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By tehanu • 14 years ago

Canadian Forces commander charged with murdering two women

This is horrifying on so many levels. The two women: Jessica Lloyd, who went missing just under two weeks ago, and Corporal Marie-France Comeau, who was killed in November.

The man who has been charged is Colonel Russell Williams, the commander of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, which is widely known as the base to which Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan are returned.

He has also been charged with two other cases of forcible confinement and sexual assault, and police are checking to see if there are related unsolved cases in other locations where he has lived.

Beyond the devastation of what happened to these women, there is the issue that a man who is holding a position which carries a great deal of power and authority is being charged with these crimes. The phrase "women who serve under him" suddenly becomes much more frightening. 

Also highlighted for me by this story is the way that militaries all around the world maintain a culture of misogyny — how many stories of rape and murder of women by invading soldiers are there? How many female soldiers have been attacked by their male peers? Could this misogyny have contributed to the impunity with which these crimes were committed?

And then there is the reaction of oh, we didn’t know, I’m so shocked, he was such a great guy. Yes, Virginia, great guys sometimes do these things.

"He was just a shining, bright star," said Maj.-Gen. Yvan Blondin, the commander of 1 Canadian ...
By tehanu • 15 years ago

iCycle – iPhone’s newest toy for men

Is there an "I can’t believe this" category?

For $9.99, download this handy iPhone application to track the women in your life, specifically designed for guys to know what it’s safe to have a major discussion during "her best time period." Yup, introducing iCycle, a tracking application that tells you where a woman is in her menstrual cycle.

Do they have an app to warn of patriarchal stupidity? Probably the alarm would be going off all the time.

Here’s the description:

With one button click, always know when your girlfriends / wife have their period. Enjoy peace and quiet in your relationships.

Prevent arguments and unnecessary misunderstandings, save money, plan your dates, vacations, weekend trips, and major discussions within her “best time period” ...

Is there an "I can’t believe this" category?

For $9.99, download this handy iPhone application to track the women in your life, specifically designed for guys to know what it’s safe to have a major discussion during ...
By tehanu • 15 years ago

University of Calgary takes on Genocide Awareness Project

Bravo. The University of Calgary, after trying to negotiate with the Campus Pro-Life Club to ensure that the disgusting Genocide Awareness Project placards were not visible to passersby, have called city police to investigate them.

This has been one of those seemingly endless debates between freedom of speech, and violation of women’s rights. Not only is GAP extremely offensive to anyone who’s pro-choice, it’s damned hurtful to women who’ve had abortions. Being compared to Nazis? Nice, really nice. Holocaust or genocide survivor? Guess what? Your pain is being used against women.

The University of Calgary has also put up warning signs around the display that people have to cross, in order to get to it.

Here’s an article about what’s been happening. ...

Bravo. The University of Calgary, after trying to negotiate with the Campus Pro-Life Club to ensure that the disgusting Genocide Awareness Project placards were not visible to passersby, have called city police to investigate them.

This has been ...
By tehanu • 15 years ago

Canada’s governing party versus Canadian women

The governing Canadian Conservative Party, who recently won re-election in October, have just finished holding their national party convention. They could call it their "anti-woman" convention, because they’ve passed a number of misogynistic policy resolutions.

Resolution P-207 resurrects a bill that was killed earlier this year, "the unborn victims of violence," in which a violent act against a pregnant woman which results in harm to the fetus can result in additional criminal charges.

Translation: Let’s define the fetus as a separate person under the law, entitled to legal protections, which immediately opens to the door to anti-choice legislation.

Another policy adopted is for "income splitting" in which couples can choose to be taxed on their combined income, which is great if one member ...

The governing Canadian Conservative Party, who recently won re-election in October, have just finished holding their national party convention. They could call it their "anti-woman" convention, because they’ve passed a number of misogynistic policy resolutions.

Resolution P-207 resurrects ...