By Daniella Mikanovsky
A string of prowling incidents and break-ins stretching from Aug. 2018 to Sept. 11 continues to rock Westdale. In the wake of these events, students and organizations on campus have been stepping up their advocacy for landlord accountability in the community.
The first incident occurred on Aug. 3, when an intruder broke into the second story window of McMaster Integrated Science student Connor MacLean’s home. After the incident, MacLean and his roommates called their landlords.
“We felt unsafe in that house, so the landlords agreed to put in motion lights. A month later, there was still nothing. We ended up buying our own motion lights, our own security camera, and we installed it ourselves,” MacLean explained. “Safety should not be the student’s responsibility alone. The landlords need to be the first people looking out for that.”
Shemar Hackett, associate vice president of municipal affairs on for the McMaster Students Union, is planning to tackle the issue of unaccountable landlords. The committee he leads is focused on improving off-campus life for students, including housing safety.
One initiative the committee hopes to implement is the Landlord Licencing System, a city-run program that would fund annual housing inspections and certify that any tenant complaints are taken seriously. This system would encourage landlord responsibility, with the goal being for students to have safety features in their homes, including functioning locks on all windows and doors.
An additional initiative that the committee has been undertaking is a Landlord Rating System, which will exist as an online forum for students to rate and report their housing units. Similar to the website Rate My Professor, this website could incentivize landlords to take responsibility when maintaining their houses.
“Once the website gains traction and students begin to report their experiences, irresponsible landlords will begin to see a decline in students seeking their properties. In return, students should see safer living conditions as landlords are now motivated to upkeep their rental units, which increases the quality of living for students and ensures their safety,” said Hackett.
With a host website confirmed, Hackett expects to have the program available for student use in the new year.
There are also programs on campus available for students who feel a lack of security. For instance, a skill students may want to acquire is self-defense. McMaster Athletics and Recreation is offering two 10-week classes for “Krav Maga Self-Defense” this fall.
It is worth noting that “Women’s Self-Defense” has not been scheduled this term. The Athletics and Recreation department is facing difficulty with locating a space for this class due to the renovations occuring in the David Braley Athletic Centre. Although classes may return in the winter term, in light of the Westdale break-ins, the lack of classes may be a significant issue.
For female students who are looking for a women’s-only class, the Equity and Inclusion Office may offer it. Pilar Michaud, director of human rights and dispute resolution at the EIO, explains that in the past, the EIO ran a women’s self-defense workshop.
Michaud also points to several other services available to students, including Meagan Ross, McMaster’s sexual violence response coordinator, the MSU’s Women and Gender Equity Network and Good2Talk, a free and confidential 24/7 helpline that offers professional support for university students in Ontario.
Just a friendly reminder that Good2Talk is a 24/7 Confidential Helpline for post-secondary students. Call 1-866-925-5454 or visit https://t.co/TERu6Z9JUe #MentalHealthMatters
— OUSA (@OUSAhome) February 1, 2018
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McMaster Students Union’s Women and Gender Equity Network made waves on campus last week as part of their annual March campaign.
WGEN is an MSU service that caters to women, transfolk, people who identify outside of the gender binary and survivors of sexual assault by providing a safe space on campus. In addition, they program campaigns and events throughout the year that centre around education, community building and advocacy.
From March 6-10, WGEN held a campaign of intersectional feminist programming and events. The campaign, titled Making Waves, served as an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the feminist community and to challenge social norms through programming that reflected upon the dimensions of intersectional feminism.
Making Waves took form in several events throughout the week, from interactive, discussion and art-based workshops, hosting Jay Pitter, an author, placemaker and senior stakeholder engagement professional as a keynote speaker, to a club night at Mills Hardware.
“All of our events centred around creating a safe space for folks to come and either talk about their own experiences or learn from others,” said Jaime Cook, WGEN’s promotions and social media executive.
