Training Date: September 16, 2020
Julian Cancino: Right. So welcome, everyone. I am Julian Cancino, I am the director of the Gender and Sexuality Center here at Brandeis University. Thank you so much for joining us for our very first "Lunch and Learn." These are meant for everyone in the campus community, but especially faculty and administrators. The idea is that you get to learn the latest information and best practices for creating GLBTQ affirming classrooms and accomplish community. Um, this is our very first session. We hope that you can share with us your feedback and that you join us for our next sessions throughout the year. "Lunch and Learn" series for the GSC will happen every first Wednesday of the month at noon and you can join us by video or by phone. Whatever works best for you. Our next lunch and learn series will actually be happening in partnership with PARC. Um so Sarah, you can wave and Vilma. And it will be a conversation on the intersection of gender identity and domestic violence, and Professor Javier Guadalupe Diaz from Framingham State University will be discussing his latest book, Transgressed Tra-- Intimate Partner Violence in Transgender Lives, which was published by the NYU press actually a year ago. It is very, very recent and we hope to learn you know about this issue from a suburban perspective from a faculty perspective. So, we hope you can join us. How you're going to learn about all of our lunch and learn events is through our newsletter. So, if you haven't signed up for the newsletter yet which I think most of you already have, you always get the lunch and learn links. Get the newsletter, the day off, the event so you don't need to continue to sign in every session. Um, you can just get them the day of from your email. So, we figured that that's the easiest wait to get you the information that is the best use of our newsletter. The newsletter comes once a month. And the idea is that you get to see all of the events of the month and once we have special events like the lunch and learn that you get your link the day of the event as a reminder. So, without much further ado, please allow me trying to introduce and join me in welcoming Quinn MBabazi from GLAD LGBTQ legal advocates and defenders as many of you already know, GLAD it's a fantastic organization. I used to work for them, so I love them. But they do tremendous work for the LGBTQ community for really cultural work, right? To help our society advance in a way that is more for -- more welcoming, Um, the best that we can be. So thank you so much for joining us. And thank you again, all of you, for being here with us to get away.
Qwin Mbabazi: Thank you so much for joining on. Um good afternoon, everyone. My name is Qwin and my other name is Mbabazi and the other long one is -- [inaudible] I don't mind if people don't get my pronunciations. Well, so originally, I'm from Africa. East Africa. Beautiful country called Uganda. That's where my accent is from. I guess that is just one of the highlights. Just because I'm speaking and some of the things don't sound so American. My wonderful accent is from Uganda. I'm going to have a very interesting conversation with you and in case that you have any questions during my presentation, please don't be shy about like just writing them in the comments section. And then I respond to those after the presentation -- so I'm going to share my screen with you. Yeah, mhm. So, as I mentioned, my name is Qwin Mbabazi. I'm community engagement manager GLAD. I'm glad is G LBTQ because they go advocates and defenders. We've been around for 40 years, plus on through in publication public policy, advocacy, public education and outreach. We work throughout the New England to try to bring about a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.
Qwin Mbabazi: Our conversation today is going to be about some of the common gender terminologies how to be a good ally as well as, um, what to do in scenarios of bullying. Caring about GLBTQ What does this mean? Who are these people? And I would like to kick it off with the G. So that just stands for point of -- my screened on. That's better. So the G -- In the past, it was only for men who are attracted to fellow men. But presently, as things are changing, it's now an umbrella, someone that anyone is attracted to... There's some sex or gender sort of users. Like if she'll make me and I'm like hi my name is Qwin and I'm gay, this is what I mean. Lesbian is a woman who is predominantly attracted to another woman. I did forget to include in my introduction that my preferred pronouns are she/her and I also identify as a lesbian, meaning that I am all for women. So yes, someone say, Hi, I'm lesbian. This is what it means. Transgender. So this is an umbrella term used to describe people whose true gender identity does not much their sex or gender they are assigned at birth. And the reason transgender is an umbrella term is that underneath this term, we also do have the trans women and the transgender men. So all that falls underneath this. Bisexual, are people who are attracted to both men and women or more than one gender. Sometimes when you're asking about people's sexual orientation, someone will be a bisexual man or, um, a bisexual woman and this is precisely what they mean. Gender nonconforming. This is a person first, Gender expression is or appears to be different from what would expect from the gender assigned well, a long, long time ago. Some people from first days decided that there are only two genders in the world. You're either male or female, But as times are changing and we are educating ourselves, we all know that there is more than just two genders that exist. Um on some people are simply just gender, nonconforming. Non binary -- it's a person who identifies with or expresses gender identity that is neither entirely male or neither entirely female. I know when it comes to this, some people will be like my preferred pronouns are they/them because they do not belong to either a male/female. Queer is also an umbrella term that is inclusive of people who are non straight on or cisgender. So while we tend to also use the white gay as an umbrella term, queer has also been, um, taken on us. Another umbrella term, historic kind of queer was actually used to crucify L G B T Q People. It was possibly in such a negative way, and it was just against the LGBTQ community. But as the youth are coming up on generations, like