Calgary's Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Women - Feb 14, 2012

The Native Women's Association of Canada has documented over 600 cases of Native women who have disappeared or been murdered over the past 30 years in Canada. Young Indigenous women are 5x more likely than other women of the same age to die as the result of violence.

Every year on Valentine's Day a memorial march is organized to grieve the loss of our sisters and to remember the women who are still missing.

Calgary's 4th Annual Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Women

Date: Tuesday February 14, 2012

Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: United Scarboro Church (134 Scarboro Ave SW)
Speakers at 6:30 p.m. with the march beginning at 7 p.m. Light meal to follow. Open mic for families of missing loved ones. Check the Facebook event for more details.

Tonight's show - SlutWalk: Criticism and Controversy

SlutWalk began earlier this year in Toronto after a police officer told a York University law class that "Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized." The comment prompted the creation of SlutWalk Toronto, and after that events sprouted up in cities across North America.

Since the very beginning, SlutWalk has been controversial among both feminists and non-feminists alike. One of the most controversial aspects of SlutWalk Calgary was the organizers decision to partner with CJAY92 and the Forbes and Friends Morning Show. CJAY92 has a long history of misogynistic advertisments and the DJ's regularly make sexist comments on-air. Some Calgarians who previously supported SlutWalk Calgary were so upset they started a protest group on Facebook - Individuals Against CJAY92's Participation in SlutWalk Calgary.

Incidentally, SlutWalk Calgary has been postponed due to a myriad of logistical difficulties, inability to secure insurance and liability concerns. FFWD Calgary recently published a good overview of the problems that plagued SlutWalk Calgary organizers - check out The rise, fall and rise of SlutWalk Calgary for details.

But there are other issues with SlutWalk. Many people are uncomfortable with the term "slut" - including most feminists I've spoke to. Some people feel the message or purpose of SlutWalk has become muddled and murky. Others say there has been no real discussion or analysis around the root cause of sexual violence; the only point being raised is "slutty outfits are not an invitation to rape," which is obviously an important message, but the majority of sexual assaults do not occur because of slutty outfits.

On tonight's show we have two special guests who are both feminists that have been watching and analyzing SlutWalk with a critical eye:

• Joanne Costello has a Masters degree in social work and identifies as a socialist feminist. Her work has focused on the oppression of women with particular attention to the role of capitalism and imperialism. You can check out her blog at marginalnotes.typepad.com.
• Meghan Murphy is an MA candidate at Simon Fraser University in the department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies. She is the co-host and producer of the F Word radio show in Vancouver, and her writing and radio work can be found at feminisms.org.

Please join us from 8:00 - 8:30 p.m. on CJSW, 90.9 fm in Calgary, or you can listen online at cjsw.com.

Tonight: interview with Calgary Communities Against Sexual Assault... plus feminist news & views

Tonight we’re interviewing a few ladies from Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse (CCASA). We’ll be talking about the services and programs offered by CCASA, and how they help the community to understand issues around sexual violence.

After the interview we’ll share some feminist news and views on the following stories:

Eleven-year-old girl gang raped in Texas – if the story of 18 men and boys raping an 11-year old girl in an abandoned trailer home isn’t horrific enough, the New York Times added insult to injury with its appalling coverage of this story. Read the story yourself and see how the reporter victim-blames the girl and sympathizes with the rapists. The Feminist Philosophers have an excellent post discussing the problems within the New York Times article.

Generation Y women losing “female skills” – This article was posted in the Sunday Mail (Queensland, Australia) on January 30, 2011. I was drawn to it because it manages to be both sexist and really interesting at the same time! The fact that Generation Y women are losing skills such as cooking and baking is super interesting from a feminist perspective... but why did the article need to be framed in such a sexist overtone? According to Aussie feminist blog The Dawn Chorus, this is a “cheap, distasteful reporting strategy aimed at enraging readers who will circulate the story and comment on it, generating advertising revenue.” They may have a point – the story has 398 comments.


Egyptian Million Woman March ends in Tension - Numerous reports (including this one) recount what was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration of Egyptian women and men demanding equal rights at Tahrir Square in the nation's capital last week as part of an International Women's Day commemoration. The demonstration was met with anti-feminist chants and eventually aggressive behavior from those opposing the demonstrators and their message, saying women are meant to remain in the home and are not to become involved in political affairs. We'll discuss some of the details of the event, it's purpose and the peoples' reactions to what took place at Tahrir last Tuesday.

December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Every year on December 6th we gather to commemorate the Montreal Massacre of 1989, and we reflect on the issue of violence against women in our society.



It deeply saddens me that gender based violence is so prevalent in our society. It's one of those things that if you don't experience it yourself, you may not realize how common it is. But it's happening all around us: about one in four Canadian women will experience sexual assault in her lifetime. On average 178 women are murdered each year in Canada. As a comparison, 153 members of the Canadian Forces have been killed in the eight years we've been serving in Afghanistan (numbers current as of Dec. 4/2010).



Because so many assaults happen in the home, they are invisible to the public and thus easily ignored. The privacy and silence around gender based violence is one of the major reasons why it continues to exist at such high rates. Furthermore, many women who experience violence may not even consciously admit to themselves that they are experiencing it: they make excuses for their abuser, blame themselves or feel they deserve to be abused. But nobody deserves it, nobody asks for it, and nobody wants it.



Violence against women does NOT just affect the woman – it impacts the entire society. The social and economic costs of violence against women are enormous and have ripple effects throughout society. Women may suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages, lack of participation in regular activities, and limited ability to care for themselves and their children. Their children, family and friends also suffer in immeasurable ways.



On December 6th we remember our fallen sisters and we call for an end to gender based violence.



University of Calgary's December 6th Memorial Ceremony

Mon. Dec 6, 2010. Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Great Hall, The Rozsa Centre, University of Calgary

London gallery displays tribute to Mexico's missing and murdered women

Since 1993, hundreds of women in the in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez have been declared murdered or missing. No one knows exactly how many women have been affected. Local rights groups estimate that 300 women have been killed this year alone; official figures are significantly lower. And no one is able to give an accurate estimate for the number of women missing.



Most of the murdered young women were poor local factory workers and students, and many of the killings were truly horrific, involving sexual violence and rape.



When the murders first began they captured the world's attention for a while; dozens of journalists investigated, and numerous books and songs were written. But to date, most cases remained unresolved, and it is still a mystery why women are being targeted in this way.



Two hundred artists from around the world are involved in the 400 Women exhibition, which is is showing at Shoreditch Town Hall in London, England until November 28.



Here are three examples of the portraits:

Rosa Maria Rivers was raped and strangled in July 1999. She was 36 years old.

Artist: Anita Klein

Elizabeth Rodriguez Perez has been missing since November 1999.

Artist: Jane Archer

Melissa Gonzalez Luna was 16 when she disappeared more than three years ago.

Artist: Andres Basurto

To read more about this exhibit and see more portraits, click here.

Calgary's Take Back the Night planning committee is looking for volunteers!

Take Back the Night is an international organization, but most major cities have their individual planning committees that organize an annual rally and march. These events bring awareness to the issue of violence against women in our community.



Calgary's TBTN planning committee is seeking ladies with the urge to do something good, to make some new friends and those who wish to apply their event planning and coordination skills to this important cause.



If this is you, or if you know of anyone who may be interested, email tbtncalgary@gmail.com for an application form and let the planning begin!

Take Back the Night - Calgary 2010

We’re excited to announce the official date and location of Take Back the Night - Calgary 2010. The program and march will be held at Connaught Park (11th St and 14th Ave SW). The park is centrally located, just north of 17th Ave and eight blocks south of the 10th St C-train station.

The march will take place on September 23 at 8:00 pm. Arrive early to participate in creative activities and to see our memorial. Here’s where YOU come in: We want to hear from feminist artists, writers, musicians and general creative types. This year’s theme is all about how we can impact our environments by protesting violence against women. Who better to envision a feminist future than artists? Email tbtncalgary@gmail.com if you’re interested in reading, creating art, performing, or if you have any other ideas you’d like to pitch!

Suburban Teen Sold as Sex Slave

Last week I watched a disturbing documentary on MSNBC about sex trafficking in America. Sixteen year old Shauna was your average suburban teenager when she was kidnapped by a friend’s father and sold on the internet as a sex slave for $300,000. For three days she was drugged, tortured and raped continuously. When her mother received a frantic phone call from Shauna saying “Help me, Mom!” she went to the police immediately. The police told her not to worry and that Shauna “probably just ran away.”

Luckily, Shauna was found and rescued (by community volunteers – not the police) before her captors had the chance to escape with her across the state border. To this day no one has been arrested with the kidnapping, rape and torture of Shauna. Her mother says this is because the police never believed her story.

The video below is a shortened version of the documentary.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Recommended Reading – A Woman Among Warlords by Malalai Joya

This is a fantastic book for anyone who wants to understand the REAL situation that women in Afghanistan are facing today.

Malalai Joya has been called "the bravest woman in Afghanistan." At a constitutional assembly in Kabul in 2003, she stood up and denounced her country's powerful NATO-backed warlords. She was twenty-five years old. Two years later, she became the youngest person elected to Afghanistan's new Parliament. In 2007, she was suspended from Parliament for her persistent criticism of the warlords and drug barons and their cronies. She has survived four assassination attempts to date, is accompanied at all times by armed guards, and sleeps only in safe houses.

Often compared to democratic leaders such as Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, this extraordinary young woman was raised in the refugee camps of Iran and Pakistan. Inspired in part by her father's activism, Malalai became a teacher in secret girls' schools, holding classes in a series of basements. She hid her books under her burqa so the Taliban couldn't find them. She also helped establish a free medical clinic and orphanage in her impoverished home province of Farah.

While many have talked about the serious plight of women in Afghanistan, Malalai Joya takes us inside the country and shows us the desperate day-to-day situations these remarkable people face at every turn. A controversial political figure in one of the most dangerous places on earth, Malalai Joya is a hero for our times, a young woman who refused to be silent, a young woman committed to making a difference in the world, no matter the cost.

Get Involved with Take Back the Night 2010

It's a brand new year, and if one of your resolutions is to get more involved in Calgary's feminist community, then this is your opportunity!
Take Back the Night is an annual event where women (and men) take to the streets and protest violence against women. Last year Calgary's event was organized by a grassroots group of local feminists. If you are interested in being a part of the 2010 planning committee, please visit Calgary's official Take Back The Night website.

The Montreal Massacre – 20 Year Anniversary

Sunday marks the 20 year anniversary of the Montreal Massacre – the worst school shooting in Canadian history. On December 6, 1989, an armed man entered an engineering classroom at the École Polytechnique, separated the 50 men from the nine women, and ordered the men to leave. He then opened fire on the women, killing six and wounding three. Before opening fire, he told the women he was “fighting feminism” and accused the women of being “a bunch of feminists” because they were entering the field of engineering – a traditionally male occupation.

When he came out of that classroom, he continued through hallways and other rooms, opening fire on more innocent people. In the end, fourteen women were killed (twelve engineering students, one nursing student and one university employee), and fourteen others were injured, including four men. The killing spree ended with the gunman shooting himself in the head, twenty minutes after his “war on feminism” began.

This weekend, we remember the 14 women who were senselessly murdered simply because of their gender, and we reflect on the issue of violence against women in our society.

Please join us in remembering these fourteen women.
Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault and Annie Turcotte.

