Mr. Speaker, in celebration of Black History Month, I wish to honour Florynce Kennedy, a lawyer and a pioneer in the women's movement.
Flo has been neglected by history, including her very important role in the legalization of abortion. There is no real acknowledgement of this black woman's extraordinary struggle in the fight for all women.
At a crucial time in the 1960s, using ideas from the Black Power movement, Flo shaped the feminist movement into what it is today. She organized protests, boycotts and fought pro bono for social justice issues in court.
Sixty years ago, Flo pinpointed what we only started speaking about recently: that the feminist movement cannot ignore interlocking forms of oppression. To no avail, Flo tried to organize interracial feminist organizations that would address these very critical issues.
She was one of the most vocal, blunt voices in the feminist and Black Power movements and once said:
There aren't too many people ready to die for racism. They'll kill for racism but they won't die for racism.