Trans Film Night: “Glitter Skirts & Shorts” Monday, June 20, 6:30pm

Trans Film Night:
GLITTER SKIRTS & SHORTS: PRIDE EDITION
Free Film! Free Snacks! Free Talk!

The Trans Film Screening Series presents a FREE event:
“GLITTER SKIRTS & SHORTS” — trans/gender themed video art

Co-presented with the Trans Pride Committee.

Everyone welcome. Allies welcome.

GLITTER SKIRTS & SHORTS offers an evening of short films celebrating works created by trans-identified or gender queer artists, showcasing trans representation or speaking to trans issues and politics. From documentary to performance art – come enjoy an evening of art, creativity, inspiration and voice. Featuring works by Alec Butler, Ivan E. Coyote, James Diamond, Kenji Tokawa, Theodore Boutet, Viva Delorme, Rébecca Lavoie & Kim Maurice, Vjosana Shkurti, Asian Community AIDS Services and more . . .

DATE AND TIME:
Monday June 20th, 2011
6:30pm – 8:30pm
FREE

LOCATION:
The William Doo Auditorium
45 Willcocks st.
* Note: this event is not taking place at The Centre – go to William Doo Auditorium
wheelchair accessible

For info and accessibility accommodations contact: tig.action.toronto AT gmail DOT com

Regretfully: films are not closed-captioned and ASL is not confirmed.
If you need specifics about possible triggers please contact us. You can expect scenes of nudity and sexuality.

Vegan & nut-free food provided

facebook.com/event.php?eid=204110406300830

***THANK YOU TO THE EQUITY STUDIES STUDENT UNION FOR THEIR SUPPORT ***

Summer Open House & Social!

summer-open-house-2011-colour

Centre for Women and Trans People at U of T

SUMMER OPEN HOUSE & SOCIAL

When: Wednesday June 15th, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: The Centre for Women and Trans People at U of T

563 Spadina Avenue, Room 100
North Borden Building
Wheelchair accessible through back entrance (Bancroft Ave)

Come out and join us for The Centre’s summer open house and social.
Do you have burning new ideas and suggestions for summer programming that you would like to see happen at The Centre? Yay, cause we want to hear them!

Along with discussions and brainstorming:

-We will be giving a quick orientation to those unfamiliar with The Centre
-We will also be continuing to scrapbook Centre memories and photos

This your opportunity to share, mingle, make new friends, eat, brainstorm ideas, and make art!

JOIN US!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=218936851466980

Contact info:
416-978-8201
womens.centre AT utoronto DOT ca
http://womenscentre.sa.utoronto.ca/

‘Femenace’ Blog – Call for Submissions!

‘Femenace’ Blog – Call for Submissions!

The Centre’s volunteer media group has a blog, called Femenace. We are looking for submissions from anyone who is interested in writing content.

We are looking for:

* Opinion Pieces
* Event Coverage (photos; a brief who, what, where, when, and why)
* Information on Upcoming Events
* Article Critiques
* Reviews (book, film, theatre, music)
* Articles About Issues Related to The Centre (current events, etc.)
* Creative Pieces of Writing (poetry, short stories, creative non-fiction)
* Artwork (photo collage, photography, painting, comics, graphics, etc.)

Submissions will be edited by the media team, so, if it’s stressful, do not worry too much about grammar, punctuation, and structure.

Submissions can be anonymous or can be written under a pseudonym if you wish.

Femenace follows an anti-oppression framework and The Centre’s vision and mandate

Send submissions to:

femenace AT gmail DOT com

http://femenace.wordpress.com/

Call for Video Submissions: Trans & GenderQueer Videos

Deadline: Sunday May 15th

The Trans Film Screening Series is seeking submission of short videos/video art for the Pride Edition of the Trans Film Night in June, held in partnership with the Trans Pride Committee.

We are looking for works that do any or all of the following:
* made by trans artists,
* features trans performers,
* is about trans or gender issues, identities, or politics,
* or uses video to creatively explore gender/identity related themes
and is about 15 minutes long or less (although longer pieces will be considered for subsequent programming)

HOW TO SUBMIT:

Please send us your

i) name

ii) phone and email contact info,

iii)and a couple of sentences about your work to: tig.action.toronto AT gmail DOT com along with either a URL link to see the work online, OR, please drop off/mail a DVD hard copy at:

The Centre for Women and Trans People,
ATTN: Trans Film Screening Series
563 Spadina Ave, Room 100,
North Borden Building, Toronto
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thurs 11am-6pm (closed Friday-Sunday)

Hard-copy submissions will not be returned.
Accepted submissions will be contacted, others will be held for future programming consideration.

SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY Sunday, May 15th

tig.action.toronto AT gmail DOT com

Work-Study Job Opportunity: Food Justice Facilitator

Job Opportunity at The Centre for Women and Trans People!

Work-Study Position: Food Justice Facilitator

Application Deadline: Tuesday May 24, 2011 by 6pm

Start date: June 13, 2011

Eligibility Criteria for Work-Study Program: click here

Position Description:

This position will require an individual who has a love for food, community building and interest in the social determinants of health for the coordination of “The Spice”, an ongoing outreach cooking programme at The Centre for Women and Trans People (St. George campus). The Spice is a participatory cooking programme promoting community building. The Spice brings people on campus together to contribute their culinary ideas and learn new skills while building bridges among communities. The programme was developed out of the awareness of the growing poverty on campus and the need to promote healthy lifestyles. The objectives of the project are to outreach to the campus and larger communities, build networks around addressing poverty and food issues, promote healthy, nutritious and affordable food, as well as preparation skills and knowledge to participants. Facilitating work and policy development on issues of food justice will be the priority of the position. The tasks of Food Justice Facilitator include:

Plan a lunch cooking programme, including finding nutritional and diverse recipes, and facilitating meal preparation

Purchase supplies for the programme

Foster a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere

Facilitate discussions around issues of food security within an anti-oppression framework with volunteers and participants

Network with other groups on campus and in the community who are doing work around poverty, food, and nutrition

In collaboration with other campus and community groups, develop summer skill-sharing workshops related to urban gardening and food sovereignty

Publicize The Spice to the University of Toronto and wider communities by using campus, mainstream, alternative, and social media, including making and distributing flyers and posters

Maintain a recipe book of the recipes used in the program

Ensure the Community Cupboard is well-stocked

Evaluate the Centre’s current food justice practices and make recommendations

Help develop a food justice mandate and relevant policies for the Centre.

The individual will have the opportunity to work independently in a collective environment with the support and supervision of staff and collective members. They will gain experience and programme coordination skills, including leadership, organizational, interpersonal, communication, and community development skills. They will also acquire a deeper understanding of issues of poverty and food issues as it relates to health, as well as new cooking skills.

Degree:

• Bachelors Level
• Masters Level
• Ph.D. Level
• Other

Program of Study:

• ANY Discipline
• OTHER-Arts
• Arts
• Education
• Environmental Studies
• Health Sciences
• Social Work
• Social Sciences

Skills:

• Analytical
• Communication
• Creative
• Interpersonal
• Organizational

How many hours of work are available?:

12 hours/week
This is an eight-week position: June 13th – August 5th, 2011.

Thursdays required, occasional evenings and weekends during peak programme periods (eg. Pride, etc.)

Method of Application

Please mail, e-mail, fax or drop off your application directly to the Centre c/o Hiring Committee. Deadline for applications is Tuesday, May 24th, 6:00PM. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.

All resumes must be accompanied by a one-page, single-spaced personal statement on “Community organizing and working through oppression and privilege.” This statement is intended to give the Hiring Committee a bit of an idea of your understanding of community organizing, the work you’ve done and how you understand yourself in that work.

The Centre believes that those who are on the margins are often in better positions to understand how systems of oppression, power and privilege work and are maintained. We especially encourage people who are surviving racism, colonization, poverty, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, and sexism to apply for paid positions, as well as to volunteer in action groups and to join The Centre’s Collective.

Mail
The Centre for Women & Trans People
563 Spadina Ave., Room 100
North Borden Building
Toronto ON
M5S 2J7

Fax: (416) 978-1078

Email: thecentre DOT hiring At gmail DOT com

In person

 Resume, 1 page personal statement and covering letter

Contact: Candace Mooers, Co-Coordinator

Address:
The Centre for Women & Trans People
563 Spadina Ave., Room 100
North Borden Building
Toronto ON
M5S 2J7

Join The Collective!

The Centre is looking for new Collective members – this is a significant opportunity!

Note: you do not need to be a student or current volunteer to apply.

