Rule Out Racism is a week-long series of events focused on the need for greater literacy and conversation about race and racism within the UBC and greater community. All events are free and open to the public
Pink Shirt Day
In 2007, two teens in Nova Scotia organized a school-wide protest by distributing pink shirts after a male student was bullied for wearing pink on the first day of school. Through a simple act of solidarity, the rest of his classmates effectively silenced the bullies and made their school a welcoming space for everyone.
At UBC, students, staff and faculty strive to provide welcoming and respectful working, learning and living environments.
On Wednesday, February 22, 2017 wear pink and join the UBC community in working together to take a stand against bullying, and challenge gender stereotypes, homophobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination. Make this a respectful place to learn, work, and play. Join the conversation with #pinkshirtday to show your support for an end to all forms of bullying and harassment.
The Respectful Environment statement of principle:
The best possible environment for working, learning and living is one in which respect, civility, diversity, opportunity and inclusion are valued. Everyone at the University of British Columbia is expected to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds these principles in all communications and interactions with fellow UBC community members and the public in all University-related settings.
Resources:
Tea Talks provide space for discussions about issues facing women
Tea Talks provide a collegial and comfortable space to dialogue, share and learn about various feminist topics. Hosted by the Women’s Resource Centre through the funding support of the Equity Enhancement Fund, each talk focuses on a specific topic ranging from sexism and violence against Indigenous women to conversations around intersections of identity and body image.
Tea Talks take place twice a month at University Centre 210 (UNC 210 – Aboriginal Centre) on the Okanagan Campus.
Students, staff, and faculty are welcome; tea and refreshments are provided!
SCHEDULE:
February 8: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
Time: 3:00-5:30pm
UNC 210 (Aboriginal Centre), UBC Okanagan
During the month of February, Tea Talks will recognize Canada’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In partnership with the Red Dress Campaign, we will discuss the disproportionate violence facing Indigenous women and how we can better support Indigenous women.
February 22: Gender’s Dialogues
Time: 3:00-5:30pm
UNC 210 (Aboriginal Centre), UBC Okanagan
In partnership with the Vagina Monologues, this discussion will address questions and topics about women’s health. This Tea Talk will utilize a different format than others: rather than facilitators posing the questions, participants will have the opportunity direct their inquiries and thoughts to our health professionals. This will be an opportunity for students to discuss gender health and get information from professionals.
March 1: How to be an Ally to Women
Time: 3:00-5:30pm
UNC 210 (Aboriginal Centre), UBC Okanagan
An opportunity for men and/or allies of feminist matters to learn from each other about why and/or how feminism is a matter for all, and how to become better allies. This Tea Talk will be hosted by UBC student Jada Larkin, who has hosted past workshops with International Programs & Services.
March 22: Politics of Hair
Time: 3:00-5:30pm
UNC 210 (Aboriginal Centre), UBC Okanagan
As a part of the Equity and Inclusion Office’s Rule Out Racism week, the Women’s Resource Centre will be hosting the second Tea Talk on Politics of Hair. This Tea Talk discusses issues relating to race and gender and how we view these constructions of identity. This talk will be facilitated by Dela Hini, a member of UBC Okanagan’s Engineering Society.
Thank-you to Aboriginal Programs & Services and the Equity & Inclusion Office for their support of the Tea Talk series!
Apply for the 2017 Equity Enhancement Fund
The Equity Enhancement Fund supports community-based initiatives that enhance equity, diversity, inclusion, and intercultural understanding at UBC. Proposals should demonstrate benefits to the representation or experiences of historically disadvantaged groups within the UBC community.
All student groups, academic or administrative units are invited to apply. Applications must be endorsed by a Head of Unit or the senior official of an organization, to ensure funds are managed responsibly.
Applications are accepted for small and large projects (max $25,000), although larger requests may only receive partial funding. Preference is given to proposals that demonstrate partnerships with some matching financial contributions and are for projects that have the potential to be self-sustaining. Separate funding is available for the Okanagan and Vancouver campus.
Application deadline is February 28, 2017. Learn more.
Holiday Office Hours
The Equity & Inclusion office sends you and yours a world of good wishes during this season of holidays!
Holiday Office Hours
The Equity & Inclusion Office will close on December 23, 2016 and will re-open on January 3, 2017. We will respond to messages left at 250-807-9291 or equity.ubco@equity.ubc.ca on January 3, 2017.
In case of emergency, please contact:
Campus Security 250-807-8111 or local 78111
RCMP 250-762-3300
UBC Policy now includes protection for gender identity & gender expression
On December 6, the UBC Board of Governors approved an amendment to UBC Policy #3 (Discrimination and Harassment) to include “gender identity or expression.”
The change reflects the amendments made to the BC Human Rights Code on July 26, 2016. Prior to the change, gender non-conforming and transgender individuals were protected under the ground of “sex”, as interpreted by BC’s Human Rights Tribunal and the courts. By explicitly adding gender identity or gender expression as grounds for protection, BC aligned its Code with human-rights legislation across Canada.
Dr. Mary K. Bryson, Chair of the Trans, Two-Spirit and Gender Diversity working group, proposed the amendment to Policy #3 during the October 5, 2016 meeting of the Vice-President Strategic Implementation Committee for Equity & Diversity. Dr. Bryson said of the amendment, “Adding ‘Gender Identity or Expression’ as named grounds to Policy #3 provides an important reparative opportunity to UBC to be more explicit in the protections it affords. It provides clarity to all members of UBC stakeholder groups to know that they are protected, without a doubt.”
What does this mean for UBC?
The update to the BC Human Rights Code was long overdue and UBC has now brought its policy in line. The work at UBC is ongoing for those who are committed to raising awareness about gender diversity, and building inclusive classrooms and workplaces. Research in the K-12 education system as well as in university settings tells us that barriers inside and outside of the classroom remain high.* Simple courtesies of referring to students by their preferred name or pronoun are inconsistently practiced, even resisted. Classroom environments and social spaces on campus can be experienced as unwelcoming or hostile. UBC has a number of leading initiatives currently underway in our teaching, research, programmes and services.
- The UBC Faculty of Education’s Teacher Education for All! project focuses on intersectional approaches to sexual and gender diversity and pedagogical approaches.
- Elizabeth Saewyc leads a team of health researchers who work in partnership with the Trans Care BC program at the Provincial Health Services Authority to improve the delivery of services to trans people who are interested in accessing gender-affirming surgeries.
- The Equity & Inclusion Office leads multiple educational and strategic initiatives focused on gender identity and expression for students, staff and faculty.
What can you do?
UBC is committed to building inclusive and respectful learning, living and working environments. We must all take responsibility to ensure that the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming members of our community are protected and respected. You can:
- Use preferred names and pronouns. Consider supporting the No Big Deal campaign
- Attend a Positive Space workshop
- Speak up when you hear people being disrespectful or discriminatory
- Host a Trans Literacies workshop for faculty and TA’s
- Highlight the location of single user gender-neutral bathrooms in your building
- Consider the sex and gender categories you use on forms – is everyone included?
- Be an advocate for your trans students, colleagues, and friends.
Research articles*
Sullivan, Rachael E. Place of promise? Queer students’ negotiation of risk, danger, and safety at the University of British Columbia (2012), Doctor of Philosophy thesis, Faculty of Graduate Studies (Sociology) dissertation, University of British Columbia.
Tate, Jude, A thin veil of inclusion: sexual and gender minorities in Ontario Universities (2014), Doctor of Philosophy thesis, Higher and Adult Education, The Department of Leadership, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
Taylor C., Peter T., Edkins T., Campbell C., Émond G., & Saewyc E. (2016). The National Inventory of School District Interventions in Support of LGBTQ Student Wellbeing: Final Report. Vancouver, BC: Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre, University of British Columbia.
Inclusive Winter Celebrations at UBC
By Breeonne Baxter. Originally published at hr.ubc.ca.
This winter at UBC, in addition to Christmas, our community is celebrating events and holidays from around the world. Our students, staff, and faculty come from many cultural backgrounds and faith identities, and at this time of year, we have an opportunity to celebrate the cultures that make up our UBC community.
Some of the major events at this time of year are beginning in the upcoming weeks, including Hanukkah (Judaism), Yule (Paganism), Mawlid an Nabi (Islam) and Christmas (Christianity) are in just a few weeks’ time. In January, we will see festivities for the Lunar New Year (Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist). See the full Days of Significance list to see all the events and celebrations coming up soon.
Ways to Celebrate in the Workplace
At this time of year, there is a great opportunity to celebrate the season together, in a respectful and positive way that includes everyone and can help us all build intercultural understanding.
- Display a multi-cultural calendar in your workplace to raise awareness of important cultural/faith events and holidays throughout the entire year.
- Celebrate all faiths present in your workplace.
- Consider having a New Year’s celebration party instead of a holiday party in December.
- Be flexible with the needs of different staff around faith and/or holiday celebrations.
- In your workplace or at celebration events, bring together decorations and food from the different cultures in your workplace, and encourage staff to share stories about their favourite traditions.
- Be respectful of religious holidays at this time of year when planning events and meetings. Check the Days of Significance calendar for details.
Office Decorations
Here are some tips to make your office decorations inclusive and respectful of all cultures and beliefs:
- Aim to maintain a neutral decor in the front-facing areas of your office
- Ensure your office is accessible and make sure decorations do not prevent or block access to public services.
- Consider how your office might celebrate dates significant to the members of your workplace community. When providing ideas for decorations, you can include Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Solstice as well as Christmas. Refer to the Days of Significance calendar.
- Invite staff from all faith identities to be involved in the office decorating discussion.
- Set an agreed-upon limit to the number of days that your office will display decorations, and have a discussion about what other times of year you might want to decorate, in celebration of other events.
- Use the holidays as an opportunity to build community within your office and with the people your office serves or supports.
If you are feeling excluded as a result of office celebrations, you are encouraged to reach out to a colleague or a supervisor and have a conversation about how you feel and how you would like your culture or beliefs to be included. At UBC we should all feel comfortable to share our culture and beliefs with others. You are welcome to contact the Equity & Inclusion Office or your HR Advisor to discuss.
We hope that this advice provides some suggestions on how to foster community and inclusion at this time of year through encouraging the celebration of our many cultures and faiths on campus.
Links
Two-Spirit Awareness Event – with special guest Tomson Highway
Two-Spirit Awareness Event – with special guest Tomson Highway
DATE: November 18, 2016
TIME: 3:00 – 5:00 PM
LOCATION: University Centre Ballroom (UNC 200) – Okanagan Campus, Kelowna (map)
Join us in highlighting and celebrating Indigenous views of gender and sexual diversity, as a way to provide an alternative to the common narrative of pride and acceptance. We look forward to welcoming special guest Tomson Highway, Canadian Aboriginal playwright, novelist, and children’s author to UBC’s Okanagan campus for this event.
This event is family-friendly and open to the public. No RSVP required. Light refreshments to be served.
For more information, please contact:
Chris Alexander (chris.alexander@ubc.ca) OR Jeannine Kuemmerle (jeannine.kuemmerle@ubc.ca)
Download a poster and share it with your friends.
ABOUT TOMSON HIGHWAY:
Tomson Highway is best known for his plays The Rez Sisters and Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing, both of which won him the Dora Mavor Moore Award and the Floyd S. Chalmers Award.
Highway has also published a novel, Kiss of the Fur Queen (1998), which is based on the events that led to his brother Rene Highway’s death of AIDS. He also has the distinction of being the Librettist of the first Cree language opera, Pimooteewin: The Journey.
Learn more at http://www.tomsonhighway.com/
EVENT PARTNERS:
Aboriginal Programs & Services
Equity & Inclusion Office (Positive Space Committee)
AVP Students Portfolio
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
Que(e)rying Campus Research Team
UBCSUO Pride Centre
Okanagan Pride Society
Consider this when choosing your Hallowe’en Costume
Culture is not a costume. It’s a matter of respect.
It’s Hallowe’en party season and many UBC students are planning their costumes for events on and off campus.
Hallowe’en is the one time of year when people dress up for fun in costumes – some of us do this to honour or spoof themes of creatures of the night, witches and otherworldly beings, others dress up to reflect prevalent themes in society.
The Equity & Inclusion Office reminds everyone, when making your costume choices Culture is not a Costume.
Let’s keep people’s culture and race out of the costume. Take care not to wear blatantly and unabashedly racist and or sexist costumes. It’s a matter of respect.
Do your part to create and sustain a respectful environment wherever you are. Share this message widely on social media and with your clubs, fraternities, sororities, residences and classrooms.
Best wishes for a safe and respectful Hallowe’en.
The Equity & Inclusion Office
Read more:
When Halloween costumes cross the line, from Professor Mona Gleason, UBC Faculty of Education.