“We believe that creating spaces for these types of discussions to take place is one of the best ways to educate and empower folks. We do our best to make each event as intersectional as possible… so our workshops and discussions went beyond gender and sexuality which, in my eyes, is the only way to go about having these discussions,” she said.
"I think holding these events gathers more people who are personally affected by sexism and racism, for example, and facilitates the promotion of solidarity."
Alex Hernandez
Social and political advocacy executive
WGEN
The middle of the week, March 8, marked International Women’s Day, a day that often leaves out women of colour, trans women, gender non-binary folk and women with disabilities. The events that took place throughout Making Waves were programmed to be inclusive, supportive and accessible to as many individuals as possible.
“Articulating discrimination or trying to organize to fight for better treatment is very emotional and personal,” said Alexii Hernandez, one of two social and political advocacy executives at WGEN. “I think holding these events gathers more people who are personally affected by sexism and racism, for example, and facilitates the promotion of solidarity.”
Intersectional feminism recognizes that all women experience oppression in varied ways and to different degrees of intensity. In programming events that recognized this, WGEN enabled thoughtful discussion, built community and promoted the visibility of intersectional feminism on campus.
“There is a lot of ignorance around feminism and issues pertaining to oppression because there are people who are not personally affected in their day to day and don’t really want to get involved, because it’s difficult. Events like this make people consider these issues because they are [public], they have a presence so you can engage with them directly. The more we talk about these, the harder it is to ignore,” said Hernandez.
With larger campaigns, WGEN hopes to engage individuals who may not know about their service, create safe spaces on campus and ultimately contribute to the larger discussion surrounding inequality. These campaigns, which are hosted throughout the year, also aim to demonstrate visibility and offer support for anyone who needs to use the services that WGEN offers.
By: Rachel Guitman - WGEN Contributor
One of the goals of Making Waves, formerly known as International Women’s Week, is to reframe conversations about gender equity to include those who are agender, transgender or gender nonconforming. These conversations are also meant to communicate the idea of activism, progress and creating inclusive spaces. The event aims to raise awareness and engagement among students about the intersectional feminist work that the Women and Gender Equity Network does.
There are events open to all and events focused on Black, Indigenous and people of colour. This is similar to WGEN’s BIPoC Bodies are Dope campaign, which took place before the February reading week. Certain events are closed, meaning they are only open to certain groups based on identity or experience.
These open and closed events have different purposes. Open events, like WGEN’s documentary screenings and workshops, are a great way to get people engaged in conversation. Conversely, closed events give specific groups, e.g., BIPoC or survivors of sexual assault, a space where they feel comfortable and safe in sharing their perspectives and experiences. These closed events aim to support, validate and create space for people who do not hold privileged identities. The closed half of the event allows for more intimate discussion among those with shared experiences.
The open half of the event is a good opportunity for allies to learn and listen about experiences they haven’t had without speaking over the voices of others. This allows participants to learn how to be better allies through opening themselves to the lived experience of others.
In a world that caters to White, cisgender, heterosexual men, it is vital to have a space carved out for BIPoC to feel safe. For example, if one of the events during the previous Bodies are Dope campaign had been open instead of closed, the topics, anecdotes and tangents that were brought up would have been missed. If events like that are not closed, then people may be worried about saying the wrong thing, and might be insecure about sharing their experiences. By closing events to individuals with lived experience, they provide a safe and cathartic environment to promote solidarity in a space with others who have shared experiences.
Community-building helps discussions about how the McMaster community treats issues of gender equity. These closed events, such as the Trans on Campus workshop during Transforming Mac Week, address the questions and concerns that would not normally occur to those without lived experience such as requesting a name change in the university. This is something that is simple and practical, but is able to have a significant impact on people’s experiences at McMaster.
The quantity of events throughout the week should be sufficient to cater to those who want closed, safe spaces to discuss issues affecting them and open spaces for allies to learn more about issues affecting other people. Both are needed to create educated discussion about the issues at hand.
