Gender Agnew e

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper

    Vijay Agnew

    Professor of Social Science and

    Director, Centre for Feminist esearc!

    "or# $niversity

    Commissioned %y Status of &omen Canada

    for t!e '(ntersections of Diversity) Seminar

    *!is document e+presses t!e views of t!e aut!or and does not necessarily represent t!e

    official policy of Status of &omen Canada or t!e Government of Canada

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    Contents:

    Part (: *!eoretical Developments -

    Part ((: Gender and Diversity in oyal Commission eports .

    Part (((: Citi/ens!ip 01

    Policy and esearc! Gaps 02

    3i%liograp!y -0

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper

    By Vijay Agnew

    The questions Who is a woman? and What are her ri!hts? wou"d have #een easy to

    answer three decades a!o #ut are now a matter o$ intense discussion amon! $eminists and others%

    &eminist theories have evo"ved with our understandin! o$ women's e(periences% )everthe"ess*

    the more that we understand a#out women's oppression* the more comp"e( and theoretica" is the

    de#ate% Diversity in $eminist conceptua"i+ations ,and theories- o$ !ender* identity* "ocation*

    epistemo"o!y* and discourse has opened up the de#ate a#out diversity in interpretation and

    app"ication% By ana"y+in! two .ey /oya" 0ommission reports1one on the status o$ women and

    the other on vio"ence a!ainst women we see how our understandin! has evo"ved re!ardin!

    !ender* the comp"e(ity o$ inte!ratin! diverse individua"s with varyin! identities to a common

    cause% /eports $rom 2 onwards indicate that $or some women achievin! !ender equa"ity has

    #een a distant dream%

    Part (: *!eoretical Developments

    Defining Gender

    The wordgender was popu"ari+ed #y the second wave o$ $eminism when it sou!ht to

    distin!uish se( or the physica" attri#utes that de$ined peop"e as ma"es and $ema"es $rom the

    sociocu"tura" meanin!s assi!ned to the #ody* such as mascu"inity and $emininity% The

    distinction that was made #etween se( and !ender was empowerin! $or women #ecause it

    disputed the notion that #io"o!y was destiny and su!!ested instead that societa" norms had

    constrained their $reedom to deve"op their human potentia"% Women's "ac. o$ participation in

    po"itics* $or instance* had "ess to do with their se( than with the norms imposed #y society on

    their #odies% &eminists went on to ar!ue that the pu#"ic and private spheres were not discrete and

    iso"ated #ut were interconnected* and women's "ac. o$ power in one "ed to their su#ordination in

    the other% 4ociety had assi!ned di$$erentia" va"ues to the wor. ,paid and unpaid- that women

    per$ormed and this had consequences $or their su#ordinate status in society% 5t was invi!oratin!

    $or women to discover that what had #een previous"y viewed #y society as women's "ac. o$

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 6

    achievements was in rea"ity a matter o$ "ac. o$ opportunities% 5n this initia" phase* $eminists

    tended to minimi+e di$$erences o$ se( and privi"e!ed !ender%

    5n the 789s* it #ecame part o$ the common wisdom to assert that !ender was a socia""y

    constructed cate!ory% Postmodern and poststructura"ist $eminists went on to ar!ue that !ender

    was not a sta#"e cate!ory #ut temporary* $"uid* and shi$tin!% The meanin!s attached to !ender

    were not universa" rather they were speci$ic and were derived $rom particu"ar socia" conte(ts

    and in re"ationship to other su#;ects%

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper

    Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identityar!ues that !ender distinctions on"y

    have meanin! within a pha""ocentric order #ui"t on a system o$ #inary di$$erences ,788-%

    Gender identity is maintained throu!h the $i(ed opposition o$ ma"e and $ema"e* with each

    cate!ory de$ined #y its di$$erence $rom the other% But"er su!!ests that $ar $rom #ein! innate

    !ender constitutes a set o$ !estures which are per$ormed upon the sur$ace o$ the #ody ,Gam#"e

    27* 2-% A""ison Weir e(p"ains that But"er's $undamenta" c"aim is that any identity is a"ways

    and on"y the product o$ a system or "o!ic o$ power="an!ua!e which !enerates identities as

    $unctions o$ #inary oppositions* and see.s to concea" its own wor.in!s #y ma.in! those

    identities appear natura" ,Weir 2* 66-%

    Ce"ene 0i(ous and uce 5ri!aray note that $ema"e #odies are hi!h"y metaphorica" and

    ironic* and do not necessari"y denote #e"ie$ in the e(istence o$ a $undamenta" $ema"e identity

    ,Gam#"e 27* 22-% 4uch interpretations su!!est that there is no inte!ra" over"ap #etween se(

    and !ender* $or e(amp"e a person with a woman's #ody can adopt mascu"inity ,as a !endered

    norm- as in transse(ua" * trans!endered identities%

    But"er $avours dismant"in! the se(=!ender divide* #ut other $eminists "i.e

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    3ac#ground of (ntersectionality

    5n the 78s* $eminist theory was critici+ed $or i!norin! racism and treatin! !ender as a

    universa" and a historica" cate!ory that encompassed the e(periences o$ a"" women% /acia"i+ed

    women adopted 78s $eminist s"o!ans that identi$ied a"" men as the enemy and a"" women as

    su$$erin! common oppression% But a$ter the initia" enthusiasm $or articu"atin! the common

    e(periences o$ !ender* some $eminists #e!an to critica""y e(amine these s"o!ans and their

    assumption that !ender represents the primary source o$ women's oppression% This re

    e(amination spawned a vi!orous and $arran!in! critique o$ $eminist theories% /acia"i+ed women

    used historica" data to demonstrate that c"ass and race were as power$u" as !ender in oppressin!

    and e(p"oitin! women ,A!new 788F-%

    /ace* "i.e !ender* is socia""y constructed in the sense that the dominant !roup in a

    society* characteri+ed #y unequa" socia" re"ations* se"ects certain physica" traits and attri#utes

    si!ni$icance to them% These traits* such as s.in co"our* shape o$ eyes* and hair te(ture* are then

    associated with mora"* psycho"o!ica"* or socia" norms and va"ues% >ver time* the association o$

    physica" characteristics with a set o$ va"ues comes to #e seen as natura"* norma"* and inevita#"e%

    The corre"ation #etween peop"e's physica" traits and their encoded attri#utes does not have to #e

    scienti$ica""y esta#"ished* and indeed proo$ is irre"evant% The association #etween physica" traits

    and norms and va"ues derives its stren!th $rom the wide"y accepted #e"ie$ in race% The content o$

    these socia""y constructed concepts chan!es and shi$ts over time ,A!new 788F-% The word

    racializedcame to #e common"y used #y women to re$er to their identity* sti!mati+ation* and

    ostracism as a discrete racia" cate!ory characteri+ed #y traits or attri#utes that were thou!ht to #e

    typica" ,Andermahr 2* 222-%

    /acia"i+ed women were concerned a#out theori+in! the re"ationship #etween race and

    !ender% An!e"a Davis and Be"" Coo.s were amon! the $irst #"ac. women in the nited 4tates to

    question how race* a"on! with !ender* oppressed women% Coo.s'Feminist Theory from Margin

    to Center,7896- and Talking Back: Thinking Feminist Thinking Black,7899- were hi!h"y

    in$"uentia" in startin! a de#ate amon! racia"i+ed women on their own e(periences in )orth

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper

    American and

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    4pistemology and (ntersectionality

    &eminist epistemo"o!ists deconstructed .now"ed!e to show how power re"ations are

    em#edded in "an!ua!e and to identi$y a method $or posin! insi!ht$u" questions a#out women and

    #y women to document the truths o$ their sociopo"itica" oppression and mar!ina"i+ation%

    orraine 0ode in !hat Can She "no#$ : Feminist Theory and the Construction of "no#ledge

    provides a critique o$ androcentric .now"ed!e:

    Theories and methodo"o!ies in the socia" sciences Ho#;ecti$y' the

    human su#;ects they study%

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    ways they are present in the everyday are and must #e a specia"i+ed

    enterprise* a wor.* the wor. o$ a socia" scientist ,4mith 789* 77-%

    4ome questions that arise $rom such a $ormu"ation are: 5s the $eminist standpoint an essentia"ist

    understandin! o$ !ender? Does such thin.in! po"ari+e ma"e=$ema"e identities and ma.e them

    #inary cate!ories? 5s co!nitive authority associated on"y with !ender* or does it a"so inc"ude

    race* c"ass* se(ua"ity* cu"ture* and a!e amon! many other di$$erences?

