April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

feminism

Danger, Will Rogers! Danger!

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Lorne Gunter and the National Post issue this warning after diagnosing the issue behind the young and troubled “M.T.” counselling her boyfriend to commit murder.

You see it wasn’t a matter of low self esteem, feeling that her worth came from a mans’ attention, or simple psychological problems, no sir “M. T.” is a DIRECT result of the EVIL feminism.

So when you tell girls for four generations that they are weak and should demand the kind of power boys and men have, and when you — through the pill and abortion — signal to them that sex is nothing more than a consequence-free, pleasurable act and when, finally, you remove faith-based morality from the mix, too, you should not be surprised to wake up one morning and find that you have created an M.T.

WOW I’m surprised I’m not out on a killing spree right now! I like to have sex, like it very much. And I don’t even think I need to have another baby as a result. I figure I have the same rights and responsibilities as my male counterparts and I’m an atheist. Sheesh, the killer trifecta in Gunter’s book.

I also resent the implication in the piece that my husband, sons and male friends are nothing but amoral ticking time bombs waiting to go off at any second.

There’s one thing you can say about right wingers, they are consistent. Of course consistently wrong, but consistent.

Lest We Forget

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Once a year we get together to remember the atrocity of the massacre at École Polytechnique. We are bound together in our horror and tears. When you see 14 roses being placed side by side it hits with full force just how many lives were ended that tragic day.

It could be hoped that their lives were not taken in vain, that steps would be taken to change the way women’s success and independence are viewed. Yet our current government has declared war on feminism. Status of Women Canada has been subjugated to the interests of the anti-feminist agenda of the right wing. Equality is no longer on the table, advocacy and research likewise have been struck down and if this years ‘Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case’ are an indication, it seems the epitome of a feminist is a corporate male. Daycare is given short shrift through completely inadequate programs such as the Child Tax Benefit the EI program continues to destroyed leaving women particularly vulnerable and the ‘lack of stimulus budget’ still includes a clause to end pay equity.

In the finance ministers weasel words;

“Another issue we intend to address is the litigious, adversarial, and complaints-based approach to pay equity. Since the mid-1980s, Canadian taxpayers have paid out over $4 billion in pay equity settlements. These settlements were the result of pay equity complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. These complaints were filed after agreements on public sector wages had already been reached through collective bargaining,” Flaherty said.

“New complaints continue to be filed, sometimes for the same groups that have already received past pay equity settlements. These represent large potential future costs to taxpayers. This costly and litigious regime of ‘double pay equity’ has been in place for too long. We are introducing legislation to make pay equity an integral part of collective bargaining.”

Were we all receiving the amounts of money Flaherty refers to, one wonders how women’s incomes still tend to be 75% that of men’s.

Appalling levels of violence against women continue to flourish. Every year over 60 women are killed by their partners in what is euphemistically referred to as ‘domestic violence’. Since 1989, 1140 women have lost their lives.

Con supporters likewise have shown their contempt for women by scheduling rallies for today in support of this misogynist government. One supporter said this

Look. Just because one group holds a memorial to promote their feminist ideology, does not mean there aren’t more important issues or issue others believe are important. When did you all get dibs on deciding what was most important?

So remembering FOURTEEN women murdered for the crime of being women is simply a political agenda. Nothing to see here folks. Never did trust anything that bleeds for seven days and doesn’t die. These are the same people that say Lepine was an aberration yet their attitudes are not far removed from his.

Ever year the trolls come out to denigrate this day, to denigrate women and to uphold Lepine as a hero. Their mockery of the lives of these women is but a reflection of the contempt with which women and women’s issues are still treated. We must not allow those who see women, women’s rights, and women’s deaths as unimportant to set the tone for our country.

A Hamilton reporter went to McMaster to ask about the December 6th memorial. While these young adults knew all about Columbine, and other American school shootings none that she mentioned knew anything about École Polytechnique. Interesting that in all the other cases it the shooters who are remembered who are built up in status like modern day Billie the Kid’s. Yet the victims are clearly forgotten.

Let us not forget.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

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The anti-rape poster seen in the picture above started a debate not over how to better protect women or make them feel more comfortable reporting rape but whether or not it was an insult to God and too sexy.

“The poster poses the question: ‘Who Pays For Man’s Sins?’ and a caption which reads “Only four per cent of women who suffer sexual violence report their assailants.”

“I’ll do everything in my power to stop this poster going up,” said a city councillor, Maurizio Cadeo.

He and other right-wing councillors said the poster was “blasphemous” and would offend the religious beliefs of many Italians.

“We’re calling for the poster to be withdrawn because an important day like this should not be debased by such a sexual provocation,” said councillor Carlo Fidanza, a member of the right-wing National Alliance party.

Sexual provocation? Seriously?

The good councillor is not alone however,

A new poll has found that nearly half of Northern Ireland’s students believe that a woman is wholly or partially responsible for rape if she flirts.

The Amnesty International commissioned poll, published on 29 September, entitled Violence Against Women: The Perspective of Students in Northern Ireland, explores the “blame culture” found in attitudes towards women and sexual violence.

The research revealed that, of the 715 students surveyed at Ulster University, 46 per cent felt that a woman’s flirting would leave her bearing some of the blame in the case of rape.

30 per cent believed that women were partially or totally responsible for rape if she wears sexy or revealing clothing and one in ten reasoned that violence was acceptable against a girlfriend who nags, flirts with other men, or refuses to have sex.

Attitudes it seems have not changed overly much. Women are asking for it if friendly and sexually autonomous, and frigid bitches if they are not. At fault for abuse if they don’t protect themselves and nags if they defend their rights and beliefs. They are tarring all men as rapists if they cross the road or take other self defense measures and accused of having at least partial fault if they do not and an attack occurs.

Days such as today provide an opportunity to highlight the issues of violence, yet they will do nothing to stop it. Real change needs to come from all of us recognizing each others humanity, dignity and rights.

December 6th Remembrance Site

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I have created a site in memory of the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre. If you have any links you feel should be included, or would like to send content, or know of any memorial observances happening in your area. Please send it in using the contact form on the site.

We Remember