About us

Rachel Hope Cleves

A historian and professor at the University of Victoria, Rachel Hope Cleves is the author of three books, Unspeakable: A Life Beyond Sexual Morality (2020), Charity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America (2014), and The Reign of Terror in America: Visions of Violence from Anti-Jacobinism to Antislavery (2009). Published in 2018, her article, "Six Ways of Looking at a Trans Man: The Life of Frank Shimer, 1826-1901” can be found in The Journal of the History of Sexuality. In March of 2023, Cleves published an op-ed in The Washington Post entitled, "History Exposes the Real Reason Republicans Are Trying to Ban Drag Shows." Her research has also been featured in The Boston Globe, salon.com and brainpickings.org. Cleves' current project is titled, A Historian's Guide to Food and Sex. 

matthew heinz

matthew heinz is founding dean of the College of Interdisciplinary Studies and a professor in the School of Communication and Culture whose work focuses on the intersections of language, gender identity, sexual orientation and culture. He examines intercultural and international communication via performative writing, qualitative studies and discourse analysis. He led a community-guided transgender needs assessment for Vancouver Island, which started in 2010. heinz’s work has appeared in The Journal of Pragmatics, Multilingua, Communication Teacher, Journal of Homosexuality, Communication Education, The Journal of International Communication, Communication Studies and the Journal of Cognition and Communication. Originally from Germany, he has lived and worked in North America since the 1980s.

heinz joined Royal Roads in 2006, as an associate professor and director of the School of Communication and Culture. In 2008, he was appointed associate dean of the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences, before becoming dean in 2011. Prior to Royal Roads, heinz taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bowling Green State University and the University of North Dakota. He also worked as a print journalist in the United States.

heinz earned his PhD in communication studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his MSc in communication studies from Fort Hays State University, where his thesis was selected as most outstanding of 1989. heinz won the Central States Communication Association Outstanding New Teacher Award in 2001. His journalistic work in the U.S. was recognized by more than 20 first- and second-place awards in national and regional competitions.

Nate Lachowsky

Nathan Lachowsky is an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria. Championing interdisciplinary and community-based participatory approaches, he has conducted HIV and sexual health research with gay, bi and queer cis and trans men, including Two-Spirit Indigenous men across Canada and New Zealand. 

Nathan's principal area of research focuses on social and behavioural epidemiology and the importance of developing and analyzing quantitative public health data to inform public health practice, health service provision, and policy. While fundamentally trained as an epidemiologist, he conducts interdisciplinary mixed methods research within a social justice framework in order to achieve health equity for marginalized communities.

Annalee Lepp

Annalee Lepp joined UVic Gender Studies in 1993. Recipient of the 2012-13 Harry Hickman Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching

I was trained as an historian and my historical research has focused on Canadian gender, family, and legal history and most specifically the history of marital breakdown and domestic violence in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Canada.
My other main area of research concentrates on trafficking in persons, transnational labour migration, and irregular border movements in the global and especially the Canadian context.

I was a co-founder in 1996 and am the current director of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) Canada, a member organization of GAATW whose international secretariat is located in Bangkok. Work in this area has included human trafficking crisis intervention, advocacy, and acting as the principal investigator for a number of funded collaborative research projects on human trafficking and irregular cross-border movements from a human rights perspective.

Lydia Toorenberg

Tansi, my name is Lydia. I am an Otipemisiwak (Cree-Métis person) from my mother's side and a first-generation Dutch immigrant on my father's side. I recently completed my Honours degree in Anthropology at UVic under the supervision of Dr. Alexandrine Boudreault-Fournier with a Minor in Indigenous Studies.

As part of my mission to decolonize and indigenize anthropology that effects Indigenous people, in my Honour's thesis, “Nitawâhtâw” Searching for a Métis Approach to Audio-Visual Anthropology: Cultural, Linguistic, and Ethical Considerations, I explored how audio-visual ethnographic methods could be used in Indigenous research, especially how I could employ them in the context of a Métis epistemology.

With the completion of the ground work, I am ready to bring these methods into practice in my graduate work in order to amplify and prioritize the voices of the community. Dr. Alexandrine Boudreault-Fournier brings a wealth of knowledge in the development and implementation of these anthropological methods while I incorporate Indigenous knowledges and culture. Together, we will be pursuing research concerning health, marginalization, and resilience.

Alivia Wang

I am Alivia (she/her), trans woman and started my transition here at UVic. I am currently a staff at the Department of Chemistry supporting first and second year teaching labs. Before taking my current position, I was a graduate student in Chemistry, and before that completed a BSc (Honours), also in Chemistry. I am also a convocation senator. In 2019, I received a research student scholarship from the Chair in Transgender Studies.

Hope Warren

Hope is an artist and aspiring full stack web developer with a passion for Trans history and community development.

Margot Wilson

Margot Wilson is a cultural anthropologist interested in culture change, international development and planned change. Her early research has focused primarily on Bangladesh but she has spent a considerable amount of time in India.