    Patricia 0o""ins* a #"ac. socio"o!ist* disputes !ender as providin! insi!ht into women's

    everyday "ives rather she ar!ues strenuous"y in $avour o$ ac.now"ed!in! the di$$erences in

    women's "ives% 4he re;ects !ender as a uni$ied cate!ory o$ women* notin! instead the need $or

    research on #"ac. women to inc"ude questions derived $rom their identities and e(periences

    ,7887-% Cardin! inIs Science Multicultural$ 'ostcolonialisms Feminisms and &)istemologies

    notes that di$$erent cu"tures or!ani+e the production o$ .now"ed!e in di$$erent ways and may #e

    #etter a#"e to address questions that re"ate c"ose"y to their e(periences ,7889-% /istoc. and

    Penne" support a $eminist standpoint since it is !rounded in awareness o$ women's

    su#ordination IandJ it ma.es $or a more comprehensive and ethica" understandin! than is

    possi#"e $or their mascu"inist counterparts* even those who ho"d emancipatory !oa"s ,/istoc.

    and Penne" 788F*-% But Gam#"e notes none o$ the research into the Hdi$$erence and dominance'

    tradition #e!ins to address how "an!ua!e* persona" identity and socia" conte(t interact or how

    that interaction sustains unequa" !ender re"ations ,Gam#"e* 27* 76F-%

    &eminist standpoint theory was pro#"ematic in another way: 5$ there were no !eneric

    woman and $ew e(periences common to a"" women* there cou"d #e no "ocation $rom which they

    cou"d spea. $or a"" women* even within a speci$ic !roup% Gayatri 4piva.* the distin!uished

    deconstructionist* questions the assumption that a woman's identity means that she spea.s $or

    women $rom a position o$ .now"ed!e% 4he pre$ers instead to hi!h"i!ht the cu"tura" and

    discursive construction o$ $ema"e su#;ectivity and cautions a!ainst the ur!e to c"aim to .now or

    spea. on #eha"$ o$ other women on the #asis o$ shared or common identities ,Carasym 788-%

    Part ((

    Gender and Diversity in oyal Commission eports: An 5verview

    &eminist theory has encoura!ed women to identi$y* question* and resist oppression #y the

    practices and discourses o$ dominant !roups% De#ate within women's or!ani+ations* academia*

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 7

    and pu#"ic institutions require that $eminists continua""y reeva"uate their concepts and

    re$ormu"ate their theories% The process has moved $eminism $rom a narrow $ocus on com#atin!

    !ender #ias to more dynamic pro!rams with #roader !oa"s and o#;ectives% 0aro" Bacchi in

    !omen 'olicy and 'oliticsnotes that every issue a$$ects women and there$ore recommends that

    we as. What's the pro#"em? when we see. to ana"y+e po"icy% 5$ we do so* we can approach

    po"icy critica""y to re$"ect upon representations o$$ered #oth #y those who descri#e somethin! as

    a pro#"em and #y those who deny the issue pro#"em status% 4he ar!ues that we have to view

    tar!ets o$ pu#"ic po"icy in the conte(t o$ how they are represented and ta".ed a#out in po"itica"

    de#ate and po"icy proposa"s% Po"icies that see. to present so"utions to pro#"ems are on"y one

    o$ a ran!e o$ possi#"e choices avai"a#"e to us% The choice o$ what we do and how we do it

    depends on the preconceptions ,assumptions and norms- em#edded in our representation and

    ana"ysis o$ the pro#"ems* the "an!ua!e used to discuss them* and their e$$ect or materia"

    consequences on us ,Bacchi 7888* 2-%

    6a7 eport of t!e oyal Commission on t!e Status of &omen

    The /oya" 0ommission on the 4tatus o$ Women is the $ormative event in the

    deve"opment o$ !overnment po"icy on women% 5t was appointed in 78F at the #ehest o$ the

    0ommittee $or

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    Bi"in!ua"ism and Bicu"tura"ism 0ommission noted that the &rench a"on! with the

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    The report discussed women as one cate!ory* a"thou!h it paid some attention to women

    who "ive in poverty or in remote communities% 5n discussin! poverty* it $ocused on three !roups:

    so"e support mothers* e"der"y women* and 5ndian* @etis* and

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    Women's or!ani+ations were divided on whether women cou"d depend on the

    !overnment to reduce the impact o$ vio"ence a!ainst them% 4ome wanted the !overnment to

    esta#"ish a roya" commission to investi!ate vio"ence a!ainst women* whi"e others thou!ht that

    women's or!ani+ations shou"d do this themse"ves% But the 7898 @ontrea" massacre that .i""ed

    $ourteen women outra!ed 0anadians and "ent a sense o$ ur!ency to the issue% Thirty women's

    or!ani+ations* with the support o$ many units o$ provincia" and municipa" !overnments* $orma""y

    petitioned the $edera" !overnment to esta#"ish a roya" commission on vio"ence a!ainst women%

    The 0anadian Pane" on Mio"ence A!ainst Women was esta#"ished in 7887 and it su#mitted its

    report Changing the +andsca)e: &nding ,iolence-(chieving &*ualityin 7883%

    The /oya" 0ommission on the 4tatus o$ Women had made "itt"e e$$ort to inc"ude

    racia"i+ed women in its wor.* #ut the 0anadian Pane" on Mio"ence A!ainst Women inc"uded one

    native woman* one immi!rant woman* and one man% 5n addition* a $ourmem#er A#ori!ina"

    0irc"e was set up to act as an advisory committee and $ocus on those aspects o$ the pro#"em that

    most c"ose"y a$$ected a#ori!ina" women% Despite this attempt to increase the pane"'s ethnic

    diversity* a dispute immediate"y #ro.e out on whether it was su$$icient"y representative o$ racia"

    minority women and women with disa#i"ities% &urthermore* a"thou!h the pane" had o#tained the

    cautious support o$ udy /e#ic.* then president o$ the )ationa" Action 0ommittee on the 4tatus

    o$ Women ,)A0-* there was intense dispute a#out whether the pane" was accounta#"e to the

    women's or!ani+ations that had "o##ied $or it or to the $edera" !overnment that had appointed it%

    The re"ationship o$ the A#ori!ina" 0irc"e with the pane" was not we"" de$ined to

    reso"ve its indeterminate character* its mem#ers were eventua""y incorporated into the pane"%

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 76

    in$ormation that was co""ected #y the pane"? Did they have the power to accept or re;ect the

    pane"'s decisions? ,7883* B6-%

    The pane"'s concessions over mem#ership did not satis$y some women's or!ani+ations

    consequent"y the 0on!ress o$ B"ac. women and the )ationa" >r!ani+ation o$ 5mmi!rant and

    Misi#"e @inority Women* a"on! with the )ationa" Action 0ommittee* re$used to participate in its

    proceedin!s or to support its wor. ,evan 788F-% The pane"* however* saw the di$$icu"ties it

    con$ronted as #ein! endemic to a"" !overnment a!encies% 5t noted: The underrepresentation o$

    minority women and women e(periencin! mu"tip"e $orms o$ oppression is a pro#"em $or a""

    decisionma.in! structures in 0anada and wi"" #e an a#idin! concern in the $uture% The Pane"

    cou"d not reso"ve this comp"e( issue a"one% 5t went on to add: >ur $ai"ure to reso"ve it has

    c"ear"y resu"ted in disarray and a sense o$ power"essness within #oth the Pane" and the $eminist

    community ,7883* B 6-%

    The pane"'s report made 686 recommendations on a wide ran!e o$ issues #ut did not

    prioriti+e any o$ them% 5t identi$ied pro#"ems concernin! sponsorship* immi!ration status* and the

    e(p"oitation o$ women who come into 0anada as domestic wor.ers% The report stron!"y re$"ected

    the perspective o$ activist racia"i+ed women who had #een voicin! the concerns o$ women $rom

    their !roups ,A!new 7889-% The report stated unequivoca""y e$$orts to overcome vio"ence

    a!ainst women can no "on!er #e dissociated $rom the stru!!"e a!ainst se(ism* racism* into"erance

    and inequa"ity ,7883* B6-% 5t noted that some peop"e thin. that vio"ence is part o$ others' cu"tures

