International Women's Day

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on March 8th to celebrate women’s accomplishments but also to remember the battles we have fought for rights. These days many young women take for granted what the second wave of feminism achieved in improving equality.

They may think that women’s rights have been won. We can vote right? Many of us can get an education, we can work in careers that were formerly reserved for men, we can get divorced and own property. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Think about the fact that in 2009, women still aren’t paid for equal work of equal value in the workplace. Think about the glass ceiling that still exists in jobs where motherhood ultimately devalues women’s contributions on the workplace. If a father goes to pick up their sick child he’s a saint. If a mother does it, it’s commonplace, hardly noteworthy, or even frowned upon as negligence of one’s job. In terms of reproductive control we still face obstacles.

Don’t forget that in Canada there is still conflict over a woman’s right to autonomy over her body. On March 5th, 2008 the “Unborn Victims of Crime Act” passed second reading in Parliament (Bill C-484). This would amend the criminal code and lay separate charges in the death of a fetus when a pregnant woman is attacked. This is a slippery slope towards criminalizing abortion, and giving personhood rights to fetus’, which infringes on women’s rights, as outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In this day and age, our bodies are still not our own. And if you think about women’s rights globally, it seems there is a steep hill to climb. If we look outside our own privileges, whether they are based on class, race, ability, sexual orientation or religion, the world isn’t as rosy and equal as we thought it was.

IWD is a time to remember our past, but also to celebrate what we have done, and work towards future growth. There are different Women’s Day themes, marches and gatherings all over the world on Saturday, and in Canada the theme of 2009 is: “Strong Leadership. Strong Women. Strong World: Equality.” Watch this video for our opinions.

In Toronto there will be a Rally at the OISE Auditorium 252 Bloor St. (St. George Subway Station) at 11 a.m. with speakers and performers to hear before the march. The theme of the rally is "The Rising of the Women is the Rising of Us All !"

Thousands of women’s groups and unions will join together, marching to Ryerson University, where the IWD Fair will be held from 3-5 p.m. in the Student Centre (55 Gould St.).

So come out if you want to rally for women’s rights, because justice for all women is something that we can work for, instead of burying our heads in the sand. It’s as simple as believing in equality for all people.

Bottle Fairy very cute! (kawaii!)

I just discovered the cutest anime of all time. Its called Bottle Fairy and its a 13 episode series. The plot basically consists of four adorable fairies that live in a guy's house and try to learn about the world in order to become more like humans. The boy they live with isn't given a name, just "Sensei-san" which translates into teacher. His ten-year-old neighbour, Tama-chan, comes over to teach the fairies the meaning of concepts like college, or love letters, or valentines, and it often goes awry, which is appropriate seeing as this is a comedy.

Each fairy represents a season, and every episode represents a month, with one additional episode. Kururu is the spring fairy, with pink hair and an uber-enthusiastic attitude 24/7. She often assumes the leader role but tends to go over the top. She also develops a crush on Sensei.

Hororo is the winter fairy, with brown hair. She is kind of slow and ambles along in the series, and also has the largest appetite (she always finishes her portions first). She has a tendency to roll...and can be caught staring at the screen as if she knows there is an audience. There are also a few moments in the series that hint at her attraction for Kururu.

Chiriri (my personal favourite) is the summer fairy with long blonde, sailor moon-length reminiscent pig tails. She always wears a cute little handkerchief/hat on her head and likes to adapt many different objects into headwear. She has a surreal imagination, which usually resembles a soap opera, and tends to be very lady-like.

Sarara is the autumn fairy, with grey hair. She is the tomboy of the group, and always tries to integrate a battle into every situation. She is a typical kendo (japanese fencing) girl, with an obsession for samurai swords and ninja tactics. While the other fairies dress in feminine attire Sarara dons masculine clothing.

Short but sweet, this anime involves a lot of wordplay, and as the fairies learn the meanings of japanese cultural terms with many mishaps along the way, so does the audience. It involves a lot of imaginary role-playing, gung-ho competitions, high expectations, adorable misunderstandings, gender switching, and cute daydreams.

With each episode only 12 minutes long its also ideal to finish in one night. I highly recommend it if you have some spare time, a fetish for childlike sentimentality and if you still like to believe in tiny fairies.