Dear UCLA Colleagues, I’m circulating this effort by faculty and graduate students at my alma mater (University of Toronto) to condemn recent transphobic statements made on social and traditional media, and to promote positive and supportive workspaces for transgender, gender non-binary, and black students and faculty. Welcoming your expressions of support and solidarity. ST Sarah Tracy, PhD Assistant Adjunct Professor Center for the Study of Women & Institute for Society & Genetics UCLA [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Begin forwarded message: Dear Colleagues, You are likely aware of the recent on-campus and online incidents of transphobic and anti-black hate speech and threats at the university. A group of colleagues drafted the letter below, which we ask you to read and consider signing. The letter will be sent to the administration and the Varsity. If you would like to sign this letter, please click on this link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12QfUduPDryoK2DyvlhGy6LQ77pqW6rqk3h-6Kr5Ouqw/edit#gid=0<https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12QfUduPDryoK2DyvlhGy6LQ77pqW6rqk3h-6Kr5Ouqw/edit#gid=0> We will be collecting signatures until 5 p.m. on Wednesday October 18th. Thanks, WGSI and The List --- We, the undersigned faculty and members of the University of Toronto, condemn recent on-campus and online incidents of transphobic and anti-black hate speech and threats at the university. Hate speech should not be tolerated under the banner of free speech. Racist and transphobic harassment and hate speech are against U of T's Statement on Human Rights (2012), the policy on Freedom of Speech and its Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Excellence. We welcome the statement issued by the university administration, condemning the social media attacks on LGBTQI identified students. We call on the university administration to detail what it will do to prevent the continuation of such incidents, thus making it clear that there is no room for anti-black and anti-transgender hate speech at the University of Toronto.We also ask what it means to create an environment in which we are not simply reacting to hate speech and threats against members of our community, and thus ensuring that we are not tacitly legitimating an atmosphere of harassment and hostility towards transgender, gender non-binary, and black students and faculty. As faculty and members of the University of Toronto, we also commit to challenging racism and transphobia, and to building classrooms, departments, debates, and events in which transgender, gender-nonbinary, queer, black and racialized students and faculty can work and study with support and without harassment. We stand in solidarity with colleagues and students who are standing up to these unacceptable hostile conditions for their work and study. Three recent media links: http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2016/10/17/trans-students-worried-following-onliine-threats.html http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/police-investigating-online-threats-sent-to-transgender-people-at-u-of-t/article32376202/ http://thevarsity.ca/2016/10/03/u-of-t-community-responds-to-jordan-peterson-on-gender-identities/ STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO Issued October 14, 2016 Dear PDAD&C members, Later today, we will be sending an email communication to all U of T faculty, staff and students about specific threats made in social media against some transgender members of our community (see text below). Please direct anyone who comes to you with safety concerns to the resources that will be listed in that message. Please feel free to call me if any issues arise in your departments and divisions related to this situation. Sincerely, Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President & Provost Kelly Hannah-Moffat, Vice-President, Human Resources & Equity ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear University of Toronto faculty, staff and students, We have learned that specific threats have been made in social media against some individual members of the trans community at the University of Toronto. We condemn these threats. We are working closely with University of Toronto Campus Police, Toronto Police Service, and the U of T Community Safety Office to support the individuals who have received these threats. The situation is being actively monitored. The University of Toronto is proud of our diverse community and supports a safe environment for all of our members. As expressed in our Statement on Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment, we deplore the targeting of individuals and communities on the basis of gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, race or any other ground of prohibited discrimination. Cheryl Regehr Vice-President & Provost Kelly Hannah-Moffat Vice-President, Human Resources & Equity If you or anyone you know has safety concerns, please visithttp://safety.utoronto.ca/<http://safety.utoronto.ca/> or contact: Campus Police (Emergency Number) St George and UTSC: 416-978-2222 UTM: 905-569-4333 Community Safety Office (Tri-campus) 416-978-1485 http://www.communitysafety.utoronto.ca<http://www.communitysafety.utoronto.ca/> Additional Resources: Sexual & Gender Diversity Office (Tri-campus) 416-946-5624 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> http://sgdo.utoronto.ca/ Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office (Tri-campus) 416-978-1259 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> http://www.antiracism.utoronto.ca<http://www.antiracism.utoronto.ca/> UTM Equity & Diversity Office 905-569-4916 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/edo UTSC Equity & Diversity Office 416-208-2241 [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/edo