By: Emile Shen - WGEN Contributor
Time and time again, losing weight and getting healthier are the top New Year’s resolutions. The New Year’s surge of people at the Pulse and the subsequent disdain and groans from the regulars about newbies crowding up the gym is a predictable result. My concern is not with the plethora of benefits that these physical activities bring, but with the societal pressure to lose weight for aesthetic purposes.
My relationships with food and body image have been my longest lasting and by far most complicated. Others had told me since before I started grade school that being skinny made me a better person and would grant me better treatment. When you’re little, it is cute and acceptable to be chubby. When I got to Grade 3, my classmates started commenting about the roundness of my stomach and face. By age 10, I was told by classmates to stop eating so I could stop being so fat. I tried to brush it off, but still felt hurt by the words that were hurled at me.
As such, these New Year’s resolutions are neither simple nor methodical for me. Deeply ingrained in me through my peers and through my mother is that thin meant good and it meant being likable.
Fast forward a decade and a half and I am considered to be an average, “healthy” weight. I unequivocally celebrate body positivity in other women. But I have a difficult time rationalizing acceptance of others to the problematic pride I feel for myself when I manage to eat skimpy meals and feel the outline of my bones more sharply.
I don't know if it is more comforting or disturbing that I was not alone in these thoughts.
The defiant ways my curves grew and my weight surged in undergrad felt as out of control as the weakening of my mental health and the lack of a grasp I had on my identity. Was this a moral error? Why couldn’t I just do the things that I know mean healthy and active living and fitness and clean eating? Why was it so hard for me? Why was there such a mental barrier? McMaster’s services to help with these questions are suitable, but simply cannot compete with such a large amount of seemingly unfixable societal pressure.
I don’t know if it is more comforting or disturbing that I was not alone in these thoughts. Dr. Linda Smolak, a specialist in the psychology of eating disorders, found that by age six, girls start to express worry about their body appearance and 40 to 60 per cent of elementary school girls are concerned about becoming too fat. Individual experiences vary substantially along the spectrum, but this concern of weight gain follows most women throughout their lives.
It stresses me out when my friends count calories or talk about how many pounds they have lost since working out more regularly. And although logically, I know that others’ choices regarding eating and exercise have nothing to do with me, it still remains a paralyzing force. I don’t understand how society is simultaneously so individualistic but judgmental about what bodies are deemed appropriate or not. The amount of space a body takes up should not dictate how a person is treated.
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By: Crystal Lobo
During the week of March 7, the MSU’s Women and Gender Equity Network hosted International Women’s Week on campus. The week consisted of panels, workshops and showcases among other activities. Topics discussed included feminism, intersectionality, trans and gender politics, and the harsh truths about sexual violence and physical assault.
WGEN wanted to account for different sentiments and accurately represent feminism in planning the week. “We worked with our passions to get people to plan things we felt would be useful, and then plan them in a way that was useful, allowing for the flexibility of different styles in facilitation,” said Hayley Regis, WGEN Coordinator.
WGEN used the week to reach out to largely unheard voices on campus. “One of my goals was to reach out to populations that are hardly accessed by the MSU. We had people come out that I never met or my executive team never met. I think we’ve been having that in our space, as well as having the space being something people are comfortable accessing whether they are heavily involved in services or looking for a place to be and to exist,” said Regis.
International Women’s Week ran as a pilot project last year. This year marked a special milestone for the event since it was the first time that the newly formed WGEN hosted it. Though a new addition to the MSU, WGEN still received support from community partners, professors, speakers and other allies in order to deliver the week’s events to the McMaster audience. The WGEN team faced hurdles in achieving their objectives but their efforts resulted in success.
“I think that the community has been really receptive to having this, which I think has been really awesome,” said Regis.
Noteworthy events of the week included an event for transfolk and non-binary folk to connect over discussion of art, Women in Academia Panel, Club Night, and Yoga conducted by the Brown Girl’s Yoga Collective. Moreover, workshops such as Faith in Feminism, Feminism 1A03 and Feminism 4QQ3 proved to be important platforms in the discussion of the complexities and nuances behind feminism.