What is The Collective?

The Collective is the body that takes responsibility for The Centre. It creates and upholds the Vision and Mandate of The Centre. The Collective governs all aspects of The Centre; including staffing, policy, finances, services, programming, planning, etc. The Collective sets organizational priorities and sustains The Centre’s longevity and health – and works to make a positive impact on the community always!

Benefits:

The Collective is a critical place to come together and creatively and effectively make use of our capacities to make change. It is a great chance to learn more about The Centre’s work. It offers a unique opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with the communities it serves. It’s a great place to develop and apply an integrative anti-oppression analysis into all levels of decision-making.

You can learn:

● strong/shared leadership skills
● consensus decision-making skills
● policy development skills
● financial literacy and management skills
● visioning and strategic planning skills
● to appreciate conflict as constructive to change
● how to share new ideas and practices

The next year promises to be exciting, it’s The Centre’s 25th Anniversary. The Collective will play a central role in coordinating such celebratory work – now is your chance to leave your mark with The Centre.

How do I apply?

Interested? Drop by The Centre to pick-up an application package,
or Click here to download a PDF version, or email The Collective: centrecollective AT gmail DOT com

Have questions? Contact The Collective: centrecollective AT gmail DOT com

The Collective is especially looking for people with a strong commitment to feminist and anti-oppression politics, experience as an equitable employer or experience/education in labour management, financial experience or interest, experience with nonprofits and strong communication skills.

Your experiences with The Centre are important in shaping the space. Please consider bringing your perspective to The Collective.

— The Centre needs your participation to keep The Centre active —

The Collective welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to The Centre, and invites aboriginal people, people of colour, two-spirited people, queer people, trans people, gender variant and gender queer people, sex workers, working-class people, poor people, sole-support parents, members of racialized groups, immigrants people with disabilities, and people of non-western and/or dominant faiths to apply.

Trans Film Night: “SPEAKEASY”

==>Trans Film Night: “SPEAKEASY”
==>Free Film! Free Snacks! Free Talk!

The Trans Inclusion Group hosts a FREE screening of:
“SPEAKEASY”

Everyone welcome. Allies welcome.

► SPEAKEASY: Shot in the style of classic film noir and reminiscent of the 1940′s, Speakeasy draws you inside its secret world of rough sex, queer fetish, and fearlessness. Detective Billy Castro descends into the world of porn noir as he investigates an underground queer club filled with handsome transmen and femme fatales. Award-winning director Courtney Trouble captures the feel of the 1940s, as well as the queer fetish and fearlessness of our own era.

WINNER! 2010 Feminist Porn Awards – Most Tantalizing Trans Film

dir.: Courtney Trouble
trailer: http://courtneytrouble.com/films/speakeasy/
rated: unrated (2009)
possible triggers: the film is porn, scenes of rough sex (note: this film has not been pre-screened)
language: English (regretfully this film is not closed-captionned)

Date and Time: May 9th 2011
6:30pm – 8:30pm
FREE
Location: Bahen Centre, 40 St. George, rm.1180
wheelchair accessible

For info and accessibility contact: tig.action.toronto AT gmail DOT com

Vegan & nut-free meal/snacks (ingredient list available)
Open discussion afterwards.

**TRANS FILM NIGHT: PORN IN THE CLASSROOM EDITION**

Words of Resistance Open Mic: Ableism and Disability

SBA and Dr. Chun Resource Library Present:

*Words of Resistance Open Mic: Ableism and Disability*

DATE & TIME: *Thursday April 28, 2011, 6-8pm*
LOCATION: *The Centre for Women and Trans People at U of T*
563 Spadina Avenue. Room 100
Wheelchair access through Bancroft Avenue
Wheelchair accessible bathroom on ground floor

DESCRIPTION:

Words of Resistance is a monthly open mic event that runs out of the Dr. Chun Resource Library. In April, we’re partnering with Students for Barrier-Free Access (SBA) for an evening of expressions focused on the themes of ableism and disability. You can perform through song, chants, drums, poetry, spoken word, slam poetry, monologue, dramatic re-enactment, comedy, personal narrative, ritual, make-up, costume, multimedia such as video, a combination of these elements, or perform somebody else’s work. First timers welcome. Join us on April 28th and share your perspectives, share your experiences, share your stories! People do not have to personally identify with disability to perform but can share their experiences around it.

