Dandelion Initiative in the News
— TV Interview Of Toronto Park Kiss Elicits Online Backlash, May 2020
A sexual violence advocate explains why laughing doesn't equal consent. It’s unknown if the kiss was staged. Whatever the case, Belle believes the kiss in the context of the news segment promotes rape culture during a pandemic, which has seen a tragic spike of domestic abuse: at least nine women have been murdered since the health crisis began, the Globe and Mail reports.
— What is the future of live music in Toronto? May 2020
Concerts will be one of the last things to return in Ontario, but local musicians and promoters are already thinking about what the local scene might look like. The Event Safety Alliance put out a 29-page guide for venue owners and promoters to follow when shows do eventually reopen.
— National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, December 2019
Andrew has tabled a motion calling on the government to adopt an Intersectional Gender Equity Strategy, which would see bills, motions, budgets, and regulations scrutinized for their treatment of and impact on women and made public. Andrew’s call comes on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Montreal massacre.
— How safe is Toronto's music scene? June 2018
By Carly Lewis - If a reckoning is coming for sexual misconduct, it will take the entire community, from showgoers to venue owners, to make it happen.
— Who is responsible for harm reduction at Toronto music venues? October 2018
By Sumiko Wilson
The opioid crisis is killing approximately 11 Canadians every day. While the federal government aggressively criminalizes street drugs and the provincial government pauses safe injection sites, some members of Toronto’s club scene see the death toll as a call to action.DJs and party-goers are taking matters into their own hands by educating and equipping themselves with all of the necessary tools to respond to overdoses in local performance and party spaces.
— Program to combat sexual harassment in music venues sees little pickup ahead of Junos March 2018
By Carly Lewis
Ms. Forrester believes safe-space training should not be optional.“You have to take WHMIS [hazardous materials] training to learn why toilet cleaner shouldn’t go in your eyes. You should also have to take sexual-misconduct training,” she said.
— 10 Chefs, Brewmasters & Sommeliers Talk Sexism In The Food Industry November 2017
By Andrea Chiu
— Raising Awareness Over the Safety of Women at Bars This Holiday Season, December 2017
By Faiza Amin
— Toronto Groups Look to Combat Sexual Harassment, Violence in City’s Nightlife Scene, April 2017
By Carly Lewis