Rally to Protect Women’s Health 049 by PrettyKateMachine, on Flickr. Used with Creative Commons license – Attribution, noncommercial, no derivative works
Why an issue dedicated to women and health? Because in 2013, even while women are increasinlgly becoming decision makers within the healthcare industry, women are also still dying during childbirth and fighting for their right to choose the care that they find best for themselves and their children. In this issue of Montreal Serai, these, and other issues touching upon women and health, are brought to the forefront through interviews, essays, artworks and poetry.
In an “Interview with a Doula in 2013”, Megan Tolbert answers questions from Serai about what it is like to be a Doula in 2013. Nilambri Ghai interviews Annie (Kishkwanakwad) Smith St-George, a well-recognized Algonquin Elder, who sheds light upon women and health in the Algonquin community. After reading an article about obsessive compulsive disorder in new mothers, Abby Lippman wonders if there is a new disease amongst physicians called PNMD — pathologize new mothers disorder in her piece “Let Moms be Moms!”. Julian Samuel reviews Mira Nair’s new movie “the Reluctant Fundamentalist” with an interesting twist. Tia Sarkar discusses the status and challenges of her occupation, midwifery in Canada. In “Filipino Women caring for your health : But what do you care?”, Joyce Valbuena shares accounts of Filipino Women nurses, and the impact that poverty in the Philippines has had on the population’s health. The recent passing of Dr. Henry Morgentaler stirred up a lot of emotions amongst Canadians. Joyce Arthur gives an account of the man and his work. This issue’s Art section features works by printmaker Talleen Hacikyan who “explore[s] various themes that deal with our primordial connection to the natural world”. Ana Maria Pavela discusses the exposition “Vingt femmes”, which displays new portaits of marriage and the identities of women within a marriage. The poetry section features two poems by Ilona Martonfi, The unsayable & The colour white (mother).
We hope that you enjoy the work presented in this issue of Montreal Serai on women and health.