December 6th Memorial Events in Calgary

Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is held on December 6th every year. On December 6, 1989, 14 female students were killed at L’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, simply because of their gender. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the “Montreal Massacre.”

A number of events are scheduled to happen in Calgary to recognize and remember this important day. Below is a list of the various events. Please leave a comment below if you know of other events that we have not mentioned.

Memorial ceremony at the University of Calgary
Tuesday, December 1
Noon to 1:00 pm in the Rozsa Centre

Film screening at the University of Calgary
“Polytechnique” will be screened with a discussion following
Wednesday, December 2
6:00 pm in “That Empty Space” (located in MacEwan Student Centre, University of Calgary)
Free admission with food bank donation

Film screening, live music and keynote speaker
Sunday, December 6th - 7:00 to 8:00 pm
Temple B’nai Tikvah (900 47th Avenue SW)
Film: “December 6: A Short Poetry Dance Film” by Cara Mumford
Music: Jadesong Ray Marlin
Keynote Speaker: Marsha Ellen Meidow
Free Admission
*Important* If you plan to attend this event, please RSVP to caramumford@gmail.com to reserve your spot. The temple is very small and has limited seating.

Films & Memorial at Mount Royal University
Monday December 7, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm
Location: Wyckham House, Mount Royal University
From about 10:30 am to 2:00 pm, a biography of each one of the fourteen women will be read every 15 minutes and a rose will be placed. Cara Mumford's short poetry dance film, December 6, will be shown between bio readings throughout the day. Drop in as you please.
The feature-length film, Polytechnique, will screen in the second floor Art Gallery room from 4-6 p.m.
All events are FREE.

Rihanna: "I was battered, I was bleeding..."

Rihanna speaks out about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her boyfriend, Chris Brown.

Tonight's Show: The Exploitation of Women in Hip Hop Culture

Tune in tonight to hear a discussion about misogyny in rap music. In particular, we will look at how black women are sexually exploited in rap music videos.

A video that we will discuss in detail is Nelly's "Tip Drill" - one of the most perverse rap videos that has been produced. Some of the most offensive scenes involve Nelly swiping a credit card through a woman's ass, throwing money at women's asses, and explicit woman-on-woman sex scenes. I don't want to promote this video, but if you'd like to watch it, you can view it on You Tube. Viewer discretion is advised!

Here are some links to some interesting articles we found related to misogyny in hip hop culture:

• The Exploitation of Women in Hip Hop Culture
• Hip Hop's Betrayal of Black Women
• A Black Man's Perspective on Nelly's Tip Drill Video
• Misogyny in Music: Have Videos Gone Wild?
  

Please join us tonight from 8:30 to 9:00pm (MST) on CJSW 90.9 fm, or online at cjsw.com. Our show will also be available to download incase you miss it live!

Kansas Abortion Doctor Murdered at Church

George Tiller, a doctor who performed late-term abortions, was murdered while attending church on Sunday morning.

Tiller has been targeted by anti-abortion activists many times before: he was shot in 1993 and his clinic was bombed in 1986.

President Obama has spoken out about this situation, saying "I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."

Women's Rights Activist Killed in Afghanistan

Sitara Achikzai, a women's rights activist in Afghanistan, has been killed by the Taliban. Sitara was born in Afghanistan but had lived in exile in Germany for many years. She had returned to Afghanistan with her husband to fight for women's rights in her country.

Taliban militiamen on motorcycles shot Sitara dead outside her home in Kandahar as she returned from work on Monday. The Taliban have carried out similar assasinations on other prominent Afghan women over the past years, including murdering the countries highest-profile female police officer, and they are believed to have been behind the 2006 assassination of the head of the provincial women's affairs department.

Much love and respect goes out to this strong woman.

Tonight's Show - Violence Against Women

On tonight's show we'll be discussing recent events that are related to a global problem: violence against women.

A couple of the news items we will discuss have already been posted on our blog, including a recent survey of folks in England and Wales that found one in five believe there is an excuse for domestic violence, and the disturbing trend of "corrective" rape of lesbians in South Africa.
We will also discuss the incident between Chris Brown and Rihanna, especially in light of a new survey of 200 Boston teenagers, which found that nearly half of the teens questioned (aged 12 to 19) believed that Rihanna was responsible for the beating from Chris Brown.

A common thread that we find in many of these stories is "victim blaming." Women, as victims of domestic and sexual abuse, are often blamed or seen as responsible for what happened. And as we know, when violence isn't taken seriously, the perpetrators walk away without consequences and the cycle of violence continues.

Tune in to CJSW 90.9 fm on Monday March 16th from 8:30 to 9:00 pm to hear this discussion.

I'm Sorry, Did Someone Just Say 'Corrective'?

The disheartening news of an increased trend in the rape of South African queer and lesbian women did three things to me: it caught my attention, made me want to throw up, and forced me to re-evaluate my stance on a few things.

Reuters reports that a number of South African gangs are targeting lesbians in what is being called "corrective" rape attempting to make them straight. The ideology behind this tactic is that lesbian women will know what it feels like to be a 'real' woman once they've been raped by a man. Such notions leave me pondering the possibility that at least a small portion of lesbian women may have encountered sexual abuse by a man early enough in life to cause excruciating trauma so that, in adulthood, heterosexuality becomes simply undesirable.
In such a case, why would anyone want to know what it feels like to be a real woman if it means being subject to traditional, patriarchal and simply inhumane bullshit?

On top of all of this, despite the fact that South Africa is one of the vast continents' most progressive countries, the South African justice system fails to acknowledge crime on the basis of sexual orientation. This means, even if a victim survives an attack and reports it, which is rare in itself, convictions are even more rare and professional support is often nowhere to be found.

Inevitably, reactions to this news have varied from outrage to impartiality. Some are quick to point fingers from across ponds without stopping to recognize that much of the same activity happens right here in our very own backyards.

What's most bothersome to me about this type of rape is the term, "corrective". Whether or not it was coined by those hoping to bring light to the issue or by the criminals themselves doesn't matter; there's nothing to correct. Unless we're going to strip one another of our identities and until we're all machines, there won't be anything to fix - that needs to be made clear.
It's still rape, it's still crime and it's still heinous. "Corrective" is false, disgusting and genocidal, to say the least.



Watch: South Africa's Sinister Claim to Fame

Why Rihanna, Why?

Check out this video about the whole Rihanna/Chris Brown situation. Personally, I am shocked that Rihanna is getting back together with Chris, and that she has asked the judge not to press charges against him. After hearing that he bit her ear and smashed her head against the side of a car, I can't help but ask, "why Rihanna, why?

Oprah has been so disturbed by this whole Rihanna/Chris Brown case that she has decided to do a show about domestic violence on Thursday March 12 - it would probably be worth checking out.

As Oprah says, "Love doesn't hurt. If a man hits you once, he will hit you again."

Shocking Stats from Across the Pond

The UK's feminist blog The F-Word has posted some shocking statistics on the attitudes of men and women in England and Wales on issues of domestic violence.

See their post for more details, but here are a few quick stats:

• 1 in 5 believe there is an excuse for domestic violence.
  
  
• 6% believe it's acceptable for a man to hit or slap his girlfriend or wife if she is dressed in sexy/revealing clothing in public. 14% believe it's sometimes acceptable to hit/slap her in that situation.
  
  
• 15% believe the woman should be held responsible for rape or sexual assault if she was using drugs at the time. 11% believe the women should be held responsible if she was drunk.
  

• 47% believe the woman should be held responsible or part-responsible for rape or sexual assault if she works as a prostitute.

• 52% believe the woman is responsible or part-responsible for rape or sexual assault if she does not clearly say NO to the man.