Othering of Full-Time and Volunteer Women Firefighters in the Canadian Fire Services

Being discriminated against because of factors such as gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and stature (i.e., height and weight) has been a common experience for women in traditionally men-dominated/identified occupations. Although women’s representation has risen in other men-dominated domains (Hughes 1995), within firefighting their presence remains extremely low in Canada (4.4% [Statistics Canada 2017]). Women firefighters mostly operate in a patriarchal context; they are often ignored, harassed, and treated poorly due to an intersectionality of factors (Paechter 1998). Thus far, most research has taken place in the US, UK, and AUS. In the present Pan-Canadian study, we examined the experiences of volunteer and career women firefighters (N=113). The Psycho-Social Ethnography of the Commonplace methodology (P-SEC [Gouliquer and Poulin 2005]) was used. With this approach, we identified several practices, both formal and informal (e.g., physical and academic standards, gender roles), which resulted in women feeling the effect of the intersection of gender and firefighting. Results indicated that women firefighters experience “Othering” manifesting itself in a variety of ways such as discrimination, hostility, and self-doubt. This paper focuses on Canadia women firefighters and ends with social change and policy recommendations to better their reality

Soldiering in the Canadian forces: how and why gender counts!

Women have advanced in Canada since the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in 1970. This Commission made 167 recommendations to redress documented inequalities and inequities. Six pertained directly to the full integration of women in the Canadian Forces (CF). In 1989, a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal instructed the CF to "fully integrate" women. Removing these gender-specific barriers in the Canadian military signifies a major step toward equality. Few nations allow women unrestricted access to all military occupations. Since these legislative policies, the evidence indicates that the CF has been slow and unsuccessful to meet demands (Davis, 1994; Chapstick, Farley, Wild, & Parkes, 2005; O'Hara, 1998a, 1998b; Tanner, 1999). The present study examines the everyday soldiering experiences of Canadian female soldiers as a step toward an increased understanding of gender and the CF.This research utilises both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitatively, statistics reveal tangible information regarding women's success (e.g., earnings equality). Qualitatively, the focus rests on the examination of ruling texts and female soldiers' life experiences as a means to explicate current institutional practices and the culture of soldiering. Using this multi-method comparative approach, the story of women's integration emerges as varied. Quantitative results show that Non-Commissioned Member (NCM) female soldiers succeed relatively well. Yet, to do soldiering work, women give up on having a family, whereas men can do both. Female soldiers in the Officer class face more challenges; they do not earn as much as their male colleagues, and unlike them, they also face difficulties in maintaining both military work and family life. There has been progress, but the military is a governmental body publically controlled, thus, findings reveal insufficient efforts for such an agency. Although the military ideology is underpinned by obedience to orders, the CF did not obey fully the order to integrate women. Given the lengthy delay since the commission, and the moral and legal pressure that followed (human rights decision, employment equity act), the achieved results are mediocre. Such findings do not bode well for women in companies and organisations that do not fall under the employment equity act.La vie de soldat dans les Forces canadiennes: un point de vue sexospécifique!Les femmes ont parcouru beaucoup de chemin depuis la Commission royale d'enquête sur le statut de la femme au Canada qui, en 1970, formulait 167 recommandations visant à corriger des inégalités et iniquités connues. De celles-ci, six portaient plus particulièrement sur l'intégration complète des femmes aux Forces canadiennes. En 1989, un tribunal canadien des droits de la personne ordonnait aux Forces canadiennes de procéder à l'intégration complète des femmes. L'élimination de ces barrières sexospécifiques représente une étape importante dans l'atteinte de l'égalité au sein de l'armée. Peu de nations peuvent se vanter en effet d'offrir aux femmes un accès libre à tous les métiers militaires. Il appert toutefois que les Forces ont peiné, voire échoué, à satisfaire aux exigences de ces politiques législatives (Davis, 1994; Chapstick, Farley, Wild et Parkes, 2005; O'Hara, 1998a, 1998b; Tanner, 1999). La présente étude examine la vie quotidienne de soldates canadiennes afin d'approfondir les questions liées au genre au sein des Forces canadiennes.Une approche quantitative et qualitative a été privilégiée. D'un point de vue quantitatif, les statistiques fournissent des renseignements matériels sur les avancées réalisées par les femmes (p. ex., l'équité en matière d'emploi). D'un point de vue qualitatif, l'étude des textes des décisions et d'expériences vécues par des soldates permettent de mieux comprendre les pratiques institutionnelles et la culture de l'armée. L'approche comparative et multiméthode permet de dresser un portrait inégal de l'intégration des femmes. Les résultats quantitatifs montrent que les femmes militaires du rang réussissent relativement bien. Par contre, pour exercer leur métier de soldat, les femmes doivent renoncer à avoir une famille, un choix que les hommes n'ont pas à faire. Pour ce qui est des femmes sous-officières, les défis sont plus nombreux : elles gagnent moins que leurs collègues masculins et, contrairement à ceux-ci, éprouvent des difficultés à équilibrer activités militaires et vie de famille

