demonista

Call for submissions: feminism and mental health

demonista — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:36:49 +0000

*Call for Submissions:

The lived experience(s) of mental health in feminist communities*

Call for submissions from people who identify with feminism and have
lived
experiences of a psychiatric diagnosis.

Our upcoming anthology, *Feminist*s Navigate Mental Health* (working
title),
will explore the complexities of navigating mental health and how a
feminist
identity may (or may not) shape those experiences. Submissions are
welcomed
in the form of personal short stories.

The submissions received will shape the outcome of the book. The
final
manuscript will be submitted to relevant Canadian independent
publishers.
We are looking for contributions that explore the relationship between
feminist identity and experiences, thoughts, and feelings related to
mental
health.
*
Possible themes may include (but are not limited to):*
* Coping – what works and what doesn*t
* Any positive aspects of your mental health that are commonly
considered
deficits
* Treatment preferences and past experiences
* Medication
* Personal/lived understandings of your diagnosis (acceptance or
rejection)
* Stigma/tension around mental health issues in the feminist
community
* Feminism and well-being/strength/

empowerment
* Feminism and distress

*Guidelines:*
* Remember to take care of yourself while writing about topics
that may
be distressing;
* Good writing skills are great, but not mandatory! We will work
with
you to edit your piece;
* Submissions should be saved in .doc or .rtf, size 12 font, Ariel
or
Times New Roman, and double spaced;
* 500 to 3000 words
* Include contact information and a brief biography;
* Only email submissions will be accepted;
* Submission deadline is June 1st, 2010.

Comments, concerns, questions and submissions should be directed to:

fnmhsubmissions@gmail.com

No One Is Illegal Petition – Please sign

demonista — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:32:07 +0000

SCRAP PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE PROTECTION
REGULATIONS!
ENSURE STATUS FOR ALL!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/migrantworkers/

To:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney
Temporary Resident Policy and Programs Director Maia Welbourne

——————————

——————

As community, women’s, immigrant rights, faith-based and trade union
organizations we strongly oppose the proposed changes to the Temporary
Foreign Worker Program that entrench a disposable workforce with few
rights. We call on the government to scrap these proposed amendments
immediately and ensure real protection and justice for migrant workers.

Under a smokescreen of protection for workers, the regulatory changes
would limit migrant workers’ time in Canada to four years and bar them
from re-entering Canada for the next six years. Workers could be denied
entry at the border if an immigration officer decides their job offer is
not genuine.

These changes do not strengthen protection for migrant workers. These
changes only make workers even more vulnerable and reinforce the
government’s efforts to build a disposable workforce through the Temporary
Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

The government states it is responding to extensive consultations.
However, our organizations and countless workers have told Immigration
Minister Jason Kenney that, to address systemic violations of workers
rights in the TFWP, fundamental changes are needed, including ensuring
migrant workers have permanent status. Imposing limits on workers’ time in
Canada makes workers status even more precarious and is an unjust and
arbitrary provision.

Giving immigration officers arbitrary powers in denying workers admission
to Canada penalizes migrant workers rather than targeting recruiters and
employers who should be held accountable for the exploitation that workers
face.

The government proposes that abusive employers be banned from hiring
workers for 2 years and their names be made public. However, these changes
do nothing to address the reality that migrant workers who are tied to one
employer and who are denied full immigration status often cannot speak out
against the widespread violations in the TFWP without risking deportation.

This policy change is part of an ongoing trend of exclusion within the
Canadian immigration system where the government has created more
temporary programs and less access to citizenship rights. Today, people
from only 38 professions are able to immigrate to Canada under the Federal
Skilled Worker points system. Refugee acceptance rates have declined
sharply and there is talk of further dismantling the system. Deportations
have increased 50%.

The government’s press release states that these changes “strengthen the
protection of temporary foreign workers.” They do not.

Real protection means enforcing standards on employers and agencies hiring
migrant workers. Real protection means allowing migrant workers to bargain
collectively, with full coverage under labour legislation.

Real protection means access to citizenship benefits and responsibilities.
Real protection means permanent residence on arrival. Real protection
means regularization for all. Real protection means prohibiting fees
migrant workers are forced to pay to find work, a fair appeals process for
repatriations and an end to deportation. Real protection that Canada’s
immigration system has, as yet, failed to ensure.

We call on the government to scrap these proposed amendments and move to
ensure real protection and justice for migrant workers immediately.

