This year for International Women’s Day (IWD) St. Mary’s University, through the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, explores how to #BreakTheBias and reflects on gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow. Since March 1911, International Women’s Day is globally and annually celebrated on March 8th to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. IWD is also central in the women’s rights movement, focusing on issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. This year (and always) we celebrate inspiring and courageous women, carefully reflect on the status of women in all areas of society, foster policies and strategies to attain gender equality and justice at the intersections of gender, race, sexual orientation, class, and disabilities.
Here are some of our voices – #BreakTheBias
“I thought International Women’s Day was a recent phenomenon, but after some research I discovered that IWD is over a hundred years old, and was officially recognized by the United Nations in 1975. This day holds a great deal of meaning for me because equality for women has been a concern of mine since I was a young girl in Pakistan, and I saw gender inequality seeped into every level of society and I wanted the world to be a better place for girls. As a woman of color, living with a disablity in Canada, the opportunities I have are beyond what I would have imagined for myself in Pakistan. I am blessed to live in a country that is introspective about its relationship with women and is working towards creating better conditions for women by acknowledging that there is still a great deal of work to be done to close the equality gap. I am grateful that I live in a city that elected a female mayor and a country that is trying to better what has been historically done. I am grateful that as a mom of two adults, I can go back to university with my kids and pursue my dreams of seeking higher education, something my mom was not able to do. IWD is a reminder of how far we’ve come in recognizing women for our contributions to society but also an opportunity for us to reflect upon the journey that lies ahead for those struggling for equality locally and internationally.”
– Amber Rehman, 2nd year Bachelor of Arts-Psychology
“I will challenge gender stereotypes, discrimination and bias. This call to action will allow me to provide a more inclusive learning environment for my future students. #BreakTheBias #IWD2022”
– Caij Meloche, 2nd year Bachelor of Education
“This week I have been reflecting on the powerful women who have influenced my life and I have contemplated my gratitude for their role in my life. My mom, who has always supported my career and education goals, my female teachers who taught me growing up, they helped validate my feelings and helped me to feel safe when I was struggling, I am so thankful for how they supported me. The female teachers I had growing up were some of the most influential people in my life and they helped inspire me to pursue teaching as my career. And now that I have friends working as teachers, seeing all they do for kids especially in the current climate, it makes me so proud of what they have accomplished and knowing all the lives they influence every day. Especially in the past year, I have been so grateful for the support from Coach Donna since joining the running team at St. Mary’s. She has helped me gain so much confidence in my abilities and she is always so supportive of our journeys and on IWD these are just some of the women I will be celebrating and how they have positively impacted my life.”– Elizabeth Krueger, 3rd year Bachelor of Arts-History
Executive
“I feel blessed to work at St. Mary’s University where I am able to work and thrive in an open, welcoming and inclusive culture that is increasingly striving for better diversity and equity for all persons. In 2022 and beyond, I hope and imagine a world that is diverse, equitable, inclusive and free of bias, and discrimination for all persons”.– Thérèse Takacs, Vice President, Advancement and Campus Services
“It is important to reflect on where we are in terms of representation, access to opportunities, and treatment of women. I have heard many of our students say that we have achieved equality but that isn’t my experience. I was willing to stand as Vice-President Academic & Dean in 2015 because all the previous VPA/Deans had been male. At the time, women academic leaders were greatly under-represented in universities – and women with young families even more so, despite the fact that there are many more female undergraduate students than males (70:30). This inequity hasn’t changed significantly and is even more pronounced for women of colour.
Well-qualified and experienced women in all kinds of leadership roles or aspiring to be leaders share how hard they are finding their roles because of expectations placed on them to be more responsible for the emotional wellbeing of colleagues, work harder, be more sensitive, and accomplish more than their male colleagues. At the same time, they tend to face more criticism than their male peers and given less leeway for on the job growth.
Other women ask me how to be an effective leader without burning out, how to find a way to navigate structures and situations in ways that align with our values as women. I am still learning. But I find great encouragement in the examples of other women who share their experiences, insights, and belief that we belong in positions of leadership and influence.
I want all of our young people to see themselves represented across society and be valued for who they are and what they contribute, without bias.
That’s why I think it’s important to celebrate international women’s day and the women who have shown us ways to become and thrive – and those who journey with us.”
– Dr. Tara Hyland-Russell, Vice President Academic and Provost
“The first official International Women’s Day occurred over 110 years ago, and support for and recognition of this important day has only grown stronger year by year. This is a critical day to celebrate advocacy and social justice, and to reflect and be grateful for the impact of women on our nations and societies. This is also a time for us to reflect on how much farther we still have to go to create true equity and inclusion. Our university, like our communities, has been supported and enriched by the contribution of powerful, caring and dynamic women, and for that we need to be deeply grateful.”
– Dr. Gerry Turcotte, President & Vice-Chancellor
Staff
“As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2022, I want to call attention to the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people in Canada. Please learn about and share the Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2019) (2019) https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/
within your spheres of influence. The guiding principle of this inquiry was “Our Women and Girls are Sacred.” We must all help to #BreaktheBias, amplify these truths, and restore this sacred place of power of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people.”
– Michelle Scott/Anaatsa’poopaki, Director of Indigenous Initiatives
“International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the women in our lives! As I reflect on International Women’s Day on my return to STMU in the new role of Registrar, I am so grateful to the wonderful women (former Registrars, staff and faculty members) I have had the opportunity to work with here. These women have been mentors, teammates and supporters that have shaped me personally and professionally.”
– Laura Cochrane, Registrar
“Celebrating and reflecting on International Women’s Day is important because it was not too long ago, less than 100 years, that women were not considered people under Canadian law. Women throughout history have faced discrimination and stereotypes. International Women’s Day allows us to shine a spotlight on women who have achieved great things, often while breaking down barriers and biases. It is also a way to witness to women and young girls around the world who are still experiencing inequality that they too can overcome.”
– Jolene Smith, Dir. of Campus Ministry
“International Women’s Day is an important celebration of the achievements of women everywhere. Women’s rights and gender parity is a cause I feel strongly about – I think that the more we fight for and recognize the need for women’s rights and autonomy, the better our world will be.”
– Alexa MacKell, Recruitment and Community Engagement Officer
“International Women’s Day is important not only to honour the achievements of women throughout history and across the globe from all different backgrounds and cultures, but also to recognize the strong leaders in our community who promote gender equality, advocate for women’s education, support victims of abuse, and speak for those who do not have a voice.”
– Stephanie Law, HR Specialist
“International Women’s Day to me is a day to reflect on the impact that incredible women have had in this world but to also come together to know there is more work to do. Women are resilient, powerful, and strong and together we will stand for equality.”
– Colleen MacKell, Recruitment and Community Engagement Officer
Faculty
“International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate and reflect on the accomplishments of women and to shine a light on the work that still needs to be done to achieve gender equality and equity. It’s a day to inspire further progress in the women’s movement specifically for some of the world’s most marginalised women through both local and international action”.– Dr. Nketti Johnston-Taylor, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Economics
“Women, demographically, comprise 51% of the world’s population. Is there any nation that can afford to underutilize this resource? As Hillary Clinton once stated “Women’s rights are human rights” and must be recognized as such. A hierarchy based on gender is fundamentally flawed and discriminatory.”
– Dr. Gayle Thrift, Interim Area Chair, Social Sciences and Associate Professor of History
“Break the bias is this year’s theme for International Women’s Day and as we expose gender based discrimination, I strive to make space for us to come together to replace bias with the belonging.”
–Dr. Jocelyn Williams, Associate Professor, English and Chair of Humanities
“International Women’s Day gives us the opportunity to stop to recognize how women bring important strengths to their communities around the world. Thriving communities need leaders who are compassionate, concerned with consensus building, and communally oriented. For these and many other reasons, when women are empowered politically and economically, their communities and nations tend to thrive in ways they can’t or don’t under the leadership of men. Indigenous communities have understood this insight from time immemorial, but for many patriarchal societies, we are only just beginning to wake to this reality.”
– Dr. Cory Wright-Maley, Assistant Professor of Education
“On this IWD22 I invite our students to reflect on the teaching of Mother Earth who metaphorically represents sacred interconnectedness. This universal power to reintegrate is our hope for healing in this broken world.”
– Dr. Maria Oss-Cech Chiacchia, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Italian Language and Culture/Humanities/Classical Mythology
Some books recommendations and readings:
– Dr. Jennifer Garrison, Associate Professor of English
bell hooks, Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics (2000).
https://excoradfeminisms.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/bell_hooks-feminism_is_for_everybody.pdf
– –Dr. Pablo Ortiz, Dir. Student Affairs
Alicia S. Ostriker, Stealing the Language: the Emergence of Women’s Poetry in America (1986).
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype (1997).
Helene Cixous, “The Laugh of the Medusa” (1976). http://www2.csudh.edu/ccauthen/576F10/cixous.pdf
Elaine Showalter, The Female Malady: Women, Madness and English Culture, 1830-1980 (1987).</span
Women on Sports: A Perspective from One of Our Own
“When I think of International Women’s Day, I think about the prejudice and attitudes that impact women in every aspect of their lives. For me, one of the most substantially-impacted areas is in outdoor sports. As an avid ice climber and backcountry skier, I often am assumed to be the incompetent and unfit ‘token girlfriend’ following her boyfriend around, depending on him for navigation, avalanche safety, and technical rope work. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I hold the highest recreational avalanche safety training possible, am well-versed in navigation and wilderness first aid, and am competent in technical rope rescue.
Somehow it seems that none of my skills are visible to the average person I meet when out, as I’m often the brunt of well-meaning yet discriminatory comments, or downright slights, from men. This past week alone I have heard:
“Wow your girlfriend isn’t holding you back at all! That must be so nice.” (Said to my ski partner, who I am NOT in a relationship with)
“I can’t believe she can keep up to you on this! Do you pre-set anchors and protection for her leads?” (Said to my climbing partner, who I am also NOT in a relationship with, as another party caught up to us on a climb and immediately assumed that I was not capable of leading WI4 on my own, despite having done so all morning) and “Can I help you with that?”
(Said to my partner, who also happens to be female, and I, as if we were not capable of organizing our own ropes and gear).
While these comments aren’t intended to sow doubt in my abilities, they persist in my head even when I’m attempting something that should be easy for me. I start to question whether I have any business doing what I’m doing, whether I should attempt a longer, more technical climb, and if I’m actually as strong and competent as I’ve shown myself to be. Time and time again, I’ve witnessed a double standard where, when I achieve something, the objective is lessened in importance or significance but when a similarly-talented man achieves something, they are simply congratulated.
The existence of this duality is exactly why I believe that we should celebrate International Women’s Day. It’s a day to take pride in our achievements, to remind ourselves of what we are capable of, and to set our sights on what we want to push ourselves towards next. Not only is International Women’s Day important for women, it is also important for the rest of the community to evaluate how their habits and assumptions play a role in a systemic imbalance of respect, and how this imbalance subsequently impacts women.”
– Heather McFadyen, Academic Access Coordinator
