NOVEMBER 2010 VOL. 2 • ISSUE 1

CONNECTING TO eSimone THE “FEMINIST” IN YOU... INSIDE WELCOME BACK!

Although I have only had the pleasure of to put together the first edition of the being at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute second volume of eSimone, a newsletter (SdBI) for a couple of months, I am already that will help students, staff, professors inspired by how active and engaged the and friends keep up with SdBI activities. SdBI community is. As the new Events This academic year has already proven to Coordinator and Information Officer, I be a dynamic one that will surely continue have had the privilege of closely following to further its contributions to our feminist news 2-3 the numerous academic, political and culture! cultural activities occurring within the -Michelle Lacombe Institution. In light of this, I am excited

A new staff at the SdBI

In October, I was hired as this year’s performance and body modification. Event Coordinator and Information Although I am affiliated with a number Officer and I am thrilled to have joined of local cultural organizations and wear the SdBI community. Although I have had many hats, my primary involvement has the pleasure of meeting a number of you been with articule, an artist-run centre spotlight 3 at our events, I feel that I should take the focused on experimental and socially time and space to share a bit of myself engaged programming, and La Centrale, to those of you I have not yet had the Quebec’s only feminist artist-run centre. opportunity to introduce myself. As Events Coordinator and Information I graduated from Concordia in 2006 Officer, I help realize SdBI supported with a major in Interdisciplinary Studies or initiated events and keep our and a minor in Women and the Fine Arts. community informed of the institutional Since completing my BFA, I have been accomplishments and local feminist actively involved in Montreal’s artist- programming that takes place. If you run community and worked to support have an event to announce or a idea to a wide range of artistic, discursive and share, please know that I will make myself past events 4-5 pedagogical initiatives as both a practicing available. I look forward to getting to know artist and cultural worker. Within my art you all and working together to create an practice, I am currently working to blur the incredible year of feminist projects! boundaries between the body, language and landscape with the use of drawing, - Michelle Lacombe NEWS The SdBI takes position!

In October 2010, Superior Court Judge Susan Himel made a ruling with regards to ’s prostitution laws. The ruling argues that the current laws -- communicating for the purposes of prostitution, Grand prix 2010 du living off the avails of a prostitute, and the bawdy house conseil québecois des laws -- create a context of increased danger for women, and as such violate Section 7 of the Charter of Rights gais et lesbiennes and Freedoms, the right to the security of the person.

Some feminists, notably Québec’s Conseil du Statut de la Femme (CSF), objected to the ruling, arguing that prostitution is violence against women. The SdBI prepared a position statement on the issue. The statement was presented at a press conference, alongside the voice of Stella, a local community agency by and for sex workers, as well as an ad hoc group of feminists who wrote an open letter to CSF. Together, the diverse voices represent an alternative feminist view of prostitution as work, and offer reasons why feminists need to support the decriminalization of prostitution.

The position statement on the Judge Himel New website decision can be found on our website:

The SdBI launched its new website! http://wsdb.concordia.ca/about-us/official-position- on-issues/documents/declaration_sexwork_final.pdf http://wsdb.concordia.ca/

The site not only boasts a new fresh look, but also an updated user friendly navigation system and a more informative portrait of our community. You can now find individual profile pages containing bios for our faculty, Research Associates and institute Fellows, as well as for our postdoctoral fellows. Whether you are a student, a friend or a curious stranger, this dynamic new website is now the place for you to get up-to-date information regarding the SdBI academic programs, feminist events and community outreach.

As a tool developed for you, your feedback

regarding the website is always welcome! Dr. Viviane Namaste presenting the SdBI position statement to Montreal media

