BAR NONE: PRISON ABOLITIONIST JULIA SUDBURY | BOOBY TRAPS BACK ON THE MARKET WOMEN’S NEWS & FEMINIST VIEWS Summer 2007 Vol. 21 No. 1 Made in Canada ARE YOUR COSMETICS HAZARDOUS? WOMEN UNDER SIEGE FUNDAMENTALISM IN TAJIKISTAN CHICK LIT IS IT TIME TO CLOSE THE CHAPTER? TALKING TO SHANI MOOTOO Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008866; PAP Registration No. 07944 Return Undeliverable Addresses to: PO Box 128, Winnipeg, MB R3C 2G1 Canada Display until September 1, 2007 $6.95 Subscribe to Herizons THESE FIVE FABULOUS BENEFITS WILL BE YOURS When you become a subscriber to Herizons, you’ll be rewarded. You’ll stay informed about the 1changes women are making in Canada and around the world. Whether it’s improving women’s health, demanding action to improve women’s equality status, confronting racism or promoting sustainable development, women are at the forefront of change. You’ll read Herizons’ insightful and often hilarious columnists as they share their insights about life immersed in social and political change. You’ll be inspired by Herizons’ Nelliegrams that chart women’s progress. And we’ll recommend books and music to soothe and reinvigorate your soul. When you become a Herizons subscriber, you receive your copy in the mail before anyone else. 2 Delivered right to your door. Four times a year. In the coming months, we’ll launch Herizons on- line archives, and as a subscriber you’ll be able to 3 log on to access articles from our archives. The archives will be accessible only to Herizons subscribers. You’ll also save money—up to 30 percent off the newsstand price when you commit to a 3-year 4 subscription. Best of all, your subscription to Herizons, Canada’s most widely-read feminist magazine, is 5 a positive way to demonstrate your support for unapologetic feminist analysis and reporting. It is your support that keeps the feminist ink flowing. All this for the price of a large pizza. SAVE UP TO 30% OFF THE NEWSTAND PRICE Log on to www.herizons.ca to subscribe or fill in the handy reply form in the envelope enclosed. table of contents SUMMER 2007 / VOLUME 21 NO. 1 News BOOBY TRAPS BACK ON MARKET 6 by Shari Graydon FEMINIST PASSINGS 8 by Noreen Shanahan SUPREME COURT REFUSES NIXON APPEAL 12 by Robin Perelle IWD PRAYER AFFIRMS PROGRESSIVE MUSLIMS 13 by Roxanna Olivera IWD Prayer Affirms Muslims 13: CAMPAIGN UPDATES 14 VAW Linked to AIDS, Denial Discomforts Women Features BAR NONE 18 Julia Sudbury’s powerfully persuasive Global Lockdown decries prisons as international human warehouses. In this interview, she expounds upon her portrait of a political economy of criminal injustice that disempowers women of colour in particular. by Sarah Cassidy 29: Shani Mootoo THE UGLY SIDE OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY 24 Ingredients in everyday products from deodorants to nail polish have been linked to a host of reproductive disorders, including breast cancer. Will labelling products reduce women’s exposure to chemical toxins? by Misha Warbanski TO BEND BUT NOT TO BOW: SHANI MOOTOO 29 by Maya Khankoje A FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN 32 The mountains of Tajikistan are not the only barriers keeping women in this former Soviet country isolated. A growing fundamentalist influence in the country’s political system and a ravaged economy are among the forces pushing women further and further backward. 32: Women are losing ground in Tajikistan by Lauryn Oates HERIZONS SUMMER 2007 1 table of contents SUMMER 2007 / VOLUME 21 NO. 1 For kick-ass women in a world that needs its ass kicked MANAGING EDITOR: Penni Mitchell FULFILLMENT AND OFFICE MANAGER: Phil Koch ACCOUNTANT: Sharon Pchajek BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Ghislaine Alleyne, Phil Koch, Penni Mitchell, Kemlin Nembhard, Valerie Regehr EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: Ghislaine Alleyne, Gio Guzzi, Penni Mitchell, Kemlin Nembhand 51: Bubble ADVERTISING SALES: Penni Mitchell (204) 774-6225 DESIGN: inkubator.ca WEB MISTRESS: Rachel Thompson/BlueMuse Arts & Ideas RETAIL INQUIRIES: Disticor (905) 619-6565 PROOFREADER: Phil Koch MUSIC MUST-HAVES COVER ILLUSTRATION: Tamara Rae Biebrich and Mike Carroll 40 Lady Sovereign, Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, HERIZONS is published four times per year by HERIZONS Inc. in Romi Mayes, Fantasia, Elaine Elias Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. One-year subscription price: $27.50 (includes GST) in Canada. Two-year subscription is $43.92 in SUMMER READING Canada. Subscriptions to US: add $6.00. International Bow Grip by Ivan E. Coyote, Moral Disorder subscriptions: add $8.00. Cheques or money orders are payable to: 43 by Margaret Atwood, Tattcyoram by Audrey HERIZONS, PO Box 128, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA R3C 2G1. Ph (204) 774-6225. Thomas, No Margins C. Lake and N. Holtz, eds., Transparent: Love, Family and Living the SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: [email protected] EDITORIAL INQUIRIES: [email protected] T with Transgender Teenagers Chris Beam, ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: [email protected] Nobody’s Mother Lynne Van Luven, ed, and WEBSITE: www.herizons.ca lots more great book buys. HERIZONS is indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index. GST #R131089187. ISSN 0711-7485. FILM The purpose of HERIZONS is to empower women; to inspire hope 51 Bubble and foster a state of wellness that enriches women’s lives; to build Review by Maureen Medved awareness of issues as they affect women; to promote the strength, wisdom and creativity of women; to broaden the ALL THE RAGE boundaries of feminism to include building coalitions and support among other marginalized people; to foster peace and ecological 53 by Jennifer Fong awareness; and to expand the influence of feminist principles in the world. HERIZONS aims to reflect a feminist philosophy that is diverse, understandable and relevant to women’s daily lives. Views expressed in HERIZONS are those of the writers and do not Columns necessarily reflect HERIZONS’ editorial policy. No material may be reprinted without permission. Due to limited resources, HERIZONS PENNI MITCHELL does not accept poetry or fiction submissions. 5 Dirt and the Body Politic HERIZONS is a member of the Manitoba Magazine Publishers Association. LISA RUNDLE 17 Blast Off, Feminots! HERIZONS acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publication Assistance Program (PAP) and the Canada Magazine MARIKO TAMAKI Fund our toward mailing and editorial costs. Snitch Bitch 39 HERIZONS gratefully acknowledges the support of the Manitoba Arts Council. SUSAN G. COLE Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008866, PAP Registration No. 55 We’re in the Army Now 07944. Return Undeliverable Addresses to: PO Box 128, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3C 2G1, Email: [email protected] LYN COCKBURN Herizons is proudly printed on Forest Stewardship Council- 56 Pregnant Women are Stupid certified paper that is 50 % recycled, including 25% post- consumer, acid-free and chlorine-free. 2 SUMMER 2007 HERIZONS letters Embargo challenge challenged Elizabeth May: choice words rebutted Betsy Warland: fabulous (Photo: Diane Felski) CHOICE SLOGAN DEFENDED portrayed as victims hands others the right to job Di Brandt did—what beautiful, compelling While I would rather have Elizabeth May choose—that is, to choose which women are writing on both sides. The article about Bonnie defending my right to choose than any other deserving and those who are not. Klein’s documentary Shameless was also political party leader, I have a problem that May Abortion is always a choice. The only wonderful—as was the interview with Lynn has a problem with “choice” as a slogan question is: Who makes the choice? Doctors? Crosbie about lying. The quality of the writing (“Choosing our Words,” Spring 2007). Take Politicians? The religious right? Or each throughout was impressive. away the word “choice” and we are left with individual woman? I would suggest that it’s I had allowed my subscription to lapse woman as victim—the victim of rape or of an women as individuals who are the least likely some time ago because so few of the articles abusive partner to whom she didn’t dare say to make “frivolous” choices in this matter, interested me. I can’t tell you how glad I am I “no,” the victim of physical or psychological who are the ones for whom this choice is the re-subscribed! If you continue to feature this health problems that prevent her from safely most personal, and therefore the hardest and kind of exciting reportage on literature and the bearing a child, the victim of poverty, or lack of most painful. arts, I’ll be in it for the long haul. education, or lack of access to contraceptives. I hope that Elizabeth May and the Greens LISE WEIL If we allow women to be portrayed as get a chance to do some real work towards Montreal, QC victims who deserve access to abortion keeping the choice of having (or not having) because the situation is not their fault, then we an abortion in each individual woman’s hands. CUBA REVISITED leave the door open to those who would claim I also hope that they work not only “to keep I read the Letters section of the Spring 2007 that only deserving women should have access abortion ‘safe, legal and rare,’” but also to get issue of your magazine, and I just feel the to abortion. We see the results of this thinking it funded, as it is not at present in the province need to take issue with a letter written by one in laws in other countries in which abortion is where I live. Bruce Grant regarding Cuba. allowed only in cases of rape or if the mother’s SARAHROSE WERNER Mostly I disagree that the United States is life is at risk. Allowing women to be portrayed Saint John, N.B. Cuba’s greatest problem. First of all, there is a as victims leaves the door open to those would piece of U.S.