rabble.ca - The F Word

Redefining beauty by putting health first

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:41:17 +0000

Lindsay Kite and Lexie Kite, 26-year-old identical twin sisters finishing their PhDs in Communication at the University of Utah, study representations of female bodies in popular media. Their website is Beauty Redefinied - spurned out of their passion for helping girls and women recognize and reject harmful messages about their bodies and what “beauty” means and looks like.

Is nude protest revolutionary?

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:14:05 +0000

Is going nude revolutionary within the context of feminism? Can women’s naked bodies present a challenge to patriarchal ideas and historic male control over female bodies and women’s sexuality? Is nude protest a radical way to draw attention to your cause? Or is it just exhibitionism? Does it merely replicate sexist ideas around the female body as a thing that exists for public consumption?

Cop watch: Community activism to end police brutality

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:57:55 +0000

The F Word discusses community resistance to police brutality, featuring footage from the International Day Against Police Brutality rally and interviews with Cop Watch organizers Jennifer Allan and Ann Livingston.

The invisible man: Reflections on the Bedford case

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:28:59 +0000

The Ontario Court of Appeal recently released its judgment in Bedford v. Canada, a case which challenged Canada’s prostitution laws as unconstitutional. The court struck down the law criminalizing brothels but upheld the communication provision, that is the law that criminalizes street prostitution. While some hail this decision as a victory, many believe the decision and the purpose of the case has been misunderstood and misrepresented.

The F Word: Familial Sexual Abuse

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:00:27 +0000

Ariana Barer and Nicole Deagan discuss the social climate around sexual abuse, common stories of abuse, the role of silence and shame, the phenomenon of mother-blaming, and the way that feminism acts as a framework for healing and understanding abuse and power in a larger context.

Ariana speaks with Leigh Malone, who works with children and adults who have experienced child sexual abuse at the Trauma and Sexual Abuse program in Richmond, BC, Canada.

Nicole talks about the new book by Christine Stark, Nickels: A Tale of Dissociation, which details the experiences of a girl who is being sexually assaulted by her father throughout her childhood.

Breaking barriers since 1938: Interview with Barbara Howard

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:35:34 +0000

In 1938, at the age of 17, Barbara Howard ran the 100-yards in the breakneck time of 11.2 seconds at the Western Canada British Empire Games trials, bettering the British Empire Games record of the time by one-tenth of a second.

Bedford v. Canada decision: An interview with Hilla Kerner

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:16:15 +0000

At long last, a decision has been made in the Bedford v. Canada case, a case which challenged Canada's prostitution laws as being unconstitutional.

Meghan Murphy spoke with Hilla Kerner of Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter about the decision and what it means.

For more information on The F Word, please visit their website at: www.feminisms.org

Abortion and reproductive rights -- still under attack

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:38:21 +0000

Women's reproductive rights continue to be controversial and move many politicians to declare restrictions on women's freedoms and their access to reproductive health services and abortion. Recently, there have been several such challenges both in the U.S. and Canada, such as proposed de-funding of Planned Parenthood in the United States and a private members bill proposed by a conservative MP that would re-open the abortion debate in Canada.

Grounding focus in the midst of the Kony 2012 social media storm

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:29:19 +0000

The Kony 2012 film is officially the fastest spreading viral video of all time. On March 5th, 2012 the video release launched a campaign by Invisible Children Inc. to promote the charity's "Stop Kony" movement to make indicted Ugandan war criminal Joseph Kony internationally known in order to arrest him in 2012. The campaign has been wildly popular with youth on social media.

Since the launch, the campaign has come under much due criticsm such as simplifying a complex issue, ignoring the voices of Northern Ugandans (including many female leaders), and promotion of a consumer-based and ultimately ineffective brand of charity, among many other issues.

Women making movies: The 7th annual Women in Film and Television festival

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:21:41 +0000

The 7th annual Women in Film and Television festival highlights the achievements of women's filmmaking and provides support for women in film. Laura Wood interviews festival director Roslyn Muir about this year's festival and women's continued struggle for recognition and support in the film industry.

For more information about the festival, visit www.womeninfilm.ca

To learn more about the F Word, visit www.feminisms.org.

Big Porn Inc: Exposing the harms of the global pornography industry

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:06:58 +0000

Meghan Murphy interviews Melinda Tankard Reist, editor of Big Porn Inc: Exposing the harms of the global pornography industry.

