the journal

Members of Queen’s gender studies receive hateful e-mail

Message came two days after University of Waterloo stabbing

Sofia Tosello

Assistant News Editor

The Queen’s Gender Studies Department was shaken by a “disturbing” e-mail received in the wake of the hate-motivated stabbing in a gender studies classroom at the University of Waterloo.

Eight members of the department received an e-mail from a Kingston local claiming “toxic femininity” and “powerful women” destroyed his life on June 30. The individual requested the gender studies department contact him directly to discuss the matter.

“I reported the e-mail to campus security and [the gender studies department] felt security’s response was inadequate and they didn’t understand the complexity of the situation,” said Sailaja Krishnamurti, gender studies department head in an interview with The Journal

The Journal was unable to obtain a copy of the e-mails sent to the gender studies department.

A supervisor from campus security notified Kingston Police of the situation and contacted Krishnamurti claiming the police were going to speak to the e-mail’s sender.

“The gender studies department responded to campus security by saying the police aren’t always the best strategy in a situation like this. We need to focus on de-escalation,” Krishnamutri said.

This wasn’t the first time the individual sent e-mails aimed at the gender studies department. Members of the department received similar messages on multiple occasions over the past two years.

Krishnamutri suggested campus security start a discussion with faculty about de-escalation and harm reduction approaches to gender-based violence. When someone in a mental health crisis is approached by police, the individual’s emotions may intensify leading them to become more upset, explained Krishnmautri. Employing mental health counselors or social workers