We would like to invite you all to participate in flyer distribution in Garneau this Saturday (February 13th) afternoon.

There is someone in the neighbourhood who has been taking photographs of women through their windows at night, and from our understanding this has been a continuing problem for some time. We would like to raise awareness of this, both as a heads-up but also to keep the neighbourhood alert and watchful.

Sam will meet anyone interested at Steeps (112th Street 82 Avenue) at 3pm this Saturday, February 13th to distribute the flyers. If you are able to join her, please RSVP to kriviak[at]ualberta.ca or uawcc[at]ualberta.ca by this Friday at noon (so she knows how many flyers to make). If you are unable to make this time but would like to help out another time, let Sam know and she can make sure you are involved.

In the meantime, spread the word!

Also, The Women’s Centre’s next meeting will be Wednesday February 24th at 3:30 in the Student Group Room (right next to the Student Group Lounge in SUB’s basement). We will post another reminder closer to the date! Hope to see you all come out!

The WCC will be hosting a meet-n-greet PIZZA LUNCH on Wednesday, February 3rd from 12noon – 2pm in the Student Group Lounge in the basement of SUB. Everyone is welcome to attend, enjoy some free pizza, and chat with us about possible ventures! For more information on the Women’s Centre, you can visit our website or send us an email! Hope to see you on February 3rd!

Have an idea for the WCC? Want to get involved? Want to host an event? Let the WCC know!! Come to the pizza lunch or send an email to uawcc[at]ualberta.ca or katherine.roger[at]gmail.com.

December 6, 2009, marks the 20th anniversary of what came to be known as the Montreal Massacre. On December 6, 1989, armed with a semi-automatic rifle, ammunition and knives, Marc Lepine walked through l’École Polytechnique in Montreal, separated the men from the women, and then proceeded to shoot and kill 14 women while making anti-woman statements.

Thirteen others were wounded. Lepine, who eventually shot and killed himself, had applied for admission to the school and was rejected. In the suicide note he left behind, Lepine indicated that he saw feminists as being responsible for everything that had gone wrong in his life.

Throughout the country, December 6 events are held to remember the 14 women who were killed at l’École Polytechnique. They were:

Geneviève Bergeron, 21 Hélène Colgan, 23 Nathalie Croteau, 23 Barbara Daigneault, 22 Anne-Marie Edward, 21 Maud Haviernick, 29 Barbara Klucznik Widajewicz, 31

Maryse Laganière, 25 Maryse Leclair, 23 Anne-Marie Lemay, 27 Sonia Pelletier, 23 Michèle Richard, 21 Annie St-Arneault, 23 Annie Turcotte, 21

In 1991, the Parliament of Canada declared December 6th to be the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

The day represents a time to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also a day for communities and individuals to think about the concrete actions that each of us can take to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women.

For additional info regarding the National Day of Action, listen to the Adament Eve podcast, learn about the 20 days, 20 ways campaign by the Canadian Labour Congress, or visit the White Ribbon campaign website.

The Women’s Centre is now closed for the holiday season and will re-open in January. Have a great holiday, everyone!

Call for submissions from people who identify with feminism and have lived experiences of a psychiatric diagnosis.

Our upcoming anthology, Feminists Navigate Mental Health (working title), will explore the complexities of navigating mental health and how a feminist identity may (or may not) shape those experiences.

Submissions are welcomed in the form of personal short stories.

The submissions received will shape the outcome of the book.  The final manuscript will be submitted to relevant Canadian independent publishers.  We are looking for contributions that explore the relationship between feminist identity and experiences, thoughts, and feelings related to mental health.

Possible themes may include (but are not limited to):

• Coping – what works and what doesn´t
• Any positive aspects of your mental health that are commonly considered deficits
• Treatment preferences and past experiences
• Medication
• Personal/lived understandings of your diagnosis (acceptance or rejection)
• Stigma/tension around mental health issues in the feminist community
• Feminism and well-being/strength/empowerment
• Feminism and distress

Guidelines:

• Remember to take care of yourself while writing about topics that may be distressing;
• Good writing skills are great, but not mandatory!  We will work with you to edit your piece;
• Submissions should be saved in .doc or .rtf, size 12 font, Arial or Times New Roman, and double spaced;
• 500 to 3000 words
• Include contact information and a brief biography;
• Only email submissions will be accepted;
• Submission deadline is June 1st, 2010.

Comments, concerns, questions and submissions should be directed to:
fnmhsubmissions@gmail.com

This is a regular meeting of the Fertility Awareness Charting Circle. For more information, see our website at www.fertilityawarenesschartingcircle.org, or join our facebook group.

