• • Body Politics
  • On The Job

  Six Degrees of Inoculation

  May 2, 2013 • deb singh

  When I started at the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape, I was given a benefits package**. My coworkers helped me to use my benefits package, not just for health care but also for self-care. And so my adventure on new ways to care for myself began!

  Once I got my teeth cleaned, and some of my basic health care needs met, I started to explore my self-care options. I realized I seriously needed a massage, and my coworkers and friends raved about a community acupuncture centre named Six Degrees Community Acupuncture.

  Now, I grew up in the western medical model. When I have a headache, I take an Advil. When I am sick, I down some cough syrup. Acupuncture? Needles in my body? Uh, no thank you. Another bit of context is that it takes me a while to trust a healer. I’ve had lots of them: doctors, therapists, counselors—and some have been whack. So going to an acupuncture clinic didn’t just make me have to learn a new healing method, it also made me have to learn to trust a new practitioner.

  Because of the many rave reviews and suggestions for a great massage, I booked an appointment. The acupuncturist asked me questions about my health and asked me what I wanted. I said a massage. And so she gave me one. I walked out of there after the first visit light as air.

  The next time I went back was the same: I left feeling calmer, elated, feelings of clearness and weightlessness. And the next time was like that, and the time after that.

  Soon, I enjoyed many visits where my practitioner was open to hear me talk about anything, always asked me what I wanted to work on (in terms of massage) and left me feeling relaxed and taken care of.

  After many appointments, my acupuncturist asked me if I wanted to try acupuncture. My acupuncturist had been so nice to me … so I let her poke me. (more inside…)

• • Bibliothèque

  Why Graphic Novels are Awesome

  April 2, 2013 • deb singh

  Persepolis. The Boondocks. Dykes to Watch Out For. Archie: The Married Life. American Born Chinese. Skim. When Worlds Collide: A Boys’ Love Comic Anthology.

  These are a few titles in my collection of adult comics and graphic novels.

  Comics? Graphic novels? Archie, you say? I have heard about using art to portray feminist, gay-positive messaging but seriously? Comics are for kids!

  I grew up reading Archie comics; before bed, after scary movies, in the “library” (a.k.a bathroom!) So it was easy for me to get into comics and graphic novels as a teen and adult but there are a couple more reasons I want to share my collection with you.

  First, graphic novels can be easier to read. Graphic novels can make it easier to engage with the information, using pictures alongside story lines. The comic or graphic format can also make hard information to take in a much easier process. As a reader, a feminist and somewhat of an academic (i.e. I can read some school-y books and understand them), graphic novels and comics make information about feminism, anti-racism, war, violence and current events so much easier to understand and frankly, take in.

  The first graphic novel I ever read was Persepolis. It’s a story about writer and artist Marjane Satrapi and her experience growing up in Iran; during the Islamic Revolution, the first war on Iraq and her immigration to Vienna to stay safe. Some of the content is not easy to read as her story reveals sexism against Iranian girls, war and displacement from her family home. At the same time, Satrapi shares the most intimate details with us, opening up to share what she saw with her drawings, making them more palatable to us, and easier to see her experiences through her eyes.

  

  (d. singh)

  (more inside…)

• • Arts
  • In My Opinion...
  • Laugh Track
  • Media Savvy

  LOL: Humour and Feminism

  March 1, 2013 • deb singh

  My acupuncturist said I needed to laugh a lot this past week, and I made a funny face at her—not funny-haha, but funny-“What the??” I made this face because I work at a rape crisis centre and it certainly has proved a challenge to laugh a lot there. Further, as an activist, most people have deemed me as too serious, over-political and of course, “can’t take a joke.” I love jokes. And I, myself, am a riot! But yes, I believe there is humour out there that doesn’t require putting certain folks down to be funny.

  Even though my “funny” face was enough of an inspiration, I was also inspired to write a post this month about feminist humour because of a local comedy night called the Humourless Feminist Comedy Night. They put this night on for a few reasons, including:

  Because humour can exist without rape jokes and some of Toronto’s best comedic talent is going to prove it! We know many people involved in feminism and fighting oppression are told that we take things ‘too seriously’, and often have our perspectives minimized with stereotypes, like that of the ‘Humourless Feminist’. We also know the value of creating alternative, safer spaces where communities can connect by challenging labels and gathering together.

  (more inside…)

• • Activist Report
  • Politics
  • Race and Racism

  The 5 ‘W’s and the ‘H’ of the Anti-Oppression Framework

  February 4, 2013 • deb singh

  The Anti-Oppression framework is a tool to see how people experience oppression in the world and a way for us to stop it. This blog will outline some of the basics of what the anti-oppression framework is, how it is used by/against people and how we can use it as a tool for supporting people in our own communities.

  What is Anti-Oppression?

  Anti-oppression is a way of thinking about the world as well as a tool to use to see the world. Anti-oppression is “a tool to understand and respond to the complexity of the experience of oppression” (B. Burke and P. Harrison, Communication, Relationships and Care: A Reader, 2003). Anti-oppression is a way of naming oppression that happens against certain people, based on their identities, and then a way to work toward ending that mistreatment, oppression, violence toward that particular group.

