¤ Field Notes from the Feminist Economy

¤ Field Notes from the Feminist Economy

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LIISBETH DISPATCH #41

The collage above is by Anne-Marie Hood. Artist Statement: What is growth? What is change? And how often do we misinterpret resonance with our own beliefs for growth? Perhaps it is time for a truly new approach where new ears take in sounds made up of the unfamiliar, singing unknown songs in unknown worlds.

VIEWPOINT

A Reflection on Canada’s 2018 Gender Budget

Since the release of the Canadian federal government’s 2018 gender budget at the end of February, there have been dozens of follow-on announcements about initiatives designed to advance women entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises from all sorts of organizations across the country.

On March 6, the Ontario provincial government added its voice and announced that it will also be investing in improving support for women entrepreneurs by launching a new set of initiatives that will “help young women develop an entrepreneurial mindset” through the creation of the Ontario Women’s Entrepreneurship Association.

To date, Ontario is the only province without a women’s enterprise centre or women’s entrepreneurship strategy in Canada.

Sure. Canadian women entrepreneur advocates have already expressed concern that the money designated is long overdue and “not enough”. Many more critics are rightly questioning the implementation strategies. There is legitimate concern that unchanged parental leave pay and child care policies mean continued discrimination against startup founders and small business owners in an economy increasingly characterized by precarious employment gigs. In Ontario, leaders in the field are debating if launching a women’s entrepreneur association is the right approach or first step.

Me? I still remember the Stephen Harper days. So, I am reservedly pleased with the initiatives our various levels of governments are pledging to undertake this year to advance gender justice.

I also appreciate that in both provincial and federal budgets, women entrepreneurs are at least starting to be recognized as a distinct, large, economically vital demographic whose prioritized equality and equity needs are markedly different from those of our corporate sisters.

On this, and to activist women entrepreneurs everywhere working to be heard, I say congratulations. It’s high time that your street-level, in-the-trenches voices finally pierced the routinely media-privileged corporate coterie that tends to dominate the women’s economic advancement public policy conversation.

So when it comes to Budget 2018, I have to agree with Astrid Pregel, a woman with an impressive 20 years of experience advising governments around the world on women’s advancement who wisely quipped the other night, “Sometimes, you gotta know when to clap.”

THIS WEEK ON LIISBETH

CV Harquail Reviews Lauren McKeon’s book, F-Bomb: Dispatches from the War on Feminism

We just finished a week full of activities related to International Women’s Day worldwide.

Feeling alright? Things heading in the right direction?

Maybe. But not so fast. Welcome to the anti-feminist movement in Canada, as illuminated by Lauren McKeon, an award-winning Canadian feminist author and the current digital editor at The Walrus, in her fall 2017 book, F-Bomb: Dispatches from the War on Feminism.

We felt this was an important book. So we commissioned LiisBethian CV Harquail to conduct a book review from an American feminist entrepreneur’s perspective. Harquail concurs with McKeon that “the anti-feminist movement remains strong and [therefore] feminists must find ways to be stronger.” Harquail suggests that this starts with trying to understand their limited world views and better yet, how other systems of oppression are shaping anti-feminist movements.

Read her review here.

The Artivist Woman’s Playlist by Aerin Fogel

What’s the best way to honour International Women’s Day and the art + activist women in our society who use pens, instruments, their bodies, and their voice to advance justice—often at great personal expense?
Answer: Take the time to listen to LiisBeth’s Stand Up, Get Up playlist, curated by Aerin Fogel and featuring 10 women whose songs and performances help up see the world differently.

MK Asante, who is an American bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, recording artist, and distinguished professor, wrote: “The artivist knows that to make an observation is to have an obligation.”

Fogel is a regular playlist contributor for LiisBeth, and founder of Toronto’s fall feminist music festival, Venus Fest. Listen here.

LIISBETH FIELD NOTES
Highlights from Toronto’s International Women’s Day March on March 3, 2018.
It was hailed as the largest IWD March in North America. Toronto’s theme was liberation and justice for Indigenous women, particularly Tina Fontaine. We estimate approximately 3,000 to 4,000 participated.
LiisBethian’s had a busy IWD week: the IWD march in Toronto, the SheEO Summit, several workshops on the feminist business model canvas, and a grand finale at the Social Innovation Bootcamp on gender and the economy held at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. Go team!

SheEO Entrepreneurship Clubs for Girls is coming to Ontario High Schools!

When SheEO founder Vicki Saunders began her quest in 2015 to create a billion-dollar loan fund for women founders, there were naysayers galore. But no more.

SheEO has found its stride. And then some: Starting this fall, SheEO will be launching entrepreneurship clubs for up to 1500 girls in Ontario high schools.

Just three years in, the fast-growing organization now has 3000 activators globally and 17 Canadian ventures (32 worldwide) under its belt, including seven new SheEOs for 2018, announced at the annual SheEO Summit & Cocktail this week:

Applications for the 2019 investment round will open August 2018. You can sign up to be notified when the application portal opens here!

On Tuesday, March 13, LiisBeth had an opportunity to visit the new feminist bookstore in Montreal called L’Euguélionne. What a treasure trove! The store was well-stocked with feminist, LGBTQ+ and queer books, zines, pamphlets, and more (including this one featured above) in both English and French. The staff were super helpful and knowledgeable. We Say. Just. Go. And if you are interested in what makes an enterprise feminist, check out this zine!

Alexandra Ketchum, author of the zine How to Start a Feminist Restaurant, says, “Feminist restaurants are spaces that take their food and labour politics seriously. They challenge the status quo…and provide a space for political organizing, recreational activity, and commerce.” Ketchum also holds workshops on the topic. To connect with her, visit her Facebook page. To learn more about feminist bookstores, read our feature story here.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!
  • Have you heard of the term “stretch collaboration”? While conventional collaboration tends to be organized around like-minded people working together, stretch collaborations involve working with individuals or groups that can actually tighten your throat at the mere thought of their name. According to author Adam Kahane, “…stretch collaboration encourages us to use the power of discomfort to craft and experiment our way forward with multiple options or possibilities…”
  • Calling LiisBethians in STEM: Is your business about A.I., Big Data, or 3D Printing? Innovative Solutions Canada is a new program with over $100 million dedicated to supporting the scale-up and growth of Canada’s STEM-based innovators and entrepreneurs by having the federal government act as a first customer. The program is designed to encourage government procurement from companies led by under-represented groups, such as women, Indigenous, youth, disabled individuals, LGBTQ+ and others. You can find more information here.
  • Calling LiisBethians under 25! You might want to apply to the Youth Can Do It! initiative where 25 diverse young entrepreneurs will be selected to come to Ottawa in June to connect with inspiring business experts who will support their journey forward. Can’t hurt, right?
CAN’T MISS EVENTS

Understanding Your Taxes: Knowledge is Power, For Women Entrepreneurs
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
2:00 PM–3:00 PM
2111 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON
Cost: FREE. Register here.

How to Create Multiple Sources of Income
Thursday, March 29, 2018
6:00 PM–9:30 PM
Baka Gallery Cafe
2256 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON
Cost: $25. Register here. ​

CryptoChicks Hackathon and Conference
Friday, April 6 to Sunday, April 8, 2018
MaRS Discovery District
101 College St., Toronto
Cost: $50–$500. Register here.
Details: “This is an open invitation to take part in a bold blockchain event. Women are underrepresented in the crypto space and with your help, we want to change that.”

Walking Your Why: Discovering Your Values Perspective
Thursday, April 12, 2018
6:00 PM–8:00 PM
School for Social Entrepreneurs
CSI Annex
720 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON
Cost: $50. Register here.

That’s it for our mid-March International Women’s Day roundup newsletter!

Like what we do? Support us! It’s easy! Subscriptions are $3/month, $7/month or $10/month. We accept PayPal and credit cards. And we also now have a Patreon page!

Funds go directly towards paying writers, editors, proofreaders, photo permission fees, and illustrators. Remember, there is no other feminist business media voice dedicated to supporting those looking to build and grow ventures in alignment with their feminist values.

The next newsletter is scheduled for the end of March 2018. In the meantime, enjoy the better weather!

Petra Kassun-Mutch
Founding Publisher, LiisBeth

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LIISBETH DISPATCH #40

A cage full of parakeets at rest in a market in Hong Kong, China.
A cage full of parakeets at rest in a market in Hong Kong, China. Photo by Stocksy-A women-owned stock photography company in Vancouver./

 

VIEWPOINT

Leading From Inside a Cage

In the first week of February, a new gender equity campaign was launched.

Its name? #WeNeedBoth.

Its purpose? To ensure men were not excluded from panels on diversity. Supporters were encouraged to sign a pledge to ensure that this never happens again on their watch. By February 9, more than 90 A-list, Toronto-based CEOs, tech celebs, plus some of their employees (the majority were male) had signed.

Who founded it? According to media reports, it was founded by four WXN Top 100 corporate women leaders including Annette Verschuren, CEO of NRStor, and Linda Hassenfratz, CEO of Linamar, both of whom also serve on the Canada-United States Council for the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.

The idea was said to be inspired by a more broadly defined gender equity panel pledge campaign in Australia. However, the Canadian adaptation focused on dealing with the apparent problem of too many all-women panels in sessions devoted to gender diversity. (See the screenshot below from February 7, 2018.)

The backlash and snark that followed on social and other media outlets was swift and merciless. Most wondered: On what planet is “not enough men on diversity panels” a problem?; Why the focus on “diversity panels”?; What data support the idea this is a notable problem in Canada (LiisBeth could not find a similar campaign in the U.S.) to the point of requiring a national corporate-led campaign to solve it?

Others were angered at the initiative’s blatant exclusion of trans and gender non-binary people. Fair point. The hashtag handle acknowledges the existence of only two genders.

A week later, red-faced organizers completely rewrote the #WeNeedBoth website and pledge. Now, instead of advocating for more men on diversity panels, signatories are pledging to ensure all genders on all panels.

In essence, #AllGendersMatter. (The screenshot below was taken on February 25, 2018.)

Fast forward to today.

Originally, the co-founders’ names were noted on the website. Currently, the website says the campaign was “founded by a group of women.” So if you wanted your name off the list or wanted to talk to someone about the site, you would have no idea who to call or who will answer the “contact us” email. So much for transparency and accountability.

Marketplace Diversity?

Sure, people make mistakes. And the intentions were no doubt good. But one seriously has to wonder how the original campaign won approval by anyone in the first place, especially considering the people involved in creating and supporting it are all known corporate gender equity advocates. Hiding after the fact is not cool, either.

Following the campaign’s criticism, several signatories moved to distance themselves, downplaying their signature or involvement. Some simply said “Oops” on social media but justified their support anyway by saying the overall intent was good. Some signed without reading the pledge at all, saying they were heavily influenced by who else was on the list.

And while the pledge has changed to now reflect a flaccid #AllGendersMatter mindset, the hashtag #WeNeedBoth continues to refer to genders in binary terms. As of today, there are 172 signatures, a lineup that, by the way, looks a lot like the downtown Toronto’s Canadian Club luncheon reservations list.

Marketplace Diversity

The story of the ill-conceived, trans- and queer-excluding #WeNeedBoth campaign could be seen as an example of marketplace diversity (a riff off of Andy Zeisler’s term, marketplace feminism); supporters are quick to buy the feel-good T-shirt without bothering to critically consider the message emblazoned on the front.

One could also conclude this is just another case of corporate elite groupthink. Had any one of the founders, organizers or signatories reached out to oh, say, a woke college student, a staff member who perhaps does not report directly to them,  a gender minority activist, or even a feminist of any gender outside of their circles, this embarrassing campaign launch could have been avoided.

Our Take?

The whole thing was just the consequence of lazy thinking and insularity.

I agree that pushing for gender diversity on most panels (not all depending on context) is an important tactic in the fight for gender equality and the advancement of women, especially if the women are actually allowed to hold the mic for more than a minute.

However, prioritizing gender diversity on panels without also prioritizing diversity of thought is a job only half done. Two people of the same gender with courage, free voice, combined with a non-colonial, non-heteronormative, wide-angle viewpoint are far more valuable on a panel than hearing from man and a woman who exist in the same cage, worry about conforming, and overall think alike.

The story of #WeNeedBoth shows that corporate leaders need to work harder at cultivating connections that go beyond their comfort zones if they really want to participate in, or be recognized for, moving the dial.

Our Panel Pledge?

If you ask me, a truly powerful corporate panel on the subject of gender equity and minority gender advancement would not only include people with testes, ovaries, both, or none, but also people from other walks of life like feminist artists, gender justice and labour lawyers, political activists, women’s labour historians, gender minority community leaders, indie media journalists, writers, filmmakers, and new knowledge creators (women’s studies or gender studies academics), many of whom have been working at the margins of power on this issue for decades.

I would also support a pledge that said that panelists cannot have participated on a similar panel topic within the same year. It seems the same people are on the same panels, all the time. Yawn. Let’s work harder to keep the discourse sparky and fresh.

Imagine. Just one phone call to just one person who does not work on Bay Street and the entire #WeNeedBoth fiasco could have been avoided. Remember, no one can truly drive social change from inside a gilded cage.

THIS MONTH ON LIISBETH

Feminist Bookstores Make a Comeback

Yes, feminism is a robust political movement. But it is also a major field of research, a community, and a complex worldview.

Feminism is also the foundation for much of today’s discussion on corporate-led diversity and inclusion. In fact, LiisBeth argues that feminism is the new management science of our time. We also believe that feminist thinking is, in fact, the new “design thinking” and that all future leaders will need to learn how to wield a feminist lens to succeed in the emerging era.

Perhaps it’s not surprising then that the feminist bookstore, armed with new technology, sources of funding, and an intersectional attitude, is making a comeback. This is good news as there is no better way to learn about feminism and its many facets than by becoming a patron of a feminist bookstore. 

To learn more about the re-emergence of feminist bookstores, or how to become part of this kind of community of practice, read this month’s feature story, “The Reinvention of the Feminist Bookstore” by new LiisBeth contributor, Cecilia Keating.

LIISBETH FIELD NOTES

Boss! Boss! Da Budget! Da Budget! 

Yesterday the Canadian federal government released its 2018 budget and whoa, it demonstrates a real commitment to improving support for women entrepreneurs. Sure, the devil’s in the details. And when it comes to programming, we pray that the money will go to women-led programs, and not just to incubators and accelerators with an “add women & stir” (Thank you Barb Orser!) approach.

Achieving its intended effect will be hard work. But from where we sit, it’s an awesome move forward.

We can’t wait to see the Ontario provincial budget which is coming next. Ontario is still the only province without a women’s enterprise strategy. Keep your fingers crossed that this will change.

In the meantime, watch for LiisBethian reader’s thoughts on the budget on our website in the coming days. If you did not have time to read the whole thing, here is a handy printable summary:

It’s International Women’s Day on March 3

What’s the difference between the March 3 International Women’s Day (IWD) March and the January 21 Women’s March?

Well for starters, the IWD March has been around for more than 100 years compared to just two years for the U.S. election–inspired Women’s March that’s now held in January. From having attended both over the past two years, I noticed that the IWD March is much smaller, but the message it sends is no less important.

Depending on the country and organization, this year’s theme varies in title but not in overall intent.

For example, the U.N.’s IWD 2018 theme is “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives.” This theme echoes “the priority theme of the upcoming 62nd session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, International Women’s Day will also draw attention to the rights and activism of rural women, who make up over a quarter of the world population and majority of the 43 percent of women in the global agricultural labour force…”

In the U.K., the theme is #PressforProgress, which is “a nod to the growing global movement of advocacy, activism and support surrounding gender parity and sexism.” Inspired by the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, the aim of the theme is to encourage people to continue the vocal fight for equality.

In Canada it’s #MyFeminism. The Canadian theme is focused on celebrating and recognizing the role feminism and feminists have played in shaping Canadian life.

If you missed the January 20 march, here is your chance to show lawmakers and politicians that this time, the fight for gender equity is not going to recede into the background—ever again.

If you cannot attend the march this weekend, check the long list of International Women’s Day events happening in your area.

LiisBeth hopes to see you there in Toronto. Information about the Toronto march can be found here. If you are looking for information on the IWD march in your particular country or city, click here.

Can I Wear My Pink Pussy Hat to the IWD March?

It’s true. The pink pussy hat became controversial during the January Women’s March. Some argued the symbol was trans exclusionary (not everyone has a pussy). Others said it was racist because not all pussies are pink. That’s why so many women left their pussy hats behind.

But not all. Some choose to interpret the symbol on their own terms. Others just reinvented the hat by knitting new ones that were multicolour (see photo above from the January Women’s March in Toronto).

New (and Only) Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce Launched!

After four months of focused efforts, and with the input of Women on the Move‘s Heather Gamble, Trista DeVries, and Nancy Wilson officially launched the first Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CanWCC) in January 2017 in response to the observation that Canada did not have one—though many other countries did.

