Bikegasm

I came across this youtube video on another blog (see 'Bicycle Porn' posting). I wish I could say that I have that much fun riding my bike lol. Enjoy!

- Alice

Pseudocyesis

"Pseudocyesis, or false pregnancy, is a medical phenomenon in which women (and a few men, it has been reported) experience all the symptoms of pregnancy without actually being pregnant. Those affected by this disorder exhibit amenorrhea (the discontinuation of menstruation), tender and swollen breasts, distended abdomen, morning sickness, and even “fetal movement”. In very rare cases, a woman may even experience labor pains and phantom delivery."

Read about it here

- Vivian

WEN-DO Women’s Self Defense

A few years ago I took a wen-do course with a girlfriend. It was a great opportunity to talk about women's safety in an empowering and fun way. The physical techniques are practical and easy to learn.

Check out this free wen-do event happening on campus:

WEN-DO Women’s Self Defense
Sponsored by SASSL
This is a FREE event!

Dates: March 7th and March 14th
Time: 10am - 5pm
Location: Room 313 Student Centre, York University

Wen-Do Women's Self Defence is a registered charity and the oldest women's self defence organization in Canada.
For more information visit the website: www.wendo.ca

In the 2-day Wen-Do Workshop, you will:

* Learn simple, effective physical self-defence techniques
* Explore verbal self defence - reasoning, confronting, using surprise, and more...
* Discuss issues of violence against women and girls in a supportive setting
* Share inspiring real-life stories of resistance!

Classes are small, safe, non-competitive, and fun! Wen-Do is accessible to women of all ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities. The workshop will be facilitated by Denise Handlarski.

To register or if you have any questions, contact SASSL at sassl@yorku.ca

SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS' SUPPORT LINE
Office: B 449 Student Centre, York University
Phone: 416-736-2100 ext. 40345
24-Hour Support Line: 416-650-8056
Website: www.yorku.ca/sassl

-Iris

Events

Eve Ensler: Creating a Women’s Revolution
Women’s College Hospital presents Eve Ensler in honour of International Women’s Day, 7 pm on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at MaRS Discovery District, 101 College Street, Toronto.

Admission $12.50 at uofttix.ca or 416 978 8849 or purchase your tickets in person at Women’s College Hospital Gift Shop at $10 per person.

Monthly Women’s Health Lunch and Learn Sessions: (except in July & August)
12 noon to 1pm in the Marion Powell Women's Health Information Centre, 9th Floor Women’s College Hospital, 76 Grenville (Bay & College)

Please see the list of upcoming events on the Women's College Hospital Website for topics, dates and times.

Everyone Welcome. Space is limited, so please call ahead to RSVP.
http://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/programs/program88.html

- Iris

Women's Health Information Centre

The Marion Powell Women's Health Information Centre is a lending library open to patients, visitors, staff and the general public.

The Centre opened in 1988 as the Women's Health Resource Centre. As part of the Regional Women's Health Centre, our mandate was to offer a central access point for women's health information, and to offer a wide range of written and audio-visual materials on different aspects of reproductive health.

In 1989, with a collection of 130 titles, the Resource Centre began to offer basic service. Throughout the 1990s, our collection and services expanded. In April 2004, the Resource Centre moved to room 916 of Women's College Hospital and was renamed the Marion Powell Women's Health Information Centre in honour of Dr. Marion Powell, a leader and activist in the field of women's health.

With the move to the main building of the hospital, the collection is expanding to cover more topics. There are now over 4,000 titles in our catalogue. Services have expanded to meet the needs of our growing client base. Over 4,000 people use our services each year.

Services Provided:
Our goal is to help women learn about the health matters that concern them. We offer one-on-one service and accessibility to current, authoritative and consumer-friendly health information. Some of the topics we have information on include:

* Alternative medicine
* Body image
* Diabetes
* Midlife/Menopause
* Parenting
* Reproductive health
* Women and aging
* Women and violence

Our collection includes a wide variety of books, magazines, videos, DVDs and online resources.

New Book Titles
The Centre gets in a wide variety of new book titles regularly. These are open to the public to reserve and borrow. See the lists of new titles here.

Library Catalogue
Our catalogue of library materials is now searchable online.

If you do not wish to borrow material you can take advantage of our wide variety of free information pamphlets. We do not circulate magazines, but they may be photocopied for a minimal charge. You are also welcome to print from our computers for a minimal charge.

Our other services include:

* Reference Services
* Photocopying
* Local Fax-Sending Service
* Information Sessions
* Book Launches

If you are unable to visit the Information Centre in person, we will be happy to mail or e-mail information to you.

Resource Finders
Our Resource Finders are brochures listing key books and websites on specific information including menopause, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart health and stress management. Please contact us to see if we have a Resource Finder on a particular topic and to have one mailed to you.

Events and Displays
Once a month (excluding the summer months) we run Lunch-and-Learn Sessions on health-related topics of interest to women. These are free information sessions that are open to all.

In addition to the resources listed above, we also have a display in the hospital lobby once a month, which includes fact sheets on different health topics.

All of our services are confidential, accessible, and tailored to our clients' individual needs.

Requirements
You must complete a membership form in order to borrow materials from the library. Please bring a valid identification that shows your name and address (e.g. driver's licence).

Location and Contact Info
Women's College Hospital, Main Building
76 Grenville Street (view map)
9th Floor, Room 916
Toronto, ON M5S 1B2

Phone: (416) 323-6045

Fax: (416) 323-6431

e-Mail: askus.whic@wchospital.ca

Hours of Service
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Accessibility
We are wheelchair-accessible

- Iris

Event: "Gawking, Gaping, Staring: Living in Marked Bodies."

Eli Clare is in Toronto March 9th to the 15th. For those who are not familiar with the intersectional work of Eli Clare you can visit his web site at www.eliclare.com. Eli's ability to integrate theory, activism, and storytelling in his work about social justice, disability, queerness, and trans identity makes him a sought after educator, speaker and poet. If you've ever been fortunate enough to hear Eli speak or read his books I'm sure you are already picking out your outfit and telling all your friends. Eli Clare is a thoughtful, insightful, brilliant speaker who manages to address multi-layered and complex issues in an accessible, warm, thoughtful and poetic manner.

Wednesday, March 11th 7-9pm @ OISE 252 Bloor St. W (St. George & Bloor) Rm 5-280

"Gawking, Gaping, Staring: Living in Marked Bodies."
Disabled people, trans people, fat people, and people of color all know what it's like to be stared at. Through words and images, Eli explores the internal experiences of living in marked bodies and the external meanings of oppression and bodily difference.


Free, Wheelchair accessible, ASL interpreters

If you have other access needs please email femmegimp@hotmail.com or call 416-889-3037

Organizations supporting this event:
Come as you are; Connaught University of T; Ontario Institute for Studies in Education; DAMN 2025; Supporting Our Youth; Sherbourne Health Center, LGBT program; Acsexxxable; Toronto Women's Bookstore; CUPE 3903, TransFeminist Action Caucus; Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education; CUPE Ontario; York University Sexuality Studies program; MSW Program, Ryerson School of Social Work; Trans Bisexual Lesbian Gay Allies @ York & Students for Barrier free Access.

- Iris

International Women's Day Event

(Posted from the facebook event page)
The Town of Richmond Hill and Enbridge celebrate International Women's Day 2009.

Saturday, March 7, 2009 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
10268 Yonge Street

Featuring the film 'Iron Jawed Angels', prizes, guest speakers and an opportunity to network with political leaders, community organizations and the general public.

We would like to recognize the participation of:
The Town of Richmond Hill
Enbridge
Victim Services of York Region
MADD York Region
York Region Violence Against Women Coordinating Committee
Pathways for Children, Youth and Families of York Region
Yellow Brick House
Sandgate Women's Shelter
DASA at York Central Hospital
Women's Centre of York Region
Women's Support Network
York Region Abuse Program
York Region Children's Aid Society

Celebrating and recognizing women's achievements in respect to voting and politics.

TICKETS are $13 each (which includes the processing fee) and can be purchased online at
richmondhill.ticketwindow.ca or charge by phone by calling the box office at
905-787- 8811

ALL PROCEEEDS BENEFIT:
Yellow Brick House
Sandgate Women's Shelter
Pathways for Children, Youth and Families of York Region

- Alice

Bicycle Porn

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I came across this art project, but after seeing the trailer I must say that I'm intrigued.

Pornography evokes a lot of mixed ideas in my head. I mean, I'm definitely pro-sex, but porn (at least in its mainstream/popular forms) can be kind of disturbing, especially where issues of consent are concerned and it seems more like rape being caught on tape instead of one/two/many people getting off. I feel that porn often perpetuates heteronormative and misogynist ideas about what sex should look like and who should be having this kind of sex. I'm not saying that all pornography is like this, but that this is just how I've felt most of the times I've watched mainstream porn. How does anyone else feel?

In any case, I'm very curious to see how bicycle porn plays out! You can check out the trailer here if you're interested.

Warning: video contains bicycle pornography in its raw form :P

- Alice

Menstruation: Herbal Remedies

Click here for some tips to help relieve discomfort experienced around menstruation with herbal remedies.

- Alice

EVENT: Red Tent Sisters Film Circle

Film Circle at Red Tent Sisters!

Period: The End of menstruation?
By Giovanna Chesler
Friday, February 27, 2009
8pm
(All genders welcome)
Cost: $5.00

More info here!

- Vivian

Forced sterilzation & HIV in Chile

Here's an article from feministing.com where a woman in Chile was sterilized without her knowledge because she was HIV positive. We've posted information about issues of confidentiality and HIV testing recently (I think it's in January's batch of posts), and how the disclosure of this information has been and continues to be used to discriminate individuals from jobs, immigration and more. In this instance, this woman was robbed of her choice in reproduction.

- Alice

Defying the laws of Gravity!

The Pstyle is a unique device that allows women (or those without a penis) to urinate without having to squat over a toilet. I think that this can be very useful for those who have not yet perfected the hovering technique when using public toilets, or for FTM transgendered individuals when using men's washrooms, or (insert creative idea here!). I came across a similar product that was advertised in the genesis issue of bitch magazine. This one was called the p-mate.

The p-mate seems to be more convenient because of it's disposable feature, but the pstyle will save you money and is better for conserving natural resources and reducing waste.

Another alternative is the go-girl.

In any case, being able to pee standing up without having a stream run down one's leg seems like an awesome idea!

- Alice

February 2009: Artist of the Month

Evy Hareven is a Toronto based photography student whose work focuses on sex, gender and feminist politics.

Check out some of her work here

- Vivian