2 e-Simone NEWS

Congratulations! spotlight Grand prix 2010 du New Scholar conseil québecois des Award gais et lesbiennes In October, Dean Brian Lewis awarded SdBI Fellow Dr. Stephanie The SDBI would like to congratulate Paterson, who specializes in feminist Dr. Viviane Namaste, professor and policy studies in the Department of researcher at Concordia’s Simone de Political Science, the New Scholar Beauvoir Institute, for having been Award. Presented as part of the Dean’s awarded the prestigious 2010 Grand Awards for Outstanding Achievement, Prize from the Quebec Council of the New Scholar Award recognizes Gays and Lesbians (CQGL). “Professor outstanding achievement by a tenure- Namaste has been distinguished for track faculty member. The SdBI her academic and research excellence, congratulates Dr. Stephanie Paterson her support for minority rights, as well on her accomplishments! as her defense of transgendered and bisexual peoples’ rights to healthcare,” said Steve Foster, CQGL’s President Dean’s List Esther Simmonds with her portrait of and CEO. She succeeds the Honorable Craig Kielburger Louise Arbour and M. Svend Robinson, previous recipients of the award. The SdBI would like to congratulate Kinneret Sheetreet, Sarah Fuchs and Alumni Esther Simmonds graduated Margaret Anne Lietold for being placed with distinctions in 2005 from the on the Dean’s list for their outstanding Simone de Beauvoir Institute. Since performance in the 2009/2010 then, she has been actively working academic year. It is an honor to see our in her community and was recently students doing such incredible work at profiled on Bravo’s television series the Institute! Star Portraits during which her feminists studies at Concordia were highlighted. The episode, which profiles three artists including Esther who create portraits of Free the Children founder Craig Kielburger, can Successful SdBI be viewed on the BRAVO website at : faculty members http://watch.bravo.ca/#clip362706 The SdBI is delighted to announce the renewal of Dr. Gada Mahrouse as Find more of Esther’s work on her Trophy ribboms by Marissa Falco well as the promotion of Dr. Viviane website www.esthersm.com http://miss-sequential.blogspot.com/ Namaste to the rank of full Professor. Congratulations to both! Bravo Esther!

e-Simone 3 PAST EVENTS Colloque: Les femmes dans la vie culturelle de montréal pendant les années 1960 As part of Women’s History Month, Following the success of the event, the event’s organizing was proud to host a conference organized to highlight the committee was honored with an invitation to sign the presence of women in the arts. The conference, titled «Les Golden Book of the City of Montreal in the presence of femmes dans la vie culturelle de Montréal pendant les Hélène Fotopoulos, member of the City’s Executive Council. années 1960» was organized by the Montreal Council for Women’s History Month. The conference brought together professors from Concordia and other universities to speak about women’s art at the beginning of the quiet revolution.

Organized by a committee including Dr. Geneviève Rail, SdBI Principal, and Arpi Hamalian, Associate Professor at the Department of Education and SdBI honorary Fellow, the conference boasted a number of partners and collaborating organizations including the Conseil des Montréalaises, the Ministre de la culture, des communication et de la condition féminine, Concordia University, the Simone de Beauvoir Institute, the Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université, the Centre de documentation pour l’éducation aux adultes et la condition féminine, and the Dr. Arpi Hamalian signs the Golden Book City of Montreal.

the simone de beauvoir institute’s FEMINIST CAFÉ New Feminist Café presents: A second serving of posters: watch for them on campus! Wednesday, Feminist Cafés OCTOBER 27, 2010 1:30-3:30 pm 2170 Bishop Street S-MU 101 October 27th marked the return of the SdBI’s Feminist SEX WORK Café events series. The first Café provided the opportunity RESEARCH AND POLITICS to meet Lillian Robinson Visiting Scholar Dr. Emily Van IN ONTARIO der Meulen. The meet-and-greet with Emily provided the

MEET AND GREET WITH opportunity to gain a better understanding of her research Lillian Robinson Scholar Dr. Emily van der Meulen Emily van der Meulen is a community-based researcher, sex workers’ rights activist, and on sex work and labour as well as the possible impacts the labour organizer. She is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Research on Inner City Health, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, and holds a supplementary postdoctoral fellow- ship with the ’s Munk School of Global Affairs. For the past four years, she has been on the board of directors of Canada’s oldest sex workers-run organi- zation, Maggie’s: The Toronto Sex Workers Action Project. recent Judge Himel decision could have on Canadian sex workers, labour organizers and researchers. Like all Cafés, her presentation was followed by a small reception during which the public could discuss with Emily in a more informal manner. The success of the event suggest the beginning of another year of dynamic presentations by SdBI Lillian Robinson Visiting Scholars as well as feminist academics, Dr. Emily Van de activist and writers who wish to share their work with our Meulen looking radiant after her presentation community.

4 e-Simone PAST EVENTS La démocratie dévoilée/ Revealing Democracy

In March, 2010, Quebec’s Minister an adaptation of that practice and that have arisen within society with of Justice introduced in the National reasons of security, communication a view to inform public debate and Assembly Bill 94, An Act to establish or identification warrant it, the reflect on the nature of citizenship. guidelines governing accommodation accommodation must be denied.” requests within the Administration The conference featured scholars and certain institutions. It states that, From November 18th to 20th, from Concordia and other universities, “the practice whereby a personnel Concordia University hosted and included SdBI professors Chantal member of the Administration or an “Revealing Democracy: Bill 94 and the Maillé and Gada Mahrouse. A keynote institution and a person to whom challenges of religious pluralism and lecture titled “Civilizational Delusions: services are being provided by the ethnocultural diversity in Quebec,” Secularism, Tolerance and Equality” Administration or the institution a conference that took the ongoing was given by Dr. Wendy Brown show their face during the delivery debates around Bill 94, reasonable (University of California, Berkeley) of services is a general practice, and accommodation and secularism as a that if an accommodation involves point of departure to explore questions

Not to forget! SdBIs response to Bill 94 The SdBI partnered with a

Displacement & Gender large number of departments, ON MARCH 25th, the government of A Question of Memory & Action

A talk by Dr. Faiha Abdulhadi ly still organisations and individuals inians in 1948 is a distinctive turning point not on the new political era that started and is Jean Charest announced Bill 94, an act The displacement of Palest displacement on Palestinian men and in Palestinian history, but also in been impacted in particular ways. ongoing. When discussing the impact of the women, it is to be noted that womend to investigate have the effect of displacement on ts were reached. Dr. Abdulhadi is of A number of studies have trie ts could have been reachedNOVEMBER if these studies 22 women, but no satisfactory resul ral History from a women’s perspective. throughout the semester. These that would prevent women wearing opinion that more satisfactory resul s and relates to issues of action and had adopted the methodology of O She will discuss how Oral History respond the simone de beauvoir institute’s displacement. oir Institute and OrganizingGAIL Committee SCOTT Presented by the Simone de Beauv the niqab from accessing hospitals, the BDS Quebec Conference 2010EILEEN MYLES FEMINIST CAFÉ partnerships and collaborations presents: Tuesday, October12:00-2:00pm 26th, 2010 2170 Bishop Street allow us to share important daycares, schools, universities, and S-MU 101 Tuesday NOVEMBER 30, 2010 nt, community 12:00- 2:00 pm research consulta us aspects of , PhD, is a writer, poet, experience in vario studies 2170 Bishop Street feminist research and knowledge, Faiha Abdulhadi r. She has a long life ublished numerous books,orate of other public services, and would bar activist, and lecture and gender. She has p esearcher to the Direct MU 101 as a Consultant R UNICEF, in Cairo. She research, oral history n Palestine and for rdinator of the and articles. She worked nning and Developmentational i Council and the stine. coo Gender Pla r of the Palestinian N he Globe” for Pale ence is a membe rk “1000 Women across t BDS Quebec Confer Women Netwo art in the ment for in Montreal to take p rward the global theid. move ELIZABETH LEE Faiha Abdulhadi is ent that aims to pushDS) foagainst Israeli apar Department of Geography support important feminist 2010, a historicment ev and Sanctions (B women in niqab from working in the Boycott, Divest University of British Columbia AMERICAN AFTERLIFE: practitioners and build a valuable public sector. Posthumous Citizenship and Immigrant Military Service in the United States

Though much of o damages, considerablyur recent meditations and engaged community. We for the millions more consid less has been said on about the war have focused o indicates something of a ered family and friendsthe o ruinous cascaden ofbody col counts and col range of silent enlistm generative force -- th f those killed and wo lateral consequenceslateral THE OBITUARYThis generative force enaents for those family e ways in which the US m unded in combat. Lee women and children rem cts a larger offensivemembers on maintained in this nuance our understan ilitary carries out a ain the epicenter. This the apparatuses of the worbit of state violence. dings of intimacy, repro presentation examines th elfare state, for which thank all of you for your solidarity duction, citizenship, and n e ways in which families To read the SdBI full response to TWO INFERNOAUTHORS. ONE HOT MIC. ational belonging. Librairie Drawn and Quarterly and help in making the wide range this bill, please visit our website : 211 Bernard 7 wsdb.concordia.ca PM | Free of SdBI events and initiatives possible! UPCOMING EVENTS

Keeping in touch Party eSimone is a regular publication of the SdBI. Its purpose is to promote the Simone de Beauvoir Birthday! organization and it’s activities in the community as well as to provide information Friday January 14th about issues related to scholarship, collective mouvements, and opportunities Book launch rooted in, and stemming from , a pro-feminist perspective. If you wish to submit The Women of Anglo India information, please email the Events Coordinator and Information Officer at: Thursday January 27th [email protected]

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