About Us
What is Antigone Magazine?
Antigone Magazine is a non-profit, non-partisan, bi-annual magazine about women and politics produced at the University of British Columbia. We have a national subscription base that includes the larger Canadian community, university men and women, and politicians from various legislative bodies. Produced with the assistance of WILLA UBC (Women Involved in Legislative Leadership Association), Antigone Magazine works towards creating and sustaining a critical dialogue about women, power, feminism, and leadership. Our slogan says it best: a magazine about women, politics, women in politics, and the politics of being a woman.
The name ‘Antigone‘ (an-tig-uh-nee) comes from a Sophoclean play of the same name about a woman who defied the patriarchal political order of her state because it sought to stop her from doing what she believed was right. Her act of political resistance is one in which her own conscience superseded the unjust politics of the time and forced her to step out of ‘her place’ as a woman in order to redress a wrong that had been done. She was chosen as the namesake of our magazine because in our minds she represents the female voice that refuses to be silenced.
We’ve covered topics ranging from the history of child care in Canada, to the current state of women in federal politics. We have also been fortunate enough to interview some inspiring and groundbreaking female leaders and politicians, such as Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and former Prime Minister Kim Campbell. Antigone has also been featured by CBC Radio One, The Ubyssey, The F Word (Vancouver CFRO 102.7 FM), The International Museum of Women, and Ms. Magazine and was a voice at the UN 52nd meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women.
The Antigone Foundation
We are currently seeking charitable status under The Antigone Foundation, an organization that seeks to encourage young women aged 10-35 to become politically and civically engaged. The Foundation proposes to do this through Antigone Magazine, its inter-organization activism, and its blog. To this end, our website entitled CONNECT, to be launched in 2009, will serve as a networking hub for women and women’s activists in the greater Vancouver area. The Foundation also seeks to found a magazine written by and for young women aged 10-15, as well as, an outreach program to educate and inspire young girls to become active and involved in politics and issues that affect them.
Why the Blog?
Our blog treats a variety of issues centering around politics and the politics of being female. We believe that there are not enough voices in the Canadian blogsphere that deal exclusively with women’s issues and women in Canadian politics. We also aim, of course, to connect with the international women’s community by adding our voices to the fray. We aspire to inspire more young women to connect through the creation of a safe, supportive, and welcoming online forum. Young feminists need a rallying point from which to work for change. We hope you will enjoy our mix of news, stories, commentary and event listings. It’s about time women put themselves back on the agenda!
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