If you’re looking for feminist superheroes, look no further than the Guerrilla Girls. These gorilla-masked feminist avengers — anonymous activists who work under the assumed names of dead female artists — tackle sexism and racism in the art world and beyond, through poster campaigns, billboards, books and presentations.

Launched in 1985, the Guerrilla Girls’ first campaign was born out of frustration with the Museum of Modern Art’s exhibition “An International Survey of Painting and Sculpture,” which, though supposedly a roundup of the world’s best contemporary art, turned out to be 92 per cent male and 100 per cent white.

More than 20 years later, founding members Frida Kahlo and Kathe Kollwitz are still hard at work, lecturing at campuses and museums, writing a book about women in Hollywood and, of course, stirring shit up in the art world. They’ll be speaking in Toronto tonight at 7pm, at a lecture presented by the Ryerson Student-Run Lecture Series (info here). The event is sold-out, but free rush tickets may be available at the door.

I had the chance to chat with Kahlo for an article appearing in today’s EYE WEEKLY. For the full text of our conversation, click the “More” link below.
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I wish I had the time and focus to write something eloquent and powerful about the Dec. 6, 1989 Montreal Massacre and the resulting National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, but to be honest, I’ve spent the past hour crying through a news program about violence against women and it left me feeling defeated.

So this is just a quick note to remind you all that today marks a significant, sad day in herstory. CBC has archived footage here and I’m pasting Status of Women Canada’s official statement below.

NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

December 6
Did you know that December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada? Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day marks the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal. They died because they were women.

As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

As a child of the ‘80s and a Kathleen Hanna fan, I was tickled pink to stumble onto this video a few minutes ago. It’s Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon” mashed up with images from the kid’s TV series Jem, and it’s actually quite well done. Showtime, Synergy!

As we all wait in breathless anticipation of Shameless publisher Stacey May Fowles‘ new book, Be Good (launching tomorrow, details in the post below this one), I though I’d tip you off about another kick-ass book I’ve been reading.

Bottle Rocket Hearts, by Shameless contributor Zoe Whittall, was released in the spring, but it took autumn’s chill to remind me that it was time to start snuggling up with good books again.

I just reviewed Zoe’s book for eyeweekly.com, but because it’s so shamelessly awesome, I wanted to post my review here too. And so, without further ado…

Zoe Whittall knows what it’s like to get kicked in the lip ring by love. Her first novel, Bottle Rocket Hearts (Cormorant Books, 189 pages, $19.95), is a queer coming-of-age story that captures the rush of falling in love and subsequent crash of realizing your lover is more fucked-up than you are.

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First Doris Anderson, now June Callwood — it seems that ‘tis the season for saying goodbye to older Canadian feminists. I just read the Toronto Star’s obituary for Callwood and the quotes they have from her last public interview (with George Strombo, of all people) really resonated with me.

On the afterlife: Theres nothing next, she said. Thats alright. What you get is a life. A baby is a miracle. You open a babys fist and theyll close their hand on your hand and hold on. What theyve got is a life to live as best as they can. Thats what you get. You dont need anything else if youve got that.

On not believing in God: I believe in kindness. I believe its very communicable just as meanness is. Strangers hold doors for one another. Sometimes they say thank you, sometimes they dont. Something in us says: `If I hold this door it helps this person, and that person is slightly changed. Great consideration for one another - thats whats going to save the world.

On death: Im okay, Im 82 years old for heavens sake. Dust to dust is the way it ought to be. The death of the young is inexcusable.

June Callwood was the kind of woman who got shit done. Throughout her long career as a journalist, author and activist, she got received everything from the Order of Canada to her pilot’s licence (not to mention 15 honorary doctorates!). I can only hope that when I die, I leave the planet with half as much grace and peace of mind as she displayed in that last interview.

