Lee Lakeman

Feminism caught my mind and heart back when we still called it Women’s Liberation.  Feminism provides me an intelligent, compassionate and artful approach to life, to love and to revolt.  Since early in the 70’s I do my best to block the hate speech, fists, elbows, boots and guns of men and little fascist gangs of men harming women.

Whenever possible I discredit the authorities of state and finance that block the advancement of women and collude with men’s violence.  In that struggle feminism has been a comfort, a guide and a discipline.  Organizing with other women and men of good will has provided both the best opportunities of my life and the most frightening and consequential challenges.  To renew and enrich what is left of me I sing, write and garden as though I knew how and with as much enthusiasm as time and courage allows.

VRRWS Book – Lee’s legacy

Lee Lakeman passed away in December 2024. From her hospice room, she carried out the last political and personal projects of her life, including, “Finishing the damn book!”: Ordinary Women Rise: the Radical Women of Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter.

This website is now maintained by the VRRWS Book Group: former members of the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter (VRRWS) Collective from 1973 to 2008. VRRWS Book Group participated in the creation of the herstory/history manuscript by providing research support, combing through the records, writing down the timelines, finding the relevant source material, and consulting with Lee and other members for accuracy.

We continue to shepherd the book through publication and promotion, to inform and inspire feminists and other activists and help foster a resurgence of feminism as a movement of resistance and for liberation. We honour Lee’s work in writing this book, and her as a person.