    #ut ar!ued that this #e"ie$ #etrays a racist attitude: /acism* c"oa.ed in the more respecta#"e

    mant"e o$ Hcu"tura" considerations*' resu"ts in the stereotypes a#out vio"ence #ein! part o$ the

    Hcu"ture' o$ the peop"e% This can #e an e(cuse $or nonintervention within the "e!a" system and

    other services #ased on the misin$ormed $ear o$ inter$erin! with the practices o$ another cu"ture%

    Cowever no cu"tura" practices or norms can #e used to ;usti$y vio"ence ,0anadian Pane" 7883*

    9-%

    The report $ound that there were three ma;or impediments to women who e(perienced

    vio"ence and sou!ht he"p $rom socia" services: racism $rom those invo"ved in service de"ivery a

    "ac. o$ services speci$ica""y $ocused on their needs* even when the demo!raphics o$ the

    community wou"d demand such avai"a#i"ity and the periphera" ro"e that women o$ co"or p"ay in

    the structurin! and de"ivery o$ mainstream services % % % A "ac. o$ specia"i+ed services "eaves

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 7

    women o$ co"our iso"ated and more "i.e"y to return to the vio"ent situations $rom which they

    were see.in! escape ,0anadian Pane" 7883* 92-%

    The minister* @ary 0o""ins* responded to the report #y notin! that the !overnment wou"d

    adopt a +ero to"erance po"icy towards vio"ence a!ainst women* #ut she dec"ined to a""ocate any

    resources to the pro#"em and was consequent"y severe"y critici+ed #y women's or!ani+ations%

    The pane"'s report "ends su#stance to some $eminist theoretica" orientations% &or e(amp"e*

    identity is important #ut inc"udin! peop"e o$ diverse identities is pro#"ematic in practice and

    raises theoretica" di$$icu"ties% Theoretica""y* the pane" adopted an essentia"ist perspective o$

    identity #y equatin! physica" attri#utes ,one man and one )ative woman- with diversity ,it a"so

    inc"uded* what it ca""ed* one immi!rant woman-% )everthe"ess* a"thou!h much was de#ated* no

    one questioned such an equation% )o one as.ed whether white women cou"d represent issues o$

    racia"i+ed women or why it was necessary to inc"ude racia"i+ed women at a""% A"ternative"y*

    cou"d a"" the mem#ers o$ the pane" have #een #"ac. or 4outh Asian or disa#"ed and cou"d the

    pane" re"y on one white woman to represent her !roup? The $ai"ure to as. such questions revea"s

    the !ap #etween $eminist po"itics and practice and its theories%

    Theoretica""y* it is possi#"e to provide an answer to the di$$icu"ties o$ incorporatin!

    diverse individua"s and perspectives without equatin! their physica"ity with their ideo"o!y%

    /a+ac. reconci"es the di$$erences #etween essentia"ism and nonessentia"ism #y su!!estin! that

    we shou"d #e $ocusin! on the re"ationship #etween women o$ varyin! identities and accountin!

    $or the di$$erentia" and chan!in! power re"ations #etween them% 4ometimes $eminists* o$ a""

    persuasions* mi!ht #e en!a!ed in "i#eratory po"itics #ut yet un.nowin!"y #ecome dominant and

    comp"icit in the su#ordination o$ others ,A!new 7889* 78-%

    The pro#"em to #e discussed was vio"ence a!ainst women* #ut it cou"d #e ar!ued that

    such a representation constructs women as victims% /o#erta 0"ar.e su!!ests that $eminists

    re$rame the issue movin! $rom women as victims ,vio"ence a!ainst women- to men as a!!ressors

    ,vio"ence #y men-* whi"e ho"din! states responsi#"e $or the many ways in which they support the

    production o$ vio"ent men ,quoted in Bacchi 7888* 78-% The !oa" in such re$ramin! wou"d #e

    to chan!e socia" structures that are comp"icit in producin! vio"ent men and to pressure

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 7F

    !overnments to not condone the e(cesses o$ such men rather they shou"d initiate measures that

    wou"d punish them severe"y and thus deter others $rom simi"ar acts ,Bacchi 7888* 78-%

    Part (((

    Citi/ens!ip

    The concept o$ citi+enship provides women with a way to continue with the stru!!"e $or

    equa"ity without !ettin! #o!!ed down #y controversies o$ identity and "ocation% Traditiona""y

    citi+enship has #een #ased on idea"s o$ $reedom* equa"ity and "i#erty and has #een viewed as

    app"ica#"e to a"" who "ive within a territory or nation% Cowever scho"ars note that citi+enship has

    o$ten assumed the mascu"ine* heterose(ua"* and a#"e#odied ,amon! other thin!s- individua" as

    its norm there#y imp"icit"y e(c"udin! and mar!ina"i+in! others% They wou"d rather see

    citi+enship as #ein! mu"ti"ayered and mu"ti$aceted and Nin$"ected #y identity* socia" positionin!*cu"tura" assumptions* institutiona" practices and a sense o$ #e"on!in! ,Ouva"Davis Wer#ner

    7886* 6-%

    The !oa" o$ a more inc"usive de$inition o$ citi+enship wou"d #e to reco!ni+e the many

    "ayers o$ di$$erences #etween peop"e and to remove $i(ed and immuta#"e #oundaries o$

    otherness% 4ocia" movements such as the $eminist* antiracist* and !ay and "es#ian ri!hts

    movements are demandin! a more equita#"e distri#ution o$ resources* a !reater accounta#i"ity o$

    pu#"ic po"icies to their speci$ic needs* and reco!nition and responsiveness to their identities

    throu!h nondiscrimination as $or e(amp"e at the wor. p"ace and in institutiona" settin!s% Thus i$

    we $ocus on women as citi+ens we can a"so see how it intersects with other $actors o$ their

    identity as $or e(amp"e c"ass* a#i"ity* se(ua" orientation* and so on%

    Pu#"ic po"icy de#ates in the 788s have $ocused on !ender and diversity #y identi$yin!

    themes such as poverty or home"essness and then e(aminin! how they impact di$$erent !roups o$

    women as in.ousing 'olicy /)tions for !omen +iving in 0rban 'overty: (n (ction 1esearch

    'ro2ect in Three Canadian Cities,27-* or #y e(aminin! the situation o$ speci$ic !roups o$

    women as inFirst 3ations !omen Governance and the Indian (ct: ( Collection of 'olicy

    1esearch 1e)orts,27-* and(boriginal !omen in Canada,7889-* and womenatris. such as

    /n .er /#n: 4oung !omen and .omelessness,22-% 4imi"ar"y e(istin! po"icies such as those

    re"atin! to pension* disa#i"ity* emp"oyment equity* and immi!ration have #een ana"y+ed $or their

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 7

    impact on !roups o$ women as $or e(amp"e&m)loyment &*uity 'olicy in Canada: (n

    Inter)rovincial Com)arison,2-* Gendering Immigration5Integration: 'olicy 1esearch

    !orksho) 'roceedings and a Selective 1evie# of 'olicy 1esearch +iterature 6789677; ,7889-*

    &nabling Income: C''

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 79

    the pro!rams may not #e particu"ar"y responsive to their "i$e circumstances% &urther the "ac. o$

    avai"a#i"ity o$ supportive pro!rams "i.e daycare .eeps them trapped in poverty and una#"e to

    #ecome economica""y independent%

    The 0anada Cea"th and 4ocia" Trans$er Act o$ 788 "ed to sweepin! chan!es to the

    administration and $undin! o$ pro!rams and eroded some o$ the !ains women had made in

    previous decades% These chan!es ;eopardi+ed income security #y providin! provinces with

    !reater autonomy over spendin! decisions ,there#y reducin! nationa" standards $or socia"

    assistance- and #y "imitin! the avai"a#i"ity o$ $unds ,Davies et a"% 27* 3-% The consequences

    o$ these chan!es were di$$erent $or women than they were $or men since their responsi#i"ities $or

    chi"dcare and "ac. o$ avai"a#i"ity o$ daycare made it harder $or them to meet the new qua"i$yin!

    re!u"ations e%!%* num#er o$ hours wor.ed and supp"ementary wor.%

    4ince poverty is re"ated to a "ac. o$ emp"oyment $ewer women "oo. to

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 78

    much research the poverty o$ A#ori!ina" women remains endemic% 5n e(aminin! their situation

    severa" questions arise* are A#ori!ina" women poor #ecause o$ the intersection o$ race* c"ass* and

    !ender that particu"ar"y disadvanta!es them? >r is the pro#"em in pu#"ic po"icies that e(c"ude

    and mar!ina"i+e the women% A"ternative"y* is it the particu"ar historica" and socia" circumstance

    that continues to oppress A#ori!ina" women? Why are their citi+enship ri!hts not #ein!

    honored? What are the perceptions o$ A#ori!ina" women a#out their on!oin! poverty* "imited

    education and wor. opportunities? %

    A p"ethora o$ other studies on A#ori!ina" women #y mem#ers o$ the "ar!er society have

    "ed to s.epticism amon! the women a#out the va"ue o$ such research% A#ori!ina" women ar!ue

    that the research done on them have se"dom represented their points o$ view $aith$u""y and $ew

    productive and meanin!$u" outcomes have emer!ed $rom them% 0onsequent"y in an e$$ort to win

    over the su#;ects o$ her research Eenny scrupu"ous"y adopted the methodo"o!y recommended #y

    the /eport o$ the /oya" 0ommission on A#ori!ina" peop"e ,788F-% The 0ommission su!!ested

    that researchers respect the cu"ture* "an!ua!es* .now"ed!e and va"ues o$ the A#ori!ina" peop"e

    and adopt their standards $or "e!itimatin! .now"ed!e% These methods para""e" those o$

    $eminists such as conductin! research in a co""a#orative way and minimi+in! power re"ations

    #etween the researcher and researched% 5t is important* $eminists su!!est* to identi$y the

    perspective o$ the peop"e invo"ved and to !ive priority to the voice or viewpoints o$ those #ein!

    studied% Eenny identi$ies $our primary questions:

    7% What have you e(perienced in attemptin! to advance your education and $ind

    meanin!$u" wor.?

    2% Cave you e(perienced con$"ict #etween rea"i+in! your wor. !oa"s and "ivin! a

    cu"tura" "i$e? What have they #een?

    3% What do you recommend in terms o$ po"icy chan!es that wou"d diminish these

    con$"icts?

    6% What do you need in a !enera" sense to support coherence #etween yourcu"tura" "i$e and your wor. "i$e?

    A#ori!ina" women noted emphatica""y that they did not want to #e $i!htin! the same

    $i!ht !eneration a$ter !eneration% Their one primary recommendation was that pu#"ic po"icies

    #e more sensitive and responsive to their "i$e circumstances #y a""ocatin! resources to $aci"itators

    who wou"d #e thorou!h"y $ami"iar with the everyday "ives and the or!ani+ations that the

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 2

    A#ori!ina" women have deve"oped $or themse"ves% &aci"itators wou"d he"p the women desi!n

    and deve"op po"icies ,as opposed to imposin! it on them-% Cowever A#ori!ina" women wanted

    !uarantees o$ imp"ementation o$ po"icies they identi$y as critica" $or their we"" #ein! #e$ore they

    participate in any $urther research% There are seventeen other recommendations o$ varyin!

    nature #ut a common thread o$ empowerin! and ena#"in! A#ori!ina" women to ta.e char!e o$

    their "ives runs throu!h them and they ran!e $rom #etter chi"dcare po"icies to a more appropriate

    educationa" curricu"um% There was considera#"e attention !iven to the inequities o$ the 5ndian

