tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48179541835809327282024-03-12T22:01:47.652-07:00Being the Change Since 2007Because everyone is entitled to my opinion.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.comBlogger204125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-15951604488685062332013-04-29T05:18:00.000-07:002013-04-29T05:18:12.824-07:00BIG NEWS!I will no longer be blogging here at Feminist Catalyst. Yup.<br />
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I've 'Been the Change since 2007' on this site and it's been amazing trip. But, I'm not going anywhere major. I'm just centralizing all my shenanigans to a new site, where I won't simply be blogging but also providing you with updates on all the work I do.<br />
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FC will no longer be keeping my identity a secret, which is both scary and amazing at the same time.<br />
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So, grab a coffee and take a walk with me over to my new <a href="http://www.yellowmanteau.com/" target="_blank">home</a>.<br />
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<i>For the record, I won't be canning this blog right away. It'll still be here as a way of archiving my old work. </i><br />
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<i> </i>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-68115060407861199612013-04-16T19:40:00.005-07:002013-04-16T19:57:02.611-07:00An open letter to victims of sexual assault<i>Sorry for the ONE YEAR LONG delay in writing. I am working on a ton of new projects, which includes retiring this blog for a brand new one. Details coming soon!</i><br />
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[This is kind of obvious, but trigger warning for discussions of sexual assault]<br />
<i> </i><br />
Dear Jane Does,<br />
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I hope this finds you well. Sadly, it probably doesn't. What a terrible few weeks, huh? Ugh. So horrible.<br />
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I don't need to update you on Steubenville, Rehtaeh Parsons or Audrie Pott. You've heard about them. You've read about their stories on every Facebook timeline, Twitter feed, news story, etc. Sure, it's great that their stories are getting coverage but damn, you wish they'd talk about something else, right? Listening to that stuff is <i>tough as fuck. </i>Hits way too close to home.<br />
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Thankfully, some people are getting the story right. Melissa Harris-Perry, a rockstar in her own right, penned a beautiful open letter to Steubenville's Jane Doe. If you want some extra support, you can check it out <a href="http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/03/23/my-open-letter-to-the-steubenville-survivor/">here</a>. <br />
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I want you to know that I am sorry, too. To echo the powerful words of Melissa, I am so <i>fucking </i>sorry that we live in a world in which the heinous things you experienced are a reality. I send you a thousand apologies every single day.<br />
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You are not alone. Not just because there are tons of people in this world fighting for justice for you, but because there are tons of people in this world <i>just like you. </i>Conservative estimates put 1 in 4 womyn in the category of sexual assault survivors. <i>1 in 4. </i>There are people in your school, at your workplace, in your synagogue who carry the same weight that you do. Sadly, some of the people who've reacted badly to your disclosure are probably carrying that weight, too. <br />
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But I want you to know that I respect you.<br />
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I respect what you did then and what you've done since. I respect your decision to punch him out, to not have screamed, to have told everyone you know, to have told no one. I respect your decision to report it to the police, to have not reported it to the police. I respect your right to have your experience(s) define you; to reject the very notion that it's a part of who you are.<br />
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I respect you. I respect your right to navigate this world in whatever way feels right for you. You have rights. You matter.<br />
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Your experience matters, even if the police said it didn't; even if your family didn't believe you; even if your friends weren't there when it mattered.<br />
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Your life matters. <i>You matter. </i><br />
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I don't want you to think that we only care about Amanda Todd, Rehtaeh Parsons or Audrie Pott because they're dead. <b>People cared about them when they were with us. </b>People care about <i>you. </i>Yes, you. Right now. This very second. There are people who care very, very deeply for you. <b><br /></b><br />
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You are entitled to justice and there are people in this world who spend every waking second fighting for that justice.<br />
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I want you on this Earth. I want your abusers brought to justice and I want the pain to stop. And I commit to doing everything in my power to ending the bullshit that has traumatized too many of us.<br />
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I'm sorry for what happened to you. But an apology means shit without action. So, please know that I commit to keeping up the fight for justice. That means I will commit to talk about sexual assault, even when it makes people squirmy. I will call out people who argue that rape jokes are funny, that womyn lie about their rape and that rapists are 'good dudes who make decisions'. I will call out journalists who care more about the 'ruined lives' of our perpetrators than the trauma they've inflicted on us. I will educate those in my life on how to be an effective bystander and what it means to be an ally. I will continue to speak the truth about rape culture and will always refuse to be silenced.<br />
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You deserve that much. <br />
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The world need not be this ugly.<br />
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We deserve better.<br />
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So please, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le-3MIBxQTw">hold on.</a><br />
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<i>“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”- Arundhati Roy</i><br />
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In solidarity, rage and love,<br />
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- FC <br />
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<br />Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-45869596377755743102012-03-05T06:13:00.002-08:002012-03-05T06:34:28.764-08:00What I wish people understood about women who've been sexually assaulted<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >I haven't updated since <span style="font-weight: bold;">October?!</span> My bad!</span><br /><br />As a support worker for survivors of sexual violence, a feminist academic and a friend to many womyn (and therefore, survivors!), I find myself having the same conversations over and over.<br /><br />[TRIGGER WARNING for discussions of sexual assault... obviously.]<br /><br />So here it is.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I wish people understood that women who've been sexually assaulted:<br /><br />1- Are not fabergé eggs: </span>Womyn who've been sexually assaulted are not inherently fragile and ready to break(down) at any minute. Of course, the time when they start to heal is not an ideal time and they're probably not feeling their best. But if<span style="font-style: italic;"> at least </span>1 in 4 womyn will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime and humankind has existed for centuries and centuries, clearly womyn have found ways to cope and continue living their lives.<br /><br />It's problematic at best and sexist at its worse to assume that womyn who've been sexually assaulted are forever 'broken' and should therefore be treated like children.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2- Are not going to react in the ways you expect or hope: </span>The amount of people who've told me that their disclosure of sexual assault was dismissed because they didn't 'act like someone who has just been assaulted' is downright depressing. When someone is assaulted, they might pull a CSI victim and break down in tears, they might bury it deep and deny it, they might speak about it non-stop, they might never speak of it again. They might abstain from all sexual activity, they might sleep with anything that moves, they might quit their job or go back to work the next day. They might drink/smoke it away, they might become macrobiotic vegans.<br /><br />It is absolutely absurd that we throw out all logic about the uniqueness of people when it comes to sexual assault responses. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3- Owe you absolutely nothing: </span>Just because I've told you about my experience of trauma, that doesn't mean that I now owe you every detail of my assault(s), every detail of my therapy session, etc. To pry for more information is both inappropriate and fucking creepy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4- Want their power back: </span>Sexual assault is not about sex; it's about power. To assume that men sexually assault because they can't control their sexual urges it not only illogical but also offensive to men. <br /><br />And so when someone is sexually assaulted, they are dealing with the fact that their power, bodily integrity and agency have been violated. And so telling them what they need to do and insisting you know what's best is not only annoying but also contributing to their disempowerment. If I've learned anything in my years as a support worker, it's that the vast majority of womyn who've been sexually assaulted and who seek out help are looking for validation, resources and the space to vent. They know what's best for them and the course of action they should take, they just want you to validate their choices and provide them with any necessary resource information. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5- Don't need your judgment: </span>They don't need you to question why they accepted a ride with <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>guy, why they dressed that way, why they drank so much, why they went back to him, why they didn't report, why they did report, why they waited weeks to tell you, why they didn't self-defense classes, why they didn't leave the party, why they invited him inside their apartment, etc.<br /><br />Womyn who've been sexually assaulted don't need your judgment: Society is doing that part just fine, thanks.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-3102037347082585892011-10-31T12:32:00.001-07:002011-10-31T12:34:11.395-07:00Feminist BlogosphereRead <a href="http://nymag.com/news/features/feminist-blogs-2011-11/">this </a>if you still fail to understand the power of feminist blogging.<br /><br />Oh and, <a href="http://jezebel.com/5854733/a-gentle-reminder-that-slutoween-celebrants-are-asking-for-it">this </a>if you're one of those assholes who believes the brouhaha about 'slutty' Halloween costumes.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-37431389864500312802011-10-26T10:55:00.001-07:002011-10-26T10:57:33.820-07:00My Activism: Part II 'Finding Myself'I wrote this piece months and months ago but it's funny to me, in light of a new <a href="http://bit.ly/uIxQ9n">Jezebel </a>article asking 'Why Would Anyone Become a Nun?'<br /><br />-------<br /><br />My journey to becoming an activist all started with my desire to become a nun.<br /><br />Let me explain.<br /><br />Growing up, I went to Catholic school. In my house, we were definitely of the C&E Catholic variety. For the uninitiated, this is the type of Catholic family that will write down “Catholic” on their census but really only attend mass for Christmas and Easters. Oh and weddings and funerals, of course. (Catholics love the concept of ‘forever’).<br /><br />My Catholic upbringing was rather non-existent except for some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">bizarro</span> inclusions like the whole “No sex before you get married” thing which was mostly my mother’s quiet way of saying “Please don’t get knocked up and ruin your chances at a life”.<br /><br />Because you see, my folks were also <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">hella</span> progressive in so many ways. I got the “It’s okay to be gay” talk at like… 4. And I routinely was told that I was smart first and pretty second and that I never, EVER needed a man to be happy.<br /><br />I include all this because I really want to emphasize that Bible-thumping-Jesus-Praising just <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">wasn</span>’t a part of my reality. And yet, I really loved nuns.<br /><br />See, I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">didn</span>’t love Catholicism as a whole. I found the actual class boring as fuck. All the memorizing of prayers and scripture just seemed <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">hella</span> pointless. The occasional time that I was dragged into Sunday school, I hated the patronizing tone of the clearly-unhappy-at-home Sunday School Teachers.<br /><br />The only things I loved about being Catholic was the stories and the rituals. I LOVED some of those stories. (Oh, I suppose I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">shouldn</span>’t call them ‘stories’ since they are really just passages of the Bible but I can’t help but treat the Bible like Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes so yeah, they’re stories to me).<br /><br />Obviously as a budding feminist, I loved the way Jesus was all down with Mary Magdalene’s sinful ways and I remember thinking “GET OFF YOUR KNEES <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">WOMYN</span> AND SAVE YOUR DIGNITY” when she went to wash the guy’s feet. I knew she was better than that.<br /><br />I also loved this one story about a guy named Zack or something? He heard that Jesus was coming into town and he was so in awe of the guy, that he <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">didn</span>’t feel worthy of being in his presence. So for the fancy procession into town, little Zack went and climbed up a tree and just admired from a far. When the big <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">JC</span> rode into town on his ass, er, I mean donkey, he saw Zack and was all “Hey dude, come and walk with me. You’re obviously cool enough to join my posse”. (I’m paraphrasing).<br /><br />I thought it was cool that Jesus was down with anyone and everyone. That he forgave folks, chilled with the disabled and homeless. He did to leprosy what Princess Diana did for HIV/AIDS.<br /><br />Real talk.<br /><br />And anyone who knows me at all, knows that I’m a fan of ritual. Or as my mother would say – TRADITION! (Only you have to say it in a loud booming voice while raising your hands, à la Fiddler on the Roof).<br /><br />I refuse to let my parents buy a fake Christmas tree because it’s TRADITION! Tradition dictates that we go to my uncle’s, get a real tree and decorate it as a group. Then either my brother or I (we alternate years) put up the really hideous tacky star, the same star that my dad has wanted to change for years but I refused to let him because it was TRADITION!<br /><br />Even as a lefty progressive person, I really value tradition and in particular, refuse to do something that is ‘traditional’ unless I know what the meaning of the tradition is. Since tradition is important to me, if I’m going to be passing it on, I wanna know what it is I’m replicating.<br /><br />ANYWAY…<br /><br />My love of nuns stems from this. Nuns are not only ALL ABOUT traditions but they are also <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">hella</span> devoted. And if there’s anything I love more than stories and rituals, is devotion. And so from afar, I would admire me some nuns. I never got to see them in real life until high school (more on that later) but the very existence of nuns intrigued me.<br /><br />For one, they were the only ‘<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span>’ I ever really associated with the Church. They also wore really interesting outfits and had wedding bands because they were MARRIED to God. If that’s not hardcore, what is? They also lived in some secretive convent where I first imagined giggling girl talk and later, some serious queer action.<br /><br />The coolest part about nuns though is that they had been ‘called’. THIS is what I was all about. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Womyn</span> who had been handpicked by the big G-O-D to do his work. At the time, I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">didn</span>’t see it as an oppressive relationship but more of a “God thinks you’re <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">hella</span> special? Then you’re special to me”.<br /><br />As a youngster, I felt a ‘calling’. I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">wasn</span>’t really sure what the calling was to do but I felt a strong feeling that I was meant to do something. Since I had no role models of other people who had a strong calling for their work, I figured this is it, I’m meant to be a nun.<br /><br />Unfortunately, when I started high school where I was taught by REAL. LIVE. NUNS I realized that they actually sucked. Unlike “Sister Act”, they <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">weren</span>’t <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">badass</span> dancers in a penguin suit. They were actually homophobic, self-hating, hypocritical and BORING.<br /><br />So then I thought “Fuck… now what?” If I feel a strong calling to do something and to work with people but I hate Christianity, don’t identify with nuns and quite frankly, don’t want to spend my life as a celibate, what the fuck am I supposed to do?<br /><br />Thankfully for me, my parents wanted me to have what they <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">didn</span>’t and paid for me to move to Ottawa and get a post-secondary education. There I met tons and tons of people whose vocation was basically doing all the truly benevolent things that I wanted to do, without the colonialism and Jesus-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">lovin</span>’.<br /><br />My relationship with nuns has simply become this ironic fetish that involves nun action figures and Gothic Christian imagery. Got a picture of a holy virgin with some nice flashing lights and a crown of thorns? SIGN ME UP. But as for that whole “Life of celibacy and rubbing one out to pictures of a light-skinned Jesus?” No fucking way.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-37861835642858805532011-10-25T11:53:00.000-07:002011-10-25T11:59:06.301-07:00My Activism: Part I 'Being Whole'Lately, I've been doing lots of internal <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">dialoguing</span> and other fancy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">smancy</span> shit that privileged activists like myself have time to do.<br /><br />Here is part I that I wrote a little while ago:<br /><br />--------<br /><br /><br />Anyone who knows me well knows that I am an intense person, yes, but I laugh at funerals, use sarcasm when I probably shouldn't and really do believe in a silver lining.<br /><br />If you know me well you also know that there is no room in my life for religion or even much of spirituality, either. I call myself agnostic, but really I'm apathetic and really over all discussions of the sort. It just doesn't interest me in the slightest.<br /><br />I say all this because the following might seem incredibly out of character but it's something I've been thinking a lot about lately.<br /><br />I am deeply concerned about activism in my community lately and rather than complain about it, I want to make a call for a better environment and see who is interested.<br /><br />I've been doing activism in an official capacity for about 8 years. Like most people, I've done things that would constitute activism for much of my life, but it's only been since I've lived in Ottawa that I've made a concerted effort to do activism and to identify it as such. The overwhelming majority of my work has centered around <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn's</span> lives and in particular, violence against <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span>, access to abortion and equity in education.<br /><br />I've previously written at length about my feminism and how I came to do the work that I do now, so I won't get into that.<br /><br />My issue is that the environment in which I do my activism has become ugly and I have really struggled with how to deal with it.<br /><br />I know that I am a product of my environment but I am also part of my environment.<br /><br />As activists, we are not car mechanics or meteorologists whose work is limited by the tools and physical structures available to us. We are the tools and structures. The only limits are our imagination.<br /><br />So it is frustrating to see how people buy into the idea that we are tangible, objective entities rather than the subjects of our own doing. The rules that govern what we do or how we think are subjective and arbitrary.<br /><br />There is absolutely no reason why we must treat each other the way we do.<br /><br />Everyone I've ever known to have left the activist community, the feminist movement, social work, etc. did so because of the environment and their colleagues and not because of the actual work. Let me repeat this.<br /><br />People whose jobs it is to listen to horrific stories, to support people who feel hopeless and to advocate for a better world in a political environment that is pessimistic and discouraging, end up leaving the work not because of their clients or because of their 'enemy' but because of their so-called allies.<br /><br />This is often treated as fact; an inevitability.<br /><br />By setting ourselves up in this way, we are doomed to fail again and again. And every time we do, the enemy wins. And I'm not okay with that.<br /><br />There is no reason why we must treat each other this way.<br /><br />I came into this world 'whole' and I intend to leave it the same way.<br /><br />My mother is Native and an incredibly spiritual person. I deeply admire her for this. (The spirituality part, not the Native part. 'Cause no offense, ma but you had no say in the other part!)<br /><br />She believes that when someone is deeply hurt in their life, either as a child or an adult, they lose a part of their soul, a part of their 'being' and then spend the rest of their life looking for it.<br /><br />I believe this.<br /><br />I believe that most of the issues within activist communities stem from people who've experienced (or who currently experience) deep, deep pain. Whether that pain was because of the work they're doing, or is part of the reason they started this work in the first place, they carry that pain with them. Because we've set activist communities up as 'warrior spaces' where nobody gives up, everybody does 110% and nobody admits defeat, people bury that pain. They bury that pain and bury that pain until they can't anymore but when they lash out, it is to the nearest person; regardless of whether or not that person has caused them any pain.<br /><br />As people who've spent years and years listening to horror stories of violence against <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span>, we do not lash out at rapists, anti-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">choicers</span>, politicians, or judges. We do not lash out at racist education systems, sexist media or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">ableist</span> institutions.<br /><br />We lash out at our comrades.<br /><br />And this needs to stop.<br /><br />I am not the least bit delusional about the fact that many activists are damaging to us. Many people who claim to be activists, myself included, have done things (or do things) that are racist, homophobic, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">ableist</span>, etc. We all need to challenge each other in ways that are productive and about improving the situations and not simply about lashing out.<br /><br />We need to remember that the enemy is not in the room.<br /><br />I firmly believe in my heart of hearts that anyone who dedicates their life to ending violence, fighting for equitable education, fighting for access to clean water, etc. is an ally and someone who should be worked with, not against.<br /><br />And so as things get uglier and uglier (and then better and then ugly again, as it goes), I question why I'm here, why I do what I do and whether it's worth it.<br /><br />I believe it is.<br /><br />I do not believe that the revolution will cease without me or that it will fall apart. I believe that there will always be good people in this world who want to fight for a better one and who will step up and replace us all if/when we leave.<br /><br />But this work is in my blood, it is a fabric of my being and I want to find a way to continue.<br /><br />So this is what I'm proposing:<br /><br />I want to build a movement based on the premise that anyone who joins does so in good conscience.<br /><br />I want to build a movement that is a safe space for everyone, including those who have much to learn.<br /><br />I want to build a movement that refuses all buzzwords, all lip service and all cliches. No more alienating people with academic language, no more preaching self-care but refusing to partake in it or demonizing those who do.<br /><br />I want to build a movement that recognizes that just as survivors of violence and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> who've had abortions deal with their lives in ways that are unique to them, so do activists. There is no 'one way' of doing activism. If you sign every petition and letter that comes across your inbox, hooray! If you march at every protest and raise your fist high, good on you! If you stuff envelopes and write letters behind the scenes, thank you! If you call out your co-workers at the water cooler and take on your racist grandpa at Christmas, you rock!<br /><br />I want to build a movement that understands that sometimes, your organization is a business unlike any other. You just happen to be in the business of kicking ass and taking names. But you still need to spend time making sure you've crossed your Ts and dotted your Is. You need to be accountable to your stakeholders, you need to respect different forms of leadership and you need to know your role. A movement that understands that sometimes, you just gotta get the work done and not bog it down with checking up on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">every one's</span> feelings and pussy footing around things that are 'touchy'.<br /><br />I want to build a movement that is optimistic, realistic and practical.<br /><br />I want to build a movement that truly recognizes that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> are equal, that we are strong and that we need not break down into tears to be heard. We are valuable because we exist and that is enough.<br /><br />I want to build a movement that rejects martyrdom, embraces creativity and remembers ALL of Andrea Smith's work (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Smith_%28academic%29). In particular, the parts where she calls out activists for creating a movement that is depressing, reactive and not focused on being proactive and engaged.<br /><br />I want to build a movement that allows people to enter 'whole' and to exit with all their pieces intact.<br /><br />You with me?Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-14734754405869697982011-08-26T11:38:00.000-07:002011-08-26T12:29:12.633-07:00Why we need to care about DSK's charges being dropped<em><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>TRIGGER WARNING: </strong>This post discusses sexual assault in concrete and theoretical ways. </span></em>
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<br />I recognize that I've been an incredibly lazy blogger as of late. I apologize about that. I've been extremely busy.
