Mackenize Betteridge, Miranda Koresky and Joëlle Brassard, grade 10 students from Massey Secondary and members of its Gay-Straight Alliance, said Wednesday’s social justice proved very educational.
There is more to feminism than just females and males being equal, says Eva Simard.
“The way that people portray feminism is not what it is at all,” she says. “It involves racial justice, social justice, and a range of equity issues.”
The grade 11 student at Belle River District High School was one of more than 300 secondary students from across Windsor-Essex on campus Wednesday for the High School Social Justice Forum.
The 10th anniversary program featured workshops on the theme “Social Justice and the Media (R)evolution.” Besides feminism, topics included media treatment of Muslims, First Nations women, sexual minorities, people with disabilities, and a session on do-it-yourself publishing.
Simard says she was inspired by the breadth of the discussion.
“I just wanted to learn about all these different topics,” she says. “I will definitely recommend it next year to my classmates.”
Attendees were encouraged to follow up by creating clubs and campaigns in their schools.
Organized by Teachers for Global Awareness, the event won support from the four local school boards as well as the UWindsor provost’s office; Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility; Faculty of Education; and Alumni Association.