Misandry is described as hatred or mistrust of men.

There is a huge amount of wiggle room between hatred and mistrust. Who writes/ decides what words mean? Don't you wonder?

• She her disappear
• to man made stereotypes
• Identity gone

There is an ad for an insurance company, here in Canada. I see it almost everyday, if I have the TV on. The ad shows a cartoon drawing of a family: man, something and child. There is no definite woman. But the man is certainly a male. The child is certainly a child. What could have been the woman, possibly the Mother, is ambiguous in order to be either gender, gender neutral, faceless, token, either/or.

The child is just a child, smaller but more boy looking than anything to make it seem like a girl. The man is not neutral - it/he is taller, muscular, physically a male for sure with facial hair to make it clear. The other is less tall, short hair, sexless clothing, no facial hair, no breasts, no figure, no gender.

Every time I see that ad I feel women are being lost, replaced, forgotten, pushed aside. I am sad but too weary of the fight to feel angry - most of the time. What will the world do when there are no human women/ females? Will they go after female animals next? Does that seem so far fetched?

This whole thing seems like something out of science fiction to me. After all the years to fight for rights - now to be denied even an identity. Didn't see that one coming. It still seems like extreme fiction but... its happening every day.

When there are no women, men and children will die, age out and disappear. Are women becoming a rare species? Or just nothing at all. Something found in an encyclopedia or history. Its very discouraging from my view as a woman, born female, still female. In England you can choose to be identified as a biological woman, but not as a woman. Woman is gender free, gender misplaced.

I'll tell you a story, once upon a time there was man, woman and child. That's where the story ends.

This is the first newsletter posted from my own site. There are still some bumps to fix but I've got it working enough to keep my Friday schedule. 

Canadian Inspiration

Trains used to go east, west, north, south and all over Canada. I feel sad when I see places the train tracks have been pulled up. Wouldn't it be so much better to bring back railways to Canada, not just for passenger trips but all that shipping they used to do too. How is it not better than keeping all those transport trucks on the road? (Considering fuel, traffic, accidents, wear and tear and assorted other issues). Trains seem like a much better option.

I love train travel across Canada. My brother and I did it as children, just the two of us from Western Canada back to Toronto and even then we caught the bus from Union Station out to our home in Port Union. It was a great trip.

Even before that long trip, I visited my Grandparents, taking the VIA Rail from downtown Toronto out to Woodstock, Ontario. I enjoyed seeing old movies about train travel, especially the rail cars for passengers. My brother and I explored as many of the cars as we could during our trip. We saw one with bunkbed sort of accommodations, but they looked messy and plain. Pretty sure they were no longer in use so it was strange they were still included on the train. I would guess some of the staff used them if they had a long shift for the cross Canada journey.

Your inspiration this week is to remember or (even better) travel on a train, somewhere in Canada to somewhere else in Canada. You don't have to spend a lot or go far. There are local groups who are keeping the shorter lines open with scheduled trips, usually on weekends. See what you can find.

• The Canadian Railway Preservation and Restoration Association
• Canadian Railroad Historical Association and Exporail, the Canadian Railway Museum
• Canadian National Railways Historical Association
• Canadian Pacific Historical Association
• Toronto Railway Museum
• Railroad Equipment Restoration Association Canada
• Rail Fans Canada
• Rail Pictures.ca
• Canada Rail
• CN Rail - History
• Via Rail - History
• VIA Historical Association
• Government of Canada - Heritage Railway Stations of Canada
• HeritageRail Alliance

The Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore: An Illustrated History of Railway Stations in Canada - Ron Brown

Ron Brown writes many Canadian history book, including more about Canadian trains and stations in Canada.

Canadian People

Merna Forster is from Victoria, BC. She ran a (successful) national campaign to have women depicted on Canadian money. She received the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General in 2018. Also, the History Award for Popular Media (the Pierre Berton Award) in 2016. She is part of the Unsolved Canadian Mysteries History Project. The list of her awards and achievements is longer, read more. 

Merna runs the site - A Guide to Women in Canadian History

If you want to read more about Canadian women, Merna has written two books:

• 100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces
• 100 More Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces

Canadian Places

Thunder Cape, Port Arthur, Ontario. The Sleeping Giant. https://www.ebay.com/itm/388151399956

Thunder Cape, Port Arthur/ Fort William, Ontario.

Canadian Things

Did you know the Canadian Tuxedo was started in Vancouver?

Bing Crosby had been in BC for a fishing trip.  Afterwards, he wanted to check into the Hotel Vancouver. But denim was not something people would wear to a fancy place like the Hotel Vancouver in 1951. A fancy hotel does need to mind its reputation and keep up standards for their clientele. A bellhop recognized Bing Crosby and all was resolved.

Levi Strauss & Company decided to create a fancy suit, tuxedo,  made with denim as a bit of a joke. Levi's called it the Canadian Tuxedo and presented it to Bing Crosby. Bing wore it once, at the event, but chose not to keep it. Maybe it was too fancy for his laid back style. The jacket was sold again in 2024.

I still hear people refer to someone dressed in denim as wearing a Canadian Tuxedo.

If you want something fancier than the standard denim and denim look - Amazon.ca has a denim suit.

Please help me support my fondness for groceries and the occasional new print book.

• PayPal Me
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One last thing… A Canadian Link or So

Transport Action Canada, Canadian citizen transportation advocacy group, founded in 1977.

Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian Railroad Trilogy

Canadian Military History

Canadian Register of Historic Places

National Trust for Canada

Canada's History

I keep seeing videos, usually shorts, with women and children making a hand signal when they are in trouble and need help. Usually when a man is being aggressive, controlling, dangerous, or otherwise a problem. I haven't known what the hand signal was. Today I found a video where they said it is the SOS hand signal. Do you know it? Would you recognize someone flashing SOS to you?

Share this signal with friends, family, men, women and children. People need to know what it is whether they are in trouble or might be able to help someone in trouble. You may not be smart to intervene directly. Be careful. In the videos I see people doing various things like putting themselves between the man and women/ child. Trying to edge them out of the way. But, how many of those videos are staged? Likely a lot of them. Call for help from police, security staff, someone who has some authority and protection for dealing with a possibly dangerous situation.

Mainly, I hope you never need to use it yourself.

The Signal for Help was originally introduced by the Canadian Women’s Foundation in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when many survivors were trapped at home with their abusers. It’s a single-hand gesture meant to silently communicate distress during a video call, in public, or even behind closed doors.

Here’s how it works:

1. Hold one hand up, palm facing outward.
2. Tuck your thumb into your palm.
3. Fold your four fingers down over your thumb.

That’s it. No words. No obvious motion. Just one discreet, life-saving signal.

via - Ignite Her - Signal for Help: The Silent Hand Gesture Every Woman Should Know