IWD 2011

Exactly one year ago I posted Happy International Women's Day with the comment that "our work is never done."  I like this phrase because it seems to speak to both the (often) intense expectations placed on individual women in their daily lives, as well as the larger social work of feminism, specifically ending sexism.

I love the rant below, and although I've been unable to determine it's original source, it can easily be found all over the internet.  Check out the links, I think they show some of the great work women are doing, and how much more we have to go.

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Because women's work is never done and is underpaid or unpaid or boring or repetitious and we're the first to get fired and what we look like is more important than what we do and if we get raped it's our fault and if we get beaten we must have provoked it and if we raise our voices we're nagging bitches and if we enjoy sex we're nymphos and if we don't we're frigid and if we love women it's because we can't get a "real" man and if we ask our doctor too many questions we're neurotic and/or pushy and if we expect childcare we're selfish and if we stand up for our rights we're aggressive and "unfeminine" and if we don't we're typical weak females and if we want to get married we're out to trap a man and if we don't we're unnatural and because we still can't get an adequate safe contraceptive but men can walk on the moon and if we can't cope or don't want a pregnancy we're made to feel guilty about abortion and...for lots of other reasons we are part of the women's liberation movement.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

December 6. I couldn’t let the whole day go by without remembering that it has been 21 years since the Montreal Massacre at Ecole Polytechnique. Vigils will be held across Canada today to remember the woman who were killed or injured, and to recognize the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.




Throughout this year the ongoing debate about the long gun registry has reached a fever pitch. The registry was put in place after the events of December 6, 1989 in hopes of preventing future tragedies. I hope this story doesn’t trump important discussions of femicide and violence around this time.



It seems more encouraging to highlight things like the December 6 fund, an initiative of the YWCA offering interest free loans to women leaving violent and abusive homes. We know that finances are one of the major reasons that women may not leave an abusive relationship. Initiatives like this that offer women the opportunity to use their own ideas and skills to create a new life are invaluable. I’ve known a couple women who have benefited from this fund, and they continue to be grateful.



So here’s to an end to all gender-based violence, and a rose to remember the women who have suffered it.

Who'll Be the Lucky Winner?

Following the disgusting and disturbing trend of cosmetic surgery as acceptable self-improvement method, à la Bridalplasty, I just heard a commercial on the radio advertizing that a local night club is offering free breast implants as a raffle prize tonight. Please note the picture of the conventionally attractive, slim, young, white woman with the breast that seems to be bigger than her head, apparently advertizing said prize. Message received: big boobs=HOT, and we women will should seize any opportunity to be HOT. It’s what WE really want. It makes us happy.

I can’t even begin to discuss this in a reasonable manner, so I’ll just assume everyone here understands why I think this is offensive and ridiculous, unless I’m informed otherwise.

I’d rather have the motorcycle.

Pause for Thought

Check this out --> Feminist Activists Find Peace in Thailand

I wanted to link to this article for a couple of reasons.  For one, feminism and VAW (violence against women) work are very important to me.  My training background is actually in assaulted women’s counselling, not mental health, although the two have obvious intersections.  I love learning about what feminist activism looks like around the world.

The other reason is that I found as I read this, I was contrasting the “retreat” experience they describe with the professional trainings and workshops I attend here in Canada.  The focus on “self-love and self-worth as an essential part of their work in the world” sounds really in line with my philosophy, but not my practice.  I certainly haven’t had many experiences in my professional life where there is such an emphasis on this sort of thing.  The perks offered to us at trainings usually max out at a free lunch, and possibly getting to go home a bit early. 

I don’t know much about Thai society or the culture of social service work there, so I can’t really comment on whether the needs of these workers would be different than where I am, and what they might make of their retreat experience.  But as the writer says, seeing “15 women grown napping together on the floor of a conference room after a lively plenary” would be “odd” to see in the U.S. (and I’m considering the U.S. and Canada to be more or less the same in this respect). 

It sounds nice.  But would it work?  Would anyone go for it?  I can imagine the mixed reactions of my co-workers – divided between feeling uncomfortable, and griping about how they could be making phone calls or getting assessments done instead.

Is this because we really don’t value self-care?  We talk a lot about avoiding compassion fatigue, but the general consensus seems to often be that we are responsible for this on our own time. 

On the other hand, is it because sleeping or meditating would be considered a private activity, and we would be asked to let our guard down to such a degree in a very public and shared space?  A lot of what they describe would be strikingly different from our typical professional activities and behaviours, and would (I think) demand a lot of openness to the experience.  Would this cross my boundaries?

I don’t know.  But I’m curious.

Has anyone experienced something like this?

Happy International Women's Day!

Our work is never done.

www.internationalwomensday.com