Canadians for Democratic Media , one of several newly-formed Canadian media activist groups, has launched its Stop The Big Media Takeover campaign in an effort to curb the concentration of corporate-owned media and to promote media democracy in this country.

Canada has the highest media concentration in the industrialized world, which means that fewer companies own more and more of our news outlets. The Tyee, one of my favourite independent news sources, has a great backgrounder on the state of Canadian media, and the CBC has an updated Who Owns What page.

In September, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (the government media regulatory body) is holding hearings on media diversity. These hearings could pave the way for increased concentration and foreign ownership of our media, and the Canadians for Democratic Media have launched a campaign so that Canadians who care about these issues can speak up. Take a moment to send an email to the CRTC to let them know media diversity matters to you.

Then watch this cute and creepy video about the state of the Canadian media:

And it’s not what you think:

“Jill Coccaro, 27, was arrested on a topless stroll two years ago, despite a 1992 state appeals court ruling that concluded women should have the same right as men to take off their shirts.”

The woman stated she was yanked by her hair into a police car and taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. She accepted a $29,000 settlement from the city of New York for wrongful arrest.

“I’ve always just felt that was something natural,” she said. “I’ve kind of always done it out of practicality.”

Two lesbian teenagers were kicked off a Portland bus when a passenger complained about seeing them kissing. The girls stated that the 64-year-old driver called them “sickos” as he proceeded to eject them from the bus. The driver, with 11 years experience, violated several transit policies:

“The actions by the girls did not warrant being removed from the bus, and TriMet policy requires operators to call for assistance before removing any minors, TriMet said in a statement released Wednesday.”

So is the major concern that they were minors left in an unsafe situation by being ejected from the bus? I’m sure you agree that the major concern was the homophobia on the bus; an unsafe situation indeed.

The family has been encouraged to pursue a lawsuit.

A little while back I wrote a post about how MAC and Mattel partnered up to create a rather eerie line of make-up that celebrated that vacant barbie look. Now Mattel has gone one step further and will partner with Bonne Bell to market a new line of cosmetics to young girls. And when I say “young,” I mean very, very young.

“ The new cosmetics line is expected to launch in 2008, and while the company is describing it only as ‘girl savvy,’ it will reportedly be aimed at girls ages 6 to 9.”

“The Barbie and Bonne Bell partnership will bring girls a fun, feminine and unique beauty experience, leveraging the unparalleled popularity of two globally loved brands,” the company says in its announcement.

Okay, so this is disgusting and disturbing and far worse that the barbie marketing they did to grown up users of drag-queen friendly MAC products. But I have also learned that Mattel once had better days. Back in 2005 they actually financially supported a group called Girls Inc., (inspiring all girls to be smart, strong and bold.) The message behind the fundraising campaign asked girls to promise: I can be myself, follow my dreams, and always do my best. I can reach for the stars, lend a hand to others, and be a good friend. I can make a difference! I promise to try.

Sounds good right? Yah, well The American Family Association didn’t think so. Apparently the AFA thought the program didn’t “promote traditional family values” and started a petition to stop the campaign. What was their problem with the campaign? The fact that Girl’s Inc. “encourages all girls to develop positive sexual identities and to function comfortably as responsible sexual beings…Girls have a right to positive, supportive environments and linkages to community resources for dealing with issues of sexual orientation.”

So what did Mattel do as a result of AFA’s protest? They were cowards and cut their ties as corporate sponsor for the fundraising campaign and thereby negatively effected programs for girls in science, math, technology, community building, leadership, sports and athletic skills.

So this is progress? Now Mattel has gone from partnering to help girls be smart, strong and bold through positive progressive programming, to making 6 year olds buy make-up.

“The Barbie and Bonne Bell partnership will bring girls a fun, feminine and unique beauty experience”

Gross.

Some old news that may be still worth discussion: in April of this year, mayor of Vancouver suburb Port Coquitlam Scott Young allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home with a rope with the intention of assaulting her. Yikes.

It gets worse: this is not the first time Young has been charged with assault - in 2002 he was charged for assaulting his ex-wife. If you’re wondering how this guy managed to get elected in the first place, it gets worser: as far as I can tell from my internet searching, Young has refused to resign. He’s taking some time off to deal with his alcoholism, but officially he’s still the mayor. Some Port Coquitlam voters have organised rallies demanding that Young step down. Let’s hope they’re successful.

Gina Whitfield at rabble.ca has a great article about Young, where she notes that alcohol is a poor weak explanation for abuse: “Alcohol is a depressant and can make one more uninhibited. But the booze doesn’t make you a racist, a sexist or a batterer; it might just make you have trouble concealing that unseemly side. Excessive fatty foods can make one irritable. So, maybe the next time a prominent man is violent against a woman he will publicly and courageously vow to stop eating hot fudge sundaes.