Pornography is a different beast than it was decades ago, particularly as a result of the Internet. Big Porn Inc, now available in Canada and the U.S., features some of the most well-known writers and researchers whose work looks at pornography, including Catherine MacKinnon, Robert Jensen, Melissa Farley, Sheila Jeffreys, and many more. It is certainly the most comprehensive and current look at pornography to date.

Utopia: Second annual Festival of Women in Digital Culture

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:21:26 +0000

The second annual Utopia Festival lands at W2 with film screenings, workshops, a free International Women's Day community fair, and epic evening performances. The festival showcases women in the Vancouver community "making our future through technology."

Utopia invites women involved in digital culture to share skills, celebrate creativity and promote our work as makers. The public (including men) are welcome to attend all Utopia evening events.

Men, feminism and the Hugo Schwyzer controversy

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:34:08 +0000

Your host Meghan Murphy explores issues and debates concerning men's role(s) in feminism with guests, Shira Tarrant, PhD and Ernesto Aguilar, founder of People of Color Organize!

Reflecting on violence against women, post-Shafia murder trial

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:16:50 +0000

On June 30, 2009, a submerged car with four female victims inside was found at the Kingston Mills lock situated where the Rideau Canal meets Lake Ontario near the city of Kingston. The four victims in the vehicle were identified as the Shaﬁa sisters Zainib, Sahar, and Geeti, aged 19, 17, and 13 years respectively as well as their father's ﬁrst wife, Rona Amir Mohammad. In the following years what in ensued was a high profile murder trail in which the crown argued that the women were murdered to sustain "honour" for the father.

On January 29, Mohammad Shafia, his wife and son were all convicted with first degree murder.

Occupy Valentine's Day!

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:45:52 +0000

Valentine's Day is supposed to be all about the love, but it leaves many of us feeling lonely, depressed, and pressured into living up to a certain standard of romantic love in our relationships. On a day that celebrates coupledom in a particularly heteronormative way, single women are often made to feel as though they are tragic or without worth.

On this episode of The F Word, your host, Meghan Murphy, looks at love, romance, and yes, Valentine's Day, from a feminist perspective. How can we confront dominant messages about love in our culture?

Examining A Dangerous Method

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:22:26 +0000

Women’s sexuality and female ejaculation

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:18:30 +0000

Nicole Deagan and guests discuss social and psychological barriers to women's sexual exploration - and focus specifically on female ejaculation. This show features interviews with three women who experience ejaculation. And of course, includes information on how to do it yourself! Warning: Explicit sexual content.

Ten minutes of youth breaking down racism and gender-based violence

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:29:54 +0000

For the last year and a half, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations' Making Noise GV CAMP has been working with organizations across Toronto to hold conversations with young racialized women and LGBTQ youth about gender-based violence, community accountability, media literacy and creation. This past October the group hosted a lively youth panel which discussed gender-based violence, bullying, and homophobia, and racism. The panel featured Tavila Haque, Sarah-Lee Umraugh, Hadija Nuru, and Nish Israni.

Produced by Ellie Gordon-Moershel.

Check out Urban Alliance on Race Relations' website.

For more information on The F Word, please visit: www.feminisms.org.

How does victim-blaming impact policy, professionals and women?

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:24:41 +0000

On this show, Laura Wood, Meghan Murphy, Ariana Barer and special guest Leslie Wilken look at the impact of victim-blaming in our culture. Victim-blaming happens when a victim of a crime or accident is held wholly or partially responsible for the transgressions against them and is often used to justify sexual assault. It is often very traumatic for women and plays a part in whether or not women are willing to come forward about abuse and assault as well as impacting the way police and the court treat victims of abuse.

This show features an interview with University of Alberta Women's Studies professor Lise Gotell as well as a round-table discussion about how victim-blaming happens, what is behind these messages and what impact it has on women.

Does feminism discriminate against men?

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:36:20 +0000

Most people who understand oppression and who understand feminism agree that we live within a social system that is largely defined by patriarchy. Within this system, men have a certain kind of power and privilege that is not accessible by women. While the concept of male privilege does not mean that women do not ever hold power, it is an acknowledgement that men's power, as a class is institutionalized in comparison with women, as a class.

Yet, not everyone agrees with this assessment.

On this show, your host, Meghan Murphy explores the men's rights movement and asks the question: Does feminism discriminate against men?

