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University Publications
Women's Issue.
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\Vlfr THB ISSUE: Biker chick tells all You want to cut my what? Amnesty UBC begins its fight against female genital cutting. Page 5. Jammin' with the Honey The Ubyssey's Alicia Miller chats with band Clover Honey. Pages 0-7. The secret affair Examining biker stereotypes. Pages 6-7. The truth about girly mags. Page 11. \ /( \ Volume .St [smic iO *. t'iw '**•• -"-J *>'*<> ;* f f J 2 omens issue Fridaif, March 7, 2003 CLASSIFIEDS UBC MEDICINE PRESENTS "THE RUN FOR RURAL MEDICINE" Sun, Mar 23. For info & registration details, go to www.ubcmedicine.cjb.net/2005/run WOMEN'S CENTRE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Mar 27, 5pm. Come out & participate in the women- run, women-oriented resource group! LET YOUR SPIRIT GROW ART EXHIBITION: Spiritual Expressions in Art. Mar 3-8,10am-7pm, SUB Art Gallery. Sponsored by UBC Chaplains + Murrin Fund. Free admission. STRUGGLES IN RELIGIOUS IDENTITY: IS CHRISTIANITY A VIOLENT RELIGION? The Dodson Room, Main Library, Mar 10, 4 pm. Speaker: Dr, Miraslov Volf, Henry B. Wight pofessor of Theology, Yale University Divinity School. Sponsored by UBC Graduate & Faculry Christian Forum., AMNESTY UBC'S 8TH ANNUAL STUDENT CONFERENCE: MAR 8- 9. Topic: Conflict & Human Rights. Cost: $30. 2 full days of exciting speakers & workshops + food, registration package & a.bonus T-shirt. Contact Gabrielle at amnestyubc@hotmail.com or 604-988-8438 to register. ATTENTION ALL HISTORY UNDERGRADS GRADUATING THIS SPRING: Please take your grad photos at: Evangelos Photography, 3156 W. Broadway, 604-731-8314. Deadline: March.15. ENGINEERS W/O BOARDER UBC SPEAKER SERIES: "Globalization & the environment" by Dr. Peter Dauverge. Mar 11, 6:30 at CEME 1202. Everyone welcome, www.ubc.ewb.ca; ubc@ewb.ca. MAKING PEACE IN A TIME OF WAR" - CUSO'soverseasprojects. Feat. Olympic Gold Medalist, Daniel Igali. Mar 14-, 7-9pm, YWCA (733 Beatty St). 604-683-2099. ENGINEERS W/O BORDERS UBC presents a benefit concert to raise money for an overseas internship. Mar 11, 8pm at Mesa Luna (1926 W. Broadway). $7 cover. ubc@ewb.ca. >•. , EARN TESL CERT. 4 WKS $930. Sat »; jk ojiline avail. Get paid to teach English & see tlie w(j-ld^6Q4-609-0411. www.canadaehgiishcentet.com. TEACH ENGLISH OVERSEAS! One- day TEFL workshop. Mar 15. 1-866- 912-4465. www.goteach.ca PLAYSTATION 2 FOR SALE + VF4. $275 obo. 604-874-9016 or jmhiga@interchange.ubc.ca. COMPUTER TABLE WITH PULL OUT KEYBOARD TRAY. 4'xl', like new. Black & grey. $70 obo. Call 604- 221-5314. llMiMMPlil BACHELOR SUITE, 4TH & TOLMIE ST. $495/month plus utilities. High speed internet avail; microwave cooking only. Cheryl 604-224-8806. CLASSIFIEDS FOR STUDENTS! looking for a roommate? Got something lo sell? Orjusthavean 7 announcement to make? Ifyou are a student, you can place classifieds for FREE! For more information, visit Room 23 in the SUB [basement] or call 822-1654. Hey you, yeah. "You! Are you reading this? I think you are. "ibu like looking at the ads don't you? You know you can place free Classifiedds? You can also e-mail events to productiQn@ubyssey.bc.ca and we might place it in our Between Classes or Weekend listings too. And if you read enough ads maybe you'll find one of those GIVEAWAYS we always have. There are free CDs to be had and free movies to watch. Real attentive of you to read this. This was our last page ofthe night. I hate my life. Otlfyd months the last Issue of the Ubyssey comes out April9. Come write and help out before you look for a summer job and get kicked out of your basement suite. CREATE CONNECTIONS... OPEN OPPORTUNITIES... IGNITE INNOVATION... The ASI Exchange - BC's premier technology event to stimulate and accelerate connections, opportunities and innovation March 11, 2003 9:00 am - 5:30 pm Enterprise Hall @ Plaza of Nations Vancouver, BC exchange research ideas • visit over 250 academic and industry displays listen to 13 innovative speakers • expand your professional network seek research partnerships • see what's new in BC's high-tech industry ASI Exchange After Party The Commodore, 868 Granville St. March 11, 6:00-10:00 pm Cost $10 per person Visit www.techvibes.com to register Featured Exhibitor BCMeDIA British Columbia Medical Device Industry Association A U(x}ss?ij Special Issue We rode to be free, now let's pull up our sleeves! w w w . a s i e x c h a n g e . c o m Bicycle history and gender issues by Erica Mah When I turned 16, my mother urged me to get my driver's Hcense. Having grown up in a poor family* she never had the opportunity to do so. She was 30 years old when she Bnally did, and I remember that day and how excited she was. She remembered her walking days—a stroller and four young daughters across town, rain or shine or snow. In a town too small for pubhc transit, her freedom was limited by her mobihty. Having no driver's hcense was just another reason she had to depend on my father. One of the most celebrated moments in the history of women's liberation was the popularisation of the bicycle. It shook up the Victorian era of stricuy defined gender roles by giving women the possibility of independent mobility. Bloomers and bicycle costumes came out in fashion magazines to replace long heavy skirts that restricted movement. Conservatives were appalled by the idea of a woman straddling the seat in a sexually provocative manner. Doctors warned of health risks for delicate people. But women celebrated their newfound freedom. The car later rolled over these celebrations when it became widely available. It was a vehicle of freedom, but only for those who could afford it (which was rarely women). I live in a bicycle world full of gender contradictions. Men and women ride side-by-side, but enter into the bike shop, and chances are, you'll find a gendered environment, namely a man's world. I witness a woman enter a bike shop and joke about her mechanical ineptitude, intimidated by her lack of experience. I see a man ignoring the advice of a female mechanic, asking the advice of the nearest male companion. Bike shops are knocking down the doors of women with any trace of mechanical skills to make their shops less intimidating for female customers, and maybe to get the world used to seeing a woman with grease on her hands top. A woman riding^ a bicycle today does not provoke images of a revolution, but history hasn't been forgotten. Just as women pulled up then- pants and rode to freedom in the 1890s, today women must roll up their sleeves for freedom in the bike shop. When I teach bike mechanics and a man pats me on the head and asks for a second opinion, I try not to get insulted and I try even harder not to doubt myseE And when a volunteer steps into the shop I try to make sure she doesn't just paint bikes if she really wants to dirty her hands with bike grease. ♦ WOMEN'S \ /,/ M • (; i ! (> Women's Rights Have No Borders Rally Women, and others, will be gathering Saturday at 11 am to celebrate International Women's Day. So get yourself to Thorton Park, near the Main St Skytrain Station, and march your ass down to Victory Square for a rally at noon. There will also be a celebration dance at 8pm at the Wise Club, 1882 Adadac, for those who want to get their groove on. Tix available at the door. Bustin' Out Festival Celebrate Women's Day at this speakeasy, soiree, jam, jamboree, outing, exhibit, bare-all spectacle. We think they mean it will have stand-up comedy, slam poety, music and dance. It is all going down at Chivana's, 2340 W 4th. If nothing else, it's on a bus route. Amnesty UBC's Human Rights Conference While most ofthe conference focuses on conflict and war there will be two workshops on women's issues. On Saturday catch a talk on Female Genital Cutting from 3-4pm or 4:15-5:15pm. On Sunday join in the discussion on Rape as a Weapon of War from 10:45-11:45am or 12-lpm. The cost is $30 for the weekend or $ 10 for half of Saturday or all of Sunday. Food is included. Top floor ofthe SUB. 9 Frickq, March 7, 2003 A Ubujssei) Special Issue THE UBYSSEY FRIDAY, MARCH 7,2003 VOLUME 84 ISSUE 40 omen's Issue 3 EDITORIAL BOARD SPECIAL WOMEN'S ISSUE COORDINATORS Jesse Marchand Megan Thomas ACTING COORDINATING EDITOR Nic Fensom NEWS EDITORS Kathleen Deering Chris Shepherd CULTURE EDITOR Michael Schwandt SPORTS EDITOR Sarah Conchie FEATURES/NATIONAL EDITOR Duncan M. McHugh COPY EDITOR Anna King PHOTO EDITOR Nic Fensom PRODUCTION MANAGER Hywel Tuscano COORDINATORS VOLUNTEERS Jesse Marchand RESEARCH/LETTERS Parminder Nizher The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Tuesday and Friday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous," democratically run student organisation, and al! students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staft They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Cofumbia. The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUP's guiding principles. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey, otherwise verification will be done by phone, "Perspectives" are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space. "Freestyles" are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the latter is time sensitive. Opinion pieces will not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. It is agreed by ail persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad. EDITORIAL OFFICE Room 24, Student Union Building 6138 Student Union Boulevard Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 tel: 604-822-2301 fax: 604-822-9279 web: www.ubyssey.bc.ca e-mail: feedback@ubyssey.bc.ca BUSINESS OFFICE Room 23, Student Union Building. advertising: 604-822-1654 business office: 604-822-6681 fax:604-822.1658 e-mail: advertising@ubyssey.bc.ca BUSINESS MANAGER Fernie Pereira AD SALES Karen Leung AD DESIGN Shalene Takara Emily Chan was just minding her own business when Megan Thomas, and Dave Gaertner shanjelessly stole her lunch and Ted it to the ravenous Janet French and Anna King. Jeff Mackenzie, outraged, phoned 911 operator Farm Nizher and alerted lhe authorities. Officers Jesse Marchard. Jennifer Fochan, and Joanna Kordus all bulled on tlie scene and also busied sum* kneecap* in a shameless display of violence. Distracted by their own brutality, thecopt failed to notice world famous arsonist Lisa Johnson and her faithful sidekicks. Kathleen Deering and Chris Shepherd, sneaking away. Weronika Lewczuk and AmieHt Dal Rosario caught on however, and with '-he help at Alicia Miller and Erik Mah they snagged the arsonists, the thieik, the bad cops, and also cannabalist Michelle Mayne. 