Our spring issue is heading to the printer this week, meaning it’s time for another super-fun launch party! Please mark the afternoon of Saturday, April 21 on your calendar and join us for…

Spring Fever!
When: Saturday, April 21, 1-5 p.m.
Where: NOW Lounge, 189 Church St. (between Dundas and Queen), Toronto
What: Live music, DJs, dancing, magazines, toasts and fun.
Details: $5, which includes a copy of the spring issue; all-ages; wheelchair accessible

It’s been months since our last party and, frankly, we miss you! So come help us launch the new issue, say a sniffly goodbye to Nicole and Melinda and welcome our new editorial team!

As we told you last time, Melinda and Nicole are a wee bit tired after three years of running Shameless and will be handing the editorial reins. We’re pleased to announce that Megan Griffith-Greene will be taking over as editor, joined by several new section editors.

Megan’s experience spans activism, arts and journalism. Raised in Toronto, she became an active advocate on youth rights, social justice and education issues while in high school. She has a degree in cultural studies and fine arts from York University, and a degree in journalism from Ryerson, where she was editor of the Ryerson Review of Journalism (Spring 2004). She is also a founding editor and designer of The New Pollution new music review, a web-based magazine and podcast on indie music that launched in February 2006. She is currently a contributing editor at Chatelaine. Say hello to her at megan@shamelessmag.com or, better yet, come to the party and meet her in person!

Also joining the team will be three new section editors: Kate Rae, who will edit features; Jennifer Goldberg, who will handle arts and culture content; and Pike Krpan, who will take on the reviews section. Meanwhile, Stacey May Fowles will join the team in a business development role.

And don’t forget the rest of our existing team, which includes circulation and subscription manager Holland Gidney, art director Sheila Sampath, webmaster Wesley Fok and a collective of smart, creative teen advisors.

Of course, you haven’t gotten rid of Melinda and Nicole completely — they’ll just be moving into an advisory role, helping with special projects, fundraising efforts and long-term planning for the magazine.

See you on April 21!

I hate subway ads and love culture jamming. So imagine my delight when I stumbled onto the website Printable Cold Stores and Other Adventures in Geek Graffiti, which provides (what else?) printable cold sores to be applied to the smiling, Photoshopped, “perfect” faces that try to sell you everything from cosmetics to contact lenses to cars during your morning commute.

As the site’s creator explains:

Nowhere in advertising is the gap between natural beauty and manufactured perfection more apparent than on subway posters. As we wait for transportation, we are unwillingly assaulted by larger-than-life representations of supposedly beautiful salespeople. The large scale of these ads and their extremely close proximity to the viewer offer up more than perceived intimacy, however… they give us the chance to see the mechanical flaws designed to correct their physical flaws.

Why don’t we just see them for what they are? They are regular people just like us, they just have a team of retouchers waiting at the ready.

Printable cold sores allow us to take action! Bring these people back down to our level, and tell advertisers that you don’t agree with their message.

The site also notes that tagging subway ads is illegal and that the cold sore creator is “merely presenting a theoretical solution to a real-world problem,” rather than endorsing graffiti. Whatever. It made me laugh.

(Link via Gothamist.)

Hey folks,

I’m writing an article for the upcoming issue of Shameless and need YOUR help! So, if you’d be so kind, leave a comment answering the following question:

What does it mean to be shameless?

The question is open to all — bloggers, other contributors, regular readers, folks who have no idea how they stumbled onto this site, etc.

Your answer may be quoted in the magazine! And even if it isn’t, I’d love to read it. Thanks!

As those of you in Toronto may have noticed, three members of Team Shameless were pictured on the cover of Eye Weekly recently, as part of an article on the state of indie magazines in Toronto. While we liked the story and got a kick out of the uber-dramatic cover photo, the article left some readers confused about our future.

See, the article mentions that the Spring 2007 issue will be the last that Nicole and I edit. (We made this announcement in the Fall/Winter 2006 Letter From The Editors.) Some readers took this to mean that the magazine is going out of business. Rest assured, it’s not! As the Eye Weekly article says, Shameless is being passed along to an energetic new team of editors. And you haven’t seen the last of me or Nicole we’ll be sticking around as executive board members, advising the new team members and planning big-picture stuff for the magazine.

Thanks for worrying, though! We love you, too.