On Saturday January 19th, a grass roots collective of Grey Bruce women will start a conversation about women’s health, and they want you to be there. Recent changes in policies impacting women’s health have sparked conversations and concerns amongst friends and colleagues. A local group wanted to open a public conversation to raise awareness about the many issues impacting women. The gathering will coincide with the Global Women’s March and will begin at the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library. The conversation will begin with round table discussions at 2:00pm, ending with a short march around the city’s downtown.

“We need more spaces where we can talk about the issues that impact women” said Kaitlyn Neath, the lead organizer of Saturday’s event. “Health is such a personal and complicated topic. It literally impacts us at every stage of our lives. But if we can’t educate each other or describe what would help to make us healthier as individuals and a community then there’s no way to get what we need.”

Neath and fellow organizers promise that Saturday’s discussions will be wide ranging, with opportunities to examine various issues impacting women’s health from access to sexual health education and maternal health care, to income, housing, domestic violence, and discrimination. Neath says the goal is to bring people together, encourage conversation, and explore ways that this community can work together.

The conversations will take place in small groups to give as many participants a chance to share their stories and ideas as possible. There will also be materials available for participants to write letters to elected officials, create messages and take photos that can be shared on social media, and make signs for the march.

The route will begin and end at the library, so that participants who aren’t comfortable marching may remain to continue their conversations. Hot chocolate and social time will follow at 4pm. More information is available through the event page on Facebook, or the Activist’s Calendar at MadLibMom.com.

To volunteer or learn more about the discussions that will be taking place, please contact [email protected].

source: media release, Mad Lib Mom