Feature photo by Alaina Michelle Photography
By Loose Lips Mag
@looselipsmag
As fiercely feminist movements continue to catch fire, this year’s International Women’s Day feels more relevant than ever. We are proud to be surrounded by a network of woke, outspoken, hard-working, diverse women who use their platform and their experiences to enlighten and educate their own communities. This year, we interviewed six peers about International Women’s Day: what that holiday means to them, how they are decolonizing their work, and what their ideal feminist utopia would look like — would we need a day like International Women’s day in a perfect world?
Join us in celebrating this day the only way we know how, by sharing the voices and stories from the women who uplift and inspire us every day of the year.
Lizzy Karp
@lizzypearl
In your personal feminist utopia, what would International Women’s Day look like?
The day I celebrate my equal pay with a DAY OFF, spent with dogs, coffee, a big healthy feast and sharing stories with the women in my community.
How has your feminism grown and shifted in the last year?
My feminism has shape shifted, with a dash of “check my privilege” and a large focus on authentic intersectionality. I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone to take in media made by women of colour, queer folk and Indigenous women. The stories we consume make us who we are. I also hire women whenever I can.
What feminist work are you supporting right now? And how are you working to decolonize those industries and mediums?
I’m dedicated to decolonizing my program at TELUS and to creating more spaces for Indigenous women to tell stories that matter to them. I’m focused on creating a CULTURE OF PLENTY, to share my time, my contacts and my network. I continue to explore my own trippings up around perfectionism, sustainable living and how to have hard conversations with my family and friends. I also learned more about the land I am from, and how that shaped me.
Anita Cheung
@ineeeda
How has your feminism grown and shifted in the last year?
Definitely more awareness around what it means to be an intersectional feminist- and more speaking out than ever before.
In your personal feminist utopia, what would International Women’s Day look like?
I’d love to see schools, cities, companies, brands and the entertainment world using the day as an opportunity to highlight great women in history and the present day.
What feminist work are you supporting right now? And how are you working to decolonize those industries and mediums?
I could definitely be doing more (can’t we all), but I’d say doing my small part in the industry I’m in (wellness, entrepreneurial) is to make it more friendly for women, and particularly women of colour.
Are you taking part in A Day Without A Woman? If not, where can we find you on March 8th?
I’m attending an IWD breakfast with some other rad movers and shakers, co-hosting a by-donation women’s health event at MOMENT Meditation, and wrapping up with another rad sip and social at the end of the evening.
Elim Chu
@elim_chu
In your personal feminist utopia, what would International Women’s Day look like?
A day where anyone and everyone has the freedom and resources to take the day off for themselves.
How has your feminism grown and shifted in the last year?
It’s mostly in awareness. It wasn’t something taught to me in school or in our home. It’s something I’m learning to lean and grow into every day.
What feminist work are you supporting right now? And how are you working to decolonize those industries and mediums?
As a fashion stylist, I’m conscious of where and who my support and influence aligns with from photographers I work with, to the models we choose, even which brands I follow or talk about on Instagram. I believe this does have a ripple effect.
Jacqueline Jennings
@werekindafancy
In your personal feminist utopia, what would International Women’s Day look like?
In that utopia, it would be totally unnecessary to have one day. Perhaps we could celebrate feminine and masculine energetic shifts of the seasons on the Summer and Winter Solstices (but also daily). We definitely wouldn’t still be using the word “woman” because we would have all totally evolved past outdated gender binary distinctions riiiiiight?
How has your feminism grown and shifted in the last year?
It’s less angry and more balanced. Not because there is less to be angry about (because hell no #meToo #MMIWG #JusticeForTinaFontaine) but because I have educated myself more about different perspectives, seeking to learn about healing and I have majorly amped up my self care which includes spending more time spent joyfully with the women in my life. I’m curious and exploring how we can best support other activists with vitality and healing so we don’t burn ourselves out. Hence, #theunhustle.
What feminist work are you supporting right now? And how are you working to decolonize those industries and mediums?
- In my work, I primarily support entrepreneurs – mostly women – who I believe are best positioned to lead the paradigm shift and systemic change we fucking need to survive and evolve as humanity. NBD.
