Feminism needed more than ever, F-Word conference organizers say

UBC students planning anti-oppression event at First Nations Longhouse

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      These are tough times for feminists and social-justice activists, because they’re constantly being told sexism and racism no longer exist, according to Emma Kuntz.

      In a joint interview, Kuntz and Zoë David-Delves—both gender, race, sexuality, and social justice students at the University of British Columbia—told the Georgia Straight feminism is still important because colonialism has marginalized women, people of colour, trans people, indigenous people, and other groups.

      “We’re given this rhetoric of being post-race or equal, which is not the case,” Kuntz said by phone from UBC’s Point Grey campus. “But because this is the dominant rhetoric, we’re constantly needing to prove that these social injustices are still happening, and they are.”

      Kuntz and David-Delves are the cochairs of the sixth annual F-Word conference being organized by UBC’s Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice Undergraduate Student Association. On Saturday (May 2), the free event will take place at the First Nations Longhouse on campus.

      Keynote speakers will be UBC assistant professor of English Phanuel Antwi and social-justice activists Lau Mehes, Jen Sung, and Anoushka Ratnarajah. Students will present papers, and Fat Panic!, No One Is Illegal, and Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre will give workshops.

      Kuntz noted that the F-Word aims to “centre indigenous voices” and will focus on feminism, activism, and anti-oppression and decolonization work. With its “Creating communities, strengthening solidarity” theme, the conference is designed to show attendees how many issues intersect and to encourage them to work together in seeking justice.

      “While we are holding each other accountable, we’re doing it because we are coming from a place of compassion and because we want to do this work for inclusivity, for people’s rights and freedoms,” Kuntz said of feminist activism. “I think sometimes that can get lost in the Internet, but that’s our goal.”

      According to David-Delves, feminists aren’t who many people think they are.

      “Feminism doesn’t mean that women want rights over men,” David-Delves said. “I think feminism is more for equivalent rights, and it’s for equivalent rights for all marginalized people, not just women.”

      Comments

      7 Comments

      Katerax

      Apr 29, 2015 at 11:28am

      "These are tough times for feminists and social-justice activists, because they’re constantly being told sexism and racism no longer exist, according to Emma Kuntz."

      Then just re-invent it and re-package it like you always do.

      “Feminism doesn’t mean that women want rights over men,” David-Delves said. “I think feminism is more for equivalent rights, and it’s for equivalent rights for all marginalized people, not just women.”

      Feminism means women want all the RIGHTS with NONE of the RESPONSIBILITIES which accompany them.

      Jane08

      Apr 29, 2015 at 12:16pm

      Hey Katerax,
      Why don't you go to the F-Word Conference at UBC on Saturday and see what they have to say. You might learn something.

      Seriously?!?

      Apr 29, 2015 at 1:04pm

      LMAO at this jargon laden claptrap! "Intersectionality?!?" Thirty years since I was active in leftist issues and all that has changed for the folks in that herd is the range of labels. Most "activists" believe preaching to the choir and spouting the latest dogma in friendly media is accomplishing something. It isn't. Most barriers to women in the economy have been removed but group think isn't going to help individuals succeed and achieve: that takes drive. If these young women experiencing the privelage of higher education in western society want to pretend they are experiencing terrible injustice that is their problem: in spite of propaganda to the contrary they do not inherently have a better understanding of the challenges faced by women elsewhere simply because they self-indenting as women or feminists.

      DarwinBrando

      Apr 29, 2015 at 1:46pm

      I am a 65 year old (privileged) white male; the first male to take women's studies (UBC/SFU) in 1973. Very little beyond surface appearances has changed. Oppression just shape shifts. e.g. Slavery to Wage Slavery, with all its' inherent inequalities. And even that is only for the privileged few here, not so much in poverty,on reservation or in most of the none western and it is no great shakes here either.

      So all you deniers, go to the conference with an open not a disruptive mind. Just Listen. Relax, don't argue. If you are able.

      How about me?

      Apr 30, 2015 at 10:50am

      I can't afford a house in Vancouver, nor go on expensive vacations. The CEO of the company I work for makes way more money than me.

      If I go to this conference will I be able to get society to provide me with these things? Why should other people get them merely because they have the ability to make far more money than me? Talk about inequality and human suffering!!!

      @Katerax

      May 1, 2015 at 9:38am

      "Feminism means women want all the RIGHT and NONE of the RESPONSIBILITIES which accompany them"

      Why do you think you get to define feminism even when you read what feminists have to say about it? That's why we still need feminism right there.

      out at night

      May 6, 2015 at 9:57am

      @ Seriously?!?

      You named it right there in your comment: "If these young women experiencing the privelage (sic) of higher education in western society want to pretend they are experiencing terrible injustice that is their problem."

      The problem is that far too many women in privileged positions (like attending universities in Canada) DON'T see the ongoing injustices of gender discrimination. Many that I've spoken to try to tell me they AREN'T feminists because they don't feel they are discriminated against, that they are fully empowered and living in a post-feminist world. It's a narrow and self-centred view that can be briefly stated as, "I've got mine." Of course the fact that they are the beneficiaries of years of struggle by feminists means little to them, as do the hardships suffered by their sisters worldwide.

      Sadly most of these self-professed post-feminists eventually come around and begin to adopt a feminist stance as their world expands beyond exams and essays and the real world comes rushing in. It's sad because they should be right - we should have achieved gender equality by now. There's still a long way to go and to deny that is like saying this is not a racist society (anymore). We know better don't we?