The Federation currently has 18 staff members, 14 of which are women. Being part of a team of strong women inspires me daily, and so this International Women’s Day, I wanted to probe my colleagues to see what empowering thoughts were blooming within. I asked staff if they’d be interested in answering this question: What does International Women’s Day mean to you? Here are the answers I received. Enjoy, and Happy International Women’s Day!
International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate girls and women all over the word, and to honour those who have been at the forefront of the fight against gender discrimination and inequities in legal, civil and human rights, and those who lost their freedom or lives while doing so. It is also a reminder that we need to increase our efforts and mobilize our actions to help empowering women everywhere at all levels, and giving them control over their own lives.
On a personal note, on IWD, I make sure to meet up with my friends and give away homemade cupcakes to women I know. I also write a card to my daughters, telling them how proud I am of them and that they should have big dreams, as one day they will change the world. I love to support and sponsor initiatives involving providing education, clothes, etc. for little girls in underprivileged countries.
Gina Hill Birriel, Manager, Programs and Policy:
International Women’s Day is one dedicated day in the year to be conscious of the very many barriers women face in the quest for equality. Some of the most fundamental human rights are still denied to many women and girls around the world and in Canada: from equal pay for equal work, to access to clean drinking water; from freedom from violence at the hands of a male partner or family member; to access to education. While the struggle of feminists of all stripes have brought gender equality a long way, there is still far to go to achieving true equality. IWD gives women – and our allies – a shared moment to reflect on where we are now and where we want to focus our attention. It’s also a chance to celebrate all the women, publicly recognized and toiling in silence, who have contributed to our advancement.
This March 8, I commit to recognizing a trailblazer and challenging gender biases. What will you do on IWD to contribute to a gender-equal world?
Camille Ferrier, Gestionnaire, communications et adhésion des membres :
#GrâceàVous, c’est aussi grâce à moi
Cette année, la Journée internationale des femmes rend hommage aux femmes et aux filles qui posent des gestes significatifs, qu’ils soient petits ou grands, pour favoriser un changement positif permettant de faire progresser l’égalité des genres.
On pense souvent que les mouvements tels que celui-ci n’ont d’effet que par les actions d’un grand nombre de personnes; que soi-même tout seul dans notre bataille, nous ne ferons pas grande différence. Tout comme le recyclage ménager, si moi je le fais bien comme il faut, est-ce que cela contribue vraiment à une planète plus saine?
La réponse est « oui ». Je suis une femme, une seule, avec toutes ses qualités et ses défauts; avec toute son expérience et ce qu’il me reste à apprendre, avec mes ambitions et la portée de mon message mais aussi dans mes limitations intrinsèques d’être humain. Mais grâce à mes petites actions quotidiennes, moi toute seule, comme des millions d’autres femmes, je peux changer le monde.
Je change le monde lorsque j’apprends à mon fils à être respectueux envers ses petits camarades, à traiter ses peluches avec tendresse, et à prendre soin de sa maman comme moi je prends soin de lui. Je change le monde quand je jongle toutes mes responsabilités au travail et ne compte pas mes heures dans une organisation dont le mandat me passionne, tout en gardant de l’énergie pour être mère, être partenaire et être une femme. Je change le monde quand je suis à l’écoute, attentive, et bienveillante avec mon équipe, avec mes amis, avec le personnel dans les magasins, ou les piétons dans la rue. Et je change le monde dans mes relations avec les autres femmes, et avec les hommes, en qui j’inspire le respect et l’égalité; non pas parce que je travaille fort pour le mériter, mais parce que nous le méritons toutes, tout court. #Grâce à vous, c’est aussi grâce à moi, et si l’on avance aujourd’hui sur le chemin de l’égalité, c’est grâce à nous toutes, individuellement et ensemble.
Kristin Bourassa, Program Officer:
I’m a woman with a PhD, and when I’m being facetious, I say that I finished my doctorate for two reasons. One was for the hat (it’s a truly hilarious hat). The other was so that I would have an honorific that is both gender-neutral and marital-status neutral. The use of honorifics is pretty context-dependent, and at the time I was living in a country that used them a lot and I was pretty unhappy about that “Miss” on my debit card. Suddenly being able to use “Dr” when appropriate didn’t make things much more straightforward, though – even in professional settings there are politics.
Some people felt that including “Dr” in a professional email signature was a bit snobby – but those people tended to be mid-career academic men who hadn’t been mistaken for an undergrad in decades. Then there was the #ImmodestWomen kerfuffle, which erupted after a woman historian on Twitter had the audacity to insist on using “Dr” and faced an immediate backlash of accusations that this was very immodest behaviour. Suddenly women everywhere started adding “Dr” to their Twitter names and/or handles in solidarity. I did it too! So, for International Women’s Day, I say: hilarious hats off to #ImmodestWomen everywhere.
Laura Chajkowski, Director, Congress and Events:
What does International Women’s Day mean to me?
This is a day to celebrate the strength and determination of each and every woman globally. Together women are a powerhouse, and if we all can remember to stick together, we can move mountains.
Lily Polowin, Communications Coordinator:
To me International Women’s Day has always felt a little bit exciting and celebratory. I always wake up on March 8 with an extra spring in my step knowing that all over the world, we women can collectively celebrate ourselves without shame or doubt. It’s exhilarating to think of every woman on earth taking a reprieve from patriarchal thinking, sexism and internalized misogyny and instead focus on women’s power, passion, progress and unity. I like to take a moment to listen to the contemporary choral work The Womanly Song of God by Libby Larson, which I participated in singing last year with the women’s choir Choeur Adleisia. To me, the multiplicity of dissonant treble voices coming together brings to mind an image of every woman on earth having a voice and singing together in a powerfully diverse polyphony.
I have also learned how essential it is that white women fighting for equality centre the experiences of women of colour, who face the intersectional oppressions of both sexism and racism. In that spirit I’ll definitely turn up the volume on Laura Mvula’s “That’s Alright”, in which she joyfully talks back to the white, male gaze, singing: “I will never be what you want and that’s alright/ ‘Cause my skin ain’t light and my body ain’t tight / But if I might, I must stand and fight.” I’m going to gratefully take a page out of Laura’s book this March 8, and joyfully implore the patriarchy to “Tell me, who made you the center of the universe?” Thinking about our collective power gives me shivers every March 8!
Patrick Newton Bondo, Program Officer, ASPP:
Together with stakeholders, from governments, the private sector, civil society, Indigenous peoples, others working on health, education, climate change, human rights and Sustainable Development Goals, I want to mobilize to end gender-based violence; I am calling for economic justice and rights for all; bodily autonomy, sexual and reproductive health and rights; and feminist action for climate justice. I want technology and innovation for gender equality; and feminist leadership in Canada and around the world.
The International Women’s Day is an occasion to reflect on where we are in our struggle for equality, peace and development, and a chance to unite and mobilize for meaningful change in Canada and around the world. We all believe that if you educate a woman, you educate the whole community, through education and public awareness education as the means to achieve a structural change in the mentality towards girls and women’s position in society.
Let's continue joining forces to ensure that next year will be another record-breaking year in promoting Sustainable Development Goals and Human Rights for girls and women in Canada and around the world. Together we are stronger, always!
Géraldine Gautier, Agente des communications:
Cette journée évoque toujours pour moi un souvenir qui continue à m'habiter.Pendant cinq ans, j'ai habité dans une coopérative d'habitation à Ottawa. Femme monoparentale, j’élevais alors mes deux jeunes enfants, travaillais à plein temps et retournais à l’université pour obtenir un diplôme. Mon appartement jouxtait celui réservé à ‘jeune avec enfant’. Ma voisine avait quinze ans et un bébé. Elle avait pu avoir ce logement pour aller à une école du quartier qui lui permettait de finir son secondaire pendant que l’on s’occupait de son enfant.
Tous les matins, tandis que je montais dans le bus pour me rendre à mon travail, descendaient des jeunes filles avec poussette et bambins. Toutes se dirigeaient vers l’école de ma voisine. Jamais, je n'ai vu un homme les accompagner!
Au fil des années, ce souvenir n'a pas diminué en intensité.Peut-être parce qu’il s’est inscrit à une époque difficile de ma vie – certainement parce que ces jeunes filles m’avaient touchée par leur courage et leur détermination – elles m’ont toutes inspirée de ne pas se décourager et d’aller de l’avant, et sans qu’elles ne s’en rendent compte, ont contribué à me sensibiliser davantage aux inégalités féminines. Mais l’impact le plus révélateur, même si je l’ai pas réalisé immédiatement, a été dans ma façon d’élever plus consciemment mes enfants envers ces inégalités criantes et de les sensibiliser vers plus de responsabilités et d’humanité.