Margot's research has focused on women's work in homestead gardens, stigmatization of leprosy patients and abandonment of women and children in Bangladesh. She is interested in women's narratives and the ways in which women represent their lived experiences, especially through letters. Most recently, her interests in gender and narrative have come together in a project focused on life histories of transgender elders. Margot is the owner and editor at TransGender Publishing.

Yahlnaaw

Yahlnaaw (she/her), EQHR Indigenous Rights and Anti-Racism Officer: I work to accelerate transformation of the university’s systems, policies, and cultures towards practices of inclusion, respect, anti-oppression, and decolonization through education and direct-action. In collaboration with other involved persons and offices, I develop and facilitate delivery of training and programs that increase understanding of, commitment to, and action on the university’s human rights, equity, anti-oppression, and decolonization goals.

As a Skidegate Haida, Queer, Transgender woman, I find it central to ensure intersectional epistemologies (ways of knowing), ontologies (ways of being), and axiology (values) are held as central in my work.

matt heinz

matthew heinz is founding dean of the College of Interdisciplinary Studies and a professor in the School of Communication and Culture whose work focuses on the intersections of language, gender identity, sexual orientation and culture. He examines intercultural and international communication via performative writing, qualitative studies and discourse analysis. He led a community-guided transgender needs assessment for Vancouver Island, which started in 2010. heinz’s work has appeared in The Journal of Pragmatics, Multilingua, Communication Teacher, Journal of Homosexuality, Communication Education, The Journal of International Communication, Communication Studies and the Journal of Cognition and Communication. Originally from Germany, he has lived and worked in North America since the 1980s.

heinz joined Royal Roads in 2006, as an associate professor and director of the School of Communication and Culture. In 2008, he was appointed associate dean of the Faculty of Social and Applied Sciences, before becoming dean in 2011. Prior to Royal Roads, heinz taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Bowling Green State University and the University of North Dakota. He also worked as a print journalist in the United States.

heinz earned his PhD in communication studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his MSc in communication studies from Fort Hays State University, where his thesis was selected as most outstanding of 1989. heinz won the Central States Communication Association Outstanding New Teacher Award in 2001. His journalistic work in the U.S. was recognized by more than 20 first- and second-place awards in national and regional competitions.

Annalee Lepp

Annalee Lepp joined UVic Gender Studies in 1993. Recipient of the 2012-13 Harry Hickman Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching

I was trained as an historian and my historical research has focused on Canadian gender, family, and legal history and most specifically the history of marital breakdown and domestic violence in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Canada.
My other main area of research concentrates on trafficking in persons, transnational labour migration, and irregular border movements in the global and especially the Canadian context.

I was a co-founder in 1996 and am the current director of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) Canada, a member organization of GAATW whose international secretariat is located in Bangkok. Work in this area has included human trafficking crisis intervention, advocacy, and acting as the principal investigator for a number of funded collaborative research projects on human trafficking and irregular cross-border movements from a human rights perspective.

Saylesh Wesley (on leave)

Saylesh Wesley (m2f / she / her) is a two-spirit educator and Knowledge Keeper who is of Stó:lō and Tsimshian decent. Currently she works as an Indigenous Enhancement Education Teacher for the Chilliwack School District and also continues to present at a wide variety of events as it relates to her two-spirit and indigenous teachings.

Lara Wilson

As University Archivist and Director of Special Collections, I can direct you to information about our rare books and periodicals, manuscripts, archival records (historical documents, photographs, films, and other audio visual recordings) and special collections (primary source materials collected on specific subject).

Special Collections and University Archives acquires a diverse range of materials, in support of teaching and research:

Private archives of individuals and organizations in the subject areas of anarchism, architecture, arts and culture (visual arts, performing arts), Asian Canadian history, environmental studies, environmentalism, modernist literature, military history, South Vancouver Island history and political affairs, transgender studies, and women's studies; University of Victoria, Victoria College and Provincial Normal School historical records; archives of individuals and organizations from the University community.

Our rare print holdings include internationally recognized holdings in Modernist British, American and Anglo-Irish literature. Other subject areas collected include Canadian military history; early 20th century literary magazines; Northwest exploration, ethnology, art and anthropology; and regional and Southern Vancouver Island authors and literary culture. Special Collections also houses the Seghers Collection, which consists of approximately 4,000 books on Catholic theology and church history, canon law, liturgy and ritual, canonization and monasticism.

Cameron Chevrier

Cameron Chevrier (they/them) is passionate about community-led initiatives and seeks to foster intergenerational knowledge and experience sharing. They have lived in Victoria with their partner since 2021 and have volunteered with several community organizations, mainly focusing on art-based activities. Their day job is currently at the UVic Libraries where they get the opportunity to teach digital tools and skills to students, staff, faculty, and community members.

They have been involved with the Gender Generations Project, a bi-annual retreat for trans people, since 2021 and have led multiple art-based workshops with trans youth and adults. In their free time, Cameron likes to work on their creative activities and can usually be found trying a new medium or technique, learning a language or planning their next travels.

