Si Transken
Si has been in Prince George long enough to appreciate: the minimal snow,
maximal kindness, long conversations, short distances she travels by bus.
She is impressed that there is so little dust on the shoulders and minds
of the professors she meets here. The bagels and coffee are good. Although
it is true that she is an old cranky bitch feminist she has been seen
publicly laughing and her son and grandfather will testify that she has
loves them gently and patiently.
Her doctorate is in Equity Studies from the University of Toronto. She
was taught by Laurentian University students for three years before coming
here to teach in the Social Work Program. Her private practice, Trans/Formative
Services brings women into her life who are courageous, tenacious, and
clawing their way through the pain that patriachy, classism, heterosexism,
and many other ugly oppressions drop onto their lives. In her private
practice she assists women struggling with sexual abuse issues, violence,
eating disorders, depression... Together with her clients she attempts
to fully reclaim women’s hope, creativity, vision, and empowerment. When
Si facilitates workshops on women’s issues she likes to leave them laughing,
coloring, drawing, singing, playing because they already know how to suffer.
Update Winter 2003
Si has been involved in facilitating/ encouraging/ editing/ writing 6 books of creative writing. In these spaces she can vent/ experiment/ celebrate/ heal. She has also published her poetry and prose in a variety of other locations (Canadian Women's Studies, Canadian Dimension, Perspectives, Reflections On Water)
She wants it to be known that the rumor about her desiring to make love with a person she’s met in Prince George is, unfortunately, true. The troubling aspects are that the person is attractive, intelligent, well-read, available, compassionate, politically correct, of the same sexual orientation, and a vegetarian! Si apologizes for any inconvenience she has caused but anyone with a coke spoon worth of empathy in their heart would understand her temptation! It is entirely untrue though that she refuses to take "no" for an answer. There are hundreds of people who can boldly bear witness to the fact that many situations and people have successfully rejected her; and she has demonstrated resilience and grace in response to those statements of "no".
Her
scholarly and/or creative work has been published in Battle Chant,
Canadian Women’s Studies, Atlantis, Canadian Dimension.
Reclaiming Body Territory and Escaping Beauty are two publications
that declare her rights to her healing, her body, her sensuality. She
is in the process of publishing another chap book with four other women
called Stress (Full) Sister (Hood). Other than feeling lonely,
being broke, and not understanding much of what goes on in her computer
or in the minds of her Siamese cats she’s living a comfortable and adequate
life.