FEMI NEST#3 NOVEMBER 2015
NOT ONE MORE #TDOR2015
/ABOUT US WGEN (the Women & Gender Equity Network) is an intersectional feminist organization that operates with an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, trans-inclusive lens We work with other existing groups on campus and in the community to make sure that we are planning comprehensive and effective programming that is both accessible and engaging. We are comfy and at home in our now permanent safe(r) space (The Feminest) in MUSC 204. This is meant to be a place where women, transfolk, and survivors of sexual assault can feel supported, validated, and heard. Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for updates, invites, and give-aways!
CARING FOR MYSELF IS NOT SELF-INDULGENCE, IT IS SELF-PRESERVATION, AND THAT IS AN ACT OF POLITICAL WARFARE AUDRE LORDE
/NOVEMBER EVENTS #ENG WOMEN TALKS We hosted two more Eng Women Talks in our space this month. Healing discussions around gender identity for women-identifed folks in Eng are important!
DIVERSITY SERVICES ABILITEAS The final Abiliteas of the semester took place at the end of November. Check Facebook for an announcement about the new date and time next semester!
SPARK SESSIONS MSU SPARK ran sessions this month about the various services on campus and how they are an amazing resource for students. We, alongside our neighbour SHEC and several other services, had the opportunity to do cool presentations and talk about what WGEN is passionate about to some equally passionate students.
SVRP WEBSITE LAUNCH After many long months of work McMaster’s Sexual Violence Response Protocol is finally live! Should you be a survivor looking for support or an ally looking to support a friend, this site has a lot of resources as well as where you can go or who to call with more questions.
One really cool feature is the cover your tracks/quick exit bar on the top right of the page. Cover your tracks gives you the steps to get rid of your browser history, and the quick exit will immediately take you to back to Google.
TRANS VISIBILITY WEEK FOR TRANS VISIBILITY WEEK WE RAN EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF TRANS RIGHTS, HOW TO BE A MORE KNOWLEDGABLE FEMINIST, AND CULMINATED IN A KEYNOTE SPEECH AND A VIGIL ON THE FRIDAY, TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.
MONDAY BEYOND THE BINARY Workshops run on trans history, anti-oppression training, gender based violence in the WGEN space.
PAY IT NO MIND Watched the Marsha P. Johnson documentary “Pay it no mind”, an absolutely wonderful doc followed by conversation on the Stonewall movement and the super cis-white-washed movie about the riots that came out this year.
WEDNESDAY SISTERS NOT CISTERS
Banner signing in MUSC to show solidarity in feminism not just for “cisters”, but all women.
STORYTELLING CIRCLE Joint with Perspectives of Peace, we did a storyteling circle after hours in the WGEN space. We talked about what peace means to you in the context of activism.
TDOR KEYNOTE To finish up the end of the week we were lucky to be able to have Dr. Carys Massarella come in to do a talk before we went out for our vigil. She’s the lead physician at the Quest Community Health Centre, a transfolk care clinic in St. Catherine’s. An amazing presence to have, we had a packed room of students and community members join us to hear Dr. Massarella talk frankly about her experiences, the lives of trans women of colour, and creating a powerful atmosphere of reflection before we went on our march to honour those who have lost their lives.
99% of transgender school aged youth disclose they’ve experienced some kind of violence. 20% of that violence came from teachers.
Dr. Carys Massarella
VIGIL Joined by volunteers, staff, students, and visitors from other cities we took some time to remember those who have lost their lives to violence and hatred. After reading the names of those who have died this year, we took a walk around campus, carrying extra candles for those who joined us along the way.
Trans Women of Colou Mya Hall Papi Edwards Lamia Beard Ty Underwood Michelle (Yazmin) Vash Payne Taja Gabrielle DeJesus Penny Proud Bri Golec Kristina Grant Infiniti Keyshia Blige London Chanel K.C. Haggard
ur Killed in 2015 Shade Schuler Amber Monroe Kandis Capri Elisha Walker Tamara Dominguez Keisha Jenkins Zella Ziona Mercedes Williamson Jasmine Collins Ashton O’Hara India Clarke
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WGEN women + gender equity network