Doris Anderson (1921-2007)
Doris Anderson was a trailblazer - not just for women in business, but for women across Canada. Her years of work as the editor of women’s magazine Chatelaine was groundbreaking, merging traditional ‘women's-focused’ content alongside cutting-edge and difficult discussions about social issues facing women, from violence to pay equity to poverty to birth control. Under her leadership, the magazine was a driving force for change at the frontlines of the Canadian feminist movement.
Born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Doris did not have an easy childhood. In particular, she has spoken about both of her parents wanting her to be quieter, to be ladylike, to be demure and to conform to societal expectations. Surrounded by these pressures, Doris graduated from teacher’s college in 1940. She then earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alberta in 1945, using her teaching income to pay her way.
Doris’ life was full of instances of standing up for her rights as a woman - for example, after marrying and becoming pregnant, her employers tried to send her to work at home and tried to pressure her resignation as soon as pregnancy began to show. Doris refused, worked up till her due date and returned to work immediately. There was no parental leave.
Doris started her career writing, and in 1951 she had a job writing advertising copy for Chatelaine. By 1955, she had become an associate editor, and when her male boss left and another male editor was appointed instead, she decided to quit, until her publisher changed their mind and gave her the position instead. This began an era of Chatelaine under Doris’ leadership, which took place from 1957 to 1977. During this time, the magazine stayed true to its readers and audience while confronting difficult social issues of the time, ranging from legal abortion (1959 topic) through to equal pay for women (1962 topic). She encouraged and supported a range of women writers and journalists who would go on to become trailblazers in their own rights. Doris also actively promoted the role of women in politics, running a campaign where Chatelaine identified 50 women with potential as parliamentarians, showcasing 12 of them on the front cover.
By the time Doris left Chatelaine in 1977, the magazine's circulation tripled, making it the most profitable publication under the Maclean-Hunter umbrella. During the 1960s, it was recorded that one out of every three Canadian women were reading it - and in 2008 the magazine was still regarded as the second-most influential Canadian magazine. However, she still did not receive the publisher’s job when it became available at this time in the 1970s - losing out to a man.
After Chatelaine, Doris became involved with politics. She ran as a Liberal candidate in the 1978 by-election, albeit unsuccessfully. In 1979 she was offered the Liberal government position to work as Chair of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women - which was to become critical in the fight for recognizing women’s rights. She led work on including women’s equality rights into the Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In a public dispute with the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, she resigned her position as Chair and was instrumental in gathering women on February 14, 1981, at an Ad Hoc Conference to closely examine the equality clauses proposed in the Charter.
She continued to use her voice to campaign and to write about pressing issues - including domestic violence and the lack of women voices in parliament. This became a more permanent role as columnist with the Toronto Star in 1984, which she took on after completing her work as President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women from 1982 to 1984, during which she continued to play an active part in the ongoing constitutional debates around women’s rights. She continued to take on leadership roles even when her employment with Toronto Star ended after ten years (because she refused to cross the picket line of striking writers), including being made Chair of the Ontario Press Council in 1998. Her reputation and hard work made her well known - she was invited to be an observer for the 1994 South Africa election, when Nelson Mandela came into power. Doris wrote and published her autobiography entitled Rebel Daughter, alongside her novels (Two Women 1978 and Rough Layout 1981) and non-fiction work (The Status of Women in Twelve Countries 1991).
Doris was the chancellor of the University of Prince Edward Island for four years until 1996, and served on the York University Board of Governors. Sadly, later in life, Doris struggled with a range of health issues, and she passed away at age 85 in Toronto in 2007. Her legacy lives on, and the importance of her work in Canadian society and women’s movements has been continued to be recognized.
We hope you enjoyed this short profile on Doris Anderson! For more information on her and other trailblazers, check out The Canadian Encyclopedia online, Historica Heritage Minutes and the Women of Impact Gallery.
Do you have a Canadian heroine you’d like to see featured in Voices & Stories? Have any suggestions for us? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment or a direct message on our Substack (or at any of our socials!). You can also get in touch by email at communications@womenshistoryproject.ca