Celebrating pioneering women who made strides toward gender equality while keeping an eye on the hurdles that remain was a theme of community events around the globe Tuesday, and Kelowna was no different.
Several gatherings were organized by student and community groups across the city to mark International Women害羞草研究所檚 Day in a variety of ways.
害羞草研究所淲e decided to draw attention to human rights issues across the world that disproportionately affect women,害羞草研究所� explained Chelsea Grisch, executive chairperson of the Okanagan College Students Union, at the OC event.
害羞草研究所淔or example, in Saudi Arabia, women still can害羞草研究所檛 drive and that害羞草研究所檚 something a lot of people don害羞草研究所檛 know.害羞草研究所�
The student union created a trivia game that taught about pioneering women who risked life and limb, tearing down barriers abroad.
Among those being focused on in that game were Malala Yousafzai.
As a child, she became an advocate for girls害羞草研究所� education, which resulted in the Taliban issuing a death threat against her.
On Oct. 9, 2012, when she was 15, a gunman shot Malala when she was traveling home from school.
They also talked about Benazir Bhutto. She inherited leadership of the PPP after a military coup overthrew her father害羞草研究所檚 government and won election in 1988, becoming the first female prime minister of a Muslim nation.
These women may be remembered as some of the most cobntroversia figures in world history, but they were still less contentious than bringing the f-word out, said Grisch, who acknowledged that 害羞草研究所渇eminism害羞草研究所� is a touchy subject these days.
害羞草研究所淎 lot of people don害羞草研究所檛 want to align themselves with first world, third wave politics, which tends to be about identity politics and is more radical in nature,害羞草研究所� she said.
害羞草研究所淪o this is about basic fundamentals害羞草研究所e wanted to find commonality with all students because the idea of feminism can be quite divisive. Nobody can object to us talking about Malala害羞草研究所dvocating for women害羞草研究所檚 education, or feminist icons. 害羞草研究所�
Grisch also pointed out that in a global economy we can all do our part to support regimes who support women by spending wisely.
Added student Danielle Nault: 害羞草研究所淔eminism is equality of the sexes. What we really need to focus on in this country is domestic violence and sexual abuse.
害羞草研究所淲e have a really serious problem when one in every three women are affected by this.害羞草研究所�
Olivia Hoffer, instructor
害羞草研究所淔eminism means that we need to acknowledge that men and women are equal in value and that a lot of challenges and problems women face are a result of gender inequality. Violence against women, for example, is about gender equality and not about women deserving it.
害羞草研究所淚n Canada, we害羞草研究所檙e not faring as well as people think. The years that Harper was in power, the UN dropped Canada from being in the Top 10 for women害羞草研究所檚 equality to down in the 30s. There are a lot of places that are dpoing a better job than we are and we need to address that. 害羞草研究所�
Caroline Hansen, student.
害羞草研究所淚 think there is a lot of talk but no action being taken,e specially to help women with sexual assault and rape. There aren害羞草研究所檛 the supports or services.
害羞草研究所淎lso governments will slash basic social services we desperately need. And the lone parent family in Canada is usually led by a woman with children, and these families are living in abject poverty, with $1.25 income a day. There, Canada needs to really get it together. It害羞草研究所檚 ridiculous we have anybody living like that.害羞草研究所�
Alicia Goertzen.
害羞草研究所淚 think we害羞草研究所檙e doing pretty good when you compare us to the world in general, but I think there害羞草研究所檚 still some discrimination for when you害羞草研究所檙e a woman. I also think there are times when we take it too far.
害羞草研究所淚 think the man does have a special place in relationships and sometimes we should just relax, and not say 害羞草研究所榶ou don害羞草研究所檛 have to do that, I can do that.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淛ust because they害羞草研究所檙e offering to do things for us doesn害羞草研究所檛 mean they害羞草研究所檙e undermining us. Sometimes we take things a little too far. 害羞草研究所�
