SLUTWALK TORONTO delivers a morning keynote at WHAT MAKES A MAN 2012

Good things DO grow in Ontario! Join us as we welcome Slutwalk Toronto to the 2nd annual discussion-focused White Ribbon Conference!

“What began as a reaction to one comment, a reaction that we had originally imagined only to include a handful of our closest friends, exploded into a kind of movement that we never could have expected.” Slutwalk was born and started with Slutwalk Toronto. A movement born in Ontario, that is inspiring change worldwide is one of the things the White Ribbon Campaign and Slutwalk Toronto have in common, Another thing in common is a goal to shift the conversation: Victim Blaming is not the answer to create a world with violence against women and girls.

We are excited to have the Slutwalk TO team join us at the What Makes a Man ‘Higher Unlearning’ the 2012 White Ribbon Conference!

Get to know the SlutWalk TO team at make plans to join them for their interactive discussion keynote at the 2nd annual White Ribbon Conference!

photo from http://torontogp.blogspot.com

Heather Jarvis SlutWalk Co-Founder / Organizer

Heather Jarvis is a queer, sex- and body-positive feminist. With experience in women and gender studies, social work and community activism she was furious upon hearing a representative of the police slut-shame survivors and people at risk of sexual assault. Not entirely shocked by the incident, Jarvis believes we should be beyond the myths of people ‘asking’ or ‘deserving’ to be assaulted due to their behaviour or appearance. As a survivor and advocate for empowerment, Jarvis constantly aims to shed shame around sex and sexuality. She feels we deserve safe streets and a supportive justice system.  Described as an eternal optimist by some who know her, Heather Jarvis refuses to believe things cannot change. She is determined to continuously work on improving this world through increased respect, consent, understanding and acceptance.

 

Colleen Westendorf Communications Coordinator / Organizer

When Colleen Westendorf saw SlutWalk’s ‘Because We’ve Had Enough’ banner on their website- she was on board faster than you can say ‘Slut’. Colleen joined the SlutWalk Toronto team shortly after participating in the inaugural Toronto SlutWalk. Though she believes that he meant well, to her Michael Sanguinetti’s now-infamous comment was our rape-condoning culture in a single sound bite. Colleen is certain that so long as we live in a world where victims are exhaustively held to standard for their actions in relation to rape, an act that is by definition a complete override of their will and personal agency, she doesn’t live in a world where she or anyone else is safe from sexual violence.

Colleen works in Communications in the Not-for-Profit sector, and is by trade a writer. She also volunteers for a pro-choice, LGBTQ-positive sexual health clinic as a sex educator and is committed to sex-positivity and sexual and reproductive health rights as fundamental human rights. As a newcomer to activism and community organizing, she’s learning as she goes – and so grateful for everything she’s getting out of the process.

To borrow a phrase from Eve Ensler, a personal hero of hers, Colleen believes the mission of SlutWalk and anti-violence movements everywhere will continue to have relevance ‘Until the Violence Stops’- and until we truly reach a point of zero tolerance for sexual violence. She’s in a mad rush for us to get there.

You can follow her on twitter here.

Raisa Bhuiyan Outreach Coordinator

Raisa Bhuiyan is an enthusiast, particularly of gritty grassroots activism and events that bring people together to mobilize against painstakingly dangerous social norms. She’s also harbouring a pathological fear of biographies, especially the type that has to be typed out in a box.

But if you really wanna know, do know that she squirted out the 2% milk she was drinking right through her nose when she heard about the don’t-dress-like-a-slut-suggestion that a Toronto Police officer made on her campus.

At the moment, Raisa is ridiculously excited about how communities of people have become energized enough to open up a space for a much needed conversation on how the integration of different strategies and different hystories can help SlutWalk better engage with the new paradigms of feminist organizing.

Slutwalk Toronto asks you to join them in their mission to spread the word that those those who experience sexual assault are not the ones at fault, without exception.

Visit SlutWalk TO’s website

Like the Slutwalk TO Facebook page 

Follow Slutwalk TO on Twitter 

 

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Come out to ‘What Makes A Man. Higher Unlearning: The 2012 White Ribbon Conference on Saturday February 11th and join Heather, Colleen, Raisa and the many other speakers at a discussion-focused conference looking at the spectrum of identities, experiences and realities that determine ‘What Makes a Man’.

What Makes A Man. Higher Unlearning:
The 2012 White Ribbon Conference
Saturday February 11th

ENG 103 in the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre.
245 Church St. (South/East corner of Church St and Gould St.)
Ryerson University 

REGISTRATION 10:30am
11:00am – Morning Session begins
12:20pm – Lunch Break
1:20pm – Afternoon session begins
4:30pm – Dinner Break
5:45pm – Evening session with SHIHAN

ADMISSION $10 (or pay what you can)
Lunch provided by Salad King.

*All proceeds go to the White Ribbon Campaign*

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Visit www.whatmakesman2012.wordpress.com for more details

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Afaun Mandol speaks on the Muslim Community uniting to end domestic violence at What Makes A Man 2012

In October 2011, Canadian Muslim Imams, groups and leaders took steps with a statement called the  “Call to Action to Eradicate Domestic Violence”. It ends by stating “As Muslims and as Canadians, we stand with all Canadians and pledge to combat domestic violence in all its manifestations, wherever and whenever they arise.”

Afaun Mandol, a spokesperson for Muslim Presence Toronto has been working to spread the conversation. In an article in Iqra.ca Mandol says “We are hoping to raise awareness about domestic violence in Canada with the White Ribbon Days…the White Ribbon Campaign is a means to start the conversation in our community to challenge everyone to speak out, and think about their own personal beliefs, language and actions”.

Join us to hear Afaun at the 2nd annual ‘What Makes A Man’ White Ribbon Conference.

Read an article written about this effort by Ryerson White Ribbon Campaign’s Jeff Perera 

 

Afaun Mandol is a community activist who is a Communications Director with the Muslim Presence Network, a collective of social activists who seek to promote universal values and active citizenship.

He is the Co-chairperson of the Muslim Presence’s White Ribbon Campaign and is now focused on ending all forms of domestic violence.

Afaun has led the network’s Charter for Compassion initiative in Toronto. The Charter for Compassion is a world-wide movement started by Karen Armstrong and supported by leading thinkers from many traditions; the Charter activates the Golden Rule around the world.

He is a promoter of the Arts and has spent 8 years volunteering with MuslimFest, the largest annual Islamic Arts and Entertainment festival in Canada. He has also organized the Rising Talent program at Reviving the Islamic Spirit Conference.

Afaun currently works as an IT Manager and volunteers with charities in and around the city including Toronto Food Bank, Yonge Street Mission – Evergreen Centre, and Heart and Stroke’s Big Bike Ride.

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Come out to ‘What Makes A Man. Higher Unlearning: The 2012 White Ribbon Conference on Saturday February 11th . Join Jared and many other speakers at a discussion-focused event looking at the spectrum of identities, experiences and realities that determine ‘What Makes a Man’.

What Makes A Man. Higher Unlearning:
The 2012 White Ribbon Conference
Saturday February 11th

ENG 103 in the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre.
245 Church St. (South/East corner of Church St and Gould St.)
Ryerson University 

REGISTRATION 10:30am
11:00am – Morning Session begins
12:20pm – Lunch Break
1:20pm – Afternoon session begins
4:30pm – Dinner Break
5:45pm – Evening session with SHIHAN

ADMISSION $10 (or pay what you can)
Lunch provided by Salad King.

*All proceeds go to the White Ribbon Campaign*

___ 

Visit www.whatmakesman2012.wordpress.com for more details