Describing the Barriers

This section looks at some of the barriers to women's education that are created by violence. The first part, "Naming the Barriers," has two sections. "Recognizing External or Systemic Barriers" describes some of the institutional and institutionalized barriers placed in front of women seeking an education. "Recognizing the Effects of Violence" describes some of the behaviours a woman who has survived or who is experiencing violence in her life may exhibit in a classroom.

Three further articles explore barriers faced by women as a result of their particular life situation. Cathleen Morris describes some of the situations encountered by a differently-abled woman seeking further education. She challenges educators to consider how they teach and what they require from the point of view of the differently-abled. She also suggests some solutions or ways to minimize those barriers.

An immigrant woman may find that she loses her voice when she comes to Canada; she becomes invisible. She also faces barriers that may be raised by her own immigrant community or by government funding and training regulations. If she is also a racialized woman, she may experience violence engendered by racism.

Lesbians also experience violence in a heterosexual society. As "G" tells us, a lesbian may find her very self ridiculed or described as abnormal in educational materials and classrooms. She is told by authority figures that she is "ill" or "evil" and in need of help for her "problem."