Yeah, What She Said!

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

2012-02-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

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.

A funny, kinda feminist commercial involving mom jeans

2012-01-18T20:48:00.002-07:00

I can't believe I just saw a commercial that manages to authentically promote body acceptance and the concept that regular women can be smokin' hot sexy mammas. It's also decently funny too.

Kudos to Real California Milk for making a commercial that celebrates a woman's "bunt cake"!

Just some good ol' fashioned ad-busting

2012-01-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

I used to do a lot of ad-busting when I was in university. I even taught ad-busting workshops to teens and university students. I haven't done any in a while and I kinda miss it, so I thought I'd post a few of my favourite busted ads and maybe it'll help inspire me to do more!

Seriously funny ladies make "Shit Guys Say" videos

2012-01-05T17:59:00.002-07:00

By now most people have heard about Shit Girls Say - a couple of dudes who tweet and make videos about about... erm, shit girls say. The videos have gone viral for a reason - they're funny. The creators do a good job of poking fun at women without offending them.

Well, hot on the tails of Shit Girls Say is a whole slew of other Shit People Say videos. I watched a few made by women about the shit guys say, and I laughed my ass off. These ladies are seriously funny - check 'em out.

Shit Guys Say
Canadian ladies Tori Lord and Chanelle Ramsubick mock dudes pretty accurately in this video. Keep your eyes out for the Edmonton Oilers jersey - a nice little Canadian touch.

Shit Black Guys Say
Comedians Robin Thede and Inda Craig-Galván amused me greatly with their popular sayings of black guys.

Feminist film "Miss Representation" to screen in Calgary

2011-12-30T13:56:00.001-07:00

This film looks awesome. Miss Representation exposes how mainstream media contributes to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. Please come down to The Globe Cinema on Wednesday, January 18 from 6 - 9 p.m. to check it out and meet other feminists in Calgary!

All the details are on the Facebook event - invite your friends.

I love advertisements with strong, sassy, smart ladies

2011-12-23T12:12:00.002-07:00

I just saw this ad for World of Warcraft on TV the other day and I absolutely loved it. First let me say that I do not play World of Warcraft (or any computer/video games, for that matter) but I have definitely noticed their catchy and creative advertisements (have you seen the one with Mr. T?).

Anyway, back to the reason why I like this commercial so much. First, Aubrey Plaza, who's awesomely hilarious in the TV show Parks and Recreation, is equally snarky and funny in this commercial. I love her sassy personality in this ad. She comes accross as a strong, smart woman who don't take no shit from nobody, and I love it.

There's nothing worse than whiny, weak women like Bella from the Twilight series. Kudos to the marketing team at World of Warcraft for portraying smart, powerful women in their advertising, and not trying to "cutesy" up the game or the commercials in order to appeal to women.

Christmas gifts for feminists - 2011 edition

2011-11-21T18:02:00.007-07:00

Wondering what to get your feisty lady-friend, awesome gal pal, ball-busting sister, or otherwise kick-ass woman? Well, here are some suggestions.

Feminist necklace

Handmade by "nappyhappy" in England, this charming little necklace is available to order through Etsy.

£10 ($16.22 CAD), plus shipping.

Awesome panties!

Knickerocker makes these awesome Wonder Woman panties in two different styles, plus a pretty awesome pair of uterus panties.

Only $4 each, plus shipping.

Beer cozies for the ladies

It has a fucking unicorn on it!

Order through the Bust Boobtique

$9 plus shipping

Subscription to a feminist magazine

There are three great feminist magazines I recommend, check em out:

Ms. - $42.00
BUST - $29.95
Bitch - $34.95

*all prices are for a one year Canadian subscription

Gift certificate to a second hand store

Feminists love consignment shopping. Well, at least every feminist I know does. Here are my favourite second hand stores in Calgary:

1. Trend - located in Kensington
2. Rewind Consignment - located downtown
3. Vespucci - located at Elbow & Heritage SW

Rosie the Riveter memorabilia

This Rosie the Riveter action figure is only $10, and she comes with a lunchbox and rivet gun! I've also seen these action figures at Paper Roots stores in Calgary.

Or, you could always go for a Rosie wall clock or lunchbox.

Feminist tote bag

Feminists always get a bad rap for being humourless killjoys. Buy this bag for the feminist in your life so that everyone knows she's a bright and happy feminist. Yes, we do exist.
£10 ($16.22 CAD), plus shipping.

P.S. This History vs. Herstory tote bag is pretty cute too.

1950's style feminist magnets

I love these retro magnets. They're usually around $6 each and available in stores like Twisted Goods and Paper Roots in Calgary.

Yummy bath and beauty products

LUSH bath bombs and other yummy products are great for ladies who want to use vegetarian, chemical-free, cruelty-free beauty products. There's lots of pre-made gift packs to choose from.

Feminist books

Two of my feminist friends, Juliet and Tamara, recommended these new books:

Big Big Love: A sex and relationships guide for people of size (and those who love them). This book is for people of every gender, size and sexual orientation.
$13.13 on Amazon.ca.

Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed Down World by Lisa Bloom. The author outlines the ways that we as a society, and particularly women, have fallen off the intellectual path, and points to how damaging this has been to us on many levels. $18.90 on Amazon.ca.

Virginia Woolf earrings

These are awesome and only $8 (+ shipping)!

I also found a pretty cool Virginia Woolf t-shirt for $21 (+ shipping).

2011-11-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

The Great Wall of Vagina: Changing female body perception through art

2011-11-12T18:32:00.001-07:00

British artist James McCartney spent five years plaster casting 400 women’s vulvas for his sculpture The Great Wall of Vagina. The project is an exploration of women’s relationships with their genitals.

James came up with the idea while he was working on a different sculpture for a sex museum. He discovered that many women have anxiety about the appearance of their genitals, incorrectly believing they are ugly or abnormal. “It appalled me that our society has created yet one more way to make women feel bad about themselves” he said. He decided to do something about it – so he created art that dispels misconceptions about what women look like “down there.”

The women who volunteered to participate ranged in age from 18 to 76. There is great variety in the vulvas, as you would expect given there are 400 of them. One has multiple piercings, two are from identical twins, there are mother and daughter castings and transgendered men and women. There are even casts from a woman pre and post natal, and another pre and post labiaplasty.

The sculptures are fascinating to look at and people can view them without feeling shame or discomfort because the images are not pornographic. They allow women (and men) the opportunity to see the immense diversity in female genitalia. Each one is completely different and completely normal.

Check out the videos below to learn more about James and The Great Wall of Vagina (which should probably be called The Great Wall of Vulva, since the vagina is your birth canal, while the vulva is your sex organ. But I’ll forgive James that grammatical mishap, because his project is awesome!).

American Apparel had their chance to be cool, and blew it

2011-10-16T10:58:00.005-06:00

In August 2011, American Apparel (AA) launched a plus size model search called The Next BIG Thing. Women were asked to submit their photos and the public would vote for the new face of their plus size division.

It all sounded pretty cool to begin with. I was excited... AA is finally branching out to plus size women? Hooray! But then I read the call for models. As you might expect from AA, the call made use of predictable and somewhat demeaning language.

Calling curvy ladies everywhere! Our best-selling Disco Pant (and around 10 other sexy styles) are now available in size XL, for those of us who need a little extra wiggle room where it counts. We’re looking for fresh faces (and curvaceous bods) to fill these babies out. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be the next XLent model, send us photos of you and your junk to back it up.

A couple of problems with their call out:

Wait - they’re only making 10 styles in size XL? That’s not very many. Also, what exactly is “XL”? According to the AA size chart, XL is a size 12/14, also known as the AVERAGE size of American women.
Your language is ridiculous. Extra wiggle room? Curvaceous bods? Your junk? Why does everything related to plus size women need to come packaged in stupid language like “booty-licious”?

Well, their call for models didn’t just seem awkward and offensive to me. It caught the attention of Nancy Upton, a size 12 gal from Dallas, Texas. She entered the contest as a protest, submitting pictures of herself in alluring poses while eating chicken, chocolate, pie and even bathing in a tub of ranch dressing. Her submission simply said, “I’m a size 12. I just can’t stop eating.”

The public loved Nancy. When the contest was over, she won the popular vote by far. But American Apparel didn’t like that the winner was mocking their contest. So AA’s Creative Director, Iris Alonzo, wrote a letter to Nancy which included the following ridiculous sentences:

It’s a shame that your project attempts to discredit the positive intentions of our challenge based on your personal distaste for our use of light-hearted language, and that “bootylicous” was too much for you to handle.

Oh — and regarding winning the contest, while you were clearly the popular choice, we have decided to award the prizes to other contestants that we feel truly exemplify the idea of beauty inside and out, and whom we will be proud to have representing our company.

Hot damn! We love Nancy!

So Nancy was shot down by American Apparel. Big surprise. But then something interesting happened. Nancy posted the harsh letter from Iris onto her blog and it went viral. American Apparel was suddenly swimming in bad press and Iris had some serious back-pedaling to do to.

Iris apologized to Nancy and offered to fly her and a friend out to LA to tour the company headquarters and discuss how AA could better market to plus size women. Once again, I had a glimmer of hope that maybe AA could be kinda cool.

Nancy and her friend met with the creative team who organized The Next BIG Thing contest and had an interesting discussion about marketing to plus size women. American Apparel exec’s fed the girls cream puffs (the irony of which was not lost on Nancy), and Iris even took Nancy and her friend out drinking. Things were looking up. “I had a REALLY good feeling about where the company would go after my trip,” wrote Nancy on her blog.

Over the next few days, Nancy and Iris exchanged a few more emails, and then Iris fucked it all up again.

On October 4, Iris wrote:

Marsha and I were trying to remember what we even talked about, and amidst all of the late night fun and cream puffs (compounded by the fact that we couldn’t re-watch the video of the meeting), we can hardly remember what was said at all.

I think Nancy summarizes my feelings about that email pretty well. On her blog she wrote:

This company spent thousands of dollars flying Shannon and I to LA, to meet with their team and they can’t even remember what we discussed. Nor do they care to. They want me to write something happy go-lucky about how positive our meeting was for women everywhere, and then they want to sign off on it, you know, in case I forget anything.

As it stands today, this whole debacle is SO TOTALLY OVER to Nancy. She is done with AA, writing “[Those] three sentences of that email tell more truth about what went on in this bizarro adventure than anything I saw in that factory or those offices.”

So, American Apparel had numerous chances to do something cool here, and they blew it every time. They insulted plus size women in their call to models, they shunned the popular winner of their contest and then insulted her in an email, tried to make it up to her only to flub it all again.

American Apparel, you clearly need advice, so I’m going to offer you a suggestion: Don’t be afraid of change. Or fat girls.

AA: Don't fear fat girls with chicken!

Your stocks are in the crapper, your CEO is dealing with multiple sexual harassment lawsuits, nobody likes your ugly hipster clothes anymore, and everyone’s sick of your sexist advertisements. Clearly, your company is in need of a shake-up. SOMETHING needs to change and I’m not going to pretend I know what that is, but maybe this whole thing with Nancy could have been exactly the change you need.

When your company is already down pretty low, you have nothing to lose by trying something new. Who knows, maybe you could have captured the hearts of North American women sized 12 and up, opening your store to millions of new customers. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, and other stores like Forever 21 and Target have already realized that the “fattening of America is a big business opportunity.”

In light of this whole debacle with Nancy, I fear that American Apparel’s destiny is to fade away as soon as hipster style falls out of fashion. But I’m OK with that, because time and time again AA has proved themselves to be a company that only cares about making clothing for slim, young, beautiful hipster women. Good luck making a profit each year with such a tiny demographic.

Lessons in nudity from the Swedish

2011-10-04T17:55:00.000-06:00

I recently had the pleasure of visiting my friend Linn in Sweden. While staying with her we attended a couple of fitness classes at her gym. After my first Yoga class in Swedish, we headed to the locker room to grab our runners and hoodies. When I looked up from tying my shoe lace, I realized I was sitting amongst a sea of naked bottoms. All the ladies had stripped down and stood around chatting in the buff while doing their hair.

Two days later we went to another class, and the same thing happened. After class, there was noticeably more nakedness than in a typical Canadian locker room. Friends disrobed in front of one another, chatted about plans for the weekend and generally carried on as if their most intimate parts weren’t on display. And maybe that’s simply because for the Swedes, and many folks outside of North America, the naked body is no big deal.

As we walked home that night, Linn and I compared “locker room etiquette” in Canada and Sweden. At her high school, everyone hit the showers after gym class. As a result, she’s seen all her peers naked over the course of many years.

My high school gym experience was completely different. We never showered after class – there wasn’t time, it wasn’t encouraged and nobody did it. Sure, there were showers in the locker room, but they were used exclusively by the volleyball and basketball teams. Since I never played on any sports teams, I never showered with my peers. In fact, to this day I have never seen any of my friends in the nude.

In Calgary, nudity in the locker room is pretty mixed. Whether you strut your stuff or hide in a change room typically depends on your age, cultural background, and your level of I-don’t-give-a-shit-ness. Generally though, younger women shy away from all-out nudity and prefer to change in locker rooms or shimmy their knickers on with one hand while holding a towel around them with the other. It seems that the older you get, the less you care, and so with age comes nudity.

I’ve decided that I like the European style of locker room etiquette. I believe that the more naked bodies we see, (and I mean REAL naked bodies, not Photoshop plastic bodies) the more comfortable we become with our own body. We get to see the amazing variety in the human body, and we realize that it’s all normal: scars, hair in weird places, saggy boobs, varicose veins, stretch marks, cellulite-dimpled bottoms, the incredible variety of nipple size and colour, and so much more.

I think it’s important that we see naked bodies of all ages in non-sexual contexts. We’ll have more realistic expectations for our own bodies when we see what other people look like. It’s harder to hate your own body when you see your “flaws” in everyone else too. Hiding our bodies from each other breeds insecurity and feelings of abnormality. I hope us Canadians can eventually move to a more European level of comfort with nudity. It doesn’t have to be sexual… it’s just natural and normal.

Tonight's show: Raunchy feminist electro-rocker - Peaches!

2011-08-22T17:50:00.001-06:00

Tonight we're exploring the life and music of Peaches - a Toronto-born electronic musician who now lives in Berlin. She is known for her sexually explicit lyrics, raunchy costumes, theatrical stage performances and feminist viewpoints. She plays her own instruments, programs her own electronic beats and produces her own albums. Basically, she's an all-around awesome lady and a great feminist icon.

Interviewer: "You knowingly offend a lot of people, Peaches. What offends you?"

Peaches: "The Jonas Brothers."

Take Back the Night 2011 Poster

2011-08-18T20:27:00.005-06:00

Take Back the Night 2011 will be held on Friday, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. in Connaught Park (11 St. and 14 Ave. SW).

You can download the 2011 poster to distribute in your community.

Aug 15 show: Feminist news roundup

2011-08-15T17:07:00.005-06:00

This week Jennie and Allison host a feminist news roundup. These are the stories we've been reading, following, and think that other feminists will be interested in. Naturally, each story will be served up with a hearty spoonful of feminist opinion from the hosts.

Gloria Steinem calls for a boycott of upcoming TV show "The Playboy Club"

The race and gender gap in lifetime earnings - no surprises here, women make less!

A new study suggests gender equality leads to more sex - hooray for feminism!

The Scar Project - Breast cancer isn't a pink ribbon

Banned chemical levels are high in pregnant women in California - yikes.

Polygamist Warren Jeffs sentenced to life in prison for child molestation - thank goodness.

School-mandated sex education FINALLY returns to New York

Call to performers for Take Back the Night

2011-08-09T17:56:00.004-06:00

If you're a singer, poet, dancer or just passionate about ending violence against women, then you should consider being part of Take Back the Night 2011 in Calgary. The Call to Performers was just released - check it out!

Call to Performers for Take Back the Night - Calgary, 2011

Calgary’s 28th annual Take Back the Night event will be held on Friday, September 23, 2011 at 8 p.m. in Connaught Park at 11 Street and 14 Avenue SW. Take Back the Night is an international movement designed to raise awareness about violence against women and to support the well-being of those who have been and are in abusive situations. Each year between 200 to 500 women, men and children attend this free event in Calgary.

The evening begins with a rally featuring local speakers, musicians and artists. Attendees will then take to the streets for a march to symbolize the right women have to walk the streets and feel safe.

The Take Back the Night planning committee is seeking individuals or groups to perform or speak during the rally. The tone of the rally is respectful and serious, so only performances that are sensitive to the nature of this event will be considered. The types of performers we are seeking include:

Musicians, singers, songwriters
Spoken word poets
Dancers
Speakers (i.e. someone who has been personally affected by violence, or has a loved one that has been affected)

Performances are short – if you are speaking, dancing or performing spoken word poetry, we ask that your presentation be no longer than 5 minutes. Musicians/singers will have the opportunity to perform one to three songs, depending on the total number of musicians chosen.

If you are interested in applying to be part of the Take Back the Night rally, please email tbtncalgary@gmail.com by Thursday, September 1 at 5 p.m. and tell us:

Who you are and what you do
The type of performance would you like to share at Take Back the Night
Why you want to be part of Take Back the Night
If you require or if you will be bringing any special equipment for your performance

We will confirm that we have received your email and will let applicants know which performances were chosen for the rally on or before Sunday, September 4.

If you have further questions, please email tbtncalgary@gmail.com or phone 403-816-5818. You can find out more about the event by visiting the website or Facebook page.

Feminist walking tour of Calgary - August 11

2011-08-05T19:04:00.000-06:00

Join the Women's Centre of Calgary for a walk through downtown to learn some of our her-story. This guided tour will feature stories of the women who came before us, and discussions about contemporary women's issues. Everyone is welcome.

Date: Thursday, August 11

Time: 6 - 8 p.m.

Meeting point: at the horse statue outside City Hall (800 Macleod Trail SE)

End point: Central Memorial Park (1221 2 St. SW)
Cost: Free

For more information, check out the Facebook event, or call the Women's Centre at 403-264-1155.

Track listings from tonight's show: Local female musicians

2011-08-01T21:46:00.001-06:00

Since today was Heritage Day, we decided to celebrate Calgary's local musical heritage! We brought you seven tracks by (or featuring) fabulous femmes from our fine city. Here's the listing:

1. Lauren Mann & The Fairly Odd Folk - Lost in the Sound

2. Tegan and Sarah - So Jealous

3. Transit feat. Jann Arden - Calgary (check out the video - Mayor Nenshi makes a cameo!)

4. Rae Spoon - Strength from Within

5. Sidney York - Dick & Jane

6. Feist - Limit to your Love

7. Kara Keith - Kick this City

Tonight's show: Amy Winehouse tribute

2011-07-25T16:58:00.000-06:00

I don't know if Amy Winehouse would have considered herself a feminist icon (and I'm not sure I even consider her one), but there is no doubt that she was a very talented lady who inspired and influenced many other female singers and songwriters.

Amy's music was influenced by jazz, soul, R&B and girl groups from the 60's. Her frank, sometimes rude, lyrics were partly inspired by the raw grittiness of 1990's female hip-hop artists, such as Salt 'n' Peppa. The old-fashioned R&B sound paired with hip-hop influenced vocals gave her songs a contemporary feel that is unparalleled among other modern R&B singers like Joss Stone or Duffy. Additionally, her lyrics were wise beyond her years; Love is a Losing Game was written when she was in her early twenties, but it sounds like it was written by someone who had lived a long life.

Amy never worried about social approval or let it hold her back. She wrote about her experiences with addiction, love and breakups with brutal honesty. She was never a polished, manufactured performer; her music was specific to her experiences and she wasn't afraid to write songs that were deep, dark and troubling. Many female musicians feel they need to "tone it down" to be commercially successful, but Amy refused to tone it down.

Below is a great video featuring a younger, healthier Amy Winehouse singing Stronger Than Me and playing the guitar. This is how she should be remembered... as a beautiful, talented singer and songwriter. Rest in peace Amy, and thank you for all the wonderful music you made.

Transgender woman wins breast augmentation contest

2011-07-20T18:56:00.002-06:00

AMP Radio’s controversial “Breast Summer Ever” contest took an interesting turn today. The winner of the competition, who was voted for by the public, was Avery. She was born male but is transitioning to female. What may be most surprising is that Avery won by a landslide – 76% of the votes – in conservative ol’ Calgary.

Although I've never liked the contest, I think it’s interesting that Avery won. Her win has shown me two things:

First, the younger generation of Calgarians (those most likely to be AMP Radio listeners and voters) are an open minded bunch. This gives me hope that our awesome-but-conservative city can be a more welcoming place for those whose gender or sexuality is anything other than straight.

Second, I believe that voters saw through the ridiculousness of many aspects of this contest. Most of the other contestants didn’t have a compelling reason to deserve a $10,000 boob job. Many of them wanted new breasts for reasons the public just wouldn't sympathize with. Avery’s case was one of the few that caught my attention, and I was pleased to see that the public chose someone whose life could be meaningfully changed by breast augmentation.

No matter the outcome, I still find the contest a distasteful marketing ploy. The program manager basically admitted in a FFWD article that he was doing it for publicity, and now that a transgender person has won, the station will receive even more attention. Although a transgender person won the contest, that doesn’t change the fact that it was a stupid, sleazy contest that promoted body dissatisfaction and normalized plastic surgery. None the less, it was an interesting contest with the ending I secretly hoped for but never expected to happen.

Congratulations, Avery. I hope your new boobs help you complete your journey to womanhood.

UPDATE - I was asked by the Calgary Herald to comment on this story... here is the article!

Next show: Fat and Fashion / Fat Acceptance

2011-07-10T21:30:00.004-06:00

On Monday July 11th we are discussing the fat acceptance movement and the challenges fat ladies face when shopping for fashionable clothing. Our special guests are Juliet and Britt, creators of this super-awesome fat-positive poster, which you may have seen posted around Calgary.

Tune in from 8 - 8:30 p.m. (MST) @ CJSW 90.9 fm in Calgary, or listen online.

Check out these fat-friendly blogs:

Who entered the “Breast Summer Ever” contest, and why?

2011-07-09T15:06:00.004-06:00

The judges for Amp Radio’s controversial contest for a $10,000 breast augmentation have picked their 10 finalists. Now it’s up to the public to vote on who is most deserving of the boob job.

Since I first heard about this contest, I was curious to see would enter, their reasons for entering, and whose story would resonate most with the public and win the ultimate prize. Each contestant has made a video, which are posted online. I watched each one and here are their reasons for wanting breast augmentation:

4/10 women had lost weight, which changed the size and shape of their breasts. They talk about the “excess skin” left over after weight loss and how their breasts just don’t look right anymore.
3/10 of the women talked about nursing children and the toll that having kids takes on your body. Basically, they want their pre-baby boobies back.
3/10 had sob stories, but surprisingly there were no cancer survivors. One woman has a large burn mark that covers her right breast, another has "lop-sided" breasts, and one had a rare disease that made her very thin and unable to develop breasts during puberty.
1 woman is transgender (she was born male but is transitioning to female).
1 woman said she wanted a lift and reduction, as she is a size FF and would like to be average sized.

I was a little disheartened to see how many women discussed their post-pregnancy bodies and how they want their old body back. Why can’t we accept that women’s bodies change after pregnancy? Our bodies change throughout our lives – why is an aging body or a post-baby body seen as something that needs to be fixed? (News flash, ladies! You can’t stop aging. You just can’t. Stop wasting your time, money and effort trying to, and accept your aging body instead. I promise life will be a lot more fun that way).

There is an unreal amount of pressure on women to get back to how they looked before the baby. Trashy celebrity tabloids publish issues with headlines like, My body after baby - How I lost 25 lbs in 8 weeks. The pressure is so strong that I actually know women who are choosing not to have children because they’re afraid of what it will do to their bodies. Says Katie Gentile in an article from the Daily Beast,

When women shed the baby weight, they are not merely getting back their pre-baby body, they are obliterating all the evidence of ever having had a baby in the first place. This means the one thing that only women's bodies can do is expected to be immediately erased. The post-baby body is wrung of its recent life-giving feat. Sagging milk-filled breasts must appear perky; the once-swollen abdomen is made concave. It's as if we should actually believe the baby dropped from the stork, from the sky, from anywhere but that toned, buff body.

To me, part of being a feminist is accepting and not judging other women’s decisions and choices. So I’m not going to rag on the women who entered this contest or judge them for what they want. But many of the women talked about gaining or improving self-confidence through breast augmentation surgery, and I think they’re missing a key piece to the self-confidence puzzle. Self confidence is an internal thing – it comes from knowing who you are, knowing your values and what you stand for, setting and accomplishing goals and knowing that you are worthy of happiness and love. True self confidence, self acceptance and self love come from the inside – plastic surgery is an external procedure that will not fix an internal problem.

I won’t be voting for any of these ladies because I fundamentally disagree with the contest. I think the contest promotes body dissatisfaction and the idea that self confidence can be instantly achieved with a surgical procedure. Also, Amp Radio has a young audience and I know lots of kids listen to it. I think it normalizes plastic surgery for young people when they hear about it as a “fun contest.” Our society’s obsession with perfect bodies has gone too far, and I refuse to be a part of anything that perpetuates endless discontent with one’s body.

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Check out some of the contests in Canada offered by ReadersDigest.ca

Next show: Feminist news roundup

2011-06-26T20:40:00.002-06:00

Here's what we'll be talking about on Monday, June 27 at 8 pm on CJSW 90.9 fm.

UBC student Rumana Monzur was viciously attacked by her husband on a return visit home to Bangladesh.
Badminton's new dress code: women must wear skirts or dresses.
The head of Wimbledon says female tennis players who grunt are spoiling the game.
Amp radio in Calgary is giving away a $10,000 breast augmentation in their summer contest "Breast Summer Ever"

How understanding my cycle empowered me

2011-06-25T15:01:00.003-06:00

For many women their extent of knowledge about their monthly cycle is not much more than, “I bleed once a month... if I’m not pregnant.” That was about as much as I knew once, but over the last five years I’ve learned a lot more about my cycle, and what I’ve discovered has changed my life for the better. This is the story of my cycle self discovery.

At sixteen I was prescribed the birth control pill, and I used it constantly for 10 years. I didn’t question anything about it; it was prescribed by my doctor, everyone I knew used it and it performed its function beautifully. It was easy because I never had to think about it. What I learned in recent years, however, is that not thinking about your cycle is doing yourself an incredible disservice.

After getting involved in feminism in my early twenties, I started to hear about alternative choices for birth control and sanitary products. The first time I stepped outside the Tampax box was when I tried the Diva Cup, which is an alternative to tampons and pads. The Diva Cup is a small silicon cup that you insert into the vagina to collect menstrual blood. The cup is reusable – you simply tip, rinse and reinsert as needed. Prior to using it, I’d never had any cause to take note of what was going on during my period. After using the Cup, I became comfortable inserting and removing it with my fingers and I could see the colour, consistency and amount that was normal to bleed each cycle. It doesn’t sound like much, but it was interesting and exciting for me to gain a better understanding of my period.

