Vernon's Leah Goldstein is “hurt,” “angry” and “heartbroken” after being disinvited to a prestigious event.
Goldstein was scheduled to be a keynote speaker at an International Women’s Day festival in Ontario, but her appearance was cancelled due to her service in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) 30 years ago.
“Originally, I chose not to share socially, or draw attention to this deeply upsetting turn of events. Now that global media has begun publishing various articles and news posts, I feel it’s imperative that I too provide a response to my followers…the same response that I conveyed to the event organizers,” Goldstein posted on her website.
“It has taken me a while to wrap my head around your decision to remove me as Inspire’s International Women’s Day “Inspire Inclusion” Keynote Speaker. I was hurt. I was angry. But most of all I was heartbroken.”
Goldstein said she has been a public speaker for more than 10 years and “not once has someone (to my face, to the organizers, nor anonymously) ever claimed to have been offended by my presentation.”
Goldstein wrote that she assumed she was hired “because I speak about overcoming sexism and failures. I speak to inspire and motivate. I speak about obstacles, and how to overcome them. I speak about bravery and growth and standing up for one another.
“I don’t believe you hired me because I was a soldier and a cop. While these jobs are part of my story (and I’m very grateful to have had these experiences), they do not define me as a human being. As a Jewish woman, I would never be offended if a Palestinian woman were to speak about her obstacles and life journey. I thought that’s what women were supposed to do for each other – listen and support.”
Although she was born in Canada in 1969, Goldstein, who was a world kickboxing champion at 17, enlisted in the Israeli Military and became one of the few female instructors of the elite Commando division. She then transitioned into a special-forces unit, combating terrorism and violent crimes. The extreme lifestyle of the secret police eventually took its toll, and she found her salvation on a bicycle.
She participated in the 30th anniversary of the 2011 Race Across America, known as “the World’s Toughest Bicycle Race,” winning Best Overall Female, Best in Age Group, Queen of the Mountains, Queen of the Prairies and Rookie of the Year.
On the evening of June 26, 2021, Goldstein made history, becoming the first female ever to win the overall solo division of the gruelling Race Across America in its 39-year history.
Goldstein will not pursue legal action over the matter.
