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…

How this Ontarian went from making YouTube videos to becoming part of mainstream media. After amassing millions of fans online as a YouTube creator, Lilly Singh has made a name for herself in mainstream media. Born and raised in Scarborough, Ont. to Indian parents, Singh eventually moved to Markham with her family at 16. Now a successful TV host, author, actess and advocate, Singh’s rise to fame began with her making videos on YouTube. Her YouTube channel  Singh started her YouTube channel in 2010 with a now-deleted video. She began taking YouTube seriously when she visited the home of Allen Buckle, a popular YouTuber known as FLuffeeTalks. Buckle told Singh…

These four women paved the way for women in the political landscape. The representation of women within Canadian politics reached a milestone just over 100 years ago. It was Dec. 6, 1921, when Agnes Campbell Macphail became the first woman to be elected to the House of Commons and the first woman parliamentarian in the Parliament of Canada as an MP.   Macpahil’s monumental win was not the only milestone moment for women that year. Held on Sept. 20, 1921, the 44th federal election was the first election where women had the right to vote.   Throughout her political career, Macphail represented farmers in the southeastern area of her hometown of Grey…

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…

How a young woman overcame challenges to get her dream job. *Name has been changed to keep subject’s anonymity  At 25 years old, Natalie Arzo* is an elementary school teacher. Her journey to becoming a teacher was far from smooth. As a young child, she struggled academically due to a learning disability. She had difficulty processing information, remembering content, and managing her executive functioning skills. Before her learning disability diagnosis was confirmed, she was consistently frustrated, watching her peers complete their work with ease while she grappled with her racing thoughts and ideas. She frequently pondered, “What is wrong with me?” and “Why can’t I do this?” Eventually, Arzo settled…

How a tennis tournament in the 1970s launched the issue of gender equality into the spotlight. Throughout history, women have been looked at as second-class citizens no matter where they lived. Girls were not offered the same educational opportunities as boys. Women could not obtain certain jobs and were mainly viewed as caregivers for their spouses and children. The 20th century marked the beginning of significant change for women.   Women’s sports teams started to emerge during the 1890s and early 1900s. They were now allowed to compete in the Olympics for the first time, beginning with the 1900 Paris Summer Games.  The 1940s would see the debut of professional women’s…

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…

Keep your eye out for these talented women. The music industry has historically been a tough industry for women. Yet many inspiring artists are making their way onto the scene with their catchy songs. Here are six female Canadian singers who have made a name for themselves in the music industry, along with some of my listening recommendations.   Disclaimer: Some of these songs use explicit language.  Jessie Reyez   Early life: Jessie Reyez was born in the Jane and Finch area of Toronto, Ont. to Colombian-Canadian parents. She became interested in music from her dad, who had an acoustic guitar.  Her biggest song on Spotify: “Figures,” with over 190,000,000 streams.   Select…