Fertility Awareness can deepen a woman’s knowledge of her reproductive health through all stages of life. It is an effective alternative to hormones, chemicals, barriers, and other methods of preventing or achieving pregnancy.

The menstrual cycle is more than just a reproductive event. When a woman consistently observes this cycle it is a window into her overall health and well-being.

Monthly Meetings

• First Wednesday of the month, October through March
• 6:30-8:30pm at Block 1912 Café 10361 82 Avenue Nw
• Suggested minimum donation of $5.
• Everyone welcome regardless of gender or knowledge level.

The next WCC meeting will be this Tuesday at 4 pm in the Lower Level Meeting Room in the SUB building (I think it’s next to the ECOS office). We will be planning some upcoming events – and we need your help! Hope to see you there.

Also, the WCC is dedicated to ensuring moms can be in on the action. The WCC offers reimbursement for parents for childcare during WCC meetings and events!

“Psst Off!” is an awareness raising poetry jam that aims to:

1. Create a non-judgmental, open and artistic environment where all people (men, women, transgendered) can feel comfortable to share their voice about sexualized violence with other people.
2. Increase awareness on the prevalence of sexual assault and violence against women.
3. Dissolve myths regarding sexual assault and expose victim blaming “tips”.
4. Bring into account the gendered, racialized and systemic structure of rape and violence.
5. Elicit rage and anger regarding this issue of sexualized violence.
6. Channel that anger into feminist activism that you all can take home and actually utilize!

The poetry jam will be held on November 18th at Remedy Cafe on 8631 – 109 Street NW at 7:00pm and will run until 10:00pm or until our throats minds and voices are cleared out!

If you are a poet, a writer, a singer, a story teller, a spoken word artist, a rap/hip-hop artist, or someone who just wants to share something regarding sexual violence and this f***ed up patriarchal world, then this is the place to be! If you know someone that you think would be a great contributor to this event then let them know! This event is open to all people who want to spread the word and get people moving, learning, and doing something about this serious and prevalent problem of sexual violence.

Send your name, a brief description of your piece or pieces (you can contribute as many as you like) and how long your piece(s) of work will be to pchohan0503 at gmail.com and be a part of the Anti-Rape Movement! We will fit everyone into a schedule and post that schedule on the event. Last Day to send me an email is Tuesday, November 17th at 8:00pm. There will also be open mic slots where people can just come up and share a piece if you didn’t get a chance to send me an email!

There is no cost to this event. It is free with one exception: You cannot come alone! The “cost” to this event is to bring someone, anyone, that you think will appreciate or will benefit from this awareness raising event. We won’t really exclude you if you can’t find someone, but it would be really awesome if you do as this is an awareness event!

Also with winter (hopefully) coming around, the ladies at the Women’s Emergency Accommodation Centre and other Shelters in Edmonton really need your help. If possible, take the time to bring some socks, gloves, mittens, pyjamas, and slippers that we will be donating to one of the shelters after the event. We will have a donation box at the event so take the time to help someone stay a bit warmer this winter!

So basically my friends:

Bring a Friend. Show Support. Get Involved. Get Psst Off. Speak Against he prevalent issue of sexualized violence that is affecting the people in our lives all around us.

(PS: RSVP to this event on Facebook!)

HIV Edmonton is seeking men to help us review a Community Based Research Survey.

We are undertaking a Community Based Research Project to assess the sexual attitudes, practices, and health knowledge of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Edmonton. The project will also seek to determine the barriers that MSM face when accessing sexual health services.

The involvement consists of attending one meeting. The dates and location are as follows:

Meeting Times (You have a choice between two dates)

Monday November 16th (6:00 – 7:30)
or
Tuesday November 17th (5:30 – 7:00)

Meeting Location:
Community Room 1
Don Wheaton YMCA
10211 102 Avenue

Come help us build a healthier community!

Please contact QC Gu if you would like to participate
qc.g@hivedmonton.com
780-488-5742 ext. 224

Nellie McClung: A One “Person” Play – written by Kathy Morrell, starring Wendy Jean Smith, and directed by Robert Loucks, formerly of Edmonton.

The play will be presented at the Royal Alberta Museum Theatre on Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14 at 8 PM. Tickets are $25 for either night from TIX on the Square, 9930 – 102 Avenue, 780-420-1757. You can also purchase the tickets online – click here for the Nov. 13 performance and click here for the Nov. 14 performance.

The Senate of Canada this fall recognized the 80th anniversary of the “Persons Case” and appointed the Famous Five as Senators for their triumph in having women declared “persons”.

Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards had made the trip to London to meet with the British Privy Council, who supported their contention that women were persons. The Election Act of the Dominion of Canada was amended to remove the statement “No idiot, lunatic, criminal or woman shall vote.”