'Well, what do we do with all these criminals?" asked Aousha Balram and Kerrie. TTiariihill in unison. Amber Shilling answered simply: "Tickle (hem.* Teather in hand. Michael Schwandt wanted a piece of the action, but Sarah Conchie. inspired by tha tickling tool, stole pilluws from Duncan M. Mchugh and Vic Fensom who were in ll* middle of an intense pillow fight and, with the help of Hywel Tuscano. tarred and fealhered the whole lot V On the Clothesline by Michelle Mayne A woman's issue- Why? Canadian University Press Canada Post Saktt Agpeaniappt Numbar 0732141 When coordinating a women's issue, one has to ask if there is a place for it. Do women's issues need their own paper? As coordinators of this year's Women's Issue, we say, Yes. Women's issues are still important and still need their own space. Let us tell you why. For one thing, according to Stats Canada, women comprise 50.5 percent of the population. The fact that people are still referring to women as a minority is troubling. When Sheila Copps ran for Federal Liberal leadership her platform was minority rights—seconds later, she talked about the rights of women. If a group representing half the population of a country is still considered a minority, there is a problem. Another concern is the under-representation in the media of average-looking women. We know, you've heard this before. But honestly, finding representative silhouettes for our cover was an arduous task. It was shocking to see how difficult it was ta find images of women other than the stereotypical thin, white, hour-glass shape we have all become accustomed to seeing on the front of women's magazines. It was at that point we decided the theme of this issue would be the breaking of these stereotypes. Because it was not possible to cover all issues of concern to women, we attempted to include as much material as possible about the ways in which women are affected by stereotypes. The cover expresses this theme by show casing both stereotypical and average women. We felt it was extremely important to address the variation of experiences within the category of woman. Female experiences are not only dictated by gender but also by class, race and life experience. In this issue we attempted to allow women of different races and classes to use their voice to articulate issues that affect their lives as well as their individual experiences. Much of the content in the issue also surrounds the perception of women, be it in the media specifically or society at-large. When we were discussing story ideas for the issue, concerns about how women are represented and the repercussions of this representation came up over and over again. We felt it was important to include a variety of opinions on how this representation affects individual women. We also made the decision to steer the focus of this issue away from matters surrounding sex. Although we do not discount that this is an important-and underrepresented-issue for women, we felt that too often sex becomes the central focus of female-oriented pieces. Our aim was to take a broader look at everyday barriers that women overcome, and how overcoming these results in empowerment. This is why we focused on the amazing things that many women are accomplishing everyday. Another issue raised in the planning of the Women's Issue was whether or not there was a role for men in its creation. We decided that excluding men from the production of the paper would only perpetuate all types of exclusion in the future. Our aim was to encourage men and women to strive together for equality. Segregation often breeds fear, ignorance and discrimination because neither side understands where the other is coming from. In this respect we hope that men will also find these women's stories an interesting read. As we sit here and write this editorial piece it also strikes us as to how difficult it is to describe a 'women's issue.' Until it becomes easier to articulate the concerns of women—without generalising and categorising—a Women's Issue is a necessity. Women need to have a forum to voice their concerns so that articulating women's issues in the future becomes easier. So what is it that we want you to get Out of this issue? We hope that you appreciate the extra effort women made to create this issue. We hope you appreciate the extra effort men made to create thisjssue. We would like you to understand that the experiences of women differ greatly from those of men, but that this should not limit women from working with men to accomplish what should be collective goals. We hope to have represented women in a positive and empowered manner. And we hope that you will finish this issue thinking exactly that© 4 men's Issue FrkUq, iVWth 7. 2003 A (Jbi)$seif Special Issue ^^ MC0RWN6T0THt r HWION&L POST, CUTTINtS TAXES MEANS INCREASED . AVENUES FOR AVERMENT.' bum! I GrUESS IF WEEUM1NATE TNCfcS AtT06rmER, 60VERNMEKTS W1U. HAVE UNLIMITED REVENUES-' "SJ Free market economics getting you down? ** Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Research and ideas for social justice www.pollcyalternatives.ca I 604.801.5121 Attention: Students in the Faculty of Arts WHAT'S BEYOND 2ND YEAR??? INFORMATION FAIR Thursday, March 13, 2003 12pm - 2pm, SUB Ballroom Thinking about a Major? Thinking about Honours? Thinking about a Minor? Thinking about a different Faculty? Thinking about a Professional School? " Thinking about Careers? Thinking about Graduate School? Thinking about requirements? Thinking about a Year Abroad? Come talk to representatives about program opportunities. DOOR PRIZES! DOOR PRIZES! DOOR PRIZES! Sponsored by the Faculty of Arts in collaboration with the Arts Undergraduate Society CUSO > V Todayii__ * with DANIEL IGAL1 and the Eniwari School Project in Nigeria Friday/ March 14, 2003 7«9pm VWCA 733 Beaity ai Georgia (by Iftadium Jhytrain Sin) Tie the ribbon by Kathleen Deering Four members of the White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) sit around me in a circle, gathered for the interview. "I don't like to do interviews alone," explains Jon Hanvelt, a Master's student in sociology and one of the founders ofthe UBC group. He wants to ensure the continuing survival of the group, which is in its fourth year, The group exists to raise awareness about violence against women and, hopefully, help prevent it. The core consists of about seven men right now, but many other members come and go as scheduling permits. The biggest event this year for the WRC was the third annual pancake breakfast, held in November last semester to raise money for the Sexual Assault Support Centre on campus. They made over $3700. This term members are 'sitting back and analysing what the group is about," according to first-year Arts student Adam Davies. They know they fill a niche on campus, but they don't know exactly where they'll fit into UBC's services in the future. "We're trying to get a permanent space for us to work out of," Adam continues. "That way we can establish a bit of a library, have contacts, have someone in an office in case someone needs to contact . the group. It will give a structure to the group." 'One of the big ideas is maintaing a presence on campus," says Master's of Education student Chris Ste- Croix, who co-founded the club with Jon. "I think now it's all about establishing ourselves as a part of the community. So when the four of us here are gone, that's something that will still exist." Chris and JOn are also part of another group, called X-Y: Men Working Against Sexual Assault, through the Wellness Centre. They give workshops to different groups, off- and on-campus, and most recently gave a talk at a campus fraternity. Many of X-Y's members have joined because of these workshops. Tyler Bryant, a second-year Arts student, became involved after one of Chris' recruitment speeches at Safewalk. "I just find it sad that half of this population feels a lot more scared than the other half walking to their car at night," Tyler says. "And there are a lot of things, just sort of easy things, that we've done to get rid of that' Adam says organisations like the WRC are needed on campus because, although awareness has been created for women about violence, there hasn't been the same treatment for men. 'I think something that's really important to look at and to deal with is the other side of things—the men's side," he continues. "How their role as the agressors...or participants in that systemic violence, or that structure that creates violence—how that plays a part and how we can deal with that." He wants to emphasise that he's not pinning blame or saying men are evil, but that they need to recognise how they are part of the problem and that they can be part of the solution. What the members of the WRC are looking for is an umbrella organisation to pull together all the organisations around campus interested in working on similar issues. They want to create a space where men can comfortably talk about their own masculinity. Jon commends the two younger men for their committment to the group's ideals, because they will be the people who ensure its survival and expansion. "The process that we're going through now is figuring out where we fit into the university environment—not just as a group of guys who put together a pancake breakfast but as a real live organisation that has an institutional place on campus," Jon says. "We are all working on our own analysis and learning of the sexism we've learned over our lives." "As men we have a lot to gain from this work. It's not like we're trying to save the world for women. We're trying to save the world for ourselves, too." ♦ Surf's up ladies Pioneering women create surf clubs to escape city life 604.683.2099 12y Weronilca Lewczufc A great way to appreciate some of BC's beauty is to get out in the freezing Pacific Ocean stuck to a board and surf. While this might sound like a harsh solution to a hangover, it is a perfect day for surfers. Surfing is growing in popularity, especially amongst women. There's just something about getting in their wet suits and braving the elements in order to pursue their passion and love ofthe water. Avid surfers Kathleen Diga and Jenny Stewart both feel that to go out and surf or do anything outdoors is a way to escape the exhaust, _.,<■« - garbage and feverish pace jt{--j> ' ofthe city. Perhaps this is yr ^ why more and more surf & clubs are opening up and being spearheaded by ambitious women. UBC's surf club is an example of the increasing numbers of women taking to the frothy waves. It was started by Diga, who has been surfing since the summer of 1999. She fell in love with the sport so quickly that she started up the UBC Surf Club in 2000 with two other girls, one from Quebec, the other from Nova Scotia. She met both women through surfing and camping. "It was kind of neat for the way the separations of our lives came together," said Diga, reflecting. on the experience. The common bond was one that Diga wishes everyone could feel, by being "out there, experiencing the peace with just you [and] a couple of friends, enjoying the surf." In its first year, the club had about 130 members but since there is nowhere to surf in Vancouver, the club travels to other surfing areas. Previous trips include going to California, Hawaii and Vancouver Island's Tofino. The club also finds ways for travelling surfers to find each other and to share rides and expenses by posting on its website www. ubcsurfclub. com. Jenny Stewart has also pioneered a way for surfers to get together by starting an all-women's surf school in Tofino. Stewart is a veteran ofthe sport. She started her surfing experience at the age of two, when her father first put her on a board. She has participated in several BC Association surfing contests as well as attended the ISA World Surfing Games as a member of Canada's National Team. Her surf camp, Surf Sister, opened up in 1999, when Jenny decided to get more women involved in the sport by turning her hobby into a full-time job. The camp is designed primarily for women and features eveiything from daily lessons in the summer and winter, to two-day clinics and - camps such as the mother- daughter camps or the specialised wilderness camps, where all organic meals are an option. But while the website claims it is an all-woman school Stewart encourages men to participate in the clinics. Interested surfers or surf- teachers can contact info@surfsister.com. Stewart and Diga have seen a lot of worldwide surf- spots and they both say that there are more women in the water in BC than anywhere else. Along with many other women, they are taking their boards out and checking out all the great things that surfing in BC has to offer. * —with files from Jesse Marchand FridUg, March 7, 2003 A Utxjsseif Special Issue omen's Issue The women of the Sciences by Janet French The number of women enrolled in science at UBC is at an all- time high, but some on campus say women still have a considerable way to go in the field. Encouraging women to study physics is something Dr Janis McKenna takes to heart She said she never considered how gender affected her role as a physicist until she was a post-doctoral fellow. "Now I really think it's an important issue," said McKenna. The UBC associate professor of physics and astronomy has served on the executive of the Canadian Association of Physicists' Committee to Encourage Women in Physics (CEWIP), a group that has participated in international conferences to produce a list of recommendations for schools, government and industry. Some of the recommendations include making successful women more visible as role models for students, including more women on influential committees and decision-making bodies, and ensuring that the distribution of scholarships is gender balanced. "There have been, in the past, policies which were partially discriminatory," explained McKenna. "UBC now has a policy for maternity leave for female students. Certainly, a decade ago those didn't exist." McKenna said the recommendations are important because fields like physics and engineering are still heavily male-dominated. * In 2001, 48 per cent of Science undergraduates at UBC were female, and 52 per cent were male. The gender ratios at UBC are also similar to the Canadian averages. However, the participation of women in all sciences at UBC dwindles at the graduate level. In 2001, 37 per cent of graduate students in the Faculty of Science were women, along" with 39 per cent of those in Applied Science. But the gender gap doesn't faze Alex Pope or Kristen Coppin. The Master's students in physics and astronomy say the lack of women in their field presents them with a welcome challenge. "There's an appeal to it," said Pope. "You think 'let's see if I can do it" Both Pope and Coppin said encouraging parents and stimulating teachers were key in piquing their interest in physics. Coppin attended an all-girls high school and never got the impression that physics was inappropriate for girls. "You're just in physics, and you don't feel like you shouldn't be there.' Not all girls have been encouraged like Coppin and Pope. McKenna said studies show some high school guidance counselors may steer women away from subjects that are mathematical or challenging. "[Counsellors] might think they're doing women a favour...by not stressing them too much," she explained. "But in the long run, they're...cutting them out of certain career opportunities at an early age." Coppin and Pope both said successful role models like McKenna are important, and would like to see more female faculty hired at UBC. "If you see more women doing it, then you [feel] encouraged," said Coppin. Pope added that she thinks things are improving dramatically for women; and that a gender balance will merely take time. "I think [gender] is only an issue if you make it one,' she said. "Most of the [men] are pretty accepting and don't . .;. iff"" BRING ON THE WOMEN: Dr Janice McKenna is looking for more female collegues to join her for a science career in the future, michelle mayne photo see a reason why women can't do science.' Gender balance in Science at UBC has improved dramatically over the past 20 years. In the 1980-81 school year, 82 per cent of Science undergraduates and 74 per cent of graduate students were male. Now the numher of women and men enrolled in undergraduate Science is almost equal. Campus organisations like Supporting Women in Information Technology (SWIFT) are working to get more women into careers in computer science and technology. Michelle Ng co-ordinates both SWIFT and the Alternative Routes to Computing (ARC) program, a postgraduate diploma in information technology for graduates of any program, especially Arts. "It's always portrayed in the media that computer science is very male dominated, and it's very geeky, it's very boring," said Ng. SWIFT sends women undergraduates in computer science into high school classrooms to grasp the attention of young girls through hands-on demonstrations, career information and advice. "We want to let young girls see role models...who have good communication skills, who are also interested in things [outside of] computer science," explained Ng. She added that appealing to girls at a young age is key in recruiting them later on. McKenna said since research is funded by taxes, the public's money should be used to provide equal opportunities for both women and men. "If we want to have major scientific breakthroughs, major new ideas, the chance of scientists making more discoveries increases if there are more people doing this . research,' explained McKenna. "If women are involved...you are doubling the amount of brainpower solving the toughest problems in science and engineering." ♦ Percentages of Female Science undergraduate students in 2001: Faculty of Science: 48 per cent Mechanical Engineering: 13 per cent Computer Science: 24 per cent Physics: 23 per cent Women dominate the departments of Nutritional Science, Environmental science and Oceanography Percentage of Female Science graduate students in 2001: Faculty of Science: 37 per cent Applied Science: 39 per cent Amnesty UBC tackels female genital cutting through sponsorship by Me^an Thomas Female circumcision, female genital mutilation or female genital cutting (FGC). No matter what you choose to call it, the practice affects women of all ages in a variety of countries. This is why Amnesty UBC chose last year to sponsor a Ugandan girl in the hopes that she can avoid cutting in her future. According to Amnesty UBC President Gabrielle Williams, FGC was catagorised by Amnesty International as a human rights violation last year under a new expanded mandate. FGC takes a variety of forms but refers to any practice that includes the alteration or removal of the female genitalia. It ranges in severity from type one, the removal of the clitoral foreskin or all of the clitoris, tq infibula- tion, where the clitoris and the labia are removed and the vagina is sewn up, leaving only a small hole for urine and menstrual blood to pass through. The consequences of FGC range from short- term ailments such as shock, hemorrage or infection to long-term effects which include difficulties with childbirth and the transmis sion of HIV/AIDS, as a single tool is often used on many girls during a FGC ceremony. Amnesty UBC works with the US-Uganda Godparents Association (US-UGA) to sponsor Violet, a 15-year-old girl from a village called Bonio in Tingey County, a par!" of the Kapchorwa district of Uganda. To sponsor Violet, Amnesty UBC fundraises to pay for her tuition of $550 at the Peace High School in Bonio, a school run by members of US-UGA. Tuition includes room and board and an education. It is through this education that Amnesty UBC hopes to liberate Violet from the practice of FGC. As a young woman in Uganda without an education, Violet would be dependent upon the institution of marriage for her future. It is customary for young woman to undergo FGC to be marriagable in many Ugandan villages. The hope is that Violet's education will give her the means to support herself so she is not dependent on marriage or her family for her livelihood. "We are basically giving these girls a choice through education,' said Scott Church, a representative and FGC advocate for US-UGA. It is through Church that Amnesty UBC discovered the US-UGA, and consequently Violet Church says that it is customary in Uganda to charge a dowry (or bride price) for a woman's hand in marriage. It is this dowry, often the equivalent of a year's salary, that he feels puts enormous pressure on families to subject their daughters to FGC. 