“I wouldn’t say there was one event I would rank over the other ones,” said Regis.
“I think that the community has been really receptive to having this, which I think has been really awesome.”
Regis and WGEN are open to feedback from the McMaster student body regarding the event, as well as the service at large. Regis said, “If there’s criticism, I welcome it because I think it will make the service better and stronger in future years. Talk to me about anything. Support the service, because I think even if it’s not a service that caters to you, people need to recognize it as one that’s necessary.”
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On Jan. 29, the Women and Gender Equity Network successfully launched as an official MSU service. The group brought in keynote speakers who focused on trans* and gender-queer people; however, the WGEN aims to create a safer space for women and survivors of sexual assault as well.
“This is an essential service because these are topics that are not necessarily talked about in our mainstream media or even in our day-to-day interactions even though these problems are pervasive,” said coordinator Shanthiya Baheerathan.
She hopes that the WGEN will assist students in breaking down the gender identities society imposes and understand that these identities need not be a person’s defining characteristic.
“We want to bring in narratives that aren’t really talked about in society and in the media to make people really question and understand what gender means.”
The WGEN will use educative programming to raise awareness about gender issues both on campus and in the greater community. A travelling art exhibit will move from Thode Library to Mills Library to MUSC between Feb. 11 and 13 to commemorate missing and murdered Indigenous women. The group has a number of special events planned for International Women’s Week, including a body positivity workshop and a session with Girls in Code. There will also be dialogues to discuss gender socialization both domestically and abroad, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as corporate environments.
The WGEN has also secured a space on campus. Starting in mid February, the WGEN will hold drop-in hours on weekdays in MUSC 226 from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
“In that space we hope to have a healing space, where women, trans* people, and survivors of sexual assault can talk about their experiences and feel supported and validated and understood,” Baheerathan said.
There are efforts underway to bring in a trauma counsellor and a response coordinator, an ongoing initiative Baheerathan has been working on with MSU President Teddy Saull and VP (Administration) Jacob Brodka.
While professional counselling would be beneficial to the safer space, Baheerathan was also quick to say there are opportunities for students to become a vital part of the WGEN. The service is in the process of looking to recruit volunteers who will work in the safer space with women, trans* people and survivors of sexual assault. Volunteers will go through mandatory anti-oppression and positive space training and will learn how to create a safe, welcoming environment for survivors of sexual assault.
Despite the recent launch, Baheerathan and the WGEN executive have been working on a variety of initiatives and have set high goals for their first year as a service.
“I think there’s a real thirst for this type of conversation and bringing in experts in the field to talk about it. I think people are becoming more familiar with the idea of what feminism is and I hope to provide students with the opportunity to talk about these issues,” Baheerathan said. “I hope to build a sense of community within the safer space and I hope to bring in women and trans* people and to provide them with the resources and space to feel validated in their experiences.”
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The SRA meeting on Oct. 19 had unprecedented student engagement.
Over 50 students turned up in person on Sunday evening and throughout the livestream an average 250 viewers watched from home.
Many students were particularly interested in MSU President Teddy Saull’s motion that put forward several options for an end of year celebration, which would allocate up to $215,000 to Campus Events.
However, at the meeting Saull rescinded the most expensive options.
“There has been a lot of dispute about the $215,000 motion, and like I said, I think it’s my job to push the organization to think but it’s also my job to listen, and there’s no doubt that there’s been a lot of noise made about this,” said Saull.
Although many students expressed frustration with the fact that this idea was put forward, the Board of Directors was happy that so many students became involved in the discussion.
“I hope that people don’t feel like this is a failure... I’ve never seen so many people come to an SRA meeting or talking on campus about the MSU,” said Saull.
The meeting addressed several other controversies as well.
The Women and Gender Equity Network Coordinator, Shanthiya Baheerathan, gave an update on the network and thanked Saull for his work on advocating for a sexual assault nurse on campus and getting a response coordinator.
