SMU Women's Centre

Saint Mary's University, 526 Student Centre womenscentre@smu.ca

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Happy International Women's Week!

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S WEEK!



*CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS*
Volunteers are needed to sell Vagina Monologues tickets at the following times, so please let me know if you are able to help out at all. There’s a vag pop in it for you!!
Sell Tickets in Loyola:
Thursday: 2:30-4:00
Friday: Anytime between 1:00 and 6:30
Sell Tickets at International Women’s Day Event at the Olympic Centre (March 8th), in the evening.
Sell Tickets at Mardi Gras at the Gorsebrook (March 8th), in the evening.
Work the door on Friday or Saturday night at the show ( 6:30pm )
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*please distribute widely*
OVER 200 EXPECTED AT HALIFAX 'S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY EVENT MARCH 8TH

For the first time in years, women and their supporters will be marching
through Halifax to recognize International Women's Day. Led by the zany
Radical Cheerleaders, over 200 are expected to turn out to protest the
closure of regional Status of Women offices. The group will be marching
from the Olympic Gardens on Cunard St to the Federal Status of Women
office on Quinpool Rd , which is slated to be closed on April 1st.

In addition to the closure of 12 of 16 regional offices, $5 million
slashed from their budget, and the elimination of funding for research
and advocacy groups, the Federal Government has removed "equality" and
"the political and legal participation of women" from Status of Women's
mandate.

In response, the public is invited to attend this year's International
Women's Day event, which will take place on Thursday, March 8th at the
Olympic Gardens. The evening starts at 6:30pm with a mock trial of
Stephen Harper, where local "Hali-famous" will hold the Prime Minister
accountable for cuts to women's and social programs. At 7pm the group
will begin the march, and at 8pm the evening continues with a speech by
South Africa 's Zubeda Dangor, and entertainment by local female talent.

"Harper's cuts constitute a war on women", says Kristel vom Scheidt,
member of Feminists for Just and Equitable Public Policy. "The
Conservatives are sending a clear message to the women of Canada that
they do not need our votes in the next Federal election."

This year's International Women's Day event will be a mix of dissent and
celebration, combining theatre, protest and entertainment. Admission to
the event is free, with donations going to Supportive Housing for Young
Mothers (SHYM).

For more information, contact Fiona Talbot-Strong at (902) 422-2933 or
981-6057.
On Thursday, March 8 at noon, come to the 4th floor of the Sobey building to mark International Women’s Day by learning about Women in South Africa . We are particularly fortunate in Nova Scotia and at Saint Mary’s University to welcome Dr. Zubeda Dangor, Executive Director of Nisaa Institute for Women's Development. She is also a Clinical Psychologist and teaches part time in Community Psychology at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa .
Come at 12:00 during your lunch hour or stay for more discussion until 1:30. The talk and discussion will take place in the Sobey Building on the Saint Mary's campus in the fourth floor lounge. The public is invited.
Dr. Zubeda will be speaking about Women issues in South Africa from her perspective as head of a Women's Group in the Johannesburg area, including Soweto . The group deals with issues of violence prevention, HIV/AIDS as well as women's empowerment and human rights
.
Sponsors include Oxfam, Saint Mary's University's Visiting Speakers Committee, Saint Mary’s Women's Centre, Voice of Women and CRIAW - NS.
For more information, contact Dr. Linda Christiansen-Ruffman at 420-5886 or Lindia Smith, Secretary, Sociology and Criminology
***For Immediate Release***
Contact: Holly Taylor
(902)496.8722
Halifeminist@Yahoo.ca
Saint Mary’s University
V-DAY SMU IS COMING!
V-Day SMU 2007
A Production of Eve Ensler’s
The Vagina Monologues
As Part of the V-Day College Campaign
· · · ·
THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY!
at the McNally Theatre Auditorium on Friday, March 9th and Saturday, March 10th. At the Khyber Centre for the Arts on March 11th, 2007.
· · · ·
Who: The Women’s Centre at Saint Mary’s University
What: V-Day SMU 2007, a benefit production of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, raising funds for Bryony House
Where: McNally Theatre Auditorium and the Khyber Centre for the Arts
When: March 9th, 10th and 11th, 2007
Admission: $7.00 for students, un/derwaged, $10.00 for fairly waged
Contact: Holly Taylor, 496.8722
Goal: To raise awareness, and stop violence against women and girls, to celebrate women’s sexuality and raise funds for our beneficiary – Bryony House
_____________________________________________________________
What is V-Day? V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award-winning play The Vagina Monologues. In 2006, more than 2700 V-Day events in 1150 communities and colleges took place in the U.S. and around the world. To date, V-Day has raised over $35 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, launched the Karama program in the Middle East, funded over 5000 community-based anti-violence programs, reopened shelters, and funded safe houses in Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq. The proceeds from these events are donated directly to local organizations in the community that are working to stop this violence.
The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.
What is the College Campaign? The V-Day College Campaign strives to empower women to find their collective voices and demand an end to the epidemic levels of violence and abuse on their campuses, in their communities and around the world. Through benefit productions of The Vagina Monologues that take place between Valentine’s Day (February 14) and International Women’s Day
For the next 5 weeks, the Women’s Centre will be having FREE capoeira workshops on Fridays at 1pm-2:30pm in the group fitness room at the Tower.
Beginners are welcome- Come see what it’s all about!
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SMU WOMEN'S CENTRE PRESENTS
FEMINIST FILM FRIDAYS
FILM SCREENING MARCH 9, 2007
LOYOLA 274 3:30 PM

