News
Celebrating International Women's Day
International Women’s Day is on March 8. This year, we hope you will join us as we celebrate the achievements of women within the SFU community, challenge gender stereotypes and unconscious biases against women, and work towards forging a gender-equal world.
Here are some ways for you to get involved.
Attend an event
WEKH Wiki-Edit: Adding Women to the Story | March 6 | SFU VentureLabs
Did you know that only 17% of Wikipedia biographies are about women? This International Women’s Day, WEKH BC (Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub) is partnering with SFU VentureLabs to help add incredible women leaders into Wikipedia.
The Juggling Mother: Coming Undone in the Age of COVID | March 8 | SFU Public Square
Amanda D. Watson, author of The Juggling Mother: Coming Undone in the Age of Anxiety, will be joined by journalist Michelle Eliot for a conversation about COVID, motherhood, and paid and unpaid work.
How do we talk about military sexual violence & why does it matter? | March 8 | SFU Departments of Political Science and International Studies
Join SFU’s Megan MacKenzie for a presentation that explores how the way we talk about military sexual violence shapes wider gender norms and national identity.
Walking the Red Road: Ending Gender-Based Violence in Our Community | March 8 | SFU Ceremonies and Events
Join us on International Women’s Day for a conversation with three incredible Indigenous leaders who will discuss the realities of gender-based violence in communities and teach us about the spiritual pathway to wellness and healing: the Red Road.
Women in Computing Science (WiCS) International Women’s Day Panel | March 8 | WiCS
In this 2021 International Women’s Day Panel, hear stories from women in the tech community about how they’re making change in their communities.
A Conversation with Susan Stryker | March 11 | President’s Dream Colloquium
In addition to a Q&A session, Susan Stryker will speak about the development of trans studies, her film and media work, and “At the Crossroads of Turk and Taylor,” her current project about the many types of social justice struggles now transpiring at the site of the former Compton’s Cafeteria in San Francisco.
Bonus event: Lessons on Groundbreaking Leadership from Black Women | March 6 | Humber College
Hear lessons on groundbreaking leadership from a panel of Black women leaders at this event hosted by Humber College’s Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Diversity.
Learn something new
- Watch a special International Women's Day panel on women in leadership hosted by the SFSS Women's Centre, featuring activists, artists and leaders from the SFU community and beyond.
- Did you know that SFU’s Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies is celebrating 50 years of critical research, scholarship and teaching this year? Learn more about the history of the first Women’s Studies program in Canada.
- Check out the SFU Library’s resource guide to unconscious bias, hiring and retention, which includes information about uncovering our unconscious biases and tools for addressing them in the workplace.
- The Westcoast Women in Engineering, Science and Technology hosts an extensive collection of resources that address gender diversity in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and runs a blog about issues related to women in STEM.
- Listen to "Imagine Solidarity", an anthem for IWD composed by Veronica Dahl, professor emeritus in SFU's School of Computing Science.
Get connected
Plug in with one of these groups and find out how you can support gender diversity and women’s equity at SFU.
- The SFSS Women’s Centre provides services to students of all genders, including crisis referrals, peer support and volunteer opportunities. Learn more about how the centre has been supporting self-identified women at SFU during COVID-19.
- Check out the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies website for their latest course offerings and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter to learn about upcoming events and initiatives.
- Academic Women at SFU is an organization of women faculty, lab instructors, and librarians that meets several times a year to discuss issues related to gender equity, both as SFU employees and as women working in academia.
- The Beedie Graduate Women’s Council is an elected Beedie graduate student and alumni volunteer-run club that offers career development opportunities with a focus on diversity.
- SFU’s Young Women in Business network provides young women and professionals with events, programs and an engaged network of ambitious women to help them become successful in their careers.
- SFU Women in Computing Science organizes professional networking events, technical workshops and outreach programs aimed at supporting and promoting women in computing science, as well as challenging biases and myths faced by women in the field.
- SFU’s Women in Engineering group aims to increase the representation and awareness of nonconforming groups in the engineering profession by organizing mentorship opportunities, networking sessions and socials.