  More specifically, anti-oppression identifies the experiences of people based on their race, their gender identity, sexual identity, their physical and mental ability, their choice of religion, their class background (whether growing up poor, working poor, working, middle or upper class), their physical appearance (fat or thin), and the list goes on. It also is a way to challenge the ways people are treated based on these identities. For example when a woman is treated in a sexist way or a person of colour experiences racism.

  Who is affected by Oppression and Anti-Oppression?

  (Anti-)oppression affects everyone. Anti-oppression includes all people, those who experience oppression, and those who experience privilege, which can be all of us at some point or another. In particular, (having) privilege means people who experience advantages in the world based on their identity. The following are some examples of oppression, identity and privilege. (more inside…)

• • In My Opinion...
  • Miscellaneous

  Things to do to Take Care of Ourselves During the Holidays, AKA ♫ These are a few of my favourite things ♫

  November 30, 2012 • deb singh

  Holiday time can have so many pressures and financial triggers associated with it. Just after Halloween, dollar stores, malls and all the places within them start putting up their Xmas decorations before we can even say “ho ho ho.” For me, it is an obvious push for us to get our “consumer” on. It’s a time to celebrate the North American version of Christianity’s Christmas, while pretty much ignoring every other celebration that happen in December.

  At the same time, we are invited to holiday parties, asked to buy gifts we can’t afford and spend our time worrying about money and saving face on giving and receiving gifts (did I get the right one? Will they like it? Is it at the same level as the gift I was given?!). While I love to celebrate, period, holiday time in North America seems to be about consumerism and our (financial and social) ability to do it. It’s also about spending time with family members, whether we want to or not.

  So I wrote a list of things (I love) to do. This is a list of things I will be doing all month to take care of myself in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, when I feel obligated to spend more money than I really have and spend time doing things I’d just rather not do! I invite you to create your own list of ways to take care of yourself during the holiday season (and of course for the winter months to come!).

  Things to do to Take Care of Ourselves During the Holidays
  AKA ♫ These are a few of my favourite things ♫

  1. Create your own Celebration-By-Choice - Often this time of year means that we have to spend time with family, whether we like it or not. A celebration of your own creation can be great when everyone pitches in and shares the responsibilities of gathering food and drink. It can also be a great time to celebrate all the holiday-time religions and traditions your friends and you have, and discuss how you feel about them. And you can also make agreements on how to get gifts (or not) for each other.

  2. Create a plan – When you are faced with your family asking about your vegetarianism or who you are dating, have something ready to say back to them. It may feel better than thinking of something on the spot.

  3. Saying no – When it just doesn’t work, or you are just feeling down, put up your boundaries and say no. You don’t have to go to that party and you can cry if you want to. (more inside…)

• • In My Opinion...
  • Shameless Behaviour

  Gossip Girl

  November 1, 2012 • deb singh

  Many of us gossip and don’t even know we are doing it. Some of us gossip and know very well what we are doing. Sometimes, we think it is about sharing information, and other times, we are passing time talking with someone about someone else who is not present. And finally, gossiping often happens when someone is talking behind someone else’s back maliciously.

  I have decided to create my own definition of gossip, because I see it as a political concept inside our feminist-minded communities. So while Wikipedia and other online resources may have reliable definitions, they don’t always include the integrity that anti-oppressive activists and feminists alike try to convey in our work and communities.

  My definition of gossip is: When someone is talking about someone who is not present. This may include sharing information about a person’s life or identity, without the explicit permission from the person. This information may be shared among friends, frenemies, and not-exactly-friends, community members, partners and family. This information would probably cause a reaction from the person if they heard about this information-sharing that they were not present for.

  Recently, I had someone gossip about me, which was the inspiration for this month’s blog. (more inside…)

• • Activist Report
  • Anti-violence
  • Rape Culture

  Visual Essay: Take Back the Night 2012 – Un-Occupying Our Minds, Healing Ourselves

  October 2, 2012 • deb singh

  Take Back the Night! A community fair, rally and protest to raise awareness of the issues of violence against women and trans people and our fear of walking the streets at night. But TBTN is so much more than that; it is a meeting place for us survivors, it is a place of safety and support for survivors of all kinds of violence, it is a place of empowerment for us, even if only for one night.

  As the woman in leadership of Take Back the Night Toronto, I have the honour and privilege to work with countless volunteers and community organizations to coordinate the event. This year, we had a planning committee of many individuals and community organizations who included the Parkdale Community Health Centre, North York Women’s Shelter, Streethealth, Women Abuse Prevention Council, Springtide Resources, the Anne Johnston Health Station, current and past crisis line counselors of the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape, Centre for Independent Living, and many, many more women!

  The following is a visual essay of photos of the community fair and rally at the event. All photos were taken by Gelay Amdo.

