“You Can’t Self-Help Your Way Out of Inequality, Oppression or Exhaustion”

In this, our last episode of Season One, the team at Dear Beth welcomes acclaimed, award-winning author and activist Soraya Chemaly.

Chemaly’s book, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger poses a simple, yet provocative question: Why do we not appreciate women’s anger as a catalyst for social change?

In their conversation with Chemaly, Brea and Leah unpack why her book is so influential - particularly for those working in male-dominated fields such as law. They also explore the reasons why women’s anger has long been suppressed and be-littled, while the anger of men is allowed more expression and given more validity. Chemaly encourages listeners to consider how the emotion of anger can be viewed in a different light: as an emotion that can be channeled for personal growth and a powerful tool to fight against injustice. 

In the last half of the episode, Brea, Beth, Leah and Jen sit down to reflect on their favorite moments from the past season and the power of storytelling which they captured in their own book: Creating a Seat at the Table: Reflections From Women in Law. Sharing their perspectives on the book and what they learned about the experience of women in law is Professor of Law Dwight Newman and Law Student Brock Melnyk both of the University of Saskatchewan Law School. And we also hear once again from entertainment lawyer and Canadian musician Safwan Javed who shares his perspective on allyship and how to use one’s privilege for good. 

 

GUEST BIO:

Soraya Chemaly is an award-winning author and activist. She writes and speaks frequently on topics related to gender, inclusivity, social justice, free speech, sexualized violence, and technology. The former Executive Director of The Representation Project and Director and co-founder of the Women’s Media Center Speech Project, she has long been committed to expanding women’s civic and political participation.

Soraya is also the author of Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger, which was recognized as a Best Book of 2018 by the Washington Post, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and NPR and has been translated into multiple languages. She is a contributor to several anthologies, most recently Free Speech in the Digital Age and Believe Me: How Trusting Women Can Change The World.  Soraya is also a co-producer of a WMC #NameItChangeIt PSA highlighting the effects of online harassment on women in politics in America.  Her work is featured widely in media, documentaries, books, and academic research. As an activist, Ms. Chemaly has spearheaded several successful global campaigns challenging corporations to address online hate and harassment, restrictive content moderation and censorship, and institutional biases that undermine equity and negatively affect free speech.

Prior to 2010, Ms. Chemaly spent more than fifteen years as a market development executive and consultant in the media and data technology industries. Her upcoming book, The Resilience Myth: New Thinking on Strength, Grit, and Growth After Trauma, will be released May 2024.

Photo Credit: Elizabeth Dranitzke

Additional Reading: 

CHEMALY, S. (2024). Rage becomes her. SIMON & SCHUSTER LTD. 

Chemaly, S. (May 2024). Resilience myth: New thinking on grit, strength, and growth after trauma. Atria Books. 

Bilson, B., Howie, L., & Lowenberger, B. (2023). Creating a seat at The table: Reflections From Women in Law. University of Regina Press. 

Co-Editor Bios: 

Beth Bilson, KC, PhD has enjoyed a career of teaching, writing, deaning, arbitrating, and community engagement that began at the University of Saskatchewan in 1979, and she has never run out of interesting things to do.

Leah Howie, BEng, BSc, LLB, LLM lives in beautiful Saskatoon with her husband, two daughters, two dogs, and two cats. She loves reading, connecting people, travelling, and spending time outside on the prairies, in the mountains, by the river, and in the boreal forest. She enjoys thinking about ways to improve the law in her work in the area of law reform, and teaching and coaching law students as a sessional lecturer for the College of Law.

Brea Lowenberger, BA, JD, LLM is a lifelong learner and collaborator who hopes to leave the individuals and communities she interacts with a bit better than she found them. She is passionate about teaching and implementing design strategies that improve access to justice for Saskatchewan residents through her roles as Access to Justice coordinator, director of CREATE Justice, and sessional lecturer for the College of Law. When she isn’t working, she enjoys adventures with family and friends, travelling, being active, nature, reading, and creating music and art.