Violence Against Women, 25 Years After Dec. 6

Posted on November 7, 2014 by HannahBarath

By Helena Zhu, Women Students Program Assistant, Access & Diversity

During my time working as the Women Students Program Assistant at Access and Diversity, I have come to understand more deeply that sexual assault remains prevalent on campuses, women continue to be underpaid in the workplace, and violence, particularly domestic violence, persists to be a reality for many women.

December 6^th is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Canada established the day 25 years ago following an armed man’s killing of 14 women at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal on Dec. 6, 1989. These violent acts were against women in the School of Engineering. They were targeted solely because they were women studying a program that had been traditionally viewed as a male discipline. As a non-engineering student, I wonder how this impacted and continues to impact women in Engineering and what the resonances are for women in what has been termed “non-traditional” workforces.

This year marks the 25^th Anniversary of the Montréal Massacre. Some could argue that progress has been made but I question if it has. American news outlet the Verge reported two weeks ago that Anita Sarkeesian, creator of the popular Tropes vs. Women video series and who’s work challenges online harassment and sexist representations of women in video games, received a mass shooting threat because of her feminist perspective and challenges to video game industry – which is largely male driven.

Sarkeesian was scheduled to speak at Utah State University’s Center for Women and Gender on Oct. 15. However, the Director of the Center, along with other individuals, received an email from an unknown author who claims to be a Utah State student. The author threatened a “Montreal Massacre-style attack” if the Center did not cancel Sarkeesian’s talk. Faced with security fears, Sarkeesian cancelled the talk. Sadly, this is only one of many incidents of this nature.

Violence against women is not a women’s issue, it is an issue for men and people of all genders, as Dr. Jackson Kats, an expert on gender-based violence, argues in his TEDx talk. Campuses should be safe places to study, socialize, and learn. They should not be places of violence. It takes a society to eliminate gender-based violence, and with University of British Columbia’s 58,284 students, 10,041 staff, and 5,130 faculty, let’s take up this call to action and make change here on campus and at home.

I deeply believe in the value of education and awareness. Through my work, and through researching this blog post, I have become more educated about gender-based violence and its prevention. As university students, we have the privilege that many others don’t have, which is to challenge our thinking by engaging in dialogue and taking action. Below, you will find four Dec. 6 related events that you and your friends can attend and participate in.

14 NOT FORGOTTEN MEMORIAL SERVICE
Tuesday, November 18, 2014, 12:30 p.m.
The Wayne and William White Engineering Design Courtyard

PANEL DISCUSSION: AN EXAMINATION OF DECEMBER 6TH: 25 YEARS LATER
Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 12-1 p.m.
Simon K. Y. Lee Global Lounge, Media Room, Building 1, 2205 Lower Mall

T-SHIRT SILKSCREENING WORKSHOP
Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 7-9 p.m.
Place Vanier Residence, Boardroom

CANDLE VIGIL
Friday, December 5, 2014, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
SUB Main Concourse

May I Kiss You?

Posted on November 6, 2014 by HannahBarath

Post by Hannah Barath, Access & Diversity Co-op Student Assistant

It’s strange to be in Totem Park Ballroom for the first time in over two years. The reason I’m back is to see a presentation called “Can I Kiss You?” byMike Dormitz. Travelling all across North America, he has done this presentation for audiences in middle schools to universities, and even in the US Military. The overarching theme of this presentation is consent, which is discussed alongside bystander intervention techniques, sexual assault awareness and personal responsibility.

The presentation starts by exploring why it is important that consent, which is the voluntary and enthusiastic agreement to sexual activity of any kind, is verbal. As Dormitz says, in intimate (and other) situations we often rely on body language and other nonverbal cues to be trustworthy indicators of what other people are thinking. Although this mode of communication is one that we use a lot, it is also very often misinterpreted. Any sexual activity, from kissing to intercourse and everything in between, that is not consented between partners classifies as sexual assault. Since body language is so often misinterpreted, communicating verbally is the best way to ensure that consent is present.

