Gemma
I was seventeen when I decided that I no longer wanted to study academics after high school, instead I would audition for various music schools to study the saxophone. My parents were very supportive as soon as they had made sure that I really knew what I was getting into: potential financial hardship, limited job stability and an increasingly competitive field. Read full story
Katérie
Lorsque j’ai dû choisir le thème de ce billet, j’ai longtemps hésité entre deux sujets qui me passionnent, soit les voyages et le mouvement social Black Lives matter. Puis, j’ai réalisé qu’il m’était possible de jumeler les deux. Je suis consciente que parcourir le monde est un privilège qui n’est pas donné à tous. Ceci dit, voyager autour du globe en étant une femme afro-canadienne – de surcroît métisse- comporte son lot de frustrations. Available soon in English
Maryne
A few months ago, some of my loved ones suggested me Instagram podcasts about highly sensitive people. I continued researching the topic and something in my mind suddenly just clicked. I was able to understand why, for so many years, I acted a certain way. Read full story
Berta
I wanted to talk about the invisibility of mothers’ work because we live in a society that promotes and celebrates productivity and the accumulation of money, while it does not value the efforts of mothers […] I wanted to talk about this because it is a factor that has affected my mother since I was little, and it is something that makes me really angry. Read full story
Vesela
When I immigrated to a new country at the age of seven and had to learn, not one, but two new languages, I used literature as a way to adapt to my new environment. When I could not make friends or blend in because I was different from all the other kids, literature was a comforting presence. I grew up as one of the “Harry Potter” kids, dreaming about wizards, magic creatures and spells. Read full story
Akriti
There are many things which I consider as my dreams but I don’t know if they are really my dream or a self will to prove my parents or society wrong that women can do anything. I want to provide a lot of information about feminism in Nepal. Feminism in Nepal is primarily concerned with equity and equality of opportunity. Much like western world in the past, in Nepal women are treated poorly in every aspect of our society. Read full story
Hinatea
Female contraception is a current affair and yet, men and women seem to know very little about it. In science and biology classes, they teach us about what a condom is, but not much about the rest: the pill, implant, intrauterine device (IUD), etc. And due to this education, we do not necessarily take the time to really understand and listen to our body, try it, talk with our partners, our doctor… And this is where we are wrong. Read full story
Gaëlle
When I finally found the strength I needed to put everything at a stop and leave, I felt reborn. There was a feeling of freedom overrunning my body. I do not think I have ever felt something this intense before. Read full story
Daphné
Introducing ourselves should feel natural. We should be able to say: that is me. However, I am under the impression that I am regularly submerged into a world where we engage in superficial relationships, where we expect people not to take up too much space and stay quietly put in their boxes. So, for the first time, let me introduce myself. Read full story
Juliette
To you, who is reading this and feels bad about yourself, do not worry. It is merely temporary. You will feel better. Talk about it with the right people. You are worth it, and you are beautiful as you are. Read full story
Alexia
Of all the issues that are close to my heart, there is one that revives something deeper: the body issue. Wherever my thoughts go, whether they are about my feminist battle or more intimate thoughts, is it there. Read full story
Claire
Devenir femme, c’est avant tout avoir conscience de toutes les nombreuses pressions de la société que l’on doit vivre pour prétendre y arriver. Il faudrait être constamment belle, grande, mince, maquillée, intentionnée, charmante, douce, agréable, épouse dévouée et mère parfaite, en toute circonstance. Être une femme, au regard des normes sociétales est une performance constante. Il faudrait s’oublier soi-même pour servir les intérêts d’autrui. Available soon in English
Léa
Le 12 mai 2019, je me suis rasé la tête. J’avais cette idée en tête depuis plus d’un an, j’avais binge-watché toutes les vidéos YouTube de meufs se rasant les cheveux, j’étais complètement flippée. C’était la peur qui m’avait retenue aussi longtemps, et la peur qui a retenu mes premiers coups de ciseaux près de ma tête. Je craignais d’être stigmatisée, mais par-dessus tout, de ne plus être belle. De découvrir une laideur, totalement inacceptable pour une fxmme, que je ne pourrais plus cacher ou diminuer. Available soon in English
Amélie
Hélène
Pour plaire à la gente masculine, on m’a appris à avoir une apparence irréprochable : taille fine, cheveux longs, épilation, maquillage… La liste de tous les artifices que nous nous infligeons est longue. Il m’aura fallu 20 ans pour comprendre que ma valeur ne dépend pas de mon apparence physique mais de ce que je suis capable d’accomplir au quotidien. Il m’aura fallu suivre l’enseignement d’une professeure engagée pour comprendre que le pouvoir, ça se donne. Available soon in English
Marie-Anne
When someone becomes Miss, they are immediately in the public eye. I wanted to access this status for two reasons. First, I wanted to prove to my former classmates that I succeeded at something they would never be able to succeed at. However, the main reason was to prove to myself that I could be whoever I wanted without needing anyone’s approval. Read full story
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