- I am seeking to give marginalized people, WOC, LGBTQ2S + people more of a platform to be seen, have their voices heard and works celebrated. This means having sometimes uncomfortable chats with my cis-gendered/descendant clients and friends about things like how to respectfully ask about someone’s preferred pronouns or reaching out to event producers to see if I can help with diversifying speaker lineups, panels and presenters.
- I launched an experiment to question the idea that women should be expected to feel, think and operate consistently every day of the month despite our biology. So I’m learning and teaching people-who-menstruate to harness the powerful waves of hormones ebbing and flowing and apply it to a recipe for success in all areas of our lives. I feel like our hormones can be a key supernatural power to level a pretty imbalanced playing field.
- I made it a personal project this year to do monthly educational posts on Instagram to share with settlers about the 13 traditional Northern Cree and Ojibwe (some of my ancestors) names and meanings of each moon vs. European traditional astrological system.
- I also seek to educate people on the significance of cultural appropriation, particularly of some First Nations peoples four sacred medicines; Sage, Sweetgrass, Tobacco and Cedar. Which have become trendy. Not just “for good vibes” y’all!And because I am a human and was raised in our society, I fail pretty much everyday (did you know that the word “lame” is an ableist slur! Me neither last year). So committing to doing better and having compassion for where everyone is at is a good starting place for me in 2018.
Are you taking part in A Day Without A Woman? If not, where can we find you on March 8th?
I will be offline spending part of the day in nature on the Sunshine Coast and then gathering in the city with a magnificent group of feminists, probably in a circle, healing each other through storytelling. Because, #witchlife.
Rachel Rickets
@lossandfoundxo || @rayray3000
In your personal feminist utopia, what would International Women’s Day look like?
Humans of all colours, races, sizes, abilities, classes, religions, political systems, sexual orientation and the like would come together to uplift and honour all those who are marginalized in this world. In the words of Flavia Dzodan, “my feminism will be intersectional, or it will be bullshit”. In my utopia, that isn’t just a cute march sign – it’s LIVED and BREATHED and ACTED ON.
How has your feminism grown and shifted in the last year?
I’ve become louder and prouder. And way fucking Blacker. HA! I’ve been working on supporting womyn of colour through loss, grief, trauma and the ups and downs of dealing with constant racist and patriarchal micro-aggressions through the WOC Talks events with Anita Cheung and other wellness events for womyn of colour in the US and Canada, and being around more womyn of colour more often has blown up my insides in the best way imaginable. I no longer accept feminism that isn’t wholly inclusive (because that shit just ain’t feminism) and I feel an obligation – not only for myself, but my peers and future children of colour – to speak up and make the voices of the most marginalized heard. In Canada, that means shutting up and listening to Indigenous womyn’s experiences, perspectives and realities, and then getting to work on helping make a major change.
What feminist work are you supporting right now? And how are you working to decolonize those industries and mediums?
I’m currently obsessed with the book “Come As You Are” by Emily Nagowski (as recommended to be a fellow WOC Talks member…shout out to you sis!). Womyn learning about, appreciating and honouring our sexuality is such an important piece of our liberation and as a woman of colour, unpacking the ways in which my sexuality was racialized and became something that wasn’t truly my own has been immensely important in reducing colonial harm.
Are you taking part in A Day Without A Woman? If not, where can we find you on March 8th?
I’ll be on a flight to SXSW prepping to present a wellness workshop to the Austin community (the invite for which came from a stellar woman) and focusing on all the glorious ways womyn have and continue to lift me up on all levels every damn day!
Megan Lau
@megan_lau
How has your feminism grown and shifted in the last year?
More than ever, I hold myself accountable for the things I say — and for the things I don’t say. My younger self would often shy away from difficult conversations. Today, I trust myself more and feel more conviction in what I believe. Most of all, I feel a greater sense of responsibility to other women. I think of the many privileges I have and want to use my access to speak up for the underrepresented and marginalized.
What feminist work are you supporting right now? And how are you working to decolonize those industries and mediums?
Consciousness-raising is one of the most powerful things we can offer one another. I’m supporting safe spaces for women to share stories and experiences with one another so isolation and shame doesn’t hold us back.
Kristi and Brittany are the co-founders and co-editors of Loose Lips Mag. Together, they’re building their feminist media empire—leaving the patriarchy, charcuterie boards and empty bottles of wine in their wake.You can find them in Gastown sniffing out other women warriors or fuelling up at local coffee shops.
