FEMINISM: Our Basis Of Unity Acknowledgments This book is a project of the Ad Hoc Committee of Equality Seeking Organizations coordinated by the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women. Funding for this project has been provided by the Women’s Program, Status of Women Canada, and the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women. The writing of this book has been completed in partnership with the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women and the Women’s Studies Program of Memorial University of Newfoundland. It serves as a partial requirement for the first field-based internship of the Masters in Women’s Studies program. This book is dedicated to the diversity of individual women and equality-seeking organizations whose experience, knowledge and guidance has informed both the content and shape of this publication. These women are making a difference in families, communities, academia, politics, social services and business every day. They provide services, advocate for inclusive policies and legislation, research issues affecting the status of women, and mentor and guide other women. They share their skills within relationships, families, organizations and communities to build a world based on the values of peace, equality and justice. Author Michelle A. Smith Masters in Women’s Studies Candidate Community Liaison / Communications Director Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women MWS Field Supervisor Joyce M. Hancock Editor and Contributing Writer President Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women Acknowledgments . . . contd. MWS Program Advisors Rosonna Tite and Elizabeth Yeoman Masters in Women’s Studies Program Memorial University of Newfoundland Editor and Proofreader Sarah Ogletree Volunteer Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women Layout Designer Melanie Parsons Secretary / Bookkeeper Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women Consultant and Assistant Mary Clarke Acting Community Liaison / Communications Director Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women Cover Designer Sheila Boone Graphic Designer SGS Ltd. ---------------------------------------------------------- Permission is granted to copy this information with appropriate credit to the author. © 2003 Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Newfoundland and Labrador Table of Contents Message from the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women ....... 4 How to Use this Book ..................................................................................... 5 Understanding Feminism: Building our Basis of Unity ................................... 7 Feminism: Our Basis of Unity ............................................................. 9 PACSW Feminist Basis of Unity ......................................................... 13 PACSW Feminist Premises ................................................................ 14 A Feminist Dozen: 13 Feminist Principles for Healthy Feminist Organizing ... 17 Introduction .......................................................................................... 19 The Feminist Principle of Accountability .............................................. 20 The Feminist Principle of Advocacy .................................................... 24 The Feminist Principle of Challenge and Conflict ................................ 27 The Feminist Principle of Choice ........................................................ 30 The Feminist Principle of Consultation ................................................ 33 The Feminist Principle of Diversity ..................................................... 37 The Feminist Principle of Education and Mentoring ............................ 40 The Feminist Principle of Equality and Inclusion ................................. 44 The Feminist Principle of Evaluation ................................................... 52 The Feminist Principle of Joy and Celebration .................................... 55 The Feminist Principle of Leadership .................................................. 59 The Feminist Principle of Power Sharing ............................................ 63 The Feminist Principle of Safety ......................................................... 67 Feminist Tools and Resources ...................................................................... 71 Introduction ......................................................................................... 73 Facilitator’s Guidelines for Giving a Feminist Workshop ..................... 75 Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity Workshop ................ 82 Panel Exercise: Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity ....... 90 Building Our Feminist Basis of Unity Workshop ................................. 91 Handout: PACSW Feminist Premises ................................................ 97 Reflection Exercise: Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes ... 98 Handout: 13 Feminist Principles Defined ........................................... 99 Self-Evaluation Tool: Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes . 101 Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes Sample Workshop …... 109 Feminist Glossary of Terms ............................................................... 115 Feminist Internet Resources .............................................................. 121 Feminist Bibliography ........................................................................ 127 Author’s Reflections ..................................................................................... 132 Message from the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women The idea for this discussion guide on feminism and unity has been talked about by the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women for many years. This present Board is comprised of women who have intimate knowledge of the multifaceted tasks undertaken by women’s councils, centres, transition houses, shelters and anti-violence coalitions. We continuously question who controls our equality-seeking agenda. The funders of projects? The contracts for service provision? How can women’s groups who are providing services, implementing projects, developing research and writing proposals ever take the time to connect with feminism and the principles of equality and inclusion which underline our equality-seeking work? Since 1996, equality-seeking feminist groups have enjoyed a strong connection with the Advisory Council and this Council attempts to include the needs of grassroots women’s organizations in its everyday work. This publication is our gift to an identified need for “tools” to assist women and women’s groups in reconnecting with feminism and building healthy feminist organizations. You will not need to read far into this discussion guide to observe collaboration and partnership. It is clear that the voices and experiences of hundreds of women throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have influenced this writing. What is not so obvious is the informal partnerships. Between the Advisory Council and the Memorial University Women’s Studies Program, (Michelle Smith will offer this work toward her Masters in Women’s Studies), the Ad Hoc Committee of Equality-Seeking Organizations (ongoing advice and support throughout the project), Women’s Program, Status of Women Canada (respect, resourcing and patience to the long term nature of developing this tool) and the outgoing Board of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women (for recognizing the need to commit a year of time and effort of the staff to complete this important work). This discussion guide does not propose to be a definitive interpretation of feminist principles. But we are pleased to offer this work as a tool for provoking discussion and reawakening us to the basis of our equality-seeking work . . . FEMINISM. Joyce M. Hancock President How to Use This Book This book is intended as a discussion guide for women and organizations involved or interested in equality-seeking work. It contains information and tools informed by decades of women’s experiences and understandings of feminism and feminist organizing. It came about to help us find ways to discuss, listen, teach and learn from other women and organizations. To respect our differences while challenging each other. To demystify feminism and examine its relevance to the equality-seeking movement in our province, country and world. To find our common ground as women, organizations, and a collective movement for peace, equality and justice. This book does not pretend to be “the authority” on feminism and feminist organizing, nor should it be regarded as such. It is intended to be used as a mentoring tool for sparking discussions and facilitating workshops that are healthy, inclusive and participatory. Through discussion and dialogue, this book suggests how we may deepen our individual and common understanding of feminism as our basis of unity. You will find three sections in this discussion guide: _ Understanding Feminism: Building Our Basis of Unity This section provides an introduction to the meaning of feminism and the feminist movement within the context of equality-seeking organizations. Feminism as the basis of equality-seeking work is demonstrated by the PACSW unity statement modeled in this section. At the end of this section you will find a scenario exercise and a set of workshop questions. These can be used separately during shorter meetings or together during a longer workshop. (Facilitation and workshop tools for understanding feminism and building a feminist basis of unity are included in section three.) _ A Feminist Dozen: 13 Feminist Principles for Healthy Feminist Organizing In this section you will find a discussion of 13 feminist principles to assist in building active, healthy, participatory practices and processes within equality-seeking organizations. These are ordered alphabetically for quick reference. At the end of each principle you will find a scenario exercise and a set of workshop questions about that principle. These can be used separately during shorter meetings, or together during a longer workshop. (Discussion and workshop tools for feminist principles, practices and processes are included in section three.) _ Feminist Tools and Resources This section contains tools to guide you in developing your organizational understanding of feminism through reflection, discussion and dialogue. It takes the information and understanding from sections one and two, and demonstrates how these can be used to discuss your organization’s understanding of feminist principles, practices and processes and build a basis of unity. Reflection exercises and self-evaluation tools, workshops, facilitation tips and a glossary are included in this section. Tools and resources are cross-referenced for convenience. We hope you will enjoy this discussion guide, and that it will assist you and your organization in having many thoughtful and joyful conversations. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information about this book, please contact: Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women Newfoundland and Labrador 131 LeMarchant Road, St. John’s, NL, A1C 2H3 Phone: (709) 753-7270 / Fax: (709) 753-2606 email: info@pacsw.ca Web: www.pacsw.ca As we attempt to define the mandate and direction of our equality-seeking and anti-violence work, we continue to look for our common ground. The logical place to look for this is in our mutual understanding of feminism and the women’s movement. Whether we are aware of it or not, or whether we describe ourselves and our organizations as “feminist,” the women’s movement influences every effort we make in the pursuit of equality and inclusion. There is no single way to describe feminism. For some women it is simply the way we live every day, seeing the world through our women’s eyes from our women’s experience. For others it means working quietly within relationships, communities and workplaces, insisting on a fair share for women and men. And for others who consider ourselves feminist activists, it is advocating for change within structures and institutions to create women-centred policies, practices and programs. What unites us as a movement is a desire to transform our communities, organizations and even the world into safe and equitable places. “People often ask me am I a feminist . . . my answer is always easy. It is a resounding ‘yes.’ If for no other reason, I call myself a feminist as a way to pay tribute to all of the women before me who have committed their lives to improving the positions and the possibilities of women in this province and country.” Susan Hollett The feminist movement includes women and girls of all ages, races, sexualities, abilities and classes from every corner of the world. We may be workers or volunteers, mothers or activists. Regardless of the roles we choose, we have in common a fundamental belief in women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. As feminists, we respect each other’s experience and background, celebrating our diversity and supporting each other in the choices we make. We are equally committed to deepening our individual and organizational understandings of the world around us, and questioning why we make the choices we do. It is this commitment that enables us to understand how our values and beliefs have been shaped and influenced by our life experiences, as well as how our thinking impacts upon the work and vision of our feminist organizations. Feminism challenges us to critically and continuously examine our individual values and belief systems, and to consider the ways in which they have been formed and shaped over time. We need to become aware of our place in society and question those institutions, such as family, church, media, government, and education that affect and influence our choices and thinking as women. How we view women’s roles and contributions, and how we perceive feminism and the women’s movement, is very much informed by the structures around us. Feminism inspires us to view the world through a lens of women’s experience, and to challenge each other on principles and practices that unintentionally carry the messages of marginalization and exclusion we have been taught from birth. This process enables us to work toward a common understanding of feminism within our individual efforts toward women’s equality. “Feminism as a worldview challenges male-female relationships. It challenges roles. It challenges institutions as we know them. The rise in the consciousness of women is changing social expectations, changing attitudes, changing systems.” Marie Ryan We may encounter many challenges associated with building and maintaining a healthy equality-seeking feminist organization. Lack of adequate funds is a constant struggle for many groups, as is balancing the delivery of community-based services and programs with advocacy and lobbying efforts. In addition, not everyone agrees with the work of feminist groups, and public opinion is not always in our favor. Patriarchal institutions that exclude or minimize the contributions of women are not generally supportive of policies and initiatives that seek to change the status quo. By challenging and upsetting existing power structures, feminists often experience some degree of opposition or backlash from those within traditional hierarchies. As we learn and grow, as individual women and as women’s organizations, we must continuously re-examine our feminist principles and practices and gather our collective strength in our efforts toward equality and inclusion. We can never tire of explaining the women’s movement and the simple explanations work best . . . feminism is common sense and for many of us it is a way of living, thinking, and working. It is about recognizing that many of us enjoy privilege born of social status, education, race, sexuality, ability or life experiences. It is about our daughters and the world we hope to create with them free from violence and free from the fear of violence. It is about our sons and the men with whom we share a common agenda for peace and equality. Feminism is also about insisting that our women’s experience, our vision and values become incorporated into every institution, policy and practice that affect our communities, province and country.” Joyce M. Hancock To deepen our common understanding of feminism, we must look beyond our current time and place. We need to learn about and honour the struggles and successes of the generations of feminists who came before us, and recognize that many of the rights and freedoms we have today are directly due to their efforts (e.g., the right to vote, own property, go to university). We also need to educate ourselves about the ongoing efforts of the women’s movement today, and find ways of supporting and sharing within our common work. As feminists we have a global vision, and recognize that the issues facing women in other parts of the world are our issues as well. Peace, equality and justice for all: this is our feminist basis of unity. Scenario Feminism: Our Basis of Unity Marie is a member of an equality-seeking organization. Some women in her group insist the time has come to “tone down” their feminism to better appeal to funders and the community. Other women are opposed to what they say is a move against the equality-seeking purpose of the organization. Marie is feeling quite concerned that the organization may be at risk. 1.Is it possible for Marie’s group to be an equality-seeking organization without being feminist? Why or why not? 2.What might this group need to become comfortable with feminism as their basis of unity? 3.Should women who do/can not identify as feminists be leaders in your organization? Members? Why or why not? Workshop Questions Feminism: Our basis of unity • When did I first become aware of inequality? • What concerns / events in my life enabled me to understand or identify with the work of the women’s movement? • What will be the biggest challenges facing me as I work within our feminist equality-seeking organization? • What will be the biggest challenges facing our feminist equality-seeking organization? • What values will guide us in our work together as a feminist equality-seeking organization? For more information see: ? Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity Workshop As a feminist equality-seeking organization, the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women (PACSW) works from a feminist perspective in advocating for women’s full and equal participation. Feminist premises ground us in our thinking and analysis, and provide our organization with a basis from which to operate. We accept that there are differences in perception and understanding of feminist principles, practices and processes. Through openness, communication and mutual respect, we are able to work with and challenge each other to help us grow - as individual women and as a women’s collective dedicated to working for the social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality of women in Newfoundland and Labrador. What unites us as members of an equality-seeking organization is our common understanding of the meaning of feminism to our group: our collective set of core values that inform the healthy and equitable practice of feminist principles. These values have been developed over two decades of work by women who served on the Board of the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women. They form our feminist premises and inform our feminist practices. Consider the common agreements that currently exist within your group. What are the values that unite you in your ongoing pursuit of equality and inclusion? In other words, what is your organization’s feminist basis of unity? We invite you to look at the feminist premises that form the Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women Basis of Unity as a starting point for your discussions. Which premises do you recognize as similar to your existing values? Which premises represent values that are new or unfamiliar? Consider the meaning of each to you and your organization as you read through. PACSW Feminist Premises 1. To be a feminist is to assert our equal value as women in a society that too often undervalues our worth, contributions and experiences. 2. To be a feminist is to challenge the inequities in power and privilege that exist because of sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, racism and all other forms of exclusion. 3. To be a feminist is to question the institution of family as it is currently structured, and to challenge the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family care giving. 4. To be a feminist is to be a strategist in challenging structures and institutions that are built upon male values and experience, and that limit women’s equal participation. 5. To be a feminist is to view the world through our women’s eyes from our women’s experience, and to see this lens as valuable and necessary in the pursuit of equality and inclusion. 6. To be a feminist is to recognize, include and value women’s different kinds of knowledge, including knowledge informed by personal experience and knowledge acquired through work and education. 7. To be a feminist is to acknowledge that the world is not always a safe place for women to speak out about inequality. The strength that exists in the collective voice of women’s organizations makes our challenges safer and more effective. 8. To be a feminist is to take responsibility for learning about the issues that often seem to divide us (the environment, war, sexuality), and to create safe spaces to talk about our disagreements. 9. To be a feminist is to challenge men to support our feminist agenda, and to support pro-feminist men who share our common agenda for peace, equality and justice. 10. To be a feminist is to take pride in feminism as a movement for transforming the world into an equitable, peaceful and just place for women, men and children. 11. To be a feminist is to examine our organization’s principles, practices and processes to ensure that we are creating opportunities to include the perspectives of women whose voices have not been included (e.g., young women, seniors, lesbians, Aboriginal women). 12. To be a feminist is to take our agenda for women’s equality and inclusion into every meeting, regardless of the structured agenda. 13. To be a feminist is to make every meeting a celebration, and every celebration a meeting: to continuously acknowledge both the challenges and joys of working for and with women. Introduction Feminist principles guide the work that we do within equality-seeking organizations, as well as the way that we do it. Taking the time to examine or revisit our feminist principles can assist in deepening our understanding of feminist practices and processes, and reconnecting with our feminist basis of unity. On the following pages you will find a discussion of thirteen feminist principles that have been identified and informed by a diversity of women’s backgrounds and experiences in feminist organizing. These are the feminist principles of: ? Accountability ? Advocacy ? Challenge and Conflict ? Choice ? Consultation ? Diversity ? Education and Mentoring ? Equality and Inclusion ? Evaluation ? Joy and Celebration ? Leadership ? Power Sharing ? Safety This may be the first time you have considered these principles. You may also be very familiar with them, or have others of your own. Whether we are emerging organizations or new members of an established group, reflecting on our principles, practices and processes can assist in connecting the meaning of feminism to our equality-seeking mandate. The following discussion of each principle begins with a working definition and a feminist quote, and concludes with a scenario exercise and a set of workshop questions. These may be helpful in sparking discussions, facilitating workshops, and talking with other women and groups about the meaning of feminism to equality-seeking work. The feminist principle of accountability is necessary to building and maintaining healthy, active equality-seeking organizations. As feminists and feminist groups, we hold ourselves accountable to each other and to the global women’s movement. This improves and strengthens our collective efforts toward peace, equality and justice. The feminist principle of accountability means we hold ourselves responsible to the women we work for and with in our pursuit of equality and inclusion. We are accountable through our practice of feminist principles and our commitment to feminism as our basis of unity. Feminist equality-seeking organizations are accountable to members, service users, funders, communities and to the women’s movement itself. Whether we are leaders or members we are accountable for the work that we do and our ways of working both internally and externally. We constantly look for ways to examine and improve accountability practices within our organizations through our respectful and inclusive women’s ways of working. This reflects our feminist basis of unity. “As a feminist working with and for an equality-seeking organization, I recognize that I am accountable. I have a responsibility to my organization, my board, and the women in my province who expect me to share my skills and abilities in our mutual work for gender equality.” Michelle Smith Equality-seeking organizations are accountable to the feminist movement. When we speak publicly in the name of women’s equality, we are representing not solely our own group, but other women and groups who share our common vision. Equality- seeking organizations are responsible for giving voice to the concerns of women in our communities, and for adding our voices to the larger feminist movement. When we participate in feminist events, such as International Women’s Day or December 6th Vigils that are commemorated across provinces, territories and nations, we ensure that our local messages are supportive and consistent with the meanings of those events. For example, the Take Back the Night March is a women and children-only demonstration to symbolize that women should not need men’s protection to live without fear of male violence. We may feel pressured to involve men by those who oppose the march, or simply want to include the men in our lives who support us. When we examine the meaning of the march itself, it is clear that asking men to join with us would defeat the important political statement of the demonstration: women still live in fear of violence in our relationships and communities, and we are still afraid to walk alone after dark. As women united in our desire for equality, we continue to add our voices to the collective call for violence-free communities. This demonstrates our commitment to feminism as our basis of unity, and strengthens our ability to improve the status of women. Feminist equality-seeking organizations are accountable to the women we serve and represent within communities. As advocates, we question how we give voice to women who are not comfortable speaking for themselves, or whose voices have not been heard. As service providers, we examine the ways in which we are accountable to the women for whom we provide counselling, referrals and advocacy. For example, we consider how we create a safe environment through practices of confidentiality, respect and inclusion. Feminist organizations should constantly look for ways to seek out and act upon feedback from women to improve our accountability for the services and advocacy we provide. Formal leaders of equality-seeking organizations, such as chairs, coordinators and directors, are held accountable for our administrative practices. Leaders are ultimately responsible for managing funding and ensuring that spending is properly documented. Other responsibilities include writing proposals and quarterly reports, supervising staff and students, and coordinating projects. Feminist leaders must ultimately ensure that formal structures are put in place to provide accountability in supervising personnel, acquiring projects, managing finances and delivering services. As members of feminist equality-seeking organizations, we continuously reflect upon how we are accountable to ourselves and to each other in our internal practices. In keeping with our feminist basis of unity, we should expect to spend time examining and evaluating our practice of feminist principles. We seek to improve accountability through sharing our responsibilities, and acknowledging our different roles as leaders, members and volunteers. Every woman is responsible for contributing to the work of our organization, whether we collect donations for a food bank, or politicize the issue of food security as a basic human right. We welcome every woman’s contribution to our work, while also supporting women whose personal circumstances mean they choose to step back from our work at times. As members of equality-seeking organizations, we continuously consult and network within our organization and community when creating strategies and initiatives for change. Through our practices of accountability, we gain credibility within our organizations, our communities and the women’s movement. This will assist us in building active and ethical organizations, and adding strength to the global movement for peace, equality and justice. Scenario The Feminist Principle of accountability Debbie is a project worker at a feminist equality-seeking organization. Over the last couple of months, Debbie hasn’t been fulfilling her commitments to her work. Three times now she has missed her deadline for having the project completed. The funders have begun to call the president looking for the evaluation report. Debbie’s board is getting nervous, as they are ultimately accountable for managing the project. 