Is it only in Quebec that women are stripped of our identity?
When I go to the hospital, I am called "Mrs. Rubin."
I was never Mrs. Rubin.
My father's name was George Rubin.
When my mother married my dad, she willingly took his name. My mother was Mrs. George Rubin or Mrs. Leonie Rubin.
But I was never Mrs. Rubin. Mrs. Rubin was my mother.
But at the hospital in Montreal and at the Quebec government's community clinics - CLSC's - they call me Mrs. Rubin.
I protest again and again. I was never Mrs. Rubin. I am not my mother. I was not my father's wife. I am not my father's widow. I find it very insulting to be called Mrs. Rubin.
I am Phyllis Carter. I choose to be called Mrs. Carter. I loved my husband, Clifford John Manning Carter and, although he died 21 years ago, I still love him and honour him and I choose to carry his name,
I will not answer to anyone who calls me by my mother's name. And so there is regular tension between me and those who, because of the government, call me Mrs. Rubin.
I have been widowed. I have lost a part of my breast to cancer. I have been fighting cancer for 20 years.
I have been robbed - with the help of the Montreal Police. My family was robbed and torn apart by Dawn McSweeney who still walks free and able to continue enjoying everything she stole from me and from my family.
I have been poor, homeless, hungry. I have struggled for life and for justice day and night for decades. I have been robbed of so much, including faith in the so-called "justice system". I refuse to be robbed of my identity as well.
The government identifies us by our maiden names to facilitate keeping track of us. Should we marry and change our name, they might have to put in a little effort getting at us for our taxes. So they take the easy way out by forcing us to accept the names of our mothers.
I will not answer to my mother's name.
So if you want to speak with me, respectfully, call me by my name, Phyllis Carter or call me Scrapper. Thousands of people around the world do.
Phyllis Carter's Journal
It is All about Justice
Now with more than 104,900 readers around the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment