Status of Women and Equitysept 24, 2015

STATUS OF WOMEN AND EQUITYSEPT 24, 2015

On September 17, 2015 Take Back the Night celebrated their 16th anniversary. Different organization such as Elizabeth Fry, Barrie Native Friendship Center, Athena’s (a sexual assault counselling and advocacy center), My Sister’s Place and Gay Pride set up information tables around the Barrie City Hall Rotunda. They had give aways and people to speak to individuals about their organizations. We gave out juice, cookies, water, as well as the whistles and hats that ETFO provided. We were entertained by The Rip Nancie’s, an all girl band, after being welcomed by Annick Brown of Huronia Transition Homes.

We seem to have more attendees this year, (approx. 110 – 150) including some men and children.

Cathy Willis, Exe Dir of Huronia Transition Homes spoke to the crowd. She said that the potential strength of women fosters freedom. She said that the government is doing nothing about the aboriginal women being killed, that the anti-terrorism bill is taking rights away from us, and that sending people to jail is not the way to settle community issues. We need to be the change that we want like Mandala, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King. Some have the power-others don’t and community is being built on the backs of the others and it is sustained by our inequality. We need to nurture one another through kindness, caring and compassion, and not be judgemental which causes us to feel shame that weakens and immobilizes us. She said that shame is universal and we all react to it. The less we speak about it the more it controls us. Shame is fueled by silence. Speaking about it lessens shame and encourages equity and inclusion. It is not up to us to call men on their behaviour rather it is up to other men to call them on it.

Together we can create the world we’re entitled to live in as equals.

Following this speech everyone went out on a march through the streets of Barrie, blowing whistles and chanting.

Submitted by Barbara Gunn

STATUS OF WOMEN AND EQUITYOCTOBER 2015

I attended leadership Oct 7th & 8th. On Thursday evening we screened the DVD, Inclusive School Place Starts Here about LGBTQ. On Friday, we perused the Status of Women Resource Guide and discussed funding from ETFO. We talked about the number of women compared to men in different job positions other than ETFO where women are in the majority otherwise we are not there yet as men still retain the highest number of top positions. We had an aboriginal speaker who spoke about the ETFO FNMI education activities for 2015/16. As well as a speaker from Spring Tide Resources speaking about their program, Be Aware, Prepare, Educate.

Submitted by Barbara Gunn