[The Network]

Queer U is an interdisciplinary student academic event on sexuality(ies) and gender(s) organized during Outweek at UBC. This event is an opportunity for students from all over the university to present their work on queer and trans issues to a broad audience of students, faculty members, staff, and community members. This event is free and all are welcome.

This year’s event will take place on Tuesday, February 8 from 4 to 7 in the Penthouse Lounge of the Graduate Student Society (GSS) building (map). It will be followed by a reception with food and refreshments in the same location.

Feel free to share the poster with anyone who may be interested. You can also see the full program for this year’s event on the Queer U website.

Two events next week that may be interesting to our members:

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Discussion Forum: “Does it get better?:  Homosexuality as Intolerable”
Date: Monday January 10, 2011
Time:   12:00-3:00
Place:  3rd Floor Board Room, Liu Institute for Global Issues

Recent suicides of gay teenage boys in the US is only one story of a larger global violent backlash against sexual minorities.  The infamous proposal of new legislation to make acts of homosexuality punishable by death in Uganda, and the resurgence of persecution against gay, lesbian, transgendered and queer people across world indicate an alarming trend. Last month, the UN removed the words “sexual orientation” from the UN Resolution Condemning Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions; and in Canada, once the most progressive country in the world for refugee rights, sexual minorities face increasing challenges to obtain refugee status.

The “It Gets Better Project” sends a positive message to youth that despite the seeming intolerability of their experiences, over time they will find community, security and tolerance. But does this campaign mislead youth into thinking that “waiting it out” is the answer?  Join our discussion forum to explore these global questions:

• What makes homosexuality intolerable?
• For whom does it get better and why?
• Why is tolerance, a tolerable political response?
• What is “our” responsibility?

Join us to stimulate discussion and help us explore how we might engage the UBC and world community on these issues.

Please RSVP at http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/liuinstitute/register-does-it-get-better/

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“Making Movies Out of Sex and Life”: A Queer Film Screening and Dialogue with Renowned Filmmaker, Barbara Hammer

January 11, 2011 doors at 6pm, show at 7pm
Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver BC)
Director Barbara Hammer // USA // 62 min

Tickets $7.00/free students/seniors (for free admission and a guaranteed seat, contact Carmen Radut

Four short films, incl Dyketactics, No Nooky TV, Sync Touch and A Horse is Not a Metaphor. Barbara Hammer will be present for a Q & A after the screening. See here for more information.

Barbara Hammer was born on May 15, 1939 in Hollywood, California. She is a visual artist working primarily in film and video and has made over 80 works in a career that spans 40 years. She is considered a pioneer of queer cinema. She has received numerous awards, most recently the Teddy for the best LGBT film at the 2009 International Berlin Film Festival (A Horse is Not a Metaphor). Her first book on queer cinema, HAMMER! Making Movies Out of Sex and Life launched at The Elizabeth Sackler Center at The Brooklyn Museum of Art on March 6, 2010 and is published by The Feminist Press of City Universit y of New h in fall of 2010 Hammer was honored with her first US retrospective at theMuseum of Modern Art in New York City to be followed by The Tate Modern in London in fall 2011.

Hammer Event co-sponsors also include: BOLDFest Conference & at UBC: Women’s and Gender Studies Program (WMST), Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies (CWAGS), Critical Studies in Sexuality (CSIS): The Jane Rule Endowment for Human Sexuality.

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