DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE - More than 500 women and supporters snaked their way through Vancouver's Downtown Eastside today to mark the Fifth Annual Women' s Housing March.
A somber mood was set by the news of a well-known woman's suspicious death last night at the Regent Hotel on East Hastings.
The marchers stopped several times along the route of the "GentriFUCKation Tour" to point out new businesses and the prices they charge for food and services.
The event wrapped up with a block party in the 100 block Hastings.
For more on the march see Homes Now, Not Condos!
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Comments
Gentrifuckation tour
Hi just a clarification, the focus of the protest was not, (for the most part) the businesses themselves, most of which are small, locally owned and within the reach of the average consumer--the focus was on the appalling state policies which have held welfare rates at punitive and unlivable levels for decades now; and the government's abandonment of its citizens (mostly women) to live in degraded and insecure conditions within such a wealthy and beautiful city. We used the businesses as examples of the growing gap between "have" and "have-not", but the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the Municipal, Provincial and Federal governments. The lack of housing and the lack of a guaranteed livable income, (or even decent welfare) contribute to womens increasing vulnerabilty to male violence--
Male violence against women is the single most dangerous and destructive practice in the DTES.
Mostly women? Really? You
Mostly women? Really?
You might want to look at the statistics for homelessness. They are not even close to "mostly women".
you may wish to re-read my
you may wish to re-read my comment. It is mostly women who bear the brunt of punitive social policy and retrenchment of social services.
You may wish to substantiate
You may wish to substantiate your comment with some actual facts.
Facts about a woman's reality .
You have clearly not been through being raped on several occations
beacause single white females are vulnarable living alone , and when I went
to my local police they did not belive me , so they did not make a report .
Then at work again , suffering the humiliaton of a very very low income
( under 10,000$ a year) . how can I get needed therapy or protection
when I am being told by other citizens that it's all my fault that I am poor .
Then comes anxiety , depression from the stress of not being able
to buy food or pay the bills on time , dept and poor living conditions .
Then comes suicide , every year , especially young men and the poor
take their lives because having nothing to look forward to ....
being juged as " liar or lazy ".
How about a lending hand neibor ? Babysitting for a couple of hours ?
Spending time with teenages ... a lot of them are alone most of the time .
Open your eyes and open your hart .
a working class citizen