changing with the LGBTQ people after this; using it as an empowering terminology we all need, and we are proud. So sometimes someone be like I'm Queer and I'm proud of it. That way you do not give the party or press or someone that is going to be homophobic, to use it against us as an insult. Sexual orientation. This is a person's physical romantic emotion and or spiritual attraction to another person. But this example I can use that is, once every now and then when we are having conversations, uh, people usually ask what is just sexual orientation on? And for a straight person, they'll be like, "You know, I'm straight." "I'm heterosexual." For a lesbian woman like me, I'll be like: I'm gay or queer. Gender Identity. This is a person's internal sense of being male, female or some combination of male or female, or neither male or female. It is basically how one views themselves internally, irrespective of how they may appear on the top. Gender expression, says how one expresses their gender identity on the outside and, for instance, with me, I expressed my identity, you know, putting on lipstick. I love my lipstick. Some people love their makeup. Other people love their heels, so basically through all that. Whether I love a crop top or putting on some of the African attire -- it is how one expresses the gender identity on the outside, when we think about it. When you talk about trans-sexual, this describes people who are capable of being attracted to multiple sexes or gender identity. I always told people and my colleagues that you need to be as open minded as the world or as the universe, because there's a lot of us out there and someone is capable of being attracted or more than sexes or gender. Identity moving onto transitioning. Now this has a tie on. I'll take a pause for those who would like to add or take notes or something. I'm very comfortable sharing my presentation with you at the end. So don't mind if I'm moving through my slides a little bit faster than how you're taking some notes just in case. And now back to transitioning. So transitioning has-- goes hand in hand with transgender And this is the social, legal or medical process a trans person may go through to make their gender identity fit their gender expression, representation, or sex. I'd like to emphasize that.
Qwin Mbabazi: But speaking of um -- social, legal and medical. So, when I speak about legal transition and this is, for instance, if I decide to go change my name legally. What I want to do this on my driving license or on my birth certificate, to match my, how I identify myself. It is part of transitioning and some transgender colleagues will decide to actually have the medical transition. That is also fine. Well, as one thing, I would like to highlight that it is not a must for transgender folks to go through all this. Someone maybe say to just a capture of these steps or none at all. Just a few of them and it is fine. CIS gender. This is a person who identifies with a sex that they were assigned at birth. I was born female and I still identify as female and find that I'm cis - general lesbian. So yes, cisgender can also be part of the LGBT. Straight ally. Now this is a heterosexual and CIS gender person who supports of course civil rights, gender equality, and the LGBT social movements challenging homophobia, bi phobia, transphobia. So, anyone that is heterosexual and is for the LGBTQ community to challenge and the disrespect the discrimination that comes to L-- G B T Q. People form a phobia, bi phobia, transphobia. All those come from that-- some of the terminologies have used up there. When someone's just stand for my people, then you are definitely a straight ally.
Qwin Mbabazi: PRIDE every LGBTQ Person is just, you know, crazy about pride. And what does PRIDE mean? As many folks may know-- that PRIDE started after the startup of riots during the Stonewall time to have LGBT people be recognized and accepted. Currently, we do celebrate PRIDE to not only celebrity LGBT Q movement but also support the L G B T Q. Movement. And it happens every year, in June not only in USA, but internationally. I mean, even in Uganda, where I hailed from still celebrates PRIDE. Drag queen. When I speak of a Drag queen, as some of you may be familiar with this, through some of the social media, Facebook, or your TV's. A drag queen is a person, usually a male, who uses clothing and makeup, to imitate and often exaggerate to the male gender signifiers on gender roles for entertainment purposes. In the past, it was actually mainly men who are being drag queens. But as a society is evolving and people becoming more open minded, and welcoming, and inclusive, non-binary and transgender people also taking part of being drag queens for entertainment. So, in case you have any questions in some of that terminologies that I have used, please feel free to drop that in the chats. And I'd like to move on to a little bit - being an ally. I already described what an ally is, but if you're interested in being an L. G B T Q ally, how do you go about this? The first step is getting to know someone who is LGBT Q. It could be a grown person. It could be a youth. It could be someone from your family on then. I mean about -- get into that about someone. I'm not just saying like, you know, people pointing and you’re like Qwin is gay. I'm actually talking about actually starting a relationship, a connection with someone who is L G B T Q. Because it's not until you start this relationship that you're going to be able to understand our experiences and to understand our struggles and also get a better sense of who we are. Until you have that one-on-one connection that you're able to, you know, be a good ally. Sometimes some people are not so comfortable diving into, like you know, what your experiences are. So, if you're becoming an ally, you and your interest are becoming an ally -- I'd like to advise you that don't go on burying someone with 21 questions and all that kind of thing. Be gentle and kind with your questions. How you approach is very, um, very important in either building or blocking the relationships you're trying to put forward, then proper use of pronouns and one's preferable name. I did mention that my preferred pronouns are she/her. Sometimes some people are using the/them and as well as when it comes to once preferable name... I did mention that my name is, um, Qwin Mbabazi [inaudible], but I prefer to be called Qwin.
