I attended the book launch/tribute to Velma Demerson last night on the occasion of the release of her book Incorrigible which tells the story of her cruel imprisonment at the age of 18 for the crime of being an unmarried white girl pregnant with her Chinese boyfriend's child. Judes, Michele Landsberg, Tam Goosen spoke on a panel moderated by Frank Saptel and introduced by the irrepressible Harry Kopyto (who have an incredibly moving speech). The highlight of the evening was Velma herself speaking, now aged 84 but my God how sharp she is!
We're far too quick to forget that such institutions as Mercer Reformatory existed and we're quick to pretend that Canadian racism and sexism is as pervasive (if often more hidden) as in the US.
A very moving evening and my apologies for not making the rounds and chatting with some people I haven't seen in awhile (such as Judes) but I was in more of a sit and think mood.
The book is available from the Toronto Women's Bookstore and published by Wilfred Laurier University Press. I've started reading it and it's very powerfully written.
[ 30 March 2005: Message edited by: aka Mycroft ]