The Centre For Women and Trans People

Community Calendar:

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.

If you have questions, please email us at cwtpyork@gmail.com

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

Do you need funding for a project that relates to Women & Trans People's Safety on campus? Funding is available thru the Women & Trans People's Safety Committee of the Security Advisory Council. See info here and app form here.

WELCOME TO THE CENTRE FOR WOMEN AND TRANS PEOPLE

Thanks for stopping by!

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The Centre for Women and Trans People ("the Centre") is a student-funded, collectively run, volunteer-driven organization at York University. We are a progressive, pro-choice, anti-racist, queer-positive, trans-positive, feminist organization committed to:

breaking the social isolation that women and trans people face on campus through programming, socials and networking events
individual and collective empowerment through esteem building, education & decolonization
providing services such as peer-to-peer crisis intervention, peer counselling, advocacy & referrals from a feminist, anti-oppressive framework
acting as a resource base for understanding, exposing and organizing on issues around gender violence and social justice
creating working relationships between students and the University administration, where students are directly involved in developing programs and policies that make the campus safer for everyone
developing a culture of resistance and celebration by supporting initiatives by local artists

We offer a comfortable lounge with couches and chairs, free phone, computer and internet access, a fridge, a microwave, and good company! Whether you want to debrief with someone about your day, or are looking for a place to chill / eat your lunch / catch up on your readings / get involved in our work-- don't be shy, drop by and check us out!

*For more information, visit programming and upcoming events page and/or the facebook page CWTP at York