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts
As the world watched in horror, Hurricane Katrina hit
New Orleans on August 29, 2005. Like many who watched the unfolding drama on television news, director Spike Lee was shocked not only by the scale of the disaster, but by the slow, inept and disorganized response of the emergency and recovery effort. Lee was moved to document this modern American tragedy, a morality play witnessed by people all around the world. The result is WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTS. The film is structured in four acts, each dealing with a different aspect of the events that preceded and followed Katrina's catastrophic passage through New Orleans.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please forward far and wide!
Hey vulva lovers!
This is a reminder that submissions are being accepted for the RADICAL
VULVAS!!
Whoa! Hold on you may say, you may be asking, what are the Radical Vulvas?
Well! This is an evolved “write your own” version of the Vagina Monologues
that invites ALL PEOPLE to speak their mind (in any form)!!! So really, it
is whatever YOU the community makes of it! All forms of expression will be
accepted, monologues, dialogues, poems, songs, dances, paintings, photos,
live performance, zines etc…. whatever! All people are encouraged to write
about anything they feel is relevant to the “vulva theme”. The event is
hosted by V-Day Dalhousie and takes place on the 16th of March at the Bus
Stop Theatre 2203
Gottingen, Halifax at 8pm.

If you have an idea but are not sure how to get started, please! Contact us!
We have ongoing writing workshops as well as performance workshops & help!
We want you to express yourself!

To perform at the Radical Vulvas you must send a proposal to
vdaydalhousie@yahoo.ca by International Women’s Day. Either a copy of the
text or a short 100- 250-word paragraph will be accepted. You do not have to
submit a final product, only a brief outline to give us an idea of where
you’re going with your piece. Please include your contact info and any
equipment you require.

For further info about the Radical Vulvas please refer to the press release
attached.
Any questions please contact Jean Steinberg at
vdaydalhousie@yahoo.ca

Thanks & Vagina Love,
Jean

Jean Steinberg
Producer
V-day Dalhousie
vdaydalhousie@yahoo.ca
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forwarded from HCAP:
1.
Women's groups in New Brunswick have produced this postcard which is making its way across Canada as an exciting tool for action. Download, print, distribute, and mail as many as you can: http://www.statusreport.ca/files/POSTCARD%20final%20ENG%20Feb%208.pdf
Michelle
Women's Network PEI
PO Box 233
Charlottetown, PE
C1A 7K4
Phone (902) 368-5040
Fax (902) 368-5039

Web www.wnpei.org
*******************
2.
"If Women Counted" Film Screening and Discussion Saturday, March 10 2:00-5:00 PM Keshen Goodman Library, 330 Lacewood Drive, Halifax NS Free public event. Women don't miss this!
A special event in celebration of International Women's Day. Come to watch the powerful documentary "Who's Counting: Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies and Global Economics". About this film, David Suzuki said, "I give the film and Ms. Waring every superlative - riveting, revealing, inspiring, etc.It penetrates to the heart of the global, ecological, and social crisis that afflicts the world. required viewing for all who know we are on a destructive path and want to get off." After the film, engage in a discussion about women's role, especially mothers' role, in society and the importance of women in government. If women counted, how would our world be different and better? Organized by the Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace and the Atlantic Advisory Committee on Maternity and Parental Benefits-Nova Scotia. For more information, please email Tamara Lorincz at tlorincz@ns.sympatico.ca or call 902-443-2423.
***************
3.
***************
4.
Feminist Activism in Conservative Times
Invitation and Registration Form
What: A one-day conference on feminist social activism.
Where: Conference Rooms, Keating Millennium Centre Antigonish, NS)
When: March 10, 2007, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Are you engaged in social activism, or interested in doing so? Are you concerned about the unequal distribution of wealth and power in Canada and the world? Do you feel passionately about the need to address racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, militarism and environmental degradation through organized action?
Feminist Activism in Conservative Times is a one-day conference held around International Women's Day that will engage feminist activists in a discussion about
these and other key issues. Participants will be invited to enter into a dialogue about past and present experiences
in feminist social activism, highlighting challenges as well as changing opportunities.
The main objectives of the conference will be:
1. To highlight and explore feminist activism in conservative times, from a number of entry points and perspectives.
2. To engage in a collective learning process about feminist social activism from an historical and global perspective.
3. To explore the direction of Canadian feminism and to consider the role of the state in assisting/posing challenges to feminist activism.
4. To identify new ways of working together across differences, valuing our separate identities while mapping our common goals.
5. To promote further engagement in feminist social activism.
You are cordially invited to participate in the upcoming conference, Feminist Activism in Conservative Times. Please review the agenda and, if interested in participating, please contact the Antigonish Women's Resource Centre no later than March 2, 2007. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact the AWRC at 863-6221 (email: antig.women@ns.sympatico.ca).
We look forward to your participation!
Sincerely,
Conference Organizing Committee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subject: Women Writers Online for Women's History Month
  
In celebration of Women's History Month, the
Women Writers Online
collection will be freely accessible during the month of March 2007
at http://www.wwp.brown.edu. WWO contains a fascinatingly varied
range of early women's writing: obscure religious prophecy,
midwifery, political satire, long melodramatic novels and
lyric
poetry, witty social commentary and philosophical reflection, dramas
both farcical and tragic, and travel narratives from places as
far-flung as Burma and Texas.
  
Women Writers Online is a full-text collection of early modern
women's writing in English, encoded in TEI/XML and published using
the Philologic search engine developed at the University of Chicago.
The collection is developed by the Women Writers Project at Brown
University, founded in 1988 by faculty in an effort to increase the
visibility and availability of women's writing for teaching and
research. The project's research focuses on the challenges of using
detailed TEI markup to represent early printed books, and on issues
of digital scholarly
communication.
  
In 2007-2008, the WWP is conducting an NEH-sponsored series of
seminars on scholarly text encoding with TEI. For more information on
this series, please see
http://www.wwp.brown.edu/encoding/seminars/index.html
  
Your feedback and thoughts are welcome! Enjoy the collection.
  
Best wishes, Julia
  
Julia Flanders
Director, Women Writers Project
Brown University
                                              
  
  
<3holly.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

So Many Vaginas!

1- Zine
2- Writing Contest
3- International Women's Day
4- So Ann Auguste Lecture Postponed
5- Vagina Monologues
6- Radical Vulvas
7- Clothing Swap/ Free Store
8- Stitch 'n Bitch

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

1-Zine

Just a reminder that the theme for this month's zine is Body Image.
Please send any submissions to halifeminist@yahoo.ca or drop them off at the Women's Centre, 526 Student Centre.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2- Writing Contest

The deadline has been extended for the writing contest, until Monday, March 5th.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

3- International Women's Day

Please distribute widely (poster attached).....hope to see some of you there! PUTTING EQUALITY BACK ON TRACK AT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WHEN 6-12PM, 8 March, 2007 WHERE Olympic Centre (corner of Cunard and Windsor) WHAT 6PM - Mock Trial for Stephen Harper 7PM - a march of protest to the (soon to be eliminated by Harper’s cuts) Status of Women office on Quinpool Road 8PM - a celebration of local women’s talent and powerful feminist resistance -- EVERYONE WELCOME! FREE ADMISSION CASH BAR AVAILABLE Featuring the words of internationally renowned activist for women’s rights, Zubeda Dangor, and the talent of numerous local female performers. The march will be led by The Radical Cheerleaders and The Raging Grannies STAND UP FOR CANADA’S WOMENConservative Cuts are Changing Your Canada

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4- So Ann Auguste Lecture Postponed

Canada Haiti Action Network – Réseau d’Action Canada-Haïti
50 Laurel St. Ottawa, Canada K1Y 3C9
(613) 864-1590
www.canadahaitiaction.ca
Media Release

Haitian democracy activist to speak in Ottawa, Toronto

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 25, 2007

Ottawa -- The speaking tour to five Canadian cities of Haiti political rights figure Annette "Sò Ann" Auguste has been postponed to later in the year. Her health does not permit travel at this time.

Tour organizers have announced that Haiti political rights figure Patrick Elie will speak in place of Auguste at events in Ottawa on February 28 and Toronto on March 2. In Vancouver, a planned March 5 event will now feature the Vancouver premiere of several films on the current political situation in Haiti.

The human rights situation in Haiti has taken a turn for the worse in the past two months. Despite the election of a government in February and April 2006 that clearly reflected the popular will for a return to sovereign and constitutional government, United Nations occupation forces have renewed armed assaults in popular neighbourhoods in the capital city Port au Prince in the name of pursuing "bandits" and "criminals". UN forces have fired indiscriminately in densely-populated neighbourhoods, including from helicopter gunships, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Meanwhile, scores of political prisoners continue to languish in Haiti's overcrowded prisons.

There are currently 9,000 UN-sanctioned foreign occupation soldiers in Haiti. Soldiers from Canada, France and the U.S. spearheaded a February 2004 overthrow (coup) of the elected government of Haiti. Canada provided extensive funding and political backing to a two-year, post-coup regime. That regime and its RCMP-trained police agency, the Haitian National Police
(HNP), were widely condemned for human rights atrocities. A September 2006 study published in the prestigious UK medical journal The Lancet reported 8,000 killings and 35,000 sexual assaults against women in the twenty-two months following February 2004 (see link below for the full report).

Canadian money has funded the justice system that, to this day, holds scores of political prisoners in Haiti's jails.

The new government of Haiti operates under severe constraints. It has 9,000 UN-sponsored foreign troops on its territory and is almost entirely dependent on foreign aid money to run its ministries and services. The previous elected government under President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, overthrown in February 2004, had its foreign aid funding entirely cut when it resisted demands to privatise its state-owned enterprises and reduce its spending on social services.

For more information on Patrick Elie's speaking engagements in Ottawa and Toronto, other information events, and on the current situation in Haiti, go to: http://canadahaitiaction.ca

Or contact one of the following:

Jean Saint-Vil, Ottawa (613) 482-2549
Kevin Skerrett, Ottawa (613) 864-1590
Kabir Joshi-Vijayan, Toronto (416) 731-2325
Roger Annis, Vancouver (778) 858-5179
Stuart Neatby, Haiti Action Halifax (902) 405-9480 hah@nspirg.org)

For the full report published in The Lancet:
http://www.ijdh.org/pdf/Lancet%20Article%208-06.pdf

For two reports on the current situation in Haiti, see this article from the
February 12, 2007 edition of Counterpunch,
http://www.counterpunch.com/carroll02122007.html

and this February 9 article from the Haiti Information Project:
http://www.haitiaction.net/News/HIP/2_9_7/2_9_7.html

Recent Patrick Elie interview:
CKUT Radio: Haiti - A Rough 2007: Patrick Elie comments on the latest UN
massacre
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=55&ItemID=11749

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5- The Vagina Monologues

Don't forget to pick up tickets! You don't want to miss this show.

It will be taking place on March 9th and 10th at Saint Mary's and March 11th at The Khyber (19+). All show will start at 7pm.

Tickets are for sale at The Women's Centre (526 Student Centre), Venus Envy, or in Loyola by Tim Horton's.

The price is $7 for students and un/der-waged, and $10 for fairly-waged individuals.

Or just stop by for a CHOCOLATE VAGINA LOLLIPOP. That's right. And what's even cooler, is that all proceeds from the show will go to Bryony House...

See you at the show!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6- The Radical Vulvas

A message from our vagina friendly sisters at the DWC…

Please forward far and wide!Hello radicalsIt is finally here, submissions are being accepted for the RADICAL VULVAS!!You may be asking, what are the Radical Vuvlas? This is an evolved “write your own” version of the Vagina Monologues that invites ALL PEOPLE to speak their mind!! So really, it is whatever YOU the community makes of it! All forms of expression will be accepted, monologues, dialogues, poems, songs, dances, paintings, photos…. whatever! All people are encouraged to write about anything they feel is relevant to the “vuvla theme”. The event will be hosted by V-Day Dalhousie and take place on the 16th of March to highlight March 8th as international women’s day.To perform at the Radical Vulvas you must send a proposal to vdaydalhousie@yahoo.ca by MARCH 8. Either a copy of the text or a short 100- 250 word paragraph will be accepted. Please include your contact info and any equipment you require.If you have an idea but writing is not your thing we will be holding a writing workshop on March 2nd at the Dalhousie Women’s Center 6286 South St. at 12pmFor further info about the Radical Vuvlas please refer to the press release attached.Any questions please contact Jean Steinberg at vdaydalhousie@yahoo.caThanks & Vagina Love,JeanJean SteinbergOrganizer & ProducerV-Day Dalhousievdaydalhousie@yahoo.cahttp://events.vday.org/2007/College/Dalhousie_UniversityUntil The Violence Stops...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7- Clothing Swap/Free Store

The clothing swap/free store was a huge success- so much so that we have a Women’s Centre filled with bags of clothing that are leftover… there’s lots of awesome stuff and it’s completely free, so drop in anytime to look through them, or stop by next Monday, March 5th at noon... after that everything will be going to Bryony House!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

8- Stitch 'n Bitch

The stitch 'n bitch that was scheduled for 12 today will take place at 1:00.


<3