Qwin Mbabazi: So if you want to become an ally to the LGBT. Q. You need to sort of keep this at the back of your conscious; because one thing as humans, we tend to sort of have this unconscious biasness. Because you're seeing someone and addresses them immediately as she or because you're seeing someone in a transit it's immediately it is a he. But if you don't know, I'm too sort of like indirectly mis-pronoun someone or indirectly misidentify someone. I always told people to begin a conversation with first of all, offering what are your preferred pronouns? Because every time someone looks up to me and is like: hello my preferred pronouns are they/them or she/her -- you're giving an L G B T Q Person to also open up to you, to share what their preferred pronouns are. That way you're not going to mis-pronoun someone or you're not going to mis-gender someone. I turn in a pride parade. This is like one of the things I hope that you know, people look for it when it comes to the summertime. And for some of you who either been to Boston PRIDE or watched PRIDE of noticed that, um, initially, PRIDE is not just about LGBT people. After the folks are bringing their kids there, people and companies are standing up and sharing [audio cuts off] keeps them solving to educate their kids or make people feel inclusive will show up to PRIDE parade. I think I for one...my Internet story about that. But I for one, one of my highlights for PRIDE is that I'm not out to my father. And my father is quite strict on this -- so homophobic. But every time I'm at a PRIDE parade and I'm seeing a heterosexual that having that [inaudible], that is like Daddy hugs -- I collect as many hugs as possible because it would mean so much to me if my father was that accepting. So seeing an ally's shop on his like, you know, this kind of a like that, that is one of the spaces you can actually be an ally at. The other thing is having a rainbow flag or pronoun. Sometimes you may not need to go out there and: everyone hey, I'm an ally. But a small action that you do will actually count a lot. You have a rainbow flag. Is it in your office? Is you know, the flag maybe somewhere in your compound? Do you have a pin or something like that? By doing this, you're also creating a safe space for LGBTQ opportunity. This is a safe space for me. This is someone that I can approach to or this is someone that is actually, you know, accepting for me on the other thing I'd like to share that is so fun about my job is that if you need swag or you need some of this pronoun pins or some of these things to just put around your office that show that you're actually an ally or LGBT zone friendly, I can mail those to you for free. So, utilize that opportunity.
Qwin Mbabazi: The other thing is educating yourself on how you're going to educate yourself without approaching the LGBT people. You need to approach us and ask questions. So a lot off straight people will be on -- will be like they are scared of asking the questions because you don't want to offend someone because you know you're scared of your questions coming off wrongly. But the thing is that we are interested in having these conversations that you are interested in -- having these conversations. And until you approach us on the manner in which you present your questions, you will not be able to educate yourself. Issues still silent, so I always encourage people approach, reach out and ask the questions because we are interested in educating and just sharing our experiences. Speaking up is another way you can be a good ally. By speaking up, I mean, if you're seeing an LGBT person being discriminated, being bullied or being called names in any kind of way, and you speak up as a straight ally, one of the things you're doing, um, first of all, you let in this person and that you are on their side. You're seeing them and you respect them, whoever they are, in whatever kind of gender identity that they have, as well as you're asking the person that is tormenting them to stop; thereby giving, you know, protection to this LGBT person. So please pick up it when opportunity arises. If you're a parent out there and you know someone else who is struggling was an LGBT person, just pick up and let them know. You know, I'm an LGBT are like: Oh, I go to these meetings. So, I had this final -- because you want to object about that, create that space by speaking up. The other thing that I want to share is um know when someone is out. So simply because someone has come out to you, especially when it comes to the youth. Do not make assumptions that they are out everywhere. Please be mindful of which -- is there such space.