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<br />And then beloved Jack Layton died and I've been reeling.
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<br />But one thing that's gotten be riled up as of late is the entire case of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span>.
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<br />Unless you have the pleasure of living under a rock, you've heard about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominique_Strauss-Kahn">Dominique <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Straus</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kahn</span>. </a>Even my last <a href="http://feministcatalyst.blogspot.com/2011/05/ahh-to-be-famous.html">blog post </a>was about the joy of being famous, referring in part to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK's</span> treatment even though he face(d) serious charges of sexual assault.
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<br />Since that last post, the victim in this whole story as come forward. We now know her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nafissatou</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo</span>, an immigrant <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> of colour who is also a single mother and chambermaid in a New York hotel. She came forward and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxc8rmcNr9A">told her story. </a>
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<br />She says that she walked in to clean <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK's</span> room and found him partially undressed/exposing himself. She apologized, he told her she didn't have to and then sexually assaulted her.
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<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span> has since done what most men do in those situations do: <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/06/strauss-kahn-appears-in-court/">Claimed it was consensual. </a>
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<br />It was recently announced that all charges against <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span> in the United States have been <a href="http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/good_day_ny/attorney-for-alleged-victim-in-dsk-case-good-day-ny-20110824">dropped </a>because of inconsistencies on the part of Ms. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo</span>. He will however go on to face similar charges in France for a sexual assault that he committed against a journalist there. Or rather, is "alleged" to have committed.
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<br />And that's where I start feeling a little.... <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">stabby</span>.
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<br />As an outspoken advocate against sexual violence and as someone who works as a front-line, support worker, Ms. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo's</span> story is all to damn common.
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<br />On the one hand, you have a poor, single mother who also happens to be an immigrant of colour. On the other, you have a rich, powerful and 'important' man. In many circumstances, people like <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span> would deny having any 'sexual relations with that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span>' (Sound <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIP_KDQmXs">familiar</a>?) But in this case, like in Clinton's case, once you get to the point where all evidence leads to <em>some </em>sexual contact, then they play the 'Cried rape' card.
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<br />"It was entirely consensual!" they say "It makes total sense that a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> who makes barely over minimum wage in a precarious job would risk it all to bone me, even though it was not until she saw my face on TV that she knew I was famous. And even though I'm a <em>married </em>rich powerful man, it makes total sense that she would just walk into my room and say 'I WANT TO SUCK YOUR COCK' and then go home. Yup that makes perfect sense".
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<br />Let's not kid ourselves folks. That is exactly what <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span> is saying. I'm just doing you the favour of sparing you the BS elements of it.
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<br />Meanwhile, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK's</span> wife diligently stands by his side, even though at best, he had oral sex with a complete stranger in a hotel room and at worst, he sexually assaulted her.
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<br />"But! But! He should still be in the running for France's President and we should definitely be supporting him, because 'bitches be <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">lyin</span>'."
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<br />This narrative happens over and over and over. And then we wonder why 8 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> a day are sexually assaulted in Ottawa and only 1 reports it to the police. (Source: <a href="http://www.octevaw-cocvff.ca/en/pdf/reports/Hidden_from_Sight.pdf"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">OCTEVAW</span></a>)
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<br />Because it doesn't matter if you're white, of colour, rich, poor, able bodied, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">disAbled</span>, queer, straight, etc. It doesn't even really matter if <em>he is either. </em>(Although that's not always the case, particularly around men of colour, queer men and men with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">disAbilities</span> or mental illnesses, but that's a whole other story).
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<br />It doesn't matter what the circumstances are because 'bitches by lying' and 'men getting framed'. <strong>ALL THE TIME. </strong>
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<br />And so in this case, you have a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> saying she was sexually assaulted by a complete stranger. She got a high powered lawyer, had a publicity machine and she STILL wasn't believed. So do you think that someone who was assaulted by their partner/coach/professor/parent is going to be believed? What if that person was intoxicated? Good luck with that.
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<br /><strong>Nobody knows for sure what happened except for Ms. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span>. </strong>Let me clear about that. I cannot prove that she was sexually assaulted just like I can't prove that he <em>didn't. </em>What I can say is that the way in which we talk about this case says a great deal about the culture we live in and the way we treat survivors.
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<br />Language is important. I wish I was half as eloquent as fabulous anti-violence advocate Jackson <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">Katz</span> but since I am <em>not, </em>I will let him say it for me "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">Every time</span> we call [Ms. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo</span>] an accuser, we undermine her credibility and bolster [<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK's</span>]". <strong><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackson-katz/dsks-alleged-victim-shoul_b_930996.html">AMEN</a>. </strong>
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<br />I know that personally, I use the term 'survivor' but I know that's not legally appropriate or universal. I use the term 'survivor' for very political reasons, but also because it's what people who've been sexually assaulted have asked me to refer to them as. So I listen. But I know that we can't all use that term and that's fine.
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<br />But in this case, I'll take victim 100x before 'accuser'. Using the term 'accuser' in the case of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span> is the equivalent of the time the <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/maid_cleaning_up_as_hooker_0mMd759PLuYGYYJyA0RNbI">New York Post called her a 'hooker',</a> even though they had absolutely no proof she was a sex worker. (Newsflash: She isn't).
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<br />Why is that we insist that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span> is innocent until proven guilty but Ms. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo</span>? "Oh clearly she's a lying, money grubbing prostitute who is accusing him of a crime he didn't commit!"
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<br /><div>The double standard is so blatantly obvious that it's shocking how rarely it is mentioned. </div>
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<br /><div></div>Yes, in strictly legal terms, he is accused of a crime by Ms. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo</span> and that makes Ms. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_34" class="blsp-spelling-error">Diallo</span> the accuser. I understand this. But let's not pretend that legally, socially or otherwise, we treat sexual assault as we do other crimes. We just don't. When people say they've been robbed and have 'proof' that their items are stolen, do we say 'The supposed victim of a robbery'? No, we don't. Even though people make up that their items were stolen, their houses were burnt down, their cars were jacked, etc. So if we treat the <em>accused </em>of sexual assault with kid gloves, why don't we do the same for the 'victims' of sexual assault?
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<br />All in all, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_35" class="blsp-spelling-error">DSK</span> case leaves me feeling sad.
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<br />There are no winners here. Well, except for the patriarchy, of course. In this case, the patriarchy keeps on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_36" class="blsp-spelling-error">marchin</span>' on.
