Want to show the world that fashion isn’t just thousand dollar brand name outfits and underweight models? HERE’S YOUR CHANCE!

If you’re like me and appreciate fashion that strays from the norm, maybe the third annual Toronto Alternative Arts & Fashion Week will be your style.

[FAT], as the event is known (yeah, we know), will be celebrating “the fusion of over 120 artists from around the World”.

Offering a stage and audience to designers daring to do something different, the show exhibits unique clothes, non-typical shows, and runways with models that are larger than a size 0 and darker than a pale ivory.

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Since we’ve spoken today about how important media accountability is, I thought I’d post something positive and frankly, quite beautiful, that came from the very mainstream media this week.

I had an inspiring conversation this week with someone about how part of unpacking and recognizing (white, heterosexual) privilege is using that privilege constructively to effect positive change. I think this is a wonderful example of that, and I have to give MSNBC credit.

Also, I got a bit teary.

The Ste Emilie Skillshare in Montreal has put out a call for their Queer and Trans People of Colour (Q/TPOC) Heroes Postcard series. Details below! What a cool project!

Hero Nina Simone, found on my blue t-shirt. Thank you to the creator of this image, but I don’t know who you are.

Calling all brown, black, mixed race, yellow, red, desi, African, Indigenous, First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Caribbean, Latin American, Asian, East Asian, Middle Eastern, South Asian, Aboriginal, non-white, non-European, (e)raced, (in)visible minority.

The Ste Emilie Skillshare is launching a postcard campaign to reclaim our colonized histories. Share your favorite q/tpoc heroes and we’ll print them on beautiful silkscreened postcards. Our goal is to flood the postal service with millions of inspiring q/tpoc heroes!

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This weekend Shameless magazine will be setting up shop at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair. Come by for a visit, say hello, and grab some magazines at some great prices!

The Small Press Action Network - Ottawa Presents:

The Ottawa Small Press Book Fair Fall Edition
Saturday, November 15, 2008
in room 203 of the Jack Purcell Community Centre (on Elgin, at 320 Jack Purcell Lane).

Noon to 5 p.m. Free

Hot off Hollywood entertainment news is Beyoncé’s bid to play the role of Wonder Woman in the upcoming Justice League of America movie.

She’s quoted in the UK Daily Mail as saying: “A black Wonder Woman would be a powerful thing,”

“It’s time for that, right? It would be great.”

The role was supposedly favoured to go to Hollywood unknown Megan Gale from Australia.

Now I know for sure that I want to see a woman of colour take the role of Wonder Woman, and like her or not, she’s kinda only been White all these years. I’ve always related somewhat to the notion of Wonder Woman, but that’s probably because of the strong women warrior stories and family members I grew up with, that I of course, never saw represented in any mainstream media.

I just don’t know if Beyoncé should be the one to do it. But then again, it’s not like this is an activist-y production focused on grassroots feminism.

What do you think? What has the image of Wonder Woman meant to you?

Some important Canadian political interjection here.

Two particular things of note that the Conservatives are gathering to discuss at their upcoming policy convention in Winnipeg;

1) The Human Rights Commission. The Canadian commission’s authority to investigate complaints related to hate messages should be removed. (Umm, I’m sorry, we don’t need to investigate hate crimes anymore? Wtf?!)

2) The Unborn Victims of Crime Act, or what was formerly known as Bill C484. (That’s right, even though Harper supposedly took it off the table - to win the election - voila, he’s back in power, and SURPRISE, it’s back on their agenda!)

Thanks Lisa for the reminder!

Let’s face it – water is so dull. But vitaminwater, with its kaleidoscopic pinks, peaches and violets, is like Vegas in a bottle!

- NYU’s science line on “Is vitaminwater good for you?”

I’m in over my head here. I saw someone drinking a bottle of smartwater, and I couldn’t figure out what it was. So I Googled the company’s website.

Now I’m just thirsty.

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I am a Victim of H8 is a Facebook photo album created by Gary Shay. Each of the images is of the same slogan, and the idea is that people should tag the images with the names of everyone they know who is negatively affected by Prop 8. Presumably this includes self-tagging.

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Read Shameless’ take on the Aqsa Parvez murder here.

Join the Urban Alliance on Race Relations in Calling Toronto Life on their Misrepresentation of Aqsa Parvez’s Murder

Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 10:30 AM
YWCA, Main Lounge
80 Woodlawn Avenue East,
Toronto

The December 2008 edition of Toronto Life features the story of Aqsa Parvez, a young Muslim girl who was killed in her home in Mississauga last winter.

While featuring Aqsa’s story is recognition of a young woman’s life cut tragically short, the Toronto Life article perpetuates common stereotypes about Muslim and immigrant communities, diverting attention from the urgent issue of violence against women across Canada.

On Tuesday November 11th, join the Urban Alliance on Race Relations in a “Don’t’ Believe the Hype” Campaign! The group is asking you to raise your voice on the important issue of violence against women, racism, and Islamophobia.

Get Involved in Three Ways!

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