arneault (b. 1966), mechanical engineering student.
Annie Turcotte (b. 1969), materials engineering student.
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (b. 1958), nursing student.

The UofW Womyn's Centre has a display called "The Gallery of Empowerment (And Menstrual Art)" located on 1st floor centenial. The art is going up to draw attention to violence against womyn in canada.

The memorial event to remember the montreal massacre is occurring at the University of Winnipeg campus on Dec 6 at 12:30 in the space beside the info
booth.

The Annual Vigil is held at the Legislative Grounds at 7pm.

(3) As more details come out regarding the cuts to the Status of Women Canada it's obvious that the conservative government does not care about women's equality. 12 of 15 of the SWC offices will be shut down. Help send a message to the federal government that Canadians will not stand for this assault on women's rights. (For grassroots ideas read http://statusreport.ca)

Join us on December 8th, 2006!

What: Funeral for Women's Equality
When: Friday, December 8th 12:00 noon
Where: Meet at the Women's Memorial Grove (on the legislative
grounds) and join the funeral procession to the Federal Building,
310- Broadway Avenue
Why: To mourn the cuts to Status of Women and other social programs
and to let Stephen Harper know that "WE ARE NOT DEAD YET!"

For more information please contact Kate at the University of Winnipeg
Students' Association,
786-9073

Please wear black and bring items to help us mourn the loss of these
programs.
you can't be all that you can be when you are dead.


Please continue to write letters to your MP, PM Harper, and Beverley Oda. I plan to be at all the events except for the ones going on today. Thank you.

http://www.thewomenareangry.org/
http://statusreport.ca/

Personal is Political

In early October I stopped shaving my legs. I stopped for two reasons, the first being I broke up with the person I was seeing, the second being I kind of wanted to see how long I could go without doing it. I started when I was 13 and since then I've probably not gone more than three weeks without.

Now, almost six weeks later, I'm kind of disapointed that the hair seems to have stopped. Unless you're looking my ankles you probably can't tell I stopped, or you catch my legs in the right light. Quite frankly, it ain't much different. And I'm considering stopping altogether. This shall be my experiment for the winter.

While I suppose I've always known that shaving for women becomes a political issue, I was still shocked when I realized that's what it's become for me. Now that I'm thinking of never shaving my legs again, I realize just how political it is.

The other day I was trying on shoes and I covered my bare legs so the sales girl couldn't see the hair. As soon as I realized what I'd done I stopped trying to hide it (no one noticed anyways). I haven't told anyone that I'm not shaving, but now I have to weigh who I will tell. If I tell certain people they might applaud me, others will tell me girls aren't meant to have hair, others will shrug it off. The hair on my legs will be scutinized. How bizarre is that!?

I feel like I've had some sort of weird epiphany, despite identifying as a feminist for a number of years now. And all it took was putting down the razer.

*As a sidenote, I really really want try to stop shaving my arm pits, but I'm too paranoid because I have over-active sweat glands.*



And...


I know I said I would write about seeing Jean Kilbourne speak, but I just haven't been in the mood. Quick little blurb, she was good, but I wasn't blown away. Four days before seeing her live I saw (again) "Killing Us Softly 3". Before Dr. Kilbourne began her presentation she did warn us that it would be similar to the film, but it was nearly identical except, including the exact same jokes. I was disapointed. The reason she was in Winnipeg was for a conference the next day on tobacco and body image, but apparently that wasn't the subject of her talk at the University of Winnipeg (which was free).

All in all, while she does amazing work, I was not wowed by her in-person presentation skills. I realize she does this same talk over and over, but it would be nice if it could be jazzed up a little, at least don't recycle identical jokes. A couple of my class mates picked up her book. I hope to borrow it in the new year to see if it's good.

Personal is Political

In early October I stopped shaving my legs. I stopped for two reasons, the first being I broke up with the person I was seeing, the second being I kind of wanted to see how long I could go without doing it. I started when I was 13 and since then I've probably not gone more than three weeks without.

