Tuesday, November 24

No NB Rebelles - Fredericton meeting this week

Greetings Friends,
We won't be holding a meeting this week due to the vast number of other events going on.

Let me tell you about them!

1) Working towards Peace for Women - A community Discussion, from 6:30-9:00 pm at Renaissance College (811 Charlotte Street) with our own Peggy Cooke!
2) A public lecture by Dr. Michael Parenti at 7pm on campus (link)
3)
A public lecture by John Ralston Saul at 7pm at the art gallery (facebook link)

Various group members hope to see you at the various events :)

Monday, November 23

20 Days 20 Ways

Oh goodness, did you know about the postcard campaign that is being put on right now by the Canadian Labour Congress?

I sure hope so.
If not, it looks something like this:


They're asking Canadians to send 20 postcards in 20 days to Stephen Harper, telling him to take action to end violence against women (click here for more info). They're doing it now because on December 6th it will be 20 years since fourteen women were murdered in Montreal.

Cool initiative, right?

"But wait," you say, "the campaign has already started, and I'm behind, and I don't even have a package of postcards to do this with."

Good news!
It's all online. Everyday, instead of mailing a postcard, you can fill out a page on the internet that will send the message for you. There is even a spot for you to add your own words on the subject. And sure this started on November 16th, but hey, better late than never.

Today's message was "Funding for shelters must be substantially increased." Yes! It does. What will tomorrow's message be? Why not see for yourself, at their website:
Canadianlabour.ca

Let's work together. A lot is being done across the country on these issues, but it would be nice to unite, even if it's just in postcard form. I got my postcard package yesterday and shoved seven cards in the mail. Please do the same!

NB Rebelles Reader

language was everywhere this week. not to be overshadowed by facebook, douchebag seemed to be the term people were talking most about

also, we might want to reconsider the implications of our online lives

plants are good for our socializing and their own

students and sex workers have a say about labour conditions and rights

while we fight for equality, some women are living day to day

U.S. health care update from the Huffington Post, and breast cancer research news

to end on a lighter note, in fashion, androgyny is in, and so is Emily Blunt

and in music, Julie Fader was in the Maritimes this week, catch her and Brian Borcherdt tonight in Moncton

ooh, and this made me laugh

Friday, November 20

Candlelight vigil for Hilary Bonnell

From stu.ca (link):
-----

In the wake of the tragic finding of Hilary Bonnell there will be a candlelight vigil November 21st at 5:30 p.m. at the Exhibition Grounds in downtown Fredericton.

The procession will head down Smythe Street, up King Street, and make it's way to City Hall where there will be speakers. There will be a representative from the Muriel McQueen Ferguson Foundation, the [Fredericton Sexual Assault] Crisis Center, and Gignoo House.

Remember to bring a candle, your prayers, and your support.

STU Native Student Council

-----

The NB Rebelles - Fredericton, in solidarity with the aforementioned groups, hope to see you at the vigil tomorrow.

In the last issue of The Brief there was an article about the disappearance of Hilary Bonnell, discussing "what role racism, colonialism, and misogyny have played in the low level of the media coverage and slow pace of the police investigation," thus linking this murder to the over 500 Aboriginal women who have gone missing or been murdered in Canada.

Click here to read the article.

For more resources, visit
-Amnesty International Canada's Stolen Sisters page
-www.missingnativewomen.org
-www.missingjustice.ca

Leave more links/resources in the comments if you have them.

Saturday, November 14

Remembering: the Day After

For those who don't know, the NB Rebelles are against the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and proud members of the Olympics Resistance Network.

I just came across this amazing piece on the militarism of Remembrance Day, patriotism, war, and how it connects to what is about to descend on Vancouver. Definitely check it out, it is short, powerful and worth the read.

In case you missed Andrea Gibson on Thursday night, here is a great poem of hers along the same (anti-war) theme.

Thursday, November 12

Tonight!

Don't forget, tonight, Andrea Gibson, Kaylee Hopkins and our very own NB Rebelles Gumbooters will be preforming at the SUB Ballroom. Tickets are $10, $7 for students.

Check out some of Andrea's work here

See you there!

Tuesday, November 10

Weekly Feminist Photo

Ok friends, I'm going to get it all out of my system right now!

More Wonder Women
!

For the full comic (which I highly recommend), please visit Kate Beaton's website!
Take some time and go through the archives - she rocks a historical focus which often puts the spotlight on ladies of the past who we all know and love.

