Rosie the Riveter
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam has spoken to Luke Simcoe of the tabloid paper Toronto Metro about the erasure of women’s histories. Her exact words when asked why there aren’t more statues of women was that “It speaks to the continual erasure of women’s histories. The value of women’s contributions to community, city and nation-building is often undervalued because we’re not given the same opportunities as men.” It’s an odd way to put it Erasure. The erasure of women’s histories. Goodness. But never mind. Agnes Macphail celebrations are nearly upon us and the wonderful parkette in Ms. Wong-Tam’s own riding is full of the work of Frances Loring and Florence Wyle. Some of the statues are of men, like a lowly fictitious guy who worked his heart out in a war plant. We’re guessing the Councillor herself will have her own statue by and by, erasures notwithstanding. May she join the ranks of unforgotten women from Victoria Regina to Rosie the Riveter.