The Diva Cup

When I told other people about the Diva Cup I often heard, “Gross! I don’t want to stick my fingers up there and get my hands dirty!” It saddened and frustrated me that women could be so afraid of their own bodily fluids because tampons have allowed us to become so detached from our menstrual blood. I started to realize that women in general are poorly educated about their own cycles and about the variety of menstrual products and birth control methods that are available.

The next big leap for me was when I learned about a natural method of birth control that involves charting your cycle and making observations about your vaginal discharge in order to determine your fertility. I met with a Fertility Management Practitioner and learned how to observe, chart and interpret my menstrual cycle to determine when I’m fertile and infertile.

Prior to this discovery, I had no idea that women’s bodies give them direct and obvious signs when they’re fertile. I was outraged that I’d never been taught that in Sex Education. Learning how to chart and interpret your cycle using the Justisse method is effective, free and incredibly empowering. I won’t deny that in order to chart your cycle you need to be dedicated, organized, and practice charting for about 6 months before you get the hang of it. It’s not easy at first, but it’s so rewarding.

Now I intimately understand every phase of my cycle. I’ve been off hormonal birth control for almost two and a half years and I feel great. Many women are unaware of the potential side effects of hormonal contraceptives, including anxiety, depression, decreased sex drive, weight gain, intense mood swings and more.* Not only do I understand my cycle better, I feel that my sexuality is truly mine because it’s not influenced by external hormones. Since going off hormonal birth control, I’ve felt more confident and open about my own sexuality. It’s good to know what my natural rhythm is, because the more I understand about my body, the more I know what’s healthy and normal for me. Knowledge is power, especially when it relates to our own health.

I’m grateful for the inventions of tampons and The Pill and the many freedoms they have brought women, but we need to be aware of the other options out there. All women deserve bodily autonomy: the choice and resources to have children (or not), to have an abortion (or not), to choose our sexual partners, to choose when to have sex and so much more. In order to make those choices, we should know more about our cycles, but no one is going to spoon feed that information to us. You have to be responsible for your own reproductive health, and although that’s not easy, it’s empowering to take that responsibility into your own hands. I recommend it to everyone – so, what are you waiting for? Get out there and learn about your cycle! It’s probably some of the most useful and practical knowledge you can obtain.

*Reference: Coming off the Pill, the Patch, the Shot and Other Hormonal Contraceptives by M. Lalonde and G. Matus.

Your Birth Control Options
A great little video by Dr. Betty Dodson and Carlin Ross - two very cool feminist sex educators.

A new SlutWalk Calgary is being planned

2011-06-15T09:41:00.000-06:00

Attention Calgary sluts and slut allies - a new SlutWalk Calgary has risen from the ashes of the former! Their mission is to provide an open, safe and inclusive forum for peaceful protest against victim blaming and sex shaming, to debunk rape myths, and to raise awareness about the pervasive nature of rape culture in our community.

Event organizers are committed to inclusive planning and implementation, and invite anyone interested to participate and volunteer. You can get involved by emailing contact@slutwalkyyc.com.

Their Facebook group says organizers acknowledge they are dealing with an explicitly feminist and political issue and will not seek to reclaim the word slut, leaving it to individuals to decide what labels they feel comfortable in adopting.

The exact date of the march has not been decided yet. Follow SlutWalk Calgary on Facebook to stay updated.

Tonight's show - SlutWalk: Criticism and Controversy

2011-06-13T17:23:00.002-06:00

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.

African Americans bias towards dark-skinned women

2011-06-04T14:27:00.002-06:00

This is a 9-minute trailer for the upcoming documentary Dark Girls, which explores the deep-rooted biases and attitudes about skin colour within Black American culture.

As an outsider, I was unaware of the discrimination that goes on within the Black community towards darker skinned women. I was shocked and saddened to learn that Black women judge other Black women on the darkness or lightness of their skin. One woman in the video says, "If I had a little girl, I didn't want her to be dark. I remember saying that. I didn't want her to be dark like me."

The film is due for release in the Fall or Winter of 2011. Follow Dark Girls Movie on Facebook to stay updated.

Dark Girls: Preview from Bradinn French on Vimeo.

Can you hide your child's gender?

2011-05-26T21:08:00.003-06:00

A Toronto couple has decided not to reveal the gender of their baby.

Kathy Witterick and David Stocker are intentionally raising a genderless child in hopes of freeing them from social norms, so that they can choose to be whoever they would like to be.

Storm, born on New Year's Day, has two older brothers — Jazz, 5, and Kio, 2 — whose genders are known, but who have been encouraged by their parents to feel free to make their own choices, gender irrelevant. Both boys wear clothing that is traditional associated with girls — sparkly pants, tutus — and Jazz chose to be home-schooled when he was uncomfortable the traditional school atmosphere (and its reaction to his female clothing).

“What we noticed is that parents make so many choices for their children. It’s obnoxious,” says Stocker. I find this quote a little ironic, because it seems as though these parents have made a pretty critical choice about their child's identity.

I appreciate where the parents' heads are at, but I don't agree with their decision. I think that they are imposing their own political values and social goals on their child in a way that may make life more difficult, unfairly so. Like Diane Ehrensaft, a California-based psychologist, I worry that they will unintentionally marginalize Storm.

Depending on how long Storm's gender is kept a secret, they may be subjected to unfair treatment at school by their peers. While even the most "normal" child can get bullied, intentionally creating a situation in which they are different from other children may be unfair. If the child grows up on wants to reject standard gender identifiers, that's one thing, but to impose that value on a baby seems a bit unreasonable.

As Jezebel rightly points out, Witterick and Stock made the gender of their child more of an issue, not less. If they really wanted their child to be who they really are, why don't they disclose the gender and let them be free to dress however they like, like the older boys? Why this need to keep it a secret?

At the end of the day, it's really not our business and much of the media's reaction to this story is out of fear for the "other," for people who don't identify as male or female. It's trumped up and reactionary.

If the child decides on their own that they want to be gender neutral, then that is fine by me. In the mean time, our society is not nearly as progressive as we like to think it is and that's quite a statement to put on such a young person.

Tonight's show: Women in Science

2011-05-23T13:23:00.002-06:00

Why are there so few women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers? While women account for more than half of university graduates in Canada, they receive only 30% of the degrees granted in science and engineering fields. In elementary, middle and high school, girls and boys take science and math classes in roughly equal numbers and the girls typically have better grades. Yet few women go on to pursue these careers.Tonight we're discussing some of the reasons why women don't choose these careers and the barriers they face in both education and the workforce.

We'll also discuss a couple of awesome female scientists from the history books:

Elsie MacGill - a Canadian and the world's first female aircraft designer
Marie Curie - a Polish/French physicist and chemist, famous for her research on radioactivity

Elsie MacGill - not only was she the first woman in the world
to be awarded a masters degree in aeronautical engineering,
she was also a women's rights activist! This is one kick-ass lady!

Feminist sex education workshops here in Calgary!

2011-05-22T10:34:00.000-06:00

Check out these upcoming workshops from Venus Envy! Both are $15 and held at the Calgary Sexual Heath Centre (304, 201-14th Street NW). The workshops are hosted by Patty Thille, an experienced sex educator.

I'm Coming! A Guide to Women's Orgasm
Tuesday, June 7 from 7-9 p.m.
This session will look at some of the reasons women have difficulty with orgasm, offer suggestions around play to enhance sexual feelings, and cover important anatomical information. Discussion includes the g-spot, clitoris, and tips to use both alone and with a partner.

Erotic Talk: Talking Dirty for Everyone

Thursday, June 16 from 7-8:30 p.m.
Know what you want, but not sure how to get it? Whether you're not sure what words to use, or how to start spilling them out of your mouth, this workshop will give you ideas on how to make talking about sex just as great as doing it.

If you'd like to stay informed about future workshops offered in Calgary, follow Venus Envy Sex Ed in Calgary on Facebook.

Tonight's Guest : Friends from The Good Life Community Bike Shop

2011-05-16T10:29:00.005-06:00

Tonight we'll be joined by Neal and Britt from The Good Life Community Bike Shop, Calgary's community and environment friendly one-stop bicycle hub for beginners and bike pros alike! The Good Life has earned heaps of recognition within the community for their outstanding volunteer based mandate and for their focus on sustainable transport. The Good Life offers bicycle maintenance and repair workshops to the public and runs a recycling program which encourages the community to donate used bikes and bike parts which can in turn be refurbished and sold back to into the community.

Neal and Britt will be speaking with Allison and I about recent goings-on at the shop. We'll also be hearing about two particular recurring workshops at The Good Life: Women's Wednesdays and Gears For Queers. Don't miss out, this will be a fun chat!

Tune in live tonight at 8:00pm MST on CJSW 90.9 FM dial or stream it from cjsw.com

Next show: stereotypes about "angry" feminists

2011-05-08T20:53:00.000-06:00

Everybody knows the stereotype of the angry, ranting, man-hating, hairy feminist. But if you actually are a feminist, or know anything about feminists, you're aware that the actual percentage of "angry feminists" is extremely low. All feminists are lumped into this category, which is kinda like assuming all Muslims hate America, all Mormons are polygamists or any other wide-sweeping, ridiculously inaccurate generalization.

When a feminist is accused of being angry, it becomes easy for the accuser to dismiss her idea as an overreaction because she's "too emotional." "too sensitive" or "irrational." (Men's anger, of course, is always rational). Either that or we're accused of PMSing. Anyway, the angry feminist myth remains an extremely prevalent stereotype, so we're setting out to debunk it on our show!

Here are some references to articles and music we'll be discussing on the show:

The Angry Feminist - a good read.
In Defense of "Angry" Feminists - from TheFrisky.com
The Prisoner of Sex - great article on Andrea Dworkin, the ultimate "angry feminist"
Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know is the epitome of angry women's music! Unfortunately, she was instantly labeled an angry woman because of this song - a label that remains with her.

Tune in on Monday, May 9 at 8:00 pm on CJSW 90.9 fm in Calgary, or listen online at cjsw.com.

Gender neutral washrooms - not as cool as they sound

2011-05-05T21:15:00.005-06:00

Last week I experienced my first gender neutral washroom (excluding queer bars, where male/female washroom signs are basically just suggestions). I was at a club in Vancouver, and when nature called I headed downstairs to the loo, which I quickly discovered was unisex. I’m an open minded person about gender stuff, so I was surprised to realize how uncomfortable the washroom made me feel. After having some time to mull it over, I realized I disliked it for three reasons:

It smelled like pee. I’m totally blaming that on the dudes.
It removed that chit-chat-in-the-washroom ritual that women have. Women are notorious for going to the loo in packs. It’s a nice little escape in a noisy club; you do your makeup, gossip, make new friends and accept hugs from random drunk girls. It just doesn’t feel right in a unisex washroom, because you can’t partake in the ritual in quite the same way.
It didn’t feel safe. The washroom didn’t have stalls so much as “cells” – each stall was its own contained unit. There was no gap under the door or sides, and it was sealed on top; it was a completely closed-off room. It would be really easy for two people to jump in there and get their freak on, which is cool if it’s consensual, but it would also be really easy to force someone in there against their will. With the noise of the club, it would be hard to hear anything.

There are probably much better gender neutral washrooms around, and I hope to experience more in the future because I think they have the potential to be cool in the right situation. But I’m not convinced that they’re appropriate for a night club.

Tonight: Interview with playwright Catherine Banks

2011-04-25T11:55:00.003-06:00

Tonight we're interviewing Nova Scotia playwright, Catherine Banks. In 2008 her play Bone Cage was awarded the Governor General’s Award for Literature (English) Drama.

Catherine's new play, It is Solved by Walking, is premiering this week in Calgary through Urban Curvz Theatre, our local women's/feminist theatre company!

The play runs from April 28 - May 7 at the Joyce Doolittle Theatre (in the Pumphouse Theatre). Tickets are $22 for adults, $17 for students and seniors. There is a "Pay What You Can" preview performance on April 27.

For ticket purchase and information call 403-263-0079 or visit UrbanCurvz.com.

Have you seen this poster? It might just make your day.

2011-04-23T18:01:00.005-06:00

As you stroll about Calgary, you might stumble upon one of these “Booty Camp” posters and wonder what they’re all about.

The posters were created by “Two Big Fat Revolutionaries” (two self-identified fat feminists) who were tired of seeing posters advertising boot camps, which are fitness programs geared towards women. They were pissed off that these advertisements make women feel shitty about their bodies and imply that only slim bodies are healthy and sexy.

So the Two Big Fat Revolutionaries decided to do something about it. They got together, ate a giant pizza without feeling an ounce of guilt, and came up with their own Booty Camp poster in hopes of starting a movement of self-love through fat-positive guerilla art.

The Revolutionaries and their friends postered the city in early April, and continue to put up posters whenever they can. A few weeks after the posters went up, I met up with a friend and she was excited to tell me about the Booty Camp poster she had seen, and how she was absolutely thrilled by it. She took one of the “You are beautiful” tear-offs, and kept it in her pocket. The next time she wore those jeans she rediscovered the note and was stoked to be reminded that she is beautiful.

A poster like this can really make a person’s day. It’s nice to see something that reinforces a positive message about our bodies and doesn’t make us feel like we need to be slimmer, fitter or firmer. As the poster says, “The widespread depiction of uncommonly thin women defines what we consider beautiful, so sometimes it’s hard to remember: YOU are BEAUTIFUL!"

If you want to get involved, put up some posters or just get more info, email the Two Big Fat Revolutionaries at juliet.burgess@gmail.com.

