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Student urging Edmonton council to go meatless unfazed by online sexism

Marina Banister, 20, was the target of online sexism after she led a proposal asking Edmonton council to go meatless during its catered meetings.
Marina Banister, 20, was the target of online sexism after she led a proposal asking Edmonton council to go meatless during its catered meetings.

A slew of sexist and threatening online comments isn’t stopping a University of Alberta political science student from encouraging Canadians to think about food sustainability.

Marina Banister never thought she’d spark such a strong reaction when she presented a motion as the chair of Edmonton’s Youth Council sustainability committee to city councillors on Tuesday.

It recommended that council members offer vegetarian or vegan catering during meetings as a way to be more environmentally sustainable.

“Even though not all the councillors agree with the motion, many of them said ‘Wow…I’ve never even thought of food sustainability through the lens of municipal politics before. Thank you for bringing that to our attention,’” Banister told Yahoo Canada News.

Although councillors moved a motion to defer the decision until October, it’s sparked a strong reaction across the country and on social media.

After several media outlets picked up on the story, there was a barrage of abusive online comments and tweets, some of which chose to focus on Banister’s appearance.

"It's hard to believe the babe in the photo developed to what she is on only vegetables!!"

‘“The babe in the photo” weighs maybe seven stone soaking wet and probably can’t stand up in a stiff wind

She looks great until you get her clothes off and she proceeds to just lay there exhausted from all that walking and not eating real food

One tweet stated to “murder all who vote yes.”

Despite the online bullying and unsavory reactions, Banister remains levelheaded.

“In actuality, we’ve asked city council to go from three veggie trays and a meat tray to four vegetable trays, two or three times a year,” the 20-year-old says. “It’s not going to be a really huge change. It’s not going to impact the lifestyle of the councillors at all. It’s not going to impact their personal diet. It’s just a small gesture saying that council cares about environmental sustainability.”

Given the strength of the beef industry in her home province, Banister understands why it would be a touchy subject.

“Ultimately we’re in Alberta,” she says. “The beef industry does have economic benefits so I understand why some people are defensive of that. But ultimately all we hope for is for respectful and productive conversation.”

One of the most positive reactions Banister and the youth council has received was a Facebook message from Montreal city councillor Alexander Norris, saying that he and a colleague will be looking at proposing a similar motion. Banister calls it one of the happiest moments in her short political career.

“Ultimately I don’t want the conversation to be about how I look, or the quote unquote negative effects of the beef industry,” she says. “I want it to be about people reflecting on how we can be stewards of the environment. When I hear that this conversation is happening across the country, I think that’s nothing but a positive thing.”

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