via feministing

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The CBC Radio 1 program And Sometimes Y is airing a story tomorrow (Saturday @ 11:30am) on: “Do men use language differently from women? We find out what makes speech or writing masculine or feminine.” Apparently the show first ran last August, but if you missed it, it sounds like it may be worth tuning in this time.

And the week following (Saturday, March 31st @ 11:30am) will be on: “how to talk in ‘gender-neutral’ language, and why people try to do this.”

(Yeah, that’s a real headscratcher. Why would people try to do that? Why, why, why… hmmm… )

The guest list looks like it may bear munchable linguistic fruits. It includes:
* Norah Vincent, the author of Self-Made Man;
* Nicole Brossard, “who explains the word phallogocentrism“; and
* Josey Vogels, the author of The Secret Language of Girls (though I wouldn’t say the description of this book makes me want to run to my local bookstore)

There are a couple of audio clip teasers available on the CBC website here. Norah’s clip about women bankrupting their breath is especially interesting.

I don’t know whether this will be one of those moments when CBC shines, or if it will be a pallid ‘meh‘ sort of show. Worth a listen to find out I’d wager. (Come on CBC, bring home that progressive Canadian bacon…)

I’m going to be afr (away from radio) at 11:30, so I’ll rely on you to let me know if it warrants thumbs up or down.

Heads up, Montrealers - the annual festival of feminist performance and art, Edgy Women, is kicking off next week! This year they’re featuring a grab-bag of multimedia events alongside the performance nights, including a “beauty salon”, a zine fair, and a circuit-bending workshop with DJ Mini (!!!) - the perfect opportunity to turn your crappy broken vibrator into a musical instrument. Go here for a full listing of events.

Taking place April 28th-29th on the grounds of Humbers Lakeshore campus, STRINGING WORDS is the first workshop of its kind in Canada; a weekend that will bring together some of the most talented writers in English literature to work with young adults. Students will have an opportunity to listen to knowledgeable authors who will discuss various models of effective writing. Discussion will then be followed by a workshop approach to produce writing samples. After students immerse themselves in this way, they will be better able to improve the quality of their own writing.

For more information:

Helen Walsh, Executive Director
Diaspora Dialogues Charitable Society
170 Bloor Street West, Suite 804
Toronto, ON M5S 1T9
Tel: 416.944.1101, ext 227
Fax: 416.944.8915
http://www.diasporadialogues.com

I thought I was still dreamining on Saturday morning, when my alarm went off during an episode of the CBC’s show GO. The show’s concept was a contest called “Canada Skims Magazines,” a riff on the broadcaster’s Canada Reads literary contest, where celebrity panelists defend books they think the entire country should be reading.

On Saturday, GO invited four panelists to defend the magazine they think the entire country should skim. The lovely Jean Yoon was awesome enough to take Shameless on the show, pitting the mag against the much-more skimmable shopping mag Lou Lou, celeb mag HELLO Canada (defended by funny man Scott Thomson) and a gardening magazine (defended by Olivia Chow!).

Hilarity ensued as contestants had to trash the other mags, read excerpts from the mags to a jazz beat and, one by one, send the losers to the shredder!

It was very exciting to hear Shameless win! We now have the illustrious title of the first-ever winner of Canada Skims. Moments like these make me proud to be a magazine maker. Thanks Jean Yoon!

Last week saw the unfortunate passing of Valentine’s Day. I hate Valentine’s Day. People I have dated will say it is because I have a penchant for unsentimentality, that I am unromantic, and that I am a bit of a love party pooper. (Well, the ones who are still bitter would likely say these things.) A few days before the “big” night of the 14th, I went to a yearly literary party (we usually get together at Christmas but the timing didn’t work out this year) and I went around to everyone saying “Happy Heartbreak!” in my most saccharine voice. I was hoping that the boorish literary crowd would indulge my hatred of cheap emotion and bad chocolate. I wanted to joke about heartbreak, loss, and Nina Simone. I was playing the role of V Day’s arch-nemesis.

