Indigenous women's body image has long been tied to varying factors. Settler colonialism , sexual violence and heteropatriarchy have sadly been experienced by many Indigenous women throughout their lives and continue to be a problem in our current society. Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Master's student, Toni Letendre explores this topic in her unique and innovative autoethnographic research project.
Toni's authoethnography - a form of qualitative research in which the author uses self-reflection and writing to explore their personal experience and connect this autobiographical story to a wider, cultural, political and social meaning and understandings - will explore and understand Indigenous women's body image from personal experiences with colonial and sexual violence.
"This project will be framed so that it acknowledges the history, the stories, and experiences in dealing with settler colonialism and heteropatriarchy," says Toni. "This research also provides insight on understanding how to break down settler colonial and heteropatriarchal values that oppresses Indigenous bodies."
Toni has been a student at the University of Alberta since 2007. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Native Studies (Faculty of Native Studies) in the Spring 2013, she joined the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation as a Master's student under the supervision Tara-Leigh McHugh that Fall. With body image being a very important topic to both women, Dr. McHugh's overall research and Toni's direct focus was a natural fit.
"Dr. McHugh has been a great supervisor who fully engages with her students. I have been able to assist in meaningful research projects lead by Dr. McHugh such as the body pride project, which is now published in Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health journal."
Toni's respect for Dr. McHugh goes beyond the academic level.
"She is kind and compassionate," says Toni of McHugh. "She has been very supportive and understanding of my needs as an Indigenous student. I experience a lot of loss within my community (Alexis) and that grief can be hard to navigate through, so Dr. McHugh has been my positive coach who has reminded me of my goals when I feel like they don't exist."
The feeling of admiration is mutual and is why Dr. McHugh put forth her nomination for Toni for the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research's inaugural Indigenous Graduate Award.
"Toni exemplifies the hard work that is necessary to achieve academic excellence. Despite spending much of her time this past year serving in a mentorship role for inner city youth, she successfully completed all of her required course work for her graduate program. At the same time she has been actively engaged in writing her ambitious thesis."
Mentorship and working within Indigenous communities is not only part of Toni's qualitative research, but is something she fundamentally believes in and enjoys. By being an active member of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation through helping with community feasts and acting as a helper in ceremonies, Toni feels her participation is helping to build a stronger Indigenous community. Toni also recently worked at iHuman Youth Society in Edmonton, working one-on-one with marginalized and disenfranchised Aboriginal youth. While her contract ended in April, she still stays in contact with the youth she mentored.
Extending her passion and desire to educate society on the issues and challenges of Indigenous communities, Toni has taken an active role on the UAlberta campus planning and facilitating various events.
"Understanding the impacts of settler colonialism and heteropatriarchy, I participate in many social justice events that raise awareness on gender based violence. For instance, in 2012, I planned a memorial march on campus for the missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, which is now an annual march. I also have planned and facilitated other on-campus events for Solidarity Week looking at the role(s) of women in social movements and on Indigenous issues. I was also part of the planning committee to organize an Indigenous feminist workshop on campus in March 2016."
Combining Toni's academic achievements and her active involvement in Indigenous communities not only made her a perfect candidate for the Indigenous Graduate Award, it allowed her to become one of the first recipients of the important award. The significant impact of winning this award was felt immediately by Toni.
"I am very honoured and grateful to be selected as one of the first recipients. This award is an important contribution to the success of Indigenous students. There are Indigenous students who do not qualify for or have access to federal/band funding, like myself who was not selected to receive band funding this year, so I started working full time. This stalled my progress, but with the help of the award, I can prioritize my thesis and not have to worry about finances. I am very appreciative of this award and came right when I needed it."
"I don't think there could have been a more deserving person of this award," says McHugh as she looks forward to Toni defending her thesis later this year. "Toni's unique and innovative research will, without a doubt, make a significant contribution to Indigenous women's body image literature."
Colonialism: the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
Heteropatriarchy : the combination of male (patriarchal) and heterosexual dominance essentially describing the severe sex and gender bias prevalent among the elite ruling classes of nation-states.
Authoethnography: is a form of qualitative research in which an author uses self-reflection and writing to explore her personal experience and connect this autobiographical story to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings.