Today is International Women's Day!
There is a huge number of events happening today all across the globe - visit www.internationalwomensday.com for details. There is a handy filter you can use to see what's happening in your country.
The first US National Women's Day was held in 1909, with other countries adopting the idea in subsequent years. In Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, Women's Day is a national holiday.
Do we really need International Women's Day?
Although there have been huge improvements made since 1909, women still do not receive equal pay in many roles, and are still vastly underrepresented in politics and business.
In 29 countries, less than 30 per cent of women are literate.
In Canada, a report by the Canadian Labour Congress shows that women in Canada who worked full-time jobs in 2005 earned 70 cents for every dollar earned by men. Twice as many men than women earned $60,000 or more, while most of the people working for minimum wage were women.
On a global scale, there is still a huge amount of violence against women, and availability of education is still a real issue for many women internationally. Even in countries like Canada, the US and the UK, even where we believe that we as women can choose to have a successful career and be treated as equals in the workforce, we still find obstacles in our way, such as the prevalence of maternal profiling.
I believe International Women's Day is important to remind us that we have to be aware of our position in society and our rights, and be ready to defend them, and women around the world, if they appear threatened.
Why International Women's Day Matters - three short films from The Guardian newspaper.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Friday, March 7, 2008
Margaret's Massey Lectures - hurrah!
Writer, poet, feminist, environmental activist and all-round literary icon Margaret Atwood is to deliver this year's CBC Massey Lectures. Watch this space for more information.
Ever since a friend of mine pushed a slightly tattered copy of The Edible Woman into my hand to read on a long train journey, I have been a huge fan of hers, and always include her on my 'fantasy dinner party' list (alongside erstwhile regular Sir David Attenborough). I've never heard her lecture, though. If you haven't yet read this sublimely written and hilarious novel, beg, borrow or steal a copy now. You'll thank me, I promise. It's worth a jail term.
Read what she has to say on writing and women here
Visit her website here
Ever since a friend of mine pushed a slightly tattered copy of The Edible Woman into my hand to read on a long train journey, I have been a huge fan of hers, and always include her on my 'fantasy dinner party' list (alongside erstwhile regular Sir David Attenborough). I've never heard her lecture, though. If you haven't yet read this sublimely written and hilarious novel, beg, borrow or steal a copy now. You'll thank me, I promise. It's worth a jail term.
Read what she has to say on writing and women here
Visit her website here
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Earth Hour - Saturday March 29th
Just a reminder that on Saturday March 29th the planet is being challenged to turn all lights off for 1 hour between 8 and 9 pm to reduce our impact on climate change.
Earth Hour was started last year in Sydney, Australia. 2.2 million people participated. The effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% which is the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year. This year, Earth Hour is going to be a global event. Over 77,000 people and nearly 5,000 business have already signed up.
Register here and make a difference!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Women are dumb! Giggle, giggle, faint.
One article you ought to read today, if you want something to gnash your teeth over:
Women vs. WomenWe Scream, We Swoon. How Dumb Can We Get?
This piece of "journalism", written by Washington Post columnist Charlotte Allen, got me so angry I started seething.
Essentially, if you don't feel like reading the article yourself, Allen starts with discussing the numbers of women who are getting a little overexcited at Barack Obama's election rallies. Fair enough, it's a little silly (although the prospect of actually having someone vaguely competent as US president might be justification enough for a little overexcitement). One point for Allen.
However, she then goes on to add further examples of women's "stupidity" and "mental deficiency" : reading trashy escapist novels and watching Grey's Anatomy seemingly the most damning. Oh, also, women are bad drivers. Never mind that her evidence says that men have worse/more fatal accidents.
I'm sorry, but a predilection for trashy TV and/or books is hardly a sign of mental deficiency. True, if women did nothing but watch/read this stuff, then maybe, but firstly, it's hardly all women who like it, secondly, it's meant to be ESCAPIST, and thirdly, there are plenty of male-oriented trashy shows involving car smashing, bike-building and plenty of semi-naked women.
And public displays of emotion? Don't even get me started on sports fans.
True, there may be fewer "female fighter pilots, architects, tax accountants, chemical engineers, Supreme Court justices and brain surgeons" in the world, but considering the endless years of sexism in the workforce, it's hardly surprising, and certainly not a sign that women should stop trying to fill our fair share of these positions. Girls are now outperforming boys at school at every level and they should be encouraged to go for any job they want.
To be honest, I have no idea what a piece of drivel like this is doing in a quality national newspaper. It's not even remotely funny, or tongue-in-cheek, something which might have allowed it to hang on with one little finger to a glimmer of credibility. No doubt the Post decided that publishing this would cause a little stir of controversy and push its ratings up, because I cannot see any other reason for publishing it.
It's completely unnecessary articles like this, intended to provoke feminist backlash, that are one of my personal betes noires. Why is a professional writer trying to perpetuate an outmoded stereotype against 50 per cent of the world's population? What on earth is the point?
Does she really think all women should give up and concentrate on "tenderness toward children and men and the weak and the ability to make a house a home"? In what way does journalism fall into that category? Shouldn't she be at home, arranging pillows on her sofa or knitting socks for her children? Charlotte, if you want to be dim, go ahead (this article is a great example of that...), but don't tar us all with your scrapbooking glue brush, thanks.
Women vs. WomenWe Scream, We Swoon. How Dumb Can We Get?
This piece of "journalism", written by Washington Post columnist Charlotte Allen, got me so angry I started seething.
Essentially, if you don't feel like reading the article yourself, Allen starts with discussing the numbers of women who are getting a little overexcited at Barack Obama's election rallies. Fair enough, it's a little silly (although the prospect of actually having someone vaguely competent as US president might be justification enough for a little overexcitement). One point for Allen.
However, she then goes on to add further examples of women's "stupidity" and "mental deficiency" : reading trashy escapist novels and watching Grey's Anatomy seemingly the most damning. Oh, also, women are bad drivers. Never mind that her evidence says that men have worse/more fatal accidents.
I'm sorry, but a predilection for trashy TV and/or books is hardly a sign of mental deficiency. True, if women did nothing but watch/read this stuff, then maybe, but firstly, it's hardly all women who like it, secondly, it's meant to be ESCAPIST, and thirdly, there are plenty of male-oriented trashy shows involving car smashing, bike-building and plenty of semi-naked women.
And public displays of emotion? Don't even get me started on sports fans.
True, there may be fewer "female fighter pilots, architects, tax accountants, chemical engineers, Supreme Court justices and brain surgeons" in the world, but considering the endless years of sexism in the workforce, it's hardly surprising, and certainly not a sign that women should stop trying to fill our fair share of these positions. Girls are now outperforming boys at school at every level and they should be encouraged to go for any job they want.
To be honest, I have no idea what a piece of drivel like this is doing in a quality national newspaper. It's not even remotely funny, or tongue-in-cheek, something which might have allowed it to hang on with one little finger to a glimmer of credibility. No doubt the Post decided that publishing this would cause a little stir of controversy and push its ratings up, because I cannot see any other reason for publishing it.
It's completely unnecessary articles like this, intended to provoke feminist backlash, that are one of my personal betes noires. Why is a professional writer trying to perpetuate an outmoded stereotype against 50 per cent of the world's population? What on earth is the point?
Does she really think all women should give up and concentrate on "tenderness toward children and men and the weak and the ability to make a house a home"? In what way does journalism fall into that category? Shouldn't she be at home, arranging pillows on her sofa or knitting socks for her children? Charlotte, if you want to be dim, go ahead (this article is a great example of that...), but don't tar us all with your scrapbooking glue brush, thanks.
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