Tonight: Activism & Feminism in Spoken Word Poetry

2011-04-18T19:19:00.005-06:00

Spoken word poetry has become, and is traditionally based on, activism. It's a tool utilized mostly by younger generations to express their opinions and tell their own stories. Spoken word is the poetry of people who have been repressed in some way; it has been an important aspect of the feminist, anti-war and anti-discrimination movements (among many others).

Tonight we'll feature works and stories from some amazing men and women of Spoken Word. Below are some links and videos to works and interviews from some of the artists that we'll be discussing on the show tonight:

Sonya Renee - What Women Deserve

Alix Olson - Cunt Cuntry

Lauren Zuniga - Girl:Exploded

Sunni Patterson - We Made It

AlJazeera's One on One : Suheir Hammad

How Feminism Changed the World

2011-04-16T14:53:00.007-06:00

On March 5, 2011, the National Post ran an article, How Feminism Changed the World, by Robert Fulford. The article begins with a few paragraphs that describe how profoundly feminism has impacted Western nations. Upon reading this, I couldn’t help but feel proud to be part of a movement that has done so much for so many people.

It is easy to forget how much feminists have accomplished because our ideas are scorned, we’re brushed off as radicals, we’re told no one cares about feminism and our long list of successes is rarely celebrated. So, I wanted to share these few paragraphs to remind all the awesome feminist ladies (and men) out there that we have accomplished much in a relatively short period of time. [Feminist high five!]

Feminists have fundamentally changed society throughout the democracies of the West... and changed it much for the better. Around 1970 the “second wave” of feminism took hold, so named in deference to the “first wave” suffragist campaigns that flourished a century ago. At first, the second wave seemed merely a footnote to what women had already gained. Instead, it proved far more significant than its historic predecessor. It transformed the texture of society, leaving no corner untouched. It altered all our means of expression, from the tone of public media to the style of private speech.

Some organized attempts to improve the lot of humanity claim limited victories; others do more harm than good. Only feminism can claim to have broadened, permanently, the lives of half the humans in the West. Its success, based on earnest arguments and improvised political strategies, is without parallel in the last century. Nothing since the Industrial Revolution has done so much to expand opportunity.

Feminism has altered a whole culture’s ideal version of sexual roles. It has changed the professions, most strikingly medicine and law. It has affected how children are raised, how the law deals with domestic life, how corporations and public institutions are staffed.

In short, feminism is fucking awesome! To read the full article, click here.

Wheels are in motion for Slutwalk Calgary!

2011-04-07T08:58:00.007-06:00

On April 3, 2011, thousands of women and men in Toronto rallied the streets to take a stand against Toronto Police, who announced earlier this year that women could reduce their risk of sexual assault by not dressing like “sluts.” Join Slutwalk Calgary in their mission to spread the word that those who experience sexual assault are not the ones at fault. The onus should not be placed on women to reduce their risk of rape... it is the assaulters themselves who bear full responsibility for their crimes.

SlutWalk is coming to Calgary (date to be announced) – and if you want to be a part of this, make sure you follow Slutwalk Calgary on blogger, Facebook or twitter! If you'd like to get involved please email slutwalkcalgary@gmail.com

To see more great pictures from Slutwalk Toronto check out The Best 30 Signs at Slutwalk Toronto

Monday April 4: Interview with Roller Derby girls!

2011-04-03T16:02:00.003-06:00

On April 4, Geea and Allison will interview two ladies from the Calgary Roller Derby Association, Lexi Fatale from the Thrashin’ Lassies and Cheetah von Teese from the B52 Bellas. Their season opener is coming up on April 16th at the Triwood Arena! Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Check the website for details!

After the interview, we'll discuss the following news stories:

Women hold fewer than 1/3 of top news media jobs - Women do not occupy positions in media management at nearly the same rate as men. Women hold 27% of managerial jobs such as CEO, and 39% of senior management/editorial positions, like managing editor or bureau chief. Even for lower news gathering/writer/editor jobs, women only make up 41% of these positions.

How does Charlie Sheen get away with abusing women and become the highest paid actor on TV? Feminist blog Jezebel lays out 20 years of Sheen's history of abusing women, reminding us that he's been accused of assaulting, threatening, harassing, abusing, and—in one incident—shooting women.
In an excellent article from the New York Times, The Disposable Woman, Anna Holmes discusses how nobody's talking about Sheen's abusive history, and instead shrug him off as being just a "bad boy" or "rebel."

Monday's Show: Festival of Female Playwrights

2011-03-28T09:30:00.000-06:00

On Monday, March 28 we’re interviewing Jacqueline Russel, organizer of Girls Gone Wilde, a festival of female playwrights happening April 1-2 in Calgary. Check out the Girls Gone Wilde website for info about this festival!

We’ll also discuss the following news stories:

American Apparel CEO uses secret contracts to silence models who pose nude for him – This news report exposes the binding and restrictive contract that American Apparel makes their models sign. It touches on the lack of rights and vulnerability to exploitation that models face (particularly amateur models), as well as CEO Dov Charney's abusive and toxic work environment, questions of labour relations and labour rights, and the blatant sexualization of women in their advertisements.

New Duke Nukem video game encourages players to kidnap and slap women – Duke Nukem Forever (to be released June 14th) has a “Capture the Babe” mode of play. Players are tasked with kidnapping a woman, throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her back to his base to share the spoils. If she “freaks out” players are encouraged to slap her until she shuts up.

Libyan woman says she was raped by 15 of Gaddafi's men - is accused of mental illness and prostitution

2011-03-27T21:36:00.008-06:00

A distraught Libyan woman snuck into a hotel full of foreign journalist and made a desperate plea for help. She says she was beaten and raped by 15 men from Gaddafi’s regime over 2 days. The Libyan government has responded by saying she was drunk and is mentally ill.

Reports are sketchy, but from what I can tell, she went was held by the Gaddafi government for some time, and is now free. The government is also saying she's a prostitute who refused to take a medical exam, and this is all in "her line of work" anyway.

Abercrombie sells push-up bikini tops for kids

2011-03-22T15:02:00.010-06:00

Abercrombie Kids is selling push up triangle bikini tops. Let me reiterate that these are for kids. According to Sociological Images (where I first discovered this), Abercrombie Kids markets their products towards 7 - 14 year olds, and the average age of puberty is 12. Don't you think their target audience is a little young to be enhancing their cleavage?

I don't know why any of this shit from Abercrombie surprises me anymore. Here's just a sample of some other offensive and sexist clothing they've produced:

In 2002 Abercrombie Kids had to remove a line of thong underwear sold for girls in pre-teen children's sizes after parents mounted nationwide storefront protests. The underwear included phrases like "Eye Candy" and "Wink Wink" printed on the front.

In 2004 they got in trouble for a sexist and offensive tshirt that said "L is for Loser" next to a picture of a male gymnast on the rings.

In 2005 they came out with tshirts displaying sexist messages such as "Available for parties," "Who needs brains when you have these?" and "I had a nightmare I was a brunette."

A tshirt controversy arose again over A&F's Back-to-School 2009 collection of "humor tees." One shirt proclaims "Show the twins" above a picture of a young woman with her blouse open to two men. Two other shirts state "Female streaking encouraged" and "Female Students Wanted for Sexual Research."
Source: Abercrombie & Fitch product criticism - Wikipedia

Tonight: Small business owners - the challenges and rewards of being a female entrepreneur!

2011-03-21T16:16:00.004-06:00

On tonight’s show we’re interviewing Meagan Kelln, a busy mom and small business owner. She started her business, HouseLife – help for home, food and fashion, when she was young and raising a small child. We’re going to chat with her about some of the challenges that women face in business, and how she’s taken advantage of networking groups and other programs to help her become successful.

Also, Meagan is co-hosting a great event for women in business on May 28. Marketing Yourself: Social Media Forum and Fashion Show is an all-day event with a social media Q&A panel, networking opportunities, small business exhibition and market, fashion show and more.

American Apparel increases sleaze, decreases sales

2011-03-19T08:53:00.021-06:00

I've had a problem with American Apparel's advertising for a LONG time. I always hold out hope that it will get better, because American Apparel does some pretty cool things, like not photoshopping the models in their ads, supporting the legalization of same-sex marriage, and not using sweatshops to produce their clothing. That's all very nice... but I can never understand why AA is so ethical in those areas, yet they spew out such exploitative, porn-like advertisements that over-sexualize young women.

Look at the selection of their most recent ads below. You’ll see more tits, ass and pubes than the clothing they actually sell. So what are the ads actually selling? The women have become the products, not the clothing. AA caters to a hipster clientele, and they’re selling the idea that half-naked women in passive, child-like positions are hip. If you want to be hip and trendy, strip down and become a docile object to be stared at.

It’s also interesting to note the inclusion of pubic hair in a couple of these ads. This is something I haven’t seen before in AA’s advertising, and I’ve been following it for years. Maybe AA felt they’d fully exploited tits and ass to their maximum potential, so they had to up their game by adding pubes.

Another departure from their traditional sleaze is the hand-drawn images. The black and white ads for cotton panties are particularly disturbing because the girls look about 16. We already know that the company's CEO, Dov Charney, loves barely-legal ladies, and is currently dealing with a lawsuit filed by a former employee who says that when she was 18 he forced her into sex and essentially held her prisoner for hours after she visited his Manhattan apartment in 2008. The lawsuit is the latest in a string accusing Charney of inappropriate sexual conduct with female employees.

AA seems to be ever-striving to create the most controversial and sleazy ads possible. Whenever I get riled up about AA, I question whether or not I should even post their offensive ads. By posting them and paying attention to them, I am ultimately giving them more exposure and hype, which may be exactly what the company wants. However, I feel that I have to post them because a lot of anti-American Apparel sentiment is brewing and more people are boycotting them due to their advertising, so I definitely want to add fuel to that fire.

The good news is that American Apparel might not be around much longer, as they are on the verge of bankruptcy and have now been slammed with yet another sex scandal.

Most of these images were brought to my attention by Copyranter,
an excellent blog about advertising and marketing.

Spreading love & lessons on armpit hair

2011-03-16T20:35:00.008-06:00

Despite the fact that all women have armpit hair, it’s hard to find one who wears it with pride. I recently came to an interesting realization: I’ve NEVER had armpit hair. As soon as it began to grow in, I was already shaving it off, and I’ve never let it grow longer than about 1.5 cm (after a week in the mountains with no razor!). So, why do women spend so much time, effort and money shaving (or waxing) what Mother Nature gave us?

Prior to World War I, most women only worried about the hair that could be seen; hair on the scalp, and for some, facial hair. Around 1915 however, fashions changed and sleeveless dresses came into style. And so began The Great Underarm Campaign – whereby companies that made razors sought to inform American women of a problem they didn’t know they had: unsightly underarm hair.

The campaign began with an ad in the May 1915 issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine. The ad featured a young woman in a toga-like dress. Her arms are arched over her head revealing perfectly smooth armpits. The first part of the ad reads, “Summer Dress and Modern Dancing combine to make necessary the removal of objectionable hair.”

Around the same time this ad ran, Wilkinson Sword launched a marketing campaign for razors aimed at women, and within two years sales of razor blades had doubled.

The advertisers succeeded in convincing women that armpit hair was unattractive. They used an advertising technique that is still hugely successful today: invent a problem and then offer your product as the solution. It’s commonly used in anti-wrinkle cream advertising, for example. It doesn’t get much more natural than wrinkles, but advertisers have millions of us convinced that (a) they’re a problem, and (b) we can “cure” them with creams and botox injections.

So, we know why most of us shave off our pit hair, but are there any good reasons to grow it? There are plenty of reasons not to, the least of which being that you’re likely to be called a femi-nazi, man-hating lesbian, angry hairy bitch, or some other cruel name. (I mean, seriously? All that anger over a few wisps of hair!? Get over it, people!)

Well, here’s one reason why you might want to consider growing it back. In one of the most popular and trusted books on sex, The Joy of Sex by Alex Comfort, the authour makes such a strong case for female armpit hair that I had to share it here.

“The natural perfume of a clean woman [is] her greatest sexual asset after her beauty (some would say greater than that). It comes from the whole of her – hair, skin, breasts, armpits, genitals and the clothing she has worn…[some women] chop off their armpit hair, or did until a new generation started to realize that it was sexy. This might be forgivable in a hot climate with no plumbing. Now it is simply ignorant vandalism… A woman’s little tufts [are the] antennae and powderpuffs to introduce herself in a room, or in lovemaking.”

And it’s true… humans are attracted to each other on a primal level by the way we smell. Your own unique smell is an extremely powerful force, and armpit hair is there to capture it.

Despite my awareness of how ridiculous it is that women shave their pits, I still do it. It’s a social norm that’s extremely hard to break away from. But after reading about armpit hair in The Joy of Sex, I have to admit I’m tempted to give pit hair a chance! “Little tufts”… “Powderpuffs”… Why, it sounds simply delightful! And despite what the media tells us, there are plenty of folks – both men and women – who find the au natural style very attractive.

Whatever your preference for pit hair may be – bushy or bare – I think we all need to respect the choices of others. We shouldn’t be disgusted by women who grow bushy little powderpuffs, and we shouldn’t assume anything about their sexuality, anger levels, involvement in feminism, or anything else! And for those of us who shave or wax, we need our hairy sisters to understand that most of us won’t ever go there, mostly because we’ve been so brainwashed to think it’s unattractive and we’re terrified of what other people might think.

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

2011-03-14T09:47:00.008-06:00

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.