The organization launched with over 60 members and aims to have over 1,000 by the end of 2018.

Why should women sign up?

DeVries remarked, “The first reason to sign up is simple: advocacy. Until now, there has been no national Chamber of Commerce advocating specifically for women’s economic priorities. The second reason? Women-led businesses have unique needs and the CanWCC is dedicated to addressing those needs.”

While the word “women” is in the organization’s nameplate, DeVries assures that the organization is committed to inclusive and anti-discrimination practices in relation to all transgender women, intersex women, genderqueer women, and non-binary participants.

When it comes to the group’s advocacy agenda, DeVries says that this is currently evolving as they discuss priorities with members and other women-led business organizations like the Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC) over the next few months.

If you are interested in joining, click here. Membership rates start at $100 for businesses.

Innovate or Die

We all know women founders are underrepresented in science- and technology-led startups. But what’s more startling is that because there are few women in these spaces, many conclude that women are somehow less capable of or interested in innovation-based entrepreneurship.

Thankfully, Clare Beckton and Janice McDonald of The Beacon Agency just released a new study that proves this belief is pure bunk.

McDonald says that the 146 women interviewed were very clear: “If you don’t innovate, you die.”

It follows that if we cannot find a way to better support women-led innovations or enterprises, our economy’s potential will be forever under-realized.

WHAT WE’RE READING

Diversity training programs have had limited success, and individual effort alone often invites backlash. Behavioral design offers a new solution. By de-biasing organizations instead of individuals, we can make smart changes that have big impacts. Presenting research-based solutions, Iris Bohnet hands us the tools we need to move the t caption text here. Use the block’s Settings tab to change the caption position and set other styles.

Talaga has written Canada’s J’Accuse, an open letter to the rest of us about the many ways we contribute ― through act or inaction ― to suicides and damaged existences in Canada’s Indigenous communities. Talaga describes gaps in the system large enough for beloved children and adults to fall through. It is impossible to read this book and come away unchanged.” ― RBC Taylor Prize Jury Citation

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!
  • The Canada-United States Council for the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders has released its first report. The key message? Leverage government and corporate procurement to help grow women-led enterprises. The next two reports are scheduled to be released in March.
  • Further on the subject of directing a set percentage of procurement dollars to women-led enterprises, we encourage you to read this informative paper co-authored by Dr. Barbara Orser, Allan Riding and Julie Weeks in December 2017 titled “The Efficacy of Gender-Based Federal Procurement Policies in the United States.” The U.S. has had such policies in place for some time. The Council is recommending Canada adopt a similar policy. This paper points out that implementation is not as easy as it looks.
  • Did you know LiisBeth compiled a terrific feminist entrepreneur reading list with the help of Feminists@Work? To download this must-have list for all feminist entrepreneurs, click here.
CAN’T MISS EVENTS

  • Building an Inclusive Enterprise: A Brief Introduction to the Feminist Business Model Canvas
    Wednesday, March 7, 2018
    6:30–8:30 PM
    Women on the Move
    2111 Dundas St. West, Toronto
    Cost: $25

  • Building An Inclusive Enterprise: The Feminist Business Model Design Jam. Thursday, March 8, 2018
    9:00 AM–3:30 PM
    600 Rossland Road West, Oshawa, ON
    Sponsored by LiisBeth and presented by Feminists At Work
    Cost: Free! Register here.

  • SheEO Canadian Activator Summit and Gala
    Monday, March 5, 2018
    9:00 AM–8:30 PM
    The Symes
    150 Symes Road, Toronto
    Cost: $100–$150. Register here.

  • Toronto Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum
    Friday, March 9, 2018
    9:00 AM–4:00 PM
    Toronto City Hall, Council Chambers
    100 Queen St. West, Toronto
    Cost: Free! Register here.
  • The Gender Revolution: Implications for Organizational Leaders
    Saturday, March 10, 2018
    9:00 AM–4:30 PM
    Centre for Social Innovation, Queen’s University
    Goodes Hall, Kingston
    Cost: $99. Register here.

  • CryptoChicks Hackathon and Conference
    Friday, April 6 to Sunday, April 8, 2018
    MaRS Discovery District
    101 College St., Toronto
    “This is an open invitation to take part in a bold blockchain event. Women are underrepresented in the crypto space and with your help, we want to change that.”
    Cost: $50–$500. Register here.

That brings us to the end of our January/February combined newsletter.

Watch for additional new feature articles on feminist outsourcing plus more in March on our magazine site at www.liisbeth.com.

If you are looking for an easy way to support feminist entrepreneurs for International Women’s Day on March 8, look no further than considering a subscription to LiisBeth! We humbly remind you that subscriptions are $3/month, $7/month or $10/month.

We accept PayPal and credit cards. And we also now have a Patreon page!

Funds go directly towards paying writers, editors, proofreaders, photo permission fees, and illustrators. LiisBeth needs your love—and financial support.

The next newsletter is scheduled for late March 2018. In the meantime, enjoy the better weather!  And we’ll see you out and about on International Women’s Day!

Petra Kassun-Mutch
Founding Publisher, LiisBeth

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LIISBETH DISPATCH #39

VIEWPOINT

This year I ended up celebrating the winter solstice at Kensington Market in Toronto for the first time with new friends.  Paul, the initiator, described it to me as a sort of “mini-burning man”. It was an apt description. After a brief parade of giant puppets, pagan costumes and a few hundred urban revellers of all ages carrying homemade lanterns, the colourful, lit collective gathered with others in Alexandra Park, where a 20-foot high purpose-built sculpture was thereafter set on fire. The red embers floated up towards the sky while white snowflakes fell. There was drumming, dancing, and hot drinks.  The diverse crowd cheered while also stamping their feet and rubbing their mittened hands together for added warmth on this dark, minus 20 centigrade December night.

While watching the flame devour the papier-mâché and chicken wire animal god sculpture, I noticed the togetherness that the fire aroused in all of us. I was also struck by the fact that while the source of holiday light varies for different cultures and backgrounds—Christmas trees, menorahs, lanterns—there was a certain universality to how people practice the season; It almost always involves acts of generosity, goodwill, healing, and reconnection. Participating in the season in this way leaves you with a sense that renewal is not only possible-but on its way.

It was a welcome feeling that night.  And it still persists on this New Year’s Eve day.

THIS WEEK ON LIISBETH

Winter Solstice Playlist: Beginnings, Endings, and Bridges

LiisBeth is pleased to bring you this smoldering, contemplative and appropriately named new year playlist curated by Aerin Fogel, Toronto musician and founder of Venusfest, a Toronto-based feminist music festival.

The collection features some well-known artists like Bjork, as well as emerging artists like Lido Pimienta (below), a Columbian-Canadian musician and human rights advocate who won this year’s Polaris Music Prize for her album, La Papessa.

The Polaris Prize is based on artistic merit without regard to sales history or label affiliation. Winners are selected by  “a Grand Jury of 11 music media professionals drawn from the greater Polaris jury pool of almost 200 writers, editors, broadcasters, DJs and personalities from across the country.

You can listen to the playlist by clicking here.

It’s here!  The LiisBeth 2018 Feminist Entrepreneur Reading List!

After the entrepreneurial feminist forum in November, many attendees asked for a list of recommended readings to help them dig deeper into the concepts and topics introduced at the November 11 forum held in Toronto at the Ontario College of Art University.  We thought “Good idea!”  So here is the list which includes 20 books and five readings.

You can download it here.  Oh, and I think it goes without saying, don’t try to read them all at once!  S–p–a–c–e it out.

We hope it will give your feminist business practice what you need soar in 2018.

LiisBeth is Now on Patreon!

You may not realize this, but LiisBeth runs on passion diesel and volunteer time, plus the paid contributions of over 20 freelance contributors, editors, and visual artists.

Grants are hard to come by given what we do. (Feminist business practice is for some, still too niche or too scary to contemplate!). We are working on recruiting angel investors who are passionate about the cause. No luck yet. But we’re not giving up!

In the meantime, it’s really up to us, entrepreneurial feminists, to keep this conversation going and growing. 

This is our humble ask: If you have read, benefited from, shared, attended one of our events, heard us speak at a conference, or talked about LiisBeth’s work at least once, we would love to see you deepen your engagement with us by supporting this work not only with your attention and praise but with donations as well. 

We have lots of options. Our subscriptions range from $3 to $10 per month. Or, you can make a one time $5 or $100 donation. It’s up to you to determine what level of support works for your budget.

LiisBeth is open access regardless of how much you donate—and will remain so.

If cash is not an option, you can support us in other ways:

  • Share this newsletter with five friends and encourage them to sign up for our newsletter themselves.
  • Like our Facebook page. Follow us on Twitter.
  • We are also interested in any in-kind hours of support in areas like social media production, volunteering at events, donated photos or artwork for articles, copyediting, and proofreading.
  • We are also very interested in speaking to audiences to help more people engage with feminism at work and entrepreneurial feminism. If you need a savvy, energetic feminist entrepreneur speaker or panelist, drop us a line.  We know many of them and are happy to recommend!
  • If you would like us to help promote your next event, let us know!  We charge $50.00-$100.00 per website listing plus social media support.

To donate now, please click here or visit our Patreon site here. We are sincerely grateful for any and all types of support.

Are We Making A Difference?  Is Our Work Helping to Advance Gender Equity and Equality?

We have published over 129 articles and have hosted over 500 people at our various events, salons, and forum since we began in February 2016.

But are we having an impact?  Are we contributing to advancing gender justice through our work?

In December, LiisBeth decided to take stock, reflect and publish our findings.

You deserve to know if your contributions are helping us make a difference.

We need to know if we are using our resources in an optimal way given our mission.

Watch for the final report in early January.

In case you missed it!
CAN’T MISS EVENTS

  • Jan. 20: Innovation in Craft & Design
    A talk presented by Interior Designers of Canada.
    3:00PM–5:00PM, C536-43 Hanna Avenue, Toronto. Free. Register here.

  • April 10–11: Diversity Procurement Fair
    Presented by The Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC), Beanfield Centre, 105 Princes’ Blvd., Toronto

That brings us to the end of our last newsletter for 2017

Again, we hope you enjoyed it as well as our deeper reads at www.liisbeth.com.

Again, we could also really use your support. Please consider a donation, either as a lump sum ($5, $10, $100, anything will make a difference!) or monthly subscription between $3 to $10 dollars. Remember 100% of our dollars goes towards paying writers, editors, and creators a living wage rate for their work. You might even know a few of them!

The next newsletter is scheduled for mid-January.

Until then, we wish you a very happy, prosperous and generous new year.

Petra Kassun-Mutch
Founding Publisher, LiisBeth

Categories
Sample Newsletter

LiisBeth Dispatch #32

young woman with bike
Photo: Stocksy
VIEWPOINT

The Day Hillary Came to Town

Over 5,000 Canadian men and women, plus strong representation from Democrats Abroad came together on Sept. 28 at Exhibition Place in Toronto to hear Hillary Clinton talk about “What Really Happened” (also the title of her new book). The book tour based event started on a weird note with a 15-minute live musical performance by a tenor. But setting that aside, Clinton pleased the crowd, delivering inspiring one-liners, including “I’ve been called many things, but quitter is not one of them!” and “The only way to get sexism out of politics is to get more women into politics.” Each was followed by deafening cheers of support.

The crowd became more subdued as Clinton revealed new details about Russian election interference via twitter bots and artificial intelligence (AI) to help spread false news. What we have learned from this past election, she argued, other than that America is still not ready for a woman President, is that false news is now the most clear and present danger to our democracy — a system that depends on a well-informed citizenry.

And Clinton is right to have emphasized this point. AI is serious business.

Vinod Khosla, a 62-year-old billionaire American-Indian engineer and venture capitalist who now writes a popular blog on tech trends, told the 5000+ audience at Elevate Toronto on September 12 that the new weapon of mass destruction in the digital world will be AI. All nations are working hard to master its power. To bring the point home, Khosla reminded everyone that  Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said, “Artificial intelligence is the future, not only for Russia, but for all humankind. It comes with colossal opportunities, but also threats that are difficult to predict. Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world.”

That used to be said of nuclear bomb technology.

Last week, Gartner, a reputable American research and advisory firm providing information technology-related insight for business leaders, published its latest future trends report. It predicts that “By 2022, most people in mature economies will consume more false information than true information” and that in three years from now, “AI-driven creation of ‘counterfeit reality’ or fake content will outpace AI’s ability to detect it”. The forecaster also predicts that 50% of companies will be spending more per annum on bots and chatbot creations than traditional mobile apps.

Here at LiisBeth, we have written about how AI science, stewarded by men at this point, has serious gender implications to consider. Imagine a world where patriarchal responses to “If this, then ____”-based algorithms are so deeply encoded in systems of life on this planet that systemic issues they inadvertently create they might never be reversible. Microsoft’s Tay, the twitter bot that became so misogynistic and racist after 24 hours of “learning” from humans that it had to be quickly unplugged and put down before more damage could be done, is a good example.  Luckily, Tay, considered an AI “toy”, was not driving cars or deciding who would be scheduled for work next week.

AI can make lives easier, reduce costs, and the technorati say it might create more jobs than it eliminates in the long run. But at what cost?

 

Back at the Clinton event, LiisBeth spoke with attendees Pamela Librasso and Sara Vause to find out why they were there. Both spoke about being awed by Clinton’s incredible career, her long-standing commitment to advancing women, and their deeply felt disappointment at the outcome (and continuing fallout from) the results of the U.S. election.

Librasso was so jacked up about Clinton potentially winning the election she flew down to be part of her last campaign rally… and she is a Canadian!

“Anyone who said her being a woman had nothing to do with her losing is absolutely wrong,” said Vause.

Clinton adds that anyone who believes false news spread by early-stage AI on social media in the form of twitter bots had nothing to do with it, is equally wrong.

The ongoing post-election inquiry by the U.S. House and Senate intelligence committees reveals disturbing facts that support Clinton’s views.

Most of the people attending the Clinton event were there to show their support and appreciation for this intelligent, fearless woman (no matter what your opinion of her politically might be) who built and earned an amazing, and not over yet, career.

Most left feeling that they just experienced another important wake-up call regarding AI.

Feminist thought leaders need to get serious about amping up their interrogation of this emerging technology. To quote Clinton, we need to “resist, persist, insist and enlist” to ensure we continue to advance gender equality, especially in a AI-weaponized world.

THIS WEEK ON LIISBETH
Scene from Village of the Damned

When a Catalyst Becomes an Inhibitor

There have already been a lot of news stories written about women’s advocacy organization  Catalyst Canada’s recent decision to appoint yet another male bank CEO as the organization’s Chair of the Board.  But we felt the need to weigh in too. Spoiler alert: It’s not just the optics that we need to consider. Find out more here.

Savoy “Kapow” Howe in her office

 

Want Change? Put a Woman in a Ring on It! Part II

This week on LiisBeth, we publish part two of Savoy “Kapow” Howe’s story where she talks about running a trans-inclusive enterprise and her experience working with people with disabilities in the boxing ring.

Howe is the founder of the Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club. On the subject of why we still need women-centred spaces, she says “I noticed that once I took my club out of a co-ed space we were renting, the women became, well, bigger. They took up more room. And became more of themselves.” Check out part one of her story here. Part two can be found here.

LIISBETH FIELD NOTES

Sheldon Levy on Advancing Women in Entrepreneurship

Sheldon Levy is a man of great accomplishment. His impact on Ryerson University and the city of Toronto is legendary. The Ontario Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development (until Nov. 1) is the co-founder (along with Valerie Fox) of the top incubator in North America, the DMZ. He is the former president of Ryerson University. And he was recently named the new CEO of Next Canada, a startup incubator at the University of Toronto — one not known for the gender balance of its participants, mentors, lecturers or board.

LiisBeth had a chance to speak with Levy about what he thinks is necessary to increase the number of women participating in Canada’s accelerator and incubator spaces, including the one he now leads.

His answer: Change the climate, not the individual. He adds that based on his own observations, and to his dismay, many of these male-dominated environments are “not fun for women”. He added “We are not being honest about what the problem is.”

Hiding from this truth could be a contributing factor behind poor gender balance outcomes in incubator and accelerator spaces across Ontario. Even for Ryerson’s celebrated digital media zone, the data shows that women-led companies at DMZ currently add up to about 16% of all companies working in the 70 000 sq ft space. When you expand the count to include ALL women working in any role, in any startup, it increases to approximately 30%.

Liisbeth went on to ask Levy if he was a feminist. Levy replied, bemused, “I have not thought about it. I guess I would say I am just a person with my eyes open.”

Let’s see if having one’s eyes open is enough to make a dent in the previously reported on gender bias issues at Next Canada.

 

What’s the EFF?

We know that systemic barriers prevent the majority of people on the planet from participating fully in life on the planet, and from determining our collective future.

So what’s the good news?

Entrepreneurial Feminism!

In fact, today’s fast-growing number of entrepreneurial feminists are leading some of the most exciting transformations in our communities, the economy — and more importantly — our minds.  It was time to bring them together as a community.

At this inaugural Entrepreneurial Feminist Forum, we will be connecting, exploring and learning about diverse feminist approaches to business design, product and service innovation, alternative success strategies, feminist metrics, and much more. The forum is designed as a feminist, inclusive event and features a lot of doing, not just talking!

Confirmed speakers already include Dori Tunstall, Dean of Design at OCAD University, Dr. Barbara Orser, University of Ottawa Professor and co-author of Feminine Capital, CV Harquail, PhD, Stephen M. Ross School of Business (NJ) Professor and Co-founder of Feminists at work, Kelly Diels, feminist marketing consultant and author plus many more who will be announced in the coming weeks!

We are still open for workshop proposals until Oct. 15. Check out the guidelines here.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about new tools, ideas, share your work, identify future collaboration opportunities, become inspired, and find out more about entrepreneurial feminism as a force for change.

Early bird tickets at $99 are limited ($125 per person afterward). Get them while you can. Here. Now!  For more information visit www.feministforms.com. For those for whom price or any aspect of the event is a barrier please send us an email and we will find a way to accommodate! If you have questions, email [email protected].

Left to Right- Co-founders Heather Gamble, Samantha Richardson and Nicola Morgan

 

Whoa! Canada’s First Women’s Chamber of Commerce?

Did you know that Women’s Chambers of Commerce organizations exist in many countries across the globe, except Canada?

Well, that’s about to change.

Last week, Heather Gamble, founder of Women on the Move, announced the creation of Canada’s first Women’s Chamber of Commerce. The new Chamber, due to launch officially on November 30th, will provide resources and advocate on behalf of women entrepreneurs in Ontario.

Ontario is the Canadian province without a Women’s Enterprise Centre.

If you would like to learn more about this initiative or want to become involved, consider attending their October 12 information session (this Thursday) from 6:30-8:30pm at Women on the Move, 2111 Dundas Street West, Toronto.  To RSVP, click here.

Eve-Volution Inc. is Recognized as a Best For the World B Corp!

As you may know, LiisBeth Media is a division of Eve-Volution Inc., a three-year-old  B-Corp-certified consulting and educational enterprise that focuses on helping advance gender equity and inclusion in the entrepreneurship and innovation space. Eve-Volution Inc. was recently recognized as one of 2017’s “Best for the World” B Corps due to our community impact scores! If you are interested in learning more about Eve-Volution Inc., visit www.eve-volution.com.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT?
  • Can you really empower a woman in India with a chicken? Read “The Myth of Women’s Empowerment”  in emerging countries here.
  • We have been enjoying Bitch Magazine’s series of six long-read articles on the topic of fragility. The latest one is entitled “I didn’t know how much I needed a woman President until it didn’t happen”, by Jessica Marie Johnson. You can read it here.
  • The annual B Corporation Champions Retreat was held last week for the first time, and right here in Toronto. There are now over 200 B Corps! We wanted to give a shout out to Jeff Ward, founder of Animikki, also Ojibway, Metis, Thunderclap Boy of the Bear Clan with UK settler heritage for becoming the first Indigenous-owned B Corp in the world!Can
CAN’T MISS EVENTS
  • Canadian Women in STEM. Saturday, Oct. 14, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM, 200-20 Toronto St., Suite 200, Toronto, ON. Presented by HerVolution. Register here.
  • Emancipate Me. Emancipate This. Tuesday, Oct. 17, 6:30 PM-7:30 PM. Authors Vivek Shraya and Lauren McKeon discuss the face of racism, the anti-feminist movement, and their latest books, Even This Page Is White and F Bomb: Dispatches on the War of Feminism, , Toronto Reference Library, Toronto, ON.  Free.
  • FEMM Live. Saturday, Oct. 21, Fairmont Royal York, Toronto, ON. $137-$350. Register here. Speakers/performers include  Margaret Trudeau, Vicki Saunders, Amber Mac, Paulette Senior, Heidi Allen, Maria Locker, Sandra Laronde, Kelly Lovell, Stephania Varalli, Susan Howson, Joy Foster, Jessica Pheonix & more!

  • Entrepreneurial Feminist Forum. Saturday, Nov. 11, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. 100 McCaul Street, OCAD U, Toronto. $99-$125. Only 25 early bird tickets available so act fast! Register here.

That brings us to the end of this October newsletter.

We hope you enjoyed it as well as our deeper reads at www.liisbeth.com.

If you like what you read, we humbly remind you that subscriptions are $3/month, $7/month or $10/month. We accept PayPal and credit cards. Funds go directly towards paying writers, editors, proofreaders, photo permission fees, and illustrators. LiisBeth needs your love—and financial support.

The next newsletter is scheduled for early November. In the meantime, take care of yourself. And each other. It’s been a little rough out there for many of us these past few weeks.

Petra Kassun-Mutch
Founding Publisher, LiisBeth

Categories
Activism & Action Allied Arts & Media

Honouring Labour Day: A Playlist That Pushes Boundaries

Aerin Fogel, Founder of Venus Fest
Aerin Fogel, founder of Venus Fest

 

Labour Day is upon us, and summer sure seems like a blur. To ease you into the fall and help you reflect on the labour movement’s important role in advancing women at work, LiisBeth is pleased to bring you this amazing playlist curated by Toronto musician and Venus Fest founder, Aerin Fogel.

Venus Fest is a one-day festival held at Artscape’s Daniels Spectrum building on September 30 with a lineup and staff composed entirely of women, genderqueer and trans people. Ticket prices are based on the honour system and range from $37 to $52. More than 40 musicians are involved.

“The festival has a lot to do with healing and creating spaces where we can come to celebrate and be joyful together,” says Fogel. “I don’t think it should be a novelty that women and non-binary people can come together to do that.”

In her 10 years in the music industry—her new band, Queen of Swords, will release an album on September 17—Fogel saw the need for greater diversity in Toronto’s music scene. “I noticed trans women, women of colour, and women in general had a hard time getting their work out,” she says, adding that connections are everything, and while the Internet has made it easier to get material out, it has also made it more challenging due to increased competition and noise.

Fogel says that as a feminist, her leadership style is open, collaborative, and not top down. The festival is entirely structured around the artists’ interests and fair pay for everyone. Strengthening this community, creating opportunity, and fostering connection is what it’s all about.

“What we do is not easy,” says Fogel. “Carving out your own path in the world as a feminist goes against the grain of most cultures. So sometimes we need a little reminder of why we do what we do, why our strength matters, why it is actually making a difference somewhere, and inch by inch creating change. So here’s a playlist of some of the most inspiring artists out there right now, pushing the boundaries and the edges of our hearts and our consciousness. At Venus Fest, we loved them so much that we invited most of these artists to play at our festival and be the voice of the change we’re driven to create.”

Now sit back and enjoy the music.

Weaves, “Shithole”

With the raw and honest power that singer Jasmyn Burke wields so well, “Shithole” shares the unraveling of an identity. The relatable struggle of adapting and discarding different personas makes this track a standout from Weaves’ debut record, and it places Burke at the forefront of indie front people.


U.S. Girls, “Damn That Valley”

Influenced by Sebastian Junger’s book War, “Damn That Valley” explores the anger and distress of a young widow whose husband died fighting for his country. As always, Meg Remy is able to locate the powerful emotions of an individual lost in the greater context of political and systemic restraint.

 

Phèdre, “In Decay”

Known for their intensely erratic and psychedelic pop, Phèdre brings us this vivid NSFW mixture of lovers in decay, in colour, in goop, and chains. Singer April Aliermo holds down an active role in countless Toronto community initiatives. With Daniel Lee, she brings a joyful and liberating live set.

 

Y La Bamba, “Libre”

On her fourth album Ojos Del Sol, Y La Bamba creator Luz Elena Mendoza returns to themes of searching, metamorphosis, shared humanity, and a faith that is greater than just religion. “I am thankful for all of my hardships. They have guided me to find rest in my soul time after time, over and over again,” Mendoza says. “Libre” is about universal love and about resting in freedom from chaos.

 

Lido Pimienta, “Agua”

Lido Pimienta has built a steady empire with her powerful words, poetry, and voice of strength and justice. “Agua” speaks about water as a basic right of all beings, and the hope and innocence that lies in our younger generations to carry a brighter torch into the future.

 

Madame Gandhi, “Her”

Known originally as the drummer for M.I.A. and the free-bleeding runner at the 2015 London Marathon, Madame Gandhi has quickly launched an explosive career with a mission to celebrate and elevate the female voice. “Her” is inspired by Margaret Atwood and was released while Hillary Clinton was still in the running to become the U.S. president. It’s an ode to female leadership.

 

Austra, “I Love You More Than You Love Yourself”

In this video, singer Katie Stelmanis takes on the complex story of Lisa Nowak, former NASA astronaut who experienced a psychological break and was charged for the resulting course of events. Austra’s third album, Future Politics, envisions how we might lean into a more utopian iteration of our world, while songs like this account for the distance we still stand from our utopia.


DIANA, “Born Again”

This is a line we need right now in our world: “Now’s the time for believing / Lay your hands on me I need healing / Born again tonight.” Front woman Carmen Elle has used her platform in DIANA to share her vulnerable struggle with anxiety and its relationship to her work as an artist. Time and again their songs let music be a moment of healing and a way to connect people through shared experience.

 

Emel Mathlouthi, “Ensen Dhaif”

After her music was banned in Tunisia when it spurned its own revolution during the Arab Spring, Emel Mathlouthi brought her magnificent force of healing and truth to New York for the release of the album Ensen. The video for “Ensen Dhaif” explores the revolution from varying states of oppression, be they circumstantial or internally imposed.

 

Ice Cream, “Material”

This standout from the debut album Love, Ice Cream show the molecular pop duo assembling supplies for a ladies’ weekend at a casino on the moon. Like the album, “Material” confronts the narrowness of a plastic culture while managing to embrace some of its edges.

Venus Fest is still looking for sponsorships. Contact Amy Saunders for more information.

Categories
Activism & Action

How To Strengthen Ontario's Economy Through the Effective Advancement of Women's Entrepreneurs?

WEO-FinalDocument Nov 2016
In the spring of 2016, 18 kick ass women entrepreneurs and thought leaders got together to discuss the state of women’s entrepreneurship in Ontario, and how to improve it. They formed a volunteer task force and for the next several months, read, researched and spoke to women entrepreneurs across Ontario.
The result? A unanimously supported set of recommendations which can be found here: WEO-FinalDocument Nov 2016.
With an Ontario election year coming in 2018, and the findings of the McKinsey June 2017 report, there is now a lot of activity in the women’s entrepreneurship space; Several consultations are planned for this fall by the Ontario’s Status of Women ministry and other organizations. There have been several task forces over the past five years.
We have the answers.  Now it’s a matter of implementation –and the will and funding to do so.
If you are planning to attend a consultation, don’t leave home without this report.

LiisBethMX logo type with Strengthening the Feminist Economy below it
Hey! We merged with rabble.ca April 1 2023!

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