Category: Women and Gender Studies

Why aren’t we helping women with endometriosis?

March 1, 2019

Endometriosis is hard enough to deal with. But, even worse, women who suffer from this condition face a multitude of barriers and obstacles in finding help and relief from their suffering. Affecting roughly 10 per cent of reproductive-aged women (approximately 200 million women and teenagers globally), endometriosis is “a systemic, inflammatory disease that occurs when … More Why aren’t we helping women with endometriosis?

Steven Tyler opens Janie’s House for abused women

February 17, 2019

Whether or not you’re a fan of Aerosmith’s frontman, Steven Tyler, you may be as pleased as I am to learn that he recently opened Janie’s House, a facility intended for abused and neglected girls in Memphis, Tennessee, an NBC article said earlier this month. The chosen name, Janie’s House, comes from the band’s 1989 … More Steven Tyler opens Janie’s House for abused women

Way to go, Gillette

January 18, 2019

A new commercial from Gillette, a well-known men’s hygiene company, is creating quite a stir across social media platforms as of late. The advertisement, titled “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be” is a short-film style commercial that makes reference to patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and the #MeToo movement regarding non-consensual sexual harassment, assault, and violence. … More Way to go, Gillette

Brock University controversy

January 11, 2019

Brock University, and former professor, David Schimmelpenninck, have caused quite a stir as of late. Schimmelpenninck encountered scrutiny in 2016 when a CBC news investigation revealed that “Brock had warned a former student to keep quiet about an internal investigation that determined Schimmelpenninck gave her alcohol and tried to force himself on her sexually,” a Monday CBC article … More Brock University controversy

Stop denying transgender identities

December 17, 2018

The significance of acknowledging transgender identities has always been apparent to some, but an article published via MedicalXpress highlights its significance even further. The New York Times published a story in October titled “‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration.” Depicting efforts from the Department of Health and Human Services, the story addressed a … More Stop denying transgender identities

Addressing sexual assault amongst elders

November 27, 2018

An article posted on The Conversation addresses a difficult topic to tackle; sexual abuse and assault towards elderly people, specifically women. A disheartening topic for sure, but also one that demands recognition and acknowledgement in hopes of preventing these occurrences from occurring. The article outlines research that was published in Legal Medicine that looked at 28 forensic medical … More Addressing sexual assault amongst elders

Social media impacts how we see our bodies, but not in a good way

November 18, 2018

The relationship between social media and body image is one I have revisited on several occasions, on here, on a project I did for university, and for one I completed in college. Despite my frequency in dabbling with this topic, it continues to spark conversation. And not in a good way. An article from York … More Social media impacts how we see our bodies, but not in a good way

Kavanaugh vs. Blasey Ford aftermath

November 13, 2018

Remember the whole Brett Kavanaugh, Christine Blasey Ford situation in which Blasey Ford, despite her decision to come forward with her sexual assault testimony against Kavanaugh, was silenced by Kavanaugh’s successful entry to the Supreme Court? After Kavanaugh was voted into the Supreme Court, Blasey Ford began to encounter harassment and death threats for her … More Kavanaugh vs. Blasey Ford aftermath

Canada’s first-ever Gender Equality Week

September 27, 2018

When I noticed that #GenderEqualityWeek was trending on Twitter this week, I was pleasantly surprised that this initiative is occurring right at home on Canadian soil. This is the first time this movement is occurring in Canada, and thus far, it’s received a very positive response via social media (do a quick search, you’ll see … More Canada’s first-ever Gender Equality Week

Profile: Emilia Clarke

September 24, 2018

Because I’m a massive Game of Thrones fan, it’s safe for anyone to assume that I’m also a massive fan of a majority of the cast, specifically Emilia Clarke. This woman is so damn classy, goofy and wonderful, and her ability to be all of these things simultaneously is one of the few reasons I’m such … More Profile: Emilia Clarke

Here’s why the Serena Williams fine is so sexist

September 11, 2018

This past Sunday, Serena Williams was fined $17,000 for supposedly violating three match codes in her loss to Japan’s Osaka. The referee at the match fined Williams $10,000 for verbal abuse towards chair umpire Carlos Ramos; $4,000 for being warned for coaching; and $3,000 for breaking her racket, according to an article from Global News. … More Here’s why the Serena Williams fine is so sexist

Why is no one talking about motherhood?

September 10, 2018

After having a conversation with a good friend of mine the other evening, I came to the realization that motherhood, specifically for new or first-time moms, is not discussed nearly enough in contemporary society. Postpartum depression, frustration, loneliness and isolation are things that can impact a woman shortly after she gives birth, yet no one … More Why is no one talking about motherhood?

“But I Don’t Want to go to the Doctor’s…”

August 10, 2018

Going to the doctor’s can be a real pain in the rear. Perhaps you go and wait for three hours only to see your doctors for five minutes, trying to ask questions as they’re halfway out the door. Maybe you’ve had several bad experiences with doctors, for example, incorrect diagnoses, being made to feel as … More “But I Don’t Want to go to the Doctor’s…”

Here’s How The Kardashians Are Supporting Eating Disorder Culture

August 6, 2018

An article from Women’s Health recently caught my attention as it discusses some insensitive comments that were made by the Kardashian siblings towards Kim, regarding her recent weight loss. The article reports that siblings Khloe and Kendall claimed Kim looks like a walking Face Tune doll, and according to other sources Kim’s Instagram stories), the siblings … More Here’s How The Kardashians Are Supporting Eating Disorder Culture

#MeToo

October 19, 2017

Following the recent Harvey Weinstein scandal, thousands of women have taken to social media to share their experiences with sexual assault and/or sexual harassment with the hashtag #MeToo. The movement began on Sunday, with the hashtag developing across social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and more and more individuals have joined the … More #MeToo

The 2017 Norfolk County Fair’s Faces of Women in Agriculture Panel

October 9, 2017

On Friday evening my mom, grandma and I went to the Norfolk County Fair’s very first Women in Agriculture Panel. The event was organized independently by my own sister, Danielle, and I could not be more proud of how successfully she executed this panel. The tremendous work she dedicated to this project is worthy of recognition, … More The 2017 Norfolk County Fair’s Faces of Women in Agriculture Panel

The Occurrence of Contemporary Global Racism

August 21, 2017

I would argue that a majority of individuals have some extent of an understanding regarding the events that took place recently in Charlottesville, Virginia. What occurred was and remains to be absolutely appalling and furthermore tragic considering a young woman, Heather Heyer, was killed in an attempt to stand up for what is right, and … More The Occurrence of Contemporary Global Racism

Trump’s Military Ban

July 28, 2017

I was absolutely appalled to learn that Donald Trump recently announced that transgender persons will be prohibited from serving in the US military. On July 26th Trump tweeted a series of statements in regards to his discriminatory ban: “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will … More Trump’s Military Ban

3 Things You Should Never Say to a Person with an Eating Disorder

July 23, 2017

I would categorize myself as an eating disorder awareness advocate, specifically because it seems as though there is a lack of social recognition regarding the tremendous implications of this type of mental illness. There is still a heavy stigma affiliated with mental illness, and I would argue eating disorders even more so than other mental … More 3 Things You Should Never Say to a Person with an Eating Disorder

The Double Standard Regarding Blatant Sexuality

July 15, 2017

I had a thorough and beneficial conversation the other day with a family friend addressing the concept of blatant sexual expression. We were discussing how heterosexuality is completely and totally tolerated when exhibited in a public manner and how homosexuality fails to encounter the same tolerance when exhibited publicly. For example, it is socially acceptable … More The Double Standard Regarding Blatant Sexuality

The Portrayal of Female Stereotypes in Popular Culture

June 25, 2017

I unearthed another one of my papers from university the other evening and the subject matter of said paper really encouraged me to examine the consequences of inaccurate depictions of women in media. The portrayal of female stereotypes in popular culture can be considerably detrimental to the public perception of women. The ways in which … More The Portrayal of Female Stereotypes in Popular Culture

The Depiction of Violence Against Women in Early London Literature

June 20, 2017

Violence against women is a prevalent theme in numerous works of literature, therefore an understanding of what this type of violence consists of is needed to determine the implications it proposes. In their article “Prevalence of Violence against Immigrant Women: A Systematic Review of the Literature”, Gonçalves and Matos, two Latin American Feminist scholars, offer … More The Depiction of Violence Against Women in Early London Literature

The Disproportionate Perception of Pride Month

June 17, 2017

In case you’re unaware, the month of June has been recognized as Pride month. June was selected out of all months within the calendar year to celebrate individualistic pride to commemorate the Stonewall Riots that occurred at the conclusion of June in 1969. Throughout Pride month, many events and celebrations are held to acknowledge sexual … More The Disproportionate Perception of Pride Month