However, both Baheerathan and members of the WGEN Advisory Committee high-lighted the role of the SRA and Board of Directors in moving forward on the WGEN’s goals, particularly finding a space on campus.
“To be honest we haven’t gotten a lot of accountability from the VP Admin on this” said Ana Qarri, a member of the WGEN advisory board. “The point of the advisory board is to advise on what is going on with the centre, but we haven’t been asked to advise on anything. We felt like we’ve been kept out of any of the decisions that have been made.”
While the SRA failed to pass all options for an end of year celebration, they unanimously decided to spend $10,000 to expand this year’s Frost Week concert and provided CFMU $9,395.92 worth of hardware upgrades.
They also passed a motion to recommend a week-long break beginning in the fall of 2015 to the Fall Break Committee.
One issue discussed that was not on the agenda was whether the BOD has any responsibility to engage with students on social media, when Anser Abbas jokingly asked Saull when he would be getting back on Facebook.
Saull explained that he chooses to engage students in person by devoting an hour each week to engaging students in the Student Centre. He said he prefers to keep his personal life separate from work.
“I find it demoralizing and I don’t like to subject myself to the environment where my personal life collides with the decisions that I’m trying to make at work,” he said.
But with over 2,000 livestream comments, 1,594 students signing a change.org petition and countless students engaging through SRA members’ posts on Facebook, students seem to be saying that online engagement is the way to go.
After 26 years without a Women’s Centre, students at McMaster will soon be able to access a service designed to provide support and safe space for women-identified people on campus. This project, called the Women and Gender Equity Network, will be launching in mid-October.
“My vision for the network is to try to dismantle patriarchal culture both from the outside and the inside,” said WGEN Coordinator Shanthiya Baheerathan. “[The program will] support women to be able to go out and be comfortable in a male dominated field, or be comfortable despite the fact that there are these prevalent gender norms that are constantly making them think that they can’t do what they are able to do.”
In March 2014, the Student Representative Assembly and the MSU approved the WGEN as a pilot project for the 2014-2015 school year. The project, with a proposed budget of over $10,000, will provide advocacy to educate students on topics such as rape culture, and host workshops on topics such as women in engineering and technology.
The WGEN also looks to provide a safer space for trans* and women-identified persons, and support for survivors of sexual assault.
“Trans* people experience a lot of discrimination on campus. A lot of spaces are not trans* accessible,” said Baheerathan. “We want to make sure we are also providing support to people who experience trans* antagonism or even small micro-aggressions towards their person and their identity.”
Although the WGEN was originally proposed as a women’s centre, the pilot project will begin as a network with no permanent physical space on campus. Having a safer space for women on campus is essential to the WGEN project, and could come in the form of a permanent location or through temporary space called swing space.
“We are having some trouble finding private and accessible space on campus,” said Baheerathan. “We have to make sure people feel comfortable coming into the space […] it is sort of controversial, people are like ‘why do you need a women’s space on campus?’ It has been a difficult process to get here.”
The MSU is conducting a space allocation audit this November, which could lead to a more permanent space for the network.
“ [The space allocation audit is] a committee that looks at the spaces we offer our services through a critical lens to see what would be best or how it would be best served,” said Jacob Brodka, MSU Vice President, Administration. “The Women and Gender Equity Network, like our other services, will definitely be something we will be considering.”
For now, the MSU is working with WGEN to find temporary spaces to hold workshops and other events.
“This year the service is going to be offering programming, educational campaigns, offering spaces on campus where people can come connect,” said Brodka. “I'm looking forward to seeing what the service does.”
If the pilot project is successful, it could lead to the development of a women’s centre on campus in the future.
“The space for the WGEN would arguably look like much different than what you'd want for a full blown women's centre with full-time counselors. For the time being, what we are working on is an organizational approach”, said Brodka. “We’d hope that our organization acting and doing these things, offering these programs and running educational campaigns of that nature would spur conversations about the need for a larger centre and full time counselors. You can see the two definitely go hand in hand, but how that would play out, we will just have to wait and see.”
