Calgary junior high students are honouring their school’s namesake during Canada’s first-ever national Gender Equality Week.
Many grade nine students at Annie Gale School are wearing homemade buttons to highlight Annie Gale’s historic role in the fight for women’s rights.
Gale was the first female member of Calgary city council, and when she took office in 1918, she became the first woman in Canada to hold an elected position.
“It fills you with pride that your school is named after such an amazing woman because she created so much change,” said student Serena Ramji.
“She was a really big inspiration and still continues to be for a lot of women,” added student Prerna Jaswal.
Students said Gale’s groundbreaking achievements inspire them to follow in her footsteps in the push for gender equality.
“The thing we still struggle with is — with different cultures not all women have their voices heard,” Jaswal said. “Not all women can do what they want.”
“Fashion trends are sometimes degrading, but women feel that they have to go with it,” Ramji added. “I think that women should be free to wear whatever they want to wear.”
Fellow student Andrea Rico hopes more women become involved in politics.
“I’d like see more women in high positions, like Annie Gale,” she said.
Comments