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Category Archives: Society
Do not ask what freedom can do for you …
“Do not ask what freedom can do for you, … but what you can do for freedom!” To women in Paris, New York, Brussels, London – or Ottawa on “Hijab day” – who lawfully claim the freedom to wear the … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Islam, Society
Tagged Burka, burqa, Burqua, Hidjab, Hidjab day, hijab, Hijab day, human-rights, Islam, Michel Botman, Nikab, niqab, Niquab, Ottawa Hijab day, Religion, Women's Rights
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It’s life and life only
Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with a small cancer. Nothing major at all. Nothing grand. A pesky malignant nodule, the size of a shriveled plum, sitting insidiously over my Thyroid was surgically removed. It took a bit of a … Continue reading
Hair that should not be brushed away
Last Friday, I sent a letter to the Toronto Start in response to the following article on a recent Ontario Human Rights lawsuit:
Not just a number
Every afternoon, I drive to CHAT, the Hebrew Academy where my son Noah goes to school. It has been part of my hectic schedule for the last few years, and, despite the laborious routine, something I always look forward to … Continue reading
Where’s Walda?
I recently had an interesting conversation with a Muslim woman who vehemently defended the right of women to wear the burqa or niqab freely and without any restriction. This is a highly debated topic in many modern societies, particularly in … Continue reading
RAP Poetry and Military Intelligence
Yesterday, I wrote a satirical, letter to Laura Di Battista of CBC radio regarding a piece of RAP Poetry aired on CBC radio on October 18, 2012. My observations are of course “tongue in cheek” commentaries and should be taken … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Society
Tagged CBC radio, Here and Now, Laura Di Batista, RAP, Ritalin
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Time for Men’s Day?
The situation of women in North America and Europe no longer bears much similarity to the situation of women in the rest of the world – particularly in Africa, Asia and Muslim societies by and large.
A sad day for women
How can one still take UN decisions seriously?
Posted in Islam, Religion, Society
Tagged discrimination, feminism, gender equality, Iran, UN
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Grow up, North America!
Canadian nudity laws may be in need of an update A reflection on an article by By: Daniela Syrovy A couple of years ago, I wrote to the National Post a letter regarding the excessively prudish and stuffy attitude of … Continue reading
Posted in Current Events, Society
Tagged Naturism, nudity, prudish, puritan, puritanical
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Not a yellow polka dot bikini …
. . . . . . .Above: “Stop the oppression of women in the Islamic World” International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) A few months ago I wrote a letter to CBC host Matt Galloway regarding his interview of Farzana … Continue reading
“I have no face”, a tale of Ambulatory Coercion
. . . . . . Above: Woman in chador overlooking the Bosphorus from the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul. (Michel Botman Photography, June 2009) The contrast between the dark clothing and the luminous landscape inspired a short piece about the Islamic … Continue reading
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Abdennour Bidar on Islam and Intolerance
As French soldiers are in the midst of a fairly large military intervention in Mali against the AQMI terrorists (an Islamic movement linked to Al-Qaida), a controversial poll has been published recently in French newspapers.