A great loss

Journalist Christie Blatchford has died.  I am stunned.  I knew her (sort-of) when I worked for Maclean-Hunter in Toronto in the late sixties and early seventies.  I was on the editorial staff of a number of trade publications, but Christie was already writing for consumer publications.  Back then, I was part of a team that organized an editorial conference and I invited her to speak on a panel.  The topic was, "Interviewing men, why women do it better."  Can you believe that?!

I actually believed -- and still believe -- that women are better at getting to the heart of men than male journalists are.  Something about sexuality and male/female stuff is at work there.  She completely agreed and was so great on the panel.  The fact that I put myself on the same panel surprises me, when I look back.  I thought we were about the same age, but it turns out I am four years older.

I admired everything about her.  We actually went out drinking after the conference was over.  Can you believe that?!  She died of lung cancer, can't remember if she smoked, but back then we all did.  We all smoked everywhere-all-the-time; the office was 'Mad Men'.  I know that a number of years ago she decided to get fit and started running regularly.  But the smoking must have caught up with her.

One of the things I do remember was (is this grammatically correct?  Anyone?) her columns on the death of her mother, not that long ago.  It was around the time I had lost mine and she talked about how she did her mother's laundry separately from hers until she finally just did both together.  I did that too, for a while.  Weird.  She was a bitch, but in a good way.  She had definitely earned it!

She was a role model because she was so "male" -- something B always tells me I am, while still being "female".  Go figure.  B is on the board of our condo corporation and the rest of the board is made up of all women.  They all vote as a block against B because he is a man.  I got so fed up, I wrote a letter to one who might still be young enough to maybe "get it".  I am sure Christie would have agree with what I have written.  Did this 35-year-old woman even reply?  No.  Here is my note to this misguided young woman:
________________________________________     

Good morning, blank,

I just have to say, as a professional woman who went to the barricades in the late sixties to protect and expand the rights of working women, I am absolutely dismayed at how unprofessional and personal the women on this board behave.  Brian was criticized and attacked for flagging the financial irregularities here and calling for an independent audit.  But instead of being respectfully heeded, he has been called confused, sad and suspicious by two women and when his suspicions were verified, neither had the integrity or grace to step up and apologize. 

As a matter of fact, the woman loudest, most off-base and personal in her comments has been on the board for 17 consecutive years, while all this has been going on.  Perhaps it is time for her to look in the mirror and take some responsibility for how this complex has been managed on her watch.  

I, and others in my cohort, did not fight for women’s rights to have females be so unprofessional and petty.  The fact that the women on this board are incapable of professional and gender-blind conduct is not what we fought for.

I write this personally, not as any defence of Brian (who does not know of this letter and can certainly defend himself, if he so chooses), but as a condemnation of how these two women behave.  Any woman unable to be objective renders herself a disgrace to our shared gender, in my view, and unworthy of what we fought for way back then. 

Never join in a “women’s chorus” just because you are of the same gender.  Be on the side of truth and integrity.  I hope you take this in the spirit with which it is intended.  Over my long career, I have counselled many young women who have gone on to break out of female stereotyping and made something of themselves.    

Regards,

Nancy 
____________________________________
Rest in Peace, Christie