This event is FREE, and ALL are welcome to attend or perform.

To perform, sign up in advance or just show up for the open mic!
To sign up in advance: email womens.centre AT utoronto DOT ca or call (416) 978-8201

Vegetarian & vegan refreshments will be provided.

*If you have any accessibility requests, please send an email to
sba AT utoronto DOT ca as soon as possible in order to ensure accommodation.*

—-

WANT TO PERFORM? Want ideas?
Suggested topics to think about & perform your piece on (just a few!):

– What does ‘disability’ mean to you?
– Intersections of race, class, gender, age, sexuality and disability
– Issues that need to be addressed around accessibility and accommodation on campus/in this city
– Social/cultural misunderstandings about disability (in general, or a particular one)
– How can a person’s understanding of disability change over time?
– How does the understanding of disability vary among cultures, communities, people?
– How are people with disabilities policed and/or (de)legitimized?
– Tokenization of disability/disabled folks
– How do people creatively deal with the challenges of disability?
– Responding and resisting to ableism & Reclaiming ‘disability’
– This stage is open to ANYONE’s experiences around disability

ALL are welcome to perform!

—-

A little bit about the hosts:

SBA is a student run organization that advocates for equity, access and the rights of Dis-Abled students at U of T, through the provision of non-academic programs that raise awareness. SBA works towards eliminating physical, informational and attitudinal barriers on campus. http://sba.sa.utoronto.ca/

The Dr. Chun Resource Library exists as a space for community members and University of Toronto students to access factual, critical and alternative materials that facilitates resistance to oppression among and between diverse communities. The library is committed to supporting marginal voices. In particular, those voices that have been traditionally left out of main stream political mobilizing are emphasized in our collection. The library is supported by The Centre for Women and Trans People at U of T and the Ontario Public Interest Research Group Toronto (OPIRG-Toronto). The Library is located in The Centre For Women and Trans People at U of T, 563 Spadina Ave. Room 100.

–>> Also be sure to check out Dr. Chun Resource Library’s book/reading club ‘Radical Reads’! Next meeting is on April 28, 3-5pm (just before Words of Resistance) at The Centre.

Radical Reads! (Book/Reading Club)

Thursday April 28 from 3-5pm
Refreshments provided!

Join us for the next Radical Reads meeting, where we will be discussing readings with a focus on two themes: ‘Gender Oppression’ and ‘What does voting mean in a settler colonial state?’

All of the readings can be found online (links are provided below) or at the Dr. Chun Resource Library for free pick-up.

READING MATERIAL:

Theme One: Gender Oppression

Racism in the Trans-Inclusion Debate by Emi Koyama
This will be available soon at the Dr. Chun Resource Library for free pick-up

Counting the Transgender Community by Nancy Goldstein
http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=counting_the_transgender_community

Trans-Formative Change, Meaghan Winter interviews Dean Spade
http://www.guernicamag.com/interviews/2405/spade_3_1_11/

Theme Two: What does voting mean in a settler colonial state?

Why I Don’t Endorse Voting in the May 2nd Canadian Election by Rowland Tupac Keshen
http://www.peopleofcolororganize.com/general/dont-endorse-voting-2nd-canadian-election/#comment-9502

Why Play the White Man?s Game?: Reflections On Being Native and Voting in Colonial Elections by Rowland Túpac Keshena
http://bermudaradical.wordpress.com/

Radical Reads! (book/reading club)

Thursday April 7 from 6-8pm
Refreshments provided!

Join us this month for a continued discussion on the theme of rape culture – more specifically, we will be connecting this theme to the Julian Assange sexual assault case. All of the readings can be found online (links are provided below). If you would like addition reading, a chapter from Yes Means Yes, it is available at the Dr. Chun Resource Library for free.

READING MATERIAL:
Sandra Cuffe’s ‘Leaked Cable rape’: An Open Rant Against the Perpetuation of Rape Myths
http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/blog/sandracuffe/5363

Esther Addley’s How the rape claims against Julian Assange sparked an
information war
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/07/rape-claims-julian-assange

INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence’s Why Misogynists Make Great Informants: How Gender Violence on the Left Enables State Violence in Radical Movements
http://inciteblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/why-misogynists-make-great-informants-how-gender-violence-on-the-left-enables-state-violence-in-radical-movements/