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What's New at the Centre:
Welcome Back to School:
Drop in and say 'hi' on Sept 7th for button-making, food, and chats.
Join us at the Centre, 322 the Student Centre from 10am-5pm!
Everybody is welcome.
Sept 12-15: Sexweek 2011 (see CWTP at York on Facebook for more information)
please pre-register by emailing: cwtpyork@gmail.com
*let us know of any food allergies
*let us know if you need childcare during the workshop
Past Events:
Great Israeli Apartheid Week event on campus Thursday March 10th, 2011!
THURSDAY, March 10th: York's Complicity in Apartheid: Art, Culture and
Resistance
Speakers: Paul Kellogg, John Greyson and SAIA
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Location: York University, Student Centre room 307
Paul Kellogg is an assistant professor in the Master of Arts Integrated Studies
program at Athabasca University in Alberta. He received his Ph.D. (in Political
Studies) from Queen's University, and his M.A. (in Political Science) from York
University. While an undergraduate at York, he spent one year as editor of
Excalibur. He has published articles in various journals including the Canadian
Journal of Political Science, Contemporary Politics (U.K.), The International
Journal of Zizek Studies, New Political Science (U.S.), and Political Studies
(U.K.).
John Greyson is a Toronto video artist/filmmaker whose features, shorts and
installations include Fig Trees (Best Documentary Teddy, Berlin Film Festival,
2009), Proteus (Diversity Award, Barcelona Gay Lesbian Film Festival, 2004),
and Lilies (Best Film 'Genie', 1996). An associate professor in Film at York
University, he was awarded the 2007 Bell Canada Award in Video Art.
CWTP supports Israeli Apartheid Week, here is why!
Statement on Israeli Apartheid Week and Michael Coren’s Lecture
The Centre for Women and Trans People, York University
The Centre for Women and Trans People at York University stands in solidarity with the organizers of Israeli Apartheid Week, their political principles and intentions, and the events taking place from March 7th-11th, 2011. We are in full support of IAW’s work to recognize the rights of Palestinians, to expose the injustices and human rights abuses that occur under Israeli occupation, and to work against the ‘pinkwashing’ of Israel—the use of queer rights to justify the colonization of Palestinians, queer and non-queer alike.
While the Centre is in full support of rights for women and queers, we do not support the use of these rights to dismiss and perpetuate violence against Palestinians and to legitimize an apartheid state. We do not support the notion that Israel is tolerant while Palestine is homophobic and ‘backwards,’ and that this tolerance justifies the violence Palestinians (including queer ones) face as a result of apartheid. Rather, we understand that the rights of queers do not come at the expense of the rights of those living under occupation and colonization; we know that anti-racist and anti-colonial work is integral to anti-homophobia and queer movements. As such, we do not believe that IAW’s criticism of Israel and its work in securing the rights of Palestinians is anti-Semitic. Rather, ‘pinkwashing’ and the misuse of queer rights trivialize the struggles of queers everywhere (including in Israel) and dismiss Israel’s own acts of state violence.
The Centre for Women and Trans People also strongly condemns the fact that Michael Coren, a virulent and well-known homophobe, is speaking at York as part of the ‘Talk Peace. Stop Hate’ campaign. We understand that this campaign is intended to undermine Israeli Apartheid Week; however, it only reinforces the problem of pinkwashing and of using queerness and tolerance to legitimize racist violence. We do not understand how anti-IAW campaigns can rely on the idea that Israel is tolerant of all genders and sexualities and simultaneously call on someone such as Michael Coren to speak on Israel and ‘prove’ the legitimacy of an apartheid state. The opportunistic use of Michael Coren is both homophobic and racist insofar as he denies both the rights of queers and the rights of people living under occupation. It reveals how pinkwashing ultimately serves only to justify colonization and not improve the lives of queers, Palestinian and Israeli alike. As a result, The Centre fully supports Israeli Apartheid Week and the events taking place for it both on and off York campus.
Call Out for CWTP Resource Centre suggestions!!
The Centre for Women and Trans People’s resource library has undergone a
major makeover! Come by and check out our new variety of radical audio books, cds,
zines, graphic novels, magazines, DVDs, poetry and books.
