"Beyond Words": A New Vancouver Club
Beverly Ranger, a prostitute peer counsellor has been helping out with the newest book club in Vancouver's seamy downtown eastside, a club that distributes a book of their choice to the "working women", for them to read in preparation for a discussion group. She seeks out interested partcipants and makes sure they receive a copy.
Mary Trentadue is the owner of the 32 Books shop in upscale Kerrisdale. Some time ago she had thought of giving books to the hookers of the eastside, but hesitated because she was unsure the women would welcome them, when they have to work the way they do just to earn life's bare necessities. Then she met Maggie DeVries. Maggie wrote a book about her sister, one of the many prostitutes that disappeared from the area, and are feared dead at the hands of Robert Pickton, Canada's worst serial killer. The women of the area were interested in reading the story, and wanted to see how life in their neighbourhood would be described. Trentadue contributed some of the novels and started a drive that saw 125 copies in total donated to the nascent club. The women helped each other and after everyone had finished, Trentadue hosted the end meeting, when the women came to discuss the novel. There was an explosion of emotional reaction.
The club's second selection is Billie Livingston's "Going Down Swinging", about a Vancouver mother whose children are taken from her by social services. The discussion group will include a meeting with the author, whose presence is a real validation of the women and their interest in the written word.The readers are offended that people should assume they would be incapable of interest in a book. Some of these women have come to this life from a childhood of unrelenting abuse. So many have been told over and over and over again how stupid they are and how unworthy of anything better in life than what they have ended up with on the eastside. Some others have come here form a "normal" life gone awry. No matter how they found themselves here, they still have a brain, and a club such as their reading circle acknowledges that. It gives them the dignity of a shared activity that challenges their intellect. Why should they be denied such a thing?
Apparently, many people have felt obliged to express surprise that the women of the streets can read, and would be interested in books. They make judgmental assumptions about these women, and their lives. They forget to practice the pious platitudes that so many of them mouth when they deign to favour their chosen house of worship with their holier-than-thou presence. If they are such intellectual giants as they try to appear, they should think back to when they read Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls". They did read it, didn't they? They did understand the author's message, did they not? Maybe they could just take a moment or two from their incredibly busy and ever-so-important schedule, and ponder, REALLY give some thought to those women and the old adage "There, but for a stroke of luck, go I."
Mary Trentadue is the owner of the 32 Books shop in upscale Kerrisdale. Some time ago she had thought of giving books to the hookers of the eastside, but hesitated because she was unsure the women would welcome them, when they have to work the way they do just to earn life's bare necessities. Then she met Maggie DeVries. Maggie wrote a book about her sister, one of the many prostitutes that disappeared from the area, and are feared dead at the hands of Robert Pickton, Canada's worst serial killer. The women of the area were interested in reading the story, and wanted to see how life in their neighbourhood would be described. Trentadue contributed some of the novels and started a drive that saw 125 copies in total donated to the nascent club. The women helped each other and after everyone had finished, Trentadue hosted the end meeting, when the women came to discuss the novel. There was an explosion of emotional reaction.
The club's second selection is Billie Livingston's "Going Down Swinging", about a Vancouver mother whose children are taken from her by social services. The discussion group will include a meeting with the author, whose presence is a real validation of the women and their interest in the written word.The readers are offended that people should assume they would be incapable of interest in a book. Some of these women have come to this life from a childhood of unrelenting abuse. So many have been told over and over and over again how stupid they are and how unworthy of anything better in life than what they have ended up with on the eastside. Some others have come here form a "normal" life gone awry. No matter how they found themselves here, they still have a brain, and a club such as their reading circle acknowledges that. It gives them the dignity of a shared activity that challenges their intellect. Why should they be denied such a thing?
Apparently, many people have felt obliged to express surprise that the women of the streets can read, and would be interested in books. They make judgmental assumptions about these women, and their lives. They forget to practice the pious platitudes that so many of them mouth when they deign to favour their chosen house of worship with their holier-than-thou presence. If they are such intellectual giants as they try to appear, they should think back to when they read Hemingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls". They did read it, didn't they? They did understand the author's message, did they not? Maybe they could just take a moment or two from their incredibly busy and ever-so-important schedule, and ponder, REALLY give some thought to those women and the old adage "There, but for a stroke of luck, go I."
3 Comments:
From my experience, the pious are usally the ignorant ones -- the ones without a brain -- the ones that are easy to be led.
The words that you choose to use to describe Vancouver's downtown eastside and the 'hookers' is appalling. I find it sad when The Beyond Words bookclub is not just for 'hookers' as you call them but for women who live in the area as well.
As for what took place at the bookclubs it sounds as if you were actually there and I doubt that. So how do you know all that goes on at these bookclubs? It's hilarious that you talk about they who "make judgmental assumptions about these women, and their lives" because that's what you're doing.
Hello Anonymous -- have you a clue? Did you read the post above? She's not making assumptions about anyone. In fact, she's warning against making assumptions. Before you go off shooting your clap-trap, perhaps you should first read -- understand -- think -- and maybe stop smoking that shit.
Sheesh!
Yes, I make assumptions about morons.
Post a Comment
<< Home