NSB Logo Heather Jarvis Heather Jarvis

Heather Jarvis

Speaker

St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Feminist Activist, Co-Founder of SlutWalk

Heather Jarvis is a queer feminist activist. With experience in gender studies, social work and community activism she has spent several years supporting and initiating projects around sexuality, gender, education, stigma and health, anti-violence efforts and creating safer spaces for support.

Keynote Speeches

Sexuality & Sex-Positivity

An interactive discussion about the positive side of sex and re-framing the stigma around sex and sexuality.

 

Gender Issues

LGBTQ Issues  

LGBTQ Issues

Audience reviews:

  • Heather was fantastic! Everyone stayed late to ask her questions and she was such an engaging speaker. Thank you so much for helping us bring her to Carleton!

    - Carleton University Students' Association (CUSA)
 

Speaker Biography

Heather Jarvis is a queer feminist activist. With experience in gender studies, social work and community activism she has spent several years supporting and initiating projects around sexuality, gender, education, stigma and health, anti-violence efforts and creating safer spaces for support. As a survivor, Jarvis was infuriated upon hearing a slut-shaming and victim-blaming comment made by a representative of the Toronto Police force when discussing safety.

Having had enough, she co-founded SlutWalk in early 2011 – a small idea that began in Toronto to fight sexual violence and has since spread across the world. Identifying with sex- and body-positive politics Jarvis constantly aims to shed shame around sex, sexuality and the bodies we have. She has a fascination with language and identities and strives to utilize language to interrogate ideas and blend important conversations across oppression, privilege, desire and expression.

She recently worked with SHOP (Safe Harbour Outreach Project), the first and only sex worker advocacy program in Newfoundland for over 6 years. She’s also recently written about safe communities, including preventing harm and violence, committing to a future that sees us all worthy of flourishing. 

Through her politics and her work she has become a speaker, advocate and educator. Described as an eternal optimist by some who know her, Jarvis refuses to believe things cannot change. She is determined to continuously work on improving this world through increased respect, consent, understanding and acceptance.