Instead, everyone looked at me like I was pathetic. I got pep talks, blank looks, and requests for more martinis. (I was playing bartender.)

But I’m not particularly heartbroken at the moment. In fact, I am dating a few different people who rock my world. I have amazing friends. My life is overflowing with love of both the erotic and platonic sorts.

So please don’t attribute my blase attitude about Valentine’s Day to bitter unrequited love. It has more to do with hating throwaway objects and too shiny emotions. And I don’t like sugary treats. I prefer savoury!! In general I hate feeling “forced” to display emotions and depth of feeling. I never hug mascots. Clowns with painted smiles freak me out. (I do like the tragic ones.) I dislike buying gifts for people’s birthdays and/or anniversaries. I resent trotting out the (commercial) love as proof of… caring? commitment? friendship? But at the same time, I’m a deeply caring and sentimental person… I just don’t show it with stock phrases and Hallmark. When I am going to say something special to you, I really mean it. I don’t use words like love lightly. If people do so with me, I get suspicious. Wouldn’t you?

So I think I might have found the right V Day event in Toronto and you should come too! Apparently some local writers are going to read stories about love gone wrong, bad girls, sex soured, scorching heat and a new twist on lust that is guaranteed to leave marks. Sounds purrrrfect.

Not sure why it is happening more than a week after the yuck day, but I’m going to go check it out:

Get Your Lit Out - Heartbreaker
Thurs, Feb 22
Doors open at 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. (it says here “until hearts reach fever pitch”)
Edward Day Gallery
952 Queen St. West (just west of Shaw St., entrance through courtyard).

With cool queer writers Marusya Bociurkiw, Rose Cullis, Tara-Michelle Ziniuk, Julia Gonsalves, Chanelle Gallant, and Lisa Foad.

The promo reads “Heartbreaker is also prepared to break the spell of your winter hibernation. So unwrap yourself from that blanket, roll out of bed, bring your soggy love letters and empty chocolate boxes, and be prepared to get read to!”

See ya there!

Ladyfest Toronto is being organized for the last weekend of September and is looking for performers:

We are a DIY, grassroots, inclusive, pro-feminist, pro-diversity festival that will showcase women in art and music. We are looking for feminist:
- visual artists
- musicians
- spokenword
- performance artists
- filmmakers
- volunteers
- people to help with poster/web design

For more information please contact ladyfesttoronto at gmail dot com.

I just heard on the radio about a new magazine called Muslim Girl that’s throwing its hat into the teen girl publishing ring, busting stereotypes about Muslims and Muslim femininity especially, as well as providing support and visiblity for gals in the Muslim community. I haven’t had an in-depth look at it yet, but it seems like a pretty rad endeavour. Any readers out there who’d care to comment?

The Sense Project team is looking for volunteers and submissions for its sex ed zine project:

“Everybody has a story of wooden penises, condom jokes, STI villains and awkward silences. Some might even have vivid memories filled with clinical details of genital anatomy, or a really hot sex ed teacher. Since sexual education mysteriously vanished with the 2005 educational reform, how will it be remembered? How will it be re-imagined? We want to know.”

“This zine is meant to share stories and dialogues about sexuality and identity funneled through the education system. We want to see what happened during sex ed classes now that they arent happening anymore. Our mission is to create a space to re-imagine a curriculum that can handle the ambiguity of sex, identity and power. Your contribution will further Head & Hands/À deux mains Sense Project which aims to provide high school students with youth-friendly, comprehensive and peer-based sexual education. Help it grow by submitting your art & stories, making a donation or becoming a volunteer!”

They’re looking for:
* Editorials (750 words)
* Short Stories & Prose Poems (750-500 words)
* Poems (1-2 pages)
* Comixs
* Photos (1-2)
* Illustrations (1-2)

Deadline: March 1. Send submissions to sexedstories at yahoo dot ca or by snail mail (for photos and comix) to Sex Ed Zine Project, Head & Hands/À deux mains, 5833 Sherbrooke O CP 446, Succ. NDG, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3P8.