gender agnew e
TRANSCRIPT
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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$$erentia" va"ues to the wor. ,paid and unpaid- that women
per$ormed and this had consequences $or their su#ordinate status in society% 5t was invi!oratin!
$or women to discover that what had #een previous"y viewed #y society as women's "ac. o$
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achievements was in rea"ity a matter o$ "ac. o$ opportunities% 5n this initia" phase* $eminists
tended to minimi+e di$$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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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$ined to
reso"ve its indeterminate character* its mem#ers were eventua""y incorporated into the pane"%
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in$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 $or e(amp"e&m)loyment &*uity 'olicy in Canada: (n
Inter)rovincial Com)arison,2-* Gendering Immigration5Integration: 'olicy 1esearch
!orksho) 'roceedings and a Selective 1evie# of 'olicy 1esearch +iterature 6789677; ,7889-*
&nabling Income: C''
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the pro!rams may not #e particu"ar"y responsive to their "i$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$$erent $or women than they were $or men since their responsi#i"ities $or
chi"dcare and "ac. o$ avai"a#i"ity o$ daycare made it harder $or them to meet the new qua"i$yin!
re!u"ations e%!%* num#er o$ hours wor.ed and supp"ementary wor.%
4ince poverty is re"ated to a "ac. o$ emp"oyment $ewer women "oo. to
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much research the poverty o$ A#ori!ina" women remains endemic% 5n e(aminin! their situation
severa" questions arise* are A#ori!ina" women poor #ecause o$ the intersection o$ race* c"ass* and
!ender that particu"ar"y disadvanta!es them? >r is the pro#"em in pu#"ic po"icies that e(c"ude
and mar!ina"i+e the women% A"ternative"y* is it the particu"ar historica" and socia" circumstance
that continues to oppress A#ori!ina" women? Why are their citi+enship ri!hts not #ein!
honored? What are the perceptions o$ A#ori!ina" women a#out their on!oin! poverty* "imited
education and wor. opportunities? %
A p"ethora o$ other studies on A#ori!ina" women #y mem#ers o$ the "ar!er society have
"ed to s.epticism amon! the women a#out the va"ue o$ such research% A#ori!ina" women ar!ue
that the research done on them have se"dom represented their points o$ view $aith$u""y and $ew
productive and meanin!$u" outcomes have emer!ed $rom them% 0onsequent"y in an e$$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
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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%
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Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 23
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Gender and Diversity: A Discussion Paper 26
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