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<br />Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-73920776203504008482011-05-17T10:33:00.001-07:002011-05-17T11:06:54.458-07:00Ahh, to be famous...<em>**Trigger warning for discussion of sexual assault, rape and victim blaming**</em><br /><br />What do the President of the IMF, the former Governor of California, an information 'freedom fighter' and a Hollywood Director have in common? Why, sexual assault of course!<br /><br />I know what you're thinking. "No, no Ms. FC, you mean sexual assault <em>accusations." </em>Ahh yes, pardon me! Rape accusations thrown at famous men because womyn are opportunistic whores. Ahh yes, my bad.<br /><br />So the President of the IMF, <a href="http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/world/05/17/11/french-government-breaks-silence-dsk-sex-arrest">Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn </a>(DSK) has been arrested on charges of at least 1 sexual assault of a hotel room cleaning staff. He's also been accused of sexually assaulting at least 1 journalist a few years ago. In fact, Mr. DSK was known as being quite the 'charmer'.<br /><br />Then you've got the Governator himself who is not only filing for divorce from his Democratic wife Maria Shriver over allegations of cheating (and fathering a 'love child'), he also has a well documented history of being well... <a href="http://kateharding.info/2011/05/17/the-medias-groping-problem/">grabby. </a><br /><br />Julian Assange was accused of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Judicial_Authority_v_Julian_Assange">sexually assaulting two womyn,</a> but we all know that didn't happen because he's a lefty who wants to take down the greedy government, so it's clearly all just a big old conspiracy to take him down.<br /><br />And <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Polanski_sexual_abuse_case">Roman Polanski</a>? Look dude <em>might </em>have anally raped a young girl that he had plied with drugs, but her mom shouldn't have let her come over anyway and it was <em>such </em>a long time ago. Plus, have you seen <em>Chinatown? </em>Cinematic gold!<br /><br />FYI - This list fails to include athletes, although we could easily talk about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Roethlisberger#Sexual_assault_allegations">Kobe Bryant, </a>Ben <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Roethlisberger#Sexual_assault_allegations">Roethlisberger, </a>and Check-Out-Photos-Of-My-Dick <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Favre#Allegations_of_misconduct">Brett Favre. </a><br /><br />See, when it comes to sexual assault, you're pretty <a href="http://feministcatalyst.blogspot.com/2011/03/rape-culture-101.html">much off the hook to begin with</a>, but if you happen to be famous? You're in the clear, my dear!<br /><br />Every time these 'scandals' come out, we hear the same victim-blaming bullshit, we have other 'celebrities' coming out to 'support them' and we have this whole conspiracy theory machine that states that they're being unfairly scrutinized because they're rich and famous.<br /><br />To which I say - <em>so what? </em><br /><br />Why are we appalled that Paris Hilton only spent a few days in jail for drinking and driving but we're downright infuriated that <a href="http://powerwall.msnbc.msn.com/politics/bernard-henri-leacutevy-defends-accused-imf-director-1688448.story">DSK's case is being investigated at all? </a><br /><br />Sexual assault, unlike most crimes, is rife with stereotypes. There are stereotypes around who commits sexual assault, who is actually sexually assaulted, who 'cries rape', etc.<br /><br />According to the myths, who commits sexual assaults? Well, old men with mental illnesses, of course! They are always strangers to the victim in question, have some sort of sick sexual fetish and in many cases are a person of colour/Queer/disAbled, etc.<br /><br />Does that mean that <em>never </em>fits the profile? Absolutely not. But the % of people who sexually assault who fit this very narrow and specific profile is <em>slim.</em> <br /><br />And because we continue to perpetuate this same sadistic bullshit, we are equally appalled by the profile of the rapist as we are by the crimes themselves.<br /><br />Need I remind you of Colonel Russell Williams? People were <em><strong>SHOCKED</strong> </em>that a decorated Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces committed such heinous crimes and yet, it makes perfect sense. Here is a man with ample amounts of power who leads a secretive life where people who know him fully understand that they don't really <em>know him. </em>Not to mention how he was <em>trained</em> to do just that.<br /><br />And because we continue to perpetuate the stereotype of <em>who is a rapist </em>we continue to victim blame those who are assaulted by someone who doesn't 'fit the profile', because we just don't believe someone like <em>them </em>could do something like <em>that. </em><br /><br /><strong>Newsflash, skeptics: </strong>Rapists come in every size and flavour. They are decorated military colonels, actors, directors, governors, weight lifters, city councillors, janitors, fathers, sons, cousins, colleagues and people of every background, ethnicity, age, socio-economic status, ability and sexual orientation.<br /><br />Maybe we don't want to believe this because it's too scary to think about. Maybe we want to believe that rapists are easy to spot so that we can sleep better at night, knowing that our radar is on the right people. But this isn't helping <em>anybody.</em><br /><br />This mentality is blaming womyn unnecessarily, it's framing men of colour/queer men/ disAbled men/ poor men as sexual predators and it's allowing rich, entitled, privileged piece of shit dudes walk away, consequence free.<br /><br />I don't know about you, but I don't want to live in a world in which we let people get away with sexual assault just because they wear a nice suit and have cushy bank accounts. I gotta believe that we are better than this.<br /><br /><em>** I'm willfully interchanging the words sexual assault and rape here just for the sake of being concise ** </em>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-83272817879204722862011-05-16T10:14:00.000-07:002011-05-16T10:56:23.268-07:00Why I SlutWalk(ed)Alright so I'm a terribly absentee blogger, but the election results kept me depressed for a while.<br /><br />But all the media kerfuffle and critiques of SlutWalk have got me galvanized to write again. Now, I'm not going to link to any of these critiques because they are just way too many and many are shit and I don't want to increase their page views. But just Google "SlutWalk" and you'll get more responses than you'll ever have time to read.<br /><br />This blog post assumes that you know what SlutWalk is and what prompted it. If you don't know, Google that shit then come back and join me. It's been said all over the world over and over again, so I won't bother to repeat it.<br /><br />So Ottawa had its own SlutWalk and you better believe I was there. In fact, in the interest of full disclosure, I was asked to speak at it, too. But that's where it ends, for the record. I've never organized a SlutWalk, have no part in organizing future ones and quite frankly, spent 5 minutes at the Ottawa one talking about systemic violence against womyn.<br /><br />I must admit that I was initially a little apprehensive about the whole thing. I'd heard about it in its planning stages and felt that it might have been a well-intentioned but misguided attempt to highlight an issue.<br /><br />But I was wrong. I was <em>so, so</em> wrong.<br /><br />It seems that people want to talk about sluts, sluttyness, slut-shaming, slut-positivity and all things slutty. People <em>love </em>sluts, other people <em>love </em>to <em>hate </em>sluts and some people <em>hate </em>that they <em>love </em>sluts.<br /><br />And that's the fucking point.<br /><br />See, the organizers knew that if they organized another "Take Back the Night" or "Anti-Sexual Assault" or even a "Stop Victim Blaming" march, you'd get the same little handful of diehards, maybe a blip or two in the media but not much else. The unfortunate reality is that the average person and media outlet doesn't give a flying fuck about violence against womyn and sexual assault. Because <em>only sluts get raped, and womyn falsely accuse men all the time and feminists are whiny and don't know how good they have it </em>and on, and on and on.<br /><br />A name like SlutWalk catches people's attention, provokes a reaction and is just downright impossible to ignore. The sight of stiff journalists on the nightly news saying "And now, let's go to Marcie who is over at SlutWalk" can't help but solicit raised eyebrows.<br /><br />And once again,<strong> that's the fucking point. </strong><br /><br />Whether you want to reclaim the word 'slut' or not, you can't help but perk up your ears when you hear the word being used in mainstream, every day conversation by your average folk. And the organizers knew that. They knew that the only way to ensure this cop's comments didn't go unnoticed was to shock people into reacting.<br /><br />They hoped maybe a couple hundred people would show up, they'd find some solidarity and be able to sleep better at time. Instead, <em>thousands </em>of people showed up, an international media machine was started and there are Satellite SlutWalks around the world. Not bad for a handful of novice organizers in Toronto.<br /><br /><strong>But what about this reclaiming business? </strong><br /><br />That part is tricky and complicated.<br /><br />Many womyn of colour have commented that it's not easy for them to do, considering how slut-shaming and labeling is so tied into racism, colonialism, etc. Makes sense.<br /><br />Others (including myself) think it's also classist and rather 'in-crowd' to assume that everyone can safely embrace the label. Tell that to poor, 16 year old rural girls who are just trying to survive gym class.<br /><br /><em>But that's okay. </em>See, SlutWalk isn't <em>really </em>about everyone embracing the label Slut because like most things in life, if everyone is one, then nobody is.<br /><br />But you can embrace the name on a political level while still recognizing how problematic it is at the individual level.<br /><br /><strong>Example: </strong>We can embrace Ottawa's annual "Dyke March" while recognizing that a 16 year old high school girl has no desire to embrace the 'dyke' label that is thrown on her daily.<br /><br />Ideally, everyone who identifies as 'dyke' could choose to do so and others who don't could escape the labeling. But we're not there yet, <em>although we're working towards it. </em><br /><br />SlutWalk is not an end, but a means to an end. It's a way to rip open the universal covers on sexual assault and to expose the deeply entrenched stereotypes that enable it to continue at epidemic levels. It's meant to prompt discussion, to test your knee-jerk reaction.<br /><br />You don't want to call yourself a slut? - Why?<br />You don't think it can be reclaimed? - Why?<br /><br />Regardless of what your answer is, it got you thinking and that's the point.<br /><br />As someone who has been doing anti-sexual violence work in Ottawa for close to 8 years, I've been to every conference, march, demonstration, letter-writing campaign kick-off, red tape cutting, award ceremony, you can imagine. I've been there, I've spoken at them, I've shaked my head at them and I've marched in them. <strong>And none of them had the turn-out that SlutWalk did.</strong> <br /><br />Ottawa is an extremely conservative city with a small, (too) tight-knit feminist community and here I was, standing amongst a thousand other people, many of which I had never seen before. The crowd was diverse in age, background, gender identity, ethnicity, etc. And despite what you might have read or seen about the celebratory nature of SlutWalk, it was a rather sombre event. People were angry, not laughing. As they should be - sexual assault isn't funny.<br /><br />So you've got a conservative community out on a Sunday afternoon, talking about womyn's sexuality and sexual assault in a constructive and meaningful way. Regardless of how you feel about reclaiming language, you have to be impressed by the power it had that day in Ottawa.<br /><br />(Say it with me) <strong>and that's the fucking point. </strong><br /><br />I have no desire to call myself a slut. None. My reasons for this are many but include the fact that I don't want to define myself by my association with other people (ie: how many people I sleep with, who I sleep with, etc). It's also difficult to call yourself something when a definition doesn't exist. We know that a slut has <em>something </em>to do with sexuality but ask ten people and you'll get ten different answers.<br /><br />I was called a slut for holding a pro-choice sign at an anti-choice rally.<br /><br />I was called a slut for attending a new school in grade 10 with no friends or history in that city. A rumour was started that I was chased out of another town for having slept with someone's boyfriend. The truth? I was a virgin who'd had to move for her dad's new job.<br /><br />Hell, I was called a slut <em>for defending SlutWalk.</em> (The irony.. it hurts...)<br /><br />But even though I do not long for the label doesn't mean I fail to see its importance. As Jaclyn Friedman so amazingly <a href="http://bit.ly/iXVzxr">said</a>, we must all stand under the banner of 'Slut' and recognize that when it is used against one womyn, it is used against all womyn. Because we can all be called a slut by someone at some point and in many cases, the sting of that word not only offends us, but decides whether or not our rape is convicted properly, whether we get access to housing, a job, a promotion, a reference, or even someone's Facebook friend request.<br /><br />So even if you don't want to call yourself a slut, learn to respect those who do.<br /><br />And finally, to Gail Dines and every other 'prominent' feminist out there who is using the media as the soapbox from which to criticize SlutWalk, shame on you. I'm particularly upset by Gail because she has some truly excellent things to say and has contributed quite a lot, but her methods for critiquing SlutWalk are downright patronizing. Ironically, she's accusing SlutWalk organizers of shifting the attention away from victim-blaming and yet she's the one doing just that on every major media outlet.<br /><br />The media longs to create tension and division between womyn and thankfully for them, Gail Dines is ready to do just that. *sigh* Get a clue, lady.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-79485944274635404112011-04-13T09:57:00.000-07:002011-04-18T11:22:59.823-07:00Re-thinking 'Misandry'I just finished writing two posts in which I talk about the important role of men in feminism. But I'm not Jezebel, so I know that very few people read it. But nonetheless, it seems I'm going there again, this time in relation to a book by Concordia Professor Dr. Synnott called <a href="http://www.ashgate.com/default.aspx?page=637&calcTitle=1&isbn=9780754677093&lang=cy-GB">"Re-Thinking Men". </a><strong><br /><br />FULL DICLOSURE: </strong>I have not read the book. And I hate it when people tear down shit they didn't read/attend/listen to, etc. So I completely understand if you turn this car around. Totally. The biggest criticism with the Professor's book is that it's an unfair critique of feminism.<br /><br />Although he has said that he doesn't consider the book a critique of feminism but a critique of <em>misandric </em>feminism. And this is where I take issue. I believe in feminism<strong>s</strong>, plural. So yes, there is certainly feminists who do not like men, who hate them, resent them, etc. As I've said, if I respect Sarah Palin's right to call herself a feminism, then I gotta respect the right of man-haters to do their thang, too.<br /><br />My issue is with misandry in general. Mostly, because I don't really think it even exists. Yes, I think hatred of men exists but I don't think misandry does because <strong>hatred of men is not systemic. </strong>Now I realize I could be arguing semantics in the eyes of many and I accept that but misgony is called misogyny and not just chauvinism because it's a <strong>systemic hatred of womyn and rejection of anything feminine. </strong>Although I see individual cases of man-hating and full blown perpetual man-hating in certain contexts (that I will get to soon), I don't believe for a second that 'men' are systemically oppressed, hated or disadvantaged. <em><br /><br />Disclaimer: </em>I am referring to the gender, here. I am willfully ignoring intersections and fully recognize that trans-men, men of colour, queer men, disAbled men, etc. are not living the high life of acceptance and praise. I'm just referring to the idea of 'men' as a gender, as the Professor does.<br /><br />Where I see the hatred of men is in popular culture: a realm in which feminists have little to no say. (Think of what pop culture would look like under a critical feminist lens for a second, if you're skeptical). The fact that most men in sitcoms are complete neanderthals, that you can't see a cleaning product commercial without seeing a dude who can't change a roll of toilet paper, that every time I turn around, men are depicted as slaves to their sex drive and completely 'frat boy' like, rather than complex individuals with a wide range of emotions and characteristics. <strong>But this is not a result of feminism. </strong><br /><br />And so I take objection to the idea that feminism or specifically, 'misandric feminism' has a role to play in perpetuating shitty sketches of masculinity and men. Another reason I object to this book? The fact that the Professor describes the purpose of the book, which is "to praise men – to recognize their massive and heroic contributions to social life and to civilization.” Yes, to offer men <em>praise </em>because apparently <em>years of sexist, racist, cisgendered, ableist, etc, etc, etc history books and stories have forgotten to mention how privileged dudes did nothing to bring us to where we are today. </em>Because every time I look around , womyn, people of colour and indigenous folks are being thanked for bringing the world 'modernity', classic literature, paved roads, philosophy, etc. <em>Oh wait... </em><br /><br />If you need me to deconstruct how problematic that is, then I have no idea why you're reading this blog.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-82415744907547572732011-04-10T14:06:00.000-07:002011-04-10T14:12:07.295-07:00I'm a feminist, but...<span style="font-style: italic;">This is a manifesto of sor</span>ts <span style="font-style: italic;">that I wrote a few months ago but I'm posting it here now because I seem to be having this conversation a lot lately.<br /><br />------------<br /></span><br />I’m a feminist. (duh...)<br /><br />But when I say ‘feminism’, I’m not talking about theorists or jargon (I’ll get back to those in a second…)<br /><br />See, I never came to feminism through academia, readings or even activism. Although I only began to identify as such after being in University, feminism was part of how I was raised.<br /><br />My family is made up of tough, working class people. I don’t remember hearing much about ‘feminism’ growing up but all the tenets were there.<br /><br />As a womyn, I was told that I had to work twice as hard to make it anywhere because people were going to try and take me down. I was told that I never needed a man to be happy or complete and that I was always intelligent first and pretty second. I was told that people are going to tell you that being gay or being a boy who identifies as a girl is BAD, but that it’s not. People should be free to love whoever they want. I was also scolded harshly for being racist and learned through my Oma that people with disabilities are as competent as anyone else in the world. I was told that money doesn’t equal happiness or intelligence and that formal education was a ticket to a better life – that it’s a privilege.<br /><br />I was taught that nobody gets anywhere in life without hard work but that everyone is doing the very best they can.<br /><br />And I’m doing the best I can.<br /><br />For me, that means attacking an issue through different methods. I don’t really identify as a radical and I’m okay with that. As I stated <a href="http://feministcatalyst.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-am-activist.html">here </a>around the G8/G20 stuff, my politics are about accessibility.<br /><br />My first introduction to ‘volunteering’ or ‘activism’ was in my early 20s, when I realized that my life was centered around <span style="font-weight: bold;">ME</span>: I worked, went to school and hung out with my friends. I had copious amounts of privilege but wasn’t giving back.<br /><br />Not being connected to any kind of community, I became a Big Sister. And I loved it. I loved (And still do!) the two amazing girls I worked with and saw the brilliance and power of girls.<br /><br />But then I started working with more and more groups and as exciting, energizing and exhausting as it all is, I've realized what I am not.<br /><br />I am not an anarchist. I don’t think that makes me delusional or ignorant.<br /><br />I don’t believe in elitist feminism. So yes, that means I don’t identify with academic feminism. But it also means I don’t identify with many activist circles.<br /><br />I don’t think the world is going to be a better place by dropping Judith Butler bombs or by claiming “I’m oppressed”, “No, I’M oppressed” or differing to theory rather than having anything concrete to say.<br /><br />I am a feminist that lives in the real world.<br /><br />I do not interact only with other feminists every day. I live in a world where the vast majority of people have no fucking clue what ‘marginalization’ means, but they can tell you what it feels like. They think ‘rape culture’ is a scary generalization and would never claim to live in one. Until, of course, you explain it to them and then womyn slowly start raising their hands.<br /><br />My feminism means that accessibility isn’t just building a ramp and oppressive languages isn’t just saying “That’s so gay”.<br /><br />I live in a world where the vast majority of people who assault are men and the vast majority of the people I see in that world are men.<br /><br />I cannot isolate myself from men nor can I allow myself to be co-opted by them.<br /><br />My feminism includes men. No. Scratch that. My feminism <span style="font-style: italic;">must </span>include men.<br /><br />The role of men in feminism is situational and must always come from the direction of womyn.<br /><br />You are not my ally if you challenge the sentence “Womyn are sexually assaulted” with “Men are raped, too!”<br /><br />My feminism is trans-inclusive. I do not feel threatened by your definition of gender and how you self-identify.<br /><br />I also firmly believe in the need for womyn-identified-womyn ONLY spaces. I think anyone who disagrees fails to understand the systemic nature of sexism and has yet to observe the dynamics of 12 year old girls.<br /><br />I do not believe in collectives as a structure or a political strategy. I have come to this conclusion through personal experience and chats with those who’ve been there – including the beloved ‘Jane Doe’.<br /><br />My feminism respects the herstory of the movement and the history of humanity as a whole. I firmly believe that if we don’t learn from history, it will simply repeat itself. This means recognizing colonialism, systemic discrimination against categories of ‘disabled’, and the sacrifices of those who go to war.<br /><br />I recognize November 11th as an important day to pause and reflect on the sacrifices of those who died on muddy beaches for my right to demonstrate.<br /><br /><br />I do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. I recognize that Agnes Macphail, Katharine Mackinnon and Peter Singer are important <span style="font-weight: bold;">AND </span>terrible.<br /><br />My feminism believes that sex is marvelous, dangerous and political all the time.<br /><br />My feminism is not dogmatic. It strives on diversity and therefore inherently recognizes the right of bell hooks, Andrea Dworkin, Sarah Palin and Ginger Spice to call themselves feminist. Even if it makes me uncomfortable.<br /><br />Oh yeah and my feminism spells women with a ‘y’ not because it hates men or even thinks that the spelling of a word will revolutionize the world. It’s spelled with a ‘y’ because it pisses you off. And your anger speaks volumes.<br /><br /><br />*<span style="font-style: italic;">My feminism also reserves the right to change any and all of this without notice. All sales are final.</span>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-68404571966111685862011-04-07T06:36:00.001-07:002011-04-07T06:47:03.005-07:00Dudes and Chicks: What Men Can Gain from Joining FeminismAs of late, it seems that other people’s blog posts spur me into writing. Like the rape culture post, I’d been contemplating the role of men and feminism in my head for a while now and then read a really interesting post by <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrea-doucet/feminism-fathering_b_840421.html">Andrea Doucet</a> this morning and thought, I gotta do this. <strong>Men have much to gain from feminism and why they haven’t figure that out yet is a problem.</strong> <br /><br />The role of men in feminism and the very obvious ways in which men benefit from it has always been apparent to me. Not because I grew up in a progressive, hippie household or that I went to some alternative school. Quite the opposite, in fact. I came to feminism not out of some deep hatred for the male species or a general chip on my shoulder, but by being curious about gender as a whole. <br /><br />I’ve been challenged on this before but I do think gender is the foundation of society. Regardless of whether or not you’re conscious of your gender or your knee-deep in trans* politics, gender is everywhere, all the time. Most of us take it for granted until we date a trans* person who can’t use public washrooms or we compare our 72 cents on our male partner’s dollar. Most people require a serious dose of reality before we start unravelling how gender plays into our daily lives. Which brings me back to how frustrated I am that ‘good men’ don’t understand how feminism can benefit them. <br /><br />I say ‘good men’ because I do believe there are some dudes who aren’t ever going to get it. These are the men who are well aware of gender dynamics and like them just the way they are, thank you very much. They like women to stay in their place and pray so deeply to the altar of misogyny that we shouldn’t waste on breathes trying to recruit them to the feminist team. But I think most men fall outside of that shitty box and are either clueless or confused. So if you’re that person, listen up brother because it’s about to get <em>juicy! </em><br /><br />Well actually.. not really. Because it’s all rather obvious. The primary function of feminism (or rather, feminisms like mine) is to challenge people about gender assumptions and in turn, to emancipate all genders. That means, as a an educated womyn, I want to make 1$ for every dollar my male partner makes. I want to walk down the street without being <a href="http://ottawa.ihollaback.org/">hollered at</a> and want every man with a passion for fashion, beauty, nursing, homecare, women’s studies, etc. to be able to work in that field. I want all genders to stop competing against each other while vying for a mate. I want womyn to stop feeling like losing 10 pounds of weight and wearing 10 pounds of makeup will make them worthy and I want men to stop feeling like the only emotion they’re allowed is anger. I want trans* to stop being the butt of every fucking joke, too. I’m being simplistic here but hopefully you catch my drift. <br /><br />See, you can’t emancipate womyn without emancipating men and trans* people. To say that womyn are equal to men and deserve equitable treatment gets people thinking “Well, why is that? Are womyn not that different from men? And if womyn and men aren’t that different, then trans* people can’t be scary, then can they? And if trans* people are legitimate people and womyn aren’t to be afraid of, then why am I so paranoid and worried about protecting my manliness?” And that’s what it all comes down to. <br /><br />You can’t combat rape culture, without emancipating men from stiff definitions of masculinity that see men as necessarily aggressive, violent, homophobic and misogynist. <br /><br />You can’t combat gender discrimination in the workplace without emancipating men from the definitions of masculinity that see men as competitive, unemotional and all-too-happy to give up time with their family over a pay check. <br /><br />I could go on and on and on. Because as much as stereotypes of womyn see us as overly emotional, irrational, catty, motherly (and of course, white, straight, cis, able bodied, fertile, middle-class and ‘beautiful), stereotypes about masculinity aren’t healthy either. <br /><br />I’m not a dude, but if I was, I’d want to live in a world where I could drink beer with my friends, watch UFC , work out at the gym AND attend social justice rallies, spend quality time with my grandmother and blog about gender issues. I’d want my desire for a challenging job AND a close-knit family to be accepted. I’d want to have no shame in discussing my plans to start a family. I’d want to drive a car that I like and not have it send a message about the size of my genitalia or feel like I can congratulate a male friend on a job well done without ending it with ‘no homo’.<br /><br />Unfortunately, in today's world, the only people loudly advocating for <strong>TRUE</strong> male emancipation are frightening ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men">Men’s Rights Activists’ </a>or ‘<a href="http://www.puaforums.com/">Pick-up Artists’</a>. Both are deeply, deeply entrenched in misogyny and paranoia about womyn and in turn, will do nothing to create a more equitable world. <br /><br />So men, be brave and join us feminists who are sick of being raped, beaten and denied equal access <strong>AND</strong> who know you are, too. There’s no deadline and you’re never too young or too old. Plus, we have some pretty cool swag. Just sayin’.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-45286160556742328152011-03-21T11:23:00.000-07:002011-03-21T11:31:20.829-07:00Rape Culture 101<p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">[EXTREME TRIGGER WARNING for discussion of sexual assault, rape and violence. Assume a trigger warning for this entire post and all links within it]</span></strong></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">I’ve been thinking about writing a post on ‘rape culture’ for a while but after scanning the news today, I feel like I have no other choice.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I did a little search through my Facebook and Twitter feeds and this is what I found <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">in ten minutes: </b></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>Nurse jailed for sexual assault in </span></span><a href="http://bit.ly/grXwVh"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Iqaluit </span></a></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>Sex worker </span></span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/957125--body-found-in-caledon-identified-as-young-escort"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">found dead </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">in Caledon in an article that speaks more about her occupation than humanity</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>Maclean’s runs an ‘amazing’ “Escort vs. Prostitute” ‘joke’ column that includes the ‘fact’ that escorts like horses and prostitutes look like them. (I’d link to it but 1- it’s been pulled down thanks to activism on Twitter and 2- I don’t want to give Maclean’s anymore traffic)</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>Youth pastor had sex with queer teens to </span></span><a href="http://www.southwestiowanews.com/articles/2011/03/17/council_bluffs/doc4d822e3a97362006634458"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">‘cure them of their homosexuality’</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">. </span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">And I’m sure it’ll just get worse as the day goes on. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">But even in the context of all this BULLSHIT,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I still hear tons of rape apologists and flat out haters claiming that the term ‘rape culture’ is dramatic and exaggerated. As someone who routinely complains about rape culture and the war on womyn around the world, I’m used to hearing this kinda stuff. But my goodness, does it ever piss me off.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Part of the insidious nature of rape culture is that it’s taboo to even talk about it. So when I hear the haters and sceptics, I think to myself “Maybe they just don’t know. They don’t get it because they’ve never had it explained to them”. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">So let me explain. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Since the internet age has completely killed people’s attention spans, I decided to make a handy little list for y’all:</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Rape Culture is the creation and maintenance of an environment where rape is condoned and where those affected by it are systemically silenced.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Rape culture is</span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>The fact that 1 in 4 Canadian womyn will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>Studies have found between 80-100% of womyn have experienced street harassment at least once in their life</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>The fact that this street harassment is normalized</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>The fact that it’s often referred to as ‘cat calling’, which not only makes no logical sense but reaffirms that womyn are deemed less than human</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>That a womyn makes an incredibly racist video attacking ‘Asian students’ and rather than challenge her for her racist views or her absolutely vile comments, the internet trolls make </span></span><a href="http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/03/15/fighting-hate-with-hate-anti-asian-rant-inspires-misogyny/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">threats of rape </span></a></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>In expressions like “I just raped that exam” or “Wow, we got raped by that team” when referring to victory or defeat</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>The fact that we’d rather discuss the </span></span><a href="http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2011/03/17/former-harper-advisor-had-deal-with-escort-on-first-nations-water-deals-document/"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">details </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">of someone’s ‘escort’ girlfriend than the actual scandal, which is scandalous contracts for much needed water treatment on reserves </span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span>The fact that a 21<sup>st</sup> century university institution chose to </span></span><a href="http://www.ottawacitizen.com/pdf/document.pdf"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">blame </span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">a survivor of sexual assault for her own assault, legally stating that she ‘failed to take any steps to protect herself’ </span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ENfont-family:'Tahoma', 'sans-serif';font-size:8;color:black;" lang="EN" >The fact that every day in Ottawa, 8 womyn are sexually assaulted and only 1 reports it to the police</span></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ENfont-family:'Tahoma', 'sans-serif';font-size:8;color:black;" lang="EN" ><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuNAfUc3t1s">This </a>and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DksSPZTZES0">this </a>and every other music video, movie or advertising campaign that glorifies stalking</span></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ENfont-family:'Tahoma', 'sans-serif';font-size:8;color:black;" lang="EN" >The fact that Harper’s “Economic Action Plan” built more animal shelters than womyn’s shelters </span></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </span></span></span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ENfont-family:'Tahoma', 'sans-serif';font-size:8;color:black;" lang="EN" >Journalists who create <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ottawacitizen.com%2Fnews%2FAlleged%2Brape%2Bvictim%2Bmade%2Bstory%2Bimpress%2Bfriends%2Bdefence%2Blawyer%2Bsays%2F4461980%2Fstory.html&h=1ba3e">torture porn out of news stories </a></span></span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibrifont-family:Calibri;" ><span style="mso-list: Ignore">-<span style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ENfont-family:'Tahoma', 'sans-serif';font-size:8;color:black;" lang="EN" ><span style="font-size:85%;">The fact that Canada sits around 21% womyn in the House of Commons</span> (</span>How does that relate to rape culture, you say? Well rape culture is inextricably linked to sexism and the entire notion of ‘keeping womyn down’ and ‘in their place’. And time and time again, we’ve seen that ‘their place’ ain’t the House of Commons, it ain’t in the public sphere and it ain’t about making noise)</span></span></p><p style="TEXT-INDENT: -18pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;"></span> </p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Rape culture is viewing sexual assault as a rite of passage for womyn.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;font-size:85%;">Rape culture is the fact that more people know about "Womyn crying rape" than they do about "Rape culture" or "Trigger Warning". </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">It is the fact that we only care about the sexual assault of men because society is homophobic; we don’t care about the violation of boys but the fact that they were the subject of a homophobic act.