By Joanne Dorr
The Haldimand Press
CALEDONIA—March is International Women’s Month and International Women’s Day takes place on March 8, 2023. Edinburgh Square Heritage and Culture Centre in Caledonia is hosting events to mark both occasions.
From March 6 to 31 the Haldimand Photography Club (HPC) will be showing a collection of works titled Embrace Equity. The exhibit is the first time HPC has partnered with Haldimand County’s department of Museums, Heritage and Culture. Admission to the photography exhibit is free.
The Embrace Equity photography show will feature photos of professional women in jobs that at one time were, and possibly still are, predominantly held by men.
HPC’s Displays and Publications Committee member Randy Carter is excited about the show and says, “There was a lot of interest from club members about participating in the event.” Carter will be showcasing two of his works in the exhibit.
Carter retired four years ago after three decades of work in policing. Throughout his career Carter witnessed the emergence of women in policing. He notes, “There’s been a great improvement from the time I started to the time I left.”
Reinforcing this, Carter observes, “We are starting to see more female officers in the higher ranks.”
CALEDONIA—Two of the photographs that will be on display as part of the Haldimand Photography Club exhibit at Edinburgh Square, celebrating women in traditionally male-dominated fields. Left is Clarissa Smith, Liaison Hospitality Professor/Chef. Right is Deana Fleming, Uniform Patrol. —Photos by Anthony Maddalena (left) and Randy Carter.
International Women’s Day emerged in the early 20th century, stemming from labour movements in North America and Europe that signaled an increasing call for women to participate more fully in society. European countries such as Germany, Denmark, Austria, and Switzerland were the first to recognize the day, beginning on March 19, 1911.
To complement the Embrace Equity photography show’s focus on the more modern-day discourse on gender parity, Haldimand Museums is hosting an event that revisits the early 1900s.
On March 8 at 1:30 p.m. pre-registered guests will travel back in time and walk in the shoes of 20th century suffragette Annie Fearless to learn about the challenges and triumphs experienced by women in the early 1900s. The event will feature a live educational and entertaining historical re-enactment presented by actors in period costumes.
If you’re interested in registering for the International Women’s Day event visit link.haldimandcounty.ca. To register in person (prior to the event) visit the Haldimand County Administration Building, 53 Thorburn Street South in Cayuga. The cost for this presentation is $12.50/person.
HPC invites photography enthusiasts to any of their meetings, which take place on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Caledonia Fairgrounds in the Riverside Exhibition Centre. Alternatively, you can also visit haldimandphotographyclub.com for more information.