================

Endorsed by (6 November, 2009): Agriculture Workers Alliance, Campaign
2000, Canadian Arab Federation, CAW Canada, Canadian Hispanic Congress,
The Canadian Society of Immigration Practitioners Inc., Caregivers Action
Centre, Caregiver Connections Education and Support Organization, Center
for Philippine Concerns, Centre des Travailleurs et Travailleuses
Immigrants, Chinese Canadian National Council, Coalition for Change,
Council of Agencies Serving South Asians, CUPE National, CUPE Ontario,
CUPE Toronto District Council, CUPE, Law Union of Ontario, Local 3393,
Local 4308, Local 3907, Dignidad Migrante, Fuerza/Puwersa, Interim Place,
Good Jobs for All Coalition, Health for All, Immigrant Workers Centre -
Montreal, Justice for Migrant Workers, Migrante – Ontario, No One Is
Illegal – Toronto, No One Is Illegal – Montreal, Ontario Association of
Interval and Transition Houses, Ontario Federation of Labour, PINAY,
Portuguese National Congress, SEIU Local 2, Sistering – A Woman’s Place,
Social Planning Toronto, Solidarity Across Borders – Montreal, Somali
Canadian Diaspora Alliance, South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, Student
Christian Movement of Canada, UFCW Canada, UFCW Canada, Local 175, Local
832, Local 1000a, Local 1118, Local 1400, Local 1518, UNITE-HERE, United
Steelworkers National Office, United Steelworkers Toronto Area Council,
Workers’ Action Centre

====================

Remember! The regulations take effect on December 9, 2009. Unless we stop
them!

WHAT YOU CAN DO

ENDORSE this statement! Email coalition4change.to@gmail.com if you are
part of an organization that would like to sign on.

SIGN THE PETITION.INVITE everyone you to know to sign this statement.

EMAIL your outrage to maia.welbourne@cic.gc.ca AND Minister@cic.gc.ca AND
coalition4change.to@gmail.com

STAY INVOLVED! Email nooneisillegal@riseup.net

Rabble mods push out another ex-prostituted woman

demonista — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:47:21 +0000

From: Policy Action Research List/Liste politique action recherche
[mailto:PAR-L@LISTSERV.UNB.CA] On Behalf Of martin dufresne
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2009 11:00 AM
To: PAR-L@LISTSERV.UNB.CA
Subject: [PAR-L] Just what is going on at rabble.ca?

Yesterday, a woman posted on the feminism forum of the
http://rabble.ca/babble website a reminder of Canadian legislation in regard
to child abuse reporting.

She was responding to two accounts of 12-yr old girls being prostituted, one
of them from the age of 9, the other 10, and described by frequent poster
Susan Davis as a < sex worker >!

“Infosaturated” wrote :

Every single adult who knows this is happening to a child and doesn’t report
it shares the guilt for what is happening to her from that day forward.
http://www.child-abuse-effects.com/duty-to-report.html
In Canada, if someone knows of or suspects that a child is being abused,
that person has a legal obligation to report the known or suspected abuse.
Failure to report can result in charges being laid, as well as a fine of up
to $10,000….

All of us must take responsibility when we suspect abuse is taking place,
not only from a legal standpoint, but from moral and ethical obligations as
well.

Do you find this appeal to our collective responsibility excessive?
Well, they were painted as a personal attack.
“Infosaturated” – a survivor of incest, rape, and prostitution – was
repeatedly insulted (“you suck”) and baited by Susan Davis, promoter of
decriminalized brothels in Canada, and then she, not Davis, was suspended
without explanation from the feminism forum by Rabble’s paid “moderator”
Michelle, who cut short the thread, making any response to her decision
impossible.

I suggest you read this incredible exchange for yourself (while it is still
on-line) at

http://www.rabble.ca/babble/feminism/un … ution-laws

I realize that some people are deeply committed to a full decriminalization
of brothels, pimps and johns, but is a sad day indeed on any feminist forum
when a survivor of prostitution and incest can be treated in this manner for
reminding us of our responsibility to try and protect children from the sex
industry.