'A daughter who refuses to be cut..is essentially a $40,000 loss for the old man. That is a damn strong incentive in their culture.' This type of cultural practice makes the decision to not undergo FGC very difficult for young women and their families. "It is an incredibly mature and difficult decision for [young] women to be making,' said Williams. The US-UGA works to provide support for girls who have already made the difficult decision not to undergo FGC. 'One of the reasons that the Godparents [program] has been effective is that they are a non-governmental organisation and they are operating in a way where they kind of stand on the sidelines and act as a sort of halfway house for people who already want out," said Church. For some there is concern that programs designed to end FGC may in effect impose a different set of values on a culture. Frances Macqueen, the co-ordinator of the Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture, is one such person. "I don't like the idea of a kind of colonisation where we go in and say, 'No, that is wrong," said Macqeen. However, she acknowledges that "it is a difficult dance,' and agrees that the practice of FGC should be stopped. Macqueen stresses that enabling women to become financially stable and independent is integral to ending the practice. She says it is these root causes within a culture that perpetuate FGC and that these must be taken into account when trying to end the practice. Amnesty UBC also hopes that if Violet can avoid cutting she may return to her community and be in a position to change her culture from within. "She may become an activist in her own right against [FGC] from within her own culture which is a really important part of this project,' said Williams. Sasha Badr, the social co-ordinator for Amnesty UBC agrees. "We give the tools she needs to educate other girls on a personal level about her experience and the practice." O 6 Friday, March 7, 2003 women's Issue A Ubi^ssetf Special Issue Fricfcif March 7, 2003 lover Honey's 7 y; o o a times ancouver trio is rocking out, and they're having fun doing it GOT WHEELS? This biker chick's got it covered, michelle mayne photo Taking it to the jmv'oiuoui; Addressing the biker chick mystique by Sarah Conchie I have a confession to make. Every night when I come home to my cute little basement suite after a long, hard day at school—or the quaint bookstore I inhabit on the weekends—I take a slight detour. I duck around the side ofthe house, open a tiny gate and check on my dearest investment: my black Yamaha motorcycle. My friends (non-bikers) roll their eyes and wait for me at the door, hoping that I won't be longer than a quick gaze. Yes, I am a "biker chick' Yes, I wear leather, and yes, my ears are tuned to that special roar on a sunny day that compels me to turn my head and appreciate a passing piece of machinery. But I also have a bus pass tucked into rr.y wallet next to my bad-ass license. And I don't sport tattoos, stilettos, or Angel boyfriends. The question that annoys me , tlie most? "So,' says the culprit with an annoyingly jocular manner, "What's it like being a biker chick?' Sometimes, I reply with, "So, what's it like being a pedestrian?" Other times, I merely smile and say, "Awesome. I'm loving it It's not raining." Satisfied, my audience usually drifts away, but I have the feeling they still think I'm tlie type to pose in my bikini next to my bike and upload the pictures onto the Internet. Here's the truth. Riding a motorcycle isn't glamorous. Especially in a city like Vancouver, where the rain makes transit users of us all. Cold weather is best bundled up against, thereby making you more like a little kid in a big snowsuit than \ \ / a barracuda. When it rains, there's no 'sexy' involved—just wet And unless you relish the idea of losing a significant portion of your epidermal layer to the pavement, even the most gorgeous days require more than a pair of jeans and a leopard print tank top. And it isn't easy. Before I actually climbed onto a bike, I would dream about simply turning the key and roaring away, zipping in and out of traffic with no more experience than my early days on a bicycle. Well, a run-in with a parking meter soon convinced me otherwise. Bikes require both hands, both feet and more than a little coordination, all the while looking out for car drivers who don't look out for me. It's also time-consuming. The more we ride, the more tweaks and tender loving care are required. One set of tools is simply not enough, and if you happen to have a classic bike, they can be fussier than a West End hair- \ stylist My bike, a 1982 J Yamaha Maxim, has its own morning routine before it will take me anywhere. Dut in case I start sounding like my mother—every time I mentioned motorcycles, she mentioned horrible accidents—I admit that I've always been hooked on bikes. The biker women I know (and wanted to interview) just wanted to ride, not talk about it One, a police officer who has been in the saddle for almost twenty years, keeps her car under ground and takes her wine-coloured Honda Shadow everywhere. Another works in an office and rides her Kawasaki sport bike to. work every day, trading boots for demure flats during office hours. There's nothing in the world like cruising on a long, curvy country road, being able to drink in the scents of the summer, and feeling the wind slipstream past your body without having to roll down the window or wear a seatbelt Getting into biking is relatively simple—talk to someone with a bike. If you're ambitious enough, talk them into selling you their bike, especially if they can't stop yakking about how perfect it is. I started the wrong way—riding my boyfriend's bikes. After getting all caught up in the image, and getting quite a few scratches, I finally settled down and bought a bike I could actually lift off the pavement myself. If you can't lift it, you definitely won't be able to control it when you're speeding along at 70km per hour. Try out the bike before you try on the leather pants. Even if it looks pretty, and you easily picture yourself tooling through downtown, get a friend with a license to give you a ride, and test it out first before you spend three month's rent. And most importantly, get your license. Pick up the book, read it and take the test. Then, get that same faithful friend to give you lessons before you take your final road test, or sign up for a bonafide rider training course. Because you really don't want to be stuck just outside of Chilliwack at midnight, watching your beloved bike be towed away to the impound lot while you trek along the highway with your thumb out and a ticket in your pocket. Trust me, that's not cool at all, no matter how much leather you're wearing. ♦ by Alicia J. Miller In the midst of pricey Yaletown high-rises, urban boutiques and trendy cafes, squats a low, unadorned building with a red, neon sign: Mini Storeroom. No front door, I observe; this has got to be it. I'm about to listen in on Clover Honey's weekly practice session, and I've been warned: "We're thinking our rehearsal space is kinda stinky and gross." Following the long black pigtails of Lauree Thomlinson —band member and education student at UBC-I am led from the street into the alley, through the back door, down a staircase and along several corridors. Electric bass and guitar emanate through the door of the space in question: the moment of truth has arrived. Lauree swings back the foam-insulated door to reveal the source of the music. Anita Lynn Binder, the bass player, and guitarist Amy Marie Brannen (better known as Amy Honey to fans of her solo wdrk), beam welcoming smiles at me. I enter. It's true, the pungent scent of stale cigarette smoke does linger, but the space is more funky than gross. Round, multicoloured lights hang in irregular loops from the ceiling. Amps, mikes, drums and an over-stuffed couch crowd the room, all detritus from three other bands that share the space. Foam hangs on the walls and the ceiling in an attempt at soundproofing. It is cov ered with red, khaki or grey drapes, arid a myriad of curious decorations. A green alien . mask hangs above Lauree. A styrofoam mannequin head sits on the shelf. There is a surf- HAVING FUN? You betcha. Clover Honey (l-r), Anita Lynn Binder, Amy Marie Brannen and Lauree Tomlinson. board propped next to the door, a chord chart taped to its base. A cymbal, a dream- catcher and a skateboard, along with posters of Britney Spears and Shaggy, adorn, the walls. Hockey sticks cluster in the comer. Lauree sits down at the drums. Anita, her leopard-print guitar strap contrasting sharply with the tame neutrality of her beige clothes, gestures to the cell phone on the ground and explains that it's there so she can see when she gets a call—hearing it is pretty much impossible. A substitute teacher for the Vancouver School Board. she teaches mostly special education for intermediate grades through high school. Lauree is eagerly travelling towards the same destination, having started the elementary education program this past September. Amy's 'day job' is completely different from that of her bandmates. She and her partner own and operate Red Cat Records, located on Main St and 26th Avenue. The store opened in July 2002 and offers music released mostly on independent labels, as well as old vinyl, including 1970s rock. Just last month, Amy herself released an independent album. Self Tided, in which each song originates from a different genre—from country to metal. Although the band is in the midst of creating new material, they're eager to share a sample of their work with me. It's been a while since they've played these songs and much laughter ensues, along with melody humming and exclamations of "Oh yeah, that's how it goesl" All three women sing, but it is Amy who is most enthusiastic about stepping up to the mike while rocking out on her purple guitar. The focus is on rocking rhythms and booty-shaking beats. Lyrics take a back seat and vocals provide either background or punchy exclamation points. After finishing a couple songs, they ask me what I think. "It's a lot of fun," I comment. \ Lauree nods, 'Our songs are quirky." Clover Honey was formed five years ago after Lauree, who had always known she would be a drummer (having written as much in her grade ten yearbook) took a few lessons. Since she was a natural, she was. told the best way to learn was to join a band. She met Anita and Omar, another original band member, through an ad in The Georgia Straight, and they christened themselves Clover Honey after an eponymous, edgy comic book. A few months later, after Amy had moved to Vancouver from Nova Scotia, she replaced Omar. She was intrigued because the band had listed Eric's Trip as an influence in another ad in the Straight The three women "gelled" and, according to Anita, "haven't looked back." Since then, Clover Honey has won SHiNDiGI (CiTR's annual' battle-of-the- bands), released both an EP and—in June 2000-an album, titled Go Horse Go. They have booked and played 'two-and:a-half* cross-Canada tours, playing as far east as Montreal. Although they are currently working on new material with a view to recording their second album thi3 summer, they consider themselves more of a live band and regularly play such local venues as the Pic, the Brickyard and the Railway. "We have more energy live," Lauree explains. '" . During the interview, it is apparent that the three women love both each other and playing together. "Okay, sometimes we don't ) ) get along, but we know that we have to always love each other because we're family," Amy explains and Anita and Lauree laughingly agree. This strong connection means that, for them, songwriting is a wholeheartedly collaborative process in which they "just kind of jam," says Lauree. Amy adds, "We spend a lot of time examining each httle piece of the song, perfecting every little part" Asked whether' they think being an all-female band has impacted them, Amy comments, "None of us actually give it much thought to be honest. It's something we never discuss as a band." However, Anita does note that when they were looking for a replacement for Omar, she wanted a female guitarist to fill the spot. The band is also casually looking for a drummer who also plays either guitars or keyboard and wants a female to fill the spot "The dynamic would change drastically if there was a guy in the band," explains Amy. "We come to practice, we're like, 'Look I've got my period.' We gossip and we put on lip balm and we're total girls/ Anita hods, "I think we understand each other. We feel really comfortable.' The band doesn't consider itself to have a particular message, feminist or otherwise. Instead, Amy sums up the band's aim this way: "We want to perpetuate good times when we're playing." Lauree laughs and adds, 'Good times! That's our favourite saying: good times!' £ Clover Honey plays The Pic on Saturday, March 8, 2003. The ( j t to f.'il truth The Ubyssey chats it up with two ladies from the "Monologues" by Amielle Del 'Rosario Thousands of years ago artists adoried Hindu temples and shrines with beautiful flower-shaped and triangular images symbolising the tender menjibranes and fleshy flaps of the female genitalia. These symbols were called "Yoni' and they were perceived as far more powerful than the male symbol, the "Lingam." What happened? Eran Norton and Rene Wang are both English literature majors and theatre minors ready and willling to talk about the trials of women's nether regions in UBC's production of "The Vagina Monologues." Norton, producer, assistant director and actor, says that the monologues have changed her outlook on herself. "It really empowers you. Not solely on the physical level, but also on the subject of being a true woman," she says as she closes her eyes and smiles. She performed the piece "My Angry Vagina" a monologue where she decries tampons, douche bags and gynecologist visits. In an excerpt from the play she says: "Well, my vagina's not going away. It's pissed-off and it's staying right here.. .It's hungry for depth. It wants kindness. It wants change. It wants silence and freedom and gentle kisses." Words like these, Eran says, "make people realise that they're not alone. They're not the only ones who think that their vaginas are ugly. They're not the only ones who don't know where their clitoris is." : "The Vagina Monologues," written by Eve Ensler, integrates comedic moments with poignant issues concerning women's situations around the world. There is a whole spectrum of feelings evoked. Pieces such as "My Angry Vagina" and "Flood" are very amusing while "My Vagina is my Village," "Crooked Braid," and "Under the Burqa" deal with more serious issues. Rene Wang performed "Crooked Braid' as well as "My Vagina is my Village"—a piece about Bosnian women in refugee camps. The piece is about a woman who was raped while in die camp. Wang explains that "they invaded it, butchered it and burned it down.' "Every time I rehearse those pieces, I feel so emotionally drained. Eve Ensler uses penetrating and acute words and images that really shoot through your heart You have to be really stoic to feel unchanged by these monologues,' Rene posits. Since the very first performance of 'the Monologues,' the rhetoric of women regarding their bodily perspective has changed, but men, or what Eran and Rene like to call 'Bobs'—men who have true appreciation of a vagina's beauty—have also been thanking them for making the serious moments accessible through humour. 'A few men have visited me to say "Thank you.' They say that it's made them more comfortable, and because of that they understood what we were really trying to say,* Eran says. Rene concurs, "I think that humour is the hand that opens the door and brings people to enter this room that they didn't dare enter before. There are a Jot of serious and heavy issues surrounding the vagina that people would rather not talk or think about," she says. "But ignoring such issues would only worsen the existing problems. Humour serves as a friendly invitation. It disarms people and creates a comfortable environment that prepares them for sharper issues that need to be faced.' Proceeds from the shows are allocated to the V-Day campaign (www.vday.org), 7or which Eran is the UBC representative for. It is a campaign to end violence against women and girls. Benefits also go to Women Against Violence Against Women (www.wavaw.com), UBC Sexual Assault Support Centre, and The Helping Spirit Lodge Society (www.help- ingspiritlodge.org), which supports aboriginal communities and helps prevent family violence. - Whether you call it coochie, snorcher, poo- nani, yoni, cunt or pussy, these UBC students say it loud—they have a vagina and they're proud. # SHE'S GOT ONE: Eran Norton of The Vagina Monologues. ~r 5 omen's Issue FricUq, March 7. 2003 A Uixjsseuj Special Issue • • • • Fri Mar 7 to Sun Mar 9 7:00 Ararat 9:30 Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Wed Mar 12 and Thurs Mar 13 7:00 Fidel Film Hotline: 82J-3W7 OR check opl 0.3/) T jfe on<4 Debt All films $3.00 in die NORM (SUB theatre) w ww .ams. ubc.ea'clubs; Filmsoc • • • . • Student Legal Fund Society NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TAKE NOTICE that an annual general meeting of SLFS — Student Legal Fund Society (the "Society") will be held at Room 179/81 ofthe Curtis Law Building at UBC, on Thursday, March 20, 2003 at the hour of 12:15 p.m. for the followjpg purposes: 1. To receive the report of the Elections Administrator. 2. To appoint or waive the appointment pf auditors. 3. To receive and consider the financial statements of the Society for the year ended and the report of the directors to the members. 4. To consider special resolutions to amend the Society Bylaws related to issues including but not limited to quorum, appointment of officers, amending provisions, authority to initiate funding, and general proceedings of the Society. 5. To transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting. TAKE NOTICE that any student of UBC who wishes to become a member of the Society, and is eligible based on the Society Bylaws, can immediately become a member by providing the Secretary with their name and registered address within 30 minutes of the meeting being called to order. Student Legal Fund Society Phone:604-827-1208 Email: slfs@slfs.org Address: Box 70, 6138 SUB Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1 Careers in health earn top dollars A national shortage in a variety of allied health careers means you can enjoy excellent employment prospects and salaries when you train as a: Radiation Therapist - provide treatment for cancer patients and others. Diagnostic Medical Sonographer - use ultra-sound as a diagnostic imaging technique for pregnancy, abdominal and gynaecological disease, the vascular system and the heart. Environmental Health Officer/ Public Health Inspector - protect the health of people where they work, live, eat, and play. Choose your career path today. Build on your current credentials if you already have education and experience. For program information contact: School of Health Sciences 604.451.7112 or toll-free 1.800.663.6542 ext7112 www.health.bcit.ca health@bcit.ca You Ve come a long way lady (sort of) A look at the career-driven female by Joanna Kordus Women have no doubt come a long way in asserting their place in today's world. Having achieved a substantial level of equality with men, women are now a powerful group that can enter any career position and choose a life that suits them best. The status of women now has been achieved by way of social and political action that has steadily allowed us to restructure society and to decrease gender differences. This has also inevitably led to many different opinions about the role and presence of woman in today's society. Although women have gained the right and respect to enter the same work force as men and to be equally active in the political sphere, there remains a continuous struggle not only to achieve total equality, but also to achieve some solidarity amongst a mix of differing perceptions on the role of women in today's society. Though women make up an average of 45 per cent of Canada's work force, they still earn less than men do. Nonetheless, this situation is improving as better work opportunities and flexible