The Feminist Shift – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Dr. Deborah Stienstra holds the Jarislowsky Chair in Families and Work at the University of Guelph, where she is the Director of the Live Work Well Research Centre and Professor of Political Science. She is the author of About Canada: Disability Rights published by Fernwood in 2020.

We spoke with Dr. Stienstra about the new Canadian Feminist Disability Coalition, and the impacts of this project as it ensures the voices of women living with disabilities is not only kept at the centre of the work, but in the administration of it.

"We're percolating change," Stienstra said. She is one of the 25% of Canadian women, who self-identify as living with a disability and has been left to self-advocate for change, in hopes of individual accommodation. And while the self-advocacy of women living with disabilities has resulted in transformations in some communities, the Canadian Feminist Disability Coalition is bringing these communities together, and in thirty months, helping to realize a world where these talented, valued, and diverse women can look around and see themselves included.

Dr Stienstra's research and publications explore the intersections of disabilities, gender, childhood, and Indigenousness, identifying barriers to, as well as possibilities for, engagement and transformative change. Her work also contributes to comparative and trans/international research and theory related to intersectional disability rights and justice.

Show Links:

To learn more about this awesome project, check out the Live Work Well Research Centre's website and sign up for their newsletter:

https://liveworkwell.ca/news/2022/12/announcing-canadian-feminist-disability-coalition

In this episode we talk to Kim Decker, CEO of YWCA Cambridge and Elizabeth Clarke, recently retired CEO of the YW Kitchener-Waterloo, about their legacy of planning, organizing and advocating on the issue of women’s homelessness in Waterloo Region. For over two decades, these leaders have hosted and shown up to meetings, spoken up at planning tables and created interventions in the organizations they lead to tackle the issue of women’s homelessness and the realities that inform it. Together we dive into the findings from our recently published Project Willow Report: “Don’t tell them you’re homelessness.” Experiences of gender-based violence among women experiencing homelessness in Waterloo Region, reflecting on how systems and approaches have shifted over time in our region and where opportunities exist for advocacy as we move forward towards an equitable, trauma informed approach to services that is led by the voices of women experiencing homelessness themselves.

Show Links: 

- Learn more about the Project Willow Report- https://thefeministshift.ca/project-willow/

- Sign up for a presentation on Project Willow research findings- https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkc-2spzosG91IKMjLjDbi2TG9bigoJ1B3%20

- WNHHN Link: https://womenshomelessness.ca/humanrightsclaims/

In this episode we take down the NRA's Mother's Day tweet in our 'Patriarchy Alive and Well' segment and then we are chatting with Jessica St. Peter from the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region, where we will work together to pull apart some of the alarming data trends around gender-based violence- particularly sexual violence, discovered through the Feminist Shift and Data for Good Waterloo Region- Data for Good Report. 

All about Jessica:

Jessica St. Peter is the Manager of Public Education at the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region. Jessica is so pleased to have the pleasure of working with an incredible team of violence prevention educators. As an educator, activist and advocate for violence prevention, Jessica values the importance of an intersectional feminist approach. Her appreciation for life-long learning, self-reflection and accountability help her to connect, cultivate and appreciate the work of change makers of the past, present and future. Her Bachelor of Arts in Gender Equality and Social Justice was the ignition of her passion for intersectional feminism, trauma informed supports and education, survivor focused programming and community based organizing.  After completing her Bachelor of Education, Jessica was inspired to utilize different educational strategies to engage in empowering and reflective conversations, activities and campaigns with diverse audiences focused on ending gender-based violence and oppression. Jessica values the knowledge and insight she has been gifted by many incredible survivors, participants, mentors and advocates throughout her life and looks forward to the lessons and change ahead.

Episode Links:

Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region

Data for Good Report

Data for Good Waterloo Region

In this episode we bust open the troll inspired myth that Marwa Elselehdar, the recent first female appointed sea captain in Egypt was NOT responsible for the Ever Given damn jam in our Patriarchy Alive and Well segment and then we are chatting with Jelena Vermilion from the Sex Workers Action Network (SWAN) Waterloo Region about their work within the Charter Challenge to the majority of sex work laws in Bill C-36. This is important work to ensure that women and gender diverse folks working in sex work receive the support and protection they need to stay safe in their work. 

All about Jelena:

Jelena Vermilion (she/her) is a trans-femme full-service sex worker, porn performer, and activist of almost a decade, who lives with disabilities. She has limited experience being incarcerated, being homeless, working outdoors and on the street, and as an undocumented migrant. She now works primarily out of her rented residence. She has been featured in several national media outlets speaking about decriminalization.

Jelena is the Co-Chair of the Sex Workers Action Network (SWAN) Waterloo. She provides professional trainings and public speaking engagements for organizations and agencies who wish to affirm the rights and dignity of sex workers. Notably, Jelena has spoken at McMaster University’s School of Labour Studies and the University of Guelph’s School of Social Work.

