Dear subscribers,

I’m in Victoria, capital of British Columbia, visiting my dear friend Lee Lakeman. Anyone who has ever met Lee in the feminist trenches will know how unique this woman is. It’s difficult to explain how influential Lee has been on my life this last 20 years, and I love, admire and respect her dearly.

Lee is dying, and she doesn’t have very long to make sure all loose ends are tied up. I am in Victoria to help facilitate Lee tell the story of Vancouver Rape Relief (VRR), and the feminist challenges over the decades in Canada.

When Lee told me she was dying, only a few short weeks ago, she asked for my help to “make the most of it for us”. The ‘it’ is her impending death, and the ‘most of it’ would be for women. Always women.

Strategising her approaching death for the greater good is very Lee. It is obviously a major privilege and honour to be tasked with making a podcast series about VRR, and in particular Lee’s pivotal role in it, but knowing this is the last time I will see her is tricky. She’s always been there. I’m just wondering, who do I go to when Lee has gone? Just before I met Lee, Andrea Dworkin died. She was my ‘go to’ woman when things were tricky on the dealing with male violence front. Then Lee. And now she is leaving us, albeit very reluctantly.

I will keep you all posted. Love from a very rainy city, full of sorrow and deep appreciation and love for this superb warrior woman, Julie x