Life in Northern B.C. is not only different from life in the south; it is also gendered and affected by many other aspects of social location, says Dawn Hemingway, Associate Professor and Chair of UNBC’s School of Social Work.

She said that was one of the main reasons behind organizing the second annual Northern Feminist Institute for Research and Evaluation (FIRE) symposium on International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8.

Understanding the ways in which gender and life stage affect how northerners experience their bodies, health and relationships were the main themes of the sold-out conference at UNBC, which brought 80 people together to share their collective experiences and examine how they could work together for needed change. 

“The overwhelming response to last year’s symposium on gendered violence showed us how urgent it is to have northern conversations about our distinct challenges, opportunities, and paths forward,” said UNBC Associate History Professor Dr. Jacqueline Holler, an expert in women’s studies and gender studies, who, along with Hemingway, Dr. Indrani Margolin and Dr. Lela Zimmer, helped organize the conference.