Horror of Horrors

Let's begin by establishing this: people come in aaaaalllll different colours, shapes and sizes! Variation and diversity are normal. These are good things. Pretty elementary information, no?

Unfortunately, we live in a world that a. equates beauty with whiteness (and operates on heavily Eurocentric discourse) and b. supports economic systems that rely heavily on commodification. Not surprisingly, then, there are countless products and services that exist at the crux of these facts: skin lightening creams and eyelid surgery are two perfect examples. None of this surprises me anymore (though it does make me shudder).

Today, I received a link that did surprise me. My New Pink Button: a "Simple to use Genital Cosmetic Colorant that restores the 'Pink' back to a Woman's Genitals". For the price of approximately $30USD you can purchase your choice of "Bettie", "Ginger", "Aubry" or "Marilyn" and enjoy a pink-tinted vulva for 48-72 hours.

Honestly? Seriously? Is this for real? VULVA DYE?

Obviously this product and its entire marketing campaign is founded upon horrendously racist, ageist (etc. etc. etc.!!!!! !! !!!) discourse and assumptions. I need to state my disgust at their use of the term "restoration" -- the marketing of a return to better, pinker times (eyeroll). Establishing The Pink not only as something to aspire to but as something that we all once had and should strive to re-attain. Vulvas come in all shapes, sizes and colours. Pink is not the "natural" pigment. Some are never pink. Some are. Some are, then aren't. Most vulvas change with time. This is not a bad thing.

I could go on, but I'll let you check it all out for yourselves.

A relevant video can be found here

- Vivian

Tammy Rae Carland

Untitled (Lesbian Bed #11)

I discovered Tammy Rae Cartland today, coming upon her Lesbian Beds photo project and loving it for so many reasons. It inspired a curiosity in me that was repeated and multiplied as I browsed her various projects. Her work is at once intimate, aggressive, endearing and powerful.

Check her out...

http://tammyraecarland.com/

- Vivian

2010 Student Research Symposium

Urban Youth & the Determinants of Sexual Health Urban Interest Group

The Centre for Urban Health Initiatives (CUHI), along with the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, Planned Parenthood Toronto, Gendering Adolescent AIDS Prevention (GAAP), Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Centre for REACH “Universities without walls training initiative”, Toronto Public Health, Indigenous Education Network, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education’s Adult Education & Community Development Graduate Program and others invite you to join us for the...

2010 “URBAN YOUTH AND THE DETERMINANTS OF SEXUAL HEALTH”

STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

This is a FREE symposium that will be held on THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010

Submissions are welcomed from Students interested in youth sexual health across Canada.

The goal of the symposium is to bring together university students to share their research and artistic pieces on youth sexual health and to engage and network with other students, academics, policy makers, and community members interested in Urban Youth and the Determinants of Sexual Health.

**DEADLINE FOR ALL ABSTRACTS IS FEBRUARY 3, 2010!**

WE ARE CALLING FOR SUBMISSIONS--research-focused or artistically-focused

(ie. film, photography, theatre, music, spoken word, etc.) on any of the following areas:

• Aboriginal sexual health and/or Indigenous methodologies and cultural

relevancies to sex education

• HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual health and harm reduction

• Intersectional approaches to equity and the social determinants of

adolescent sexual health

• Exploring the impact of sexual diversity on health

• Improving youth access to sexual health services and education

• Participatory methodologies that promote youth involvement,

leadership and community development

• Leveraging youth media for sexual health promotion

Three awards will be granted to students in categories of oral, poster, and artistic presentation.

The final deadline for abstract submissions is WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2010

For more information please find attached a detailed description of the Symposium, and a registration form or contact cuhi.admin@utoronto.ca

Underground Garage Sale

WASH will be tabelling zines and handmade crafts at this years Underground Garage Sale in Mississauga.

2800 Erin Centre Blvd, Erin Meadows Community Centre, Mississauga, ON

Saturday, January 16th - 12PM - 5PM.

Come and say hi!

Facebook event here.

- Evy

Happy new year!

This is a great time to start charting your menstrual cycle. Charting your cycle can help you to better understand your body and how it works. Here's a chart that I found online and edited (Click here to see the original). You can print it out or save it and use a program like paint to add in your information.

Here's some helpful information on how a menstrual cycle works. I found it here http://iheartguts.com/uterus

Happy menstruation everyone!

- Alice