Groupe d'histoire de Montréal/Montreal History Group

In late June 2023, Magda Fahrni, Elizabeth Kirkland, Tamara Myers, and Mary Anne Poutanen attended the 19^th Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities in Santa Clara, California, arguably the most important global conference on the history of gender and sexuality. This conference, held every three years, brings together hundreds of scholars from around the world to share cutting-edge and field-defining interventions.

These four members of the MHG put on a panel, “Gender and the Cautionary Tale: Lessons Learned from History,” based on their FQRSC-funded research program.

• “At Work – Work Seriously!’: Cautionary Tales and Women’s Workplaces in Industrial Montreal,” Magda Fahrni;
• “Between Homes: Navigating the Dangers of Trans-Atlantic Migration and Settlement in Turn-of-the-Century Montreal,” Elizabeth Kirkland and Mary Anne Poutanen;
• “Some don’t make it to adulthood’: Cautionary Tales from the Streets of 1980s Canada,” Tamara Myers
• Chair : Nicholas Syrett, University of Kansas

The four found the Berks to be an excellent three-day experience.  They attended sessions from early morning to evening, shared meals and ideas with scholars new and old, and thoroughly benefitted from the collegial learning environment. They joined others in condemning the blatant racism expressed at the plenary on the 50^th birthday of the Berks and engaged in rethinking the role of anniversaries and commemoration. They were joined by Bettina Bradbury and long-time friend of the MHG, Constance Backhouse, depicted below at an evening event.