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Rape culture continues to exist because it benefits those in power. It keeps womyn out of politics, out of the media, sports and unions. It keeps police, lawyers, insurance companies and advertisers in business. It allows men to climb ladders on the backs of womyn and call it ‘meritocracy’. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt" class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Rape culture is alive and well in the hearts of those who read about it and roll their eyes, rather than their<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>sleeves.</span></p>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-50537956436075336682011-03-13T13:14:00.000-07:002011-03-13T13:15:27.796-07:00'Balled of the Female Promoter'<p>So Jezebel has an article about the situation of womyn who are working to promote their work. Check it <a href="http://jezebel.com/#%215754083/ballad-of-the-female-self-promoter">out</a>.<br /></p><p>This article means a great deal to me because I'm currently in this battle. To be a successful professional, you need to 'sell yourself' and learn to self-promote. But apparently, to be a 'good' feminist, doing that means you're in it for the wrong reasons, egotistical and other evil things.</p><p>How do we ensure that our issues get brought to the fore and are discussed in the mainstream when doing so puts us at risk of losing our 'cred' in the feminist bubble? </p><p>Do we honestly think that men outside social justice circles go through the same dilemna?</p><p>This whole thing feels so gendered to me; it's like womyn have to be meak and downplay themselves or else they're not 'good' womyn. So my initial thoughts are a giant middle finger to the feminist haters for internalizing sexism in that way. But then I can't ignore the way that Jessica Valenti, for example, has been treated. Is she perfect? No way. But the pros of her work far outweight the cons, in my book. And yet, she's been ripped apart by feminists (not to mention the all around misogynist bullshit she's had to deal with). Being shat on by people in your 'circle' is tougher than any anti-womyn BS. So it's not as easy as saying "Ignore the feminist haters" and moving on. There's gotta be some reconciling.</p><p>So how do we support feminists and bring their work to the maintsream (which in my opinion, is the only way we'll ever make change) without falling into the traps of questioning everyone's intentions <em>all the time? </em></p><p>Particularly when you add in the extra layer that you may not call yourself a leader, but they'll make a leader out of you. The media, the average Joe-The-Plummer kinda person, wants to see leaders. So even if you insist a hundred times over that you're part of something bigger, you're just one of the pack, etc. they'll paint you as <strong>THE </strong>person because it makes an easier narrative.</p><p>So do you say "I don't want to be part of this <em>at all" </em>and lose the opportunity to have the work be exposed or do you embrace the label and the backlash that comes with it, knowing that at least the work was discussed?</p><p>Thoughts?</p>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-4502542237547259922011-01-31T19:29:00.001-08:002011-01-31T20:04:04.941-08:00So you're an activist. Now what?Please pardon the absence, folks. It's almost February and it's my first post for 2011. Eek! But it was a much needed hiatus and re-evaluation. So Blogosphere - Fear not (Or fear muchly!) because FC is baaaaaaaack.<br /><br />And thinking about activism.<br /><br />As someone who spends 90% of her time doing activism of some kind, I've had plenty of time to ponder the pros and cons of left-wing-so-called-progressive circles. And I keep coming back to the same two gripes: egos and impatience.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Egos</span><br /><br />The biggest problem I've seen in these circles is the issue of egos. Many of these circles view '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective">collectivity</a>' and consensus decision making as the be-all, end-all of anti-oppression organizing. Hierarchy is seen as inherently evil and oppressive and the pursuit of a 'collective' is the marker of a 'legit' organization.<br /><br />You can probably discover from my tone that I ain't buying it. Haters, <span style="font-style: italic;">hear me out.</span><br /><br />I think it's an admirable pursuit - I really, truly, genuinely do. But I think it's BS in practice.<br /><br />Much like white, Western folks espousing the virtues of communism without <span style="font-style: italic;">clearly </span>reading a history book, I think the idea of 'collective or bust' is idealistic and quite frankly, ridiculous.<br /><br />I want to believe in collectives, I do! I work in many such environments and when I read the stuff on paper, I get <span style="font-style: italic;">really </span>excited about the possibilities. But then I actually step into them and see that these same collectivity-loving-folk are as hierarchical and power hungry as dudes on Bay Street.<br /><br />Collectivity will never work until people get over themselves. Not to sound all "Back in the good old days..." but there really was a time when activism was about more than a photo op or having a popular Twitter feed. More and more lately, I've been seeing a shift towards visual markers of 'legit' and 'radical' which make people competitive. It's a dog eat dog game of trying to one-up each other with one person screaming "GOTCHA!" when they feel that they've really nailed the other person to the floor.<br /><br />People are more interested in <span style="font-style: italic;">appearing </span>legit and in being the "best goddamn ally the world has ever seen" than in actually <span style="font-style: italic;">being </span>legit. And so on one hand, they are criticizing societal power structures and then re-creating them in their own way.<br /><br />It reminds me of this girl I met once in my undergrad. (Which sounds pompous as fuck, I apologize). She had all the visual markers of 'legit'. She was a white girl with dreads, a nose ring, Blundstone boots, corduroy pants and a vintage cardigan. She was shooting the shit with another classmate when they said "Omg, you went to such-and-such alternative school?!" and she sheepishly replied "Yup." The other classmate was clearly impressed and they chit chatted back and forth until she eventually said "Oh, it was like every other school except that instead of bullying the kids who were goth or queer, we bullied the kids who read <span style="font-style: italic;">Seventeen Magazine </span>and watched MTV".<br /><br />See what I'm getting at?<br /><br />This pursuit to be the ultimate 'radical' is actually extremely detrimental to the cause. Which leads me to my second issue.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Impatience<br /><br /></span>Far too often, people come to a realization, make a discovery, get accepted into the organization/circle/clique and then act as though that knowledge always existed within them. They don't acknowledge that this is new, that they are newbies or that they are even struggling with it. Instead, they adopt the dogma and in turn, lack empathy for those <span style="font-style: italic;">not in the know. </span><br /><br />Rather than admitting that they had their own racist, sexist, ableist, homophobic tendencies (either previously or currently, as we all do) they act as though their new found knowledge is old wisdom. And then a newbie comes along or someone from outside the activist circle who asks a genuine question or slips up and says something awful and rather than seeing it as a teaching moment or an opportunity to enlighten someone, it becomes "OMG, just fucking Google it, you jerk with unchecked privilege".<br />(I'm paraphrasing...)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How is that making the world a better place?<br /><br /></span>Call me naive, but I thought that was the whole point of this progressive-train we are riding. It sounds simplistic but isn't that our ultimate goal? To make the world less shitty? Well, how are we going to go about doing that when we create dogmatic politics that are inherently about who is good enough and who is not?<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>From my (albeit limited, I suppose) experience in doing feminist-social-justice activism, too many people live within the circle and ONLY the circle. Sure, it's nice and cozy and (sometimes, if you're lucky) anti-oppressive and safe. For some people, those circles are a means for survival. And that's a-okay. In fact, that's beautiful.<br /><br />But sometimes, we need to step outside those circles or heck, even broaden them, open the door a bit, let some air in. We need to live in the 'real world' in order to change it. We have to at least straddle both sides.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span>And we need to have a patience with those who ask the newbie questions that we've heard so many times that they've become nails on a chalkboard. But if we don't take the time to answer them, challenge those people in a respectful way and engage them in a dialogue, then we not only missed an opportunity to challenge someone, we perpetuated a stereotype about who <span style="font-style: italic;">we </span>are. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span><br />Now I get it. We're exhausted and we're tired of having the same conversations over and over and over. I get it. (Seriously... <span style="font-style: italic;">I get it</span>). But if it's getting to the point where answering a question, offering someone a good article or clarifying a point makes you rip someone's head off, then maybe you should do us all a favour and <span style="font-style: italic;">take a fucking break. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>It's easy for the world to ignore us and our demands when we're written off as cliquish, self-interested and egotistical. And at this point, I'm not convinced we're not.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-86801869152041696082010-11-29T08:33:00.000-08:002010-11-29T08:35:06.275-08:00Wikileaks: Democracy on trial?The release of a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/11/29/wikileaks-world-reaction.html">new set of documents on WikiLeaks</a> has prompted the US government to conduct an investigation of how the information got out. Sounds fair.<br /><br />But the broader question remains: Do we have a <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">right </span></span>to that information? <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-18232192751612243432010-09-21T06:37:00.001-07:002010-09-21T06:44:00.677-07:00Things You Should Know About CanadiansFor those of you who read this blog and are not a Canuck, let me help you understand my people.<br /><br />1- We come off as awful nice (and we are!) but we crack under pressure and <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario/ten-ontario-schools-investigated-for-breaking-rules-in-provincewide-testing/article1715771/">well... cheat.</a><br /><br />2- We're allergic to <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/one-in-13-canadians-has-serious-food-allergy/article1715371/">everything</a>.<br /><br />3- We're <em>really </em>good at <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/finally-helena-guergis-is-standing-up-and-accepting-some-blame/article1715994/?cid=art-rail-bureaublog">satire</a>. So good that we have this epic brain drain where our funny talent heads south. But our neighbours to the south often get this idea that because they've got Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, that they've got satire in their blood. No way, my friend. We do it right.<br /><br />That is all for today's lesson.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-19496734757582593812010-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:002010-09-01T07:54:03.130-07:00"My Mic Sounds Nice"As someone who grew up listening to a whole lotta music and who was always searching for a female artist to relate to, I am <em>lovin' </em>this BET documentary on female MCs in hip hop.<br /><br />The whole thing is available <a href="http://www.missinfo.tv/index.php/my-mic-sounds-nice-a-truth-about-women-hip-hop/">online </a>and I totally recommend it.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-30230663883278270062010-08-24T06:34:00.000-07:002010-08-24T06:35:20.475-07:00Girl Crush!I have such a huge crush on Jill Filipovic. I can't even deal.<br /><br />Here <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/religion/115281-blogger-face-off-new-york-city-writers-on-the-mosque-and-its-implications-for-2010">she is,</a> taking on a right-wing blogger about the building of a "mosque" at "Ground Zero".