Thoughts on Raising Girls: The Importance of Agency and Anger

2017-12-19T16:58:52+00:00June 9, 2016|Empowering girls, Guest bloggers, Women in media|

Young couple sitting on groundA few different items recently making the rounds on social media have been drawing my attention as both a feminist and a parent. You might have seen this video featuring a Scottish dad having a spirited exchange with his 4-year-old daughter on the subject of boyfriends. In the video we see the dad threatening to "break the legs" of any future boyfriend. Dad is also, apparently, going to hold future boyfriend’s family members "hostage in a cupboard" and is seen telling his daughter that she is "going to be a nun" and not have any boyfriends at all. Initially, I assumed that this video was being shared disapprovingly. But then I realized that the narrative from all of the posts sharing the video was Oh look at this dad and his cute daughter! How FUNNY. This fills me with unease. How funny is it really to replay these tired old tropes of fathers owning their daughters' bodies and seeing boys as nothing other than threats to their daughters' "virtue"?

Ending Sexual Harassment at Work

2017-12-19T16:59:47+00:00June 7, 2016|Gender-based violence, Sexual abuse|

Businesswoman on trainKathryn Borel’s recent statement about why she pressed charges against Jian Ghomeshi drew national attention to the issue of sexual harassment at work. But many cases will never be reported or make the headlines.

Disturbingly, workplace sexual harassment is fairly common in Canada, particularly for women. A 2014 Angus Reid poll indicated that 43% of women have received unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours or have been subjected to sexually-charged jokes while at work. Women are four times as likely as men to have experienced harassment. Twenty per cent say they’ve been sexually assaulted while on the clock.

Got Body Confidence?

2016-06-02T12:47:25+00:00June 2, 2016|Empowering girls, Guest bloggers, Women in media|

Body Confidence Canada Awards posterThe 4th annual Body Confidence Canada Awards (BCCAs) will take place on October 6, 2016, in Toronto, ON.

The BCCAs are an opportunity to publicly celebrate people who are at the forefront of the body positivity movement in Canada. BCCAs acknowledge champions of body diversity and body equity! EveryBODY has a story and the BCCAs provide a platform for us to share them. If you’ve got a particular story to share let us know today! Nominations are open until July 1.