Periods are even worse than you thought—and not just because no one told you you don’t need to be chained to the tyranny of the tampon. In case you aren’t familiar with the intricacies of the American tax code, “necessities” or “non-luxury” items are exempted from sales tax as people must buy them in order to survive. […]
Canada
Stories about Canadian politics and social issues.
Canada is Blaming Sexual Assault on “Biological Wiring”
In March, retired Canadian Supreme Court Justice Marie Deschamps published a report detailing the cultural factors that contribute to the high levels of harassment, date rape and other forms of assault in the Canadian military. Earlier this month, CBC news released an interview with Canadian Chief of Defense Staff General Tom Lawson, who had something […]
To Veil or Not to Veil: The Twisted Logic of Canada’s Prime Minister
Fear-mongering about the alleged threats of the Muslim faith took a decidedly Canadian turn last month when Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared in Parliament that covering one’s face with a niqab (a headscarf that covers every part of a woman’s face but her eyes) is “rooted in a culture that is anti-women.” Using pro-equality rhetoric to […]
Every City Needs a Trans Awareness Campaign Like this One
Vancouver is consistently named one of the most livable cities in the world, and its Park Board recently launched a program that’s making it even more appealing. Hillcrest Community Centre, built during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, became host this week to a series of posters raising awareness about the trans community and issues facing […]
Ode to My High School Health Teacher
Back when I was a public school student in Toronto, my sex-ed classes—while certainly better than the abstinence-only education many American and some Canadian children receive—were inconsistent; sometimes helpful and sometimes bizarre. Take, for instance, my 7th grade experience. Our teacher pulled out flash cards of different relationship “steps” (think: holding hands, kissing, oral sex, intercourse, […]
Say Their Names: Remembering the Montreal Massacre
We said their names each year in my Toronto schools on December 6. It was ritualistic, saying out loud the names of the 14 women murdered on Dec. 6, 1989, rolling the French r’s and picturing their faces the afternoon they were killed at École Polytechnique in Montreal. We did it to remind ourselves that […]
How Jian Ghomeshi Pulled the Feminist Wool Over Everyone’s Eyes
Reprinted with permission from Feminist Current I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been interviewed by male journalists who have been clearly antagonistic to my feminist, anti-porn position. I can usually tell within the first five minutes of the interview that these guys are very upset by my argument that porn shapes male […]
Why the Jian Ghomeshi “Rough Sex” Scandal Isn’t About Rough Sex
This article is reprinted with permission from Sex Geek. There’s a scandal breaking in Canada. It’s about BDSM. Or is it? I’m not so sure. Short version: Jian Ghomeshi is a wicked popular CBC radio host, and the CBC just fired him without disclosing why. He’s retaliating with a $55-million lawsuit (unheard of in non-litigious […]
The Woman Who Could Replace Toronto Mayor Rob Ford
By now, the mayor of my beloved hometown, Toronto, needs no introduction: His name is Rob Ford. He’s the guy who gets belligerent at sporting events, sometimes speaks with a faux Jamaican accent, coached a kids’ football team (but can’t catch a football) and, oh yeah, occasionally smokes crack while “in a drunken stupor.” Ring […]
Canadian Teen Gets Abstinence-Only Education Class Cancelled
Canadian high school student Emily Dawson has a lot to celebrate this month. She and her mother, Kathy Dawson, filed a human-rights complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission last year after Emily completed a mandatory abstinence-only workshop that slut-shamed students and used scare tactics to enforce abstinence. Two weeks ago, the Edmonton Public School Board announced […]