Written by Jess Horton
Remembering the Past.
The École Polytechnique Massacre, also known as the Montreal Massacre, was an anti-feminist and gendered hate crime committed by Marc Lépine. He killed 14 female students of the Engineering school at the university. The gunman entered one classroom and separated the men from the women. He then gunned down the women. Afterwards, he roamed the halls targeting other women before turning the weapon on himself just before running out of ammunition. He even had a list of well-known women of political and social power in Quebec whom he had planned to hunt down as well.
In 1991, the Canadian government designated December 6th the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women. This day takes place within the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which was also launched in 1991 by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women was created as a result of this chilling massacre which occurred in 1989. The event sparked solidarity protests, movements, and vigils from women all over Canada and around the world. It also led to the creation of the Coalition for Gun Control in Canada, which later contributed to the adoption of the federal firearm control legislation, Bill C-68, in 1995. Male-led campaigns opposing violence against women, such as the White Ribbon campaign, were also born after the École Polytechnique Massacre.
What Now? Understanding the Importance of Feminism.
Feminism is still crucial to the work of ridding the world of such blatant and grossly barbarous anti-feminist sentiments and actions, but also to end the trend of erasing women from the very events which target them specifically. These victims and survivors are not faceless and nameless masses to be tossed around in media campaigns. It is vital that we place the power back into the hands of those whose lives are being impacted by this targeted violence: women and female-identifying individuals.
We have come a long way since the École Polytechnique Massacre. We now have more widespread feminist movements such as the White Ribbon campaign, the #MeToo movement, the HeForShe campaign, and countless other community-based and grassroots movements all over the world. Nevertheless, we have a long way to go in the fight for true equality and a world free of targeted violence against women.
Due to the tireless efforts and unwavering determination of many, there is much hope for the feminist struggle. We have also come a long way in our understanding of feminism because of 21st century gender equality and feminist activists such as Malala Yousafzai, Emma Watson, Taraba Burke, Roxane Gay, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. These activists are continuously working to deconstruct the predominant misconceptions and sexist prejudices surrounding the historically taboo term “feminism”.
Names Have Power: What to do on this National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women 2021.
Names and words have power. Over us. Over the narratives of our past. Over our futures. This December 6th, take a moment to say the names of the 14 women killed in the École Polytechnique Massacre.
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
Far too often in cases where women are victims or survivors of gender-based violence, the world erases their identities in favour of the vague idea of "female victims". But these women are individuals with names, lives, hopes, and dreams. Say their names. Remember their individuality. Think about how these women were targeted and murdered because someone thought "feminist" was synonymous to "man-hater". On this December 6th, let’s provide a space for these women to own the narrative of their own lives, even if after death.