This date has been marked on my calendar for months. It is one of my favourite days of the year. It is the 102nd International Women’s day. (It’s also National Social Work Week …so for me it’s like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one!)
And
we’ve made a lot of advances in 102 years.
In 1911 I couldn’t vote. I couldn’t own
property. I wasn’t considered a person under the law.
Today, I can engage in the democratic electoral process. I can marry (or not marry
) whomever I choose. I can prosecute those who perpetrate violence against me. I can run for public office (Thank-you first wave
feminism!) and even be elected Prime Minster. I live in the nation that was recently
selected the best G20 country in which to be a woman.
Canadian
women make only 71% of men's salaries regardless of age, occupation, or
education.
Women are more likely to be
victims of violent crimes.
More likely
to suffer from poverty.
Women and girls comprise about 80% of sex trafficking victims in Canada.
And a mere 76 out of 308 Canadian MPs
are female.
I am a white, cis* woman, who’s living in
Canada. I am writing from a place of privilege.
Today is a day to acknowledge privilege and to recognize oppression.
Those stats I mentioned? They worsen if the
woman is aboriginal, or is of non-European decent. Or has a disability. Or identifies as LGBTQ.
In no way do I mean do dismiss or diminish the
significance of the deplorable victimization of women throughout the world. But
as a nation, we must be careful about such accolades. Being "the best" out of a list of countries, that have yet
to create equality among the genders, is nothing to brag about.
Being "the
best" does not mean this is the best we can do.
We've come a long way since women were declared persons in 1929, but we have even farther to go. As
Canadians, it is too easy for us to become comfortable in our success and fail
to recognize the injustices that continue to permeate our society.
I love my country. I am proud of what we have accomplished in
the realm of women’s rights. I care too
much for this nation to allow us to stagnate.
“I am not free while any woman is
unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own"-Audre Lorde
*cis: the sex (female) and gender (girl/woman) I was assigned at birth match my personal identity (woman)
*cis: the sex (female) and gender (girl/woman) I was assigned at birth match my personal identity (woman)
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If you're in the St. John's Metro Region, here are some events planned to commemorate International Women's Day. (Thanks to Barbie Wadman of the NL Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre for compiling this list.) If you know of any more events, please feel free to leave a comment.
Friday March 8th
Women in Resource Development Corporation
Open House: Gaining Momentum
Drop in for refreshments and celebration!
2:00pm - 4:00pm 31 Peet Street Suite 109
Contact: 738-3713
March 7th - 9th
Louise Moyes presents:
Moore-Gallant: a docudance
'An engaging mix of texture, page,musical
notes and movie frame' based on the works
of Canadian writer Mavis Gallant.
Each night will also feature a reading
by a local woman writer.
Tickets: $25 General
$20 students/seniors/artists/
8:00pm LSPU Hall, 3 Victoria Street
Contact: 753-4531
Friday, March 15th
Women’s Resource Centre, MUN presents:
Women Who Rock
Lots of great women performers!
9:00pm $5 cover minimum with
proceeds supporting CUQSC 2013
The Levee, George Street (19 +)
Contact WRC: 737-4366
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