Generation F - Reflections on Third Wave Feminism

2011-03-08T07:13:00.005-07:00

For a new generation of feminists, the battles are strangely familiar

Coming out as a feminist isn’t easy. The word is loaded with baggage and politics—people often look away nervously when I drop the “F-word.” Feminism is misunderstood and feared, but in spite of that, feminists are not an extinct or even an endangered species. Canada still boasts a strong feminist movement, and it is as relevant and necessary as ever.

Feminists of my generation—or “third wave feminists”—are in their 20’s and 30’s and have grown up in a world where women and men are equal on paper, but not always in practice. The first two waves had clearly defined objectives and goals, but it’s difficult to pinpoint the collective aim of the third wave.

First wave feminists emerged at the turn of the last century. These determined suffragettes fought for women’s right to vote, to run for political office, and to be legally defined as persons.

Second wave feminists of the 1960’s and 70’s battled for reproductive rights and paid maternity leave. They established women’s shelters and reformed laws regarding rape, equal pay and more. Feminists of the second wave accomplished many legal victories, and by the 1980’s, women seemed – in theory - to have it all.

So what causes do third wave feminists espouse? The movement began in the 1990’s and has invited criticism for lacking a common goal, and for being disjointed and disorganized. At the same time, the newest generation of feminists have expended significant efforts defending the rights won by second wave feminists. The battles our mothers fought are not over, and the victories they won are under constant threat. We’ve been so busy trying to keep up with the unfinished business of second wave feminism that we’ve hardly had the chance to set a third wave agenda.

Access to abortion and reproductive health services remain under attack, even though abortion has been legal for 24 years, and enjoys the support of the majority of Canadians. Since the Supreme Court struck down the law banning abortion in 1988, at least 35 pro-life private members’ bills and one government bill have attempted to curb access to the procedure. It can still be difficult and expensive to obtain an abortion, especially for women who don’t live in or near a major urban centre.

Canadian laws requiring equal pay for equal work have existed since the 1950’s, yet in 2011 are still a major preoccupation for feminists. In 2007, Canada became the first modern economy with more women working than men. Women today comprise more than half of our university students. However, studies show that a Canadian woman doing the same job as a man will still earn only 63-83% of his wage.

Second wave feminists lobbied to change laws about rape and were once again successful - on paper. Since 1983, rape victims no longer have to defend their reputations in court: their sexual history or their attire cannot be used against them. Yet in February 2011, a Winnipeg judge let a convicted rapist off with no jail time because the victim was wearing skimpy clothes and “wanted to party.”

It’s discouraging that third wave feminists must still defend rights our mothers thought were settled. Although many of our politics and battles have remained unchanged since the second wave, much has changed about feminists themselves.

Young feminists are less aggressive because we know that despite the remaining inequalities, Canadian women’s situation and status is among the best in the world. We have a better sense of humour about feminism than our mothers did, but we’re completely, sometimes ridiculously, obsessed with political correctness. We’re open-minded about contentious feminist issues of the past like prostitution, pornography and gender queerness. And one of the most significant shifts has been embracing the involvement of men in the movement.

The feminist movement is not in crisis—it is just being pulled in two directions at once. The unresolved issues of the second wave keep drawing the third wave into old battles, while issues such as the career-motherhood balance continue to arise and demand our efforts and attention. As Generation F looks to the future, we still have to keep one eye on the past.

Tonight: Women in Film, Theatre & Television

2011-02-28T16:07:00.005-07:00

Tonight on the show we interview Carol Whiteman, President & CEO of Creative Women Workshops Association. Carol organizes the Women in the Directors Chair Workshop to mentor and celebrate women working in film, theatre and television!

After our interview with Carol we’ll discuss the following recent events and issues:

No jail time for rapist because victim “wanted to party” – The National Post, Feb 24, 2011
Related: Do a tube top and high heels say, ‘Go ahead, rape me?’ – The National Post, Feb 24, 2011

Anti-abortion billboards in New York and Los Angeles target Black women and spark outrage
Protesters in 55 cities worldwide gathered for International Walk for Choice day on Saturday, February 26

Feminist Flicks & Fundraiser!

2011-02-27T10:32:00.003-07:00

rebELLES Calgary is hosting a screening of two feminist documentaries as a fundraiser for the Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering!

What: Two documentaries: (1) I tty Bitty Titty Committee, and (2) rebELLEs: The Movie. Feminism Uncensored - a documentary of the Pan-Canadian young feminist gathering, Waves of Resistance, that took place in Montreal in 2008.

When: Wednesday, March 9, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Where: The Good Life Community Bike Shop in Eau Claire Market

Cost: There will be a small door charge, as the event is a fundraiser for reBELLES Calgary. There will also be baked goods and merchandise for sale.

For more info: Check the Facebook event.

Adbusting at Market Collective

2011-02-20T10:23:00.013-07:00

Last weekend, volunteers from Take Back the Night Calgary set up an ad-busting workshop at Market Collective. People were invited to flip through magazines and find advertisements, images and articles that they wanted to “bust.” Busted images were then plastered over the walls.

I organized this adbusting workshop, and I’ve been doing these for about 5 years now. I define adbusting as “Defacing images that are offensive because they portray unrealistic beauty standards, are sexist, classist, homophobic, racist, insulting or demeaning."

Here's what the adbusting workshop looked like:

The workshop drew large crowds and we received so much positive feedback. One woman came up to me and said, “Thank you so much. I really needed to see this.” I think that seeing busted ads helped to remind people that we shouldn’t passively accept images we see in media: we should be thinking about them, what they really mean, and what they’re really telling (and selling) us.

We received over 100 “busted ads” but I can’t post them all here, so below are some of my favourites.

Jennie's Picks: The Best Busted Ads from Market Collective

THIS is beautiful? But it's fake!

Who can compete with Photoshop?

I miss my Mommy

Did you see she has such pretty eyes?

There's more to life than being pretty

That's cool... I'll just wait over here

Women are food? Consume, dispose, repeat.

Remember what food tastes like?

Urban Curvz theatre explores the drama of a lesbian wedding

2011-02-15T20:52:00.002-07:00

It’s a girl’s dream: a wedding day with all her friends there to support her. But when her friends are rapidly falling in and out of love with one another, and her wife-to-be is too busy keeping the peace to pay her any attention, the bride is ready to explode. The play is described as "a mix of physical theatre and high-stakes pillow fight."

Urban Curvz is an award-winning theatre company based in Calgary. Their work "reflects the wit and intelligence of the women in this city" and celebrates the female experience as a source of autonomous art.

Love(her)/Fight(her) at Lunchbox Theatre
February 17–25, 2011
Evening shows are at 8 pm, except Fridays which are at 9 pm.
No shows Monday or Saturday
Additional Sunday matinee at 2 pm.
For ticket purchase and information call 403.265.4292 or visit UrbanCurvz.com

Fair trade sweater sale supports Bolivian women

2011-02-15T20:34:00.010-07:00

Last year we interviewed some lovely volunteers from a fair trade organization called Minkha Sweaters, and they're having a sale on March 12! Details below.

Canadian volunteers sell Minkha alpaca sweaters that are hand knit by a women's cooperative in Bolivia. All profits are returned to the Bolivian women through the efforts of Canadian volunteers.

Worldwide, about 70% of fair trade artisans are women. When women have the opportunity to earn an income, they gain increased control over their family's spending priorities. Studies show that when women earn money, they most often use this income to improve the lives of their children. This results in better schooling, healthier food and improved health care for families, which helps to directly end the cycle of poverty.

Minkha Fair Trade Sweater Sale
Saturday, March 12, 2011
10am - 4pm
Strathcona Community Centre
277 Strathcona Drive SW, Calgary

Love yourself this Valentine's day!

2011-02-14T11:11:00.003-07:00

For those of you who read my posts regularly, you're probably aware that my two favourite topics within feminism are (1) advertising/media, and (2) body image and self esteem. Since today is Valentine's Day, I wanted to share a quote about loving yourself from one of my favourite writers, Ayn Rand.

I believe that a lack of self esteem is one of the most serious issues facing North American women today. I won't get into too much detail here, but you can read my post The Absolute Importance of Self Esteem to find out why I think self love is critical to happiness and sucess in almost all aspects of your life.

So, this Valentine's day, you should definitely give props to the people in your life that you love, but also remember to love yourself first and foremost. Here is one of my favourite quotes from Ayn Rand (please excuse the masculine pronouns - it was written in 1964!).

"To love is to value. Only a rationally selfish man, a man of self-esteem, is capable of love—because he is the only man capable of holding firm, consistent, uncompromising, unbetrayed values. The man who does not value himself, cannot value anything or anyone."

- Ayn Rand in “The Objectivist Ethics,” The Virtue of Selfishness

Update on Tonight's Chat With Sunday Omony

2011-02-07T23:41:00.003-07:00

Tonight we sat down with model, Humanitarian and all around wonder-lady Sunday Omony.

Such a lovely guest! During the program, we mentioned Sesame Street's "I Love My Hair" song, all about encouraging young girls to accept themselves (and their fabulous hair!). I promised I would post it for reference, so here it is!

The podcast of this episode will be available shortly. You can stream this and previous episodes here or subscribe via iTunes.

Tonight: Interview with plus-size model and humanitarian, Sunday Omony

2011-02-07T08:56:00.003-07:00

Tonight we are excited to be interviewing Sunday Omony! Sunday was born in Uganda and her family migrated to Canada in 1991. Today she is a plus-size model and a humanitarian - founding her own non-profit organization and contributing to other charities that she is passionate about. We'll be speaking to Sunday about body image and plus-size modeling, as well as the causes that she's passionate about.

Image via Sunday Omony's portfolio

A wonderful feminist spoken word piece

2011-02-01T20:46:00.002-07:00

Lauren Zuniga performs a poem for the Oklahoma legislators that are trying so hard to take away women's reproductive rights. The bill in question will require women to receive an ultrasound and listen to the baby's heartbeat before an abortion.

Thanks to Lemon of Choice for telling me about this video!

Tonight's Show: Feminism & Art

2011-01-31T13:46:00.003-07:00

Tonight we're discussing feminism and art - two wonderful things that go together so well. We'll be interviewing local artist and feminist, Teresa Posyniak, whose art often features the female body. Her art also reflects her interest in women's issues such as domestic violence.

We'll also be discussing the upcoming feminist art show BODY / IMAGE. The show features art by local folks who explore issues of womanhood, the female body, body image, etc. in their work. The opening night of BODY / IMAGE is Thursday February 3 (7 - 9:30 p.m.) at the Marquee Room, and will feature performances by burlesque dancers, a drag king troupe, and spoken word artists. Admission is only $4 and all proceeds go to Take Back the Night - a grassroots feminist organization that raises awareness about violence against women.

Unbelievable!

2011-01-28T15:35:00.003-07:00

After my initial excitement at seeing the US Weekly magazine cover with Elton John, his husband David Furnish, and their baby Zachary, i came across this image; Arkansas Grocery store chain Harps has censored the cover to 'protect young Harps shoppers.' I bet they don't censor all the images of nearly naked celeb magazine covers that we're exposed to on a daily basis. Completely disgraceful!

British ad promotes marriage

2011-01-26T22:51:00.004-07:00

This ad campaign was created "to make people reappraise marriage as the number of British people marrying drops to its lowest level since 1862."

Does anyone else think it's weird to advertise marriage?! It's not a product or service! (Although, the wedding industry is worth billions).

More info about the ad campaign at Copyranter.

Tonight's Show: Feminist News & Views

2011-01-24T11:43:00.006-07:00

Tonight we discuss the following recent events:

The B.C. inquiry into missing women was opened last week.
Saskatchewan's government has decided that marriage officials can't opt-out of marrying gay or lesbian couples.
January 21st marked the 38th anniversary of Roe V. Wade - the historic Supreme Court decision to make abortion legal in the United States.
Republican leaders are introducing legislation that would permanently bar any taxpayer subsidies for abortion - a.k.a. the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act."
In the Bountiful, B.C. case, pro-polygamy women are set to testify in court. The testimony will offer a rare glimpse into the life of polygamous women.

Erotic talk workshop - just in time for Valentine's!

2011-01-21T14:31:00.003-07:00

Venus Envy and the Calgary Sexual Health Centre bring you a 90 minute workshop on talking dirty - just in time for Valentine's day!

Workshop description: Know what you want, but not sure how to get it? Whether you're not sure what words to use, or how to start spilling them out of your mouth, this workshop will give you ideas on how to make talking about sex just as great as doing it.

Date: Friday, February 11
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $20.00 per person
Note: This workshop is for women only
For more info click here or visit the Venus Envy Facebook page

One of the most offensive ads I've ever seen

2011-01-13T17:59:00.007-07:00

Click ad to enlarge image
Shape Liquid & Powder ad from 1970
Thanks to Vintage Ads for posting this

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you probably know that advertising is one of my niche areas of interest within feminism. I spend a lot of time looking at advertisements - both vintage and current - trying to dissect the meaning of ads and figure out what the company is trying to tell us and sell us. I've seen some pretty horrific ads in my time - but this one is right up there with the worst. When an ad is this offensive, I've gotta get my rant on! Below are the three worst sentences/paragraphs from this ad, and why they piss me off.

“Beneath that floppy sweatshirt she’s a little overweight. You knew that. Because right now, you’re a little over weight, too. That’s bad. This year’s bathing suits hide nothing. Unless you start losing some, you may spend your summer in a sweatshirt, too. Face it, you’ve got to stop eating.”

