Heritage Toronto

Doris Anderson, Editor of Chatelaine at her desk, 1962. Courtesy of Rogers Media, Chatelaine vol. 25 Issue 6 (June 1962): 1.

Portrait of Doris Anderson by illustrator Emma Jenkin, 2016.

Cover of The Unfinished Revolution: The Status of Women in 12 Countries, written by Doris Anderson, 1991. Doubleday Canada, Penguin Random House Canada.

Portrait of Doris Anderson, circa 1970. Courtesy of Rogers Media.

Doris Anderson was a journalist, author, and champion of women’s rights.

While editor of Chatelaine from 1957 to 1977, Anderson wrote critical editorials about divorce, abortion, birth control, and child welfare. With a readership of one in every three Canadian women, Chatelaine led nation-wide conversations about diverse issues affecting women. Despite her success and influence, Anderson earned less than half the salary of her male predecessor.

In 1974, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for her contributions to publishing and to public affairs.

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“What I wanted more than anything was to be able to look after myself and make sure that every other woman in the world could do the same.”

– Doris Anderson, Rebel Daughter (1996)

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After leaving Chatelaine, Anderson was appointed chair of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women. The Council was created to advise the federal government, and to educate the public about women’s issues. Anderson resigned as chair in 1981, when government interference resulted in the cancellation of the National Conference on Women and the Constitution.

She continued lobbying to guarantee gender equality under sections 15 and 28 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In 2002, she was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada for her leadership as a passionate champion of women’s right and equality.

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“What I wanted more than anything was to be able to look after myself and make sure that every other woman in the world could do the same.”

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