Trans rally at Laurier:
WATERLOO — A trans solidarity rally was held at Wilfrid Laurier University on Thursday, with speakers calling on university officials to acknowledge and address systemic transphobia on campus.
A few hecklers joined the crowd of about 80 gathered outside on the green near the university’s diversity and equity office. Several supporters holding signs repeatedly blocked the young men as they were filming the speakers on phones and cameras.
Toby Finlay led the rally and said afterwards that the show of support was encouraging.
“This is so meaningful to see folks who stand in solidarity.”
Finlay doubted there would be anywhere near as much turnout if a rally was held just a little over a month ago.
But a lot has happened on the Waterloo campus since then.
In early November, graduate student and teaching assistant Lindsay Shepherd showed firstyear students a television clip of a debate on gender-neutral pronouns in which one professor objected to what he called “madeup” pronouns.
Shepherd was called into a meeting with two professors and a university official, and she was reprimanded. Shepherd, who recorded the meeting, was accused of “causing harm to trans students,” and “creating a toxic climate” in her classroom.
University president Deborah MacLatchy later apologized for the treatment of Shepherd, and she said a task force would be set up to explore how to encourage and protect academic freedom and free speech on campus.
Since then, there have been regular rallies and petitions at Laurier.
A group of professors called on the university to adopt a resolution in support of freedom of expression, and another professor petition urged the school to protect those on campus who had been recently threatened or harassed as a result of their gender identity or expression.
Students held a rally for free speech on campus, which sparked a counter protest.
“Free speech is a distraction,” Kira Williams, a PhD student and teaching assistant, told the crowd. “The people who can’t speak are us trans and non-binary people.”
Williams didn’t want to talk about Shepherd and, in fact, the woman at the centre of the controversy was rarely mentioned during the hour and a half rally.
“She already got an apology. She’s good,” Williams said.
“My life, my existence is not debatable … We deserve to hear the university recognize our existence.”
Signs at the rally, hosted by the Trans Justice Collective, included the messages: #sayitDeb, #nameitDeb and #nametransphobia.
The WLU Rainbow Centre issued a list of demands for university administration last Friday, followed by another released Monday that was signed by nearly 40 faculty members.
Both included calls for official acknowledgement that transphobia is a problem on campus and that a public apology should be made.
“We want you to say that you are sorry for failing to uphold the experiences and safety of trans, non-binary, and gender diverse people in the Laurier community and for your complicity in maintaining transphobia,” the centre’s news release reads.
A message from MacLatchy was posted on the university’s website on Wednesday.
“Recent events have caused some people to question Laurier’s support for our LGBTQ2 campus community and transgender people in particular,” it began.
“We are proud of Laurier’s record of celebrating all aspects of
The people who can’t speak are us trans and non-binary people. KIRA WILLIAMS
diversity. The presence, visibility and voices of our lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer and two-spirited students, faculty and staff enrich our campuses in immeasurable ways.”
MacLatchy said the university has created additional supports for students, faculty and staff, and added measures to improve campus safety.
“There is no place at Laurier for bigotry, discrimination, intolerance or marginalization. Laurier’s support for our LGBTQ2 campus community is resolute and unshakable.”
Finlay said that since the incident that sparked all the conflict on campus, trans and non-binary students have faced “incredible amounts of violence.”
“Students have been feeling very unsafe,” said Finlay, adding that it’s having an effect on mental health and class attendance.
Finlay said the students are being approached and targeted online, on campus and in the community.
“Everywhere,” Finlay said.