Open letter regarding transphobic and anti-Black hate speech and threats

We welcome the statement issued by the university administration, condemning the social media attacks on LGBTQI identified students. We call on the university administration to detail what it will do to prevent the continuation of such incidents, thus making it clear that there is no room for anti-Black and anti-transgender hate speech at the University of Toronto. We also ask what it means to create an environment in which we are not simply reacting to hate speech and threats against members of our community, and thus ensuring that we are not tacitly legitimating an atmosphere of harassment and hostility towards transgender, gender non-binary, and Black students, staff and faculty.

As faculty and members of the University of Toronto, we also commit to challenging racism and transphobia, and to building classrooms, departments, debates, and events in which transgender, gender-nonbinary, queer, Black and racialized students, staff and faculty can work and study with support and without harassment.  We stand in solidarity with colleagues and students who are standing up to these unacceptable hostile conditions for their work and study.

Aarzoo Singh, PhD student, Women and Gender Studies Institute

Abigail Bakan, Professor and Chair, SJE, OISE

Aidan Campbell, Faculty of Law, JD Candidate

Alan Galey, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information

Alejandro Paz, Assistant Professor, Anthropology, UTSC

Alessandro Delfanti, Assistant Professor, ICCIT (UTM)

Alex Hanna, Assistant Professor, ICCIT & Faculty of Information

Alex Thomson, USW1998

Alexie Tcheuyap, Professor, French

Alexis Mitchell, PhD Candidate, Geography/ SDS, Artist

Alison Syme, Department of Visual Studies

Alissa Trotz, Caribbean Studies/ WGSI

Amira Mittermaier, Religion/Anthropology

Andrea Charise, Assistant Professor, Health Studies UTSC and Graduate Dept. English

Andrea Muehlebach, Associate Professor, Anthropology

Angie Fazekas, WGSI/ SDS

Anjali Helferty, PhD Candidate, OISE, Leadership, Higher and Adult Education

Anna Korteweg, Professor and Chair, Sociology, UTM

Anne McGuire, Assistant Professor Equity Studies

Anup Grewal, Assistant Professor, Department of Historical and Cultural Studies, UTSC

Arsalan Kahnemuyipour, Language Studies, UTM

Barbara Havercroft, Associate Professor, French & Comparative Literature

Beatrice Jauregui, Assistant Professor, Criminology & Socio-legal Studies

Bhavani Raman, Associate Professor, History/UTSC

Beverly Bain, Faculty, UTM Women and Gender Studies

Blake Poland, DLSPH

Bonnie McElhinny, Associate Professor, Anthropology and WGSI

Brandy Jensen, Teaching Assistant, Women’s and Gender Studies, UTSC

Brenda Cossman, Professor, Faculty of Law

Brian Price, Associate Professor, Visual Studies (UTM)

Caitlin Gladney-Hatcher, WGSI Alumni

Carles Muntaner, Professor, BFON

Carol Percy, Professor and Associate Director, Department of English, St George

Celeste Pang, PhD Candidate, Anthropology

Chester Scoville, Assistant Professor (Teaching Stream), English and Drama, UTM

Christopher Smith, PhD Candidate, OISE/UT

Christy Guthrie, PhD Student, OISE

Clelia Rodriguez, SJE, OISE

Colleen Burke, On behalf of USW Local 1998

Cornel Grey, WGSI

Dan White, Professor, Department of English

Dana Seitler, Associate Professor, English and Sexual Diversity Studies

Daniel Scott Tysdal, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, English, UTSC

Danielle Desmarais, PhD Student, Anthropology

Danielle Sandhu, SESE OISE/UT

Darcy Gauthier, PhD Candidate, Centre for Comparative Literature

David Klausner, Professor Emeritus, English and Medieval Studies

David Nieborg, Assistant Professor, UTSC/Faculty of Information

David Smith, Associate Professor, Anthropology

Dawn Walker, PhD Student, Faculty of Information

Deb Cowen, Geography & Planning

Dickson Eyoh, African Studies/Political Science

Dina Georgis, WGSI

Donna R Gabaccia, Professor, History

DW Livingstone, SJE, OISE

E. Natalie Rothman, Associate Professor, Historical and Cultural Studies, UTSC

Elisa Sze, Librarian (Collections & Public Services), Faculty of Information

Elizabeth Gould, Associate Professor, Faculty of Music

Ellen Berrey, Assistant Professor, Sociology (UTM)

Elysia Guzik, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Information

Emily Gilbert, Canadian Studies and Geography & Planning

Erin Aylward, PhD Student, Political Science

Erin Nunoda, PhD Student, Cinema Studies

Eugenia Tsao, Alumna, Anthropology, and Learning Strategist, Division of Student Life

Evan Vipond, Women and Gender Studies

Eve Tuck, Associate Professor, Social Justice Education, OISE

Fady Shanouda, PhD Candidate, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Farzana Khan, President of the Women & Gender Studies Student Union