hours become available. The woman of today is, without a doubt, largely seen as a career woman; she is independent, confident and determined. The fact that a great number of women now choose to realise their careers instead of choosing to stay at home is sometimes misunderstood. The drive that women project and the ambition that gets them to their aspired goal is still in conflict with their role of staying at home and exclusively taking care of the family. There are some views that a career-driven woman is single- minded in a negative way; the fact that women are now heavily represented in politics, the media and in advocacy groups may, to a small extent, make some uneasy and mark them with a prima donna rep. This may seem unjustified, but some do uphold this view, and it is not only a fraction of men. There are also women who hold such an unen- thusiastic standpoint on career-driven females. Stereotypes are still alive. But the notions that women are too weak to survive in an active career and that they are made to exist in the private sector only are ones that females really pay httle attention to; we are actually disproving them as we move forward. Women are now, without question, a powerful authority in some of the highest areas of our culture. Feminism has obviously taken us a long way and many women today sometimes fail to recognise and acknowledge the prospects that this movement has opened up for us. At times, we tend to take our liberties for granted; though we enjoy the opportunities and freedoms, we have to do what we deem to be important to us. Not all women are feminists, but this is not to say that a great number of women are unconscious of their history and current position in our world. - Today, women are seen as powerful; they express their abilities in all walks of life; they are conscious of the world that surrounds them, and are ' ambitious as they work towards achieving their objectives. We are shaping a place for ourselves and asserting what a female is and represents. Many of us are also choosing to juggle many things at the same time and are succeeding at many different areas of our lives. I think that we women have become unconstrained and strong- minded to such an extent that we can go for any goal we envision, and get there despite certain concerns, belief systems, and negative inputs into our role within society. Today's woman is independent, self-sufficient and ambitious. As time goes on, we will undoubtedly be more and more active in the political and legal system, representing our sex actively, making more positive changes, establishing ourselves and ultimately taking on a greater role in society. It will happen. <► .And on a personal note One woman's triumph over herself by Jennifer Forhan I grew up believing that I was stupid, worthless and ugly. There may be many reasons why I had those beliefs, but the fact is that I thought horribly of myself. When I began classes here at UBC in September of 1998, I hated myself most of the time. I wore makeup and clothes that I thought would impress other people and spent more time worrying about what others thought of me (and judging everyone around me) than about the rest of my life. I dated guys that I didn't even like, did things that I didn't enjoy doing and spent a lot of my time resentful, angry and lonely. I also worked hard to keep up .the fa$ade that I was happy. As a result, I continued to feel isolated and separate from the world. I never wanted to come to university. I felt obligated to do a degree because I thought that was what everyone else expected of me. I also thought that I was supposed to prove something to the world and that maybe university was the way to do it Ultimately, I was scared that I would fail at life. I had always been an average student, an average dresser, an average person. I was scared that I wouldn't make it, that I didn't have anything to offer and ' that the world was set against me. Now I realise that my biggest battles have always been with chronic negative thinking and self-hatred. They have always lived in my head and in my experience and they have been the hardest battles to fight. The years at UBC have changed all of that for me. Of course, it's not just school that has changed me; part of it is simply time and the process of growing up. But these years have been full of change and unexpected personal growth. I came here thinking that I could just 'hurry up and do this degree,' and I am leaving with an entirely different perspective. During these years, I began to see myself as part of a bigger whole and tried my best to do my part in it. I learned to take more chances, by applying for jobs that I didn't think I would get and by taking courses that I didn't think I could succeed in. As a result, I have had awesome work opportunities and took courses outside of my disct pline that I thoroughly enjoyed. As I met professors and other students who became my mentors and guides, their encouragement drove me to work harder and, suddenly (or so it seemed), I became more interested in the world and in other people than in myself. I opened my mind and my heart to other avenues, other people, other cultures and other experiences. I then began to feel driven toward what was previously an unknown and abstract goal: a fulfilling liberal arts education. And it was for me, not for anyone else. Today, I am a different woman than the one who began classes here in 1998. I feel smart, strong and capable. I know that I might still not be able to do everything in life, but I know that I can try anything. I know now that I am a fighter, even though at many steps along the way I was defeatist. I know now that I will stand up for what I believe in, that I will argue for what I think is right, and that I will respectfully disagree with you if we have differing opinions. I know that I dress as I please and feel proud to do so. I know now that my principles are more important than other people's opinions of me." I know now that I will not stand to be taken advantage of. I know now that life is often hard and the world is often bleak, but I also know that out of darkness comes light and out of sorrow comes joy. I know now that I will not settle; there is a career and a fulfilling life out there for me. Today, most importantly, I love my life, and myself, because it is mine, and I am me. • Frtdaif March 7, ".2003 A Ubifssetf Special Issue omens issue In living colour by Parminder Mizher So, what's it like being an Indian woman? Hmmm...ever since I stepped out of my Pampers I knew I wasn't like a lot of other girls—I have always been Indian first and Canadian second. Period. I'll admit that until I hit my late teens I was pissed-off because I wasn't born a boy. This attitude earned me the title of rebel. TranslationYif I refused to learn to make aloo gobey' and roti I was a rebel. Questioning why my brother was allowed to sit around playing Nintendo while I had to help my mom with dinner made me a rebel. Not wanting to wear a salwar kameez made me a rebel. Watching my brother receive a $50 bill for his birthday while my grandma gave me $20 had me bent on having a sex change. Another toast to my rebeliousness. Indian society is incredibly patriarchal—180 degrees from the liberal-thinking education and lifestyle of university. Trust me, I don't let the patriarchy rule my life. But learning to live with it has been fucking hard, and I still have problems with it. It's a matter of fitting into certain roles when it is needed and discarding or shedding them when it is time. Learning to blend the two is interesting, though not desirable. I figured out early on that there are type-casts in society and that an Indian woman is middle-age. Certain age-old boundaries and limitations are difficult to break. As liberal as I am I cannot enter a relationship with a non-Indian man without thinking twice about how my family will disown me if they ever found out. expected to fit them without complaints. The role of the homemaker is front and centre. I cannot stress enough the importance of learning the art of symmetrical rotis. There are a lot of silly little things I have to hide that many non-Indian women do not even give a second thought to. Alcohol is a taboo for Indian women to be near, as are men. Sex is something I'm not supposed to know about until at least Who knows if my mom's great-aunt's cousin's daughter-in-law's mother might see me doing something inappropriate and pass it on to my family. I'm dreading the day I will break it to my parents that it's izylife and that I don't want to get married before the age of 30 (then I'll learn to be shunned and gossiped about by society). But to this day I am still a rebel—I refuse to learn how to make chai. ♦ —— q The Paradox of Sex Sexual objects or divine Goctd f love? byKerrieThornhill What is the difference between honouring women's sexuality and objectifying it? Feminism faces two conflicting challenges: the traditional stigmatisation of female sexual power, and the exploitation of it The suppression of female sexuality through denial and shame has restricted our freedom to express purselves sexually without being stigmatised. All too often, women who choose robust sex lives face the infamous 'slut' double standard. In the past, cli- torectomies have even been prescribed to Canadian women as a cure for masturbation and nymphomania. Sexuality, an integral part of any woman's personality, was reviled and feared. Taboo-breaking throughout the past several decades has ameliorated this attitude somewhat Today, effective and available birth control and the perception of sex as healthy and natural means a freer environment for women to discover and explore their personalities. Alma Mater Society belly dancing classes sell out Popular shows such as Sex and the City make the desires and needs of women their primary focus. Valentine's day has become an opportunity to celebrate a healthy sex life, and. even to raise awareness about issues such as sexual assault On the whole, while some people still can't bring themselves to say the word 'vagina' out loud, most of us are buying tickets to "The Monologues." On the other hand, the use of the female image in pornography and the media can be derogatory and exploitative. What is the distinction between celebrating women and objectifying them? Many magazines, such as Maxim, use esses or love: extremely sexualised images of women in order to attract and hold male readership. Although there is nothing wrong with being aroused by images of the opposite sex, there are many underlying problems with the commercial use of women's bodies. By portraying only a certain type of large-breasted, thin and almost always white women, these magazines imply a certain set of criteria by which beauty is to be judged. The fact that many of the women have been surgically or digitally altered in order to meet such criteria compounds the problem. The same images are used in advertisements, and even women's magazines such as Cosmopoh'tsn, in order to sell products and lifestyles. The problem arising from such use is that portraying the female body for commercial purposes turns it irito a kind of commodity. We. begin to lose ownership of our own sexuality. The most important problem with using images of females in pornography and advertising is that we are no longer included as players in the game of sexual activity. An 'objecf is a passive recipient of sexual attention, not an actively engaged participant Females are portrayed not as human beings with desires, expectations and preferences, but simply as toys, commodities and items for male consumption. As in most gender issues, the crux of the matter is respect By expressing themselves freely and exploring the sexual sides of our personalities, women acknowledge, affirm, and satisfy themselves. When that same quality is objectified for commercial purposes, it is subverted. This is the key difference between belly dancing and pornography: sexuality should not be servile. ♦ • WIN AN iBOOK (or wfr* all five) v s y 31 Pit PtAMET 8SNGO 22 PRIZES Wn WIN 23 I1 mi LAPTOPS 35 lb I8Q0K PLAY TOE SPECIAL ONE DOLLAR ... V.30 PM CRAZY-U GAME ON MARCH 10, 11, 12, 13, AND/OR 14. AND YOU COULD WIN AN APPLE iBOOK. 26 is s_t IB ia CRAZY-U tr mcmm RIGHTS CLIP THiS AD OUT FOR 1 FREE PLAYING CARP. I *. ...... * ...... r » ONE FREE IBOOK TO BE GIVEN AWAY PER DAY. INCREASE YOUR ODDSIIt BUY ADDITIONAL CARDS FOR ONLY $1 EACH. www.planetbingo.ca 2655 Main Street® it Avenue 10 mens Issue DVD ZONE: 2138 WESTERN PARKWAY, VANCOUVER J (on Campus, beside Bank of Montreal) J Large Selection of DVD, VHS & GAMES for your enjoyment! Reservations 604-221-9355 •^i^^^ SNOWBOARD OR SKI FOR FREE! STUDENT, STAFF & FACULTY GROUP SPECIAL Organize a group of 10 or more and receive complimentary lift pass & rental. Group Rates Start @ $19 (incl. tax) Mention this ad upon arrival & the organizer's name is entered to win an exciting River Rafting Adventure for two. Call 604.986.2261 local 215 •THE UBYSSEY 'mmsm 9- vi p.y ';"MS^>*>« Jf -*« aineirtcan nt-f% Come to SUB Room 23 (basement) with the answer to the question below, and you may win 1 of 3 copies of AMERICAN HI-FI's new CD 'The Art Of Losing': Question: Name any member of American Hi-Fi (Hint: check out www.umusic.ca) '/.:■£ txKAinaFtasinra ■" •• *7" .' Y KM,* NEW RELEASE: Th# Art of Losing Following the success of 2001 self-titled debut, featuring "Flavor Of The Weak", AMERICAN HI-FI release their brand new CD 'The Art Of Losing' - featuring heavy guitars, power chords and crashing drums mixed together on one great pop/rock/alternative album. ii University Boulevard Neighbourhood Plan Tell us what you think In keeping with UBCS evolving University Town, a draft neighbourhood plan is being developed,for the University Boulevard local area. A campus and community consultation process is being conducted to gather feedback on the draft plan prior to its finalization and presentation to the UBC Board of Governors in May, 2003. You can participate in this consultation in a number of ways: 1. Internet: You can learn more about the draft University Boulevard Neighbourhood plan by reading the Discussion Guide at www.universitytown.ubc.ca and give your opinion via the online feedback form. 2. Open Houses March 10, 6 pm to 9 pm in Room 212A of SUB March 11, 6 pm to 9 pm in Room 214 of SUB March 13, 9 am to 3 pm. at the Aquatic Centre 3. Small Group Meetings (February 10 - March 31) Your group can request a presentation by contacting the University Town inquiry line at 604.822.5400 or e-mail info.universitytown@ubc.ca 4. Campus and Community Public Meeting Tuesday, April 1, 7 pm Room 214 - Student Union Building How Campus & Community Feedback Will Be Used "" Feedback gathered through this consultation via the web, fax, campus publications, open houses, small-group meetings and public meetings will be recorded and summarized in a Consultation Summary Report, which will be presented with a Technical report and revised neighbourhood plan to the UBC Board of Governors. The Consultation Summary Report will also be posted on the web. For further information contact: Linda Moore Tel: 504.822.6400 Fax: 604.822.8102 E-mail: infp.universitytown@ubc.ca Web: www.universitytown.ubc.ca y& w UNIVERSITY TOWN Frijgit, March 7. 2003 A Ubi^sseuj Special Issue bWjAnusha "8alnfn 1/ 'AT') Wf nonce^sudtjenly, sifiokef j thaf makes downward >'—'-.' drops in the heavier air, She flicks a dusty page. I find a place for her between some words I have. She is covered in blue fingerprints. Some things crack in the shade where her beads make a spangle. I feel glassy. Someone came in our house while we were sleeping. We were sticky from our coffee dreams. We threw a poem at him, we threw poems at the gray window, and went to sleep again. i I c r. i () r , by Joanna Kordus She walks, through the wooden rods. He} hair scarf, unspecified jearsj uM, dispersed ,■ ■.. \ by a windl^s rain,'. it flows across the roofs,, ". . enlw yled with Jar]t gri:y sim ike, t' until she lays hef he i\y baggage Juwii before the fence Three dogs, an overweight white cat greet her this is her cottage, Ml of emptiness, by the hand that cheated and had left. He did not take your son. Mountains of coal arise, the German highway above the hills is static, old bullets in red bricks of pierced memories, and that old heart that beats behind it. Sometimes, sometimes, eye-streams drown her in the greenhouse, red tomatoes fall and weep around her feet Like a rose blooms upwards with its champagne-glassed head towards the air as fresh and wild as her. She's shrunken, though. No Rosa Centifolia Bipinnata. She trots onwards. In her cooling kitchen the lamp comes on. She breaks dry bread. She looks up on the parsley "I love you, grandma.' Her water is not molten, not drunk, not diminished here yet ) j VVeroftifca Letvczufc. 1 ^-* J i.i 7. . » _^- _ I am your new-age hippie, with golden hair, Shouting and screaming, yet still you don't care. You don't hear my words, woven for peace, You discredit me as someone willing to be appeased. The flowers, once woven into my predecessor's hair, Have all been polluted and rotted in despair. I now come armed with knowledge of history learned, And a clear mind that argues without being turned By LSD, which my government tried to feed me with To shut me up and sit on my stump, believing a false myth. < But I am not a strung-out hippie, a caricature of folly, Nor am I just a httle girl wanting to play with my dolly. I am a woman, ready to argue and fight. Using insight learned from Kerouac's verbal might I now see the earth crying, I see the children dying, I want you to all know that I am really trying, To change this situation, propagated by a governmental organisation. Enraged with it all, I promise to keep going and not take vacation. Motivated by Difranco's powerful lyrics, I stand in the face of most prevailing critics. I will not step down from my positions ingrained Into my psyche, forever retained. Hope others join me and we come together, showing the world that the earth will live forever. Friday, March 7, 2003 A Ubujsseuj Special Issue omen's fssue Guilty pleasures of girly magazines by Lisa Johnson Some days I pick the longest check-out line in the supermarket. I bee-line towards an overflowing cart and plunk my basket down behind Ms Hold-On-My-Airmiles- Card-Is-Here-Soniewhere. You might think that's unlucky—I call it strategic planning. From a distance, it would be difficult to tell why I choose to linger. I may have a Maclean's in my hands, or look consumed by the decision between orange and white Tic-Tacs. But my eyes aren't on breath mints. I'm reading: 'Sexy or. skanky? Drool- worthy celeb outfits.' '65 HOT things to do to HIS body.' 'How even a good girlfriend can drive her guy away.' That's right. I'm a closet Cosmo fan. I know that young women like me aren't supposed to read magazines like that. I've heard the lectures. They make women feel inadequate, give girls eating disorders and bad self-esteem, and their visual rhetoric is. based on the 'male gaze.' This is why I'm far too liberated to read them—in public. In private, I turn to page 5 1 to learn what 'My guy's cell phone style says about him.' The prognosis isn't good; by sport ing a new, lightweight Nokia with an illuminated face-plate, he's subtly telling me that he's vain and afraid of commitment. I knew there was something wrong with our relationship. Thank goodness Cosmo taught me how to scrutinise his phone. Now to the multiple-choice quiz: 'What are your romantic expectations?"- My answers are every girl's answers. I pick mostly 'B's-we all know that 'A's are high- maintenance and clingy, and 'C's are too cynical to find a man. I take my score card to the Cosmo-quiz debriefing page. Whew! I'm an 'amorous optimist' With that kind of validation, nothing can rock me. Of course, I don't take relationship advice from cell phone analysts, or use quiz results to determine my self image. It's a ritual, and an escape. It's like choosing to watch Hugh Grant play a charming rascal with floppy hair and twinkling eyes, who woos the nice girl he doesn't deserve, even though I know I should be watching Fix at the Blinding Light! I This act holds a guilty pleasure. If anyone catches me at it, I have an excuse all planned out By reading the cell phone article, I'm deconstructing our culture's idolism toward material objects and emergent technologies. Just by looking at "His moan zones,' I'm subverting the male gaze. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some social protest to attend to. Page 88: Scorpio's Love Forecast. # Ladies going places: travellers through time NO PLACE FOR A LADY by Barbara Hodgson [Greystone Books] by Amber Shilling No Place For A Lady by Barbara Hodgson is a wonderful tribute to pioneer women travellers. It documents many early female travellers, following them through tumultuous journeys all over the world. Encounters with bandits and muggers left lasting impressions with these women yet most refused to be discouraged. Tales of the .plague, cholera and other deadly diseases reminds us to be grateful for vaccinations and cures these brave souls weren't lucky enough to have. The strength of these women is unfailing, as they battled impossible terrain and horrid weather. Hodgson has organised the book in an easy-to-read manner, each chapter is a new country or region; many familiar names are mentioned throughout the book, and many unknown names are included as well. Isabella Bird, Ida Pfeiffer and Florence Baker are a few of the brave women we follow through their travels around the Earth. These fearless pioneers were among the first to go against the standards of what women should do. These wornen defied the norms of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and by doing so, opened doors for future generations. No subject is taboo with these women, they experienced things most women will never be exposed to. Robberies were a common occurrence and murder was all too familiar to these ladies. Braving all sorts of dangers, these women put themselves at risk, all to fulfill their need to travel and see the world through their own eyes. The medical care was not what is now, so many of the women in this book were plagued by everything from bad backs to cholera. The sanitary conditions endured by these women were less than perfect—many places were infested with fleas. Hodgson tells of the tumultuous adventures endured by these women in a brilliant and engaging manner. The book is a well paced, comfortable read, and informative in a fun way. No Place For A Lady is overall a wonderful book full of empowering stories and adventures of female travellers. Most of the women were wealthy enough to afford the few luxuries there were back then, including things like clean sheets. Those who weren't so well funded truly travelled for the love of it, and to discover the many places that awaited them. As we follow the women through their travels, we watch as their con- ■ s.» 7 .■ :. fidence grows with them. Each new place is easier to navigate with the skills they develop from experience. Learning about what these women dealt with makes you grateful to know that traveling is so safe in these modern times. The adventurous feel of the book is felt through the words and sparks a desire to explore the world. 9 Jl Pocfasy gets foxy Material girl gets to the heart of things "CITIZEN POCHSY: HEAD MOVEMENTS OF A LONG-HAIRED GIRL" Firehall Arts Centre until Mar. 8 by Anna Kin£ and Jesss Marchand Citizen Pochsy has a dress on layaway at her favourite store, Kinderslut, and she tries it on every day over her lunch break. She says all she wants is to live long enough to 'stay young and beautiful forever.' She knows that all you need in the world are a few good friends and she has three, well, two, or actually one, sort of. Calling herself the 'universal girl' in her first song, Citizen Pochsy flirts on the road between ditsy and intellectual, spiritual and material girl, reality and delusion. Hines refers to Pochsy as 'a microcosm of North American consumer culture,' where people are always searching for something to give their lives meaning. With a painted white face and the giggles and exaggerated movement of a. clown, Pochsy becomes both a realistic and strangely surreal character as she spends an hour and a half showing you her hilarious and lonely world. 'Citizen Pochsy' is the third clown monologue in a trilogy that took writer, performer and co-composer Karen Hines ten years to complete. The culmination of her hard work is this terribly entertaining and thought-provoking work that centers on Pochsy being audited at her job as a contract worker at Mercury Packers. Drawing from her own experience in being audited and her mother's actual job at an unsafe mercury manufacturer, Hines creates a lovable and endearing character that you can't help but forgive for her politically incorrect statements about 'Holocaust Girl' and her jokes about old people. Plus, it's evident she's a little, well, strange. Picking up mercury balls will do that to you. If you caught Ken Finkleman's TV spoof series The Newsroom, you'll remember Hines as the terse and sarcastic production assistant, and you will wince gleefully in this production as she takes that concentrated, ironic mannerism to an entirely new place. Hines also has a masterful way of using her body movements to express the sexuality and self- consciousness of Poschy's character. The songs are not particularly diverse, but their strong subject matter, sung in Hines's throaty voice, tell us things the narrative never could. Accompanist Greg Morrison's expressive piano-playing adds to the sad beauty of the performance. Hines has put so much detailed character work into Pochsy that she'll stick with you for days. Don't miss her two remaining performances tonight and tomorrow night • The Ubyssey News Department Come to news meetings Tuesday at ipm in SUB room 24. Come, or else we print more of your family photos. THEUBYSSEY missing the 80s since 1918 HTHE UBYSSEY GIVEAWAY Smashing Pumpkins - Earphoria Earphoria is the Pumpkins newly released live CD with all the classic Pumpkins tracks like "Cherub Rock" & "Mayonaise." To receive a COMPLIMENTARY CD come to the Ubyssey Office (SUB Room 23, in the basement)! The MJlWffl. Mar 12-32 Mon-Sat 7:30pm Frederic Wood Theatre .TlcteBeg$I0,St/Sl'$lO flieatre at ITOC Box Office 604-822-2679 www.t,neatre.ubc.ea frederit wood's 12 mens Issue FridUg, M&nh 7, 2003 Not your average A Ufctjssetf Special Issue ' % 'Z'°^- <**» ■"■' *>&<A*. ,m*~&4/ Z^' fy -£■ ft.4c' 4. jJMrat/yfc, eft i«£ in'^"^'CZ$j Ravensbruck: Forgotten Women of the Holocaust At the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, 950 West 41st Ave until May 30. by Me^an Thomas Rebecca Buckman Teitelbaum had never authored a cookhook before, but during her time at the Ravensbruck concentration camp that is exactly what she did. In the exhibit Forgotten Women of the Holocaust, Teitelbaum's work is just one example of the exceptional ways women chose to maintain sanity through the horror of the Holocaust. The exhibit focuses on the unique .•#%>«***'<*.«. s/<,4t,4p§\ experiences of women during the Holocaust and explores the distinctly female responses to the atrocities that made women and children primary targets. The Ravensbruck concentration camp was home to 132,000 women and children in the six years of its operation, and 117,000 died before its liberation in 1945. On opening night the exhibit started with a keynote address from Dr Rochelle Saidel, executive director of the Remember the Women Institute in New York. Saidel touched on the reasons why the Holocaust was a veiy different experience for women. She explained that there were specific physiological issues that increased the hardship for women. These included pregnancy, menstruation, and the threat of sexual abuse and rape. Pregnant women brought to Ravensbruck were either forced into abortions or their newborn babies were killed upon birth. The threat of rape was also ever present in the camp as women were continually abused at the hands of Nazi soldiers. Although intense persecution and exploitation was central to the Ravensbruck camp, this exhibit chooses to focus on the themes that allowed women to survive and triumph over their persecutors. '[The exhibit] is a window in for us to talk about a broader issue of gender during the Holocaust...and Ravensbruck has presented itself as the most likely window into [the experience of women]/ said Roberta Kremer, the 5t "., >j>\oL_ 4 ' ¥ > \ N I . ^ oook .00ok co-curator of the exhibit. According to Saidel, it was the homemaking skills specific to women that allowed them to form surrogate families within the camp and aid survival. Women also chose gift-giving as a way of staying human during an incredibly inhumane experience. "The gift-giving and the recipe books...were as far as I know uniquely women's ways of resisting and helping each other,' explained Saidel. The original artifacts in the exhibit show that the women had few supplies to work with in order to create the art work they accomplished. Small tattered pieces of paper served as a liberating canvas and tiny scraps of cloth became links to the outer world. Perhaps the most moving piece in the exhibit is a hand-drawn atlas created by Olga Benarfo Prestes, a German-Jewish political prisoner being held at Ravensbruck. Olga used her own worldly knowledge, delicately reproduced on what paper was available, to educate the other women in the camp about the geography of Europe. It is through this kind of thought-provoking expression that the exhibit illustrates the unique strengths of women during a dark time in history. The hand-written recipe book by Rebecca Buckman Teitelbaum provides another example of women drawing on their homemaking skills to transcend the horror around them. And although there were no ingredients with which to bring the recipes to life at Ravensbriiek, there were more than enough at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. As a tribute to Teitelbaum a cake was baked from a recipe in her book and it was served on the opening night of the exhibit. Forgotten Women ofthe Holocaust is an exhibit that brings attention to the most positive aspects of an extremely negative event It is well worth seeing and seeks to change your perspective of the role of women as passive victims of the Holocaust # I t / Heal Women! Tenure/* _ League starts in April Registration and practice* in March Sign up as a team or as an individual player. May Football J! for more information visit: www.touchfootball.ca or call 604-444-8223 Rant Sure you do. 'Rant' is the Ubyssey's literary contest/supplement. Poems, fiction- ancf non-fiction. Prizes. Enter, now. See www.ubyssey.bc.ca for the submission details. E-mail ubysseyrant@hotmail.com if that doesn't satisfy you. 'I
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