Barbara Kay

Barbara Kay
Born 1943
Citizenship Canadian
Education BA (University of Toronto)
MA (McGill University)
Occupation columnist
Spouse(s) Ronny Kay[1]

Barbara Kay is a columnist for the Canadian newspaper National Post and a member of the Board of Governors of the conservative student newspaper, The Prince Arthur Herald.[2] Her son is National Post Managing Editor Jonathan Kay.[3] Barbara Kay has become known for her critical views on the rise of feminism and what she sees as double standards to the detriment of men.

Early life and education

Born in 1943, Kay studied at the University of Toronto where she earned an undergraduate degree in English literature. She received a Master of Arts from McGill University in 1966 and subsequently taught literature at Concordia University and several CEGEPs.[4]

Career

Kay began her journalism career as a book reviewer. During the 1990s, she joined the board and writing staff of the revived Cité libre. Afterward, Kay branched out into writing op/eds for the Post before becoming a columnist in 2003.[4]

Controversies

In 2006 she was criticized for a series of articles accusing Quebec politicians of supporting Hezbollah during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. In 2007, the Quebec Press Council released a decision condemning Kay for "undue provocation" and "generalizations suitable to perpetuate prejudices".[5]

In 2007, she wrote a column titled "Not in my backyard, either" in which she criticized Hasidic Jews for not integrating into the neighbourhoods in which they live and for being "self-segregating" and "cult-like".[6] In 2008, she wrote another column criticizing Hasids in the Toronto area. She was accused of hating Jews as a result,[7] her own Jewishness notwithstanding.

In 2013, Kay published an article sympathising with Serena Williams' Rolling Stone statement regarding the Steubenville rape case.[8] In a response to a comment, she said, "Ours is not a rape culture. If it were, our girls would be walking around in burqas". Further debate over what constitutes rape culture came in February 2014 when Kay criticized universities for exaggerating the prevalence of rape.[9] Her claim that prudent women face a "statistically nugatory" chance of being assaulted was referred to as "irresponsible nonsense" by Toula Drimonis and Ethan Cox.[10]

Publications

See also

References

  1. ↑ "An Evening with Barbara Kay!". Free Thinking Film Society. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  2. ↑ "Board of Governors - The Prince Arthur Herald", "The Prince Arthur Herald", 2011. Accessed October 12, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Jewish Awakening, Jewish Ignorance: Columns from Mom, Son". Flaggman's Canada. 2007-04-11. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Official bio". 2012. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  5. ↑ "Décision 2006-08-09" , Conseil de Presse du Québec, March 4, 2007, retrieved April 15, 2007
  6. ↑ Kay, Barbara (2007-07-10). "Not in my backyard, either". The National Post. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  7. ↑ Wolpoe, Rich (2008-02-12). "Respecting Other Value Systems". NISHMA. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  8. ↑ Kay, Barbara (2013-06-20). "Serena Williams was right the first time". The National Post. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  9. ↑ Kay, Barbara (2014-02-28). "Rape culture and the delusions of the feminist mind". The National Post. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  10. ↑ "Comments on Wente's Rape Denial column". The Tyee. Retrieved 10 March 2014.

External links