Under the Cover: Celebrating International Women’s Day with Lois Donovan

This Sunday, March 8th, is International Women’s Day. Celebrated since the early 1900s, this day is meant to highlight the achievements of women and inspire others. With this special day in mind we turned to author Lois Donovan. When writing her latest novel, The Journal, she spent a lot of time researching the “Famous Five” and their fight for women’s equality. Below she shares some of her research but also its impact on her and the book.* * *

In The Journal, my second novel for young readers, a thirteen-year-old Japanese-Canadian girl travels back in time to the Edmonton of 1929, where Emily Murphy is leading the Famous Five in the fight to have women recognized as persons under the British North America Act.Kami is shocked to learn that her Asian features make her a target for the racism and prejudices of the day. To make matters worse, an unfortunate event places Kami in front of the first female magistrate in the British Empire, Emily Murphy.At first Kami is thrilled to meet the great female judge whose accomplishments she has studied in school, but then, when she is placed as a domestic servant in her home, Kami learns that Emily Murphy does not advocate equality for all women. It is British women for whom she has fought the good fight. In her present time period of 2004, Kami is assigned to prepare a debate for her Social Studies class on the topic, “Are the Famous Five Heroes?” It turns out to be more complicated than what she had thought. As Kami travels between the two time periods, she wrestles with how to view the two “versions” of the great Emily Murphy and then, a devastating secret comes to light and she must wrestle with two versions of her highly successful Japanese mother as well.When I sat down to write a story in which the Famous Five would feature in the historical subplot, I was looking for a story about heroes. Canadian heroes. But I did not get far into the research before I discovered that not everyone considers the Famous Five worthy of the status of “hero.” I soon realized that if I intended to have the protagonist travel back in time from 2004, the controversy could not be ignored. I changed the protagonist from Katie to Kami, from a Caucasian Canadian, to a Canadian with Japanese heritage. Kami would travel back in time and experience the racism that was prevalent in the day.I found myself exploring this idea of what makes a hero, right along with Kami, as they both struggled with the challenge of heroes and role-models with flaws.The archives shed some light on the complexity of the person who was Emily Murphy: first female magistrate in the British Empire; advocate for the Dower Act; esteemed leader of the Famous Five; and highly instrumental in rights for women and children in this first wave of feminism. In her letters, there is mention of “foreigners” who have not been raised within a moral environment and who do not uphold British values. She voices fear that other races are weakening the fabric of British society in Canada.This was the Edmonton of 1929, where there was vast misinformation and misunderstanding, not to mention fear regarding, in particular, visible minorities. These views led to unfair immigration laws and practices, and unfair treatment of Canadians who were visible minorities.

On the other hand, Emily Murphy often took women from her courtroom home with her, to give them a chance at a different life and there are letters indicating that Murphy had many crocheted gifts from the very women she had sent to jail. There is much evidence of her being a kind, thoughtful woman who believed that she was treating people fairly and inspiring them to a better lifestyle. In her book The Black Candle, in which she specifically targets the drug problem in Canada, Emily Murphy says that the Chinese population have been used as a scapegoat by many for the drug problem. She points the finger at physicians, druggists, even veterinarians, for contributing to the drug problem that she saw so much evidence of in her court room.Nellie McClung was known to be an advocate for the rights of Asian Canadians and helping them to get the vote (although this did not happen until 1949).In The Journal, young readers will see themselves in this struggle of how to view fallen heroes. Perhaps, as Kami discovers, it is not so important to judge those who have gone before, as it is to give some critical thought to our 2015 culture. As women, will we be found wanting by our great-granddaughters? Or will we have made a difference in our world?* * *Thank you to author Lois Donovan for sharing some of her process with us! Check out the International Women’s Day website for more resources.