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  • Ideas

  • the Miss G__ Project, making women’s studies a back-to-school basic

    by Sarah Ghabrial | Aug 25, 2005

    Women’s studies is not, as some have dismissed it, “a course for girls.” It is a significant scholarly discipline, one which has amassed a respected and respectable tradition since it first emerged at the university-level in the mid-twentieth century. And it should be taught in high scho read more

  • a driving mission

    by Ann Farrell | May 13, 2005

    In Toronto, volunteers take cancer patients to and from their hospital appointments – chemotherapy, radiation, and visits to their specialists. For patients without cars, or friends and relatives who can drive them, this is not only a terrific service, but it also frees them from one more worry. read more

  • the making of a feminist revolution: Ten Thousand Roses, four young feminists talk about the book

    by Judy Rebick | Apr 11, 2005

    After Judy Rebick finished writing the first draft of her book, Ten Thousand Roses: The Making of a Feminist Revolution, she asked four young feminists to comment on the manuscript. It turns out they were annoyed, inspired, saddened, excited and surprised. Here’s what they had to say – about the women who fought for equality, and the movement’s future. read more

  • eleven tips on getting more efficiency out of women employees

    by L.H. Sanders | Mar 7, 2005

    From the July 1943 edition of Mass Transportation magazine, written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War Two. read more

  • March 8, 2005: International Women’s Day, Beijing+10

    by Jude MacDonald | Feb 27, 2005

    It started out as a national day for women, declared by the Socialist Party of America. Two years later, in 1911, March 19 marked the first International Women’s Day, and more than a million men and women came out for it. Less than a week after this momentous demonstration, a tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City killed more than 140 workers – most of them were immigrants, many only teenagers, and almost all were girls and women. read more

  • October 18, 1929: Persons Case

    Dec 22, 2004

    This is a hugely important date in the legal history of women as it marks the moment Canada’s women added, “persons of right and privilege” to their standing of “persons in matters of pains and penalties.” This is a story about the process, led by Emily Murphy from 1916–1927, when the petition was signed to reconsider the definition of women, to the monumental day in 1929. Since then, the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund has continued to press for changes to laws that affect women. read more

  • June 20: summer solstice

    by Pat Hacker | Jun 17, 2003

    Summer solstice, on June 20, is the midpoint of the year; it’s the longest day and shortest night. Summer solstice is the time of divine and earthly power joined together; of the sun's brilliant energy at its zenith, and the earth at her fullness. Midsummer’s eve is when the faeries dance, the fires are lit and past sorrows are sent away. It is a night for love to be spent dancing and singing, eating fruits and cake and drinking ale. Happy summer! read more

  • pornography

    by Susan G. Cole | Mar 11, 2003

    Pornography has violence against women embedded in it, and it has other dimensions that are deeply challenging. It’s a subject many of us shy away from, wrapped up as it is with sex and sexuality. There is less public awareness of what it means to us and to our society. There is not a consensus about how to address it across diverse communities of interest. There are the personal layers. There are the public layers, including huge economic and commercial forces always, relentlessly, pushing it.  read more

  • the witch

    by Elizabeth Dobson | Jan 9, 2003

    In today’s scientific world, people do not normally believe in magic. They see the witch as an amusing relic from our superstitious past – a harmless “Old Mother Goose” that is remembered at Hallowe’en. But, for centuries, the witch was viewed as a truly evil woman who used supernatural powers to cause death and misfortune. Authorities in Europe may have executed anywhere from 50,000 to 2-million “witches” between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries (some say more). read more

  • CoolWomen timeline

    by Pat Staton | Feb 19, 2002

    SNAPSHOTS IN TIME: One Cool Woman’s Take on some of the Achievements of Women in Canada. read more

features

  • Seasonal Feature

  • February 2: Imbolc – Groundhog Day

    by Pat Hacker

    Groundhog Day, is the modern version of St. Brigid’s Day and Imbolc (or Candlemas). A time of intuition and looking forward, it is held that the groundhog comes out of her hole and looks for her shadow. If she sees it, she knows there will be six weeks more of winter. The spirit of life is born at the winter solstice when the sun begins its gradual return. In February, at Imbolc, the earth, the physical, has its first experience of life stirring deep within, waiting to appear in the spring. read more