The Good: "Africville Apology Coming"
Residents of a black diaspora/suburb in Nova Scotia were kicked out of their neighbourhood in the 60s under the pretense of building a bridge. In reality, it was systemic racism aimed at "cleaning up" Halifax. Congratulations to the former residents of Africville on your victory!
The Bad: "Women Lose Ground in Push for Equality: Report"
Anyone who has been paying any attention didn't need this report to confirm that womyn have been sliding backwards in Canada since the Conservatives got into power. (Although the Liberals have been no better...)
Do yourself a favour: Do not read the comments on that article. In 24 hours online, it has over 500 comments and the vast majority prove what this report is saying: womyn have a long way to go.
The Ugly: "Woman Who Traded Kids for Pet Bird Sentenced"
That's just fucked.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
"Vancouver Games Quickly Turn Sour for Quebec"
Well, that headline SHOULD read “Quickly Turn Sour for French-Canadians” because the argument is that the opening ceremonies and the overall 2010 Olympics are predominantly English.
Fair statement, in my opinion.
Not fair? Constantly equating French Canada with Quebec. These are not synonymous.
Fair statement, in my opinion.
Not fair? Constantly equating French Canada with Quebec. These are not synonymous.
And when I say this, I’m not only pointing the finger at the Square Heads of Canada, but at Quebecers, too! In fact, La Belle Province is the absolute worst for this, which doesn’t really help their argument. If in arguing for the visibility of your identity, you must render another identity invisible, then your argument doesn’t really hold much water.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
"Sisters of Life" Lay Roots in Toronto
There is a group of nuns, known as the “Sisters of Life” whose work involves the counselling of womyn who are dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. One can readily assume that they do not support abortion, but they claim to be there to “support”. Originally from the States, they have set up in Toronto and in March, they are to open up an ‘office’ in a poor area of the City.
“For the past two years, the sisters have been laying the groundwork for their mission. They have a list of nearly 1,000 volunteers who are ready to donate money, offer up their homes, move furniture or just pray. They have also gone from parish to parish to drum up support. They eventually hope to have a convent where pregnant women can come live and stay with their babies.” (National Post) (FC's Note: OFFER UP THEIR HOMES?! For what?! And the thought of 1,000 strong anti-choice foot army scares the shit out of me…)
Clearly, when I see ‘nuns’ and ‘unwanted pregnancies’ in the same sentence, I get a little uneasy. In particular, I resent people who abstain from sex and are against birth control, and yet telling me how to run my uterus.
HOWEVER if you’re going to be a self-righteous anti-choicer, these chicks have got it right, in my books.
Two reasons.
One: “They say the purpose of their work in Toronto is not to picket abortion centres, though they do not disapprove of those who do. Nor are they here to preach or apply pressure on women who are leaning towards abortion —indeed, their doors are also open to women “grieving an abortion.”
There is NOTHING worse to me than people who protest abortion clinics. NOTHING. These people don’t care about ‘life’, or ‘fetuses’ or ‘babies’ or anything. They are about shaming womyn, nothing more, nothing less. Protesting abortion clinics does not deter womyn from seeking abortions, nor does ‘sidewalk counseling’, which is a BS anti-choice term for throwing scientifically false anti-choice information in a womyn’s face and then telling them they’re going to rot in hell. Typical Friday afternoon stuff in the City of Ottawa, I might add.
Second reason these nuns are somewhat thinking this whole anti-choice thing through: In Manhattan, their home allows womyn to live there for an additional 9 months after delivery so that they can figure out their new living/life arrangements.
Unlike most anti-choicers who think that giving birth to a baby means that you will automatically develop maternal instincts and your life will turn around, these Nuns at least recognize that kids take work and planning. And that kicking a womyn out onto the street after delivery isn’t exactly conducive to a positive outcome.
Their logic is of course flawed since if they are all about da babiez, they should also be all about supporting them until they are 18. Kids don’t feed themselves, ya know.
Not to mention the fact they might not protest abortion clinics, but they are support those who do.
As saddened as I am to see anti-choicers alive and well in 2010, I am at least comforted in the case of these “Sisters of Life” by the fact that they understand that “choice” or “no choice” is so much more than shouting at clinic windows.
“For the past two years, the sisters have been laying the groundwork for their mission. They have a list of nearly 1,000 volunteers who are ready to donate money, offer up their homes, move furniture or just pray. They have also gone from parish to parish to drum up support. They eventually hope to have a convent where pregnant women can come live and stay with their babies.” (National Post) (FC's Note: OFFER UP THEIR HOMES?! For what?! And the thought of 1,000 strong anti-choice foot army scares the shit out of me…)
Clearly, when I see ‘nuns’ and ‘unwanted pregnancies’ in the same sentence, I get a little uneasy. In particular, I resent people who abstain from sex and are against birth control, and yet telling me how to run my uterus.
HOWEVER if you’re going to be a self-righteous anti-choicer, these chicks have got it right, in my books.
Two reasons.
One: “They say the purpose of their work in Toronto is not to picket abortion centres, though they do not disapprove of those who do. Nor are they here to preach or apply pressure on women who are leaning towards abortion —indeed, their doors are also open to women “grieving an abortion.”
There is NOTHING worse to me than people who protest abortion clinics. NOTHING. These people don’t care about ‘life’, or ‘fetuses’ or ‘babies’ or anything. They are about shaming womyn, nothing more, nothing less. Protesting abortion clinics does not deter womyn from seeking abortions, nor does ‘sidewalk counseling’, which is a BS anti-choice term for throwing scientifically false anti-choice information in a womyn’s face and then telling them they’re going to rot in hell. Typical Friday afternoon stuff in the City of Ottawa, I might add.
Second reason these nuns are somewhat thinking this whole anti-choice thing through: In Manhattan, their home allows womyn to live there for an additional 9 months after delivery so that they can figure out their new living/life arrangements.
Unlike most anti-choicers who think that giving birth to a baby means that you will automatically develop maternal instincts and your life will turn around, these Nuns at least recognize that kids take work and planning. And that kicking a womyn out onto the street after delivery isn’t exactly conducive to a positive outcome.
Their logic is of course flawed since if they are all about da babiez, they should also be all about supporting them until they are 18. Kids don’t feed themselves, ya know.
Not to mention the fact they might not protest abortion clinics, but they are support those who do.
As saddened as I am to see anti-choicers alive and well in 2010, I am at least comforted in the case of these “Sisters of Life” by the fact that they understand that “choice” or “no choice” is so much more than shouting at clinic windows.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Captain Obvious Strikes Again
U.K Press Slams Canada's Hosting of Games
Hum… duh? They’re hosting next so do you think they’re going to paint us in a pretty light?
Hum… duh? They’re hosting next so do you think they’re going to paint us in a pretty light?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Speaking of Trends...
I guess from now on, you can rely on me to keep you posted as to What’s Hot and What’s Not in Canada.What’s Hot? Prorogation! Not only has Harper done it two years in a row, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is in on the fun, too!
Admittedly it’s for far less time and it doesn’t affect the country as a whole, but Ontario is the most populated province, so you could argue it affects enough people for it to matter. I certainly would.
What’s Not? Caring, apparently. I’m calling hypocrisy on the Left-Wingers. Why are we protesting in the streets about Conservatives proroguing but letting it slide when it’s the Liberals? Is it because Harper is a Neo-Con? Is it because he’s done it twice already? Or is it because we just don’t like the guy?
Either way, I call bullshit on both Harper and McGuinty.
How many times do I have to say this: Perogies, not Proroguing!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Latin American Progressive Politics
Good News: Costa Rica elects its First Female President. Woo!
Bad News: She is, by her own admission, a social conservative who opposes both abortion and gay marriage.
The CBC.ca article about it is particularly sad since it interviews a 24 year old womyn inmate who says she voted for Laura Chinchilla because she said “she would fight for women’s rights”.
I wonder what rights she’s referring to.
In any case, kudos to Costa Rica and other Latin American countries such as Nicaragua, Panama, Chile and Argentina who have recently elected female presidents.
Bad News: She is, by her own admission, a social conservative who opposes both abortion and gay marriage.
The CBC.ca article about it is particularly sad since it interviews a 24 year old womyn inmate who says she voted for Laura Chinchilla because she said “she would fight for women’s rights”.
I wonder what rights she’s referring to.
In any case, kudos to Costa Rica and other Latin American countries such as Nicaragua, Panama, Chile and Argentina who have recently elected female presidents.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Trend Alert!
Apparentlty the 1970s-1980s trend of bashing women's studies is back in style. Thanks for kicking it old school, National Post!
And if you're feeling stylish, join Barbara Kay's comments section and join all the cool kids in deploring feminism.
Remember kids: It’s not patriarchy that’s evil; it’s the scary, scary womyn folk who cry for “rights” and “access” to things like “education, equal pay” and (brace yourself), “a life without violence”.
*shudders*
And if you're feeling stylish, join Barbara Kay's comments section and join all the cool kids in deploring feminism.
Remember kids: It’s not patriarchy that’s evil; it’s the scary, scary womyn folk who cry for “rights” and “access” to things like “education, equal pay” and (brace yourself), “a life without violence”.
*shudders*
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