Because moulds are for playdough, not people.
These words are resonating with me today. I love when someone gives me that space and comfort to be just me. I love just as much, if not more, to witness someone I care about become more their true self, to be the person offering that space and comfort to them. How much better off […]
Read More Watch CarefullyToday I hit up the East Van Culture Crawl. Each November all throughout Vancouver’s eastside, hundreds of artists and studios open their doors to the public to explore everything from medieval leathercraft to glassblowing to moss art. It is spectacular. I’m always so inspired by other people’s art and creativity. More so than their art […]
Read More Maintain or CreateA surprising headline jumped out at me today: “Emily Blunt Rails Against ‘Strong Female Lead’ Label.” Initially I was taken aback… Wait, but why? Strong female leads are what saved me from… needing to be saved. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Xena Warrior Princess, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, the Paper Bag Princess. These strong female characters […]
Read More Moving Beyond “Strong Female Lead”A modest proposal to re-imagine Canada Day as Do Better Day. How do we make Canada a better place… for everyone? How do we break the moulds of racial injustice in Canada… today? Like any big important thing: we do it One Thing at a time.
Read More Do Better DayDear Friends, Readers, Fellow Mould Breakers, As 2018 begins I’ve made some important decisions and taken some exciting new steps forward. In short, I’ve decided to start the new year as Janelle Visser, and I’ve started a new website to be home to my personal, travel, and professional writing. I hope you will check it […]
Read More New Beginnings and the Business of Mould BreakingThank you for teaching me that girls – even little blonde girls like me – can be badass.
Read More Dear BuffyWhy do I write? This was WordPress’ Writing 101 question of the day. I write to break moulds, to write about the moulds that need breaking and the people who are breaking them. One of the moulds that I feel most passionately about breaking are those related to gender. What it means to be male […]
Read More The Gender BanditWelcome to the debut of the “Breaking Moulds” comic! This is something I’ve been meaning to start for awhile, and finally got the time/motivation to buckle down and do it! Also the inspiration, thanks to “I.T. Guy” – this is a real thing that happened this week. I’m used to the micro-aggressors that occur when […]
Read More Breaking Moulds Comic Debut: “I.T. Girl”Welcome to the first edition of “Mould Breakers of the Month.” Each month I come across loads of interesting things about people who are breaking all sorts of moulds, and I’m going to start compiling some of the best bits to share with you all here each month. So without further adieu, I give you […]
Read More Rejected Princesses and Other Mould Breakers of the MonthShe is not quite what they expected her to be, or to become. The moulds are lain out, waiting for her to settle in. Like a cat, to fill their odd shapes with her very self, bit by bit. To grow softly into their boundaries, until the moulds themselves can slip away and leave her to retain their shapes, […]
Read More A Birthday Quest
Breaking Moulds 