We are always looking for non-academic, accessible resources that
center trans activism and radical 'disability' movements. We are also
interested in materials that have a strong focus on Indigenous resistance,
queer uprisings and social justice movements led by communities of colour.
Stay in touch to learn about our upcoming launch party, radical reading
circles, workshops, film screenings, online catalogue and more!
Send us your suggestions & join our newsletter at: cwtplibrary@gmail.com
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(for more information on all these events, check out the Programming: Upcoming Events section for the website)
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We are currently looking for new collective members and volunteers!! If you are itching to get involved in a space where you can meet people; share and acquire new skills; challenge and empower yourselves; find and build personal support systems; and organize to resist the systems of domination in our lives check us out! We are looking for students and community members who want to get involved at the Centre and help develop new projects, campaigns and ideas.
If you are interested in getting involved check out the Get Involved: volunteer section for this website
- CWTP is accepting applications for new Collective Members Application Form
What We Do
September 12, 2007
We, The Centre for Women and Trans people at York University, are outraged by the rapes that occurred on Friday on the campus’ first pub night of the year. We commend the women-survivors for breaking the silence and reporting these offences. It is a courageous act given the lack of support provided by the legal system and society as a whole.
In a misogynistic culture that consistently celebrates male aggression while portraying women as sexual objects and disposable bodies, many are socialized beginning early on to internalize these messages and behave according to their proscribed gender identities. This is exacerbated by the violence faced by trans women and men in their day-to-day lives. What happened on Friday then, in addition to the recent dehumanizing rape of a woman at Carleton, the sexual assaults that occurred last year in the village, and everyday incidents that go unreported, isn’t just a case of “a few bad apples” that set out to violently degrade women. Instead, it’s about a culture that continually reproduces messages and images that facilitate the chronic abuse of women.
And, when rapes and other forms of violence do occur and survivors speak up, the individual is often held responsible and shamed. Blaming the survivor is counter-productive and deviates from the real problem: The culture of male ownership of womens’ bodies. Subsequently, for every sexual assault that is reported an overwhelming majority go unreported partially due to the fact that many perpetrators are known to the survivors.
This is not just a womens’ issue but a community issue. We all have a responsibility to break this cycle. We can start by resisting the apathy that pervades our community and work together to make some solid and long-term changes. We need to translate our thoughts into meaningful actions that support sustainable social change.
For Starters, we propose anti-oppression training for all members of the York community. In the same way that each student is required to attend a library research workshop and complete the Academic Integrity test, we believe the administration should finance mandatory anti-oppression training.
As so many people are reeling from the events and attempting to come to terms with living and/or going to school in an unsafe environment, we would like to extend our services.
Support from the Centre comes in numerous ways including:
- supportive listeners who validate your experiences
- strategize with you to come up with a safety plan to leave an unsafe situation
- write support letters on your behalf and/or liaise with the University
administration to meet and figure out your options if your academic work has suffered due to trauma
- accompany you to court, the clinic, the hospital and other appointments where you need emotional support.
We do prioritize women and trans people but are willing to refer other community members to appropriate and supportive services.
We are located at 322 Student Centre. 416 736 2100 x 33484. www.yorku.ca/ywc. ywc@riseup.net.
Signed, The Centre for Women and Trans people Collective
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WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29TH -
A DAY OF ACTION AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE
To commemorate the Trans Day of Remembrance (Nov 20) and December 6th Women's Remembrance Day join together in action against all forms of gender violence by taking part in a mobile vigil on York campus. The event will include a participatory art installation in which community members are invited to share their ideas on building a safer campus community for everyone. We will also have guest speakers/ performers, information on gender violence and what you can do to get involved and resist it.
The event will conclude at 3pm with a march to Murray Ross Pkwy where a series of muggings and a sexual assault at gunpoint have recently occurred. Join people speaking out about their experiences and resistance of physical, sexual, gendered, financial, racial, and all other forms of violence. Let your voice be heard and your resistance be known.
When: Wednesday November 29th. Events will be running from 12-3 pm, feel free to stop by at anytime between then! The march starts @ 3pm.
Where: The Centre for Women and Trans People, 322 Student Centre, York Campus
© 2006 The Centre for Women and Trans People