Questions can be addressed to Rabble’s current owner:
Kim Elliot
rabble.ca
Suite 400, 215 Spadina Avenue
Toronto, ON
M5T 2C7

rabble.ca was launched in 2001 with the help of the following founding folk
and organizations:
The Atkinson Foundation
Doris Anderson
Margaret Atwood
Maxine Rosa Baines
Dr. Elaine Bernard
British Columbia Teachers’ Federation
Martha and George Butterfield
Canadian Auto Workers
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Duncan Cameron
Kim Cameron
Cecil Ross Foundation, Ontario
Centre for Media Alternatives – Quebec 2001 Centre for Social Justice
Chinese Canadian National Council Common Front Against the WTO Cool Women
Council of Canadians Ann Curry-Stevens Dr. Margrit Eichler Ruby & Edwardh
Doris & Al Jantzi David Langille Dr. Neil & Marilyn McLeod Barry McPeake
Rick Mercer Rona Moreau Dr. Henry Morgentaler Winnie Ng
PAR-L: Policy, Action, Research
Marion Pollack
Public Service Alliance of Canada
David Rapaport
Alvin & Glenna Rebick
Judy Rebick
Terra Rebick
Laurell Ritchie
Kikelola Roach
Wey Robinson
Mark & Tonya Surman
David Suzuki & Tara Cullis
Don Tapscott
and several anonymous donors

I sure hope that some of them share our concern.

Martin Dufresne

Roman Polanski is a child rapist, and Whoopi Goldberg is a rape apologist. End of.

demonista — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:20:57 +0000

http://jezebel.com/5369395/

One, of many notable comments to the article:

“I’m very confused by this Hollywood place, where a man interrupting a 19-year-old at an awards show constitutes a reason to boycott him and receives universal scorn, and at the same time, a man who raped a 13-year-old child receives a petition in support of his release.”

And so are a lot of others, in reference to the petitition: http://jezebel.com/5370356/letters-from-hollywood-roman-polanskis-rape-of-child-no-big-thing?skyline=true&s=i

This piece of patriarchal scum anally, orally, and vaginally raped a 13 year old girl child who he had drugged to semi-consciousness, in spite of her noes, stops, faking asthma, and other attempts at stopping him. And Whoopi has the gall to defend it, nor is it the first time she has defended the sexual abuse of women and children.

What I’m up to right now (aka, why I’m crying)

demonista — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:59:53 +0000

I’ve got a few things on the go, all of which have contributed to me crying my wee heart out.

I’m watching the subtitled English Italian documentary Women Bodies.

I read a news article on a speech by our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, in which he states: “We also have no history of colonialism.” And shows he doesn’t give a shit about the “apology” for the Canadian government’s role in residential schools for indigenous children that he made a couple years ago. Also, did you know that Canada, Amerika, and New Zealand are the only nations who oppose the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples? (Australia changed recently, issuing a statement of support; previously, they had voted against.)

I’m catching up on Julian Real’s blog, reading over September entries mostly, including entries on the late Andrea Dworkin, Robert Jensen calling on us to abandon masculinity as desirable or fixable, incestuous abuse by “Papa John” of his daughter (and Julian’s abuse at the hands of an adult when he was a preteen) and white hetero male privilege.

Julian’s blog is leading me to other blogs, such as A Lady Divine.

I’m also on a Blue October kick, listening to songs such as Razorblade (about a boy sexually abused by a priest and self harm. this live version adds a verse where he kills him when he grows up), Libby, I’m Listening (lovely love song, being there for someone in an abusive situation, fucked up individuals and all), Come In Closer (the lyrics evoke beautiful imagery, and it’s really compelling soundwise), Jump Rope (a song Justin wrote for his daughter when she asked why all his songs were sad), HRSA (stands for high risk of self abuse, about institutionalization), 2 AM Lovesick (not sure what it’s about, but love it), Chameleon Boy (opening oneself up to help, being vulnerable, dealing with addiction), Angel (wanting to help a rape survivor, not giving up), His Name Is Crazy (awesome musically) and Weight of the World (recovery). Oh, I love them, and could link songs to queendom come, but made myself stop And for good measure, here is Justin talking about Sexual Power-trip and Razorblade

Apologies for rarely updating lately. Things have been hectic, and my dad recently became seriously ill and passed away. But I have “abnormal” attitudes toward death, so have been handling it ok (in comparison to how people tend to deal with death, anyway).

