Bill C-16

U of T's Lee Airton launches campaign urging people to say NBD to gender neutral pronouns

geoff.vendeville — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 14:04:17 +0000

U of T's Lee Airton launches campaign urging people to say NBD to gender neutral pronouns

geoff.vendeville Thu, 12/01/2016 - 09:04

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Lee Airton says the goal of the NBD campaign is "to make visible the quieter support that is already there" (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Author legacy

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Our Community

Sexual and Gender Diversity

Gender

Bill C-16

LGBTQ

Faculty of Arts & Science

OISE

Referring to someone as “they” takes little effort, says a new campaign called “No Big Deal” – but it could mean the world to that person.

Led by Lee Airton, an instructor at U of T's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education who uses the gender neutral pronoun “they,” the campaign comes amid a larger national discussion about gender and language.

“My pronoun is a big deal to me,” said Airton. “It’s taken me many years to get here and find something that works – and that makes all kinds of things possible in my life – but I feel like it doesn’t have to be a big deal to you.”

Airton teamed up with illustrator Cai Sepulis to design a badge in different shades of green saying “I’ll use your pronoun – no big deal.” Airton has since published it online under a creative commons license so anyone can share and use it.

“The goal of the badge is to make visible the quieter support that is already there [for using gender neutral pronouns],” Airton said.

They have also created graphics with additional information including arguments for using gender neutral pronouns.

Airton tweeted about wearing the NBD campaign badge with Randall Garrison, an NDP British Columbia MP.

The campaign has received funding from U of T’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.

The campaign can dispel misconceptions around Bill C-16, which would bar discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression, said Brenda Cossman, a U of T law professor and director of the Bonham Centre in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“This is a wonderfully refreshing campaign that just tries to explain why pronouns are really important to people’s dignity and respect, and why it’s a really easy thing to do,” Cossman said.

When someone gets Airton’s pronoun wrong, it can be hurtful if done deliberately – but more often it's just awkward, said Airton. Over time, it becomes draining.

“It saps a bit of your energy every time,” Airton said.

It would be a relief for those who prefer to be known by a gender neutral pronoun to walk into a café for example and see a barista wearing a “No Big Deal” badge, Airton said.

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 TheyIsMyPronoun.com, 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.”

Read Airton’s op-ed in The Globe and Mail

The use of “they” to refer to a gender-nonconforming person has gained currency in some quarters in recent years, Airton noted.

In January, the American Dialect Society, a more than century-old group of editors, linguists, grammarians, students and teachers chose the singular “they” as Word of the Year for 2015. A month earlier, the Washington Post adapted its style guide to allow its writers to use the gender neutral pronoun.

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 Allison Burgess, U of T’s sexual and gender diversity officer.

“The campaign is really lovely in that it addresses misinformation about trans identities,” she said.

U of T, UBC professors participate in forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code

lanthierj — Sat, 19 Nov 2016 19:54:58 +0000

U of T, UBC professors participate in forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code

lanthierj Sat, 11/19/2016 - 14:54

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From left: Professor Mayo Moran, Professor Jordan Peterson and Professor Brenda Cossman at the forum (all photos by Romi Levine)

Topic

Our Community

Bill C-16

In a tightly packed lecture hall Saturday, the ��Ƶ held an academic forum to discuss Bill C-16 and the gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC).

“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,” said Professor David Cameron, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Mayo Moran, professor of law and provost at Trinity College moderated the forum, which was held by the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Panellists were Jordan Peterson, a professor of psychology at U of T, Brenda Cossman, professor of law and director of the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at U of T and Mary Bryson, professor of education and senior associate dean, administration, faculty affairs & innovation, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia.

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.

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.

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.

“We need to start talking and listening,” Peterson said during his opening remarks.

“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.

For Cossman, supporting Bill C-16 is about compassion and human rights.

“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.

“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.”

Bryson (pictured below) said the forum was taking place at an important moment.

“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.”

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.”

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 recording of the event below:

Forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code

lanthierj — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 17:01:31 +0000

Forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code

lanthierj Mon, 11/14/2016 - 12:01

Topic

Our Community

Bill C-16

Faculty of Arts & Science

The ��Ƶ 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).

The forum will take place Saturday, Nov. 19, 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, tune into the webcast.

Participants are:

Mary Bryson, professor of education and senior associate dean, administration, faculty affairs & innovation, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia
Brenda Cossman, professor of law and director of the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at U of T
Mayo Moran (moderator), professor of law and provost, Trinity College, U of T
Jordan Peterson, professor of psychology, U of T

The forum, to be held by the Faculty of Arts & 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.

Bill C-16 and the provisions of the OHRC have become a topic of discussion across U of T 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.

Professor David Cameron, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, said the forum “aims to permit – in an academic setting – the rational examination of the various views raised by this controversy.”

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.”

Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr said universities must be places “where the academic community can come together to consider even divisive and challenging issues in a respectful manner.”

Read an interview with Dean Cameron

Watch the live webcast

Examining Bill C-16 and the Ontario Human Rights Code

lanthierj — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:08:45 +0000

Examining Bill C-16 and the Ontario Human Rights Code

lanthierj Thu, 11/03/2016 - 09:08

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Arts & Science

Bill C-16

Talks are underway at the ��Ƶ for an academic forum to discuss Bill C-16 and the gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC).

Although details are still being organized, it is expected that speakers at the forum, to be hosted by the Faculty of Arts & Science, would include Professor Jordan Peterson.

U of T News spoke with Professor David Cameron, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, about the forum and his belief that the University has an important role to play in discussing controversial or difficult ideas and arguments.

Why is it so important to have the forum?

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.

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.

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.

What do you hope to get out of the forum?

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.

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.

What is your response to those who disagree with the University for planning to hold the event?

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.

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.

Bill C-16

U of T's Lee Airton launches campaign urging people to say NBD to gender neutral pronouns

Read Airton’s op-ed in The Globe and Mail

Read more about Airton's campaign

U of T, UBC professors participate in forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code

Forum on Bill C-16 and gender provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code

Read an interview with Dean Cameron

Watch the live webcast

Examining Bill C-16 and the Ontario Human Rights Code