1. To whom is Debbie accountable? 2. To whom is the organization accountable? 3. What might Debbie need from her board to become more accountable to the organization? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of accountability • What does accountability mean to me as a woman? • To whom am I accountable as a member of a feminist equality-seeking organization? • What is working well in our current practice of accountability? • What additional processes and practices could we use to ensure better accountability in the future? The feminist principle of advocacy is central in our efforts toward an equitable and inclusive world for women and men. Through advocacy we apply our understanding and analysis of the issues affecting women as a call for improving our social, legal, political, economic and cultural status. The feminist principle of advocacy means supporting or recommending a position or course of action that has been informed by women’s experiences in our efforts to bring about equality and inclusion. Advocacy may take place through a variety of actions and strategies, ranging from demonstrations and protests to meetings and dialogue. As women, we enjoy a rich history of feminist advocacy and activism that affects our lives and choices today. In the early twentieth century, suffragists in this province rallied, marched, demonstrated, wrote letters, attended meetings and circulated petitions until women won the right to vote. Feminist advocates contributed to many other positive changes for women on a national level, such as in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, legalized access to abortion, pay equity and sexual assault law reform. Today women are recognized as persons and citizens with access to education, employment, women’s centres and shelters. These and other hard-won victories reflect the successful advocacy efforts of our feminist foremothers. “I can vote, have my own business, attend university, and own property . . . because there have been changes in the world. These changes did not just “evolve” or occur as a result of “new technologies.” They were the result of women – feminists – making themselves and their beliefs into immovable objects around which the system had to move and thereby forcing those radical changes.” Susan Hollett Equality-seeking organizations aim to improve the lives of all women. To accomplish this, we need to balance and integrate our day-to-day service delivery work with our role as advocates and activists. Providing services to individual women deepens our collective understanding of the needs and concerns in our community. Hearing first hand about women’s experiences helps identify gaps or barriers that must be addressed, as well as measures that work well which must be continued or expanded. This knowledge prepares us to challenge policies and practices that contribute to women’s inequality and exclusion. Service work is valuable and necessary, and addresses the immediate needs of women. We cannot prevent or eliminate systemic barriers to women’s equality unless we complement our service work with advocacy on a broader level. For example, many feminist organizations provide lay counselling services to victims of violence. We listen to women’s stories and assist by offering information and referrals, or accompaniment to health and legal proceedings. Through providing these services, we may conclude that a major issue is the lack of consistency in treating and examining victims of sexual assault in hospital emergency rooms. We would use our understanding and awareness of this issue, as informed by women’s experiences, to advocate for the creation of a provincial health policy to adequately respond to victims of sexual assault. Effective advocacy work also means learning which strategy to use and when to use it to bring about change. Advocacy may be practiced in any number of ways by a wide range of women and organizations. For example, women working within government advocate for equality by applying a gender-based analysis to policy development, while community activists hold a demonstration to draw public attention and support to the same issue. Women in the media advocate by giving our issues and concerns fair coverage in the news. Equality-seeking groups are involved in a variety of advocacy work. Examples within this province include demonstrating in Take Back the Night Marches, gathering at December 6th Vigils, participating in legislative reviews, Royal Commissions and public consultations, holding press conferences, lobbying government for new or improved policies, and consulting and strategizing with other women and organizations. Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Advocacy • What does advocacy mean to me as a member of a feminist organization? What will I need to feel comfortable in my role as an advocate? • What does our organization gain by doing advocacy work? What do we risk by not doing advocacy work? • What does the feminist principle of advocacy mean to the work of our equality-seeking organization? How do we practice our advocacy role? As feminist organizations, we need to take every opportunity to share and strategize with each other in order to advocate for equality and inclusion. Feminism and advocacy are intricately linked, for our common strength is in our ability to take the personal to the political. Whether we choose to hold a meeting or organize a rally, all efforts are valuable in our quest to improve women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural status. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Advocacy Sandra is a single mother who has come to your equality-seeking organization for assistance. She has had to spend this month’s budget preparing her children to go back to school. According to the Human Resources and Employment policy, she is not eligible for income support. Sandra is extremely stressed and does not know how she will manage to pay her rent and feed her family this month. 1. What services does Sandra need from our organization? 2. What could our organization do to advocate for Sandra? For other women in similar situations? 3. What does our organization gain when we provide both services and advocacy to women? The feminist principle of challenge and conflict is vital to feminist organizing. As feminists, we anticipate conflict as part of the learning and growing process in our work toward equality and inclusion. The feminist principle of challenge and conflict enables us to challenge our individual and collective understanding and work through conflict in a healthy way. The feminist principle of challenge and conflict means that we accept conflict as inevitable while embracing challenge as the practice of calling into account, questioning, provoking thought, and reflecting. When we are committed to respectful ways of challenging and healthy conflict resolution processes, we deepen our individual and collective understanding. Within equality-seeking organizations, we might expect that we will not experience conflict with other women. Given the nature of the work that we do, we might assume that we will not be challenged on our understanding of feminist principles and practices, or that we should not challenge other women when we disagree. In reality, the healthy practice of challenge and conflict provides opportunities for growth and learning, and can strengthen our organization’s efforts toward women’s equality and inclusion. “The mindful use of challenge is no small matter to feminists and feminist organizations. In choosing to meet conflict with openness and respect, we empower ourselves both as individual women and as women working together in common cause.” Sarah Ogletree Feminist principles by their very nature challenge us to examine the traditional systems and structures that have influenced our thinking and understanding. We each have a responsibility to become aware of the ways in which we have been socialized, and examine how our experiences have helped shape our current beliefs and values. For example, women may hold opposing views of reproductive choice, and conflict over whether our organization should publicly take a pro-choice stand. Some may oppose the principle of choice from a religious, cultural, legal or political perspective, rather than examine the issue through a lens of women’s equality and inclusion. Our challenge, as women and organizations, is to reflect upon why we do the work we do, and ensure that our principles and practices are consistent with our feminist basis of unity. We may initially feel uncomfortable when challenging other women on our values and beliefs, yet we are actually engaging in a healthy process that can enhance the skills, abilities and knowledge of our organization and members. Given the diversity of women’s experience and background, we may sometimes disagree on a broad range of issues, from the kinds of service and advocacy work we do, to the very feminist principles by which we operate. We need to acknowledge the differences within our understanding of feminism, and be patient with each other in our search for greater knowledge. Mutual respect is of the greatest importance in the practice of challenge and conflict, as is an appreciation of the diversity of our membership. Although we challenge each other on issues and values, we aim to do so through constructive criticism, proposing changes and alternatives instead of focusing on flaws. Rather than dismissing another woman’s idea outright, for example, we challenge the idea through respectful discussion, asking questions and offering suggestions and feedback. Such practices contribute to better communication, understanding and knowledge within our organizations and the women’s movement as a whole. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Challenge and Conflict Two key volunteers within an equality-seeking organization cannot get along. Jen and Jane conflict at meetings, constantly disagreeing and challenging each other regardless of the issue. Most women feel compelled to side with Jane because of her more vocal personality, while others remain silent. Members are now telling Betty, their Chair, that coming to meetings is very uncomfortable, and do not wish to stay involved. 1. What should Betty do to resolve this issue? 2. Is there room in this organization for Jen and Jane? Why or why not? 3. How can members challenge Jen and Jane on their behaviours and the negative effects on the organization? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Challenge and Conflict • Where do our ideas about challenge and conflict come from? • How do our personal experiences of challenge and conflict affect how we deal with conflict within our organization? • How can resolving conflict / challenging each other be helpful to our organization? What are the risks when we do not resolve conflict / challenge each other? • How will we deal with conflict / challenge each other on our understanding of feminism (principles, practices and processes)? Through respecting challenge as positive, and accepting conflict resolution processes as necessary, we create opportunities to sharpen our activist and advocacy skills and prepare for struggles in the broader social context. Our commitment to resolving our differences and deepening our common understanding of feminist principles and practices strengthens our ability to advance women’s equality and inclusion. The feminist principle of choice is central to the mandate of equality-seeking organizations. It underlies both the work that we do and the way that we do it. Understanding the meaning of choice and how it informs our organization’s work strengthens the collective women’s movement. The principle of choice means that we respect, support and advocate for women’s individual and collective right to make our own decisions about our bodies, our families, our jobs and our lives. The right to choose is integral to the feminist pursuit of social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality for women. A common association between the word “choice” and feminism is that of having a pro-choice position on reproduction. Pro-choice is often misrepresented or misinterpreted as only meaning “pro-abortion.” Pro-choice means that we respect and support whatever choice a woman makes regarding her body (i.e., sexuality, pregnancy and reproduction), whether it is to have an abortion, go through with a pregnancy, give a baby up for adoption, or raise a child. Feminist organizations support women who decide that having an abortion is best for them in the same way we support women who make different choices for different reasons. Our equality-seeking work is about ensuring our right to make our own choices as women about sex and sexuality, as well as the right to choose our own sexual partners. It is also about advocating for women’s right to safe, affordable, effective birth control, and respecting our decision as to whether to have children or not. “To end a pregnancy or carry a pregnancy to term is a basic choice; women must be supported in that right and society must be challenged to provide the services to assist women in making that choice.” Joyce Hancock Choice is often seen as a cornerstone of feminist principles, and as feminists we are often challenged on its relevance. Rather than assume that in a democracy women are simply free to choose, we need to examine the influences and consequences of our choices at different stages in our lives. Choice affects all areas of our lives as women. The right to choose is that which enables us to decide whether or not to vote, attend a particular school, live with a partner, get married, or become a parent. As women, we are excluded from full participation in traditional structures. This means we cannot always access the services and resources to live comfortably, participate in society, and feel we are respected and valued members of the community. By its very nature, exclusion limits our choices as women, for we are prevented from fully participating in the benefits of society. The feminist principle of choice means all women have access to universal rights and freedoms, as guaranteed by legislation and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. When we are new to feminism, or we are re-evaluating our feminist principles and practices, we may feel uneasy about some of the ideas associated with the principle of choice. Perhaps we would not choose abortion if we become pregnant, or cannot reconcile the idea of “family” with a lesbian couple planning to adopt a child. As individual women, we are entitled to our own beliefs and values, and to make choices we think are good for our own lives . . . as are our mothers, neighbours, friends, co-workers, or any other women. As individual women, we best understand the circumstances in which we live, and are best able to make informed decisions accordingly. Feminism means supporting the choices we make for ourselves, as well as respecting the choices made by other women – even when we do not personally agree with them. As feminist members, we must learn to become comfortable with our feminist principles and practices, and conduct ourselves in ways that are helpful to the work and mandate of our organizations. We each have a responsibility to support our organizations within our communities, even if we do not feel comfortable speaking to particular issues in a public setting. This may mean we defer to more experienced peers on these issues, while taking leadership roles on issues that we find more compatible. All women should expect to be treated respectfully within a feminist organization, whether we are lesbian, heterosexual or married, have many children or none at all, have had an abortion, have chosen to use birth control, have chosen to work or to stay at home. In turn, we have a responsibility to always treat others with respect, openness and inclusion. This demonstrates our commitment to feminism as our basis of unity. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Choice Julie wants to join your women’s group. You explain to her that this is an equality-seeking organization based on feminist principles and practices. She tells you that she supports all of the basic feminist beliefs, but strongly feels that abortion is murder and life begins at conception. 1. Is there room in a feminist organization for Julie? Why or why not? 2. Is there room in a leadership role (board, executive, committee or council) for Julie? Why or why not? 3. If Julie were a member of your pro-choice organization, how would you assist her in feeling comfortable, and challenge her understanding of choice for other women? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Choice • What does choice mean to me as a woman? Has growing up female affected the choices I have made? The choices that have been available to me? • Where do my beliefs about choice come from? How have they been shaped and influenced? • How are my beliefs about choice as a woman similar to or different from my understanding of choice as a feminist? • What does the principle of choice mean to our equality-seeking organization? How can we agree to practice it in future? The feminist principle of consultation is necessary to building and maintaining connections to the women we work for and with in our equality-seeking organizations. Within the feminist movement, women and organizations work collaboratively to share information, ideas and strategies in our common efforts. By continuously consulting with others, we inform ourselves, our organizations and our communities about issues affecting women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. The feminist principle of consultation means working collaboratively, seeking guidance and sharing information to develop strategies and actions to advance women’s equality. Through the feminist practice of consultation women, organizations and communities can deepen our understanding of historical and existing barriers to women’s equality. From this shared understanding we develop collective strategies to overcome these barriers. Our power to make change as feminists is rooted within our collective information, analysis, skills and actions. “Women are connecting with their sisters around the world, whether via the Internet or through regional and international gatherings. Women from north and south are sharing information, and as we know, “information is power.” They are sharing ideas and strategies to bring about change.” Linda Ross As feminists, we recognize the value and necessity of consulting with others if policies, programs, practices, services and legislation are to include a diversity of women’s views and experiences. We may tend to think of consultation in the traditional sense, as an “official” process undertaken by governments and institutions. Perhaps we have had negative experiences of consultations, where our concerns and recommendations have been minimized, or we have not been informed of the outcomes. Mainstream consultation processes can often be exclusionary. For example, we may participate in a consultation expecting to share our gender inclusive analysis, only to find that we have been invited as token participants to give the appearance of inclusion. The consultants may claim that our concerns as women have been heard and addressed, even though our recommendations have been omitted from the final policy. We may experience a different scenario, where our analysis is reflected in the policy but that policy is not put into practice. As feminists, we must continue to bring our recommendations forward and insist they be included and acted upon. As members of equality-seeking organizations, we work through feminist principles, practices and processes in keeping with our basis of unity. This means, despite the challenges, we must continue to find ways of consulting in order to effectively deliver services and advocate on behalf of women. It is important to reflect upon how we hear and address issues, and how we represent our organization to the community. In the feminist practice of consultation, we create opportunities to examine and improve our organizational processes, and to continuously consult with other members in making decisions and sharing information, ideas and strategies. We also create opportunities to draw upon the knowledge and experience of other women and organizations within our community. For example, we may learn from women who use our services that an issue in our area is eating disorders. As an equality-seeking organization, we first need an internal process to inform ourselves about this issue. We need to decide whether we should take on this issue, and if we do take it on, how we will address it in our service or advocacy work. In the feminist practice of consultation we consult within our organization, and then consider whom else we need to talk to within our community. We may consult with young women who are experiencing eating disorders, professionals, community groups and others who are interested in or affected by eating disorders. By consulting within our organization and community, we may develop informed strategies and actions to address the issue. Given the geographical and economic realities of many equality-seeking organizations, it is challenging to consult with women and groups outside our immediate community. This is particularly true of large rural and remote areas, where transportation, resources and accessibility often present barriers. As equality-seeking organizations, we create and use many strategies to overcome these challenges. Where possible, we consult face-to-face through meetings, workshops, focus groups, or conferences. When we cannot meet in person to share information and strategies, we communicate by mail, email, listserv, telephone, conference calls or videoconferencing. As feminists, we constantly look for ways to consult with as many women as possible in our quest for equality and inclusion. By collaborating in our efforts, we create opportunities to share strategies, skills, and information with other women and equality-seeking organizations. Together, we have the power to advance women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Consultation • What does consultation mean to the work of our equality-seeking organization? • How do we presently consult within our organization? Within our community? Within the women’s movement? • In what additional ways can our organization be more inclusive in our consultation practices? Scenario The Feminist Principle of Consultation Mildred is a member of an equality-seeking organization which has been involved in a government-community consultation on health care reform. Mildred has been involved in this kind of work for three years now, and continues to participate. So far, she has not seen women’s views and experiences reflected in the changing policies and practices. Mildred is beginning to wonder if participating in the consultations is making any difference. 1. Should Mildred’s organization continue to participate? Why or why not? 2. What are the risks to the organization of not participating in these types of consultations? 