Alivia Wang

I am Alivia (she/her), trans woman and started my transition here at UVic. I am currently a staff at the Department of Chemistry supporting first and second year teaching labs. Before taking my current position, I was a graduate student in Chemistry, and before that completed a BSc (Honours), also in Chemistry. I am also a convocation senator. In 2019, I received a research student scholarship from the Chair in Transgender Studies.

Lara Wilson

As University Archivist and Director of Special Collections, I can direct you to information about our rare books and periodicals, manuscripts, archival records (historical documents, photographs, films, and other audio visual recordings) and special collections (primary source materials collected on specific subject).

Special Collections and University Archives acquires a diverse range of materials, in support of teaching and research:

Private archives of individuals and organizations in the subject areas of anarchism, architecture, arts and culture (visual arts, performing arts), Asian Canadian history, environmental studies, environmentalism, modernist literature, military history, South Vancouver Island history and political affairs, transgender studies, and women's studies; University of Victoria, Victoria College and Provincial Normal School historical records; archives of individuals and organizations from the University community.

Our rare print holdings include internationally recognized holdings in Modernist British, American and Anglo-Irish literature. Other subject areas collected include Canadian military history; early 20th century literary magazines; Northwest exploration, ethnology, art and anthropology; and regional and Southern Vancouver Island authors and literary culture. Special Collections also houses the Seghers Collection, which consists of approximately 4,000 books on Catholic theology and church history, canon law, liturgy and ritual, canonization and monasticism.

ChrŸs Tei

ChrŸs Tei is the Executive Director at Rainbow Health Co-operative, BC’s largest trans owned organization, and manages XQQ Cross Queer Quarterly. She is a social entrepreneur building wellness in the GNC and trans community.

Wren Hawke

Wren Hawke Smith (they/them) is a Trans neurodivergent queer person within the local community. Wren graduated from the University of Victoria with a BA in English in 2018, where they wrote many papers on classical literature from a queer lens. After a short break, Wren returned to UVic and had the privilege of joining the Chair in Transgender Studies as a work study student for two years. Connecting to and working with the Trans community was an immense joy for Wren, who had only recently realized their nonbinary-ness. While working with the Chair and spending time in the Transgender Archives, Wren developed an interest in digital literacy and Open Access Knowledge, considering what it means to create truly accessible spaces for folks within varying intersections of privilege and education levels to access history and knowledge such as that magical history within the Transgender Archives.

Today, Wren has stepped away from academic spaces to focus on their mental health, and now has the pleasure of working with the Moving Trans History Forward committee as a community member. In their spare time, you can find Wren crying over video games, creating stories with their friends in TTRPG's, and working on one of their dozens of crafting hobbies.

Emmett Grace

Emmett Grace (he/him) is a Queer trans man who recently graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and a minor in psychology. He was born and lived on Point Elliot Treaty territory, moved to and grew up on Treaty 7 territory, and now occupies the unceded territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ and Lək̓ʷəŋən peoples. Growing up in a small mountain town, his transition to the west coast in 2021 lent him more exposure to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. He was first truly immersed when he was employed as the event coordinator for Victoria Pride in summer 2022 and found his calling to community-oriented leadership and supportive roles. His work, life, and education only accelerated his passion for accessible care, mutual support, equitable policy, and inclusive education, particularly for trans+ youth, and he hopes to actively advocate for the betterment of these fields throughout his life and career. From fall 2023 to spring 2024, he spent a work study term as the Chair in Transgender Studies student assistant, where he was able to more thoroughly engage with the trans+ community and our history through the Chair’s events and the Transgender Archives. Aside from his education and work, he enjoys spending his time with his community, getting outside, working out at the gym, listening to music (especially on vinyl), exploring fashion, and creating art. He is very excited to continue to pursue his passion for working within the trans+ community and volunteer with the Arts & Cultural Events team!

Kaito Takeda

Bio coming soon.

Spencer Robinson

Spencer Marco Robinson (he/him) is a graduate student at the University of Victoria in the French & Francophone Studies department specializing in transidentity in children’s picture books. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University in 2021, where he was first able to find trans/queer racialized community after moving away from his hometown of San Diego. It wasn’t until joining the Chair in Transgender Studies in the fall 2022 as a work study for the Moving Trans History Forward Conference that he was able to not only meet countless more trans people, but also to meet numerous older trans people and hear some of their stories - the generation of trans elders that so many of us are never get to meet. As a trans, queer, neurodivergent and mixed-race man with a passion for diverse storytelling, both his academic and personal work centres on intersectionality, multidimensionality and the concept that we are all capable of growing. He is currently working on publishing some of his projects, including two self-written and illustrated children’s books as well as a collaborative title on LGBTQ+ representations in French children’s books, to be published by the end of 2023. Overall, he hopes that his work reaches those who might need to hear it. To exist as a trans racialized person is often difficult, but we do what we can to work towards a kinder future.

Hope Warren

Hope is an artist, and aspiring full stack web developer with a passion for Trans history and community development.