Qwin Mbabazi: I have done a couple of workshops in schools and a couple of youth and students will tell you that my self space is at school. When I'm back home, I'm using my dead name. Or when I'm back home, my parents won't respect my pronouns and all that kind of thing. I do not want to come out to my parents. So be mindful of where is someone out and where are their feelings? Like it could be work, it could be at school. A lot of you are having chats with LGBT students by a zone. Do not by accident go out and out a student without knowing if they're actually out to their parents or not. By doing that, you're making room for LGBT people to feel that they exist. They are respected and you are for them. Bending into my last topic for the day: Bullying. Bullying is something that is very, very rampant especially in school environments. And I'll be honest and share with you that L G B T Q students really face, um, more bullying compared to their heterosexual colleagues and especially the transgender students. Bullying can happen through either one making a comment about their gender or sexuality. Calling someone names or teasing them. Sometimes it actually gets worse and the way that keeping them or hitting them or even just attacking them in bathrooms or denying them access to bathrooms, inappropriate sexual comments, or gestures, even refusing to like, you know, work with them or team up with them because of who they are, making nasty comments about a person online, mocking and imitations of someone by some reason. And all these have been showing up so much, and I want to highlight cyber-bullying so much cause things has been something that has been trending or that is actually picking up as a lot of you are spending time at home. A lot of them actually spending a lot of time online and this ranges from social media spaces. It could be Facebook. It could be the video games that they're playing, or even actually the online classes that they're having. And we keep getting reports of actually, students being bullied by other students through these online platform.
Qwin Mbabazi: So, the next session that I want to handle is basically walk you through some of the basics of what to do in case you notice a student is being bullied or if your child is being bullied or your niece or your nephew or if you know someone is being bullied. What are some of the things that you should do that are actually required by law? So, if one is being bullied-- it first and foremost, you have to make a complaint or reports of that bullying. When I'm always speaking to students. I tell them that I'm always gathering as much evidence as possible. And about evidence -- what do I mean when I'm speaking about evidence, note down when you're actually bullied. When did someone call you a name, or when did they hit you, or what exactly happened? I always encourage you will have a journal. I write it down in -- the sixth of November Qwin called me this or on 7th January [audio cuts out] venture report. For when you're reporting this and this is what happened, you have some evidence that is backing you up on that will also make it easy for the school administration. Sort of like do their work that they're supposed to do when it comes to investigation. And if this school does not do what it's supposed to do and you decide to reach out to GLAD, unless we do have some evidence to say, you know, or work with. So, the first step is to make a complaint. It could be done already or with an email. And I always share with students that even though you make an oral report, it is very important to make an email follow up. You know, just put it out there in your email because also, this is evidence. I mean, you could say that I walked into this - teachers whatever. -- -- And I said this and because it was-- someone be like, I do not remember that. But once you have an email back up somewhere, then that is your good evidence. The complaint that that should -- as I've already mentioned identify who was doing the harassment of that bullying with such conduct card. Was it on the school premises? Was it online? Was it in our fields? With things like that on - with specific. Give as much details as you can give that it's something I'm always encouraging the students, whether it was someone calling you the F word or just whatever nasty thing they might have done to your food and your hair, please be as specific as you can. Also identify the names off any witnesses, especially if it's happening. Me as a junior reporting. Please include this, that from this day I was bullied, and I mentioned it to Qwin, so she is aware of that.
Qwin Mbabazi: Once you make a written, complaint -- the school should do the following. The school is supposed to investigate your possible harassment and complete those investigations. Um, the school's supposed to inform the parents or guardians of the target and the target's harassment and the investigation has commenced. So once the school is like, we're going to look into this by law they are supposed to actually notify the parents. What parents of the students know there is [inaudible] harassment. And-- once that they have completed the investigation, they should notify the parents of the students involved with is actually a verified act of bullying or harassment. And in scenarios when this has been verified, it is upon the school to communicate the measures are going to be taken to keep the targets -- the targeted students safe as well as discuss interventions to prevent further acts of bullying. So they reached out to both your parents and guardians and they let you know that. And we did verify that after the Qwin was bullied and these are the next steps. Another thing that I try to share, especially with school administrators, when you're trying to implement intervention things, is that I'm trying to keep off the "eye on" policy. So, the "eye on" policy means actually a school goes ahead on decides to maybe assign a certain teacher to keep an eye on the students and the known for being bullied. So, this means that your teacher is watching where Qwin is playing from or where Qwin is interrupting from on there. And the reason is why we discourage this is that you're actually indirectly putting more harm to this student because then what happens in our presence when you're not present or when the teacher is not present or when the student is actually on their way home and the teacher is not on. So just find a safe way of, like, sort of like intervening. Sometimes maybe a suspension, or maybe conversations will be held between the parties, which have a decision that school makes. They are supposed to report as every single LGBT, just student and at every single youth they have a right to attend the same school. A school that is free from discrimination based on your sex, based on sexual orientation, discrimination based on gender identity, and gender expression; and students have a right to express themselves through speech or address. When I speak about speech that is like maybe the pronouns or my preferred name is Quinn. Please Call me Qwin. So, the schools is supposed to sort of like respect that.
Qwin Mbabazi: And when it comes to dress code, students should be free to sort of like, you know, dress according to how they identify, as well as forming a GSA on the same terms as other clubs. Still, from my own personal experience, I've been so quite a number of schools where, um, the school does have a drama club or a football club. But then there's no GSA. And this school actually has a very good number of LGBTQ plus students. So, I work in -- I'm doing a workshop. I'm having over 15 to 20 students showing up, and I'm asking you guys have a GSA. And they either don't even know what it means, or they know their friends' school that has a GSA. I'm always reaching out. And I'm like, you actually have a right for a GS A. And then sometimes there's other clubs on. And when I'm speaking to students and I'm like If you don't know how to go about this, don't be shy about it. Reach out to Qwin, reach out to GLAD and what we'll work on with you. Step by step on how you can actually have your GSA formed. As I'm concluding, I'd like to let all of you know that GLAD does have what we call the GLAD answers on this-- nickname. This is the glad 911 center. It's a free and confidential, um, service we have that over 6 New England states. We are very rich with resources, and I'm stuffed by friendly and trained volunteers on board. We have quite a number of youths that are always calling us. Sometimes its parents. Sometimes it's the elder, sometimes its allies, that are calling us. It is true. It is friendly operation from Monday to Friday, 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. If you know a student that is going through something like -- or you're a parent that is going through something and you don't know how to go about your transgender child. Or if you want to know what kind of trainings are going to be happening both you or an ally that is scared of asking a certain question and you want to know how to frame that GLAD answers your questions. You can reach out. I'll also be dropping my email in the chat box in case anyone wants to, you know, follow up. And then lastly, I'd like to present to you our PRIDE. So, the flags that you're looking up here actually, um, in the LGBTQ umbrella, the different terminologies that I told you that different identities that we have also do have their own flags. So, this is the transgender flag, and then we have the Gay flag, which has bean upgraded to include brown and black folks. The lesbian, my lesbian flag. This is the one right here, bisexual flag, a pan flag on on my right. The last corner-- here we have the PRIDE flag, which actually includes the my transgender folks, black and brown folks, and the entire LGBTQ community. So with that, I'd like to thank all of you for listening in on, uh, please feel free to let me know if you have any questions. We'll kick it off from that.
Julian Cancino: Thank you so much, Qwin. Um, it's a very informative and beautiful presentation. I actually wanted to ask Don if you could elaborate on the work of [inaudible] and the OMBUDS before we jump into questions for Qwin
Don: I'll be happy to thank you, Julian. Um the OMBUDS is a confidential, uh, informal resource on campus that is here to help anyone. And anyone who is coming with a bullying or an issue related to LGBT Q. can come talk to my office there. Two other individuals who work in my office besides myself, Elena, um, Elena Lewis and Mike Radzinsky are part time ombuds in the office and I'm a full time ombud. Working Monday through Friday in the office and what we handle are any concerns or questions that come up and we help you think through and empower you to find the right resource. Uh, Sonia Dorado, who is our ER O, is a formal process, meaning that if someone was being bullied and wanted to file a complaint based on discriminatory practices happening related to BRANDEIS, Sonia is the right person to talk to. Sonia can talk to you, Uh, initially, informally, and you make a decision about whether you want to file a formal complaint or not. But if you don't feel comfortable going to her office to talk about the formal process, you could start with my office that we can help you find the right process so that bullying does not continue on campus. So I thank you, Qwin, for the presentation. I thank you, Julian, for such a wonderful opportunity. Yeah, the floor is yours.
Julian Cancino: What questions do you have for Qwin about terminology bullying anything that came up? Okay, I'll start. Go ahead, Susan, you can unmute yourself.
Susan: Hi. Thank you. I was wondering if, um, BRANDEIS has any policies in place that would that incorporate a restorative justice model in terms off, um, dialogue or any follow up with the
Don: person who caused harm? I can speak to that. Susan. Excellent question. We're in the process of getting training and implementing a restorative practice program throughout. Brandeis will likely be piloting something within the next this semester. Let me say, um, there have been discussions ongoing for the last year coming out of individual in the Heller School, who's doing research on this specific topic and trying to get us training at the moment. There are a few of us that have training in this area, and if we needed to put something in place for an issue, I think we could do it even at this time. But we're in the process of putting a restorative practice in. There are very few universities around the country that have full time restorative practices in place, but Brandeis is looking into it, and we really do want to implement this for any issue that comes up where there's been harassment, bullying or the like.
Susan: What, what? How does the dialogue continue after someone has been, you know, called out for causing harm. Or what is the what's the what are the repercussions there or...
Don: Well, Qwin, maybe you want to speak to your experience with that, but I can tell you that from a restorative practice understanding it really empowers the individual that has been the victim to decide whether they even want to sit in the same room with the aggressor. And from my experience, that does not happen very often and frequently. There could be what we call a shuttle diplomacy discussion, where people are in separate rooms and information is shared. But it's pretty hard to get somebody who has been a victim and been severely wounded deeply to sit in the same room with someone else who is the aggressor. Qwin, do you have experience with this? You want to speak to you?
Qwin Mbabazi: Actually did cover. So thank you so much. But I'll just I add another chat. The scenarios that we have also received a lot of the victims, you know, want to be in the same space with a person who has suppressed them. And-- We actually sort of like discouraged this because sometimes it can be intimidating for the victims after they express themselves [inaudible] them all, so we usually don't encourage it. It's best if each of them is in their own separate spaces, just not to add a lot of attention and un-comfortability or rather, discomfort onto the victim. Mhm. Thank you. Then. I think I would just like to point out that bullying is itself; we actually do workshops on that, and it can actually be a full hour workshop on that. And just to highlight that, I just touched the basics on that because I had to chip in the other pieces on them. The other thing is that we do have resources. So in case you want to just sort of like have some resources in your school area like, you know, about students, whatever their rights for the trans rights, what things like that I can always ship those to whoever is interested.
Julian Cancino: We have a question in the chat box. I think it's, if I understand it correctly, is the step before: which is how can faculty/staff react, or what should we do? Um, when a student shares concerns about bullying or discrimination. So you're in the moment in the face to face with the student. How should one react in a way that is affirming?
Qwin Mbabazi: Sure, that's a very great question. Um, so one of the good things to do is first of all, because most of the times when a student is telling you they're being bullied, they're probably very discomfortable and just the emotional stress that they are going through. So as an adult, the first thing that you should do is try to sort of, like create, um, comfortable environment. And this is by sort of like sharing. Comforting words or reassuring words; that you hear them, you see them on, you know, like it's not just going to stop here, but also letting them know that you... Because, um, school is also having policies on how to go about this. And if a student which is up to you, it is upon your responsibility to actually go ahead and inform the school administration of that kind of thing. The one thing that we always discourage, um, for teachers to actually make students sort of have like a one-on-one session with a person that has harassed them. We usually disagree that because chances are that you're actually going to make the harassment sort of, like just go out of space and actually cause more harm to this past one. Because when they're going home or something like that. But someone knowing that like I was reported because I bullied you sort of like a scare away that behavior. So, we always discouraged that didn't make the students like approach the person that is harassing them. However, take this on and go ahead and report this to the school administration and then, the different steps that I also shared. Please have a conversation with this victim and let them know if this is the first time it is happening how often it has been happening. What are the other scenarios and all that kind of thing? Because you want to know if it's like a pattern, it how long it has been happening and all that kind of things that even when you do give your report to the school administration like it is, um, rich enough, or can I say it’s a bit credible and even if it's just happening for the first time. Some students are strong enough to report on the first time, but some of them actually unfortunately come up when it has been happening after some good time and all that kind of them.
Julian Cancino: I actually I have a question for you Qwin, but I will actually open it up to everybody present here. Since we have people that are very qualified, um, in their own ways and is now that we have this context of COVID and our communities and our classrooms have moved to the virtual world. I was particularly interested in the piece about cyber bullying. And in a proactive way -- what are some of the strategies people are implementing or are suggesting for? How do we be proactive in creating virtual communities that are actually affirming? So that's a question for Qwin, obviously. But, you know, for my colleagues here in the room, what are some of the things that you are doing or that you would like to see?
Qwin Mbabazi: I'll share first as other people think of an Answer. Well, cyber bullying has even happening, but it hadn't really gone like on that as compared to what is happening right now. And when we do receive these calls or these complaints from some of the strong students about cyber bullying, there's actually one who did report that we have in a video game with someone, and because they are trans this colleague of theirs told them to go ahead and commit suicide because trans people aren't accepted in this country. But the first thing is, I do not ignore any kind of bullying that happens, whether it's something that is light or heavy or anything like that. Any form of bullying is as important as you know all bullying is. And we also usually encourage the students to sort of, like, as I've said, if they can identify who did this, then that is very good because then they can take it to the school administrator and, you know, let them know that this is what's happened. And a- The good thing is that a lot of these young folks know what a screenshot is, and they're very good at that. And we discourage them from indulging. Like there's another lesbian girl, and someone attacked on her Facebook, on Instagram photos, calling them all sorts of names and unfortunately in such spaces they don't only exposed to, you know, just fellow students with other kind of homophobic and transphobic people that are out there. And we're always telling them, do not indulge, no matter how painful that is, do not indulge. And if it's someone that's, you know, they do not know anything like that once they're taking the screenshot too block that person immediately on. This is on social media too. Block the person immediately. You know, there's no room for this person to keep sending in all these meaningful, meaningless and pain painful things to them. So, we always encourage them to block. And thank goodness that a lot of these other social media apps are also picking up on, you know, protection for people. So, wants to report a comment like they follow up on whether they block personally asked you to block or something is done. But I feel like when it comes to the school environment, a lot of schools they're trying to figure out how to go about this with us, um, classes happening. With a bunch of classes happening, um -- And I guess this is what I'd like to open the floor because someone has first-hand of this scenario to share what they are doing. But from our and we always encouraged the students to still go ahead and reported to the school administrator one
Julian Cancino: One of the things that I do at the GSC which, you know, it is out there when we design programs which many of us are doing right, because we are modifying them for the online community. Is that the extra step of being intentional? Like I asked my students, you want your name to be on the website? Do you want your picture to be on the website? And I assume all of them wanted right. But to my surprise, actually, some of them, some of them said, actually, I don't -- I don't want my name on the zoom recording. I don't want my picture. And then I have to think. Okay, if I just make this accommodation request for one student, that will actually out them, right? To the rest of the team. So, what can I do so that all of my students feel that they can participate to the fullest without being singled out? So one of the things that we decided in conversation with a student is that all of our student workers were going to use GSC student worker as the same name and whoever wanted to turn on the video that could do that so if you joined us for the welcome reception. You notice that many of our students, all of them, wrote GSC student working and only a few of them share their videos. And that, to me, was the way that we ensure that all of them could participate in a way that feel comfortable and safe. Um, but also it was an exercise in solidarity for people who were very comfortable -- and being out and being visible. It was also an insight into the experience of another member of the community. So there are many different moments like this where we can be at proactive in our LGBTQ affirming spaces And so I wanted to highlight -- That is a very small detail that can make a huge difference in making sure that our students are engaged. Beyond that, I feel supported and part of something bigger. I see Esther, you have a raised hand. So can you. You can go ahead and unmute yourself just ask your question. The last thing I wanted to share is as you're thinking about your programming and as you're thinking about your practices, please use us as a resource. The GSC is here not just for co-sponsorship and events but really to think with you about the work that we're doing together. So email reach out among us available. This is this is what I'm passionate about. So please give me another excuse to do it.
Esther: Hello. Thank you. First of all, could -- I just wanna say thank you for such a wonderful presentation. And I just wanted to share a few of the best practices that I use in the classes that I teach. So, one thing that I always do at the start of every class is share my pronouns which I find opens up the conversation for other students to be able to share. There's, I think, having a faculty and an adult sort of start that conversation really affirms that pronouns are -- need to be respected and some students feel comfortable sharing them with me. I also want to share that with all of my classes in the workshops that I do... I actually allow students to change their name to be an alias if they'd like. And so, I've gotten a lot of superheroes and great fictional character names, which actually makes zoom class a lot more fun when you get to call on Wonder Woman to like share her experiences. Um, and lastly, at the end of every class and workshop, I always let students know that I'll stay on for a couple minutes after the session in case anyone wants to talk or share anything with me privately. And so, I found, you know, several students have taken me up on that offer, and it's just been a really nice way. It sort of facilitates community when students can no longer just stop by my office on. Yeah, so I just wanted to share those. Thank you so much. This was a fantastic event.
Susan: Okay, I just also want to say thank you to Qwin for this presentation. It was really wonderful. And for everyone being here today, um, yeah, I kind of want to echo what I think Quinn has mentioned and Esther mentioned about pronouns. When you're communicating with people on zoom. So, most of my interactions with students are one on one. A really easy way to show your pronouns to put them in your name. That shows up on Zoom, and it's just a way this, you know, bring that into the conversation and normalize it so that if a student sees that they might be like: Oh, maybe this is something I could add. Or maybe this is someone who might feel comfortable if I bring up you know that my pronouns are not what this person might expect. Um, another thing I would say about creating an affirming community harkens back to what Qwin was saying, um, of about like talking about sexual orientation. So, if a student feels comfortable enough to bring it up and they might mention: oh, my -- say it's a student who identifies as male and they mentioned their boyfriend, you know, that could take a lot of courage to say to an adult. So instead of just brushing over that, you might say, Oh, tell me more about your boyfriend or something like that, just to acknowledge that what they have said is kind of a big deal. Um, and I found that students who have talked to about that have been really excited that someone kind of latched onto that piece of identity that they're sharing. So that's also a good way to be good allies, not just to brush aside when someone discloses something like that, but to engage with that. So that's just one other thing I would share.
