Staff and students at VIU informally kicked off 16 Days of Activism for gender equity with a vigil for the lives lost during a Colorado Springs hate-fueled shooting over the weekend. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

NO HATE

‘Important for us to talk about the tough topics:’ eliminating discrimination focus of VIU campaign

Nov 22, 2022 | 4:19 PM

NANAIMO — Local students are shining an ever-growing light on gender-based abuse, violence and discrimination.

Vancouver Island University’s status of women committee is leading events beginning this week around the 16 Days of Activism, recognized after the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal, which claimed the lives of 14 women and injured 14 others in a shooting motivated by anti-feminism views.

Eliza Gardiner, committee chair, told NanaimoNewsNOW even over 30 years later, gender-based violence and discrimination remains.

“We have to continue to come together [so] the ethical, moral, amazing people of the world prevail over folks that still think it’s the time and place to prevent people from living to their fullest potential based simply on their gender.”

The committee will lead events at VIU campuses and their surrounding communities beginning Friday, Nov. 25 and running through Dec. 10.

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A full list is available on the VIU website.

Onlookers signed condolence cards to the lives lost during the Nov. 19 shooting at a nightclub in Colorado Springs. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Even before the 16 days, staff and students at the school gathered on short notice on Tuesday, Nov. 22 to honour those lost through a hate-motivated shooting in Colorado Springs over the weekend.

The incident occurred immediately before International Trans Remembrance Day on Sunday, which aligns with themes of the pending activism and comes with continued unrest in Saudi Arabia pertaining to women’s rights, and high-profile discrimination in Qatar during the ongoing FIFA World Cup.

Gardiner said local discussions and support on global issues help to contextualize the challenges people of various backgrounds face in Canada and abroad.

“There’s still sex trafficking that takes place right here on beautiful Vancouver Island. There are issues of domestic abuse, sexual harassment in the workplace. Things sometimes here are a little more subtle and I think that’s where it is important for us to talk about the tough topics internationally.”

Gardiner said their theme is to end violence against women, girls, LGBTQ+ and others in the VIU and broader communities.

“It’s not quite as obvious here sometimes I think, the abuses that gender inequity cause, so it’s important to draw those parallels (with global events) but also focus on issues here in our own front yard.”

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alex@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley