Hey folks! Welcome to Bird call!
A little Thursday commentary on CBC coverage of Winnipeg's awesome hip hop group and Aboriginal Music Awards winners, Most's decision to purchase headstones for 2 mudered Indigenous women.

Here's a link to the piece: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/11/14/mb-winnipegs-most-headstones-murdered-women.html
... and info about Most: http://rpm.fm/artist/winnipegs-most/

I am glad that the CBC is covering this, and is expanding the public's awareness about the cases of murdered Indigenous women in Manitoba, and about what this amazing group is doing to honour them. The heading: 'not just sex trade workers' is, however, demeaning and perpetuates stereotypes about missing native women, about sex workers, and about who is worthy of safety. It implies that it is somehow more expected or acceptable for women who are 'just sex workers' to be murdered. It also suggests to us reading the article that we should take more interest in these cases because these women were not 'just sex trade workers.' We need to denounce violence no matter who is targeted, and rather than looking at what kind of woman is being harmed, recognize that it is the perpetrator who is resonsible and to be held accountable. And that it is Canadian society, that devalues and does not protect women and girls, particularly Indigenous women and girls, who is also responsible. Let's follow Most's lead and take actions to send a message of love and support rather than opening the door to victim blaming.