National Day Of Remeberance & Action On Vionlence Against Women

I was able to attend the University of Toronto's Status of Women Office's memorial today in the Great Hall at Hart House.

As I was listening to the inspiring, and often saddening words of teachers, students and aboriginal elders (not only speaking out against violence but also speaking out in favour of action) in a gorgeous hall, with the sun shining through stained glass windows, I was struck by that fact that 9 of the 10 paintings hanging around the walls were men. Only one was a woman.

You can see this in almost any hospital, academic institution, government office, corporate office that has similarly distinguished 'alma mater' hanging on the walls of important rooms.

memorial benches outside of hart house

While listening to speeches about gender equality, it was readily apparent that we have a long way to go. How long will it take for 5/10 paintings to be those of women leaders?

I was still thinking about this while I was listening to the radio and caught news that "Toronto city council voted Friday to force the boards of eight arenas to submit full ice-time allocations in the 2010-11 season." And I thought that that was excellent news, a step in the right direction.

But of course, that city council had to hold a vote to "force" people to include women and girls instead of that be the defacto state of affairs is a pretty sad fact of life today.

We have a long way to go.

remembrance awareness action 1989-2009 from q_e_d on Vimeo.