THE AFTERMATH
The impact of the protests continued to percolate across the WLU campus in the coming months, as the women’s liberation organization maintained itself by hosting regular meetings and collaborating with other local groups. The clearest impact of the 1970 protests was the discontinuation of the Miss Canadian University Pageant. The pageant was officially cancelled in 1970 because of a lack of financial support from other universities; however, it is certain that at least part of the decisions for pulling out financial support came in response to the protests and the growing impact of the women’s liberation movement. Jolley and her fellow protestors not only succeeded in bringing attention to the objectification of women, but they also succeeded in stopping the pageant from being held in future years.
Crowning of the 1965 Miss Canadian University Queen.
WLU Archives
The effort to unite women at WLU during the 1970 Miss Canadian University pageant was clearly a success as a group of women united to defeat what was claimed to be the biggest student pageant in Canada and the starring aspect of the WLU Winter Carnival. Jolley and her fellow protestors successfully revealed the unrest among women regarding their place in society, legitimizing female students’ ability to mobilize and challenge authority.
"The women's liberation movement was obviously the winner of this pageant."
-Janiel Jolley
Janiel Jolley
SFU Archives