UPDATE (April 25, 2018)
We have an update on a recent ISON featured activity. Current and former Women’s Reproductive Health (HSEL 309) course and Issues in Women's Health (HSEL 308) students were chosen to represent McGill in the prestigious Map the System social entrepreneurship competition run by Oxford’s Saïd School of Business!
Team Code Red came together to take a stand on an important women’s health issue: menstrual hygiene management. Samaa Kazerouni, Sreya Belbase, Aidan McLaughlin and Paige Rumelt dedicated the past four months to investigating how Montreal’s homeless women manage their periods. The team interviewed local shelter owners, advocates and politicians. Their findings show that beyond women’s struggle to purchase food and shelter, they must also purchase sanitary products each month at a hefty price. Then they struggle simply to access restrooms and the basic privacy needed to care for their menstrual hygiene. Beyond cumulative financial, physical and mental health costs, this reality erodes women’s sense of dignity one week each month. Team Code Red recognized it simply doesn’t have to be that way.
They decided to use their voices in political action for women near and far. They are petitioning the federal government to subsidize sanitary products for low-income people, based on a similar initiative taken by the Scottish government. Their petition currently has 979 signatures (enough for it to be presented in the House of Commons in August) and is rising steadily! You can contribute to this cause by signing the petition and sharing it widely across your professional, social and personal networks. Meanwhile, the next step for Team Code Red is the national competition in Vancouver at Simon Fraser University on May 4. Best of luck!
Left to Right: Samaa Kazerouni, Sreya Belbase, Aidan McLaughlin, Paige Rumelt
The Women’s Reproductive Health (HSEL 309) course and Issues in Women's Health (HSEL 308) students recently led an inspired and inspiring “Women and Fertility” panel. Guests included Dr. Jennifer Fishman, Rebekah Lewis PhD(c) and Martine Guay RN, MScN (c), who shared their expertise on (in)fertility technologies, abortion care, and mothering at an older age, amongst other issues.
Uniquely, this panel served to break down silos to create a forum for open dialogue about some lesser known or stigmatized aspects of women’s fertility and health care.
Together, panelists and students unpacked assumptions, myths, values and ethics about women’s fertility and healthcare in contemporary society. The open forum revealed a simple reality: girls and women may find themselves seeking help at any point of care in the fertility spectrum across their lifespan. The take-home message was: we have collective responsibility to dismantle stigma, stereotype and judgement around women’s reproductive health. Notably, students led the entire event, including hosting a Twitter event to share insights beyond class boundaries.
(L-R): Cheryl Armistead, Martine Guay, Dr. Jennifer Fishman, Rebekah Lewis, Samaa Kazerouni, Lila Bruynesteyn, Justine Enns, Anthi Tsobou, Yae Eun Lee, Lia Huo, Dennis Yang.
In a related event, the McGill Women’s Health Advocacy Club held its 2nd annual conference on March 13. The Club, founded by a former HSEL 309 student, has a unique women-centred mandate within student initiatives at McGill. The 2018 conference was dedicated to women’s reproductive health in celebration of International Women’s Day. Conference presenters Cheryl Armistead (HSEL 309 Coordinator), Gary Wang (Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), former HSEL 309 student) and Dr. Teruko Taketo presented on contemporary issues in women’s reproductive health, CIHR’s vision and mandate for sex and gender based analysis, and innovations in infertility research. Ensuing discussion with an engaged audience revealed much cross fertilization amongst diverse contexts.
The Women’s Health Advocacy Club deserves much credit for their commitment to showcasing why women’s health matters! This is no small feat in a world of competing interests and notions that women’s health is an ‘add-on’ perk, when and if more essential matters are satisfied.
We have work to do and these students are up to the challenge.
(L-R): Dr. Teruko Taketo (Professor, Department of Surgery, McGill University), Gary Wang (BSc, CIHR), Cheryl Armistead (Faculty Lecturer, Ingram School of Nursing), Alice Shen (Women’s Health Advocacy Club founder, Co-president), Iris Kim (Women’s Health Advocacy Club Co-president), Esha Sanyal, Women’s Health Advocacy Club VP internal)
Finally, current HSEL 309 student Saama Kazerouni is turning her course Op-Ed assignment into action! She is working with team to make menstrual hygiene management (MHM) products more accessible to homeless people in Canada.
Their petition, supported by NDP MP Irene Mathyssen, calls upon the Government of Canada to subsidize MHM products (tampons and pads) by distributing them free of charge to food banks, shelters, and homeless persons experiencing their menstrual period.
The team needs a minimum of 500 signatures for the petition to be presented in the House of Commons, but their goal is to achieve 1,000! Join this political action to preserve basic human rights and dignity. Sign and share the petition widely with colleagues, friends and families: https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1626