Throughout the “Can I Kiss You?” presentation it was emphasized that people of any gender and sexual orientation can be sexually assaulted. Although it could happen to anyone, I think it is important to recognize that the vast majority of people who experience sexualized violence are women and LGBTTQI folks. In a society where shaming, victim-blaming and silencing are common responses to survivors of sexual assault, it is great to see that the focus of this presentation is on the responsibility and accountability of perpetrators and bystanders is emphasized and addressed. By using humor to dismantle ingrained notions of why we rarely get consent verbally, or intervene in situations where we see someone being “taken advantage of,” everyone in the room realized that we have been socialized to not react in these particular situations. As Domitz explores, it is always the responsibility of the person initiating intimacy or any sexual activity to check that consent is present. By practicing consent in our everyday life, and intervening if we see a nonconsensual sexual situation, we can impact both individual lives and the culture around these issues.

Although people who are intoxicated or otherwise unable to make informed decisions cannot give consent, it is common to see people “hooking up” at parties. If someone who is less or not at all influenced takes advantage of the fact that another person’s judgment is clouded, they are sexually assaulting that person. This is a fairly common scenario, and it can be difficult to know how to intervene or realizing that we have a responsibility to do so. In response to this Dormitz shared some concrete steps and actions to use when intervening, the first being to identify the situation. Once you’ve done this, check in on the person, by yourself or with a group of friends. When intervening, stay calm and focus on preventing a potential sexual assault in a manner that is safe for everyone involved. By giving people clear guidelines on what to do it becomes easier as a bystander to recognize and do something next time one sees a similar situation.

Mike Dormitz’s “Can I Kiss You?” is an engaging and informative presentation that opens up really important conversations around consent, sexual assault, and personal responsibility. Hopefully it will spur more individuals to think more about what they can do to reduce sexualized violence and learn more about consent, and that those in attendance will pass on what they learnt to their peers. If you missed out on this event you can get Dormitz’s book “May I Kiss You?” There are also many local resources, you can attend a Really? workshop or find lots of resources for survivors, those supporting a survivor or those who are just interested in learning more at the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre.

Stepping Stools: Equity vs Equality

Posted on November 5, 2014 by mkwatson

Post by Melody Cheung, Equity Ambassador and 3rd-year Arts student

At one of the very first meetings of the Equity Ambassadors (EA), one of the EA’s drew two pictures on the board. The picture was of people standing on blocks. On the left, everyone was standing on the same sized block whilst on the right everyone was standing on different sized blocks. This was the beginning of my journey in learning what equity means.

A quick Google search on the definition of equity brings up words such as ‘impartiality’ and ‘fairness’. But what does this really mean? How is it different than the world equality? What I learned that day was pretty eye-opening. It happened through a short anecdote about the difference between these two terms and how important it is.

Imagine that you are at a baseball game and have to look over a fence in order to see the game. There are also several others who are in the same situation as you are. The fence is quite high so everyone needs a stepping stool of some sort to see over the fence. In equality, everyone would get the same sized stepping stool. Thus, one can immediately see a glaring problem! Not everyone is the same height. This is where equity steps in. In being equitable, everyone would get different sized stepping stools so that they could all see over the fence. Everyone would get a chance to view the game.

This is what equity is about; it is about how people need different ‘boosts’ in order to have a fair chance to participate in society. When I first learned this concept, I was surprised that I hadn’t thought of equity in that way before and that it made so much sense after being explained. I think equity is such a simple concept yet it can have such profound reach.

Equity in essence is about ‘fairness’ but the way it brings it about is quite different than equality. For me equity has to do with paying attention to specific needs and working with individuals and groups to provide customised ‘stepping stools’ in the form of social, economic and political tools. This definition of equity is a cornerstone of being an Equity Ambassador and something that will continue to guide my journey in promoting equity in all its forms.

A note about the Equity Ambassadors logo: One of the EA’s suggested the ‘baseball’ anecdote be incorporated into our logo and this was the result! I’ve been working on the design with input from all the EA’s and I am so excited to be able to create discussion around the reasons behind the ‘stepping stools’.

Halloween Costumes Don’t Need to Break the Bank

Posted on October 29, 2014 by cjrowe

By Helena Zhu, Women Students Program Assistant, Access & Diversity

Halloween is right around the corner, which is also when Halloween costumes are most expensive, even for the little ones. With some creative juice though, and some ideas from this article, you can avoid spending the $80 without compromising too much on giving your kids costumes that they love. Even better, their friends and classmates will be jealous that they have such artistic moms and/or dads!

Minion

Remember that lab goggle from your first-year science lab? Cut out two circles from a white piece of paper. Secure them on the lab goggle using thin slivers of silver duct tape as the minion’s goggle frame. Use a black sharpie to complete the minion’s eyeballs. There you have the minion’s eyes and googles, which can be worn on your child’s forehead.

Your little one can now put on a yellow top, a pair of denim shorts or a denim romper, and a black pair shoes, and there you have your little minion.

Piñata

Think about when your little one will be wearing this costume. If it is for trick-or-treating, then you can decorate an outerwear; if it is for a house party, then perhaps choose a dress, an old t-shirt, or a top and bottom. Once you have your outfit of choice, purchase different colours of crepe paper streamers at a dollar store. As an example, there is Dollar “N” Plus, the dollar store at the University Village.

Use scissors to cut fringes into their widths. If you want to be able to remove the layers of streamers from the outfit, you can sew the layers on. If it is an outfit you plan to toss or are planning on reusing, you can apply the streamers with fabric glue.

You may also choose to buy a party hat from the dollar store. Your little one can wear it as it is or have it decorated the same way with the streamers.

Mario and Luigi

If you have a denim jumpsuit, you have hopes for making a Mario or Luigi costume. You could also wear regular jeans with blue or denim coloured suspenders. With a red top and a red cap, you or your little one can be a Mario. If you have a green top and a green cap, you can be a Luigi.

To use Mario as an example, cut out a circle from a piece of paper. Use a red sharpie or marker to write a large letter “M.” Then pin it onto the front of the cap. To make the moustache, you can either use artificial moustache if you have any, or cut out one from black or brown construction paper, and secure it above the lips with poster mounts or double-sided tape.

If you have white gloves and brown shoes by any chance, they will make the costume even better.

Off you go for your adventure!

Crayon

Look into your or your child’s closet. Identify an outfit of one solid colour, preferably one where you have matching construction papers for. Say that you choose blue, put on the blue outfit, and take out a blue construction paper. On the long side, use a black sharpie to write “crayon” or “Crayola.” On either end, colour in a black stripe along the width of the paper. Turn it on its side, use a hole puncher to punch holes at the top corners. You can then insert a string or yarn into the holes, and wear the “crayon” sign on the neck. You can adjust the string so that the crayon sign falls in front of the chest.

Take out another sheet of blue construction paper. Roll it up into a cone. This will be a hat or the tip of the crayon. You can secure the hat with bobby pins or another string or yarn to go under the chin.

Start colouring!

A Guide for Parents, Created by Parents

Posted on October 29, 2014 by cjrowe

By Helena Zhu, Women Students Program Assistant, Access & Diversity

Just after the first wave of midterms came the second wave of midterms. Amid all the studying, don’t forget to take some time to admire the beautiful changing colours on campus, especially on Main Mall. Fall is well underway, and so is the Parents on Campus blog.

This week, I would like to highlight the “Guide to Resources & Support for Parents,” a resource prepared by parents on campus for parents on campus. Now in its fourth edition, the guide shares the stories, challenges, and solutions from two single mothers at UBC.

Did you know that the overcrowded University Hill elementary and secondary schools are not the only options for your kids? The UBC school bus program also provides transportation to Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth elementary schools, in addition to University Hill. Queen Mary is just a stroll from Jericho Beach, while Queen Elizabeth is at the tip of Pacific Spirit Regional Park.

Did you know that the city has a free pass called Vancouver Inspiration Pass? The pass grants free access for up to two adults and four children under 18 to popular Vancouver attractions, museums, and recreational facilities, such as swimming pools and ice rinks over a two-week period. Vancouver Public Library has 140 passes available every two weeks, which you can apply for through the library website or in person at any VPL branch. This could make winter break more fun!

And did you know that UBC even has a community for families called UBC Families, and another for nursing mothers called Breastfeeding Café, which you can join? The upcoming meeting is on Thursday, November 20th from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge, Acadia Family Housing, 2707 Tennis Crescent. You can get to know the moms ahead of time through its Facebook group.

To find both the guide and more resources for parents on campus, please visit Access and Diversity’s page “Students who are parents.”

Hip vs Horrible Halloween Outfits

Posted on October 22, 2014 by cjrowe

Really CostumeNotCulture (download the card)
Post by Hannah Barath, Access and Diversity Co-op student.

