Slut Walk And OWS: Why are They Made or Branded in Canada?

by Janni Aragon

Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street and Slut walk, have given Political Science students good paper material this year.  Still, at the Canadian University where I teach, the otherwise socially aware  students have had no idea that the Occupy movements and SlutWalks were spawned in their country.  Made in Canada.

What makes this all the more interesting is that these Canadian ideas have been exported to the US and beyond. When in fact the US is often the largest exporter of ideas.  This term I’ve had several students see me about writing papers about Occupy Wall Street. Virtually all were shocked to know that the call to Occupy Wall Street was not an American idea, but rather came from their home country. Canada. Likewise, one student wanted to write her paper about the discourse of language with Occupy movements and Slutwalks across the globe. And, she was also unaware that both movements were spawned by people living in Canada. 

My first response: how could so many not know about that it was Adbuster editor Kalle Lasn who made the call to Occupy Wall Street, but I’m on the magazine’s mailing list.

Who knew Lasn’s call to Occupy Wall Street would spread quickly across the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, Pakistan, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia? Occupy hit a visceral nerve and has become a global movement that is responding to the economic inequities and other local issues at each site. The Occupy website includes information for more than 2600 actions across the globe. The main website offers information on how to occupy including how to facilitate General Assemblies.

By now most of us have heard the story about how Slutwalk came to fruition. Given that I am on a university campus in Canada, I heard about the call for a Slutwalk.within a day or so of Toronto Police Officer Michael Sanguinetti’s  statement, “...women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised," Within a week of the Toronto march there was a Slutwalk Victoria, BC in solidarity with the women in Toronto meant to highlight our continued vigilance about violence against women and victim blaming (slut shaming). Not soon after many major cities responded with their requisite response and a Slutwalk march. To date there have been countless Slutwalks across the globe. Officer Sanguinetti’s comment caused women to react in a colourful manner responding that no one deserves to be victimised.

What is going on in Canada? How is it that two major social movement actions for the year were born in Canada? As an American living in Canada, I have witnessed that  very conspicuous part of the Canadian national identity is not being American. This identity is most likely related to living in the shadow of the American political, military, and social hegemony. So, to have such important actions come from Canada seems surprising to some. Not me. 

We all know that part of the official government policy is one that honors multiculturalism. This is the official policy and the reality is that racism, sexism, classism, homophobia exists in Canada, too. However, in my seven years living in British Columbia, Canada I have witnessed a consistent concern and effort for social justice. It seems normalized and part of a Canadian ethos that in some instances people take pride in being different than the neighbors to the South.

Particular to the Occupy Movement, people are fed up with economic insecurity and they want the state to respond. They want the state to ensure not only a safety net, but to keep a keener eye on corruption. The financial bailouts are still fresh on peoples’ minds and many were ready for a call to action. With the Slutwalk movement, women have often been blamed for their own assaults and this is nothing new. Women have previously responded with Take Back the Night Marches that speak to how our streets and homes need to be safe for women. Officer Sanguinetti’s public statement in front of Your University students provided the impetus for the first Slutwalk. The women who started the Slutwalks had never been to a demonstration before, but the officer’s statement angered them enough to organize the march.

image:  Justin Elliot via twitpic.

Both of these movements speak to a real concern about social justice. People are fed up and ready to think and respond. Due to strict financial regulations, the recession has not hit Canada as hard. You do not see similar foreclosure rates and Canadians are better at saving money compared to Canadians; however, this does not mean that people are unaware of the recession. Likewise, college students see that the financial instability as threat to their future. Blaming women for sexual assault always causes head shaking and anger. But, this time the response was colorful and loud. 

To this, I say: Oh, Canada, I think I love you.

Dr. Janni Aragon is a Senior Instructor of Political Science at the University of Victoria and has also taught at San Diego State University.  Her research interests include: Gender and Politics, American Politics, Women and Technology, Third Wave Feminisms, Social Movements, and Transnational Feminism. Dr Aragon has been published in New Political Science, Women's Studies Quarterly, and the International Journal of Media and Cultural Politics. She is a contributor to The Mark News in Canada.

image of Slutwalk Toronto:  By Anton Bielousov CC-BY-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons