[kokosas]

Women's Center Founding Committee Response
A response to the opinion piece of Adam Owen, click here to view it and the Sil article on the Referendum

Written by Riisa Walden

Hello,

We are writing this email in regards to the upcoming MSU referendum to be held on March 11th and 12th about a proposed MSU-run Women’s Centre. We would appreciate your help raising awareness about this upcoming vote with your colleagues / students / membership.

We are concerned that students may not be aware that an MSU-run Women’s Centre is not the only option for a Women’s Centre on campus. A “no” vote in the referendum does not foreclose the prospect of any Women’s Centre opening on campus in the future. For over a year now, the Founding Committee for the McMaster Centre for Women and Trans People has been advocating for a Centre that would provide a safe drop in and gathering space, and free support, referrals and resources. It would be designed for and open to all members of the McMaster community; this means undergrad students, graduate students, faculty members and staff members.

The referendum question will be: “Do you support the establishment of a women’s centre funded by and under the direction of the McMaster Students Union?”

While we support a Women’s Centre, we feel the proposed MSU-run Centre does not reflect the need for a trans-positive space and an autonomous feminist-led initiative. We are concerned an MSU-run Women’s Centre would compromise the autonomy of the Centre, limit who it could serve, and circumscribe who could be involved in its governance.

Since the referendum question seems to be incompatible with our vision of an inclusive Women and Trans Centre, we are continuing to advocate for an alternative option, moving ahead with our ideas with the intent of establishing the kind of Centre we have been working towards.

We would be happy if you could enable an opportunity for dialogue by raising this issue with your colleagues / students / membership.

If you would like more information about the Founding Committee’s activities and objectives, please refer to the more detailed information provided below.

We have also included two articles from the most recent issue of The Silhouette to give you an idea of the range of perspectives about this issue. For more discussion please visit and direct your colleagues to the web discussion forum set up by the Founding Committee: http://macwomenandtrans.prob oards.com/

If you have questions or concerns, you can contact the Founding Committee for the McMaster Centre for Women and Trans People at [email protected] .com.

Regards,

Riisa Walden

On behalf of the Founding Committee



More Information about the Founding Committee and the McMaster Centre for Women and Trans People

The Founding Committee is made up of interested undergraduate and graduate student who have been advocating for the establishment of a Women and Trans Centre at McMaster. We envision a Women and Trans Centre that helps to better the McMaster community by ensuring that women and trans people feel supported as equal, safe, and valued members of the community. The Centre would provide a safe drop in and gathering space for women, and free support, referrals and resources. It would be designed for and open to all members of the McMaster community; this means undergrad students, graduate students, faculty members and staff members.

What We Do

The Centre for Women and Trans People aims to be a safe and inclusive space for all women on McMaster campus—that includes students, faculty, and employees. We envision a space where women can come to for resources, activism, and programming and advocacy advice. It’s important to have a centre that can address women and trans issues that relate to sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, ageism, parenting, health, violence and poverty.

Of course, this would be a feminist space, but feminism doesn’t have to be a scary word (as we all know!). We would be pro-choice, anti-racist, queer-positive, trans-positive, size-positive, faith-inclusive space where everyone is respected. It’s important to provide a space where discourse can occur about issues on campus without women feeling silenced.

What We Want

In order to serve the entire McMaster community, we propose that the Women and Trans Centre would operate independent of the MSU. The Centre would be accountable for its actions and activities to all its contributing partners; however, it would not fall under the sole jurisdiction of any one partner. This is important in order to be able to serve all women on campus. The MSU only serves the undergraduate population and falling under its jurisdiction would limit which population of women the Centre could serve.

The Women and Trans Centre needs a space to operate from that would be open to all members of the McMaster community, preferably including an enclosed and private space for only women and trans people to use.

How the Centre Would Operate

The ideal Women and Trans Centre would operate autonomously, with a non-hierarchical structure. It would be comprised of a Coordinator (which would be a part-time paid staff position), Committee Coordinators, and representatives from university partnering organizations. This would ensure that everyone would be able to give their input and create an inclusive space for all. It is our hope that the MSU, the GSA, the McMaster Faculty and Staff Associations, Human Rights and Equity Services, the university Administration, and CUPE 3906 would agree to partner with us

Volunteer committees will be formed for coordinating and devising various activities and operational responsibilities. The committees proposed are: Social Committee, Service/Education Committee, Political Action Committee, Community Partners Committee, Advocacy Committee, Communication Committee, Fundraising Committee, Volunteer Committee, and a Review Committee.

The Review Committee would operate as a check for the Centre, in order to ensure that it continues to grow and change with the needs of the people who pass through McMaster. It would review policies and positions, and suggest any changes that may need to be made. In this way, the Women and Trans Centre would be malleable, a reflection of the current women and trans people of McMaster.

So, How Would Cis-Gendered Men (men who were born male) Be Involved?

This is our most popular question! It is important to have the support of cis-men around women’s issues, and any interest and willingness to help is appreciated. However, the Centre will be run by women and trans individuals—people who will be familiar with the issues important to the Centre’s main users.

As for the objection that men do not have their own centre to go to…we would happily support the initiative for a men’s centre if men feel there is a need for one.

Goals and Objectives

Operating a Women and Trans Centre first requires a space to do so. After we acquire a space, the Centre would provide:

• A non-threatening drop-in space and resource centre
• An additional, private space available for drop in or by appointment only (for things such as crisis support, nursing, prayer, etc.)
• Free support, referrals, and resources
• Workshops and information sessions on women and trans issues, as well as issues identified as related or pertinent to the McMaster Community

This isn't rhetorical, I would appreciate answers.

Why am I:

a) a poor undergraduate student, forced to bear the expense of a centre that can be used by anyone who wants to use it when they do not contribute funding to it?

b) a poor male student, forced to bear the expense of a centre that has its doors closed to me?

Where would you propose to have such a center?

Read another point of view from an SRA member in a MacInsiders article posted here.

I just want to reiterate my question that I've asked the founding committee members many times before - please explain why, with evidence and solid reasoning, an MSU-run women's centre is not the best way to create this service and how it would impose political problems. Please also explain how the QSCC, an MSU service, is different in this case and why it does not deal with these similar autonomical issues.

To anyone reading this, please, please read up the SRA member's opinion on this service as it has a lot of pivotal points.

Also, note that there are many thoughts and groups looking into these proposals. I have found MSU documents from as long ago as 2005 that were expressing interest in opening an MSU womyn's centre.

I have been following this issue since the beginning of my term on SRA. Being one of the few females in the current assembly, I have felt obligated to keep a close eye to these proposals as I am probably a lot more free to speak to some of these issues than my male counterparts (not that it is like that, it just might be a possibility). Having said that, I have yet to be convinced as to why this founding committee's proposal makes any sense whatsoever. It was continually stated that it would be modelled after centres at york and UofT, which don't have services like we have at Mac like the QSCC, SHEC, etc. Also, there are plenty MSU organizations that offer services to all McMaster community members, not just undergrads. EFRT is certainly a poster child for this point.

The founding committee may have one idea as to how this should be run but it is not the only idea. I, a female student in my fourth year, fully disagree with the founding committee's vision and will take that into consideration when I go to vote on Wed/Thurs.

I have a few issues with the information provided:

It’s important to have a centre that can address women and trans issues that relate to sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, ageism, parenting, health, violence and poverty.

As Temara and many others have mentioned. We have services that deal with these issues, why spend more of our money on a new service that is going to over lap with others? If, like Temara said, our services fall short, enhance them, expand upon them, don't overshadow them!

It’s important to provide a space where discourse can occur about issues on campus without women feeling silenced.

for only women and trans people to use.

It is important to have the support of cis-men around women’s issues, and any interest and willingness to help is appreciated. However, the Centre will be run by women and trans individuals—people who will be familiar with the issues important to the Centre’s main users.

