Meet the Toronto-based self-defence organization empowering women to protect themselves. Gender-based violence is a prevalent issue in Canada. In 2009, the Canadian government estimated the total economic impact of spousal violence to be $7.4 billion, with 54 per cent of victims being female. A report from the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability states that “184 women and girls were violently killed, primarily by men” in 2022. According to Canadian law, citizens are free to safeguard themselves, provided that their actions are proportional to circumstance. On that account, women may learn self-defence techniques to protect themselves against violence and other crimes. What is Wen-Do? Wen-Do is the longest-running women’s…

A look at women from past to present who made waves for feminism in Canada. “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” — Maya Angelou  The road to success is long, twisted and arduous, especially for marginalized groups. For centuries, women have been on the receiving end of oppression, hate, abuse and dehumanization. However, there have been influential female icons who not only fought for their own goals but for other women as well, and their hardships and succession should not go unnoticed.  In chronological order, here are Canadian women who have paved the way for…

A new social media trend is shedding light on broader discussions about gender-based violence. Goldilocks was a curious young girl, named after her beautiful, golden-blonde hair that oh-so-cutely adorned her head. Donning a beautiful baby blue dress, she ventured into the woods and came across a house. She entered the house and found three chairs — the smallest one was very comfortable for her. On the kitchen table, she saw three bowls of porridge. The first one was too hot, the second one was too cold, but the last one, being just right, she ate every last morsel of it. Then, she found three beds, and, yes, she picked the…

Support and celebrate queer literature by checking out these reads. In today’s world, the need for LGBTQ+ inclusion and representation is paramount. Acceptance is not only important for society to progress, but also for the queer community to feel included, respected, and, most of all, human.  Here is a list of Canadian queer authors and their most notable works concerning gender, sexuality and identity.  5. Samra Habib, We Have Always Been Here   Samra Habib is a Pakistani-Canadian queer author, photographer, and activist. Habib has lived in Toronto since 1991 in a Muslim household and was supposed to have an arranged marriage before they had come out as queer.  Habib’s award-winning…