I get very excited about Halloween. Without a doubt, my favourite part is seeing fun and creative costumes. The one part that has never appealed to me is the horror, because I get scared way too easily. Fortunately, I can usually avoid all things scary. Unfortunately, the most frightening sight is one that is more difficult to avoid. Culturally appropriative Halloween costumes are surprisingly common but also horrifying, and if you’re unsure why, then read on.

What is cultural appropriation?

Cultural appropriation is a tricky topic to navigate, but a fairly basic definition is the unauthorized use of practices, items or symbols from a non-dominating culture that has typically been (historically and continuously) oppressed and exploited. The person who appropriates belongs to a dominating or different culture than the one they are mimicking. In the context of Halloween, if a person wears a costume that depicts a culture they do not belong to, that person is appropriating. In even simpler terms, the costume is racist.

Although there are so many bright individuals at our university, racist and appropriative costumes are sadly something that is common, especially this time of the year. The problem with these costumes is that they often represent a culture as a (negative) stereotype. Stereotypes fail to acknowledge the diversity within a culture, instead conflating the culture into a shallow depiction of what it truly is, while trivializing the history and significance of practices, items, and symbols. Often these costumes are also sexualized, which adds another problematic aspect as historically, sexualisation and the demonizing of sexuality has been used as a tool of oppression again non-dominating cultures. While all culturally appropriative costumes are equally bad, considering where UBC is located I think it’s important to spend some extra time on discussing appropriation of Indigenous culture(s).

The context

Geographically, the UBC Point Grey and Okanagan campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people and Okanagan Nation (Sylix) Territories, respectively. Most members of the UBC community are uninvited visitors and settlers, and as such I think our obligations to the Aboriginal communities whose land we occupy have to go beyond land acknowledgements. It is also our responsibility to learn about the past and continued violence these communities face and actively participate in decolonization work. Reducing Indigenous people to a one-dimensional stereotype is just one example of the ongoing oppression, silencing, and violence that Aboriginal peoples face.

Unnecessarily sexualized Halloween costumes are in themselves problematic, but in combination with appropriating Indigenous cultures it is particularly so. Aboriginal peoples, especially women, have historically been constructed as sexually deviant, so costumes and stereotypes that reinforce Aboriginal women as heavily sexualized are both disturbing and upsetting. According to a statistical report from 2013, Aboriginal females in Canada make up 4.3% of the population, but make up about 11.3% of missing females and approximately 16% of female homicides. The effect of perceived deviance combined with other aspects of colonization has led to devaluation and disregard for Aboriginal lives. I think that everyone can agree that this is wrong.

Other popular costumes that are culturally appropriative are dressing as a Mexican, a geisha or wearing blackface. Each and every one of these culturally appropriative costumes have real and damaging consequences for these groups. Although the intent behind wearing a costume that is culturally appropriative may not be malicious, it is still a choice that stems from ignorance, privilege, and racism. As part of a university that aims to “value and respect all members of its communities,” offensive and oppressive actions should be opposed by all members of UBC. Cultural appropriation erases the real life challenges that non-dominating groups face and is an inherently violent action that perpetuates negative stereotypes and oppression of these communities.

So what can you personally do? First of all, never wear a costume, on Halloween or otherwise, that is culturally appropriative. If you’re still unclear on why cultural appropriation is bad or if your costume is appropriate there are many online resources. Take some time to educate yourself, and then educate your friends by sharing this or other articles, or by talking to them. If it feels safe to do so, call someone out on their racist costume. In summary, keep talking and eventually the culture of acceptance toward cultural appropriation will shift.

Before wrapping up I want to acknowledge that cultural appropriation is not isolated to Halloween or dressing up. Incorporating practices, items or symbols that have a significant meaning from another culture into your own is also a form of cultural appropriation. Please take some time to educate yourself on respectful ways to appreciate other cultures, and what the difference between appropriation and appreciation is.

If you are interested in learning more or if you have any questions regarding cultural appropriation, make sure to attend the panel discussion that the UBC Sociology Students’ Association and Anthropology Students’ Association are hosting on October 30.

What I loved about “What I LOVE About Being QUEER”

Posted on October 9, 2014 by mkwatson

Post by Hannah Barath, Access and Diversity Co-op student.

At the end of September I had the opportunity to attend a screening and discussion of “What I LOVE About Being QUEER” with film-maker Vivek Shraya. Often when we hear stories from members of the queer community, we hear about discrimination and challenges they face. In his work as an artist, human rights advisor, and positive space coordinator, Shraya has met many young queer and trans individuals struggling with internalized feelings of shame, homophobia, and transphobia. This film was created to offer a positive alternative narrative. It is not meant to take away from the stories of struggling, but rather act as an accompanying story that supports and inspires.

In this film, 34 individuals share what they love about being queer. The result is a touching and impactful film that celebrates all that is queer. By interviewing a group of people varying in age, ethnicity, and gender expression, Shraya highlights the diversity that exists within queer communities. Not quite content with that, a Tumblr page where people can submit their own answers, as well as a book, was created to show an even more complex picture of the diversity within queer communities.

As expected, what people chose to talk about was quite varied. One of the topics discussed was sex. For some, queer sex is central to their identity, and for others it is just one of many things they love about being queer. Some love the physical aspect of it while some love that the absence of normative expectations lets them personally define what queer sex means for them. A film where queer sex is unabashedly celebrated is both wonderful and needed because it is something that is rarely talked about, at least in a positive manner. It also shows that there is nothing wrong with enjoying or wanting sex if you are queer.

The celebratory nature of this film isn’t meant to take away from the challenges queer individuals face in their daily lives. It is important that we remember to acknowledge these struggles. Queer sex is often demonized, condemned, and seen as unnatural. In order to change cultural attitude around queer sex we need to change the structures that support these attitudes. One way to make conversations around queer sex more positive would be to broaden sexual education programs beyond educating youth about sex for reproductive purposes. If instead, sex can be taught as something pleasurable it would only be natural to include topics such as queer sex and consent within the educational context.

In the discussion that followed the screening, Shraya said that he wants society to move beyond acceptance and tolerance, to strive towards celebration. With “What I LOVE About Being QUEER” he does exactly that, celebrating and connecting queer communities to each other while challenging mainstream narratives that surround queer identities. To explore, learn more about or take part in this project check out the “What I LOVE About Being QUEER” Tumblr and book. If you have time, make sure to check out more of Vivek Shraya’s amazing work.

Be a part of Autism and Asperger’s research!

Posted on September 25, 2014 by mkwatson

Help us discover the unique ways in which people with Autism process language!
We are a group of researchers at the Child and Family Research Institute at BC Children’s Hospital, and we’re looking for participants to help us understand how people with Au-tism process language. Understanding language processing in the brain may help development of better therapies for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). We need people who are:

Male, between 14 and 30 years of age
Right-handed
Verbal, with English as their first language
Reading at or above a grade 5 level
Currently living in BC
Diagnosed with an ASD

The study involves:

Participating in language and thinking tasks
Separate interviews with you and your parents
Non-invasive MRI and EEG scans while reading sentences on a monitor

Scheduling is flexible and we offer an honorarium for your time. We’ll reimburse you for your travel expenses. For more information and to sign up, please contact Keith at kmclarren@cfri.ca or 604-875-3068

Participants needed: research study on clinicians living with a disability

Posted on September 17, 2014 by mkwatson

Researchers from the University of British Columbia are investigating the barriers and facilitators of clinicians with disabilities in the healthcare professions. In particular, we are interested in the following programs: Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Social Work.

If you are a clinician living with a disability (visible or non-visible), we would like to invite you to help us understand the barriers and facilitators to access and inclusion in education and practice by participating in three interviews over the course of a year. Each interview will last approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

In appreciation of your participation, you will receive an honorarium of $45, paid in incremental fashion. You are eligible to participate in this study if you meet the following criteria:

Living with a disability (e.g., learning disability, physical disability, or mental health disability)
Currently practicing in one of the following professions: Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, or Social Work
Have at least one year of clinical experience
19 years of age or older

Contact: Adam Easterbrook
Email: inclusive.campus@ubc.ca
Phone: 604-822-7412

Awards for students with a disability

Posted on September 12, 2014 by mkwatson

Please visit http://students.ubc.ca/enrolment/finances/awards/disabilities to apply for scholarships and bursaries. The awards range in value and eligibility criteria. Please review the application form for a full list of available awards. Applications must be submitted to Enrollment Services by October 15, 2014 at 4:00pm.