Excuse me if I'm missing something here but what on earth makes women and trans people so darn special? As a woman, I can say that I really do not feel the need for this centre (I cannot speak for trans people). If we start giving women and trans people special centres then we may as well expand the campus because we're going to need one for every different sexual orientation/gender/religion/etc. It's outrageous. Adam Owen is right when he said that this is simply separating us as a community. What about men "feeling silenced"? How is this fair to them?

Rohan raised a good point: as a male, he would be paying for this centre without ever being able to USE it. Call that selfish if you like but when you're on a student income, you pinch the pennies wherever you can.

In order to serve the entire McMaster community, we propose that the Women and Trans Centre would operate independent of the MSU.

The McMaster Community has functioned quite well without a Womens Centre up until now, why the sudden need? Why jump on the bandwagon of "other universities have it, why don't we!?" Not to mention that there are several in Hamilton. One of MacInsiders users previously posted links and numbers to ones in the area on the SRA Members Opinion Thread that is linked by both Temara and Chad.

and CUPE 3906 would agree to partner with us

This is probably one of my biggest problems. CUPE should NOT be involved in anything to do with Undergrads. We have our OWN union. I personally don't want CUPE to have anything to do with a service on campus for undergrads, they are too caught up with drama and media attention, they don't actually THINK before they act. Case in point: Summer 2008 when they decided to storm Peter Georges office because their rally outside the Student Center wasn't enough attention.

If (and I really hope not) there is going to be a womens center on our campus, it needs to be run by the MSU. Not by outside organizations or persons. How could we, the undergrads who make up the majority, trust our money to people who are not regulated by our union? That would be like saying all of CUPE's members to suddenly start doing things as a collective without consulting their union.

Like Temara said, it could be made so that others (besides full time undergrads) could use it, EFRT is a perfect example.

These days, anything CUPE terrifies me. After York..... it's scary to see what they can make people go through

Every time i see these people out protesting i just think... what price am i going to have to pay for this nonsense?

Originally Posted by micadjems

These days, anything CUPE terrifies me. After York..... it's scary to see what they can make people go through

Every time i see these people out protesting i just think... what price am i going to have to pay for this nonsense?

Yeah, I would rather not have CUPE involved with anything...It only means bad news.

My huge problem with the idea suggested here is that they want autonomy but still want to take money from a variety of different groups. They didn't have any plan for how they would have any sort of accounting department or budget. They're saying they want to take students money - also note that they were asking for far more money than any similar MSU service has for an operating budget - and they had absolutely no semblance of a plan as to how they would remain accountable to the people itwho gave to them. Does this make sense to anyone?

Also, they want a non-hierachal system?! So no one is really responsible to any else? I can fruck around with funds and no one would fire me? HELLS YEA! I'm gonna work there! - Vacation to Cuba, here we come! [I would never actually steal but you can see where I am going with this].

Whether I think this is something the MSU needs to do is a whole different question - but I've probably already left that cat out of the bag on other forums.. But I am definitely boounsing this "founding committee's" plan with full force.

As a former Elections Committee Member, I can say with a good deal of certainty that if CUPE intends on imposing their referendum on us, this response of their's qualifies as unadulterated pre-campaigning.

This referendum was initiated because a sufficient number of undergrads saw fit to bring it forward, the SRA didn't vote on the matter. As far as I'm concerned the undergrads spoke clearly when they wanted to see this option at the table, they have not spoken thusly for the Founding Committee's proposal.

I'm also going to take the time right now to scream foul over outside interference in an MSU administered campaign. I'm fairly certain Ms. Walden is a graduate student and she should take note that this is an MSU matter, not a CUPE or GSA one, if I'm wrong however, please correct me and I'll apologize.

Ms. Walden is a Grad Student here, to the best of my knowledge. She is my former TA.

Also, they want a non-hierachal system?! So no one is really responsible to any else? I can fruck around with funds and no one would fire me? HELLS YEA! I'm gonna work there! - Vacation to Cuba, here we come! [I would never actually steal but you can see where I am going with this].

Just wanted everyone here who posted to know thata non-hierarchal system can exist and a prime example of this would be the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton. The organization is run with non-hierachal practices, everyone is held accountable for what they do and the organization has been running successfully since it began.