One of the most important days of the year, International Womens Day, takes place March 8. If you missed a chance to march alongside your oppression-fighting sisters during the IWD rally and fair on Saturday, fear not: theres still plenty of excellent events celebrating all self-identifying women taking place across the city this week. Weve highlighted five of them below, but see our IWD listings for a full list of events:
Toronto the Just: Stories of Women and the Struggle for Equality
Celebrate the stories of eight amazing Toronto women at a photography exhibit and launch party on March 8. Toronto the Just features a diverse group of female social justice pioneers who have challenged inequality based on gender, sexuality, race, class and ability. The launch party (admission by donation) will be held at St. Lawrence Hall and include a panel discussion on current and historical social justice issues. The exhibit will stay at St. Lawrence Hall until March 12 and then travel to the Etobicoke Civic Centre, Scarborough Museum and York University during the rest of the month.
Celebrate women in music with a special concert at the Mod Club on March 8. Presented by the Academy, the show will feature local soul singer-songwriter (and NOW favourite) Tanika Charles, shape-shifting Toronto duo LAL, Brooklyn MC Nitty Scott and DJ Ariel. Unfortunately, British rapper Little Simz has had to cancel last minute, so Torontos Adria Kain (another one of NOW’s local R&B acts to look out for) will step in. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. Cant make it to the show? Check out our list of five Toronto women musicians who are fucking great instead.
Stand Up 4 Sistering
There aint no party like a Daria Dance Party, which is the name of Comedy Bars second-annual IWD show on March 8. A fully stacked lineup includes Dawn Whitwell, Natalie Norman, Lauren Mitchell, Chantel Marostica, Courtney Alysse Skye and Kye Fox, and the night is hosted by Theresa Isis Ramirez and Alaina Kelsey. Tickets are $10 and proceeds support Sistering, a 24-hour drop-in centre for women.
Womens Poster Project
A large display of feminist organizing posters from Toronto dating back to the early 1970s will be on display at the OISE building at the University of Toronto on March 9. The free exhibit is organized by Feminist Art Conference, the Centre for Women’s Studies in Education and WIAprojects, and includes a panel exploring both historical and contemporary graphic design used by the Womens Movement.
He Named Me Malala Film & Talk
Catch a free screening of the 2015 documentary, He Named Me Malala at the Jane/Dundas library on March 12. The film is an intimate portrait of Malala Yousafzai, who at 15 years old was targeted by the Taliban and shot on her way home from school in Pakistan. Upon surviving her attack, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate started the Malala Fund and leads a global campaign for girls education. The film screening will be introduced by Sahar Zaidi from the Canadian Council of Muslim Women.
michelled@nowtoronto.com | @michdas