Franz Breithaupt, German Studies

Felix Beaudry PhD Student, EEB

Francis Cody, Associate Professor, Anthropology and Asian Institute

Francisco-Fernando Granados, UofT Alum / Assistant Professor, Department of Art, OCADU

Gabby Resch, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Information

George Dei, Faculty, Social Justice, OISE

George Mantzios, PhD Student, Anthropology

Graeme Slaght , Librarian, Robarts Library

Hae Yeon Choo, Sociology

Harriet Sonne de Torrens, Librarian, UTM

Harry Au, U of T alumni

Ido Katri, SJD Candidate, Law

Iulia Badescu, PhD Candidate, Anthropology, Intersex

Jack Jamieson, PhD Student, Faculty of Information

James Cahill, Assistant Professor, Cinema Studies Institute and French

James Deutsch, Psychiatry

Jamie Magnusson, Associate Professor, Adult Education & Community Development, OISE

Janice Boddy, Professor, Anthropology

Jayeeta Sharma, History/UTSC

Jeff Bale, Associate Professor, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, OISE

Jesse Berlin, Graduate, Cognitive Science and Philosophy

Jeffrey Boase, Associate Professor, ICCIT & Faculty of Information

Jennifer Power, WGSI

Jesse Hatch, Equity Studies, Diaspora and Transnational Studies

Jesse Jenkinson, PhD Candidate, Public Health

Jessica Broe-Vayda, PhD Student, Anthropology

Jessica Kras, JD/Master of Public Policy Candidate, 2018

Jessica Taylor, Sessional Lecturer, New College, UTSC, and Anthropology

Jijian Voronka, PhD, SJE, OISE

Joan Simalchik, Program Coordinator, Women and Gender Studies, UTM

Joanne Saliba, WGSI

Jocelyn Piercy, PhD candidate, OISE

John Ackimenko, PhD candidate, Munk School of Global Affairs

John Noyes, Professor, German

John P. Portelli, Professor, SJE, OISE

John Semley, Innis College/Cinema Studies

Jordan Hale

Joseph Berkovitz, IHPST

Joachim Peiper, Student

Ju Hui Judy Han, Geography

Judith Taylor, WGSI Sociology

June Larkin, WGSI/New College

Kajri Jain, Associate Professor, Visual Studies/Art

Karen Dewart McEwen, PhD Student, Faculty of Information

Kari Dehli, Professor Emerita, SJE, OISE

Karina Griffith, PhD Student, Cinema Studies

Karyn Recollet, Assistant Professor, WGSI

Kate Milley, Sessional Instructor, Women’s and Gender Studies, UTSC

Katherine Blouin, History

Katherine Mackenzie, Department of Anthropology

Kathryn Morgan, Professor Emerita, Philosophy & Women and Gender Studies Institute

Katie Kilroy-Marac, Assistant Professor, Anthropology

Kelly Fritsch, WGSI

Ken Derry, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Historical Studies (UTM)

Kenzie Bunting, Faculty of Law, JD Candidate

Kevin Nixon, PhD Candidate, Anthropology/Instructor in Sexual Diversity Studies

Kira Lussier, PhD Candidate, IHPST

Krista Maxwell, Assistant Professor, Anthropology

Lance T. McCready, OISE

Laura Beach, PhD Student, Anthropology

Laura Jantek, Staff, Faculty of Information

Laura Thrasher, Social Justice Education, OISE

Laura Toth, SJE, OISE

Leigh Brownhill, Sessional Lecturer, WGSI

Leila Pourtavaf, PhD Candidate, Department of History, University of Toronto

Lesley Tarasoff, PhD Candidate, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Lily Hassall, Faculty of Law, JD Candidate

Lindsay Marlies Small, PhD Student, Faculty of Information

Lisa Davidson, PhD Candidate, Anthropology

Lisa Forman, Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Lisa Yoneyama, East Asian Studies and Women & Gender Studies Institute

Liz Newbery, Associate Director, New College Writing Centre

Loree Erickson, WGSI

Luca Somigli, Full Professor, Italian Studies

Lucia Dacome, IHPST

Lucy El-Sherif , PhD student, OISE

Lynne Viola, History

Madeleine Mant, Anthropology

Magda Yuksel, PhD Student

Marcelo Vieta, Assistant Professor, OISE/UT

Marie Meudec, Ex postdoctoral fellow, Anthropology

Marie Vander Kloet, Assistant Director, Centre for Teaching Support and Innovation

Marieme Lo, WGSI/ African Studies

Marlene Goldman, English

Martin Cannon, Associate Professor, Social Justice Education

Martin Klein, Professor Emeritus, History

Martina Schlünder, History

Mary Jean Hande, PhD Candidate, Adult Education and Community Development, OISE

Mary-Marta Briones-Bird, Administrative Coordinator, Faculty of Information

Matthew Farish, Geography and Planning

Maureen FitzGerald, Fellow, Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies

Melissa Nesrallah, WGSI

Michael Bramah, St. Michael’s College

Michael Petit, Assistant Professor, Arts, Culture & Media

Michelle Murphy, Professor, History/WGSI/Technoscience Research Unit

Miguel Torrens, Librarian, Robarts Library

Naisargi Dave Associate Professor, Anthropology

Nakanyike Musisi, History

Naomi Nagy, Linguistics

Natalie Kouri-Towe

Natasja VanderBerg, Program Administrator, East Asian Studies

Neda Maghbouleh, Assistant Professor, Sociology (UTM)

Nicholas Matte, Lecturer, Sexual Diversity Studies

Nicholas Sammond, Associate Professor, Cinema Studies Institute

Nicholas Terpstra, Professor and Chair of History – St. George

Nicole Charles, PhD Candidate WGSI

Nik Redman

Nishant Singh, PhD Student, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Nzube Ekpunobi, MD Candidate

Olivia Or, WGSI

Patrick Keilty, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information

Peter Soles Muirhead, PhD Student, Anthropology

Phil Goodman, Assistant Professor, Sociology (UTM)

Ponni Arasu, History

Punam Khosla, Sessional Lecturer, Women and Gender Studies UTM

R. Cassandra Lord, Assistant Professor, Historical Studies, WGS, UTM

Rachel La Touche, Sociology

Ramón A. Victoriano-Martínez , Sessional Lecturer, Caribbean Studies

Ramtin Teymouri, PhD Student, Cinema Studies

Réal Negah-Ours, PostDoc Sociology

Rebecca Comay, Professor of Philosophy

Rebecca Noone, PhD Student, Faculty of Information

Renee Ferguson, WGSI

Rhonda McEwen, Associate Professor, ICCIT & Faculty of Information

Ricky Varghese, Doctoral alumni, OISE

Rima Berns-McGown, Diaspora Studies, Historical Studies, UTM

Rinaldo Walcott, WGSI/OISE

Robert Diaz, Assistant Professor, WGSI

Robert Fajber, PhD Candidate, Physics

Robert Lewis, Professor, Geography

Rosa Sarabia, Spanish & Portuguese

Rosalea Thompson, OISE Alumni

Rubén Gaztambide-Fernández, OISE/Curriculum Teaching and Learning

Rupaleem Bhuyan, Social Work

Ruth Levine, WGSI/CIN Student

S. Trimble, WGSI

Sara Saljoughi, Assistant Professor, English (UTSC) & Cinema Studies Institute

Sarah Snyder, PhD Candidate, SJE, OISE / TA, Equity Studies

Sarah Tracy, History

Sarah Williams, PhD Candidate, Department of Anthropology

Scott Richmond, Assistant Professor, Cinema Studies Institute

Shane Martland, MA Student, Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations

Shawna Carroll, OISE, Curriculum, Teaching, & Learning

Sheila Stewart, Lecturer, Equity Studies, New College Writing Centre, WGSI

Sherida Ryan, OISE

Sheril Hook, Librarian, St. Michael’s College; PhD Candidate, Faculty of Information

Shirin Gerami, Phd Student, Anthropology

Solomon McKenzie, Faculty of Law, JD Candidate

Sonny Dhoot, PhD Candidate/TA, WGSI

Stanley Klassen, Collections Manager/Lab Technician

Stephanie Latty, PhD Student, Social Justice Education

Stephen Rockel, History, UTSC

Susan Antebi, Associate Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese

T. Nikki Cesare Schotzko, Associate Professor, Centre for Drama, Theatre, and Performance

Tade Credgeur , Advancement Officer

Takashi Fujitani, History/WGSI

Tanya Titchkosky, Social Justice Education, OISE

Tanzeel Hakak, JD Candidate, Faculty of Law

Thomas Lahusen, Professor, History & Comparative Literature

Tina Cody, JD Candidate, Faculty of Law

Tiziana Gallo, PhD Student, Anthropology

Uzoma Esonwanne, Department of English & Centre for Comparative Literature

Vanessa McCarthy, Ph.D., Sessional Instructor, Department of History

Vannina Sztainbok, Social Justice Education

Vasuki Shanmuganathan, Global Asia Studies/Dept of Historical and Cultural Studies, UTSC

Veronika Ambros, Associate Professor Slavic/ Complit

Victoria McArthur, Institute of Communication, Culture, and Information Technology, UTM

Victoria Tahmasebi-Birgani, Assistant Professor of Women and Gender Studies

W. Chris Johnson, WGSI / History

Wanja Gitari, OISE

William Hébert, PhD Candidate, Anthropology

YIftach Fehige, Associate Professor, IHPST

Yoonkyung Lee, Associate professor, Sociology

Zoë Gross, WGSI