The girl in the shirt IS NOT OVERWEIGHT. Not even close. By stating that she is, the advertisers are planting a seed of doubt in every reader's mind that she too is overweight. If a young, slim girl like that is “a little over weight,” then almost every woman is.
Being overweight is “bad”? And they've already implied that almost every woman is overweight… so now they’ve got 95% of the female readership feeling like bad people. This is a common advertising technique; advertisers make you feel insecure about something, then offer their product to fix your problem. In most cases, the “problem” is something completely natural, like grey hair, cellulite or winkles, but we’re made to feel so ugly/guilty/old/fat that we are desperate to fix it… and we’ll try any product that “guarantees” results.
“Face it, you’ve got to stop eating.” Wow. Really? That's a pretty blatant promotion of eating disorders.

“… you can substitute Shape for one or two meals a day. Or, if you’re really serious, four Shape meals a day for a while. And no other food.”

Are you fucking kidding me? This promotes unhealthy eating habits and essentially tells women who are “serious” about losing weight (and who wouldn’t be serious about it after you’ve already called us fat and told us that's bad?) that they shouldn’t eat.
What the hell does "four Shape meals a day for a while" mean? That's a pretty unspecific amount of time. If I consumed Shape four times a day and ate nothing else, how long do you think it would take before I'd collapse from lack of energy or some other ailment? Not to mention it would fuck with my digestive system.

“If we made Shape taste any better, you might start sneaking it now and then, and you would get fat on it.”

WTF. Terrible copywriting, just terrible. If you’re advertising a product that’s supposed to make women slim, why would you then state that having too much of it will make you fat? This sentence is just bizarre to me, and confirms the fact that the people who developed this ad were complete fucking idiots.

BODY / IMAGE - feminist art show in Calgary

2011-01-12T17:05:00.003-07:00

Take Back the Night Calgary presents BODY / IMAGE - a month-long art show and opening night event to bring communities together and to promote awareness around violence against women in Calgary.

The BODY / IMAGE art installation brings feminist issues to the forefront as local artists present work along the theme of the power and tribulations of womanhood.

BODY / IMAGE
When: February 3 – 28, 2011
Where: The Marquee Room, 612 8 Avenue SE

Opening night celebrations
When: February 3, 2011
Features: Performances by local spoken word artists, professional Burlesque dancers and gender-bending Drag Kings.
Cost: $4 - proceeds from the opening night cover charge will support awareness campaigns and community initiatives run by Take Back the Night Calgary.

Further details may be found at Take Back the Night Calgary, the Facebook event page, or by emailing tbtncalgary@gmail.com.

Tonight's show: Feminism in the legal system

2011-01-10T17:50:00.002-07:00

Tonight we are chatting with some ladies from the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF). We'll be speaking about two recent legal cases in Canada that are of great interest to many women and feminists:

The Polygamy case in Bountiful, BC
Recent changes to prostitution laws in Ontario

There is a Calgary branch of LEAF - if you're interested, check out the LEAF Calgary website.

The 2nd Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering – Winnipeg, May 2011

2011-01-09T16:36:00.007-07:00

The RebELLEs Movement wants to see YOU at the 2nd Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering! It's being held May 20-23, 2011 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

What is the purpose of the gathering?
If you want to learn about feminism and what it means to other young women, if you are interested in connecting with other active, engaged, community-building young women who are fighting for social justice across the country, if you want to make friends from every province and territory in Canada, if you want to help young women across the country have their voices heard and if you want to join up with an amazing group of like-minded queer-positive, sex-positive, pro-choice women then this is the event for you!

Who can attend the gathering?
The gathering is a women-only space and is open to all persons aged 14 - 35 who currently identify and live as women, and those who were born female who claim no particular gender identification, who identify as two-spirit or gender queer. It is up to each individual to reflect on whether or not they see themselves in this definition.

What will it entail?
At the gathering you will have the opportunity to attend various workshops, small and large group discussions, engage in skill-sharing, creative resistance, as well as a mass action.

How can I get involved?
Join the RebELLEs movement, mobilize women in your community, and head to Winnipeg in 2011 to join up with hundreds of feminist activists from across the country!

Contact rebelles@femrev.org if you want to get involved in organizing, have any questions, or want to learn more about the RebELLEs movement!
Visit RebELLEs.org for more details.

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Alberta women looking to get involved?

Calgary meeting - January 22
The meeting is a consulta for feminist women who are interested in attending or contributing to the Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering.

Date: Saturday, January 22, 2011
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: The Marquee Room - inside The Uptown Stage & Screen, 612 8 Ave SW Calgary
Contact: rebelles-calgary@hotmail.com

Edmonton meeting - January 17
We are looking to organize a group of Edmonton area feminists to attend the 2nd Pan-Canadian Young Feminists Gathering in Winnipeg May 20-23. We are organizing a consulta for woman and feminists to discuss issues that they would like raised at the conference during lectures and work shops.

Date: Monday January 17, 2011
Time: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Location: Remedy Cafe, 8631 109 St NW
Contact: edmonton.rebelles@gmail.com
Website: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=172252129478163

Feminist action figures!

2011-01-08T16:09:00.002-07:00

Ok, so this ad is just for fun, but how cool would it be if a toy manufacturer actually made feminist action figures? I would totally buy these Brontë Sisters Power Dolls for the budding young feminist in my life!

Feel-good feminist flick

2011-01-01T10:32:00.004-07:00

"We've got to demand pay that reflects the job you do, not whether you've got a dick or not."

Made in Dagenham is the true story of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant in England, where 850 female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination and the desire for equal pay. The walkout became instrumental in Britain's Equal Pay Act 1970, which prohibits unfair treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions of employment.

The film is currently playing at Calgary's Globe Cinema.

Brazil's first female president takes office Jan. 1st

2010-12-30T11:21:00.004-07:00

Democracy Now reports that Brazil's first female president will be sworn in on Saturday!

Dilma Rousseff is a former leftist guerrilla who was imprisoned and tortured for three years during Brazil’s dictatorship in the 1970s. Rousseff is a close ally of Brazil’s outgoing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In a recent nationally televised address, Lula praised the progress Brazil has made over the past eight years.

"It is deeply symbolic that the presidential sash is being handed over from the first working-class president to the first female president. This will be a landmark in the beautiful path our people have been building to turn Brazil, if it’s God’s will, into one of the world’s most equal countries."
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Playlist for Dec 27 - Hip Hop / Reggae show

2010-12-27T20:46:00.002-07:00

No feminist discussion on our show tonight... just pure and simple hip hop & reggae. Peace!

Jurassic 5 feat. Nelly Furtado - Thin Line

Skad K - Brother

The Kid Daytona - The Hill

The Roots - Right On

Bliss N Eso - Happy in my Hoodie

Rhyme Asylum - Open Mic Surgery

Plan B - Mamma Loves a Crackhead

Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley - The Master Has Come Back

Chuck Fenda - Herbalist Farmer

Asa - Jailer

Stephen Marley feat. Ben Harper - Inna Di Red

Nappy Riddem - One World Sovereignty

Thoughts on the film “TEETH” and a world where women don’t have to fear rape

2010-12-24T13:17:00.009-07:00

I recently watched the campy horror/comedy film TEETH, which has been on my list of films to see ever since I read about it in feminist magazines and blogs. I knew the basic premise of the story was a female character with a toothed vagina, and that was enough to entice me into finding out more. But what I didn’t expect was to enjoy the movie so much: both because it was a hilarious spoof on horror films, and also because as a feminist, it left me with a lot to think about. Some of those thoughts I’ll share here, after a brief synopsis of the film for those who haven’t seen it.

*Spoiler Alert!* Some of the plot is revealed here.

TEETH is the story of Dawn, a high school girl who discovers her vagina has teeth inside it. The first time she becomes fully aware of this is when she’s on a date with a boy from high school and he attempts to rape her. Dawn fights back but he eventually forces himself upon her. As he enters her, the teeth go into attack mode and needless to say, the boy loses his “manhood.”

Dawn is both horrified and terrified by what her vagina has done, so she visits a doctor to seek information about her unique anatomy. The male doctor asks her, “Have you ever had an internal exam before?” and when she replies no, a creepy grin spreads across his face. “So I imagine you have no idea what to expect” he says, as he lubes up his hand. He then proceeds to molest Dawn, violently fisting her while telling her, “I’m just testing your flexibility.” When Dawn realizes she’s being molested, once again the teeth go into attack mode, and the creepy doctor loses his hand.

Similar situations to the ones just described unfold throughout the film. At first it seems that Dawn has no control over the teeth inside her - they seem to bite everything that ventures into her vagina. But she eventually discovers that the teeth do not bite when she’s with a man who’s treating her respectfully; the teeth only bite men who violently force their way into her vagina.

Dawn comes to realize the power she holds within herself: touch me without my consent and you’ll pay. By the end of the film, Dawn’s character has changed from a timid, fearful girl who doesn’t understand her body to a strong, powerful woman who has no fear. She understands her body and how it will react when she becomes an object of violence.

One of the only things that I didn’t like about this film was that almost every man who came into Dawn’s life was a “bad guy.” All the guys she dated, the doctor, her brother, and others throughout the film, all were intent on raping, molesting or otherwise abusing her. I do realize that for some women, that is their reality: rape and abuse is all around them. But most women do not experience such a string of abuse in a short period of time. If I were to re-make this movie, I would introduce more male characters that were not out to harm Dawn, because the ratio of asshole rapists to regular nice guys was way out of proportion. In that way, I felt that this film misrepresents men.

But the movie definitely left me with a lot to think about. What if women never had to fear rape? Imagine how that would feel. Imagine what we could do without having to worry. We could walk home alone in the dark without fear. We could wear whatever we wanted without fearing that we’re “asking for it.” We could hitchhike without fear. I realize that bad things other than rape can happen to women in these situations; we could get robbed or beaten or any number of other horrible things. But being able to remove one of our greatest fears, sexual violence, would be quite a relief.

Now this brings me to Rapex: the internal anti-rape device that was invented for use by women in South Africa, which has the world's highest rate of sexual assault. Dubbed the “rape trap,” Rapex is a product worn internally by women. The hollow inside is lined with rows of razor-sharp hooks, which are designed to latch on to a rapist's penis during penetration. They can only be removed by a doctor. Apparently, the words of a rape victim - "If only I had teeth down there" - inspired the design of Rapex.

I’m not convinced that a device like Rapex is the solution to rape. As feminist organizations in South Africa have pointed out, women shouldn’t have to adapt to rape, and there are also fears that once a man’s penis is “bitten,” the pain may cause him to incite greater violence upon the woman.

Anyway, the film left me questioning how the world would be different if women had the physical power to fight back against rape. Most women are no match, physically, for a man intent on raping. We are powerless as someone forces their way inside us with violence and intimidation. What if no man ever dared to do that, because if he did, he’d pay with the loss of his most valuable possession? How different the world would be.

George Carlin on Women

2010-12-21T20:01:00.002-07:00

I love George Carlin.

We're on a Christmas hiatus... but our podcasts are back up and running!

2010-12-17T13:56:00.013-07:00

Howdy folks! Just a quick note to let y'all know that Yeah, What She Said is taking a 3-week hiatus over Christmas. We will still broadcast shows on December 20, 27 and January 3, but they will not be our usual talk-shows with a feminist focus. Instead, we'll be takin 'er easy and playing some sweet tunes.

Good news though... our podcasts are finally back up and running! Just follow this link to check out our latest podcasts.

Thanks to all our listeners, fans and blog readers who have supported us in 2010! We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and we are stoked to provide more feisty, feminist radio in 2011!

Your hosts,
Jennie Thunder, Geea and Lady Bee

Going Down on Everyone: A Workshop About Fellatio and Cunnilingus (Dec 19)

2010-12-13T21:46:00.005-07:00

Patty Thille, a sex educator with Venus Envy, will facilitate "Going Down on Everyone", a workshop about fellatio and cunnilingus that includes anatomy, safer sex, communication, positions and technique for mouths, lips, tongues and hands. Great for anyone who wants to know more about going down, regardless of gender or sexuality!

Venus Envy is committed to making sex education accessible and fun - they think sex should be dirty in a good way! Patty has been offering sexuality workshops for over six years, and this event will be educational, humourous, non-judgemental and empowering.

All details on the Facebook event page!
You may also wish to follow Venus Envy Sex Ed in Calgary on Facebook to keep up-to-date with workshops being offered in the future.

Going Down on Everyone
Sunday, December 19, 7:00-11:00 pm
Workshop start: 7:30 pm
714 5A St NW (buzzer: M. Hopkins)
Pay-what-you-can

Call 403.710.0093 or e-mail mark@swallowabicycle.com if you have any questions.

Tonight's Show: Feminism and Pornography

2010-12-13T17:05:00.009-07:00

Tonight we explore the two opposing feminist opinions on porn: those who support/accept porn, and those who believe it is inherently harmful to women. We also talk with sex educator, Patty Thille, about her opinions and thoughts on pornography.

Links to articles we reference/discuss on the show are listed below.

Anti-Porn Feminism

What's Wrong With Pornography? - Anti-Porn Feminists (blog)

The Prisoner of Sex - article on anti-porn feminist, Andrea Dworkin

Pro Sex/Porn Feminism

Feminist Porn Awards - GoodForHer.com

Feminist Porn: Sex, Consent and Getting Off - Feministe (blog)

XXX: A Woman's Right to Pornography - book by Wendy McElroy

Other Interesting Articles on Porn

Feminist views on pornography - Wikipedia

Men and Porn: What does porn do to men? - The Guardian

Feminist Friday Quote

2010-12-10T20:28:00.001-07:00

"[I made a vow] that I would use everything I knew, including from prostitution, to make the women's movement stronger and better; that I'd give my life to the movement and for the movement. I promised to be honor-bound to the well-being of women, to do anything necessary for that well-being. I promised to live and to die if need be for women. I made that vow some thirty years ago, and I have not betrayed it yet."

- Andrea Dworkin, Heartbreak: The Political Memoir of a Feminist Militant

Feminist art show - call for artists!

2010-12-10T14:09:00.003-07:00

Take Back the Night Calgary and Market Collective are issuing a call for artists for a month-long showing in February 2011 titled BODY / IMAGE. The event will showcase art from all visual fields, including projection work.

Art will hang on the walls of the Marquee Room (612 - 8 Ave SW Calgary) for the whole month of February. Additionally, select pieces will get extra exposure through the Market Collective event during one weekend in February (date to be determined). Both are high traffic spaces and well known and respected in Calgary's arts community. This is a great opportunity to showcase and/or sell your work.

The theme of the show is beyond the female body - exploring the struggles and power of womanhood. It's about advocating for a positive self-image and evoking the importance of feminism in its many forms. Naturally, the theme is up for interpretation by the artist.

Further details about the call for artists can be found on the Take Back the Night Calgary website. All submissions must be received by January 15th, 2011 at midnight.

Make your own 'It Gets Better' anti-homophobia video!

2010-12-08T18:45:00.003-07:00

Based on the efforts of Dan Savage’s “IT GETS BETTER” viral anti-bullying campaign, the Calgary Police Service, Fairy Tales and EMMEDIA have teamed up to launch a new program in which youth will be provided with the tools to create their own anti-homophobia public service announcements.

The program will begin with a series of workshops hosted by EMMEDIA Gallery & Production Society, where youth will be taught about the practicalities of filmmaking such as editing, video production and how to make an effective PSA. After acquiring the “how-to” knowledge they will then have access to the equipment at EMMEDIA to create their PSAs, which can be no longer than one minute.

Open to high school students and college/uni students up to age 24. All details and applications are on the Fairy Tales website.

Vintage Japanese Political Poster

2010-12-06T22:33:00.004-07:00

PinkTentacle posted a neat-o collection of vintage Japanese political posters - and this is my favourite. It's supposedly an anti-pollution poster, but it could also have a host of other meanings and interpretations. Interesting stuff.

More Ass-vertising

2010-12-06T22:21:00.004-07:00

More ass-vertising for shoes that will supposedly give you a miracle F-ing workout.

Previously in ass-vertising: Reebok's Ass-vertising Campaign

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

2010-12-04T17:40:00.005-07:00

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

Tonight's Show: Feminist News & Music

2010-11-22T17:07:00.005-07:00

Tonight we spin some tunes and discuss some recent events in the news.

Links to news we're discussing:

American couple sets up the website BirthOrNot.com and asks the public to vote on whether they should abort their pregnancy or carry through with it. Needless to say, this has insulted/pissed off almost everyone in some way... and bloggers at Jezebel and Feministing can't help but think it's a pro-life publicity stunt.
Edmonton has a new ad campaign that targets men who prey on drunk women. The ads feature slogans like "Just because she isn't saying no... doesn't mean she's saying yes" and are meant to resonate with young men.
Ok, so this isn't "news," but it's quite interesting. A bunch of Playboy memorabilia is up for auction at Christie's, and most interesting are the copies of centerfolds from the 90's and early 2000's that are marked up by editors in the art department. The message is clear: no matter how much dieting, plastic surgery, tanning and waxing you do, you'll never be perfect enough to be a fantasy woman. Check it out.

Track listing from tonight's show:

Janelle Monae (feat. Big Boi) - Tight Rope

Je Suis Animal - Sparkle Spit

Sonic Youth - Bull In The Heather

Basia Bulat - Heart of My Own

Woodpigeon - Knock, Knock

Bjork - Declare Independence

Free film to honour World Aids Day on Dec. 1

2010-11-21T09:31:00.003-07:00

In honour of World AIDS Day, AIDS Calgary Awareness Association, Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival and Club Sapien present:

SEX POSITIVE
A Documentary Film by Daryl Wein

Wednesday December 1, 2010 | 7:00 pm
Club Sapien | 1140 10th Avenue SW
Free admission

What if you knew a deadly epidemic was coming… and no one would believe you? Exploring the life of Richard Berkowitz, a revolutionary gay S&M sex worker turned AIDS activist in the 1980s, whose incomparable contribution to the invention of safe sex has never been aptly credited.

The film will be followed by an AIDS Calgary Safer Sex Game-Show and Sexy Carnival Games, all in support of AIDS Calgary Awareness Association.

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

2010-11-20T13:59:00.004-07:00

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.

The Photoshop Effect

2010-11-19T20:08:00.003-07:00

Do you know the extent to which photos in magazines are retouched? This video demonstrates how images are retouched and asks if our obsession with Photoshopped images is creating unattainable beauty standards for women.

Tonight: Women in Hip Hop

2010-11-15T15:02:00.012-07:00

Hip hop is still a young musical genre - it began in the South Bronx of New York City in the 1970s. It was, and to an extent still is, largely dominated by men. But just as women broke into the work force, politics and everything else that used to be an “old boys club,” women have bust onto the hip hop scene with mad style! Tonight we pay respect to the queens of hip hop.

Tonight's Playlist:

Missy Elliott - I'm Really Hot
Lady Sovereign - Random
Masia One - Return of the Bgirl
Santigold - Creator
Macromantics - Physical
Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue - Whatta Man
Jean Grae - My Crew
Jill Scott featuring Mos Def - Love Rain
God-Des and She - Love You Better
Reema Major - Gucci Bag
Eve - Love is Blind
The Fugees - Fu-gee-la

Reebok's Ass-vertising Campaign

2010-11-14T19:58:00.004-07:00

Reebok claims you can work out your legs and butt muscles just by wearing their EasyTone shoes. Everyone’s looking for an easy way to a bikini body – whether that be through “skinny pills” or shoes that tone your butt and legs. There’s so much damn pressure to look good (i.e. skinny) and marketers know that people will buy almost anything if there’s a glimmer of hope that it will work. Despite the lack of proof that these shoes actually work, people are buying them up. Officials from Reebok say the EasyTone is the company’s most successful new product in at least five years.

So, how are these shoes supposed to work? While most athletic shoes offer support and cushioning, these “muscle-activating” shoes are engineered to create instability. “Balance pods” inside Reebok EasyTone’s are said to force the wearer to engage stabilizing muscles further, resulting in more toned leg and buttock muscles.

An article from the New York times basically states that Reebok’s claims are bullshit. “To support the claims, the shoemakers each offer company-financed exercise studies suggesting that the shoes produce a higher level of muscle engagement, at least in a controlled research setting. But the studies don’t show whether more engagement leads to meaningful changes in muscle tone or appearance over time. Nor is it clear whether the high level of engagement continues once the walker becomes accustomed to the shoe.”

I think what disturbs me the most about these EasyTone shoes is their advertising campaign. Erm, make that assvertising campaign, cos asses are about the only thing you see. I’ve included two of their print ads, and you can also watch their obnoxious television ads on YouTube, but I warn you that watching these ads may lead to lower self esteem and feelings that your body isn't good enough. (Thanks, Reebok!)

The print ads are frustrating because they’re so obviously fake. The legs have been Photoshopped to such an extreme degree that they look like plastic Barbie legs. Real people’s legs don’t look like plastic, they have veins and different colours/tones on the skin. Caucasian skin is not a peachy-plastic colour: it has tones of red, purple, green, and blue within it. The only conclusion I can come to is that these legs must belong to some new race of humans with impossibly flawless skin!

Also what’s up with the see-through panties? It’s bad enough that they throw these fake skinny legs in our face, and now we have to look at ass-cracks too? It’s just a bunch of anonymous Barbie legs and asses being thrown into our faces, and we’re meant to believe that we can actually achieve this look? Let me save you the $150 on the shoes and some of your dignity by telling you now that even the fittest most athletic women in the world don’t have legs and asses that look like this because these are computer-generated bodies. Refuse to compare yourself to a Photoshopped body. Refuse to believe their bullshit lies that you too can look like this - all it takes is walking in these shoes!

No, Reebok. All it takes is a greedy advertiser and a soulless Photoshop editor who’s willing to air brush all the veins, colour, personality and individuality out of your legs until they look like two sticks of peach-coloured plastic.

So Reebok, I have a request for you. If you shoes ACTUALLY work, then have the balls/eggs to show us REAL women’s legs after they’ve walked around in these shoes. Until then, I’ll continue to believe that the only woman capable of legs like that is a computer-generated woman.

What the new feminists look like

2010-11-13T11:07:00.002-07:00

The November 2010 issue of MORE features the article, What the New Feminists Look Like.

The list includes feminist bloggers and journalists, birth control activists, founders of women's rights and anti-racist organizations and more.

Check out the full article - definitetly a great read! - but here are a few of my favourite quotes from some of the feminists that were featured:

“Ever since the ’60s and ’70s, abortion has been used as a litmus test by Establishment feminists. I don’t see that as the galvanizing issue for feminists of my generation, whether liberal or conservative. If you look worldwide, a lot of women still lack very fundamental rights. That’s where I think the focus of feminism should be.”
-Allison Kasiac, blogger

“There can be no feminist revolution without an end to racism. While I believe in advocating for reproductive rights and equal pay, these are not the overreaching concerns of women in the U.S. Yet they overshadow the social and historical problems for women of color: poverty, homelessness, inadequate health care.”
-Morgane Richardson, founder of Refuse the Silence: Women of Color Students Speak Out

“You want to talk about birth control, I can talk about birth control. If you’re going through menopause, I can help you with that. If you are pregnant, we’ll go through that. If you want to terminate your pregnancy, I can help you there, too. I completely object to ob/gyns who say, ‘I can do these things for you, but if you want an abortion, you have to go somewhere else.’ I think that is poor patient care.”
-Megan Evans, president of Medical Students for Choice

“A lot of the folks in the birthing community are actively antichoice. For me, being a doula is about supporting people during any phase of their reproductive life, [including] when you’re having a miscarriage or giving up your child for adoption or terminating a pregnancy. The birthing community can also be pretty alienating for people who aren’t straight. I want to talk about being a doula and about being pro-choice, queer and Latina."
-Miriam Perez, founder of Radical Doula

“What’s embarrassing but true is that although I was doing all these feminist things, I didn’t really embrace the label until I encountered the work of Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards—two hot, fun young feminists in fishnets. To me it signaled that there is a new age of feminism. I can be a feminist, but I don’t have to be a feminist like my mom is. It may be a pretty aesthetic and shallow reason. But sometimes we get so damn serious about this stuff, and if we want girls to be feminists, we have to give them an aesthetic they can relate to.”
- Courtney E. Martin, journalist and blogger

Tonight's Show: Amazing Female Animals

2010-11-08T16:31:00.002-07:00

Your inner science nerd is gonna love tonight's show! We pay tribute to some amazing females... from the animal kingdom! Komodo dragons, monkeys, the praying mantis, kangaroos and more! You won't believe what these "ladies" are capable of. Tonight from 8 - 9 pm on CJSW 90.9 fm.

Here are animals we're covering and the articles we reference:

Elephants
Canada Geese
Praying Mantis
Virgin births: Boa constrictor, Hammerhead shark, Komodo dragon
Eelpout fish
Monkeys: Grandmother monkeys, females with male friends
Red Kangaroos

Female snake's "virgin births" produce 22 baby snakes!

2010-11-03T08:23:00.005-06:00

Ok, so this is pretty random... but I thought it would be fun to give a shout-out to the females of the animal kingdom!

BBC News reports that a female boa constrictor snake has given birth to two litters of extraordinary offspring. The 22 baby snakes do not have a father, and their genetic make-up is unlike any previously recorded among vertebrates.

Virgin births do occur in the animal kingdom - many insects can produce offspring asexually, but among vertebrate animals it remains a novelty, having been documented among less than 0.1% of vertebrate species. Other vertebrates that have been known to reproduce asexually include komodo dragons and hammerhead sharks.

Even though it's pretty rad that some female animals can reproduce asexually, it's not all that great for the "kids." Without the genetic material from the father, the babies have reduced genetic diversity, which makes it more difficult for them to adapt to changes like environmental conditions or new diseases.

Some common sense thoughts on the Bible, same-sex marriage and abortion

2010-10-28T11:54:00.005-06:00

I found this opinion article by Michael Coogan really interesting. He nicely summarizes what I've always felt about the Bible: Take from it the valuable lessons about treating others well and being a good citizen, and leave from it the sexist, racist, out-dated and old fashioned ideas (after all, it was written thousands of years ago! Times have changed!)

Unless you've been living in a cave for the last few years, you'll know that tension is rising in America between Christians and non-Christians, and some of the big issues that cause that tension are abortion and gay marriage. Below are a few paragraphs from Coogan's article that address these issues in the way I wish all Americans could address them: with common sense. It seems to me that common sense is not all that common anymore! Anyway, enough of my ramble, here's what Coogan has to say:

When talking about so-called family values, pastors, popes, and politicians routinely quote the Bible as if it were an unassailable divine authority -- after all, they assume, God wrote the Bible, and therefore it is absolutely and literally true.

But that is a misconception. As the Bible itself makes clear, its authors were human beings, many of whom are named: David, Isaiah, Luke, and Paul. These human writers wrote over the course of more than a thousand years, and their writings reflect their own views and the values they shared with their contemporaries. So it's not surprising that inconsistencies are frequent in the Bible, both trivial and profound.

Although Jews and Christians, individually and collectively, have for the last 2,000 years accepted the Bible as authoritative in principle, in practice many of its values have been rejected. On issues such as slavery, no one today would maintain that slavery is acceptable, even though, according to the Bible, it was a divinely sanctioned institution. In the debates about slavery in the 19th century those opposed to its abolition cited the Bible in support of their position, but despite such biblical warrant, their views were renounced.

