All blog posts written by Desirée - Shameless Magazine - your daily dose of fresh feminism for girls and trans youth

All posts written by Desirée O

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- Shameless Women
Alysha Haugen and Magali Meagher: Starting a Vibe with Girls Rock Camp Toronto

March 4, 2011 • Desirée O

Every month I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce the wonderful Alysha Haugen and Magali Meagher…

Photo by Michael Fil

Alysha Haugen and Magali Meagher love to bring together their knack for creating music with their knack for creating community, and to do this they’ve just started Toronto’s very own Girls Rock Camp!

Girls Rock Camp Toronto is a day camp for girls ages 8-16 that will be happening July 18-22, 2011. Girls come for a week long crash course in playing an instrument, songwriting, zine making, self-defense and more. At the end of the week, campers get to perform their original song with their band at a local live music venue. Girls who attend the camp don’t need to have any prior music experience, and instruments are provided.

Just as the camp has launched their camper and volunteer registration, Alysha and Magali answer our questions as two very rockin’ shameless women.
(more inside…)
- Body Politics
- Sexuality
Feminist Pinups: Can You Be A Sexy Role Model?

February 16, 2011 • Desirée O

Heidi Van Horne as “Rosie the Riveter” by Mehosh Dzadzio

There are endless contradictions for women and girls to face when trying to understand and explore their identities, and a contradiction that has always fascinated/frustrated me is the one that exists between feminism and sexiness.

We’re seemingly free as feminists to embrace our sexuality, but when it comes to being “sexy” there’s a very blurry line that is impossible to define.

The concept of “sexy” itself is full of personal opinion, cultural influence, and a million debatable factors. One person’s idea of sexy could be another person’s idea of tame sensuality and yet another person’s idea of pornographic smut.

Go beyond this to try to pin down what is “acceptable” sexiness (how it is portrayed and/or used), and the debate is never ending.

This is what leads me to pinups. As an example of this acceptable sexiness debate, it exemplifies the differing opinions. Some feel that pinups are women who are empowered and owning their beauty and sexuality. While others believe that pinups are stereotypical representations playing into harmful beauty standards.

I recently stumbled across an article where Heidi Van Horne identifies as a feminist pinup. “It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but I’m a pin-up and a feminist. I’m very specific about the way I portray women. I’ve turned down major projects that just didn’t sit well with me.”

We’ve previously had a discussion on the Shameless blog that addressed an ad that used a pinup-esque style. That post (as well as the comments) addressed not only the pinup aspect, but also the fact that it was being used for advertising (and advertising razors to shave your legs which reinforces another beauty standard). But what if we removed the advertising and shaving points from the debate? What if we were just talking about the pinup?

What do you think? Can pinups be feminist?

If not, why? And what would it take to make them feminist (if that’s possible)?

If pinups can be feminist, then what defines a feminist pinup?
- Shameless Women
Emma Allison: Teen Writer Who’s Booking Through 365

January 13, 2011 • Desirée O

Every month I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce the wonderful Emma Allison…

Emma Allison is a Canadian home schooled teenager who writes and edits for her book blog, Booking Through 365. She hopes to be a young adult librarian when she comes of age. For now, she reads, writes, tweets in excessive quantities and attempts to understand quantum physics in her spare time.

(more inside…)
“Other Tongues: Mixed-Race Women Speak Out” Launch at the Toronto Women’s Bookstore (Thurs, Dec. 9 @ 6:30pm)

December 9, 2010 • Desirée O

If you’re looking for an awesome event to attend tonight and you happen to be in Toronto, be sure to drop by the launch of Other Tongues: Mixed-Race Women Speak Out (edited by Adebe De Rango-Adem and Andrea Thompson), which has just been published by Inanna Publications.

OTHER TONGUES: MIXED-RACE WOMEN SPEAK OUT is an anthology of poetry, spoken word, fiction, creative non-fiction, spoken word texts, as well as black and white artwork and photography, explores the question of how mixed-race women in North America identify in the twenty-first century. Contributions engage, document, and/or explore the experiences of being mixed-race, by placing interraciality as the center, rather than periphery, of analysis.

The launch is Thursday, December 9th at 6:30 p.m., and will be taking place at the Toronto Women’s Bookstore (73 Harbord Street). Refreshments will be served. Authors will read at 7:15 p.m.

The editors are also working on setting up launches elsewhere in North America, so be sure to join the Other Tongues Facebook group to keep informed about events in your area.
- Shameless Women
Marlene Leung: Working for a Bigger Cause at UofT’s Centre for Mother, Infant, and Child Research & Parkdale Street Writers

December 9, 2010 • Desirée O

Every month I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce the wonderful Marlene Leung…

Marlene Leung is a clinical research coordinator for the University of Toronto’s Centre for Mother, Infant, and Child Research specializing in international research related to maternal/fetal medicine. Her job has taken her to many amazing places and allowed her to work with other researchers committed to maternal and child health from all over the world. When not working, she is also a member of the Parkdale Street Writers, a group that explores trying different kinds of writing, through a series of hands-on workshops led by local authors and artists.

(more inside…)
- Shameless Women
Tanya Smith: Practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine and More

November 11, 2010 • Desirée O

Every month I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce Tanya Smith…

Dr. Tanya Smith, TCM is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Registered Acupuncturist, AND a Birth Doula. Using acupuncture and traditional herbs to heal women’s reproductive health, she is committed to “throwing back the silk curtain to demystify Chinese Medicine so it becomes a mainstream choice for women’s healthcare.” Her mission is for women to listen to the subtle whispers of their symptoms when something is out of balance and not wait until it’s severe to get help. That why she’s definitely a Shameless Woman.

(more inside…)
- Shameless Women
Billy Pettinger: Billy the Kid

October 14, 2010 • Desirée O

Every month I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce the awesome Billy Pettinger…a.k.a. Billy the Kid…

“Life tends to give us what we want…but never how we expect it.” This is the first line on the “About” page for Billy the Kid’s website. Also known as Billy Pettinger, the singer/songwriter realizes that being “lost” isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

As awesome as she is shameless, Billy was able to answer our questions in the few days she had left before embarking on a tour across Canada to tell us about knowing in your heart what’s best for you.
(more inside…)
- Shameless Women
Two Years of Shameless Women!

October 7, 2010 • Desirée O

It’s funny what pops into your head while you’re falling asleep at night. For instance, “Hey! It’s October – which means I’ve been writing Shameless Women for two years!”

I want to say a huuuuuuge “THANK YOU!” to all of the Shameless Women I have interviewed. Activists, performers, artists, entrepreneurs, techy-ladies, and so much more – you have all been incredibly supportive, incredibly inspiring, and incredibly amazing!

For a full list of all the awesome Shameless Women I have interviewed click here. Or you can find them by clicking here.

Be sure to check in next Thursday for a brand new Shameless Women interview!

Shameless as always,
D. Cole Ossandon
Joint Tomboyfriend, Sheila Heti, Margaux Williamson launch!

September 30, 2010 • Desirée O

Are you ready for a night of artistic awesomeness from all sides? Then you definitely need to check out the co-release party of three creative forces.

The Production Front is pleased to announce MFA: an upcoming co-release on the night of Thursday, October 14th, of Sheila Heti’s third book, HOW SHOULD A PERSON BE? Tomboyfriend (led by Ryan Kamstra)’s first album, DON’T GO TO SCHOOL; and Margaux Williamson’s feature-length movie, TEENAGER HAMLET.
(more inside…)
- Shameless Women
Madeleine Shaw and Suzanne Siemens: The Ladies of Lunapads

July 22, 2010 • Desirée O

Every other Thursday I profile a new incredible woman, each from a different walk of life. Different professions, causes, backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, and anything/everything else!

So without further delay, let me introduce two Shameless Women, the amazing Madeleine Shaw and Suzanne Siemens…

Showing that “it is possible to build a successful business with feminist and social values while bringing prosperity to the local and global community,” partners Madeleine Shaw and Suzanne Siemens have combined their passions, creativity and business skills to defy cultural taboos and successfully bring Lunapads to the masses while helping to reduce the estimated 14 billion pads, tampons and applicators that are deposited into North American landfills every year.
(more inside…)