Now, almost six weeks later, I'm kind of disapointed that the hair seems to have stopped. Unless you're looking my ankles you probably can't tell I stopped, or you catch my legs in the right light. Quite frankly, it ain't much different. And I'm considering stopping altogether. This shall be my experiment for the winter.

While I suppose I've always known that shaving for women becomes a political issue, I was still shocked when I realized that's what it's become for me.

I know I said I would write about seeing Jean Kilbourne speak, but I just haven't been in the mood. Quick little blurb, she was good, but I wasn't blown away. Four days before seeing her live I saw (again) "Killing Us Softly 3". Before Dr. Kilbourne began her presentation she did warn us that it would be similar to the film, but it was nearly identical except, including the exact same jokes. I was disapointed. The reason she was in Winnipeg was for a conference the next day on tobacco and body image, but apparently that wasn't the subject of her talk at the University of Winnipeg (which was free).

All in all, while she does amazing work, I was not wowed by her in-person presentation skills. I realize she does this same talk over and over, but it would be nice if it could be jazzed up a little, at least don't recycle identical jokes. A couple of my class mates picked up her book. I hope to borrow it in the new year to see if it's good.

More News from Status of Women Canada

I saw Jean Kilbourne on Thursday, and I will be writing about that when I have a little more time. For now,

A few weeks ago I sent my MP, Steven Fletcher, an e-mail to try and get to him to do something regarding Status of Women Canada. I recieved this letter last week.

Dear (Wrong Name that isn't mine),

Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments and concerns regarding Status of Women Canada.

Canada's New Government is committed to ensuring the equality of all its citizens. Liberals funded study after study, held consultations and talked, but they got no results. Our government is a government of action and we will fight for women's equality through positive proactive policy. Canada's New Government will focus its effots:

- protecting women against violence;
- giving children safe family home without abuse;
- helping older women escape poverty; and
- making sure immigrant women are able to use their foreign credentials to contribute to Canadian society.

Canada's New Government will act and make a difference to women and children in their communities and homes.

Again, thank you for submitting your concerns.

Kind regards,

Steven Fletcher

I like how he completely side-stepped any mention of Status of Women Canada except for in his little intro to the letter. I also suppose his "action" is to cut funding to women's rights group. What an asshole. Couldn't even address it to the right damn person.


But in brighter news.
By virtue of status report.

BIG NEWS! On October 31, 2006, the following motion was passed at a meeting of the House of Commons Status of Women Committee. The motion was initiated by Maria Minna, Status of Women critic for the Liberal Party. Official meeting minutes can be found here.

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? A recommendation in the form of a motion passed by a committee gets presented to the House of Commons in periodic reports from the committee chair. The chair of this committee, Judy Sgro, will nudge this resolution along, and we'll keep you posted on its progress on this page.

Minna's motion regarding recent Cuts to Status of Women Canada:

Whereas the recent $5 million in cuts to the operating budget of the Status of Women Canada places in jeopardy the valuable work done in this department to promote the equality women and;

Whereas these cuts will make it harder for women across the country to participate in the economic, social, cultural and political aspects of society and;

Whereas the draconian changes to the Terms and Conditions to the Women’s Program under Status of Women undermines the very basis of our democracy – the ability to advocate on behalf of vulnerable groups and;

Whereas removing “equality” as one of the goals of the program sends a chilling message to the dedicated equality-seeking organizations throughout the country.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), that the Standing Committee on the Status of Women (SWC) recommends that the government reverse the $5 million in cuts to the operating budget of SWC and re-instate the original Terms and Conditions of the Women’s Program and that the Chair report the adoption of this motion to the House without delay.

PASSED.

I am prone to suggestions. I am also prone, in the last 10 months to depressive and anxious episodes of which I have little control.

