"What you call patriarchy, I call one aspect of colonization: for all their commonalities, for all your hoping and wishing it, our oppressors are not interchangable" - Melissa Lucashenko, 1994
Decolonizing Feminism: Aboriginal Women and the Global Sisterhood
In her article, Sam Grey discusses the discrimination and violence against aboriginal women and how the colonization of aboriginal people has contributed to this discrimination. The main point of her article is that colonialism, not patriarchy, is the oppressor of aboriginal women. She discusses the gender relations between men and women prior to contact and how the patriarchy is a colonial institution. This is a particularly important article as it gives background on how aboriginal culture was vastly different, with women being important in the culture, from European culture. Gender relations and roles were quite different from European gender roles and relations, which the assimilation efforts by the Europeans had hoped to erase. It is also important to note that it outlines what aboriginal women need for feminism, rather than what mainstream feminism is about. |
Gender, Sovereignty, and the Discourse of Rights in Native Women's Feminism
This article by Joanne Barker is one that focuses on how the colonization and introduction of Christian values undermined the inner working of Indigenous culture, particularly through government documents, such as the Indian Act. It primarily discusses how through these laws, women and other-gendered peoples in Indigenous culture came to be viewed as subservient and how indigenous male privilege was legitimized. The history of these ‘anti-Indian’ legislation worked to erase indigenous culture and how native people have worked toward regaining women’s rights - through the Constitutional Amendment Act of 1982 -, as well as how indigenous women’s rights are still needing to be worked on. In the conclusion of the article, Barker proposes ways of fixing these issues; (1) by empowering aboriginal women, (2)legitimizing other-gendered peoples, and (3) decolonizing native governance. |
Violence Against Aboriginal Persons
A report done by the Newfoundland Government discusses the various acts of violence against aboriginal people and how the perpetrator is around half of the time someone the individual knows. Particularly, the statistics focus on the violence perpetrated against aboriginal women and how they are more likely to be victims of violent crimes, as well as sexual crimes than non-aboriginal women. |
Statistics Canada: Aboriginal Women and Spousal Violence
In a statistical report by Statistics Canada, it found that aboriginal women experience spousal and partner abuse and violence at higher rates than non-aboriginal women in Canada. The related causes for this violence is the effect of residential schools, as well as colonialism and it’s impact on traditional aboriginal culture which held women in respected positions prior to contact. |
The Native Women's Association of Canada
The Native Women’s Association of Canada is a national organization that promotes the well-being of Indigenous women and help end the discrimination against them. The website includes many links regarding the different issues that aboriginal women in Canada face. It includes research, data, and links to media releases on aboriginal women’s issues. |
Feminist Alliance For International Action
FAFIA is a feminist organization that works to promote women’s equality in Canada. A notable campaign of theirs is the Solidarity Campaign which will work to highlight the the discrimination against Aboriginal women and put pressure on the government to take the steps to address the issues that aboriginal women face. For the Solidarity Campaign, FAFIA works with The Native Women’s Association of Canada. |
Marginalization of Aboriginal Women
This article discusses the marginalization of aboriginal women and how the discrimination and violence indigenous women face is largely due to the colonization of Canada. It discusses how indigenous peoples largely operated on a matrilineal system - descent is traced through the mother - and how the Indian Act and other forms of colonization brought forth the discrimination towards aboriginal women. |
Advocates Hope 'Groundbreaking' Report on Aboriginal Women Will Put Spotlight on Canada
This article by CTV News discusses the report on aboriginal women’s victimization and how the report has found that it is a broader pattern of discrimination and violence. It also discusses how NWAC and FAFIA are hoping the report will put the spotlight on Canada and bring action to help change the situation. |