Day 6 - 290 -- Becoming a Person

The day was sunny but turned grey as I headed out to walk to campus. By the time I left, the sun was reappearing, so I went for a longer walk. Greyness returned before I got home from that walk. I met a friend I don't see too often in person due to her job being elsewhere a lot of the time. Her smile and hug helped me to see positives in the day. A longer writing project meeting took my mind to something I am passionate about and we always laugh at our meetings.

Today is Persons Day in Canada. Ninety years ago the Persons Case was taken to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council in England, where the earlier ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada was unanimously overturned. The Supreme Court had ruled that women were not persons and as such, could not take a seat in the Senate (or the House of Commons). By reversing this ruling, the door was open for women to take part in governing the nation. The Famous Five, a group of female advocates from Alberta, were instrumental in putting this case forward. One of them was a sitting judge at the time and others became members of provincial legislative assemblies. Their appeal of the national court interpretation of the British North America Act had far-reaching consequences for women in Canada.  The five Lords on the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council noted that excluding women from serving in public office was "a relic of days more barbarous than ours." (Famous 5 Foundation. (1999) The Famous 5: Nation Builders, pp. 5).  It seemed  only fitting that today I ran into the female senator from this little town while out walking. <smile>

The song for today has a definite defiant sound and lyrics. It is from 1964, but seemed to fit the historical note of today. Enjoy!

You Don't Own Me -- Lesley Gore