3. What does this organization need in order for these consultations to be meaningful? The feminist principle of diversity is fundamental to healthy equality-seeking organizations. When we are inclusive and embrace a diversity of experiences and backgrounds, we increase our awareness and understanding of a broad range of issues affecting women, families and communities. This enables us to better represent the interests of the women we work both for and with in our pursuit of social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. The feminist principle of diversity means that we respect, accept and celebrate our individual and collective differences as women, including those based on age, race, culture, ability, sexuality, geography, religion, politics, class, education and image, among others. Women as a group are excluded from full participation in traditional structures simply because we are female. We may be further marginalized or encounter discrimination based on ability, culture, age, sexuality or other differences. These and other forms of discrimination are often referred to as “ism.” Sexism, for example, means denying access, opportunity or acceptance to a person based upon one’s sex. Classism is discrimination based on class, income or social status. “We are not all white, middle-class, abled, heterosexual and in our mid-thirties. The acknowledgment of this reality is challenging. It means that, just as women struggle to get gender equity programs put in place, we also are now struggling for equity on these other levels.” Lorraine Michael Within traditional structures, women join boards or committees expecting to make real progress toward equality. Instead, we may experience tokenism as representatives of Aboriginal women, women with disabilities, or women living in poverty whose contributions are not, in fact, respected or validated. In our struggle to compete and succeed within these structures, we may fear “rocking the boat,” or risking our reputations, jobs or likeability by challenging exclusionary practices. As women move into leadership roles within traditional hierarchical institutions, we absorb and repeat the exclusionary practices of those environments. For example, we may dismiss another woman’s ideas on economic development because she is a recipient of income support. As feminists, we must continuously challenge ourselves and each other on our biases and prejudices, and examine where our understandings about diversity and differences come from. By looking beyond the stereotypes, and validating different experiences, we stand to gain a true understanding of the issues and concerns affecting women’s lives. Feminist organizations strive to acknowledge and include women’s different perspectives. In our desire for greater diversity, we need to consider whose voices are represented within our membership, and question whose voices are missing. We might assume that women in our small community lack diversity because there are no striking distinctions of race, culture, ethnicity, or ability. We may be overlooking those less visible differences among us, such as income, sexuality or education. A true diversity of women’s experiences within our organization contributes to a richness of shared knowledge and understanding of women’s reality. As feminists, we continuously examine how and if we make opportunities to invite and include a diversity of women within our group. The women who are actively involved in our equality-seeking organizations may be those who have the resources or time to attend meetings. A woman living in poverty may not have access to transportation, or an Aboriginal woman may feel excluded in a group of all-white women. As feminist organizations, we consider how we can include other women’s groups who share our agenda for equality. For example, a group that represents a large geographic region may hold meetings in different communities to hear many women’s voices and experiences of life in that region. Others strive to include Aboriginal or Francophone women within our boards and memberships to reflect our cultural diversity. As feminists, we look for practices to improve our organization’s ability to include a diversity of women’s experiences. We reflect on the makeup of our leadership, membership, and service users, and consider whom we need to include as well as the strategies to make inclusion possible. These practices contribute to the richness of knowledge and understanding from which we draw our actions and strategies, and strengthen our efforts toward women’s equality. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Diversity Stella is a member of a women’s centre. Many of the group’s members are white, educated, heterosexual, middle class women. At a recent meeting, Diane insisted that anyone who has not lived in poverty or violence could not possibly understand that reality, and has no right to speak on behalf of women who are marginalized. Stella feels that her contributions to the organization are not validated because she is perceived as coming from a life of privilege. The group is beginning to feel fractured, and there is concern that women like Stella may leave the organization. 1. Where do our ideas about class come from? How have these ideas changed or been influenced over time? 2. How would we make room in our organization for Stella? For Diane? 3. How do we challenge ourselves on our assumptions about class? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Diversity • What does diversity mean to me as a woman? • Where do my beliefs about diversity come from? How have they been shaped and influenced by other people or life experiences? • What does diversity mean to our equality-seeking organization? How is it reflected within our organization? • What additional practices can we use to ensure diversity within our organization? The feminist principle of education and mentoring is crucial to the health of equality-seeking organizations. If we are to make real progress in our efforts toward equality, we must learn about the women who came before us, as well as the realities of women’s lives today. The constant sharing of knowledge informed by women’s experience is key to understanding our history and embracing the challenge of our work toward equality and social justice. The feminist principle of education and mentoring means creating opportunities to guide, counsel, coach, tutor and teach each other. Constantly sharing our skills, knowledge, history and understanding makes our organizations healthier and more effective in our pursuit of equality and inclusion. “I have learned to accept failure and discover the lessons in that. I have accepted that I am a role model and offer myself as a mentor to others. I acknowledge that I can only do this work because of the support of those around me. Though most of all I have found ways to put my passion into action. I have a lot to learn but enjoy the learning.” Debbie Armstrong As feminists, we need to understand how traditional patriarchal systems have historically contributed to women’s oppression. We must consider the lives of our foremothers, and acknowledge the ways in which women made a difference in families and communities despite having limited choices and options. The feminist leaders who came before us braved the backlash and stigma of equality work, and dared to make societal changes which have improved the lives of generations of women. For example, suffragists in this province rallied, marched, demonstrated, wrote letters, attended meetings, and circulated petitions until women won the right to vote. We celebrate our feminist history by acknowledging and highlighting the work women have done on our collective behalf. We continue these efforts through sharing our history, strategies, skills and analysis with other women and organizations. This will ultimately strengthen the feminist movement, and move us closer to a long-term vision of equality and inclusion. As feminists, we recognize that women’s learning and knowledge is informed in many ways. We acquire knowledge formally, through courses and programs in colleges, universities and other educational institutions. We develop our knowledge informally, through our experience of growing up female and living life as women. In our work with equality-seeking organizations, communities, governments, universities and other structures we also gain knowledge and learning. As feminists, we validate all women’s ways of knowing, for it is through our collective knowledge, skills and abilities that we are empowered to make real progress in our work toward equality. We are all mentors on some level, whether we have gained our understanding through our personal experiences, work or formal education. As feminists, we seek to change societal attitudes and understandings, and create policies, programs, practices, services and legislation which improve the status of women. Women in government need access to the experience of community activists and advocates if they are to advance equality and inclusion through policies and programs. Women in community must learn about government initiatives and programs in order to inform the advocacy and services we provide on women’s behalf. Feminist researchers and academics must share their information and analysis with women in both settings to add strength and credibility to our call for equality. It is through our continuous sharing of knowledge as women and feminists that we may affect change in the broader context. Many equality-seeking organizations already incorporate education and mentoring into our regular practice, whether we are aware of it or not. For example, some groups orient new members to the history, mandate and goals of the organization through formal training sessions or informal talks. Other practices include holding regular discussions to learn more about feminism and the history of the women’s movement, and inviting other activists from the community to talk about equality-seeking and anti-violence work. Within our own membership, we may pair women so that those who are less experienced have someone to consult for advice, information and assistance. This also presents an opportunity for more experienced women to share their knowledge, interests and experience with others. We have a responsibility, as individuals and organizations, to provide women with the opportunities, skills and knowledge they need to participate in our work in a meaningful way. This enables women to become valuable and contributing members and leaders of our organizations. When we choose not to share our skills and knowledge with each other, or not to provide guidance to members who may be struggling to find answers or resolve problems, our organizations will ultimately suffer. As feminists, we have an obligation to share our knowledge and experience of women’s and feminist issues to advance our agenda for equality and inclusion. To be effective mentors and teachers within our organizations and communities, we need to keep in mind that how we go about this interaction with others is just as important as actually doing it. Respect, acceptance and patience are integral to this process, as is a genuine desire to carry forward the past work and accomplishments of the women’s movement. Learning and growing as individual women and organizations is a lifelong process, requiring the commitment, time and willingness of all members. These practices strengthen the feminist movement as we continue to work for equality and social justice. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Education and Mentoring Rebecca has just been hired by a shelter for abused women and children. Although she has some experience in anti-violence work, Rebecca has not been involved in a feminist organization. She is not always clear on why women work in the ways that they do, but she is afraid to voice her lack of experience for fear of seeming ignorant to her colleagues. 1. How can Rebecca take responsibility for her own knowledge and learning about the organization and its work? 2. What can the organization do to assist her? 3. What does the shelter gain when Rebecca understands her work within the context of the women’s movement? 4. How can this process of mentoring Rebecca assist everyone in the organization? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Education and Mentoring • How do we currently practice the feminist principle of education and mentoring within our organization? Within our community? • As staff / boards / volunteers, what do we need to learn more about in order to advance our equality-seeking work? • What are the benefits to our group when women understand the history of our organization? The history of the women’s movement? • Who could we draw upon as mentors within our organization? Community? Province? The feminist principle of equality and inclusion is at the core of our equality-seeking work. As feminists, we acknowledge exclusion as the mechanism through which inequality is maintained. By applying the feminist principle of equality and inclusion to both the work and practices of our organizations, we reflect and strengthen our efforts toward women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. The feminist principle of equality and inclusion means, as feminist organizations, we apply a feminist analysis to policies, programs, practices, services and legislation to ensure they are inclusive of women and other marginalized groups. We advocate for equity practices to eliminate the barriers to inclusion, recognizing that inclusion leads to equality. As feminist organizations, we apply the principle of equality and inclusion to every aspect of the work that we do. We see the world through our women’s eyes from our women’s experience, and overlay this vision with a lens of inclusion. We use this feminist analysis in our work with organizations and communities in our efforts toward equality and inclusion. We seek out those places where we can make changes to improve the status of women, whether we advocate for improved policies and legislation, or provide counselling and support services. As feminists, we know that women are excluded from full participation within traditional structures, and that our contributions are not equally valued by society. Men hold most of the power in governments, families, churches, and other traditional institutions. Within these hierarchies, leaders tend to hire, consult, and validate like-minded people whose appearance, background and abilities reflect traditional values. In this way, patriarchal systems replicate themselves, sustaining the existence of the “old boys club.” As women, we encounter exclusion, discrimination and prejudice in our relationships and communities simply because we are female. We may be further marginalized or encounter discrimination based on class, income, social status, race, ability, sexuality or other differences that separate us from the status quo. As feminists, we are concerned with exclusion and inequality based on gender, as well as other factors such as class, race, education, or ability that limit women’s full participation in the legal, social, political, economic and cultural benefits of society. Exclusion hurts both women and men, and negatively impacts on society in general. Exclusion happens when we cannot access the education, health care, social services, employment or housing to live comfortably, participate in society, and feel we are valued and respected members of our communities. Individuals and groups who are often excluded are single mothers and their children, youth, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, people living in rural and remote areas and others who have been marginalized. Exclusion reinforces and further widens existing inequalities; as the number of people who are excluded increases, the well-being of society in general decreases. Poverty, poor health, unemployment and crime are among the costs of inequality, and are linked in a cycle of cause and effect. Poverty leads to exclusion, which then leads to poorer health. This in turn leads to further poverty, unemployment, and so forth. Breaking this cycle requires the development of inclusive public policy as well as democratic processes based on community participation and development. The feminist principle of equality and inclusion means that women and men should enjoy equal status, benefits, rights, choices and freedoms in society regardless of sex, age, race, ability or other differences. This reflects the need to address discrimination, prejudice and exclusion by including women and other marginalized groups in shaping the policies, programs, practices, services and legislation that affect our lives. Inclusion is a process to bring about equality. It embraces individuals and groups who have been excluded from planning, decision-making and policy development within community. Inclusion empowers those who have been traditionally excluded by providing the opportunities, resources and support needed to participate. Feminist strategies for inclusion call for actions that address our concerns at individual, family, community and societal levels. These actions must come from all sectors of society to address the systemic nature of exclusion. As feminists, we work for women’s full participation in society by applying a lens of inclusion to our equality-seeking efforts. Although the language and terminology of inclusion and equality has changed with time, and as these ideas are being adapted by governments and institutions, the fundamental ideas and values are in keeping with our long-standing feminist principles, practices and processes. An inclusion lens is, in fact, a feminist lens. We see the world through our women’s eyes from our women’s experience, overlaying this vision with a lens of inclusion. This provides us with a method to analyze the causes of women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural exclusion, and create strategies and solutions that promote equality. A feminist inclusion lens offers a way in which we can look at the root causes of longstanding problems like sexism and other forms of discrimination, and consider new ways of thinking to solve these problems. The values that inform the process of inclusion mirror our values as feminists. As advocates of social justice, we work for the fair and equitable distribution of the social, legal, political, economic and cultural resources of society for the benefit of all women and men. We value diversity, and are committed to respecting and embracing the diversity of women’s cultures, races, ages, sexualities, abilities, and other differences. We welcome and validate the contributions of all women and men to society. In our efforts toward equality and inclusion, we respect the rights of individuals to make choices affecting our lives, and work to create opportunities for choice. We recognize and support the rights and freedoms set out in legislation and guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As feminists, we are committed to working together with women, families, communities, organizations and governments to build common relationships and interests. We must continue to advocate for the development of inclusive public policies, programs, practices, services and legislation that address and eliminate the barriers to inclusion and equality. The processes governments and institutions undertake to consult with communities or include us in public policy development are often exclusionary in nature. They act as barriers to the full participation of women and other marginalized groups in society, reinforcing existing inequalities. There are financial barriers to women’s participation, such as lack of funding, childcare and transportation. Social barriers, such as poverty, illness, or lack of education, are those which make women and other groups feel as though they have no right or legitimacy to participate. Structural barriers, such as management and decision-making processes, also limit participation. For example, governments and institutions that operate from a traditional hierarchal approach, are likely to try and manage communities and non-governmental organizations in a similar fashion when seeking our input. As feminists, we must challenge these processes in order to eliminate the barriers to women’s full participation in society. We do this by advocating for inclusive and equitable processes which encourage and validate the full participation and contributions of traditionally excluded individuals and groups. Governments and institutions must be challenged to provide adequate funding and resources while respecting the autonomy of women and equality-seeking organizations to identify issues of concern as well as solutions. As women, organizations and communities working for equality, we must be able to decide on the structure, process and resources for implementing our own solutions in order to effect real change. We must continue to challenge policies, programs, practices, services and legislation to ensure that a diversity of women are included, and the barriers to our participation are addressed. In the course of our equality-seeking work, we will encounter many terms related to equality and inclusion used by governments and funders. Some of these are consistent with our feminist vision and values, while others ignore, minimize or water down our efforts toward women’s equality and inclusion. For example, gender mainstreaming refers to the reorganization, improvement, development and evaluation of policy processes to incorporate a gender equality perspective at all levels and at all stages. By bringing gender equality issues into the mainstream of society, gender is meant to be considered in the widest possible variety of sectors, such as work and immigration. As feminists, we are concerned with this concept of mainstreaming as a potential move toward the complete invisibility of women as a marginalized group in society. This invisibility would mean that women’s concerns are neither acknowledged nor addressed, reinforcing existing inequalities. Likewise, gender neutral analysis assumes that all people are affected by policies and programs in the same way, or that there is a neutral impact on women and men as a result of a policy or program. As feminists, we recognize that gender neutral analysis does not result in equitable outcomes for women. It is based upon the assumption that existing structures are inclusive of women and other marginalized groups, and does not take into account the reasons why inequality exists within the status quo. By simply adopting a gender neutral approach to policy and program development, we risk repeating and reinforcing existing inequities in the lives of women and men. As feminists, we work toward women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. Gender equity is the process of being fair to women and men. This means recognizing the differences in women’s and men’s lives, including our roles, responsibilities and access to resources. It also means taking measures to address the historical and social disadvantages that have led to these inequities. Gender equality means that women and men enjoy the same status in society. This means having equal conditions to participate and contribute to social, legal, political, economic and cultural development at all levels of society, and to benefit from the results. Gender equality is achieved through gender equity practices; equity leads to equality. Equity practices, such as affirmative action and pay equity programs, are a means through which women and other marginalized groups may be included and fully participate in traditional structures. For example, an institution may initiate an affirmative action hiring program in order to increase the number of women employees. Opponents of affirmative action claim that such programs lead to tokenism, or that under-qualified women will unfairly obtain positions while qualified males will experience discrimination. Given the experience women have gained in the work force, family, community and through education, there are many qualified women who are as skilled and able as their male counterparts in similar capacities. Without affirmative action, it is unlikely that women would be included in traditional structures or hold positions of authority in male-dominated environments. As feminists, we must continue to insist upon opportunities to enable women to fully participate within society. Gender based analysis, gender equality analysis, and gender inclusive analysis are terms which are sometimes used interchangeably within governments and institutions, but may carry separate and distinct meanings depending on the context in which they are used. Gender based analysis is a tool to help integrate gender considerations into policy, planning and decision-making processes. It relates to a broader goal of gender equality using various competencies and skills to involve both women and men in building society and preparing the future. Gender equality analysis is a process that assesses the impacts on women and men of policies, programs, legislation or legal principles from the beginning stages. This assessment is made through the consideration of gender differences, the relationships between women and men, and our different social and economic circumstances. It also takes into account compounding issues such as race, class, sexuality or ability. As feminists, we are committed to using a gender inclusive analysis in our efforts toward equality and inclusion. Gender inclusive analysis recognizes that a policy will have different impacts on women and men because we have different roles in society and different life experiences. Gender inclusive analysis identifies differences arising from women’s unequal access to power and resources, and assumes these differences can be changed. As feminists, we work from a gender inclusive analysis in every aspect of the work we do. We constantly examine policies, programs, practices, services and legislation to examine how they currently affect women, as well as how they can be improved to remove barriers to women’s equality and inclusion. We may also apply a gender inclusive analysis to the internal practices and processes of our equality-seeking organizations to become inclusive of the women we work for and with. As feminist equality-seeking organizations, we are committed to women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality and inclusion. As feminists, we acknowledge exclusion as the mechanism that prevents women’s full participation in society, maintaining existing inequalities. As women, we may be excluded from participation in traditional structures not only on the basis of gender, but age, race, culture, sexuality, ability, or other factors that distinguish us from the traditional status quo. We must insist on the implementation and use of equity practices within traditional structures to include and validate the participation of women and other marginalized groups within society in general. Inclusion is the process through which systemic changes may take place to make equality possible. When we are committed to the principle of equality and inclusion within our work and organizational processes, we model the very practices we want to see adopted within our relationships, workplaces and communities. As feminists, we must continue to insist on women’s inclusion in all aspects of policies, programs, practices, services and legislation to advance our agenda for peace, equality and justice. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Equality and Inclusion The provincial Legal Aid program offers services to individuals unable to pay for legal representation. The Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission offers services in criminal matters and civil matters. The bulk of funding is used to deliver criminal legal aid services where serious crimes (e.g., sexual assault, murder) are dealt with. Family law issues such as property settlement, access and custody, are considered civil matters. Government claims that the Legal Aid program is equally accessible to women and men. 1. Is the Legal Aid program equal? Inclusive? Why or why not? 2. Is the Legal Aid program gender neutral? Gender inclusive? How? 3. Do Legal Aid services meet the needs of women? Why or why not? 4. How could women’s organizations work to make this program equal and inclusive of women and women’s legal needs? 5. Who should be included in the work to make this service inclusive of the legal needs of women? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Equality and Inclusion • Are there times when I have felt excluded because of my gender? My age, ability, or other factors? • Are there times when I have felt included? What does inclusion feel like? • What does equality and inclusion mean to the practices of our organization? • How can we practice equality and inclusion within the decision-making practices of our organization? The feminist principle of evaluation is necessary to the long-term effectiveness of equality-seeking organizations. Evaluation is one of the best ways to recognize and celebrate our individual and collective efforts within the women’s movement. The feminist principle of evaluation can help identify our successes as well as our challenges in our ongoing efforts toward women’s equality and inclusion. The feminist principle of evaluation means taking the time to reflect upon whether we are achieving what we set out to do as well as how we are going about it. Evaluation presents an opportunity to examine the work that we do and the feminist principles, practices and processes that guide and inform this work. The feminist principle of evaluation means collecting and analyzing information, stories and experiences about our principles, practices, processes, advocacy and services, and drawing conclusions about how well they are working. This allows us to see a balanced picture of the current state of our organizations, and set priorities and goals for the future. We may conduct formal evaluations of our organization such as annual and quarterly reports, or informal evaluations through discussion and other interactions. “At the core of evaluation is values - e_valu_ation. We measure and critically examine policies, programs and practices against the values we believe to be important. Evaluation claims time to reflect, to assess and to document which in turn results in the opportunity to celebrate success and re-focus where necessary. In order to seek the information we believe to be important, we need to ensure our values are reflected in the evaluation framework.” Bobbie Boland We may tend to view evaluation as a task associated with lengthy, time-consuming reports to funders and governments. Many equality-seeking organizations have had negative experiences of evaluation. We may have been consulted by bureaucrats and politicians in an evaluation of policies and programs, only to find that our analysis or experience are minimized or omitted from the final report. We may have been evaluated by our funders and then told that we must take on additional responsibilities, although our budgets have not been similarly increased. As feminists, evaluation assists us in profiling the valuable work undertaken by our organizations. It also enables us to validate the practices and processes which distinguish our feminist organizations from mainstream groups. This is critical if feminist ways of working are to influence traditional organizations and bureaucracies. The feminist principle of evaluation means a commitment to examining our organization’s internal practices as well as our service and advocacy work in the community. It is just as important to evaluate the ways in which we work, as the actual work itself. For example, although we may evaluate our services to provide accountability to government and community, we should also be asking how and if our group’s members are accountable to each other. We may be tempted to let our efforts for constructive self-examination fall by the wayside, as we struggle to keep up with the sometimes overwhelming demands of our daily work. The practice of evaluation is necessary if we are to have consistency and grow successfully through changes in staff and membership. Many equality-seeking organizations already engage in several practices that involve elements of evaluation. These may include: staff / board / committee / membership meetings; annual retreats; exit interviews with staff or volunteers; vision and planning days; focus groups and workshops; round table discussions; year-end reviews; or feedback from service users. Evaluation practices enable us to examine a broad range of issues and questions, from our shared understanding of feminist principles to the overall effectiveness of our organization. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Evaluation Mary is a leader of a feminist organization with a hectic schedule and a heavy workload of projects and services. Members spend no time holding discussions about their feminist principles, practices and processes. Because the finances and paperwork are in good order, some women think that discussions on feminism and unity are unnecessary. Mary is beginning to sense that the group is moving further away from its feminist mandate. 1. Is Mary’s organization at risk? Why or why not? 2. What will members need to evaluate their work beyond finances and services? 3. How can this group keep feminist principles, practices and processes as an ongoing part of evaluation? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Evaluation • Why does our organization do the work that it does? • How does feminism (principles, practices, processes) guide our work? • What aspects of our organization do we currently evaluate? • What can we gain by the ongoing evaluation of both the work we do and the feminist principles which guide this work? Our practice of evaluation can help identify our individual and organizational goals and priorities, and reconnect with feminism as our basis of unity. Through evaluation we acknowledge our individual and collective challenges and successes in respectful and nonjudgmental ways. We reflect on lessons learned from the past to prepare and build for the future. Successful evaluations focus on and reflect the best interests of our organization and the women we work for and with. In the long term, our feminist practice of evaluation will support and improve our ongoing efforts toward equality and inclusion. The feminist principle of joy and celebration is at the heart of equality-seeking work. When we find ways to share joy and celebrate our collective action as women and organizations, we honour the generations of women who have worked for change throughout history. The feminist principle of joy and celebration can ignite passion in our work, strengthening our shared agenda for equality and inclusion. The feminist principle of joy and celebration means that we honour each other and our work through sharing joy and celebrating our commitment to woman-centred, feminist principles, practices and processes. The feminist principle of joy and celebration enables us to reconnect with our reasons for choosing equality-seeking work, and reclaim feminism as our basis of unity. As feminists, we create opportunities to celebrate the privilege of working and meeting in women-centred environments, and derive joy from our feminist practices and processes. When we rejoice in our work and celebrate who we are, we honour our feminist foremothers and demonstrate in our commitment to peace, equality and justice. “When I walked into the women’s centre I saw women doing different things: washing dishes, laying out food, photocopying, and making tea. I couldn’t tell who was the president, the coordinator, or the volunteers. They seemed to like each other, and though they had different roles they shared their responsibilities and worked on them together.” Rita Greene Joy and celebration may be found within our everyday work as feminists. We find joy in the respectful ways we interact and meet with other members, and support and nurture each other in our work. Within feminist organizations we work democratically, sharing power and leadership with other women. We choose to work in these ways to create inclusive and equitable alternatives to traditional, hierarchical structures that exclude our participation and contributions as women. As feminists, we celebrate these everyday women-centred practices and share joy in everything we do, from hosting an anniversary gala, to delivering services, to simply meeting in the company of women. Kay McPherson, former President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, said: “Make every meeting a celebration, and every celebration a meeting.” She was reminding us, as women working for change, that the simple coming together of women for meetings or workshops is in itself cause for celebration. She was further telling us that our celebrations are also opportunities to network and to connect with women who work on these equality issues in other settings. Blending our celebrations with meetings, and creating opportunities to consult and strategize during these celebrations, keeps equality on the agenda at all times. In the feminist practice of joy and celebration, we may not celebrate “success” in a traditional sense by how many policies we changed, or the numbers of services we delivered. Within equality-seeking organizations, our greatest successes are often the smallest. For example, a woman who has empowered herself to go to court and face her abuser is great cause for celebration, for she has made a valuable contribution to our work to end violence against women. All women’s contributions to our collective movement for equality are reasons to celebrate; success is reflected by our commitment to feminist principles, practices and processes, not by our final “product.” As feminists, we are committed to examining the environment of our organizations and finding ways to practice joy and celebration for the benefit of the women we work for and with. For example, an environment that encourages humor and laughter will feel more welcoming and enjoyable to staff, volunteers, students and visitors, who in turn are likely to become more interested in contributing to our organization. Likewise, the practice of sharing food at meetings may foster feelings of comfort, security and nurturance. As women, we have long been associated with kitchens and the traditional role of preparing food in the family. Although these roles were often imposed on us, the “women’s domain” of the kitchen sometimes served as a place where women could gather and find their place of power within the family. This familiar reminder in our work can help foster a comfortable environment in which it feels easier to have meaningful yet challenging discussions. Within the feminist practice of joy and celebration, we create opportunities to revisit our feminist roots, and encourage newer members or younger women to connect with our feminist history. Annual celebrations like International Women’s Day, Women’s History Month and Take Back the Night are an integral part of the women’s movement. These celebrations highlight events and milestones within our feminist history, and remind us of where we come from as women and organizations. They also present opportunities to get our equality-seeking message heard while honouring the women who have contributed to, and carried forward, the movement toward equality. When we do not take the time to rejoice in the work that we do, we risk creating an unhealthy environment where members feel unappreciated and frustrated, and lose the desire to stay involved with our organization. Within our larger vision of equality and inclusion, sharing joy in our work is a healthy practice that lends to a happy organization. When we add joy and fun to our agenda, whether at a meeting, retreat, or conference, we create opportunities to reclaim our feminist roots and ignite passion for our work. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Joy and Celebration Faye is the coordinator of an equality-seeking organization. She has been in this job for five years, and her board members have served between one to eight years with the organization. The organization has decided to hold a twentieth anniversary celebration, and asks Faye to take the lead role. Faye has lots of experience in organizing community events, but she is not quite sure how to plan an event honouring feminist work. 1. Who does Faye need to include on her planning committee? Why? 2. How will Faye ensure that she practices inclusion in the process of organizing and hosting the 20th anniversary? 3. How can this event be both a celebration of history and an opportunity to attract new members? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Joy and Celebration • What does joy and celebration mean to me as a woman? • How do we create women-centred environments within our organization’s meetings? Within our organization in general? • What does the statement “make every meeting a celebration and every celebration a meeting,” mean to us as members of a feminist organization? • How can we honour our foremothers and our women’s history in the practice of joy and celebration? The feminist principle of leadership is essential to our vision of healthy equality-seeking organizations. It is one of women and women’s organizations sharing power, authority and decision-making in our common pursuit of social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. The feminist principle of leadership means embracing and sharing the skills and knowledge of individual women, and providing opportunities for all women to develop their leadership potential. As feminist organizations, we invest power and trust in our leaders with the expectation they will draw upon feminist practices and processes in our efforts toward equality and inclusion. As feminists, we acknowledge that all women have the capacity to become leaders. We may be formal or “public” leaders, such as coordinators and presidents, or informal leaders, such as key volunteers or committee members. Often we develop our leadership abilities in these roles over time, as our understanding deepens through experience. “Even though I am recognized in my position as the formal leader, I believe leadership resides in all of us. I reach out to people, asking for help when I need it and acknowledging that I don’t have all the answers.” Debbie Armstrong As feminists, we strive for democratic practices and processes built upon our feminist principles. Within feminist organizations, leaders work from a vision of shared power, providing opportunities for all members to develop and use their leadership skills. This idea may feel unfamiliar at first, as we often think of leaders in the traditional sense: a handful of people with high-ranking positions who have claimed the most power within their organization. Power is not shared in these structures, because being successful means always competing to be “number one.” We may expect that feminist groups will be problem-free, or that we will create inclusive environments by virtue of our collective work. As women, we must acknowledge that we come from different experiences of leadership, and that our practices are informed by traditional, hierarchical structures. Sometimes we repeat the very practices we dislike, even when we are trying to do things differently. We may encounter other challenges, including women who bring destructive behaviours stemming from issues or a lack of power within our personal lives into our organizations. As feminists, we need to explore and discuss our ideas about leadership to avoid falling into negative patterns within our organizations. We need to examine the structures we have come from, and consider how our experience informs our current practices. Leaders of feminist equality-seeking organizations are accountable not only to our members and service users, but to the global movement for peace, equality and justice. We typically expect our leaders to ensure that our organization’s finances are in good order, projects are on track, and public relations are effective. Feminist leaders are also responsible for ensuring that the perspective and analysis of our equality-seeking organization is brought to the larger feminist community. Women in leadership roles need to take every opportunity to build links with other women and women’s organizations that share our agenda for equality and inclusion. We need to consider how we are accountable to our group and community, and if our service and advocacy work is effective or appropriate to the needs of women. As feminists, we must always remind ourselves of the larger reasons why we are drawn to equality-seeking work, and of our desire to transform our organizations and communities into safe, equitable, and inclusive places for all women. Within equality-seeking organizations, we may expect that our feminist members will not struggle with issues of power. Leaders need to be aware that power dynamics happen in any organization, and that some women are supportive while others are more comfortable with conflict. For example, a woman may gain power through manipulation, claiming disempowerment when she cannot have things her way. We may become so afraid of conflict that we stop challenging, allowing individual women to take power away from our organization. This does not serve our collective interest, as our work toward equality and inclusion becomes lost within our own practices. We may feel uncomfortable with power struggles, but we are more at risk when we do not challenge exclusionary or destructive behaviours. Feminist leaders challenge destructive patterns that emerge, while continuously drawing on the skills and talents of women in our group. Feminist leaders are committed to practicing feminist principles and guiding members in understanding our feminist basis of unity. For example, by respecting our differences and validating our contributions leaders make our organization safe for all women. Within the feminist practice of leadership, leaders are members of a team of women working toward a common goal of equality and inclusion. Each woman on the team has a unique skill or ability that is valuable to our common efforts. This does not mean that our roles and responsibilities are identical, but that our contributions and participation are equally valued. Whether a woman chairs a meeting, or prepares the food for a meeting, her contribution is important in advancing our equality-seeking work. Feminist leaders strengthen our organizations by continuously seeking out and including women who will share ideas and abilities in our common efforts toward equality and inclusion. “I’m somewhere in the centre reaching out, building and maintaining the relationships that are needed to create the whole. I recognize that my leadership exists to nurture other’s learning to strengthen the fabric whatever it may be. I recognize that as a leader I value this image as one in which the attributes of feminist leadership are recognized.” Debbie Armstrong Scenario The Feminist Principle of Leadership Lisa has just been elected as chair of the new board of an equality-seeking organization. Much of Lisa’s leadership experience has been within traditional, hierarchical organizations. The majority of women on Lisa’s board are new to feminism. A few of the members have much experience and knowledge about the organization. 1. What are our expectations of Lisa as a feminist leader? 2. How are these expectations similar to or different from our expectations of leaders in traditional structures? 3. What will Lisa and her board need to develop their feminist leadership skills? Workshop Questions The Feminist principle of leadership • What does leadership mean to me as a woman? How has growing up female influenced my ideas about leaders? • Do men practice leadership differently? How? • What are the characteristics of a feminist leader? • What does the feminist principle of leadership mean to our organization? How can we practice leadership in the future? Members of equality-seeking organizations choose our leaders. As willing followers and supporters, we invest power in our leaders. We entrust they will share their skills and abilities with our group and provide opportunities to develop other women’s leadership potential. For example, feminist leaders create opportunities for meaningful discussions where every woman’s participation is encouraged. We expect our leaders to mentor others, drawing out the ideas and analysis of every woman in making decisions and creating strategies for our organizations. Feminist leadership is a vehicle for women and organizations to find power to deal with issues, change policies, and transform communities. The feminist principle of power sharing is critical to feminist organizing. By sharing power with other members of our organization, we contribute to a healthy environment where all members feel engaged, empowered, respected and validated. This distinguishes feminist equality-seeking organizations from mainstream organizational structures. The feminist principle of power sharing means we are committed to creating balanced power relationships through democratic practices of shared leadership, decision-making, authority, and responsibility. Many equality-seeking and grassroots organizations apply the principle of power sharing to our internal practices to reflect our commitment to feminism as our basis of unity. Without these practices, feminist organizations would more closely resemble traditional, hierarchical institutions – the very structures feminists seek to change in the pursuit of women’s equality and inclusion. “Who said the hierarchy is the natural order? Who said that poverty is a natural or inescapable phenomenon? Who said that unequal power relations between the rich and the poor is a fact of life? The patriarchy.” Helen Murphy Power is held or shared by our organization’s members in any number of ways. Staff typically access power through monitoring daily activities, supervising students and volunteers, and representing our organization at meetings or other public events. Staff also gather power through knowledge, as they are usually the most aware of the organization’s history, events and activities. Boards and executive committees also acquire power, as they are entrusted with the leadership, authority and accountability of our organization. When women choose not to share skills, knowledge and abilities with other members, we foster unequal power relationships within our organization. Women have traditionally held little power in workplaces, families, schools and organizations, and it may be easy to fall into the trap of using a women’s group as a substitute for power in our personal lives. For example, a woman who is in an oppressive relationship at home, or is minimized by her employer at work, may use a women’s organization as a place to reclaim her sense of personal power through controlling other members. This unhealthy pursuit of power may not be intentional, and women may not be aware of doing it. As individual women and organizations, we need to take the time to understand the difference between sharing power and taking power. Within equality-seeking organizations, we might expect that our members will not struggle with issues of power. Power dynamics happen in any organization, and some women are supportive while others are more comfortable with conflict. For example, a woman may gain power through manipulation, claiming disempowerment when she cannot have things her way. We may become so afraid of conflict that we stop challenging, allowing individual women to take power away from our organization. This does not serve our collective interests, as our work toward equality and inclusion becomes lost within our own practices. We may feel uncomfortable with power struggles, but we are more at risk when we do not challenge exclusionary or destructive behaviours. It is important that we examine where our individual ideas of power come from, and consider whether they belong in our feminist organization. For example, while the practice of chairing meetings using traditional rules of order may be appropriate for hierarchical institutions, it is not an ideal way of working within feminist groups. By their very nature, such practices prevent ideas and strategies from flowing freely out of discussions, and act as a barrier to the full participation of members. Feminist practices, such as rotating the chairing of meetings and consensus decision-making, equalize power and encourage women’s full participation. Sharing power may mean that we learn as we go, feeling our way through the power relationships that exist between members and working together to create balance. Through the healthy practice of power sharing we nurture an environment that is peaceful, empowering and respectful. We share power within feminist organizations through inclusion, consensus-building, and skills development. Other practices include validating women’s experiences, anticipating challenge and conflict, including diverse voices, creating safe spaces, evaluating our work, and sharing roles and responsibilities. Respect is at the root of successful power sharing, as is a genuine commitment to the principles, practices and processes of feminism. To foster healthy and equitable power relationships among staff, board members and volunteers we must demonstrate our commitment to feminist leadership rather than simply assume authority. Our challenge, as feminists, is to look for ways to share power with each other, and build positive working relationships that are appropriate to both our organization’s equality-seeking mandate and members’ skills and abilities. By making this commitment to working together, we can build and maintain a healthy organization that empowers and validates the contributions of all women. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Power Sharing Sarah has been the coordinator of a feminist organization for five years and enjoys her job. The board has recently changed, and newer members are now asking Sarah to become more accountable by reporting her activities and decisions in writing. After working in the same familiar environment for several years, Sarah is now struggling to understand the new power dynamics between her and the board. She is feeling quite anxious. 1. Why is Sarah anxious? 2. How will Sarah benefit from new accountability practices? How will the board benefit? 3. What decisions should Sarah have the power to make alone on behalf of the organization? What decisions should be made by the board? What decisions need to be made collaboratively? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Power Sharing • Where do our ideas about power come from? • Who currently has power within our organization? Who does not have power? • What are the consequences to our organization when power imbalances exist? • What practices can we use to share power within our organization? The feminist principle of safety is essential to the development of healthy, inclusive organizations. As feminists, we work to create caring and supportive environments that promote our emotional and physical safety. The feminist principle of safety applies to all organizational practices and processes, and underlies much of what the women’s equality movement is all about. The feminist principle of safety means we are committed, as women and organizations, to creating environments where all women feel comfortable and safe to participate in our work toward equality. We build safety through healthy practices of inclusion, respect, self-care and confidentiality. When we talk about safety in terms of how our members treat one other, or how our meetings and decision-making processes are structured, we mean those internal practices and processes that are fair and inclusive. These enable us to express our ideas and opinions, and to challenge each other in ways that are respectful and healthy. “Yes, it is important to feel safe with our feminist friends, but whether we are talking to another feminist or a woman with whom we share little in common, we must continue to make points, not score them, and build bridges, not burn them.” Dorothy Inglis The feminist principle of safety means that we individually and collectively encourage the full participation of women within our organizations by fostering environments that are healthy, empowering, educational and confidential. All women should expect to feel safe, accepted and included when they walk through our doors. An Aboriginal woman should expect that her questions and contributions will be welcomed and validated, as should a single mother, a senior, a woman with a disability, a lesbian woman, or any other woman. Feminist organizations should always be safe places for women to share and participate without their words being minimized, or their stories being retold in the community. The feminist practice of safety is about developing respectful, fair and inclusive processes through which our members and others can effectively work together to fulfill the mandate of our organizations. This means we accept our own and others’ mistakes, and provide opportunities to learn from these mistakes while leaving the blame behind. For example, a woman new to feminism might assume during conversation that all women within our group are heterosexual. Rather than halting the conversation, we can use this opportunity to educate her about women’s systemic discrimination by gently challenging her assumption. We create an environment of safety when we treat each other with acceptance and respect, and celebrate the diversity of background and experience among us. Through practices such as consensus-building, shared leadership and decision-making, mentoring, conflict resolution, and celebration, we build healthy, participatory equality-seeking organizations. As feminists, we need to be aware and vigilant of building organizations without boundaries, places that seem safer and more inviting on the surface than they could be in reality. For example, women may feel a false sense of security because of the caring and validating environment we have created. We may disclose information about our private lives and later regret sharing our stories, or wish we had done so in a more appropriate setting. Unless we are careful, we could find ourselves in the position of taking liberty with each other’s personal stories without taking care of each other. Women who choose to identify personal experiences during discussions must acknowledge that doing so is not without some personal risk. We need to establish boundaries with each other and find ways of discussing personal circumstances that are healthy for individual women and our organizations. As individual women, we should consider how we are accountable for our individual and collective safety within our organizations. We should assume that in any feminist organization women who are survivors are present. We should also assume that women have healthy strategies for dealing with personal issues. These strategies may include choosing to speak at particular times, taking a time out, calling a friend following the discussion, or seeking professional assistance. As members of feminist equality-seeking organizations, we should encourage each other to practice self-care by drawing on these strategies if we experience discomfort when discussing or relating to a personal experience. As feminists, we have an individual and collective responsibility to act in ways that promote safety and inclusion at all times. Unless we are vigilant, struggles such as lack of adequate staff and resources, unclear roles and responsibilities, and disrespectful or intolerant attitudes and behaviours may contribute to an exclusionary atmosphere for women – despite the best of intentions. Our challenge is to build healthy feminist organizations where all women feel comfortable to voice their ideas and opinions, share stories and experiences, mentor and learn from each other, and seek information and assistance. The nature of our work presents many opportunities to discuss issues and strategies with members, and consult with other women on a regular basis. When we make the most of these opportunities, and demonstrate our commitment to feminist principles and practices, we advance our agenda for women’s equality and inclusion. “ I am an Inuit woman from Labrador. And have been coming to meetings with women for over thirty years. This is the first time that I have really felt listened to. And the first time I have felt a part of Newfoundland.” Silpa Edmunds Scenario The Feminist Principle of Safety Kelly is a new member of an equality-seeking organization. During a discussion on violence against women, Kelly disclosed past abuse at the hands of her partner. A short while later at a social gathering, Kelly learns that her story has been retold by Cindy, another member of the organization. 1. Has this organization become unsafe? Why or why not? 2. How far are we responsible for our individual safety within our group? For our collective safety as a group? 3. What practices might this organization adopt to ensure members who wish to speak about personal experiences feel included, safe and validated? Workshop Questions The Feminist Principle of Safety • What does it mean to feel safe and included in an equality-seeking organization? • What practices should individual members use to contribute to our own safety within our organization? To the safety of other members? • What practices could our organization adopt to ensure that women feel safe and included? Introduction As an established equality-seeking group you may have already developed a feminist basis of unity, and have a strong sense of the feminist principles, practices and processes of your organization. As an emerging equality-seeking group, or as newer members, you may be considering these ideas for the first time. Within healthy feminist practices, it is important to take the time to regularly reflect upon the work that we do, including why and how we do it. There are many ways we can incorporate discussions of our feminist principles, practices and processes within meetings, workshops and other kinds of interactions. For example, we might take time at each of our board or membership meetings to reflect upon the meaning and practice of a particular feminist principle. We might also conduct longer workshops or retreats as opportunities to spend a concentrated piece of time re-examining and reconnecting with feminism as our basis of unity. This section contains tools and resources to assist you in holding thoughtful discussions and workshops about the ideas in this book, as well as to provide additional information about feminism and feminist organizing: _ Feminism: Our Basis of Unity _ Facilitators’ Guidelines for Giving a Feminist Workshop _ Workshop: Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity _ Panel Exercise: Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity _ Workshop: Building Our Feminist Basis of Unity _ Handout: PACSW Feminist Premises _ Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes _ Reflection Exercise _ Handout: 13 Feminist Principles Defined _ Self-Evaluation Tool _ Sample Workshop: The Feminist Principle of Choice _ Feminist Resources _ Feminist Glossary of Terms _ Feminist Internet Resources _ Feminist Bibliography “Women need to be encouraged and empowered. One of the successful ways this is accomplished is by women getting together and talking about what they can do collectively. It gives women encouragement and strength when they realize they can make a difference.” Charlotte Woolfrey Facilitating a workshop may seem like an intimidating task if we are new to this role. Even for experienced facilitators, workshops require a great deal of preparation and concentration. In addition to the planning and preparation of people, materials, location, agenda and other duties, we are responsible for ensuring that the discussion flows smoothly, women feel safe and comfortable in participating, and the goals and objectives of the workshop are met. Through the use of respectful and inclusive strategies and practices, we may facilitate effective workshops where women enjoy challenging, thought-provoking discussions. The following guidelines have been designed to assist you in planning and facilitating a participatory workshop where women feel respected, included, and validated. Experienced facilitators may find it helpful to review these guidelines as a focus tool prior to facilitating a workshop. Distributing and discussing these guidelines with other members of your organization may also be beneficial to orientation or skills building sessions. Tips for Choosing a Feminist Facilitator Any member of an equality-seeking organization has the potential to become a feminist facilitator. Characteristics of a feminist facilitator include: _ a commitment to women’s respectful and inclusive practices of meeting and discussing _ a level of comfort in identifying yourself as a feminist _ an understanding of feminist principles, practices and processes Often it is beneficial for a member of our organization to facilitate our workshops. She may be a coordinator, member of the board or a volunteer. Sometimes it may also be helpful to bring in a trusted outside facilitator so that all of our members can fully participate in the discussion. Tips for Planning the Workshop ? Invite women to the workshop well in advance of the date. Make follow up contact to remind them of the time, date and place prior to the workshop. ? If you are inviting members of the community to your workshop, make sure the time, date and place are publicized well ahead of time. ? Gather, prepare and copy any materials you will need for the workshop (flip-charts, markers, handouts, etc.). ? Arrange for refreshments. ? Set up the room so that women can see each other. Arrange seating in a circle or around an oval table. Tips for Self-Care and Disclosures Facilitators of feminist workshops need to be aware and vigilant throughout the process. Our inclusive and respectful workshop processes may be seen by women as an invitation to relay personal experiences because of the caring, validating environment we create. For example, when discussing the feminist principle of choice, women may recall emotions following a miscarriage or abortion. Likewise, a discussion about conflict may cause us to reflect upon conflicts and challenges within personal relationships, families and organizations. ? Encourage women to practice self-care. It should be assumed that in any feminist workshop women who are survivors are present. It can also be assumed that women have healthy strategies for dealing with personal issues. These strategies may include: • choosing to speak at particular times • taking a time out • calling a friend following the workshop • seeking professional assistance Encourage women to draw on these strategies if they experience discomfort when speaking about or relating to a personal experience. ? Remind women who choose to place their personal experiences into the discussion that doing so is not without personal risk. The following steps can assist with facilitating a respectful and inclusive workshop, while validating and encouraging women to develop and use personal strategies for emotional care and well being. • Acknowledge at the beginning of the workshop that discussing these issues can be an emotional experience. • Validate women for their personal self-care strategies, and encourage women to use them. • Conclude the workshop with an acknowledgment to women for using self-care practices. Tips for Building a Welcoming Environment ? Acknowledge and greet individual women as they enter the room. ? Use non-verbal as well as verbal ways of communicating. For example, nod, make eye contact or smile, in addition to saying “hello.” ? Ask each woman to put on a name tag as she arrives, and refer to women by name. ? Introduce women to each other informally as they arrive. Tips for Beginning the Workshop ? At the beginning of the workshop, introduce yourself. Briefly tell women a little about who you are and identify yourself as a feminist. Share with women some of your involvements within the feminist movement or within this organization. ? Explain your role as the facilitator of this workshop: • to encourage discussion within the group • to ensure that every woman has an opportunity to participate • to ensure that all women’s contributions are validated • to assist women in following the group guidelines for the workshop • to record key ideas, decisions and agreements • to assist women in finding their common ground • to assist women in keeping the agenda and timeline on track • to assist women in moving forward from conflict should it occur ? Provide any background on the women’s movement, feminism or the organization that will be helpful to the workshop discussions. ? Review the goals and objectives of the workshop, as well as the agenda and timeline for the day. ? Invite women to share in setting group guidelines for the day to assist them in feeling safe to participate. Ask each woman to name one thing she would like to happen during the workshop, as well as one thing she would not like to happen during the workshop. For example: • We will take turns, speaking one at a time. • We will not break confidentiality by repeating other women’s private stories. This exercise may take place through a round. Record the guidelines on a flip- chart so that everyone can see. Ask women’s consent to use these guidelines throughout the day. Post them within the room as a reminder, and for review at the end of the day. ? Explain to the group that you will be working with women’s respectful and inclusive practices of meeting and discussing. Discuss your expectations of the women participating: • to develop understanding about the workshop topic • to listen to other points of view • to share our own point of view • to explore our common ground • to explore and examine important issues with a diversity of women through meaningful discussion ? Create an opportunity for women to formally introduce themselves to the group. Choose an icebreaker or other process to enable women to connect with each other. For example: • Ask each woman to introduce herself and any groups she belongs to. • Pair women and ask them to share things they are good at that other participants are not aware of. Then ask each woman to introduce her partner to the whole group and share her ability or talent. • Ask women to share with the group why they are here, and what they would be doing today if they were not at this workshop. Tips for Facilitating the Workshop ? Follow the agreed upon group guidelines, and remind women to follow them too. ? Be aware of anyone who has not spoken, and assist her in feeling safe to participate. Encourage her participation by offering eye contact, a supportive smile, or simply calling on her if she looks like she may want to speak. ? Be aware of anyone who is dominating the discussion. Simply thank her for her contribution to the discussion, and indicate that you would now like to hear from someone who has not yet spoken. ? Ask follow up questions to draw out women’s stories and experiences that may be relevant to their opinion or position on an issue. ? Note key themes that emerge on a flip-chart. Use women’s own words without editing them, and check to see that you have captured them accurately. ? Demonstrate good listening skills, and encourage women to respectfully listen when other women are speaking. ? Remind women that there is an agenda and timeline for the day should discussions get off track or go overtime. ? Although this can sometimes difficult, try to remember that your role is to encourage discussion among the women participating in the workshop. They should speak much more often than you. Tips for Sparking Discussion ? Sometimes during a discussion the energy level in the room may wane. This is especially likely to happen during daylong workshops or retreats. At certain points throughout the day women may be feeling tired, disinterested or confused, or simply have nothing else to add. It is important that facilitators are flexible. If you sense a loss of interest or energy from women, it may be helpful to move on to something else than continue an activity which is not productive. ? Asking questions of women can be an effective means of initiating further discussion or re-focusing the energy level. Consider asking the following types of questions throughout the workshop: • Are there themes or ideas with which we all seem to agree? • Does anyone want to add to that point? • Could you give an example to illustrate that point? • Could you help us understand the reasons why you feel this way about the issue? ? Ask open ended questions (rather than simple yes or no questions) to encourage women to share their thoughts. ? Pause for a few moments after asking a question so women can reflect before responding. ? Make eye contact when asking women to answer questions or contribute. ? Consider pairing or grouping women to collaborate on answering a question or making a decision if appropriate to the workshop. ? Encourage women to ask each other questions and to consult with each other. ? If all else fails, call for a short break. Give women a few minutes to stretch, chat informally or take refreshment. Tips for Ending the Workshop ? Draw the discussion to a close by asking for final comments from women who have spoken, or comments from women who have not yet participated. ? Summarize key ideas or common themes that have emerged from the workshop. ? Review any action items that need to be carried out before the next meeting, and decide who will do what. ? Set times and dates for future meetings as necessary. ? Ask for women’s feedback on the workshop to determine if the goals and objectives have been met. This may be done through an evaluation form or an informal speaking round. ? Thank women for following the group guidelines, and remind them of any that go beyond the workshop (e.g., maintaining confidentiality). ? Thank women for their openness and willingness to participate. Invite women to close the workshop by applauding their participation and efforts. For more information see: ? Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity Workshop (page 82) ? Building Our Feminist Basis of Unity Workshop (page 91) ? Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes Sample Workshop (page 109) This workshop is designed to assist women and organizations in holding a thoughtful and challenging discussion aimed at deepening our individual and collective understanding of feminism as our basis of unity. The values and ideas explored in this workshop may be used to create an organizational unity statement in the followup workshop, Building Our Feminist Basis of Unity (page 91). Workshop Goals and Objectives 1. To experience and appreciate women’s respectful and inclusive practices of meeting and discussing. 2. To deepen our understanding of feminism and the women’s movement. 3. To demystify feminism and increase our level of comfort in identifying ourselves as feminists. 4. To embrace feminism as the basis of unity for our equality-seeking organization. What We Will Need ? People - one or more feminist facilitators, members / staff / board of our equality-seeking organization, and one note taker ? Time - 2 hours (3 hours if using additional exercise) ? Materials - flip-chart, markers, masking tape ? Handouts - Feminism: Our Basis of Unity (page 9) ? Snacks ? Commitment - to women’s respectful and inclusive ways of listening and learning Facilitator’s Workshop Tips This Basis of Unity workshop is about defining and describing our organizational values and vision as feminists working for change. ? Facilitators must be comfortable identifying and defining themselves as feminists. ? It is helpful to include participants who are at different stages in their understanding of feminism and the women’s movement. ? Participants who identify with feminism or the feminist movement solely because of their gender should be gently challenged to think about feminist organizations as different from women’s service groups, unions, churches, political or support groups. ? It is important that facilitators highlight feminist principles, practices and processes throughout the workshop. For more information see: ? Facilitators’ Guidelines for Giving a Feminist Workshop (page 75) Agenda and Timeline Part 1 Opening and Introductions A. Goals and Objectives (10 min) B. Introductory Round (15 min) C. Connecting to the Women’s Movement (15 min) Part 2 Feminism: Our Basis of Unity A. Myths and Misconceptions (20 min) B. Linking Feminism to Our Equality Seeking Organization (25 min) C. Forward Visioning (20 min) Part 3 Reflection and Closing A. Review and Evaluation (10 min) B. Closing Round (5 min) Part 4 Additional Exercise (Optional) A. Additional Exercise I (60 min) Part I Opening and Introductions 1A. Goals and Objectives (10 minutes) Begin the workshop by welcoming participants and providing a brief review of the goals and objectives of the workshop. Facilitator’s Notes As the facilitator, you should quickly identify yourself as a feminist. Locate yourself within the context of feminism as an individual woman within a collective movement for equality and inclusion. This will help set a relaxed yet informative tone for the workshop, and assist participants in feeling at ease when contributing to discussions. 1B. Introductory Round (15 minutes) Invite participants to check in with a round. Ask each woman to introduce herself and briefly respond to each of the following questions. These responses will form a set of guidelines for the group. ? What do we want to happen during this workshop? ? What do we not want to happen during this workshop? Facilitator’s Notes Setting group guidelines in this manner can help set a positive and realistic tone for the workshop and foster healthy dynamics among participants. This may be especially helpful in tense settings or where conflict is expected. Responses should be recorded on flip-chart paper and posted within the room as a reminder. The guidelines may be reviewed at the end of the workshop to determine how well the needs and interests of the group have been met. 1C. Connecting to the Women’s Movement (15 minutes) Explain to participants that, as individual women, we come from different backgrounds and experiences of inequality. Invite women to join in a round to locate themselves within the equality-seeking women’s movement. Ask each woman to briefly respond to the following questions: ? When did I first become aware of inequality? ? What concerns / events in my life enabled me to understand or identify with the work of the women’s movement? Facilitator’s Notes These questions are helpful if women seem to minimize their self awareness of feminism, or are reluctant to embrace feminist principles. Part 2 Feminism: Our Basis of Unity 2A. Myths and Misconceptions (20 minutes) Ask participants to name every word or phrase they have heard to negatively describe feminism or the feminist movement. Flip-chart these. Ask women to look at the words, think about where they come from, and consider how they distance women from feminism or our place within the feminist movement. Next, ask participants to name words or phrases which describe feminism in a positive manner. Flip-chart these. Ask women to consider these words, and think about where they come from. Then invite women to respond to the following questions: ? Which of these words would we want to describe us? ? Which of these words would we want to describe our organization? Facilitator’s Notes Participants should have fun with this exercise. Feminism has been the “F” word for too long. In our efforts to reclaim our identity and locate ourselves within the women’s movement, we need to understand where the misconceptions originated and how they make it difficult for women to identify with the movement for equality and inclusion. 2B. Linking Feminism to Our Equality-seeking Organization (25 minutes) Invite participants to think about their own values and how they have been shaped by growing up female. Encourage women to consider how they will need to be challenged on issues such as class, race, ability, culture, education, age and sexuality. Pose the following questions to the group, recording answers on a flip-chart. ? What will be the biggest challenges facing me as I work within this feminist equality-seeking organization? ? What will be the biggest challenges facing our equality-seeking organization? ? What values will guide us in our work together as a feminist equality-seeking organization? Facilitator’s Notes This exercise should focus on the organization and provide an opportunity for women to reflect upon its feminist vision and values. Every effort needs to be made for full participation, as the exercise is meant to assist women in defining common values, concerns and challenges. This session should be flip-charted to enable women to build on each other’s answers rather than merely repeating what has been said. 2C. Forward Visioning (20 minutes) Invite participants to join in a round to discuss their future vision of the organization. Ask each woman to give an “I” statement describing her vision for the future of this feminist equality-seeking organization. These should be flip-charted for use in future workshops or discussions within the organization. Part 3 Reflection and Closing 3A. Review and Evaluation (10 minutes) Invite participants to draw their attention back to you for a brief review of the day’s work. Summarize women’s agreements about feminism as their organizational basis of unity, as well as any other decisions or actions that may have resulted from the discussions. Next, invite women to join in a round for a simple, informal evaluation of the workshop to determine if the goals and objectives have been met. Questions to consider include: 1. Has this workshop helped you to experience and appreciate women’s respectful and inclusive ways of meeting and discussing? 2. Has this workshop helped to deepen your understanding of feminism and the women’s movement? 3. Has this workshop helped to demystify feminism and increase your comfort level in identifying yourself as a feminist? 4. Has this workshop helped you to embrace feminism as the basis of unity for your equality-seeking organization? 5. What would you recommend for future discussions? Facilitator’s Notes Evaluation is a valuable way to determine how effective the workshop has been, and to hear recommendations and suggestions for the future. However, if women are still engaged in a challenging and thoughtful discussion at this point in the session, it may be best to allow that to continue rather than halting conversation to begin an evaluation. A round is an informal and seamless way to hear feedback from your group. 3B. Closing Round (5 minutes) Invite women to close by checking out with a round, taking a moment to give their thoughts on how the workshop went or identify topics or issues for future discussions. Finally, end the workshop by thanking women for their participation, and inviting them to celebrate their work and efforts through a round of applause. Part 4 Additional Exercise (Optional) (60 minutes) Facilitator’s Notes This exercise may also be used separately on other occasions, such as regular board / membership / council meetings, orientations and training sessions. 4A. Additional Exercise I - Scenario Questions (60 minutes) Distribute the handout with the feminist basis of unity scenario. Ask women to review the information and consider the questions. Pose each of the scenario questions to the group, and invite women to share their views, thoughts and responses with others. Scenario Feminism: Our Basis of Unity Marie is a member of an equality-seeking organization. Some women in her group insist the time has come to “tone down” their feminism to better appeal to funders and the community. Other women are opposed to what they say is a move against the equality-seeking purpose of the organization. Marie is feeling quite concerned that the organization may be at risk. 1. Is it possible for Marie’s group to be an equality-seeking organization without being feminist? Why or why not? 2. What might this group need to become comfortable with feminism as their basis of unity? 3. Should women who do/can not identify as feminists be leaders in your organization? Members? Why or why not? A panel discussion is a wonderful opportunity for women new to equality-seeking work to listen to other women share their lives and understanding of feminism. It is also a good exercise for women who are comfortable and familiar with feminism to reflect upon the stories of other women, and locate our personal experiences within the context of the panellists’ stories. It is important to have a panel consisting of a diversity of women from different generations, experiences and backgrounds within the active feminist movement. This enables us to see the commonalities that exist among feminists regardless of our age, race, ability, education, sexuality, personal experiences, politics, and other differences. Panellists may be drawn from many different settings, and may include current and former members of our organization, individual women from our community, and women representing other equality-seeking organizations. Questions for Panellists: 1. When did you become aware of gender inequality? Reflect upon your formative years, and locate yourself within the active women’s movement or within other contexts, such as family and community. 2. What issues / events / concerns during your lifetime encouraged you to identify yourself as a feminist? 3. How does feminism inform your life (e.g., in relationships, social settings, work, politics)? 4. What do you feel are the biggest challenges to the work we do as women working for equality? For more information see: ? Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity Workshop (page 82) This workshop is designed to assist women and organizations in holding a thoughtful and challenging discussion aimed at defining and creating our organizational feminist basis of unity. It builds upon the values and ideas that have been explored and identified in the previous workshop, Understanding Feminism as Our Basis of Unity (page 82). Workshop Goals and Objectives 1. To experience and appreciate women’s respectful and inclusive practices of meeting and discussing. 2. To embrace feminism as the basis of unity for our equality-seeking organization. 3. To begin building a feminist basis of unity statement for our equality-seeking organization. What We Will Need ? People - one or more feminist facilitators, members / staff / board of our equality-seeking organization, and one note taker ? Time - 2 hours Materials - flip-chart, markers, masking tape ? Handouts - PACSW Feminist Premises (page 97) and any feminist guiding principles or unity statements the organization may have developed ? Snacks ? Commitment - to women’s respectful and inclusive ways of listening and learning Facilitator’s Workshop Tips This Basis of Unity workshop is about defining and describing our organizational values as feminists working for change. ? Facilitators must be comfortable defining themselves as feminists. ? Participants who identify with feminism or the feminist movement solely because of their gender should be gently challenged to think about feminist organizations as different from women’s service groups, unions, churches, political or support groups. ? It is important that facilitators highlight feminist principles, practices and processes. For more information see: ? Facilitators’ Guidelines for Giving a Feminist Workshop (page 75) Agenda and Timeline Part 1 Opening and Introductions A. Goals and Objectives (10 min) B. Introductory Round (15 min) Part 2 Feminism: Our Basis of Unity A. Feminist Basis of Unity (PACSW Model) (25 min) B. Building Our Feminist Basis of Unity (40 min) C. Next Steps (15 min) Part 3 Reflection and Closing A. Review and Evaluation (10 min) B. Closing Round ( 5 min) Part I Opening and Introductions 1A. Goals and Objectives (10 minutes) Begin the workshop by welcoming participants and providing a brief review of the goals and objectives of the workshop. Facilitator’s Notes As the facilitator, you should quickly identify yourself as a feminist and locate yourself within the context of a collective movement for equality and inclusion. Identify how feminist principles have informed your life or work, using examples (e.g., principles of choice, safety, power sharing). This will help set a relaxed yet informative tone for the workshop and assist participants in feeling at ease when contributing to discussions. 1B. Introductory Round (15 minutes) Invite participants to check in with a round. Ask each woman to introduce herself and briefly respond to each of the following questions. These responses will form a set of guidelines for the group. ? What do we want to happen during this workshop? ? What do we not want to happen during this workshop? Facilitator’s Notes Setting group guidelines in this manner can help set a positive and realistic tone for the workshop and foster healthy dynamics among participants. This may be especially helpful in tense settings or where conflict is expected. Responses should be recorded on flip-chart paper and posted within the room as a reminder. The guidelines may be reviewed at the end of the workshop to determine how well the needs and interests of the group have been met. Part 2 Feminism: Our Basis of Unity 2A. Feminist Basis of Unity (PACSW Model) (25 minutes) Distribute the PACSW Feminist Premises handout to participants. If the organization has already developed feminist guiding principles or unity statements, distribute these along with the PACSW handout. Invite women to look at the feminist premises and consider the meaning of each within the context of their equality-seeking organization. Next, invite women to share their reactions to the PACSW feminist premises. Pose the following questions: ? Which premises feel familiar, recognizable or comfortable? Why? ? Which premises feel unfamiliar, unrecognizable or uncomfortable? Why? Facilitator’s Notes It is important to gently challenge participants to examine why they may feel uncomfortable with certain premises, as well as identify what they would need in order to become comfortable. Women should also be reminded to consider these premises in the context of their equality-seeking organization, and how this feminist perspective may differ from their personal perspective. 2B. Building Our Feminist Basis of Unity (40 minutes) Explain to participants that they will build a unity statement for their own organization. Pose each of the following questions and flip-chart women’s responses: ? What words or ideas reflect the feminist values that belong in our equality-seeking organization’s basis of unity statement? ? Which of these values can we agree upon as a group? ? What would these feminist agreements look like if they were phrased as statements? E.g., “To be a feminist is . . .” or “As members of (an equality-seeking organization) we believe . . .” Facilitator’s Notes This exercise should focus on the organization and enable participants to arrive at a unified understanding of feminist values as their basis of unity. Every effort needs to be made for full participation. Encourage women to think broadly, considering how such values promote equality. Should disagreement arise about particular values, such as choice or safety, remind women that they may create opportunities for further discussions about feminist principles, practices and processes beyond this workshop. 2C. Next Steps (15 minutes) Briefly review the feminist basis of unity statement that has been created by the group. Ask participants to consider actions that continue or build upon this work. Pose the following question: ? How will we continue to develop our feminist basis of unity? Facilitator’s Notes Encourage participants to suggest specific actions for this development, such as planning additional unity workshops, retreats or visioning days. Identify who will do further work on the unity statement by adopting or revising current organizational practices, holding discussions or workshops on feminist principles, or other actions. These should be flip-charted for future reference by the group. Part 3 Reflection and Closing 3A. Review and Evaluation (10 minutes) Invite women to join in a round for a simple, informal evaluation of the workshop to determine if the goals and objectives have been met. Questions to consider include: 1. Has this workshop helped you to experience and appreciate women’s respectful and inclusive practices of meeting and discussing? 2. Has this workshop helped you to embrace feminism as the basis of unity for your equality-seeking organization? 3. Has this workshop helped you to begin building a feminist basis of unity statement for your equality-seeking organization? 4. What would you recommend for future discussions? Facilitator’s Notes Evaluation is a valuable way to determine how effective the workshop has been, and to hear recommendations and suggestions for the future. However, if women are still engaged in a challenging and thoughtful discussion at this point in the session, it may be best to allow that to continue rather than halting conversation to begin an evaluation. A round is an informal and seamless way to hear feedback from your group. 3B. Closing Round (5 minutes) Invite women to close by checking out with a round, taking a moment to give their thoughts on how the workshop went or identify topics or issues for future discussions or workshops. Finally, end the workshop by thanking women for their participation, and inviting them to celebrate their work and efforts through a round of applause. 1. To be a feminist is to assert our equal value as women in a society that too often undervalues our worth, contributions and experience. 2. To be a feminist is to challenge the inequities in power and privilege that exist because of sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, racism and all other forms of exclusion. 3. To be a feminist is to question the institution of family as it is currently structured, and to challenge the roles and responsibilities of women and men in family care giving. 4. To be a feminist is to be a strategist in challenging structures and institutions that are built upon male values and experience, and that limit women’s equal participation. 5. To be a feminist is to view the world through our women’s eyes from our women’s experience, and to see this lens as valuable and necessary in the pursuit of equality and inclusion. 6. To be a feminist is to recognize, include and value women’s different kinds of knowledge, including knowledge informed by personal experience and knowledge acquired through work and education. 7. To be a feminist is to acknowledge that the world is not always a safe place for women to speak out about inequality. The strength that exists in the collective voice of women’s organizations makes our challenges safer and more effective. 8. To be a feminist is to take responsibility for learning about the issues that often seem to divide us (the environment, war, sexuality), and to create safe spaces to talk about our disagreements. 9. To be a feminist is to challenge men to support our feminist agenda, and to support pro-feminist men who share our common agenda for peace, equality and justice. 10. To be a feminist is to take pride in feminism as a movement for transforming the world into an equitable, peaceful and just place for women, men and children. 11. To be a feminist is to examine our organization’s principles, practices and processes to ensure that we are creating opportunities to include the perspectives of women whose voices have not been included (e.g., young women, seniors, lesbians, Aboriginal women). 12. To be a feminist is to take our agenda for women’s equality and inclusion into every meeting, regardless of the structured agenda. 13. To be a feminist is to make every meeting a celebration, and every celebration a meeting: to continuously acknowledge both the challenges and joys of working for and with women. This exercise is useful as a starting point for reflecting on the feminist principles, practices and processes that guide your organization. You may choose to consider one principle during a shorter meeting, or several principles during a longer working session such as a planning day or retreat. Consider the meaning of each of the feminist principles discussed in the previous section of this book. These are the feminist principles of: _ Accountability ? Advocacy _ Challenge and Conflict ? Choice _ Consultation ? Diversity _ Education and Mentoring ? Equality and Inclusion _ Evaluation ? Joy and Celebration _ Leadership ? Power Sharing _ Safety After reflecting on the meaning of the feminist principle(s), answer the following questions as a group. You may have other principles within your organization that you wish to discuss in a similar manner. 1. What does this feminist principle mean to our equality-seeking organization? 2. How do we currently practice this principle? 3. What are we doing that is working well, and that we need to keep doing? 4. What are we doing that is not working well, and that we need to improve or change? 5. How will we practice this principle in the future? For more information see: ? Handout: 13 Feminist Principles Defined (page 99) ? Self-Evaluation Tool: Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes (page 101) ? Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes Sample Workshop (page 109) Accountability The feminist principle of accountability means we hold ourselves responsible to the women we work for and with in our pursuit of equality and inclusion. We are accountable through our practice of feminist principles and our commitment to feminism as our basis of unity. Advocacy The feminist principle of advocacy means supporting or recommending a position or course of action that has been informed by women’s experiences in our efforts to bring about equality and inclusion. Advocacy may take place through a variety of actions and strategies, ranging from demonstrations and protests to meetings and dialogue. Challenge and Conflict The feminist principle of challenge and conflict means that we accept conflict as inevitable while embracing challenge as the practice of calling into account, questioning, provoking thought, and reflecting. When we are committed to respectful ways of challenging and healthy conflict resolution processes, we deepen our individual and collective understanding. Choice The principle of choice means that we respect, support and advocate for women’s individual and collective right to make our own decisions about our bodies, our families, our jobs and our lives. The right to choose is integral to the feminist pursuit of social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality for women. Consultation The feminist principle of consultation means working collaboratively, seeking guidance and sharing information to develop strategies and actions to advance women’s equality. Diversity The feminist principle of diversity means that we respect, accept and celebrate our individual and collective differences as women, including those based on age, race, culture, ability, sexuality, geography, religion, politics, class, education and image, among others. Education and Mentoring The feminist principle of education and mentoring means creating opportunities to guide, counsel, coach, tutor and teach each other. Constantly sharing our skills, knowledge, history and understanding makes our organizations healthier and more effective in our pursuit of equality and inclusion. Equality and Inclusion The feminist principle of equality and inclusion means, as feminist organizations, we apply a feminist analysis to policies, programs, practices, services and legislation to ensure they are inclusive of women and other marginalized groups. We advocate for equity practices to eliminate the barriers to inclusion, recognizing that inclusion leads to equality. Evaluation The feminist principle of evaluation means taking the time to reflect upon whether we are achieving what we set out to do as well as how we are going about it. Evaluation presents an opportunity to examine the work that we do and the feminist principles, practices and processes that guide and inform this work. Joy and Celebration The feminist principle of joy and celebration means that we honour each other and our work through sharing joy and celebrating our commitment to woman-centred, feminist principles, practices and processes. Leadership The feminist principle of leadership means embracing and sharing the skills and knowledge of individual women, and providing opportunities for all women to develop their leadership potential. As feminist organizations, we invest power and trust in our leaders with the expectation they will draw upon feminist practices and processes in our efforts toward equality and inclusion. Power Sharing The feminist principle of power sharing means we are committed to creating balanced power relationships through democratic practices of shared leadership, decision-making, authority, and responsibility. Safety The feminist principle of safety means we are committed, as women and organizations, to creating environments where all women feel comfortable and safe to participate in our work toward equality. We build safety through healthy practices of inclusion, respect, self-care and confidentiality. This tool is designed to assist equality-seeking organizations in understanding and evaluating our use of feminist principles, practices and processes. The success of this evaluation lies in how we are able to interact with each other and deepen our understanding of our equality-seeking work, not how many points we score. Given the challenges of funding, staffing and time, it may be difficult to meet all of the expectations placed upon us, or that we place upon ourselves. As equality-seeking organizations, we must accept mistakes as inevitable in our process of learning and growing. What is more important is that we continue to have inclusive and honest discussions with each other, finding ways to learn from our mistakes and build for the future. Below you will find a series of checklists designed to conduct a self-evaluation of your equality-seeking organization’s practices and processes based on the 13 feminist principles discussed in section two. These checklists are meant to assist in discussions of the work that we do and the way that we do it. They should be used as a tool to re-examine our guiding principles, to reflect on our current practices, and to look for ways to improve our practices. You may choose to complete all checklists at once during a retreat or evaluation, or individually during a discussion of a particular feminist principle. For more information see : ? Reflection Exercise: Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes ? Handout: 13 Feminist Principles Defined ? Feminist Principles, Practices and Processes Sample Workshop 1. The Feminist Principle of Accountability We have a democratic process for electing boards and chairs. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We have value statements or guiding principles that guide our activities. We have a designated treasurer / bookkeeper / financial chair. We involve board and staff in our organization’s decisions. We keep minutes and records of our meetings and decisions. We ensure that staff have sufficient training and skills to carry out their roles and responsibilities. We provide new members and staff with an orientation to their roles and responsibilities. We hold meetings on a regular basis. We have a process for dealing with issues or decisions between meetings. We regularly prioritize the goals and objectives of our organization’s work, and develop reasonable timelines for meeting them. 2. The Feminist Principle of Advocacy We are comfortable with our role of advocacy, and understand what it means to be advocates. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We acknowledge and understand our organization as an instrument of social change. We are individually and collectively active on women’s equality issues. We are both pro-active and reactive to community and political realities. We invite and encourage other women and organizations to participate in our advocacy efforts. We share our skills and strategies so that other members, women and organizations may empower themselves to become advocates and activists. 3. The Feminist Principle of Challenge and Conflict We welcome challenge and expect conflict within our organization. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We acknowledge challenge and conflict as positive and necessary to our organization We are able to grow and learn through challenge and conflict. We are able to respectfully challenge each other on our ideas and strategies. We have an agreed upon process for resolving conflict. We challenge through healthy practices of respect, reflection, confidentiality, validation and mediation. We allow members to leave our organization without feeling a sense of failure when we cannot resolve conflict. We feel safe to challenge each other when assigned tasks and responsibilities are not completed. 4. The Feminist Principle of Choice We support all women in the right to choose. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We believe that choice is necessary for equality and inclusion We advocate for women’s right to make our own choices in all areas of life. 5. The Feminist Principle of Consultation We work collaboratively with staff, board and members, and consult with one another on an ongoing basis. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We take the time to discuss community and/or feminist issues within our boards, councils and membership. We seek out programs and projects which put us in touch with women in our communities. We are pro-active in consulting with marginalized groups of women (i.e., seniors, women with disabilities, aboriginal women, etc.). We regularly seek feedback from the women who use our services and programs. We are involved with local, regional, provincial and national women’s and equality-seeking organizations. We take advantage of opportunities to consult with governments and policy-makers to improve the status of women. 6. The Feminist Principle of Diversity We support and embrace all women regardless of our differing perspectives. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We are pro-active in inviting and including a diversity of women within our organization. We are pro-active in seeking out older women, women with disabilities, lesbians, academic women, young women, etc. to serve on our board or committees. We are pro-active in ensuring that our organization’s services and programs are reflective of the diversity of our community. 7. The Feminist Principle of Education and Mentoring We create opportunities to learn from other women Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We create opportunities to mentor and teach other women. We create opportunities to listen to other women speak about their experiences and involvements with feminist issues. We share our skills, abilities, and knowledge with individuals and organizations who share our agenda for equality and inclusion. We create opportunities to learn about our history as women and feminists. We respect and validate women’s different kinds of knowledge, including knowledge acquired through education, experience and employment. 8. The Feminist Principle of Equality and Inclusion We have developed a basis of unity or values statement that reflects our equality-seeking mandate. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We take time to develop and understand feminist inclusive analysis. We use feminist principles, practices and processes in all aspects of our organization’s work. 9. The Feminist Principle of Evaluation We regularly evaluate our work, and identify best practices for the future. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We create opportunities to revisit our values and mandate to see that they are relevant to the reality of the women we work for and with. We create opportunities to regularly evaluate our service and advocacy work within communities. We include board, staff, volunteers, service users and members of the community in our evaluation processes. We evaluate how we use feminist principles, practices and processes in our work. We create opportunities to find out how our community views our organization. We identify critical issues facing our organization during our evaluation processes, and make plans to address these issues. 10. The Feminist Principle of Joy and Celebration We take time to develop and appreciate women-centred ways of working. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We validate the contributions of all women to our work, and encourage and support each other in our work. We hold retreats or other events to reconnect and enjoy the company of women. We are pro-active in including other women and organizations in celebrations and events. We honor our history as women and feminists through our celebrations and events. We create opportunities to celebrate our everyday hard work and successes. 