An event to put women 鈥渙n the knife鈥� will help make them feel safer when attending bars or nightclubs.
But they鈥檙e not learning commando skills or how to fashion a shiv.
A launch party Saturday at Twin Sails Brewing in Port Moody to celebrate the third annual collaboration of a new beer 鈥� Good Night Out, a citrus IPA 鈥� created by the four breweries on Brewers Row will feature an oyster shucking competition by She the Pacific, an all-female contingent of shuckers from restaurants and oyster bars in Vancouver. Proceeds from the event will go to , a community organization that works with the nightlife industry to promote awareness and education about the links between the consumption of alcohol and sexual aggression, giving managers, staff and even patrons the tools to prevent or interrupt assaults.
It鈥檚 a cause that鈥檚 close to the heart of Twin Sails co-founder Cody Allmin, who witnessed a lot of boorish and dangerous behaviour during his seven years working at nightclubs prior to becoming a brewer. And while the atmosphere in craft brewery tasting rooms is more convivial than predatory, he said he still feels a responsibility because his product is sold at bars and nightclubs.
Hosting an all-female oyster shucking competition reinforces that message of empowerment and safety for women, he said.
Sara Campbell is a shucker who helped found She the Pacific as a way to promote women into the industry. She said oyster bars are still very much a man鈥檚 world.
鈥淏eing a girl, we have a very hard time earning our spot to be on the knife,鈥� she told the The Tri-City News from Denver, Colo., where she was competing Wednesday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incredibly frustrating.鈥�
Scotty Bordington, a veteran shucker who鈥檚 known as Big Shucker and co-founded She the Pacific, conceded the trade is a patriarchy.
鈥淭his is the man鈥檚 job, this is what men do,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good old boys鈥� club.鈥�
But the absence of female competitors at a world invitational shucking competition he attended in Whistler sparked a desire to change that.
鈥淲omen haven鈥檛 been give much of an opportunity in oyster shucking,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been an uphill battle.鈥�
Campbell said women who work in oyster bars rarely get the opportunity to prove themselves on the front lines, which makes it hard for them to improve their technique. She the Pacific gives them that chance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to get the women up and running so we have the expertise,鈥� Campbell said, adding while she can shuck an oyster cleanly, her time still isn鈥檛 as fast as her male counterparts. 鈥淯nless you get time to do it, you鈥檙e not going to do it well.鈥�
The shucking competition won鈥檛 just provide great entertainment at Saturday鈥檚 bash, said Allmin, as the discarded shells will then be used for brewing a special upcoming beer.
鈥淭hey bring in a bit of saltiness,鈥� he said.
鈥� The collaboration launch party at Twin Sails (2821 Murray St.) goes from noon to 11 p.m., with the oyster shucking competition set from 2 to 4 p.m.
