28 Years Later: How My Identity Has Been Shaped

Women have made extraordinary leaps and bounds with regards to pursuing equality in Canadian history, whether it be gaining the right to exercise their franchise during the movement for universal suffrage, entering the workforce during World War I and II, or winning the fight for pay equality with the Female Employees Equal Pay Act of 1956. Unfortunately, the pursuit for gender equality is far from over, and it affects how I live my life daily. As a Canadian woman, and soon-to-be university student, the moment in Canadian history that has most influenced my identity is the École Polytechnique Massacre, also known as the Montreal Massacre, in which the lives of 14 Canadian women were taken by a misogynist who claimed to be “fighting feminism”. This event has shaped my identity and how I perceive the world; it has influenced my decision making, and inspires me to live life to the fullest as a Canadian, a student, and a woman.