The inaugural event of the Toronto Chapter of 85 Broads, an international networking organization for women founded in New York in the late 1990s was held at the Duke of Westminister pub in the business district monday evening. 85 Broads was named after the address where Goldman Sachs (where the founders of the organization worked) was located at the time.
Albert Nerenberg (left) and an attendee during one of the many audience-participating laughing demonstrations
For the first event, organizers invited journalist-director-laughologist, Albert Nerenberg to speak to attendees about, what else, laughter. Laughter, according to Nerenberg, especially for women, was not always considered positive. In the west, the nineteenth century was notorious on being “serious.” There was even an author who came out with a book on laughing, especially laughing loudly, can permenantly distort one’s face. Women’s laughing has historically been connected to hysteria. To further on this very topic, there are very few works of art where the main subject is laughing. And this isn’t only in western cultures. Some countries actually BAN women’s laughter. However, studies show that a woman’s laugh is the most appealing.
In today’s event, Nerenberg not only discussed laughter (besides its history, he also talked about how it was contageous, giving the example of school girls in Tanzania, who “spread” laughter beyond their home village and into Uganda and how it’s a cure for depression), but encouraged the attendees to participate. For example, on the evil laugh/witches laugh, several women gave it their all and were very good too (hmmmm, maybe it’s because they’ve seen the Wizard of Oz one too many times?). There was also a mini laugh-off – laughing is now becoming a competitive sport! Two or more people face each other, laughing, and compete on who can do it better. Nerenberg also mentioned that there were many types of laughes, and that laughter actually has more to in common with sadness than it does with anger.
Nerenberg said that laughter is innate. Babies develop the ability to laugh at around two to four months, even babies with severe disabilities. They tested kids who were blind and deaf, and they too could laugh. It may have been a way for prehistoric humans to show that they were not fighting, but were at peace with each other.
The seminar was followed by a short time for networking (it really could have been longer – that’s the point of 85 Broads, right?) and ended with lucky draws – several items from sponsors were given to guests, including CDs, cosmetics as well as jewellery and gifts from The Wine Ladies. Though the networking time was short, it was a great event. Looking forward to the next one.
