I awoke this morning, as usual, to CBC Daybreak. I lay in bed for a half hour, patiently listening to items about the three children murdered in Drummondville, ex-PQ leader André Boisclair refusing a fat-cat position, the possibility of French-language testing in CEGEP, etc.
30 minutes and nothing about the massacre that happened at École Polytechnique de Montréal 23 years ago.
It may not seem like such a big deal. After all, it happened over 20 years ago, we should move on, etc. But when I opened Twitter and read about Katy Perry and Carla Bruni dismissing feminism, my heart sunk through the floor.
I was 17 when the Montréal Massacre occurred. I was halfway through my last year of high school and my locker was full of brochures for CEGEPs and universities. Like many other girls my age, I was taking those last few steps through childhood and adolescence with trepidation and excitement. As we descended the staircase towards the locker room, there began to be whispers about a shooting and by the time we reached the safety of our homes, the news programs were spilling over with details and images.
Still chilled from the weather outside, I watched the coverage and for the first time truly realized that the world was not a friendly place. That there were people capable of doing terrible things because they believed that women are undeserving of the same rights as men. That I was undeserving. Fourteen souls – barely older than I – cut down because, like me, they wanted to pursue their goals.
This morning, it feels like, as a society, we have slipped a little. The gun registry has been destroyed. An unstable woman – who has been displaying signs of instability for years – killed her three children. And commemoration of a massacre that shook a nation has moved down a few notches in importance.
These words may not add much to any debate. But I had to say something. The only way to prevent our society from getting complacent about violence against women is to speak up, often and with a strong voice. To drown out the Katy Perrys and Carla Brunis of the world.
For whatever it’s worth, this is my voice and this is what I had to say. Let’s keep the conversation going.
4 Comments
Thank you for this sobering thoughtful perspective on our very recent past, Adriana. We take for granted the efforts made to elevate our society past the useless rage and senseless violence.
And thank you, Chris, for reading it. We won’t get far without the support of one another.
Tu as tout à fait raison Adriana! Nous devons continuer à parler haut et fort, nous avons un devoir de mémoire et de parole !!! Je reste complètement abasourdie devant des déclarations comme celle de Carla Bruni: non mais … dans quel monde vivent-elles ces femmes qui affirment que le féminisme est dépassé !!! Au contraire, le danger est plus grand que jamais de s’asseoir sur nos lauriers. Nous avons fait certains gains mais rien n’est définitif, la vigilance est une nécessité, et même un devoir.
Bonne journée à toi compatriote féministe!
You are completely right Adriana! We have to continue to speak loud and clear, we have a duty of memory and word!!! I remain completely bewildered in front of declarations as that of the Carla Bruni: no but in what a world they live these women who assert that the feminism is exceeded !!! On the contrary, the danger is bigger than ever to sit down on our laurels. We made certain gains but nothing is definitive, the vigilance is a necessity, and even a duty.
Good day to you feminist fellow countryman!
Carla enjoys a great amount of wealth and power. Instead of using that position to help raise awareness about those who don’t enjoy a tenth of the freedom that she does, she chooses to smugly pronounce how great her life is. And Katy is just afraid of not being liked. It falls to us, Francyne, to do the heavy lifting. I’m grateful to be in the trenches with you!