I have felt great the last four days. And the reason I have felt great is because for the first time in two weeks I felt normal; not super, great, wonderful happy, just normal. And it was really nice. Today I ran into my rapist on the bus. It was much easier having already confronted him but as I sat there, I got more and more panicky. I freaked out and as soon as he and his 10 years junior girlfriend got off I started to cry. And when I got off the bus I cried harder and harder. I feel like shit again. And the waves of normal and depressed are tearing me down and kicking my ass. I'm feeling more and more alone and more and more helpless.

In three more weeks I will be seeing my new doctor and hopefully she will be referring me to a therapist. This whole issue brings up a lot of thoughts with me. Medication of society; depression prevalence in women; normalcy in feelings and thoughts...and many more. I'm not in the head space to really tackle them right now, this is more of an outlet post.

A few months ago at the women's centre I was reading the Newsletter and there was an article by a woman close to my age who was diagnosed with depression. She sounded a lot like me, one of those, 'last person you would expect to be depressed' types. Obviously it struck a chord, but it's only recently that I've been exploring the idea that I really have a problem and one that is affecting my relationships. This scares me a lot but at the same time I want someone to tell me what the problem is so I know I'm not crazy. I've spent a greater part of the last 10 months convincing myself that everyone feels this way but it's becoming quite clear that everyone does not, at least not to this extent. *sigh*

The worst part of it all is feeling like you can't say a damned thing to your friends because they'll think you're 'over-dramatizing' everything or just vying for attention. I'm scared to tell them how rough this time is for me until someone can tell me what's going on in my head.

5 Things Feminism Has Done For Me

1) Feminism has allowed me to confront my rapist.

2) Feminism has allowed me to pursue the education of my choice, that being Sociology specializing in women's issues and Women's Studies.

3) Feminism has made me conscious of the issues of people around the world and in my own backyard.

4) Feminism has given me the courage to be myself and feel confident about that.

5) Feminism has allowed me to feel independent and strong enough to live my life.

I was going to do "things this week" but it's been a weird few weeks and I have a bad cold. These were easier to think of.


A few days ago I had a great long post concerning Status of Women Canada but blogspot ate most of it. Hopefully I'll be feeling better tomorrow and can re-post. More people need to know about this issue so we can turn it around.

Quitter

Just before thanksgiving I quit vegetarianism after 8 months.

My main reason being I am just too damn tired. I have trouble seperating vegetarianism from activism in my head. Now, with the way things were going; university, two jobs, boyfriend, rape counselling, family problems, and general extra-curricular activism, I just felt it was too much.

Amazingly, I actually feel much better. This is odd because it wasn't as though being a vegetarian was a huge inconvenience. There weren't even really times where I wanted to eat meat, that is until I thought about my mom's turkey. Right now I'm fairly satisfied to keep my meat content down.

I found it disconcerting though, that in order to calm myself, I had to cut out something which did feel important to me. I hate that I cannot spread myself any thinner. Although in retrospect, I know it's not as important to me as I thought it was. I will however, continue to eat ethically. That is, eating little meat, and the meat I do consume I will try to ensure is both organic and ethically treated which is not so hard nowadays.

I have a serious tendency to take on far too many tasks and stressing myself out. Three weeks ago I was working two jobs, taking full time classes, not sleeping due to rape issues, not sleeping due to family issues, working for the CDA, working for the Maestro project, going to sexual assault counselling, and had a boyfriend.

As of this Tuesday I am working two jobs (total 15 hours a week), taking full time classes, sleeping, working for the CDA and Maestro project, stopped counselling and have no boyfriend. The weight off my shoulders is so relaxing. I am no longer a stressed, basket case (mainly due to having confronted my rapist).

The point of this opening post, you ask? Take the time to remember that the world doesn't belong on your shoulders. Reflect on the tasks you've given yourself and see if they're all necessary. And if you have something that you know is the right time to get off your shoulders, do it.

We often forget that we're the only ones who know how to keep ourselves sane.