Bonnie Sherr Klein of Roberts Creek has just returned from Ottawa, where she received the Governor General's Award.
She was honoured along with six other women for her "outstanding contributions to the quality of life for women in Canada."
Sherr Klein may be best known for her creative film Not a Love Story: A Film About Pornography. The award was for her work on women's issues and her representation of under-privileged and disabled persons through public speaking and film mediums.
"Through her films, Ms. Sherr Klein has given a voice to many under-represented social-justice issues and shared her story of disability to encourage others," said an announcement from Status of Women Canada.
Sherr Klein is proud to call herself a feminist, and many of her films come from that point of view.
She is also a stroke survivor, having suffered a debilitating stroke in her mid 40s.
"I think a brush with death makes you more appreciative of what you have. It's levelling. I've stopped seeing any polarization in the world, and I feel more mortal in a way. I'm definitely more aware of my privileges," said Sherr Klein.
The stroke she experienced left her paralyzed and respirator-dependent. She had what is known as locked-in syndrome, meaning she was fully conscious but unable to move or speak.
After much healing, she started regaining her speech and began recording her experience in journals and through recordings. She later pulled all those experiences together and wrote the book Slow Dance: A Story of Stroke, Love and Disability.
Since the stroke, Sherr Klein has been committed to the disability rights movement and often speaks publicly about disability rights to health care professionals and the general public.
Her strong voice has helped change the way disabled people are viewed and treated, and since she works from a feminist point of view, many women across the province have been uplifted, healed and inspired by her talks and her many films dealing with the realities of life.
During one of her speeches to a packed house at Ryerson University, Sherr Klein passionately discussed her belief that medical professionals should converse with their disabled patients, not ignore them or talk about them as if they weren't in the room, which is something she experienced while in recovery.
"A two-way relationship with the people you seek to help will bring you both insight and joy," she said.
She also encouraged everyone to fight for their rights.
"Question authority, and never take no for an answer. If Michael [Sherr Klein's husband] had accepted the terminal prognosis given me by some pretty top-notch medical authorities at McGill, I would not be here," she said.
She feels it is important for women to stand up for their beliefs and for people to be treated equally, despite their age, race, sex or ability.
Her commitment to spreading that belief was honoured at the Governor General's Awards ceremony in Ottawa last week.
Sherr Klein said she felt incredibly honoured and humbled to accept the award from Governor General Adrianne Clarkson.
And she was excited at the opportunity to network and talk with other influential women.
"It was amazing to sit and talk with women in the senate - idealistic, hard-working women," said Sherr Klein.
Now that she's back on the Coast, she is hard at work editing her current film, with the working title of Piss on Pity.
"It was mostly shot in Roberts Creek and it's about me and my friends who are artists with disabilities. It gives the audience a chance to be with people they would not necessarily get to know because they are scared or worried. For example one of the men in the film has a deformed face," said Sherr Klein.
She expects to be editing and finalizing the film into the new year. She is not yet sure when it will be released.
