A comedy show about rape is set to tour across Canada
The event is called "Rape is Real and Everywhere." And, it's a comedy show.
After a few successful events in B.C. earlier this year, the show will be touring across Canada in May. It features sexual assault survivors telling their stories through comedy. Vancouver-based comedians Emma Cooper and Heather Jordan Ross are organizing the event.
"If you create a joke that makes you think in a different way or sheds new light on a conversation, that's when you're good at comedy," Ross tells As it Happens host Carol Off. "I really believe you can joke about anything. It's about being thoughtful about it."
About two years ago, Ross explains that she was sexually assaulted by a co-worker. She says she "repressed" the memory for over a year, until he started sending her messages on Facebook.
"He was saying, 'Hey, I haven't seen you in a long time. Let's hang out' ... I was trying to think of polite ways to say, 'I don't want to see you." I realized there was no polite way to say, 'I don't want to see you ever again because you raped me."
As she was dealing with all of this, Ross says she found it difficult to perform her stand-up routines.
"I was having a really hard time doing shows because people kept on telling rape jokes and it was making me uncomfortable."
Ross spoke with her friend, Emma Cooper, about how she was feeling. Over beers, the pair came up with the idea for "Rape is Real and Everywhere." The show will be touring across the country next month — with stops in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto.
To hear more, take a listen to our full interview with Heather Jordan Ross.