    Act and the need to re$orm it so that women are equa" participants in the !overnance o$ their

    communities%

    Policy and esearc! Gaps

    This overview documents that women in 0anada have made some considera#"e stridessince the 78s% /ace* poverty* A#ori!ina" status* and disa#i"ity* a"on! with many other issues*

    continue to #edevi" the "ives o$ women% The "iterature revea"s some !aps and the need to do

    eva"uative studies on the po"icies made to reso"ve some on!oin! pro#"ems rather than to study

    the pro#"ems one more time%

    a% Poverty is a si!ni$icant pro#"em $or women and the de#ates on education and emp"oyment

    have "ed to some improvements #ut much remains to #e done% We need to identi$y

    throu!h eva"uation ,a- what po"icies have #een desi!ned to a""eviate womenQs poverty$or e%!%* in postsecondary education and ,#- what has chan!ed $or nontraditiona"

    students as $or e%!%* sin!"e mothers in he"pin! them continue with their education? Do

    they have access to a$$orda#"e and $"e(i#"e chi"dcare?

    #% ac. o$ daycare has #een identi$ied as a critica" pro#"em $or womenQs search $or

    economic independence and se"$su$$iciency% What are the myriad arran!ements women

    have cu""ed to!ether to meet the needs o$ their youn! chi"dren in di$$erent re!ions o$ the

    country* what wor.s and why? 5s there a need $or speci$ic re!iona" studies? >r #y

    popu"ation !roups?

    c% Women $requent"y wor. in the in$orma" sector ,and this trend is increasin! rapid"y-%

    What are some o$ the disadvanta!e women e(perience in meetin! the requirements o$

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 27

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 22

    eferences

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    111% 7889%In Search of a Safe 'lace: (bused !omen and Culturally Sensitive Services%Toronto: niversity o$ Toronto Press%

    Andermahr* 4onya* Terry ove"" and 0aro" Wo".owit+%* eds% 2%( Glossary of FeministTheory% ondon: Arno"d%

    Bacchi* 0aro"% 7888% !omen 'olicy and 'olitics: The Construction of 'olicy 'roblems%ondon: 4a!e%

    Ba.an* A#i!ai" Audry Eo#ayashi% 2% &m)loyment &*uity 'olicy in Canada: (nInter)rovincial Com)arison? >ttawa: 4tatus o$ Women 0anada%

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    0anadian Pane" on Mio"ence A!ainst Women% 7883% Changing the +andsca)e: &nding ,iolence

    -(chieving &*uality% >ttawa: The Pane "%

    0ode* orraine% 7887% !hat Can She "no#$: Feminist Theory and the Construction of

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    111% ed% 2%&ncyclo)edia of Feminist Theories% ondon: /out"ed!e%

    0o""ins* Patricia% 7887% Black Feminist Thought: "no#ledge Consciousness and the 'olitics of

    &m)o#erment% )ew Oor.: /out"ed!e%

    0row* Bar#ara ise Gotte""% 2% /)en Boundaries: ( Canadian !oman@s Studies 1eader%

    Toronto: Prentice Ca""%

    Davies* orraine et a"% 27% Social 'olicy Gender Ine*uality and 'overty% >ttawa: 4tatus o$

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    Do#rowo"s.y* A"e(andra% 2% The 'olitics of 'ragmatism: !omen 1e)resentation and

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 23

    Gam#"e* 4arah* ed% 27%Feminism and 'ostfeminism% ondon: /out"ed!e%

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    /istoc.* anice and oan Penne""% 788F% Community 1esearch as &m)o#ering: Feminist +inks'ostmodern Interru)tion% Don @i""s* >ntario: >($ord niversity Press%

    /othen#er!* Pau"a% 788% The 0onstruction* Deconstruction* and /econstruction o$ Di$$erence%.y)atia ,7-: 62%

    /oya" 0ommission on the 4tatus o$ Women in 0anada% 78% 1e)ort of the 1oyal Commissionon the Status of !omen in Canada% >ttawa: 5n$ormation 0anada%

    4ayers* udith et a"% 27%First 3ations #omen governance and the Indian (ct: ( collection of

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    4e!a"* yn% 789%Is the Future Female: Troubled Thoughts on Contem)orary Feminism%

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    4pe""man*

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    Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 26

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