Qwin Mbabazi: Mhm. Thank you for your contributions that they actually did jog, um, some good memories from me for me. So last month they did have another workshop in Vermont. And the interesting thing is that when I went to this workshop, when I stepped into the students, like all the name was just saying, "2020 fly." And I didn't get it I was like, maybe it's a school club or something like that. But now you make sense to say that you know, fly as in f-l-y and um, it makes sense to see this. I'm like, yeah, that's a very good space, you know, just for people to sort of, like, keep in case they are [inaudible] to keep that to themselves on then the other thing I'd like to highlight is that actually a number of young LGBT youth actually, right now at home locked up with some off their homophobic parents or transphobic parents, or rather than accepting parents -- and school is where they were really safe or like you know, where they felt like they could really come on, just who they are. So I think it's Esther that did mention that she gets some time and she stays online. And she, you know, she just had a students know that. And I think this would be a very good practice to just sit on my channel, share out and just like this box because they want to share something because some of them actually do not have anyone to talk to. Some parents are very strict when it comes to online and, like, you know what? Your classes, [inaudible] something like that give the computer a break and all that kind of thing. But if the parents are assuming that you know the student is talking to --- each other in a way that may be safe for them, so will be very nice. Just sort of like have this space. I guess that is another thing. That something besides you know, just creating that space on some students may be when they want to express, they don't feel like, you know, keeping their cameras on. So they should have this option in case a student decides to stay online with you. Let them know they're free to either keep their camera on or not because some people are more comfortable speaking up. You know, once -- Yeah, like, you know, you're not looking at me and all that kind of thing. Yeah, Thank you.
Don: Real quick, I had a question, Quinn. They're excellent trainings out there on use of pronouns that might help educate communities. Because I think that's an issue that a lot of communities have is not understanding the use of pronouns. And I thought what you did excellent today was to give us ah, lot of definitions that ah, lot of people don't understand. And I think that's very helpful to this work.
Qwin Mbabazi: Yes, we do. I don't know...a couple of organizations that do that I'm glad as well does that. So if you want a specific trainings focusing on pronouns what are pronouns, when you use pronouns, I want to be mindful when you're using pronouns. Yes, We definitely do [inaudible] us on. And how I did drop my email address or just let me know and depending on the term, I'll definitely find the right choice as to share with you. If you also do want those pronoun pins, I can definitely share them with you. Yeah.
Julian Cancino: I will follow up with a survey for the training, and one of the five questions is a very short survey. I want you to do it. That's my usual short. One of the questions is, what kind of training will you be interested in? And there's a menu of options, and you're welcome to put one of them, um, a word about pronouns once... somebody...I think most of it is, it's practice, right? And it's a little bit of the mind shift, and a person explained it in a way that I thought was very helpful. Which is we don't know people's names when we first meet them, so we cannot just call them whatever we want or give them a name. We ask people, what is your name? You say my name is, and just like this, you can ask and share programs. Um, and we sometimes forget names. We sometimes pronounce people's names wrong. And it's--- That's all part of getting to know the person. And so, it's a way to think about pronouns that we cannot assume a person's pronouns. We ask people for their pronouns, and sometimes we mess it up, apologized, and we fix the issue. So that is a way that I think many of us can start thinking about pronouns. There's the way we think about names. Um, so we have a few more minutes, two minutes to be exact. Any burning questions that people have? This is the time to ask.
Elba: Hey! So, this is not exactly a question. Hi, I'm Elba. Pronouns: she/her/hers. It is in regard to the first question that Susan brought up in the beginning. In regard to restorative justice. I was going to write it down. But if I have the space to share, um, so just so folks know, the term restorative justice is evolving to transformative justice. Um, as a way to provide the practice of transforming when you hear restored justice as if justice was there to begin with. Um however you like, there are times, when that...just like things aren't being restored; they're being transformed, something is evolving. So, I wanted to share that with you all. In case you start seeing, um, information about workshops that you may be expecting a workshop with the title restorative justice. Instead, it will be considered um, instead, it will be titled transformed justice.
Qwin Mbabazi: And I also just thank you, Elba. I hope I pronounced your name well. And I, I just changed my batch of background just for emphasis of how to be a good ally. And it's like it's exciting changing your background. I know some people don't like technology and all, but just having this there in your background speaks for them. That already speaks enough for itself, you know, especially LGBT friendly. So that's another way you can be a great ally --- So, thank you for having me.
Julian Cancino: I think we are at time. So we want to respect your lunch time and thank you again, So, so much for joining us. We will be in touch. Thank you.