<br /><br />*swoon*Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-61710906569158612042010-08-17T06:09:00.000-07:002010-08-17T07:04:35.822-07:00Too Many Amazing People for One DayUsually when I make a blogroll of articles, it contains a long list of shitty news items that are incredibly depressing. Today, I'm happy to report that I'm compiling a list of must-read blog posts and articles. They're all so good that I couldn't possibly do the subject matters any justice on my own, so I'll leave it to them.<br /><br />"No, I don't hate men. I distrust them". A classic <a href="http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2009/08/terrible-bargain-we-have-regretfully.html">blogpost </a>from the blog "Shakesville" about this very statement. A must-read.<br /><br />The epic (and let's face it, totally foxy) <a href="http://www.jacksonkatz.com/">Jackston Katz</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackson-katz/mel-gibson-and-a-teachabl_b_663016.html">discusses </a>Mel Gibson's tirade against womyn, people of colour, queers, etc and how it speaks volumes about rape culture.<br /><br />Salon takes on the <a href="http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/2010/08/06/megan_fox_eminem_rihanna">new Rihanna and Eminem </a>video for the song that I <em>really, really </em>want to hate.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-82158589510538519562010-08-16T08:40:00.000-07:002010-08-16T08:51:24.160-07:00Félicitations!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wn3bpvZdxiE/TGleUtPpBqI/AAAAAAAAABs/Xdx0AXshVwE/s1600/gilles_ducepperedukto.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 162px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506035729272735394" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wn3bpvZdxiE/TGleUtPpBqI/AAAAAAAAABs/Xdx0AXshVwE/s200/gilles_ducepperedukto.jpg" /></a> As a franco-ontarian and a proud Canadian, I can't love the Bloc Québécois. I just can't.<br /><div></div><br /><div>But I can love Gilles Duceppe and individual MPs from their party. And I do love Duceppe. I really do. </div><div></div><br /><div>I met him in the context of abortion rights and dude knew his stuff. He admitted to being the first Bloc representative for Status of Women because, by his own admission, the Bloc started off with a crappy record on female representation in the party. He also called on his party to refer to the 'pro-life' movement as 'anti-choicers'. Dude was for real.</div><div></div><br /><div>He is an also an impeccable dresser. FYI. </div><br /><div></div><div>So I want to join in on those who are wishing Mr. Duceppe congratulations on <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/detail-conscious-bloc-leader-celebrates-20-years-in-politics/article1672829/">20 years as an MP</a>. As one Globe and Mail comment states, love him or hate him, the other parties would do much better if they had a leader like Duceppe running the show. </div><br /><div></div><div>Félicitations M. Duceppe! </div>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-66506574972766690192010-08-03T10:12:00.000-07:002010-08-03T10:30:59.620-07:00Fact Over FictionAs you know, I'm one of the people who has been going on and on about how killing the mandatory long-form census is a <em>bad, bad </em>idea.<br /><br />To recap, killing it is <em>so, very, bad </em>because we need quality, tried and true, statistics in order to make good public policy. You can't make sound policy based on wonky facts or worse yet, <em>no statistics at all.</em><br /><em></em><br />But I knew that the reasoning for smashing the mandatory form had nothing to do with the so-called desire to protect 'civilian privacy'. I knew they had something up their sleeve.<br /><br />The conspiracy theorist in me thought it was that they could shoot down demands for social justice issues under the guise of "You need research/data to back up that so-called claim of yours, Missy". And since they're hacking away at the census and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">de</span>-funding social justice research groups, a claim of injustice would be harder to 'prove'.<br /><br />Now the truth has come out: The Conservatives just don't like facts. Nope, they don't like 'em one bit.<br /><br /><strong>Proof: </strong>Treasury Board President <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stockwell</span> Day has said that despite crime statistics going <em>down, </em>they are going to <em>increase </em>spending on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">prisons</span>. His reasoning? <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/08/03/canada-economy-stockwell-day.html?ref=rss">"crime statistics are not accurate".</a><br /><br />Now, if this was coming out of the mouth of anyone else, I just might believe it. Anyone who works as a front-line worker will tell you that rates of sexual assault, criminal harassment (stalking) and domestic violence are <em>way, way </em>higher than any statistic out there. Crimes such as these are highly <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">under reported</span>.<br /><br />But a group as misogynist and anti-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> as the Conservatives saying this? Sounds to me like more hogwash in an attempt to push a 'law and order' agenda. Let's not for one second fool ourselves into thinking they care about putting rapists, wife beaters and stalkers in jail. Do yourself a favour on that one.<br /><br />Yet again, I don't know why I'm surprised by any of this. Of course <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stockwell</span> Day doesn't believe in facts - he's a fucking <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1042814.stm">creationist</a>!Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-59568793794581944002010-07-26T09:23:00.000-07:002010-07-26T09:27:42.166-07:00Why the Mandatory Long Form Census MattersReasons why cutting it is really, really stupid:<br /><br />1- The "Leave-People's-Bedrooms-Out-Of-This" is less Trudeau-Chic as it is just <a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/07/21/statisticians-and-the-bedrooms-of-the-nation/">plain bad policy making. </a><br /><br />2- The "We Need to Trim The Bureaucratic Fat" argument is just... <a href="http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/07/23/if-were-cutting-useless-things-in-ottawa%E2%80%89/">silly. </a><br /><br />3- It screws over <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Census+changes+unfair+First+Nations/3308539/story.html#ixzz0unOzZie5">First Nations. </a><br /><br />4- And well, the decision to cut it clearly didn't involve consulting with those who actually <a href="http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/StatsCan+boss+steps+down+over+census+changes/3307395/story.html">know </a>what they're talking about.<br /><br />This might seem like a ridiculously petty 'scandal' but it's very telling of the political climate that Canadians are living in.<br /><br />If we keep cutting funding to organizations that the government doesn't agree with, and cutting important research and cutting important statistical information, then people won't know what they don't know.<br /><br />And that's a <em>serious </em>problem.Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-6396241200146443002010-07-16T06:08:00.000-07:002010-07-16T06:11:22.512-07:00Vatican FAIL... again.The Vatican has come out and said that child abuse in the Church is a major no-no. <strong>That </strong>is awesome.<br /><br />Not so awesome? <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Equating</span> the abuse of children in the church with <em><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/15/vatican-attempted-ordination-women-grave-crime">ordaining <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span>. </a></em><br /><br />Yeah, apparently it's equally as sinful to ordain a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">womyn</span> as it is to molest a child.<br /><br />Oh, Church Logic. Isn't it <em>grand</em>?Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817954183580932728.post-48033669979789075692010-07-15T16:04:00.000-07:002010-07-15T16:25:06.075-07:00No Honour in MisogynyRona Ambrose, the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, spoke on Monday about wanting to include 'honour killings' <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/rona-ambrose-again-sounds-alarm-on-honour-based-violence/article1641545/">in the Criminal Code.</a><br /><br />Me, and lots of other peeps, are opposed to this.<br /><br />First and foremost, it's not necessary, from a logistical point of view.<br /><br />"Three law professors said the first-degree murder provisions of the Criminal Code already contain all the tools needed to prosecute and punish those who commit "honour killings" and they knew of no Canadian judge or jury who treated cultural family "honour" as a mitigating factor in sentencing." (<a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/Murder+murder+female+Muslims/3273893/story.html">National Post</a>)<br /><br />So it's clear from the outset that this is ideological and in no way a real "Crime and Punishment" agenda. It wouldn't be necessary to get a conviction and it wouldn't change sentencing.<br /><br />Before I move on though, none of this should matter. When discussing issues around a specific group (and let's be honest, this is targeting a specific group of people), how about discussing that issue <span style="font-style: italic;">with them? </span><br /><br />In this case, it would be the Canadian Council on Muslim Women. And they don't agree with adding it to the Criminal Code for reasons that I 100% support.<br /><br />"We as an organization don't want the term honour killing used in Canada because it's making it exotic, something alien, and foreign, and people are using that as a rationale to understand the murders. Let's not go that route. A murder is a murder. Let's not separate us as new immigrants or ethnic groups from the rest of Canadian women. It doesn't matter which culture, which religion or which ethnic origin we come from, the same laws should apply to us." (<a href="http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/Murder+murder+female+Muslims/3273893/story.html">National Post</a>)<p>The Conservative Government wants to appear as though they are tough on crime (which they are) but also that they do care about the lady folk. Everyone (except the Cons) knows that the party has been horrid to womyn in Canada and so they've turned the gaze 'elsewhere' and made it about 'saving the womyn of the world'. And in this case, womyn of the world who come to Canada.</p><p>It's total bullshit.</p><p>As a Canadian-born feminist, I must also say that it offends me to no end that people are up in arms about 'honour killings' but sensationalize or worse yet, barely discuss the murders of womyn as a whole.</p><p>In Canada, we have over 520 missing and murdered <a href="http://www.nwac-hq.org/programs/sisters-spirit">aboriginal womyn. </a>Just today we heard about a 61 year old womyn who was sexually assaulted and almost died while visiting a friend's grave. (I would link to the story but it's really awful, so feel free to Google it yourself if you're wanting some salacious details). Eight womyn are sexually assaulted a day in Canada's capital city.<br /></p><p>Womyn across the country are assaulted, kidnapped and murdered on a daily basis often because they have 'wronged' a partner, taken children away from abusers, or done something in some way that resists (or attempts to resist) someone's power. More often than not, womyn are murdered because they are womyn. And quite frankly, just <span style="font-style: italic;">existing </span>for many womyn is an assault on some people's honour. But we don't call those honour killings. Hell, we don't even call them hate crimes. It's just - one more murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, battery, etc.</p><p>The root of 'honour killings' and the vast majority of violence against womyn is misogyny. Unless they're going to include that in the Criminal Code and start targeting the real roots of misogyny, which include an emphasis on 'crime and punishment' rather than social services, then the label of 'honour killings' does nothing but perpetuate racism and isolation of immigrant communities.</p><p>Rona and her pack of Conservative thugs should focus instead of attacking <span style="font-style: italic;">all </span>roots of violence and using existing mechanisms rather than making stuff up that may sound fancy but doesn't mean shit.<br /></p>Feminist Catalysthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05912666027953721874noreply@blogger.com0