According to biblical law, a father could sell his daughter as a slave, and the last of the Ten Commandments lists as off-limits a neighbor's possessions -- his house, wife, slaves, and livestock. But the majority of modern Jews and Christians no longer accept the biblical view of women as men's property and hence subordinate to them, as they have also abandoned the biblical practice of polygamy.

In current debates about family values, most of which have to do with sex, opponents of abortion and advocates of a woman's right to choose both cite the Bible in support of their conflicting views, even though the Bible in fact says nothing specifically about the issue. And with regard to same-sex marriage, although the few biblical writers who mention same-sex relationships, especially between men, were unequivocally opposed to them, many contemporary believers would argue that, as with slavery and the status of women, it is time to recognize that the values of the biblical writers are no longer necessarily our own.

Opponents of same-sex marriage cite Leviticus, which says that when a man sleeps with a man as with a woman it is an abomination. They're right: It does say that. But it later calls for the death penalty for such activity, which only the most rabid opponents would insist on. The Bible also calls eating pork and a woman wearing a man's clothes abominations, yet many would no longer enforce such prohibitions.

So, I suggest, the essence of the Bible -- its ultimate authority -- is not in its individual pronouncements, but in its underlying message: equal, even loving, treatment of all persons, regardless of their age, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

To read the full article, click here.

It's 2010 and advertisers are STILL using gang rape to sell clothing?

2010-10-26T09:41:00.009-06:00

When will designer brands learn that it’s not cool to use gang rape to advertise clothing?

In 2007 Dolce & Gabanna put out this charming ad, which was banned in Italy, Australia and Spain, and caused controversy world-wide.

Now, Calvin Klein has basically done exactly the same thing. This new ad, starring Dutch model Lara Stone, has also been banned in Australia for being “suggestive of violence and rape.” Australia's ad watchdog said the image "was demeaning to women by suggesting that she is a plaything of these men. It also demeans men by implying sexualized violence against women."

I believe these companies know that what they're doing will spark controversy, and they're using the old "any press is good press" motto. So on the one hand I'm reluctant to even mention this because maybe that's exactly what they want... but on the other hand, it's really important that people understand WHY these images are unacceptable: Studies have shown that increased exposure to images of violence against women "normalizes it" and makes it less shocking and seemingly less wrong. If people start to think of rape and sexual assault as something normal, they will have less sympathy for victims, and more offenders will get away with their crimes.

CJSW Funding Drive - Incentives to Pledge!

2010-10-23T09:22:00.012-06:00

CJSW's 26th annual Funding Drive runs from Friday Oct 22 - Friday Oct 29! Please show your support for our radio station, which is almost entirely powered by volunteers! Did you know that all three hosts of Yeah What She Said volunteer their time to bring you this show and podcast?

Community radio is awesome because it's made by the people for the people, and there is absolutely no commercial bullshit! We think it's rad that CJSW devotes one hour of programming each week to women's/feminist issues, and if you think that's awesome too, then please donate on our show this year!

This year we've lined up some sweet incentives that you'll receive if you pledge on our radio program - Monday October 25 from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

To pledge, phone 204-220-5000!

**The first person to pledge $25 or more on our show gets two free tickets to John and Beatrice at Verb Theatre! Pick your night - shows at 8:00 pm until October 30! (Show plays at "Motel" in the Epcor Centre for Performing Arts)**

If you pledge $25
You'll get all the CJSW funding drive swag at that pledge level, PLUS a bonus CD:

FoonYap and The Roar - The Mes, The Mys, and The Swimming Pool
Sheri-D Wilson w/ Russel Broom - Re: Cord

If you pledge $60
You'll get all the CJSW funding drive swag at that pledge level, PLUS a bonus CD:

CocoRosie - Grey Oceans
Ashley Wells - Mama's Skirt
Girls Girls Girls - Songs for Grilly
Sal Kimber - Sounds like Thunder

If you pledge $75
You'll get all the CJSW funding drive swag at that pledge level, PLUS...

Two free classes at Bodhi Tree Yoga

If you pledge $80
You'll get all the CJSW funding drive swag at that pledge level, PLUS...

A $25 gift certificate to Rewind Consignment Clothing - a consignment clothing boutique downtown that also has some wicked jewelery and a funky selection of new clothing.

If you pledge $100
You'll get all the CJSW funding drive swag at that pledge level, PLUS...

A one-year subscription to Bitch Magazine (value $35)!

If you pledge $250
You'll get all the CJSW funding drive swag at that pledge level, PLUS...

Two tickets to the Alberta Ballet's performance of The Nutcracker !!!
Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. (value $170)

GQ's November issue turns Glee into porn

2010-10-20T11:24:00.020-06:00

Is this Glee photo shoot too sexually explicit for the audience it courts? I think so. Glee is a hugely successful television program that's popular with tweens and teens. It's also wildly popular amongst adults too, but the producers of Glee have to remember that if youth are a big part of their audience, the actors shouln't be posing like porn stars.

The racy photo shoot features Dianna Agron (Quinn), Lea Michele (Rachel) and Cory Monteith (Finn). The Los Angeles Times has a really good article about this, and these two paragragraphs were stand-outs for me:

Monteith is, of course, fully clothed. Not so his female costars, who bare their midriffs and décolletage, bras and panties, in thighs-spread, derriere-hoisted poses made more than slightly unsettling by their school-girl ensembles. Michele, in particular, seems to be auditioning for a live-action version of Japanese anime porn.

The result is not so much saucy and in-your-face as it is predictable and depressing -- oh look, more young women being asked to assume the position, this time complete with pom poms and lollipop. No doubt Agron and Michele did it to be sexy and playful, and were not at all manipulated by forces that have put generations of young women in precisely the same poses for precisely the same reasons -- to feed the fantasy, promote the show and sell magazines. And that just makes it worse, doesn't it?

First, it upsets me that young girls look up to these actresses and here they are posing like porn stars... great. Second, I'm so fucking sick of the same old "sexy" poses: girl licking lollipop seductively, guy with two girls, girls sticking their butts and breasts out, etc. I mean really. Get some god damn originality. Third and finally, I know that all the people in this photo shoot are adults, but they play teenagers on a television show. GQ is a magazine for men, and considering that these photos are set in a school, the photographer has essentially served up over-sexualized images of school girls to grown men.

Any other Glee fans out there? What do you think of these pictures? Today, I am sad to report that I've lots a little bit of respect for Glee.

The Threesome. Super creative and original!

The crotch shot. Another classic.

Oh, the lollipop in the mouth! Another CLASSIC!
And by classic I mean completely unoriginal.

Tonight's Show: Celebrating Women's History Month

2010-10-18T15:09:00.005-06:00

October is women's history month! In light of that, we are celebrating a few women who have made a mark in history and have inspired us with their intelligence, determination and passion.

Clara Hughes - Canadian Olympic athlete and the only athlete in history to win multiple medals in both the Winter and Summer Olympics.

Jane Goodall - A primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Jane is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania.

Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill was released 15 years ago (that makes me feel old!) and as far as Canadian women's contributions to music goes, this was MASSIVE. The album became the 2nd biggest seller of the 1990's and spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200 Albums Chart.

Alice Jamieson - In 1914, Alice was appointed the first female judge of in the British Commonwealth of a juvenile court. In 1916, she became the second female magistrate in the British Commonwealth - after Emily Murphy (one of the Famous Five).

Annie Gale - In 1917 she became the first woman in the British Commonwealth to be elected to a position in any level of government. She served as alderman for The City of Calgary municipal council.

Margaret Sanger - An American birth control activist. In 1916 Sanger and her sister Ethel Byrne, opened the first birth control clinic in the United States.

Happy Person's Day!

2010-10-18T08:37:00.005-06:00

On this day in 1929, women became "persons" in Canada, making women eligible to run for senate. This epic battle was won by five Alberta women, commonly known as the Famous Five.

Most Canadian women had been able to vote since 1918, but they couldn't run for senate due to some specific wording in the Canadian Constitution, which was written in 1867. It stated that only "qualified persons" could run for senate. The prevailing view of the legal establishment at that time was that "persons" did not include women.

So this group of gusty women fought to have the definition of "persons" changed. They were eventually successful, but it was quite a hard battle. To learn more about this, check out CJSW’s Today in Canadian History podcast for October 18, which features The Persons Case. It’s a 10-minute long podcast which was produced by me!

So, happy Person’s Day everyone! If you live in Calgary, please vote today! Women have only been allowed to vote in Canada for the last 92 years… so remember how lucky we are. Get out there and do your civic duty!

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

2010-10-14T20:16:00.005-06:00

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!

French women protest Burqa Ban in niqābs and booty shorts!

2010-10-12T11:04:00.005-06:00

On October 8th, France’s Constitutional Council approved the “Burqa Ban” – a law that bans burqas, niqābs, full body and face coverings in public spaces. However, the law will not apply to places of worship. The new law will impose a fine of approximately $190 and/or a citizenship course for a woman wearing a niqāb or a burqa. Additionally, any person forcing a woman to wear a full-face veil will face a year in prison or a $19,000 fine.

I think this new law is pretty ridiculous, and xenophobic to say the least. We don’t need laws that control women’s bodies and women’s choices. I realise some may claim that not all women choose to wear a veil and that it’s forced upon them. This is probably true in some circumstances, but I bet there’s a lot more women that wear it by choice – to honour their culture, religion or traditions. Either way, I don’t think the government belongs in any discussions about what we wear.

In response to the new law, two anonymous French students recently geared up in niqābs and booty shorts and strutted through the streets of Paris. They stopped at several government ministry buildings to protest the Burqa Ban.

The women, one of whom is Muslim, call themselves Niqabitches. “We were not looking to attack or degrade the image of Muslim fundamentalists – each to their own – but rather to question politicians who voted for this law that we consider clearly unconstitutional," they said. "We want to de-dramatise the situation."

Tonight's Show: The UofC Women's Centre undergoes unwelcome changes

2010-10-11T09:40:00.002-06:00

Over the past few months, changes have been brewing at the University of Calgary's Women's Resource Centre (WRC). The space that the WRC occupies has been changed to include a new Centre for Community-Engaged Learning, which is supposed to enhance civic consciousness and educate students about the value of community service.

Student volunteers with the Women's Resource Centre are upset about these changes. According to their petition to save the WRC, their number of volunteers has been severely reduced and capped at 50, some of their programs have been cut (including the very successful Women-Mentoring-Women program), their annual WRC Awards have been postponed indefinitely, and gender-reserved times have been eliminated.

Tonight we are speaking with two women who are involved with the WRC and have been fighting to return the space back to it's original intent. This is quite a personal issue for me as well, because when I was a student at the University of Calgary I was part of a group of women that fought hard to get the Women's Centre on campus in the first place. Prior to the WRC opening in 2006, the University of Calgary was the only significant university in Canada that did not have a women's centre. I know first-hand how hard the struggle was to get the Women's Centre on campus, and now to see it's space and it's programs being dwindled down to practically nothing is very upsetting.

For more information on this:

Save the WRC facebook page
Women's Centre Changes Concern Students - The Gauntlet, September 9, 2010

Tune in from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. on CJSW 90.9 fm in Calgary, or listen from anywhere in the world via the CJSW website.

If you love CJSW and our radio show, we want you to speak on-air about it!

2010-10-06T17:31:00.004-06:00

CJSW's Funding Drive is coming up in just a few short weeks! Our funding drive program airs on Monday October 25, and this year we want our listeners and feminist community members to come on-air and tell the world why CJSW and Yeah What She Said are awesome!

Help us tell the story of the importance of community radio, and why it's so great that CJSW provides a "space" for women's/feminist issues. If CJSW and/or Yeah What She Said have positively impacted your life in any way, then we'd love you to come on-air (via telephone) and tell us about it!

If you want to speak on-air, here's how it will work:
Email us at yeahwhatshesaid@gmail.com and let us know that you're interested. You have to be available to speak with us via telephone on Monday, October 25 between 8 and 9 p.m. It should only take 5 minutes or less! We'll give you a call while we're doing our show, and ask you a few questions such as:

Why is CJSW important to the community?
Why is it important that Calgary has a radio program devoted to women's issues and feminism?
What do you love about CJSW?

Too shy to speak on-air? We would be happy to read something you've written. Once you've written a statement, email it to yeahwhatshesaid@gmail.com, and we'll include it on our show.

We look forward to hearing from you guys - please participate and help us make our Funding Drive show the best one ever!

Tonight's Show: Canada's Sex-Trade Laws

2010-10-04T14:57:00.004-06:00

Last week Justice Susan Himel invalidated parts of Section 212 and 213 of the Criminal Code, which basically means Canadians can’t be charged with keeping a bawdy house, communicating for the purpose of sex and living off the avails of prostitution. This is far from being law, as appeals are promised by both provincial and federal governments. Yet the decision has stirred up massive controversy across the nation and sex-trade workers are hailing the ruling as a victory.

Tonight we chat with special guest, Farrah Alladin, about Canada's sex-trade and what this new ruling may mean for those who make their living in the sex industry.

What happened to Christina Hendrick's hips?

2010-10-01T14:09:00.004-06:00

Christina Hendrick from Mad Men is a beautiful, curvy lady. But in this new ad for London Fog, they seem to have Photoshopped her hips right out of the picture. Below is a picture of what her hips actually look like.

Why would London Fog Photoshop her hips down so drastically? Christina's curvy body is part of what's made her loved by so many people and a role model for curvier women. Shame on you London Fog for fucking up what could have been a really beautiful advertisement.