Women's HerStory Month
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In 1992, October was named Women's HerStory Month in Canada – a time to celebrate the accomplishments of women from all walks of life as a vital part of our Canadian heritage.
October is an opportunity to explore the achievements of our foremothers in the quest for equality, to take pride in our historic origins, and to highlight our many role models in Canadian society.
Canadian women have much to celebrate. Since the landmark Persons Case of 1929, we've made great strides to become equal members of Canadian society. We continue to shape our country through our achievements – small and large alike.
How it all began
Historically, women's contributions and achievements have been undervalued. In 1991, a group of women from Victoria, BC, set out to redress this inequality and founded the Canadian Women's HerStory Month Committee. Their aim was to rediscover and celebrate the contributions of Canadian women by establishing a national month dedicated to honouring them.
On March 9, 1992, the minister responsible for the Status of Women announced the official designation of October as "Women's History Month" in Canada. The month of October was selected because of the historical significance of the Persons Case decision of 1929.
Womens Herstory October 2010
Did you know...?
... in 1930, the ubc women’s basketball team was considered TO BE CANADA’S best women’s team?
The BC champions were also possibly North America’s best women's team.
This claim was substantiated when they represented North America in the 1930 women's Olympiad, winning the world title with an 18-14 victory over France.
Want to find out more? http://www.ubcsportshalloffame.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?team_id=12
... Before 1919, MOST women STUDYING AT UBC Were enrolled in the faculty of arts?
The first woman to graduate with a degree outside the Arts faculty was Rona Hatt, who graduated in Mechanical Engineering in 1920.
In 1919, UBC became the first university in the British Empire to offer nursing as a degree program. Nursing gave women access to the traditionally male Faculty of Applied Science.
Want to find out more? http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/faculty-history/department-profiles/family-nutritional-sciences
... In 1990, Dr. Carole Christensen was the first Black woman to be Director of THE School of Social Work in UBC and IN Canada?
She negotiated funding and outlined the design for the Jack Bell building.
Currently, the Jack Bell building houses the UBC School of Social Work and the Women’s and Gender Studies department at UBC.
Want to find out more? http://www.whoswhoinblackcanada.com/2010/10/02/carole-pigler-christensen/
... in 1949, GLORIA CRANMER WEBSTER WAS THE 1ST FIRST NATIONS WOMAN TO STUDY AT UBC?
Gloria studied anthropology and graduated in 1956. She worked for two years as a counsellor for female prisoners who were first-time offenders at Oakalla Prison Farm.
In 1971, Gloria became an Assistant Curator at the UBC Museum of Anthropology, when it first opened.
Want to find out more? http://www.abcbookworld.com/view_author.php?id=7445
... the first women’s residence was built in 1951, after almost 40 years of petitioning?
The first permanent women’s residences was built on a section situated on Northwest Marine Drive, east of the present Museum of Anthropology.
It opened in May 1951 after almost 40 years of women’s active petitioning.
Want to find out more? http://www.students.ubc.ca/access/women/portfolio/
... THE WOMEN STUDENTS’ LOUNGE IS An on-campus SPACE FOR ALL women STUDENTS?
In 1939, the Women Undergraduate Society negotiated the terms of their donation by advocating for the establishment of a permanent women students' room in honour of Mildred Brock, founding member of the Faculty Women's Club and the first Dean of Women at UBC.
Today, the Women Students’ Lounge in Brock Hall Room 1261 is a permanent space for all women students of UBC to rest, connect, and gather.
Want to find out more? http://www.students.ubc.ca/access/women/programs-initiatives/women-students-lounge/
... WOMEN IN CANADA WERE ONLY ACKNOWLEDGED AS “PERSONS” IN 1929?
The “Persons Case” started in 1927 when 5 Albertan women challenged the legal interpretation of the word “person” in front of the Supreme Court of Canada. After 2 years of tenacious campaigning, the British Privy Council in England officially recognized women as Members of the Senate of Canada
A few months later, Cairine Wilson became Canada’s first woman in the Senate.
Want to find out more? http://people.ucalgary.ca/~gpopconf/person.html
... WOMEN in Canada were given the right to vote LESS THAN 100 YEARS AGO?
Women in Canada won the right to vote in 1916.
In British Columbia voting rights were not extended to women until 1917.
First Nations women in Canada were not recognized as voters until 1960.
Want to find out more? http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/en/browseSubjects/votingRights.asp
... THAT THE FIRST ASIAN-CANADIAN WOMAN WAS APPOINTED INTO THE SENATE IN 1998?
In 1998, Vivienne Poy became the first Canadian of Chinese origin appointed into the Senate.
In 2004, Mobina S. B. Jaffer became the first senator of South-Asian descent as well as the first Muslim senator. She was also the first African-born senator in the Senate of Canada.
Want to find out more? http://www.asianheritagemonth.org/Prominent_AsianCanadians/ac_prominent_canadians.html
