Bill C-16 / en 91łÔąĎ's Lee Airton launches campaign urging people to say NBD to gender neutral pronouns /news/u-t-s-lee-airton-launches-campaign-urging-people-say-nbd-gender-neutral-pronouns <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91łÔąĎ's Lee Airton launches campaign urging people to say NBD to gender neutral pronouns</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Lee%20Airton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=GW4DWeCy 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Lee%20Airton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ELcd0qZd 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Lee%20Airton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=EXLG3Afc 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Lee%20Airton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=GW4DWeCy" alt="Photo of Lee Airton"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-12-01T09:04:17-05:00" title="Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 09:04" class="datetime">Thu, 12/01/2016 - 09:04</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Lee Airton says the goal of the NBD campaign is "to make visible the quieter support that is already there" (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville) </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Geoffrey Vendeville</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sexual-and-gender-diversity" hreflang="en">Sexual and Gender Diversity</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/gender" hreflang="en">Gender</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/bill-c-16" hreflang="en">Bill C-16</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/lgbtq" hreflang="en">LGBTQ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/oise" hreflang="en">OISE</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Referring to someone&nbsp;as “they” takes little effort, says a <a href="http://www.nbdcampaign.ca/">new campaign</a> called “No Big Deal”&nbsp;– &nbsp;but it could mean the world to that person.</p> <p>Led by <strong>Lee Airton</strong>, an instructor at 91łÔąĎ's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education&nbsp;who uses the gender neutral pronoun “they,” the campaign comes amid a larger national discussion about gender and language.</p> <p>“My pronoun is a big deal to me,” said Airton. “It’s taken me many years to get here and find something that works –&nbsp;and that makes all kinds of things possible in my life –&nbsp;but I feel like it doesn’t have to be a big deal to you.”</p> <p>Airton teamed up with illustrator Cai Sepulis to design a badge in different shades of green saying “I’ll use your pronoun –&nbsp;no big deal.” Airton has since&nbsp;published it online under a creative commons license so anyone can share and use it.&nbsp;</p> <p>“The goal of the badge is to make visible the quieter support that is already there&nbsp;[for using gender neutral pronouns],” Airton said.&nbsp;</p> <p>They have also created&nbsp;graphics with additional&nbsp;information&nbsp;including arguments for using gender neutral pronouns.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2716 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/Lee%20Airton%20tweet%20cropped.jpg" style="width: 551px; height: 500px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> <em>Airton tweeted about wearing the NBD campaign badge with Randall Garrison, an NDP British Columbia MP.</em></p> <p>The campaign has received funding from 91łÔąĎ’s Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, the sexual and gender diversity office, Planned Parenthood Toronto and the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity.&nbsp;</p> <p>The campaign can dispel misconceptions around Bill C-16, which would bar discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression, said <strong>Brenda Cossman</strong>, a 91łÔąĎ law professor and director of the Bonham Centre in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.</p> <p>“This is a wonderfully refreshing campaign that just tries to explain why pronouns are really important to people’s dignity and respect,&nbsp;and why it’s a really easy thing to do,” Cossman said.</p> <p>When someone gets Airton’s pronoun wrong, it can be hurtful if done deliberately –&nbsp;but&nbsp;more often it's&nbsp;just awkward, said Airton. Over time, it becomes draining.&nbsp;</p> <p>“It saps a bit of your energy every time,” Airton said.</p> <p>It would be a relief for those who prefer to be known by a gender neutral pronoun to walk into a cafĂ©&nbsp;for example&nbsp;and see a barista wearing a “No Big Deal” badge, Airton said.</p> <p>Airton opted for the gender neutral word five years ago because they didn’t feel comfortable being lumped into the traditional male or female category. At <a href="http://theyismypronoun.com/">TheyIsMyPronoun.com</a>, Airton answers questions submitted by readers about using the pronoun, such as how to write fiction with the singular “they” and whether to use “themself” or “themselves.”</p> <h3><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/gender-neutral-pronouns-shouldnt-be-a-big-deal/article32497815/">Read Airton’s op-ed in <em>The Globe and Mail</em></a></h3> <p>The use of “they” to refer to a gender-nonconforming person has gained currency in some quarters in recent years, Airton noted.</p> <p>In January, the American Dialect Society, a more than century-old group of editors, linguists, grammarians, students and teachers&nbsp;chose the singular “they” as <a href="http://www.americandialect.org/woty">Word of the Year for 2015</a>. A month earlier, the <em>Washington Post</em> adapted its style guide to allow its writers to use the gender neutral pronoun.</p> <p>The NBD campaign comes at a good time because there has been a lot of media attention given to transgender issues in recent years, said <strong>Allison Burgess</strong>, 91łÔąĎ’s sexual and gender diversity officer.</p> <p>“The campaign is really lovely in that it addresses misinformation about trans identities,” she said.</p> <h3><a href="http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2016/12/06/new-campaign-makes-gender-neutral-pronouns-no-big-deal.html">Read more about Airton's campaign</a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 01 Dec 2016 14:04:17 +0000 geoff.vendeville 102604 at 91łÔąĎ, UBC professors participate in forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code /news/u-t-ubc-professors-participate-forum-bill-c-16-and-gender-provisions-ontario-human-rights-code <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">91łÔąĎ, UBC professors participate in forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-11-19-moran-peterson-cossman.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1B20Kp6k 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-11-19-moran-peterson-cossman.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=BVTpgXKs 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-11-19-moran-peterson-cossman.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=i0Mm_sOz 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-11-19-moran-peterson-cossman.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1B20Kp6k" alt="photo of Moran, Peterson and Cossman at forum"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-11-19T14:54:58-05:00" title="Saturday, November 19, 2016 - 14:54" class="datetime">Sat, 11/19/2016 - 14:54</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">From left: Professor Mayo Moran, Professor Jordan Peterson and Professor Brenda Cossman at the forum (all photos by Romi Levine)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/bill-c-16" hreflang="en">Bill C-16</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In a tightly packed lecture hall Saturday, the 91łÔąĎ held an academic forum to discuss Bill C-16 and the gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC).</p> <p>“This is doing what a university does best: providing a forum at which scholars with expertise can engage in searching discussion of even the most difficult topics,”&nbsp;said Professor <strong>David Cameron</strong>, dean of the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Mayo Moran</strong>, professor of law and provost at Trinity College moderated the forum, which was held by the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.&nbsp;</p> <p>Panellists were <strong>Jordan Peterson</strong>, a professor of psychology at 91łÔąĎ, <strong>Brenda Cossman</strong>, professor of law and director of the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at 91łÔąĎ and <strong>Mary Bryson</strong>, professor of education and senior associate dean, administration, faculty affairs &amp; innovation, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia. &nbsp;</p> <p>Bill C-16 amends the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. Under provisions of the OHRC, which came into effect in 2012, people are protected from discrimination and harassment on the basis of gender identity and gender expression.</p> <p>Bill C-16 and OHRC provisions have been subject to discussion on and offline after Peterson posted a series of videos on the topic. Professors, students, community members and media weighed in, with much of the conversation taking place on social media and on campus during public demonstrations.</p> <p><img alt="photo of audience" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2574 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-11-19-Audience.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>The forum began with Peterson and then Cossman each speaking for 10 minutes followed by Peterson and Bryson who took turns speaking. Moran then posed follow-up questions to each of the speakers before opening it up to questions from the audience.</p> <p>&nbsp;“We need to start talking and listening,” Peterson said during his opening remarks.&nbsp;</p> <p>“What you have to do is you have to articulate your thoughts in the public forum so that other people can attack you – hopefully in a corrective manner,” he said.&nbsp;</p> <p>For Cossman, supporting Bill C-16 is about compassion and human rights.</p> <p>“Why it all matters is because people matter. I worry that we moved into a place now – not only a post-truth politics but a post-empathy politics where we no longer seem to care about people. And this at the end of the day is about people – it’s about trans and gender non-binary people,” Cossman said.&nbsp;</p> <p>“All this is about, all human rights are about, is respect and dignity. And if you can throw in a little kindness on the top – that would be even better.”</p> <p>Bryson (pictured below) said the forum was taking place at an important moment.</p> <p><img alt="photo of Bryson" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2575 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-11-19-Bryson.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>“Yesterday, Bill C-16 passed third reading in the House of Commons and tomorrow is Trans Day of Remembrance. If you only hear this, know that I am unwavering in my belief that the fundamental rights to safety and the humanity of trans and non-binary people are not up for debate.”</p> <p>Bryson also spoke of “our responsibility in creating institutional climates that take very seriously the goal of reducing inequality. That has always been a fundamental goal of education.”</p> <p>No protests or disruptions occurred during the forum, which lasted about 100 minutes and was attended by many students as well as media and community members. You can watch a&nbsp;recording of the event below:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZCzKpz7Lm2U" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Sat, 19 Nov 2016 19:54:58 +0000 lanthierj 102451 at Forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code /news/forum-bill-c-16-and-gender-provisions-ontario-human-rights-code <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-10-25-sid-smith-lead_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=JozQAD16 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-10-25-sid-smith-lead_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=iAVyUxZr 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-10-25-sid-smith-lead_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=V1Q7vqQ7 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-10-25-sid-smith-lead_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=JozQAD16" alt="Photo of Sidney Smith"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-11-14T12:01:31-05:00" title="Monday, November 14, 2016 - 12:01" class="datetime">Mon, 11/14/2016 - 12:01</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/bill-c-16" hreflang="en">Bill C-16</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The 91łÔąĎ will hold an academic forum this week for the University community to discuss Bill C-16 and the gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC).</p> <p>The forum will take place Saturday, Nov.&nbsp;19,&nbsp;from 9:30-11 a.m., at the Sandford Fleming Building, 10 King’s College Road. No more tickets are available but the event will be livestreamed. To watch the forum, <a href="http://mediacast.ic.utoronto.ca/20161119-FAS/index.htm">tune into the webcast</a>.</p> <p>Participants are:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://ubc.academia.edu/MaryBryson">Mary Bryson</a>, professor of education and senior associate dean, administration, faculty affairs &amp; innovation, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia&nbsp;</li> <li><a href="http://www.law.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/full-time-faculty/brenda-cossman"><strong>Brenda Cossman</strong></a>, professor of law and director of the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at 91łÔąĎ</li> <li><a href="http://www.law.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/full-time-faculty/mayo-moran"><strong>Mayo Moran</strong></a> (moderator), professor of law and provost, Trinity College, 91łÔąĎ&nbsp;</li> <li><a href="http://jordanbpeterson.com/"><strong>Jordan Peterson</strong></a>, professor of psychology, 91łÔąĎ</li> </ul> <p>The forum, to be held by the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, comes at a time when Bill C-16 has just passed second reading in Canada’s parliament. Bill C-16 would amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination. Under provisions of the OHRC, which came into effect in 2012, people are protected from discrimination and harassment on the basis of gender identity and gender expression.</p> <p>Bill C-16 and the provisions of the OHRC have become a topic of discussion across 91łÔąĎ in recent weeks after Peterson, a professor of psychology, posted a series of videos on the topic. Other professors responded to his views by posting their own videos and blogs. As more scholars, students, community members and media weighed in, public demonstrations followed.</p> <p>Professor <strong>David Cameron</strong>, dean of the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, said the forum “aims to permit – in an academic setting – the rational examination of the various views raised by this controversy.”</p> <p>Cameron acknowledged questions have been raised about the merits of holding such an event, but said the goal is to “help the University community and interested members of our society to understand the law more deeply – and specifically human rights law as it relates to gender identity.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Vice-President and Provost <strong>Cheryl Regehr </strong>said universities must be places “where the academic community can come together to consider even divisive and challenging issues in a respectful manner.”</p> <h3><a href="/news/examining-bill-c-16-and-ontario-human-rights-code">Read an interview with Dean Cameron&nbsp;</a></h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="http://mediacast.ic.utoronto.ca/20161119-FAS/index.htm">Watch the live webcast</a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 14 Nov 2016 17:01:31 +0000 lanthierj 101550 at Examining Bill C-16 and the Ontario Human Rights Code /news/examining-bill-c-16-and-ontario-human-rights-code <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Examining Bill C-16 and the Ontario Human Rights Code</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-10-28-david-cameron.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=k4UHXYGb 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-10-28-david-cameron.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Qi4BjeQ5 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-10-28-david-cameron.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Rv_KPUPp 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-10-28-david-cameron.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=k4UHXYGb" alt="photo of David Cameron"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-11-03T09:08:45-04:00" title="Thursday, November 3, 2016 - 09:08" class="datetime">Thu, 11/03/2016 - 09:08</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/bill-c-16" hreflang="en">Bill C-16</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Talks are underway at the 91łÔąĎ for an academic forum to discuss Bill C-16 and the gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC).</p> <p>Although details are still being organized, it is expected that speakers at the forum, to be hosted by the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, would include Professor <strong>Jordan Peterson</strong>. &nbsp;</p> <p><em>91łÔąĎ News</em> spoke with Professor <strong>David Cameron</strong>, dean of the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, about the forum and his belief that the University has an important role to play in discussing controversial or difficult ideas and arguments.</p> <hr> <p><strong>Why is it so important to have the forum?</strong></p> <p>A university is supposed to be a place where there can be civil and respectful discussion of even the most highly controversial issues. In an academic forum, shouting and intimidation are out; rational argument, even if impassioned, is in.</p> <p>Many people, inside and outside the University, believe that Professor Jordan Peterson’s arguments are utterly without merit, and should not be given the time of day. Many others, inside and outside the University, hold with equal conviction to the opposite proposition, namely, that Professor Peterson’s arguments have singular value, and that the dismissal of these arguments is an expression of ideology, not the product of thoughtful analysis.</p> <p>In such polarized circumstances, it is appropriate that the University sponsor a forum, which aims to permit – in an academic setting – the rational examination of the various views raised by this controversy.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>What do you hope to get out of the forum?</strong></p> <p>Ideally, a searching examination and assessment of the arguments in play, which would help the University community and interested members of our society to understand the issues more deeply and to develop reasoned positions on them.</p> <p>Perhaps more realistically, given the envenomed nature of the debate, I would hope that the forum would demonstrate the University’s conscientious effort to establish space where the academic community can come together to consider even the most divisive matters in an environment of civility.</p> <p><strong>What is your response to those who disagree with the University for planning to hold the event?</strong></p> <p>First of all, I am disturbed by the fact that the controversy has created an environment in which harmful and threatening statements have been made, putting some vulnerable members of our community at risk. Trolls have said vile and hateful things on social media that have caused justifiable fear and anxiety. It is reprehensible that people feel entitled to indulge themselves in such behaviour, often behind the mask of anonymity.</p> <p>Many who disagree with the holding of such a forum believe it will increase the temperature and further worsen what is already a bad situation. It is my hope that it will do the reverse: by exposing claims and arguments on all sides to the cold light of reason and analysis, the forum, if successful, will lower the temperature and assist the University community, and the society at large, to reflect on the issues in a calmer and more considered fashion. That, at least, is my hope.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:08:45 +0000 lanthierj 102200 at