In 2018, she was subpoenaed as an expert witness in the R v. Boodhoo case, a Constitutional Challenge to certain sex work laws in Canada.

As of March 30, 2021, SWAN Waterloo joined 24 other member groups from all over Canada along with the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform to launch another Charter Challenge to the majority of the sex work laws (Bill C-36) currently in place.

Episode Links:

Network of Neighbours

More on Marwa Elselehdar

Jelena Vermilion Website

Charter Challenge Information

Toolbox: What works for sex workers

In this episode we talk to Kate Cozier, Director of Programs at Community Justice Initiatives about her feminist influence on restorative justice work, how to move beyond a prison model and the power of community based justice, particularly for women disenfranchised, victimized or criminalized from and through our police and prison systems. Prior to working at CJI, Kate has spent most of her career working with women impacted by violence. Additionally, learning from her work with criminalized youth, homeless women and sexually abused men, her passion is to work with people who are committed to creating a safe and fair society. She obtained her M.A. in Leadership from the University of Guelph and found herself surrounded by a talented network of people seeking to change the status quo. “I love being a part of the restorative justice movement because we can tackle these barriers on both a personal and a community level. For me, one of the best parts about working within a restorative justice framework, is the ability to work with people who value meaningful accountability, community building and inclusion."

Relevant Links:

Community Justice Initiatives

Grand Valley Institute

In this episode we reimagine our justice and legal system with special guest Sukhpreet Sangha, a KW native who is a lawyer, theatre-maker, writer, and barfly. After studying and English at the University of Waterloo, she studied law at Osgoode Hall. Sukhpreet has practiced as a criminal defence lawyer in private practice and as a poverty lawyer at a community legal clinic. In those roles, she appeared before all levels of court in Ontario, as well as several administrative tribunals and the Supreme Court of Canada. Currently, she works in legal education at a non-profit dedicated to youth. Sukhpreet also remains active as a theatre practitioner and, to that end, is co-Artistic Director of Informal Upright Theatre Collective.

Relevant Links: 

Waterloo Region Community Legal Services

Community Legal Education Ontario 

The Ontario Women’s Justice Network 

Community Justice Initiatives

Informal Upright Theatre

Kimia Eslah is a feminist, queer writer who lives in Ontario, Canada. Born in Iran following its revolution, Kimia spent her early years as a refugee in New Delhi, India, before emigrating to Toronto with her parents and three siblings. Her formative years were spent downtown, in the valley and on the sidewalks, where she played pool, read classics and took up other bad habits. Later, Kimia found her calling as an instructional designer, producing training programs and course materials in various sectors. She dedicated her thirties to raising her son and community building. Today, she spends her days writing and thinking about writing. Kimia lives with the love of her life, Andrew, her son and their three cats.

Kimia Eslah's latest book is called Sister Seen, Sister Heard

Sister Seen, Sister Heard follows 20 something Farah as she tries to assert her independence from her family and their expectations while navigating some intense waters and experiences of patriarchy and sexual violence. Farah is this fascinating young advocate who has a tendency for speaking up against sexism and inequity, regardless of her audience, and spends much of the book on a journey fighting for her autonomy and independence but also to be loved and accepted as she comes.

This book is a rally cry about the impact of tragedy and violence for young women but also the love and tenacity of a family committed to coming together in the sake of safety and healing, while also learning to champion each other.

 https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/sister-seen-sister-heard

Note: This episode has a trigger warning for conversations of sexual violence.

In this episode we talk to urban scholar Leslie Kern (https://lesliekern.ca/) author of the Feminist City, about how to build cities with women in mind. We explore how cities can show up better for women in caregiving roles and how we build safety into our city for low-income and homeless women, who are most vulnerable to outdated patriarchal design practices. Using a dash of urban planning while drawing inspiration from other feminist centric projects we reimagine Waterloo, from transportation and infrastructure, to how to modernize the safety value of pay phones. This podcast is a continuation from a guest lecture done in February 2022 by Leslie Kern as part of our collaborative speaker series with the City of Kitchener 'Building Equitable Cities', where we invite thought leaders into our community to share knowledge that challenges our tired traditions and builds equity.

In response to the shadow pandemic of gender-based violence, experienced over the course of the pandemic, we created Network of Neighbours Violence Prevention Training. This training empowers citizens to help a neighbour experiencing abuse in the home through building their confidence, knowledge and skills to intervene.

In Part Two of this podcast training we review four unique types of interventions you can support folks experiencing violence with in different circumstances. We review the bystander training model used by Hollaback (https://www.ihollaback.org/), we look at safety planning around fleeing the home,  how to have a prevention conversation with someone whose behaviours are nearing closer to abusive, and how to get more out of calling the police in situations of imminent harm. We also cover what you can expect to see post intervention and how to continue to support someone in ongoing ways.

This training was developed and is facilitated by The Feminist Shift with funding from the Canadian Women's Foundation Safe and Stronger Grants.

By the end of this two part podcast you will have gained an understanding of yourself and your assumptions, and will have developed your own signature approach to providing support.