Women's experiences with sexual assault and victim-blaming

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:16:48 +0000

On this show we hear from two women who were sexually assaulted by trusted medical professionals. From being ostracized by their communities, to victim blaming, to feeling as though they were being put on trial themselves rather than the perpetrator, these women's stories show the ways in which our society still very much favours male perpetrators and fails to deal with victims in a respectful and compassionate way.

Women and aging

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 04:32:21 +0000

Women and Aging: Young women face tremendous pressure to fit physical standards that mainstream society deems attractive. As women age, they have typically become invisible to the male gaze. But, with older women increasingly targeted by media, the goal of maintaining your 'beauty' and still being a sexual object as an older woman has become an option. Nicole Deagan and Ariana Barer explore this topic with Dr Vivian Diller, author of Face It: What Women Really Feel as Their Looks Change and Irene Tsepnopulous-Elhaimer, Executive Director of Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre.

Also featuring the hilarious comedy of Sarah Haskins http://current.com/groups/sarah-haskins/

Should feminists be vegetarian?

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:04:04 +0000

While some argue that feminism is inextricably linked to speciesism and, therefore, vegetarianism or veganism, others don't see that connection as necessary.

For some feminists who are also vegans, feminists who consume animal products are hypocritical. Meanwhile, many feminists who don't see meat eating as unethical, often don't even realize that this debate exists!

Do feminists necessarily need to be vegetarian or vegan? What is the connection between the two and what is problematic about this argument?

Niqab on trial: What is really at stake?

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:39:49 +0000

N.S v. R. involves a sexual assault complainant who wears a niqab -- a veil which covers the face, with the exception of the eyes. The question before the Supreme Court of Canada on December 8, 2011 is whether N.S. can access the Canadian justice system wearing her niqab.

Women's Legal Education and Action Fund or LEAF intervened before the Ontario Court of Appeal and has been granted leave to intervene at the Supreme Court of Canada hearing.

LEAF works to ensure Canadian courts provide the equality rights guaranteed to women and girls by Section 15 of the Canadian Charter. They are based in Toronto, with member branches in several provinces, and their affiliate, West Coast LEAF, in British Columbia.

Panel: 'The State Betrayal of Battered Women'

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:50:54 +0000

On this week's show, your host Meghan Murphy airs excerpts from a powerful Montreal Massacre Memorial event organized by the Vancouver Rape Relief & Shelter on December 3, 2011. This particular panel is called: "The State Betrayal of Battered Women." Featured speakers include: Daisy Kler, a collective member at Vancouver Rape Relief and a member of the South Asian Coalition Ending Violence Against Women, Angela Marie MacDougall, of Battered Women's Support Services, and Prof. Elizabeth Sheehy, who is in the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa.

The closure of women's centres and the 'Walmartization' of services

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:43:59 +0000

Sex as work: Will legalizing prostitution contribute to women's equality?

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:38:07 +0000

In the first part of this show, Meghan Murphy speaks with Jackie Lynne, a member of The Aboriginal Women's Action Network, about the way in which the City of Vancouver is approaching the issue of prostitution. Does looking at prostitution through a harm-reduction lens really "reduce harm"?

Filipino women speak out about the Live-in Caregiver Program in Canada

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:00:39 +0000

What are the conditions of working under the Live-in Caregiver Program and who is most affected? Is there a relationship to the LCP and the government's avoidance of taking responsibility for the shortage of child care? Can such a program be reformed?

Ellie Gordon-Moershel speaks with Joy Sioson of the Philippine Women Centre of Ontario -- an organization housed in the Magkaisa Centre in Toronto.

Feminism and Occupy Wall Street

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 06:50:17 +0000

How do women and women's issues factor into Occupy Wall Street? Has the history of sexism in progressive movements extended into the Occupy movement? While this movement is exciting, inspiring, and an incredible display of solidarity among "the 99 per cent," issues of racism and sexism have popped up -- how is this being addressed? How should it be addressed? Are minorities being heard?

The F Word explores the particular ways in which women are impacted by economic inequity and how progressive men can ally with women and minorioties in progressive movements.

Choice and childbirth

rabblepodcastnetwork@gmail.com (F Word) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:26:47 +0000

There is ample discussion within feminism about reproductive rights, but what about extending that conversation to include the rights of women who choose to give birth? In the controversial field of maternity care, women may be restricted in their ability to make free, informed choices about their bodies during pregnancy and birth by the rhetoric of risk, the highly technocratic nature of modern birth, the unequal power-knowledge distribution that often exists between women and their care providers, and the skewed perception of birth that exists in corporate media.