Mobility Boundaries Between Home, Community, and Beyond: Experiences of Exceptionally Old Adults Living in Eastern Canada

Mobility for older people is linked to various meaningful and celebrated ways of ageing, such as maintaining independence, community participation, and quality of life (Metz 2000). In this paper, we examine the lives of people aged 90 and over as they encounter mobility challenges in the face of a particularly neoliberal socio-economic political context. Fifteen Canadians, living independently, were interviewed using the Psycho-Social Ethnography of the Commonplace (P-SEC) methodology. They shared their experiences with managing physical and community-related mobility issues. The analysis reveals how the current public transportation system complicates the lives of the exceptionally old, and sheds light on the ways in which this population makes sense of and deals with these complications. With the goals of reducing social boundaries and enhancing community mobility of older adults, based on the findings, we offer social policy recommendations

Film Review: The Fruit Machine

The following is a review of The Fruit Machine documentary film directed by Sara Fodey. This documentary sheds light on a dark period in Canadian history. Using the testimonials of survivors and historical expert, The Fruit Machine film illustrates how a democratic state could legally wage a discriminatory campaign against its own citizens whose only crime was being (or suspected to be) “homosexual.” For fifty years, Canadian state institutions hunted down and interrogated thousands of individuals suspected of homosexuality. This film is a must see.Voici une critique du documentaire The Fruit Machine réalisé par Sara Fodey. Ce documentaire fait la lumière sur une sombre période de l’histoire canadienne. À partir des témoignages de survivants et d’historiens, The Fruit Machine illustre comment un état démocratique a pu légalement mener une campagne de discrimination à l’encontre de ses propres citoyens dont le seul crime était d’être « homosexuel » (ou d’en être soupçonné). Pendant cinquante ans, des institutions gouvernementales canadiennes ont traqué et interrogé des milliers d’individus soupçonnés d’homosexualité. Ne manquez pas ce film

Critique de film : The Fruit Machine (la machine à fruits)

The following is a review of The Fruit Machine documentary film directed by Sara Fodey. This documentary sheds light on a dark period in Canadian history. Using the testimonials of survivors and historical expert, The Fruit Machine film illustrates how a democratic state could legally wage a discriminatory campaign against its own citizens whose only crime was being (or suspected to be) “homosexual.” For fifty years, Canadian state institutions hunted down and interrogated thousands of individuals suspected of homosexuality. This film is a must see.Voici une critique du documentaire The Fruit Machine réalisé par Sara Fodey. Ce documentaire fait la lumière sur une sombre période de l’histoire canadienne. À partir des témoignages de survivants et d’historiens, The Fruit Machine illustre comment un état démocratique a pu légalement mener une campagne de discrimination à l’encontre de ses propres citoyens dont le seul crime était d’être « homosexuel » (ou d’en être soupçonné). Pendant cinquante ans, des institutions gouvernementales canadiennes ont traqué et interrogé des milliers d’individus soupçonnés d’homosexualité. Ne manquez pas ce film