International Women’s Day

I want to see those pictures, Nicole!

As a matter of fact, I don’t even know if words can express IWD. Of course, having procrastinated so long to write about it, I’m almost sure that I can’t express it.

Let’s see what I can tell you, though. It was a ridiculously snowy day (alas, that meant only a couple of us were there from our group) and they put it to a vote whether we ought to march but it everybody who was there – and oh, my god, there were a lot more than I ever would have dreamed and I wonder how many there would have been on a warm, sunny day – was rarin’ to go! People came out to the sidewalk from restaurants to see us and cheer as we chanted, marched, tooted our whistes, danced and used our signs and banners as windshields until they became sails moving us around.

I just wanted to say that if you can, when it comes around again, you really should go. I’ve never gone to anything like the rally and it’s amazing to hear really good speakers and hear about some of the local sub-issues that fall under the heading of feminism. The fair was great and there were a lot of organizations that have amazing projects going on (which our group may very well tag into). And well, marching makes you feel good. Involved. In solidarity. Raising your voice. It’s simple but it’s really important.

-Tara

V-Day on February 14th

 As we’re planning to do some activities before International Women’s Day on March 8th, I thought I’d post on V-Day, a global movement to raise awareness and money to end violence against women.  The charity was founded by Eve Ensler as she was inspired by the response to her play The Vagina Monologues.  I encourage you to read about V-Day’s history and mission via the website [link].

V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery.

Through V-Day campaigns, local volunteers and college students produce annual benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence groups within their own communities. In 2006, over 2700 V-Day benefit events took place by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls.

 The V in V-Day stands for Valentines, Victory over Violence and Vagina.  Normally festivities are centered around February 14th, running from Feb. 1st to March 8th -which is IWD.  This year is the 10th anniversary of V-Day so festivities and fund-raising have already begun and are running January 1st-March 30th. 

 Although details aren’t yet posted on the Toronto V-Day site, there will be a production of The Vagina Monologues March 15-16 at the Capitol Event Theatre and there will likely also be screenings of the V-Day documentary “Until the Violence Stops” and the V-Day Men Benefit Concert “Strike a Chord, Not a Woman”.

I think these are events we should definitely make an effort to attend!

-nichole