Statement in support of Trans+ and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities

September 20, 2023

As some of you are aware, protests against Trans+ and 2SLGBTQIA+ content in Canadian K-12 schools are taking place in cities across Canada on Sept. 20. Hate-fuelled movements like these are abhorrent, misinformed and contradict the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and tolerance that are integral to the University of Victoria community.

Schools and post-secondary institutions must be inclusive and safe spaces. As such, we support BC’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) inclusive education and other programs that help to create safety for children and youth.

On the day of this march, we are inspired by those who are organizing a counter protest in support of the Trans+ and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. It is important to stand up for inclusivity and against intolerance and transphobia where and when we can.

Everyone should have the freedom to live their lives authentically. We believe that Trans+ lives matter; and there is no space for hate.

Education and creating change are everyone’s responsibility. UVic’s Equity and Human Rights (EQHR) office has a 5-part Anti-Oppression Education Program that calls on all UVic community members to engage in anti-oppression work, while also providing tools for Indigenous and/or 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

We encourage people to educate themselves about Trans+ and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, as well as the rich history of activists, community leaders, educators and researchers who have supported gender-diverse movements in Canada and around the world, and who make our campus a better place.

UVic has many resources and groups to support this learning, including the Chair in Transgender Studies, Transgender Archives, Department of Gender Studies and the UVSS’s Gender Empowerment Centre, to name a few. For comprehensive information on gender diversity and inclusion at UVic, see our Trans inclusion web portal. Read the Faculty of Humanities’ statement in support of trans rights and equality.

At the very least, everyone at UVic deserves safety. We know more work is needed to make UVic a truly inclusive and safe space for the Trans+ community. We’re working to hear from members of Trans+ and 2SLGTBQIA+ communities – to inform decision making and to stand with them. We are committed to putting in this effort and to holding ourselves and our institution accountable for delivering on this promise.

Yours sincerely,