Lyrics to the songs listed above, found here

Except, His Name is Crazy (aka Crazy Man):

I could talk for hours
About nothing in particular
Ranting uselessly, profusely
Get charmed or charming
This big-eyed evening
Left me numb for the next few days
I can still smell the chemical
Nosing it’s way up to my lap
Like a playground heart attack
Chemi-chemi-chemical reaction
Chemi-chemi-chemical reaction
Chemi-chemi-chemi-chemi-chemi-chemi

Chorus:
Call me a crazy man
Call me a crazy man
Call me a crazy man

Indiscreet, and me a fight
It’s dark oustide
Pulse, veins, blood, trains
Breathing really burns
Life, spleen, drugs, scream
That’s really how it works
I break grounds and I go underground
So dig up all your dirt

Chorus:
Call me a crazy man
Call me a crazy man
Call me a crazy man
Call me a crazy man

Island shutters
Ballet and tap stutters
I’ll sleep to that dream
Ice cream, we all scream
I really need a nice drink
Island shutters
Ballet and tap stutters
I’ll sleep to that dream
Black near colors
We both will leave
Kiss the sunshine, orange sheet
So best my man
Bless it and go to bed
And wake up sober and sweet
Che-chemi-chemi-chemical reaction
Chemi-chemi-chemical reaction
Chemi-chemi-chemi-chemi-chemi-chemi

Chorus

Guilty Pleasures: Music

demonista — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:48:45 +0000

Alright, we all know none of us are perfect, in that our likes/hobbies/etc don’t align wonderously with our politics. So I’m posting some songs–or the songs are fine, but the music video?!? GTFO–that are not woman-friendly, yet I like. EGGGAAAADDDSSSS!!!

Hides head in shaaaamme!

The radfem police are so gonna get me and take away my membership for this! Teehee.

Katy Perry Hot n Cold (self explanatory)

(the video is to just the song, because the music video goes wayyyy too far in regards to sexualising violence to be able to stomach in any way)

(They play brothers Sam and Dean on Supernatural, which is such a misogynist show, but I lap up the wincest subtext )

Don’t Trust Me – 3Oh!3 (oh, fucking hell. Needs no explanation. The last verse is the worst, I usually skip over it.)

The Bad Touch – The Bloodhound Gang (I’m sooo sorry, really. This is the only song of theirs I like, I swear.)

Lady Marmalade – Pink, Mya, Lil Kim, Christina, Missy Elliot (this is a collection of good, some great singers, but ah, helllll nah to the glorification of prostitution)

Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode (couldn’t find it on youtube, but they are in a goddamm brothel! wtf!) But Marilyn Manson’s version is worse. *le groan and le barf*

Under My Thumb – Rolling Stones (I only like the music/tune, and want to strangle Mick and shove Kate Millett’s Sexual Politics down his huge piehole)

Like a Pill – Pink (I don’t think Pink often pulls off being sexual without being objectified)

Rocky Racoon – The Beatles (woman as possession. damn you paul! and your deer eyes!)

OK, we’ll call it a day.

Next shall be songs and artists that sexualise women without objectifying them, as in, women as sexual, not sexy-for-male-gaze. “I’m coming for ya” not “Come and get me.” I’ll just list most I’ll be including to explain better: Sophie B Hawkins, Storm Large, Tori Amos, Jill Scott, Yeastie Girlz, Cyndi Lauper, kd lang, and Blue October. I need to earn my radfem card back

And if you’re still scratching your head, you’ll just have to wait a few days to get a sensical explanation of the next post. But here’s two examples of Sophie Hawkins:

Right Beside You (won’t let me embed, but you should watch it )

And a duet with Melissa Etheridge!

I’M GOING TO SEE TORI!!!

demonista — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:37:49 +0000

Amos, of course. In concert in Toronto on the 10. I’m all excited!!!

HOLY HELL–MANICS PLAYING IN T.O.

demonista — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:36:28 +0000

I damn near had a squee fit-heart attack-orgasm rolled into one when I found out that not only are the Manic Street Preachers coming to North America for the first time in a decade, but they’d be playing in Toronto on October 4. Anyone want to go with me? (herein lies proof)

FUCK YEAH!

ps i just got back a couple days ago doing an activist training camp for earth justice.

hahaha; this pwns!

demonista — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:31:22 +0000

I pour you gravy, over some pies tonight…

someone on a manics comm stated that weebl was james, and bob sean. TOTALLY true. and made it even funnier.

Nova Scotia votes in first and majority NDP gov

demonista — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:50:51 +0000

Whoot!

Need I say more? Next up, Ontario