Jessica Howard, Author at Canadian Women's Foundation

About Jessica Howard

Jessica Howard is Manager, Content and Web at the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Having worked as a journalist, blogger, content strategist and university instructor, she believes that storytelling is key to social change. As a mother of two sons, she is also highly knowledgeable about Lego, Star Wars and Superheroes.

Creating Safe Spaces for Trans Girls

Creating Safe Spaces for Trans Girls

Jessica Howard2016-03-10T14:35:33+00:00March 10, 2016|Empowering girls|

A safe space. It’s the magnet that draws many participants to the girls’ programs funded by the Canadian Women’s Foundation. The programs offer an oasis where girls age nine and up can connect, develop new skills, build confidence and, most importantly, be themselves.

But how do we ensure that these programs are safe spaces for kids who are questioning their gender or who identify as transgender?

It’s an important question, given the growing awareness about creating supportive environments for transgender youth. Children may start questioning their gender from a fairly young age: a report from the Trans PULSE project says that 59% of survey respondents knew their gender identity did not match their assigned gender before age 10 and 80% knew by age 14.

Some Clothes Cost More Than You Think

Some Clothes Cost More Than You Think

Jessica Howard2017-12-19T17:12:35+00:00March 8, 2016|Empowering girls, Women in media|

“Girls just want to wear diamonds.”

“Allergic to Algebra.”

“I’m too pretty to do homework, so my brother has to do it for me.”

“Future trophy wife.”

It’s hard to believe, but stores in Canada market girls’ T-shirts bearing disempowering messages like these. Stereotypes sell, even though they’re the last thing girls need.

Making a Commitment to #HealthyLove

Making a Commitment to #HealthyLove

Jessica Howard2016-02-08T13:30:10+00:00February 8, 2016|Gender-based violence|

This Valentine's Day, make a commitment to healthy love!

For every commitment you share on Facebook and Twitter from February 8-14 using the hashtag #HealthyLove, Margaret Newall will generously donate $2 (up to $2,000) to our Teen Healthy Relationship Programs!

Want to know why Margaret is supporting teen healthy relationships? Find out why she's made a commitment to healthy love.

New Year, New Opportunities

New Year, New Opportunities

Jessica Howard2016-01-12T13:10:59+00:00January 12, 2016|Gender-based violence, Women in media, Women’s poverty|

With the New Year comes new opportunity for progress toward ending gender-based violence and poverty, and promoting women’s leadership.

As we head into January 2016, here are a few of the events, milestones, and developments we’ll be watching for in Canada.

Suffrage Centennial: Let’s start the year with a toast to Manitoba! In January 1916,women in Manitoba won the right to vote and hold government office at the provincial level. Women in Saskatchewan and Alberta won the right to vote later that year. It wasn’t until 1918 that women in Canada won the right to vote on a federal level, (1960 for Indigenous women covered by the Indian Act), but let’s remember that 100 years ago, Manitoba blazed a trail.

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