  

  Celebrating 32 years of protesting at the community fair. (Gelay Amdo)

  

  Women highlight many issues at the community fair. (Gelay Amdo)

  (more inside…)

• • Activist Report
  • Arts
  • Queeriosities
  • Race and Racism

  Interview: 2qtpoc-montreal show

  September 4, 2012 • deb singh

  Hey Shameless Blog Readers,

  Having sadly been unable to attend the awesome 2qtpoc-montreal Show for the city’s Pervers/cite, I did get the opportunity to connect with one of the amazing artists from the show, Textaqueen. Their website reads:

  “Texta” is Australian for felt-tip marker and TextaQueen is Australia’s felt-tip super-hero. Renowned for use of the humble felt-tip marker to boldly re-interpret the tradition of the salon nude, TextaQueen explores politics of sex, gender and identity in tangent with ideas of self-image and inter-personal relationships. Texta’s practice articulates delicate interplays between vulnerability and empowerment, intimacy and exhibitionism, and subjective and collective expressions of feminist, queer, and cultural identities.

  I asked Textaqueen some questions about their work and involvement with the show. Check out what they had to say!

  What interested you in being part of the 2-qtpocmontreal show?
  

  Elisha Lim and I had been excitedly in contact via the internets, having had friends show us each other’s work. I am usually showing work in such a different context; not particularly 2 spirit / queer / trans or people of colour focused, so to be amongst rad 2qtpocs in this context is “refreshing.” While my “bigger” art shows bring my work into “broader” contexts, it is important to me to show my work in contexts where people seeing it may relate to it from their own experience. Showing my work alongside other people talking about queer and racialised identities is a rare dream come true. In other contexts the queerness of the work has literally been called quirky or kooky, and in my more recent work that talks about race, they may be sold on their edgy exoticness. It’s great to be part of a show where those themes are centered when being queer and racialized are central themes to my life. I’m not quirky and exotic to myself, and it’s great not to have me or my work treated that way here.

  What would you like to see from people, in terms of sharing your work at the show? In 2-qtpoc communitites? In white queer communities? How do you want your work to help shape peoples’ thinking?(more inside…)

• • Anti-violence
  • In My Opinion...

  To the People of the Danzig Community, With Love

  August 8, 2012 • deb singh

  Dear People of the Danzig, Scarborough Community in the City of Toronto,

  I am compelled to apologize to your community members, families, children, mothers, fathers and friends for the great loss you have experienced. My deepest condolences to your community.

  I am aware that many people are talking about the violence that occurred at the Danzig Block party. Some media outlets are talking about who died, how they died, how old they were and who they were loved by. Politicians are talking about gun registries and gun bans. Social workers and community activists are talking about poverty and funding for community programs. And our mayor is talking some crap about ‘hug-a’thug’ programs and that he is a big supporter of youth.

  I’m not sure what you want us to talk about – what you, yourselves are talking about, except I imagine, that grief (can) make(s) it hard to talk about all these other things.

  (more inside…)

• • Event Listings
  • Queeriosities

  Event/Preview: 2-qtpocmontreal art show at this year’s Pervers/cite

  August 7, 2012 • deb singh

  This month, I had the honour to be invited to connect with 2-qtpoc (Two spirited, queer, trans, people of colour) Montreal artists to talk about their work at the 2-qtpocmontreal art show at this year’s Pervers/cité.

  It was also my pleasure to interview Textaqueen, an awesome artist who shared some of their passion for art as well as for working within their own communities of 2-spirited, queer/trans people of colour.

  So what is Pervers/Cité? Their website states:

  Pervers/Cité is a collaboratively organized summer festival that aims to make links across social justice groups, queer communities, and radical visions of pride. In a climate of corporatized gay agendas and whitewashed homogeneity amongst queers, Pervers/cité strives to provide a critical and accessible schedule of activities, designed to bring back the radical underpinnings to the pride movement. This year’s festival is taking place from August 9th to 19th, a few days after Divers/Cité and leading up to Célébrations de la fierté Montréal 2012 community day and pride parade.

  One of the festivities to highlight and bring voice to 2-qtpoc is the 2-qtpocmontreal art show. Their press release has this to say about the show: “Montreal has a reputation for creative resistance. This year, 2-qtpocmontréal proposes to push this legacy further. Proudly dedicated to 2-spirited, queer and trans people of colour, 2-qtpocmontréal is an art show, a lecture series and a revelation, looking at the history of 2-qtpoc Montréal. 2-qtpocmontréal pays tribute to its predecessors like AGIR, African Rainbow, Ste Emilie Skillshare, and GLAM, and bring these different communities together into a powerful and inspiring racialized pride week. 2-qtpoc will be part of pervers/cité, a flamboyant annual festival of queer and trans politics in Montréal. “

  Check out this video with Elisha Lim, curator of the show.

  Check out next month’s blog with full interviews about the artwork, artist talks and Pervers/cité!

  And check out the entire schedule for the 2-qtpocmontreal show below!

  (more inside…)

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