You can leave it to luck and hit "random" on her website, or go to her archives page (here) and look for titles of interest. Keep your eyes peeled for numerous Jane Austin comics!

My favourites:
Her comic on "girl jokes" and also Suffragettes In The City.

--
Have an excellent Tuesday, friends, and if you're in town: go get your tickets for the Andrea Gibson show! Goodness!

Monday, November 9

NB Rebelles Reader

This week I couldn't help but read about the potential sale of NB Power. Even Rick Mercer was making fun of us. Living so close to an NDP province makes us look even worse

In cute animal news, NB lions can't keep their emotions in check

Wall Street success story?

I like the idea of the German Chancellor's quiet revolution

This one speaks for itself, what if we did as much to prevent rape as we did to prevent H1N1?

I like lists, particularly the ones challenging us to think about equality and how we can be active in it

Speaking of gender, famous people make everything more interesting

Women's history is only in it's 4th decade. This is beautiful and horrific all at the same time somehow

More shock, medical horror stories, this time with vaginas

Sometimes I think things are getting better. Then I read something like this

Finally, if you were able to catch any of Silver Wave Film Festival this weekend, you were sure to hear about the amazing short, Broke. Nominated for Best Original Music, Best New Brunswick Short Drama, Best Screenwriting, and winner of Best Actress in a Short Drama

Next Discussion and Meeting

Fredericton feminists! Our next feminist discussion night is this Wednesday, November 11th at 7pm.

We will be discussing different types of feminism. The discussion is very informal, and will be followed by a brief NB Rebelles meeting (for which everyone is welcome, but not obligated, to stay).

Feminist HQ is 698 Charlotte Street. For more information, feel free to email us! nbrebelles@gmail.com

Friday, November 6

Andrea Gibson in Fredericton on Nov 12th!

The NB Rebelles have been helping to organize a very exciting upcoming event! Andrea Gibson, one of America’s most admired slam poets, will be making her first Atlantic Canadian performance on Thursday, November 12 in Fredericton at the Student Union Building Ballroom on UNB's campus.

The show starts at 8:00 pm with opening acts by local artist Kaylee Hopkins and our very own NB RebELLEs Gumbooting Troupe!

All proceeds from ticket sales go to the Afghan women’s rights group – RAWA – the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan.

Tickets are $10 each ($7 for students) and can be found at the Westminster Bookstore on King Street, the Alden Nowlan Grad House on Windsor Street or by contacting info@frederictonpeace.org

The event is hosted by the Fredericton Peace Coalition, the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre, NB RebELLEs, the University Women’s Centre, the UNB Sexuality Centre, the NB Public Interest Research Group and Broken Jaw Press.

Check out Andrea’s poetry at www.andreagibson.org and find her videos on youtube!

Tuesday, November 3

NB RebElles Reader

This week's Reader ranges from the infuriatingly pejorative to the absurdly ill prepared:

Seriously? "Police said they first offered help to the prostitutes to try to get them off the streets, but when it didn't work, they started making arrests"

On abortion, some things never change? Ancient style and Canadian struggles

Bill Maher suggested we hear more about Dick Cheney these days than when he was VP. I think he was right

Speaking of Mr. Maher, tired of reading about H1N1 shots on your facebook feed? I know I am

I do like to read anything with feminism in the title that isn't in a feminist publication, though. Nona Willis profile

Don't forget to vote for the Bucky Awards. Check out Hannah Georgas while you're at it

Finally, I wonder where they thought people would go? Or if anyone considered that people would have to go at all

Monday, November 2

Feminist Film Screening: Menocracy

Friends! Come check out Gretchen Kelbaugh's film Menocracy, which is being shown in Fredericton this Saturday (Nov. 7) at 3pm, at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Here is a synopsis:

Governments in Canada, the USA and the UK do not fairly represent the views of women.

Pushed by the spirit of her great-aunt, Militant Suffragette Gert Harding, Gretchen Kelbaugh searches for ways to elect more women. Leading political scientists and Rt Hon Kim Campbell, the only woman to be head of government in North America, offer many solutions.

In the end, Gretchen and the sassy spirit learn the surprising truth: not only does our rotten democracy fail women; it fails almost everyone. And the secret kept by top politicians: most other democracies have fixed the problem long ago.

And if you prefer to let 'nature' take its course, know this: At our current rate, it'll be well over 200 years before half our politicians are women.


See you there!