11. The Feminist Principle of Leadership We create opportunities for leaders to share their skills, abilities and knowledge with other members of our organization. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We create opportunities for women to empower themselves to develop their leadership potential. We encourage women with diverse skills and abilities to assume leadership positions. We draw upon feminist principles, practices and processes as leaders within our organization. We support our staff and volunteers in their work to represent our organization. We have clearly defined roles for coordinators, directors and chairs. We respect and support women who take on leadership roles within our organization. 12. The Feminist Principle of Power Sharing We have clearly defined roles and responsibilities as leaders and members. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We take time to examine how our roles complement and impact on sharing power. We share power within our organization through consensus building, consulting, and sharing knowledge and information. We encourage the power of all women through sharing responsibilities and duties. We use the power of our organization as a tool for the empowerment of women in our communities. 13. The Feminist Principle of Safety We have a confidentiality policy. Always Usually Sometimes Never Not Sure We feel a sense of belonging within our organization. We are comfortable sharing and participating in discussions and meetings. We are open and honest with each other. We trust each other. We have developed a basis of unity or values statement that guides how we interact with each other. We are comfortable taking risks, asking questions and sharing new ideas. We do not share women’s stories or experiences without their permission. We have made our organization a safe place for women in our communities to share their issues and concerns. We have made our organization a safe place for women to differ in opinions. This workshop is designed to assist women and organizations in holding thoughtful discussions aimed at deepening our individual and collective understanding of feminist principles and practices. Although this particular example is about the feminist principle of choice, a similar format may be used with each of the feminist principles found in this discussion guide. Workshop Goals and Objectives 1. To experience and appreciate women’s respectful and inclusive practices of meeting and discussing. 2. To develop / increase our comfort level in discussing and understanding our choices as women. 3. To explore and understand the relationship between choice from our women’s perspective and our perspective as feminists. 4. To explore and apply the feminist principle of choice to the work and practices of our equality-seeking organization. What We Will Need ? People - one feminist facilitator, 13 willing women participants, and one note taker ? Time - 2 hours ? Materials - flip-chart, markers, masking tape ? Handouts - The Feminist Principle of Choice (page 30) ? Snacks ? Commitment - to women’s respectful and inclusive ways of listening and learning Facilitator’s Workshop Tips This workshop involves facilitated group discussion. Your main role as facilitator is to ensure that all women have the opportunity to participate and that the discussion remains inclusive and respectful. Issuing gentle invitations to women who have not spoken and subtle reminders to those who have spoken at length is a considerate way to keep the workshop on course while fostering a positive and healthy climate for discussion. Encourage women to draw upon self-care strategies if experiencing discomfort when speaking about or relating to personal experiences. If you anticipate that women are uncomfortable or unwilling to share their personal views, relating a brief story about how you have struggled with these ideas yourself may help initiate discussion. Women may also feel more comfortable participating if you adopt the role of guide or mentor rather than “expert” or “authority.” For more information see: ? Facilitators’ Guidelines for Giving a Feminist Workshop (page 75) Agenda and Timeline Part 1 Opening and Introductions A. Goals and Objectives (5 min) B. Introductory Round (15 min) Part 2 The Feminist Principle of Choice A. Understanding Choice as Women (20 min) B. Connecting Choice to Feminism (20 min) C. Linking Choice to the Work of Our Equality Seeking Organization (30 min) Part 3 Reflection and Closing A. Review and Evaluation (20 min) B. Closing Round (10 min) Part I Opening and Introductions 1A. Goals and Objectives (5 minutes) Begin the workshop by welcoming participants and providing a brief review of the goals and objectives of the workshop. 1B. Introductory Round (15 minutes) Invite participants to check in with a round. Ask each woman to introduce herself and briefly respond to each of the following questions. These responses will form a set of guidelines for the group. ? What do we want to happen during this discussion? ? What do we not want to happen during this discussion? Facilitator’s Notes Setting group guidelines in this manner can help set a positive and realistic tone for the workshop and foster healthy dynamics among participants. This may be especially helpful in tense settings or where conflict is expected. Responses should be recorded on flip-chart paper and posted within the room as a reminder. The guidelines may be reviewed at the end of the workshop to determine how well the needs and interests of your group have been met. Part 2 The Feminist Principle of Choice 2A. Understanding Choice as Women (20 minutes) Explain to the group that in this section of the workshop they will consider the meaning of choice within the context of women’s lives. Pose the following questions and encourage women to offer their thoughts and comments to the rest of the group. Identify themes or similarities that emerge from their responses, and invite women to comment. ? What does choice mean to me as a woman? How has being female affected the choices I have made? The choices that have been available to me? ? Where do my beliefs about choice come from? How have they been shaped and influenced by other people or life experiences? By the world around me? 2B. Connecting Choice to Feminism (20 minutes) Explain to the participants they will now consider the meaning of choice within the context of feminism. Pose the following question and encourage women to offer their thoughts and comments to the rest of the group. Note themes or similarities that emerge from women’s responses, and invite women to examine them further. ? How are my beliefs about choice as a woman similar to or different from my understanding of choice as a feminist? 2C. Linking Choice to the Work of Our Equality-seeking Organization (30 minutes) Explain to participants they will now consider the meaning of choice within the context of their feminist equality-seeking organization. Distribute the handout on the principle of choice and ask women to carefully review the information and consider the scenario questions. Pose each of the scenario questions and invite women to share their views, thoughts and responses with the rest of the group. Scenario The Feminist Principle of Choice Julie wants to join your women’s group. You explain to her that this is an equality-seeking organization based on feminist principles and practices. She tells you that she supports all of the basic feminists beliefs, but strongly feels that abortion is murder and life begins at conception. 1. Is there room in a feminist organization for Julie? Why or why not? 2. Is there room in a leadership role (board, executive, committee or council) for Julie? Why or why not? 3. If Julie were a member of your pro-choice organization, how would you assist her in feeling comfortable, and challenge her understanding of choice for other women? Pose the following question to the whole group, and encourage all women to participate in arriving at common agreements. Note women’s responses on the flip-chart for future reference by the group. ? What does the principle of choice mean to our equality-seeking organization? How can we agree to practice it in future? Part 3 Reflection and Closing 3A. Review and Evaluation (20 minutes) Invite participants to draw their attention back to you for a brief review of the day’s work. Summarize women’s agreements about the principle of choice within the practices of the organization, as well as any other decisions or actions that may have resulted from the discussions. Invite women to join in a round for a simple, informal evaluation of the workshop to determine if the goals and objectives have been met. Questions to consider include: 1. Has this workshop helped you to experience and appreciate women’s respectful and inclusive practices of meeting and discussing? 2. Has this workshop helped to develop / increase your comfort level in discussing and understanding our choices as women? 3. Has this workshop helped you to explore and understand the relationship between choice from your woman’s perspective and your perspective as a feminist? 4. Has this workshop helped you to apply the principle of choice to your work and practices as an equality-seeking organization? 5. What would you recommend for future discussions? Facilitator’s Notes Evaluation is a valuable way to determine how effective the workshop has been and to hear recommendations and suggestions for the future. However, if women are still engaged in a challenging and thoughtful discussion at this point in the session, it may be best to allow that to continue rather than halting conversation to begin an evaluation. A round is an informal and seamless way to hear feedback from your group. 3B. Closing Round (10 minutes) Invite women to close by checking out with a round, taking a moment to give their thoughts on how the workshop went or identify topics or issues for future discussions or workshops. Finally, end the workshop by thanking women for their participation, and inviting them to celebrate their work and efforts through a round of applause. This glossary has been created to provide a simple feminist explanation of several terms and concepts that we often encounter in equality-seeking work. Many of these terms have been used throughout this discussion guide. Others have been offered to provide additional information for clarity and understanding. Ableism Discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, prejudice or stereotyping based on our mental or physical ability. (See also: discrimination; exclusion; marginalization; prejudice; stereotyping) Activism Vigorous action or involvement through demonstrations, protests, dialogue and other strategies to advance the status of women. (See also: feminism) Affirmative Action A practical policy to increase the diversity of an organization. Affirmative action creates opportunities for the inclusion of women and marginalized groups so that we may fully participate within traditional structures. Affirmative action often takes place through human resources initiatives, such as quotas for hiring women, persons of colour, and persons with disabilities. (See also: gender equity; tokenism) Ageism Discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, prejudice or stereotyping based on our age. Authority The power to command, control, or determine. This power is usually vested in a person or agency that others view as legitimate, such politicians, lawmakers, and corporations. (See also: establishment; hierarchy; power) Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which forms Part 1 of Canada's constitution since 1982, sets out most of the rights and freedoms that all governments in Canada must respect. It guarantees our freedom of religion, expression, association, and peaceful demonstration, and certain democratic, mobility, legal, equality, linguistic and Aboriginal rights. Section 28 of the Charter specifically guarantees equal rights and freedom for women: “Notwithstanding anything in this Charter, the rights and freedoms referred to in it are guaranteed equally to male and female persons.” Section 15(1) of the Charter guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination based on sex and other differences: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.” (See also: exclusion; gender equality; inclusion) Classism Discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, prejudice or stereotyping based on our social and/or economic class and status. (See also: status) Community A group of people who share a common sense of identity and interact with one another on an ongoing basis. Often a community is defined as a group of people who live in the same geographic area, have a common system of government, and share a cultural or historic background. (See also: community capacity building; community development, social investment). Community Capacity Building A philosophy that says people and communities can manage our own affairs. It is based on the core value of helping people and communities help ourselves. Community capacity building is the process of investing in community’s ability to find solutions, create initiatives, and foster leadership, partnerships and collective problem solving at the community level. (See also: community development; inclusion; social investment) Community Development A process where community members come together to take collective action and develop solutions to common problems, which leads to an improved quality of life. (See also: community capacity building; inclusion) Consensus General agreement by the members of our group, such as in the practice of consensus decision-making. Democracy A form of government in which citizens have the right to participate in political decision-making, elect representatives to government and share in the benefits of society. (See also: participation) Discrimination The behaviour, act or unequal treatment towards a person because s/he is a member of a particular social group. (See also: exclusion; ism; prejudice) Empowerment The potential to have an effect on ourselves, others, or our environment in spite of opposition. Empowerment is about women and/or women's groups making our own choices, speaking out on our own behalf, and controlling our own lives. Establishment A group of social, legal, political, economic or cultural leaders who form a ruling class. (See also: authority; hierarchy; power) Exclusion When women and other marginalized groups cannot access the education, employment, social services and other resources to live comfortably, participate in society, and feel we are valued and respected members of the community. (See also: inclusion; oppression) Feminism Feminism is a social movement based on the principles of gender equality and social justice. Feminists work to transform the nature of our patriarchal society by resisting women’s oppression and advancing alternative ideals of justice, peace, equality and inclusion. Feminism is a social movement whose goal has been, and continues to be, women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality (See also: gender equality; inclusion; oppression; patriarchy; social justice) Feminist Foremothers Our feminist ancestors – the women activists and equality seekers who came before us and won the rights and freedoms we sometimes take for granted today. These include recognition as persons and citizens, the freedom of choice, the right to vote and own property, access to higher education and custody of our children, and the establishment of transition houses, women’s centres and sexual assault centres. Gender The behaviours and roles we consider socially appropriate for the members of each sex. Gender refers to the relationship between women and men, and the way it is socially constructed. (See also: gender equality; sex) Gender Equality Women and men enjoying the same status in society. This means having equal conditions to participate and contribute to social, legal, political, economic and cultural development at all levels of society, and to benefit from the results. (See also: gender equality; inclusion) Gender Equity Gender equity is the process of being fair to women and men. This means recognizing the differences in women’s and men’s lives, including our roles, responsibilities and access to resources. It also means taking measures to address the historical and social disadvantages that have led to these inequities. (See also: affirmative action; gender equality; inclusion) Gender Based Analysis Gender based analysis is a tool to help integrate gender considerations into policy, planning and decision-making processes. It relates to a broader goal of gender equality using various competencies and skills to involve both women and men in building society. (See also: gender inclusive analysis) Gender Equality Analysis A process that assesses the impacts on women and men of policies, programs, legislation or legal principles from the beginning stages. This assessment is made through the consideration of gender differences, the relationships between women and men, and our different social and economic circumstances. It also takes into account compounding issues such as race, class, sexuality or ability. (See also: gender inclusive analysis) Gender Inclusive Analysis Gender inclusive analysis recognizes that a policy will have different impacts on women and men because we have different roles in society and different life experiences. Gender inclusive analysis identifies differences arising from women’s unequal access to power and resources, and assumes these differences can be changed. (See also: feminism; gender equality; gender equity; inclusion) Gender Mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is the reorganization, improvement, development and evaluation of policy processes to incorporate a gender equality perspective at all levels and at all stages. By bringing gender equality issues into the mainstream of society, gender is meant to be considered in the widest possible variety of sectors, such as work and immigration. Gender mainstreaming does not always result in equitable outcomes for women and men. (See also: gender neutral analysis) Gender Neutral Analysis Gender neutral analysis assumes that all women and men are affected by policies/programs in the same way. Gender neutral analysis does not result in equitable outcomes for women and men. (See also: gender mainstreaming) Globalization The process where social, legal, political, economic and cultural relations increasingly take on a global scale. This includes the increased mobility of goods, services, labour, technology and capital throughout the world. Many feminist organizations, trade unions, environmental groups, social activists, and poor and developing nations, warn that globalization will have negative impacts on people and communities. These include national job loss, environmental destruction, privatization of public services, erosion of workers’ rights, higher consumer costs, increased poverty, and loss of our Canadian culture. Heterosexism Discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, prejudice or stereotyping based on our sexuality. It is based on social values that teach that everyone is or should be heterosexual. Homophobia is the fear, dislike or hatred of homosexuality. (See also: sexuality) Hierarchy The classification of a group of people according to ability, profession, wealth or social standing. (See also: authority; establishment; power) Inclusion The process that invites and validates women and marginalized groups who have traditionally been excluded from decision-making and policy development processes in communities. It provides the opportunities, supports and processes to enable women and communities to participate in the legal, social, political, economic and cultural benefits of society. (See also: gender equality) Institution A significant practice, relationship, organization or corporation in a society or culture, often of a public nature. For example, government, media, religion, law and education are significant social institutions. Ism A term used broadly to describe assumptions that our age, race, ability, sexuality, class, geography, health, image or other characteristics should determine our social status and roles in society. (See also: ableism; ageism; classism; heterosexism; racism; sexism; sizeism) Legislation The exercise of power to enact rules or laws by a government or other organization. Lesbian A woman who experiences and enjoys a sexual attraction and emotional attachment to other women. (See also: heterosexism; sexuality) Lobbying Trying to influence legislation or the actions and decisions of legislators and public officials to improve the status of women. (See also: activism) Marginalization Placing women and other groups in positions of minor importance, influence or power by excluding us from decision-making, restricting our choices and freedoms, and other forms of exclusion. (See also: exclusion; tokenism) Matriarchy A social order in which females dominate males – the reverse of patriarchy. Feminists believe in a peaceful, just and equitable world that is free of domination and oppression. (See also: feminism; oppression; patriarchy) Oppression A system of domination through which one group controls another to secure social, legal, political, economic or cultural advantages. (See also: patriarchy; power) Participation Sharing in the social, legal, political, economic and cultural benefits of society. (See also: gender equality; inclusion) Patriarchy A social order in which males dominate females - the reverse of matriarchy. Patriarchy generally describes the situation of men holding dominance in traditional institutions, and having more power and access in society than women. Feminists seek to change the patriarchal nature of society to one that is free of domination and oppression. (See also: feminism; gender equality; oppression) Policies Rules, steps or procedures that guide what and how to do something. Power Possessing control, authority or influence over others. (See also: patriarchy) Practice The usual way of doing things. What we do to carry out a principle or policy. (See also: principle; process) Prejudice Holding unfavourable ideas or opinions about a person or group. These unfounded ideas are usually formed beforehand, without knowledge, critical thought or reason. (See also: stereotyping) Principle A shared value or belief that guides our practices and processes. (See also: practice; process) Process How we do what we do. A particular course of action intended to achieve a result. For example, many feminist organizations have a process for resolving conflict. (See also: principle; practice) Program A plan of action, activities or procedures to accomplish a goal or result. Racism Discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, prejudice or stereotyping based our race. Sex The biological differences between women and men. (See also: gender) Sexism Discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, prejudice or stereotyping based on our sex or gender. Women and girls, despite making up the majority of the human population, are usually the victims of sexism. (See also: gender; sex) Sexuality Our sexual orientation or identity. A woman or man may experience and enjoy sexual attraction and emotional attachments with persons of the same sex (homosexuality or lesbianism), the opposite sex (heterosexuality), or both sexes (bisexuality). (See also: heterosexism; lesbian) Sizeism Discrimination, exclusion, marginalization, prejudice or stereotyping based on our physical size, weight or height. Social Change Alteration or change in the basic structures of society. (See also: feminism; inclusion; social investment) Social Investment The commitment of public funds to develop and support the relationships, attitudes, values and institutions which contribute to the social, legal, political, economic and cultural well-being of women and communities. (See also: community capacity building; community development; inclusion) Social Justice Promotion of human dignity through the just distribution society’s wealth and power for the benefit of all people. (See also: feminism; inclusion) Status The social prestige or standing we are accorded by other members of society. A group’s status may be positive or negative. Women and other marginalized groups, such as aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities or seniors, have a negative status that limits our full participation in the benefits of society. Stereotype An oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment of a person or group. (See also: prejudice) Structure A term to refer to all social institutions, groups and organizations. Refers generally to constructed patterns of organization that restrict or direct human behaviour in some way. (See also: institution; organization; society; system) Suffragist An advocate of women’s right to vote. System The established structure or organization of politics, business, or society in general. Systemic means based on, involving, or related to a system. (See also: institution; structure) Tokenism The practice of making no more than a token effort or gesture. Tokenism refers to any legislation, admissions policy, hiring practice, etc. that only minimally complies with rules, laws or public pressure to include women and other marginalized groups (e.g., appointing one woman to the all-male board of directors was merely tokenism). (See also: exclusion; marginalization) Women’s Movement The collective of women and organizations working to end women’s oppression. The women’s movement has no formal organization or structure. It is united by a shared commitment to women’s social, legal, political, economic and cultural equality. (See also: feminism) The following resource is intended to direct women and organizations to web sites hosted by provincial, national and international organizations and societies who work for women’s equality and inclusion. Each site contains information and materials that can assist in our daily work and deepen our understanding of the global movement for peace, equality and justice. Each listing is annotated to provide information on the purpose and mandate of each organization. Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women (PACSW) http://www.pacsw.ca The Newfoundland and Labrador Advisory Council on the Status of Women is an arms-length organization set up in 1980 as a body for consultation, research and advising government on matters relating to the status of women. Provincial Association Against Family Violence (PAAFV) http://www.nfld.com/~paafv/ The PAAFV is a non-profit organization that was established in June 1987 as an umbrella organization for shelters housing abused women & children in Newfoundland and Labrador. Women in Resource Development Committee (WRDC) http://www.wrdc.nf.ca/ Women in Resource Development Committee (WRDC) was established to foster an environment that will increase the participation of women in the trades and technology sectors in Newfoundland and Labrador. Women’s Health Network, Newfoundland and Labrador (WHNNL) http://www.whnnl.mun.ca/ The WHNNL works to improve women's health by providing opportunities for networking and sharing information, and conducting and supporting research on women’s health issues. It is committed to a woman-centred, equitable, participatory and holistic approach to women's health. Women Interested in Successful Employment (WISE) http://www.nfld.net/wise WISE is a non-profit charitable organization with the goal of assisting women in exploring career choices, developing career plans and putting their plans into action. Wise has been operational since 1989 and currently provides formal and informal career planning services. Women’s Policy Office, Government of Newfoundland & Labrador http://www.gov.nf.ca/exec/wpo/wpo.htm The Women's Policy Office is the central agency within provincial government coordinating the development of programs and policies for the benefit of women in the province. Women’s Studies Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland http://www.mun.ca/womenst/ The Women's Studies Program at Memorial University offers students the opportunity to explore the roles and contributions of women in past and contemporary societies. Women's Studies addresses not only the need for a fuller understanding of women in society, but also for new criteria and methods of assessing the status of women. Atlantic Canada Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health (ACEWH) http://www.medicine.dal.ca/mcewh/ The goal of the ACEWH is to support research, influence policy and promote action on the social factors that affect women's health and well-being over their lifespan. It supports a woman-centred approach that respects women's perspectives and experiences, and listens to the voices of women not typically heard in health research or health systems Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research (MMFC) http://www.unbf.ca/arts/CFVR/ The MMFC’s mandate is to conduct action-oriented research whose goal is the reduction and ultimate elimination of family violence. The research is done in a multidisciplinary context and in a partnership context between academic researchers and researchers from the community. Each research project must have clearly defined goals, a team comprised of both academics and members of the community, and a distinct action component. Canada Canadian Abortion Rights Action League (CARAL) http://www.caral.ca/ CARAL is a Canadian pro-choice, volunteer organization working exclusively to ensure that all women have total reproductive freedom to exercise the right to safe, accessible abortion. Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS) http://www.elizabethfry.ca/ CAEFS is a federation of autonomous societies which works with, and on behalf of, women involved with the justice system, particularly women in conflict with the law. Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres (CASAC) http://www.casac.ca/ CASAC is a Pan Canadian group of sexual assault centres who have come together to implement the legal, social and attitudinal changes necessary to prevent, and ultimately eradicate, rape and sexual assault. Canadian Congress for Learning Opportunities for Women (CCLOW) http://www.nald.ca/canorg/cclow/mission.htm CCLOW is a national voluntary organization whose mission is to connect educators of adults with women-centred resources related to research, policy, public awareness and practice, and to lead in the development of such resources where gaps exist. Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) http://www.cfuw.org/ Founded in 1919, the CFUW is a voluntary, non-profit, self-funded bilingual organization of over 10,000 women university graduates. CFUW members are active in public affairs, working to raise the social, economic and legal status of women, as well as to improve education, the environment, peace, justice and human rights. Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) http://www.fafia.org/ FAFIA is an alliance of over 40 Canadian women's equality-seeking non-governmental organizations formed in February 1999 at a national consultation of women's organizations held in Ottawa. Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) http://www.criaw-icref.ca/ CRIAW is a national, not-for-profit organization committed to advancing women’s equality through research. Founded in 1976, CRIAW is a bilingual, membership-based organization which bridges the gap between the community and academe, and between research and action. Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) http://home.interlog.com/~vow/ Since its foundation in 1960, VOW has worked locally, nationally and internationally on issues related to peace, social justice, human rights and development, always seeking to promote a woman's and a feminist's perspective. Canadian Women’s Health Network (CWHN) http://www.cwhn.ca/ CWHN is a network of individuals, groups, organizations and institutions concerned with women's health. The CWHN recognizes the importance of information sharing, education and advocacy for women's health and equality. It works to build and strengthen the women's health movement in Canada and throughout the world. Canadian Women’s Internet Association www.herplace.org The Canadian Women's Internet Association was founded to give all women both a voice and a place of their own in Cyberspace, and to ensure that women feel welcome and comfortable on the Internet. Canadian Women’s Studies Online http://www.utoronto.ca/womens/cdnwomen.htm This site provides information about Women's Studies programs, resources & women's organizations in Canada with links to the virtual world of women. DisAbled Women’s Network Canada (DAWN Canada) http://dawncanada.net/welcome.htm DAWN Canada is a national organization controlled by and comprised of women who self identify as women with disabilities. MediaWatch http://www.mediawatch.ca/ MediaWatch is a national, not for profit feminist organization working to eliminate sexism in the media. It seeks to transform the media environment from one in which women are either invisible or stereotyped, to one in which women are realistically portrayed and equitably represented in all our physical, economic, racial and cultural diversity. National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC) http://www.nac-cca.ca NAC is the largest feminist organization in Canada. It is a coalition of more than 700 member groups fighting for women's equality. National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) http://www.nawl.ca/ NAWL is a Canadian non-profit organization that has worked to improve the legal status of women in Canada through law reform since 1974. National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) http://www.ncwc.ca/index.html The NCWC mission is to empower all women to work together towards improving the quality of life for women, families, and society through a forum of member organizations and individuals. National Organization of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of Canada (NOIVMWC) http://www.diversewomen.com/national.html The purpose of the NOIVMWC is to ensure equality for immigrant and visible minority women, within bilingual Canada. Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) http://www.nwac-hq.org/ The NWCA’s mission is to help empower women by being involved in developing and changing legislation which affects them, and by involving them in the development and delivery of programs promoting equal opportunity for Aboriginal women. Pauktuutit http://www.pauktuutit.on.ca/ Pauktuutit is the national non-profit association representing all Inuit women in Canada. Its mandate is to foster a greater awareness of the needs of Inuit women, and to encourage their participation in community, regional and national concerns in relation to social, cultural and economic development. Policy Action Research List (PAR-L) http://www.unb.ca/PAR-L/ PAR-L (Policy, Action, Research List) is a bilingual, electronic network of individuals and organizations interested in women-centred policy issues in Canada. It is a support for the community of feminist researchers and activists in Canada and Québec. Status of Women Canada (SWC) http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/ Status of Women Canada is the federal government department which promotes gender equality, and the full participation of women in the economic, social, cultural and political life of the country. Women in Trades and Technology National Network (WITT NN) http://www.wittnn.com/ WITT NN is an education and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting and assisting in the recruitment, training and retention of women in trades, technology, operations and blue collar work across Canada. Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) http://www.leaf.ca/ LEAF is a national, non-profit organization committed to using the provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to promote equality for women. International Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) http://www.catwinternational.org/ CATW is a non-governmental organization that promotes women's human rights. It works internationally to combat sexual exploitation in all its forms International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) http://www.un-instraw.org/ INSTRAW works towards gender equality and the empowerment of women through its Gender Awareness Information and Networking System (GAINS), an internet-based research and training environment driven by a worldwide network. By facilitating collaborative work it seeks to create and share knowledge to improve development policy and practice. International Women’s Tribune Centre (IWTC) http://www.iwtc.org/ IWTC provides communication, information, education, and organizing support services to women's organizations and community groups working to improve the lives of women, particularly low-income women, in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Purple Berets http://www.purpleberets.org/ The backbone of the work of the Purple Berets has been direct advocacy, advocating for women with police and the district attorney, helping to ensure that their voices are heard and that their cases move through the criminal justice system. Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) http://rawa.fancymarketing.net/index.html RAWA was established in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1977 as an independent political/social organization of Afghan women fighting for human rights and for social justice in Afghanistan. WomenWatch http://www.un.org/womenwatch/ WomenWatch is a gateway to the information and resources on the promotion of gender equality throughout the United Nations system, including the United Nations Secretariat, regional commissions, funds, programs, specialized agencies. Women’s Human Rights Net (WHRnet) http://www.whrnet.org/ Founded in 1997, WHRnet is an international network of women's human rights organizations that seeks the effective utilization of all available information and communication technologies toward the advancement of Women's human rights. Women’s International League of Women for Peace and Freedom (PeaceWomen) http://www.peacewomen.org/ PeaceWomen.org seeks to nurture communication among a diversity of women's organizations by providing an accessible and accurate information exchange between peace women around the world and the UN system. United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) http://www.unifem.undp.org/ UNIFEM is the women's fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programs and strategies that promote women's human rights, political participation and economic security. This section provides a listing of books, journal articles and internet documents that may be of interest for women and organizations seeking additional information about the ideas in this book. Selections have been divided into subject categories for quick reference. This list is by no means complete. Feminism in Newfoundland & Labrador Clarke, M. (2002). Women’s History Month October 2002: Women’s Herstory Contest.. St. John’s: PACSW. Duley, M. (1993). Where Once Our Mothers Stood We Stand: Women’s Suffrage in Newfoundland 1890-1925. Charlottetown, PEI: gynergy books. George, G. (2000). The Rock Where We Stand: An Ethnography of Women’s Activism in Newfoundland & Labrador. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press. Hancock, J. (2000). Exploring Common Ground: Final Report from the Women’s Community Forums Provincial Women’s Conference. St. John’s: PACSW. Inglis, D. (1996). Bread and Roses. St. John’s: Killick Press. Kealey, L. (Ed.) (1993). Pursuing Equality: Historical Perspectives on Women in Newfoundland and Labrador. St. John’s: Institute of Social and Economic Research Lacey, B. (1997). Priorities and Concerns of the Women of Newfoundland & Labrador: A Survey by the Women’s Policy Office. St. John’s: Government of Newfoundland & Labrador. McGrath, C., B. Neis, & M. Porter (1995). Their Lives and Times: Women in Newfoundland and Labrador: a Collage. St. John’s: Killick Press. Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Newfoundland and Labrador (2000). Women Speak: 20th Anniversary 1980 – 1990. St. John’s: PACSW. Provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Newfoundland and Labrador (1997). Women’s Councils Forum ’97: Final Report. St. John’s: PACSW. Feminist Activism Briskin, L. (1991). “Feminist practice: A new approach to evaluating feminist strategy.” In J. D. Wine & J. L. Ristock (Eds.), Women and Social Change: Feminist Activism in Canada (24-40). Toronto: James Lorimer and Company. Carty, L (Ed.) (1993). And Still We Rise: Feminist Political Mobilizing in Contemporary Canada. Toronto: Women’s Press. Derrick, A. (1999). The discourse of inequality: fighting to be heard. Canadian Woman Studies, 19 (1 & 2), 170-174. Funston, P. (2000). Feminism in the Transition House: A Call Back to Our Original Practices of Feminism in Our Transition Houses. Retrieved from: http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/issues/transition_house.html Lakeman, L. (1986). Why the Independent Women’s Movement: Why Feminism is a Theory and Practice That Will Move the World Toward Liberty: Statements to the Left 1982-1986. Retrieved from: www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/issues/left.html. Robillard, N. (2001). One Woman’s Account of Volunteering at Vancouver Rape Relief and Her Reasons for Being a Feminist. Retrieved from: www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/issues/volunteer.html. Sheilds, K. (1994). In the Tiger’s Mouth: An Empowerment Guide for Social Action. Philadelphia, PA; Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers. Steinberg, R. (1996). “Advocacy research for feminist policy objectives: experiences with comparable worth.” In H. Gottfried (Ed.), Feminism and Social Change: Bridging Theory and Practice (225-255). IL: University of Illinois. University of Winnipeg Women’s Centre (n.d.). Feminist Process / Consensus Decision Making. Retrieved from: www.uwinnipeg.ca/~uwsawc/consensus.html. Voice of Women (1998). Women, Decision-Making and Peace. Toronto: VOW. Wine, J. D. & J. L. Ristock. (1991). Women and Social Change: Feminist Activism in Canada. Toronto: Lorimer and Company. Zepatos, T. & E. Kaufman (1995). Women for a Change: A Grassroots Guide to Activism and Politics. NY: Facts on File. Feminist Theory Gottfried, H. (1996). Feminism and Social Change: Bridging Theory and Practice. IL: University of Illinois. Mandell, N. (Ed.) (1998). Feminist Issues: Race, Class and Sexuality (Second Edition). Scarborough, ON: Prentice-Hall. Tong, R. (1989). Feminist Thought: A Comprehensive Introduction. Boulder: Westview Press. Feminist Organizing Adamson, Briskin & McPhail (1988). Feminist Organizing for Change: The Comtemporary Women’s Movement in Canada. Toronto: Oxford University Press. Drakich, J. and E. Maticka-Tyndale (1991). “Feminist organizing in the academic disciplines.” In J. D. Wine & J. L. Ristock (Eds.), Women and Social Change: Feminist Activism in Canada (283-298). Toronto: James Lorimer and Company. Heald, S. (1997). “Telling feminist truths: Research and writing about feminist organizing.” Atlantis, 22.1, 31-42 Kahn, S. (1982). Organizing: A Guide for Grassroots Leaders. New York: McGraw-Hill. Lakeman, L. (2000). A Consideration of Feminist Process. Retrieved from: www.casac.ca/issues/feministprocess2.htm. Women Organizer’s Collective (1989). A Framework for Feminist Organizing: Values, Goals, Methods, Strategies and Roles. NY: Education Center for Community Organizing. Gender Equality and Inclusion Anderson, D. (1992). “North American women: Cinderellas at the equity ball.” Canadian Woman Studies, 12 (3), 56-58. Bakan, A. & A. Kobayashi (2000). Employment Equity Policy in Canada: An Interprovincial Comparison. Status of Women Canada, Policy Research Fund. Buckley, M. (Ed.) (2001). Transforming Women’s Future: A Guide to Equality Rights Theory and Action. Vancouver: West Coast Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund. Davies, L., J. McMullin, W. Avsion & G. Cassidy (2001). Social Policy, Gender Inequality and Poverty. Status of Women Canada, Policy Research Fund. Falardeau-Ramsay, M. (1999). “Gender equality and the law: from the “famous five” to the new millennium.” Canadian Woman Studies, 19 (1-2), 52-56. Larkin, J. and P. Staton (1998). “If we can’t get equal we’ll get even”: A transformative model of gender equity. Canadian Woman Studies, 17 (4), 16-22. Shookner, M. (2002). An Inclusion Lens: Workbook for Looking at Social and Economic Exclusion and Inclusion. Health Canada, Population and Public Health Branch, Atlantic Region. Stuart, R. (1999). Organizational Approaches to Building Gender Equity. MCEWH. Gender Policy Analysis Canadian International Development Agency (1997). A Project Level Handbook: The Why and How of Gender-sensitive Indicators. CIDA. Cantano, J. (2000). Social and Economic Inclusion. Maritime Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health. Gender and Development Programme, United Nations Development Programme (2001). Gender Analysis Learning and Information Pack. GIDP/UNDP. Morris, M. (1997). Gender-Based Analysis Guide: Steps to Incorporating Gender Considerations into Policy Development and Analysis. HRDC, Women’s Bureau, Strategic Policy Branch. Morris, M. (1997). Gender-based Analysis Backgrounder. HRDC, Women’s Bureau, Strategic Policy Branch New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women (1995). Equity Analysis Guide: A Tool for Analysis of the Impact of Initiatives on Gender Equity. NBACSW. Saskatchewan Women’s Secretariat (1998). Gender-Inclusive Analysis: A Guide for Policy Analysts, Researchers, Program Managers and Decision-Makers. Regina: Saskatchewan Women’s Secretariat. Saulner, C. & E. Skinner (1999). Gender Equity Lens Resource Document. MCEWH. Sawer, M. (1996). Femocrats and Ecorats: Women’s Policy Machinery in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Geneva: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD). Sheehy, E. (1994). Preliminary Inquiries: Gender Analysis. Ottawa: Status of Women Canada. Social Policy Advisory Committee (1997). What the People Said: Report of the Strategic Social Planning Public Dialogue Newfoundland & Labrador (Volume 1). St. John’s: Government of Newfoundland & Labrador. Social Policy Advisory Committee (1997). Investing in People and Communities: A Framework for Social Development (Volume 2). St. John’s: Government of Newfoundland & Labrador. Status of Women Canada (1996). Gender-Based Analysis: A Guide for Policy-Making. SWC Women’s Policy Office (1998). Guidelines for Gender Inclusive Analysis: An Integrated Approach to Policy/Program Development St. John’s: Government of Newfoundland & Labrador. Author’s Reflections Michelle Smith The process of writing this book has been the result of my field-based internship placement for the Masters in Women’s Studies program at Memorial University. It has been the first internship under the program; in this regard it has been both challenging and exciting, providing unique opportunities for growth and learning on many different levels. Situating an internship at the Advisory Council seemed like an ideal way to combined my background of feminist activism and academic studies with my paid work in this same area. I have always sought - albeit unsuccessfully at times - to practice feminism in every area of my life. Therefore, I very much wanted to be able to reflect a holistic way of seeing the world in a piece of work that could benefit the women’s movement. I particularly sought to create a useful and practical tool that would be helpful to the women on the front lines of equality-seeking work. These women are chronically under-funded, under-staffed and overworked, yet their dedication and passion has inspired others like me to join in their efforts and commit my life to this work. By luck or coincidence the Advisory Council had just such a project waiting to be written, and the president, Joyce Hancock, immediately suggested and supported the idea of it serving as the basis for my internship. The kind of knowledge that is shared in this book is about feminist process, for that is how it was created. This is reflected in the years of ongoing consultations between the Advisory Council and equality-seeking organizations which informed this book, as well as the process by which the book was actually written. “This process has been most rewarding. Within these pages I see more than two decades of my experiences as a feminist activist, along with the hundreds of women who have informed and challenged these experiences. The style in which this book has been crafted is a gift to the many women and women’s organizations whose struggle for equality has given context and depth to the work.” Joyce Hancock At the beginning of the project, I met virtually every day with Joyce to talk about the realities of feminist work in this province. Often she and I would sit around our boardroom table with a flip-chart and have free-flowing discussions about all aspects of feminist organizing. Sometimes I would ask a series of questions, and sometimes Joyce would share her stories experiences in relation to a particular topic. On some occasions I would find myself forgetting to take notes because I was so involved in the discussion. What a incredible gift, to spend part of one’s day, every day for months, talking about feminism as our basis of unity. Most days during the actual writing process Joyce, Sarah Ogletree and I would meet to discuss the latest drafted content and critique its feminist analysis, practicality and relevance to equality-seeking work. I would then revise and edit the content, and we would all come back together the next day to repeat the process. This was a very intensive process which required a great deal of time from Joyce and Sarah. These women made themselves available to me day and night, weekdays and weekends, and spent many hours of their own lives dedicated to living this work alongside me. Beyond our regular meetings, I had constant access to Joyce for guidance and feedback, for her door across the hallway was always open to me. This too was a privilege, to have unlimited access to the analysis and experience of a provincial feminist leader whose time and assistance is constantly in demand. This speaks further to her belief in, and dedication to, this work. I was supported in this work in many other ways by Joyce as well as the board and staff of the Advisory Council. The board participated in focus sessions, providing direction and feedback on the content and analysis of the book. I was resourced to go out into communities and talk to women first hand about the kinds of information and tools that would be helpful to them, and hear their evaluation and feedback during the writing. Within the Advisory Council offices, I had at my disposal a resource library, staff support, and years of files of minutes and reports from focus groups, conferences and workshops about feminist organizing. This was a collaborative piece of work in all ways, for in order to write about feminism as our basis of unity it was necessary to live it in all areas of the creation of this book. This commitment to feminist process has hopefully resulted in a comprehensive tool useful to a diversity of women, organizations, service providers and advocates, as well as policy makers, teachers, academics, researchers, and others who work for equality and inclusion. This book represents many of the lessons that I wanted to learn, and that I felt I needed to learn, to be accountable to the feminist movement. My internship experience has been a unique opportunity to deepen my understanding of what if means to be a feminist, and of what it means to build a healthy feminist organization. This knowledge can seem rare and elusive, as it exists mainly in the experiences of women, and to a lesser extent in the literature. As a result of living feminist process within this internship, I have come to better understand myself within the women’s movement as one of many women connected by our feminist values. As feminists, we are women who work in organizations, academe, business, politics, and other areas of society. We are women who work to make our homes, families and communities safe and equitable places. We are women whose lives have been touched by violence or inequality, who wish to contribute to the feminist movement because of these experiences. We all have something to learn, and we all have something to teach to others. I believe that feminist initiatives like the MWS internship can help to expand partnerships with communities and governments, and to connect with women who live their feminism in many different ways. It is in how we choose to work together to teach and learn from each other that we may find the strength to work on global issues, while also making positive changes for women in our own communities every day. I would like to thank the many women who made this work possible: Joyce Hancock for her guidance, experience, time and contributions to this writing, and without whom this work would not exist; Sarah Ogletree, whose enthusiasm, careful attention and gentle guidance to this writing have been wonderful gifts; Rosonna Tite and Elizabeth Yeoman, and the Graduate Committee of Women’s Studies, for allowing me to pioneer the first internship; the outgoing board of the PACSW, for their wisdom, feedback and encouragement; Melanie Parsons for the layout and design; Mary Clarke for her contributions and feedback; the feminists and activists I have worked with locally, provincially, regionally and nationally who are sages and mentors both; and finally, my partner, family and friends who have been patient, supportive and understanding during my absentia. And to the women and organizations who generously shared their experiences, stories, wisdom and advice to guide this work, you are the reason for its being. I dedicate this book to you.