Furthermore, that deeply unfashionable word, patriarchy, also probably has a little something to do with it. As in, I can’t remember the last time I had a few too many drinks and then concocted a plan whereby I broke into my ex-boyfriend’s house carrying a lethal weapon.”

In the spirit of piKe’s astute observation of me finding “the most interesting stuff,” I thought I’d post this image I stumbled across on my webbernet travels, if only because it is one of the most striking and inspiring ones I have seen in while.

What does her sign say? Woman: Your Freedom is in Your Right to Decide.

“The Mexico City legislature approved a bill… to make abortion legal during the first three months of pregnancy, a watershed vote that set the stage for court battles and social clashes between religious conservatives and liberals. Feminists hailed the vote as a clear victory. For decades, poor women here have resorted to clandestine clinics, traditional midwives and herbal potions to end unwanted pregnancies. Scores die every year in botched abortions. ‘Its a triumph for womens rights,’ said María Consuelo Mejía, the director of Catholics for the Right to Decide.”

-James C McKinley, The New York Times. It’s a bit late, but for some backround, read the full article here.

There are two crucial things every cyclist should know - how to change a flat, and when your bike is too messed up to fix yourself. In which case, it helps to know a good mechanic, and if you’re in Montreal then you’re in luck. Revolution Montreal (1757 Amherst, in the gay village) is our city’s new woman-owned bike shop, where Danielle Flowers will true your wheel and her partner jj levine will - wait for it - give you a lesbian haircut for $15. It’s kind of like “Shoes Shined While U Wait”, only queerer.

Flowers says she started the shop because she wanted a safe space for women and queer folk to get involved with their bikes, and goodness knows it will be a breath of fresh air.* And in levine’s experience, dykes and queer kids often have trouble getting the haircuts they want at conventional salons, so the two put their heads and their business sense together, and Revolution Montreal Bike Shop And Lesbian Haircuts For Everyone was born. I wonder if they’ll install my new spokey-dokes.

To read more, check out this article, and then get out there - the streets are waiting.

(photo by Meera Margaret Singh)

*a li’l sidenote: I have known many, many extremely lovely mechanics who are also menfolk. But I have also had male mechanics condescend to me, try to cheat me, and even get all sleezy-like - while signing up for the mailing list at my local drop-in bike workshop, the mechanic said “So, what’s your email? Hot-babe dot com?” At the community bike co-op, for crying out loud! Hence my perhaps poorly-thought-out kneejerk tendency to want to throw my arms around every lady mechanic I come across.

I hate being so Toronti-centric in terms of my event posting! If other blog readers in other cities have events in their communities, please send them to me at pike@shamelessmag.com and I will gladly blog about them!

Youth Out Loud & The Walk To Stop Child Sexual Abuse SATURDAY JUNE 16 at Dundas Square

The day begins with a one-hour line up of guest speakers and performers prior to the 4-K walk up Yonge street and back to the square.

Guests include: Judy Rebick, Lee Maracle, Roberta Timothy, Shaila Kibria, Youth performers and the Raging Asian Women Taiko Drummers.

The square will have community organizations present, as well as art and poetry under tents. They are also raising money. Some of the proceeds will benefit the new Survivor Fund for low-income survivors who are seeking therapy or body work/healing. For more information about how the
fund works, please visit our web site www.youth-out-loud.org. Funds will also benefit the Toronto Child Abuse Centre and Youth Out Loud.

Another component of the day is the “Have Your Say” tent. We are gathering messages to the federal government in this tent by citizens who would like their voices heard on the issue of child sexual abuse. Youth Out Loud will be delivering these messages to Ottawa.

* Pledge forms available at Toronto Women’s Bookstore.

You know, cause rape is so funny.

Josh Hopkins has managed to create one of the most offensive music videos I’ve ever seen. In summary, he’s produced a “comedic take on rape,” a musical description of how men have to feign interest in women in order to “get laid.” Feigning interest is not particularily offensive in itself… but when he can’t get laid? Hell, he’ll “gain entrance” anyway.

The write up on Hopkins’ site describes it as follows: “Josh Hopkins sensitively explores the internal conflict experienced by a man who finds himself on a date with a woman who is deeply boring yet attractive enough to maintain his interest in having sex with her.”

Melissa McEwan at shakesville.com describes it a little more accurately:

“This completely uproarious jokesong about rape comes to us care of actor and musician Josh Hopkins, whose fans think the video is all kinds of funny and anyone who doesntsurprise!is humorless and needs to lighten up….

In 2004, there were 209,880 victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assaults according to the 2004 National Crime Victimization Survey. Because of its methodology, these figures do not include victims 12 or younger. The Bureau of Justices National Incident-Based Reporting System data from law enforcement agencies covering the years 1991 through 1996 showed that 34% percent of all victims of sexual assault reported to the participating law enforcement agencies were under age 12. One of every seven victims of sexual assault reported to the participating law enforcement agencies were under age 6.

Hilarious.”

View the most offensive thing you’ve ever seen and McEwans full commentary here.