Sexual Assault Awareness Month brings people together to create and generate discussion and skill-building on how to prevent sexual violence in our schools, workplaces, and communities. While providing support and care to survivors of sexual violence is an everyday action, this awareness month also carves out intentional moments to honor and believe survivors’ stories and experiences.
We are saddened that for another year in a row that the pandemic has impacted our ability to physically come together this April to do this critical work. The Women’s Center and all of our campus partners including the Office of Equity and Inclusion, University Health Services, the Counseling Center, Green Dot, We Believe You, and Retriever Courage, and more will nonetheless continue to promote awareness and prevention this month. We are inviting our UMBC community to join our efforts.
TBTN is one of the largest events the Women's Center hosts every year. To honor this special event that centers survivors stories and healing and invites our community to dismantle rape culture, we created a virtual TBTN experience. We invite our community to visit this platform and engage in the visual and audio content. Spend time alone or with others sitting with the reflection questions and action items. Share your thoughts on social media using #UMBCtbtn.
Join us for our virtual TBTN Gathering on April 20th at 4pm!
Other Ways to Get Involved, Learn, and Support:
The events, activism, discussions, support, and stories that stem from Sexual Assault Awareness Month are some of the Women’s Center’s most significant and special. It's challenging to lose these events and the community they create for a second year in a row. It's okay to grieve Take Back the Night and our other annual traditions. We are alongside you in that grieving process, and we hope that in these extraordinary times, we can continue to act with extraordinary compassion and conscientiousness to prevent sexual violence at UMBC and beyond.
And, remember, no matter where you are, dear survivors, we see you. We believe you. You matter. Always.
Additionally, throughout this time of continued distance learning, campus staff are still here and available for support. Do not hesitate to reach out for questions, concerns, or care.
On-Campus Resources Available for Virtual Support:
Visit Retriever Courage for a full list of campus resources and support to include resources for USG students, faculty, and staff
To report a complaint of sexual misconduct or discrimination, please submit this online form.
Off-Campus Resources:
TurnAround, Inc. Helpline (Available 24/7): 443-279-0379; Office: 410-377-8111
MCASA is still open and supporting survivors.
The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 24/7, confidential and free: 800-656-HOPE (4673) and through chat.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 24/7, confidential and free: 1-800-799-7233 and through chat.
Visit Retriever Courage for a more extensive list of off-campus resources and support
This year, however, TDOV comes at a time of deeply harmful political movements to suppress the trans community’s access to health care and sports. As of today, three state governors have signed off on anti-trans legislation that bans trans women and girls from competing in sports and, coming down the pipeline, are more laws like those being voted on in Arkansas that would prevent gender affirming health care for trans people under age 18 (ironically, this bill is called the “Save Adolescents from Experimentation” (SAFE) Act). South Dakota bill to ban transgender girls and women from sports was vetoed by Governor Kristi Noem (R), but Governor Noem quickly passed two executive orders that effectively replicaticating the law.
Chase Strangio, deputy director of transgender justice at the ACLU, recently told CNN, "There have been many existential threats to trans existence, but there's something uniquely dangerous about what's going on right at this moment with the combination of the sports bills and the health care bills… I think the impulse underlying both is to try to establish governmental policy that it's harmful to be trans."
This TDOV, we hope you consider taking action and actively fighting against these measures. Some suggestions for next steps include:
writing the governors of the various states that are considering and passing these bills,
donating to trans organizations working to fight against this bigotry,
and/or calling your own state and federal representatives to demand they stand up for trans people’s right to both healthcare and participation in sports.
For all of these actions, you can find/send pre-formed emails here and even more easy action items here.
In addition to doing this important work, consider simply learning more about the transgender community by centering trans creators, authors, activists, artists, scientists, policy makers, etc. Below, we have gathered resources to read/listen to/watch and folks to follow on social media. These are just a very few of the people and groups that you should look into--so please do explore further!
Visibility is a small step toward progress, but it’s only the first of many. There is still so much work to be done, as we can see by today’s news, but we can continue to build the futures we imagine. We can keep dreaming up utopia, uplifting transgender voices, and constructing bridges between difference.
Chase Strangio, deputy director of transgender justice for the ACLU
Alok Vaid-Menon, author, performer, and artist
Katelyn Burns, journalist with VOX
Chase Mosier, professional athlete and founder of transathlete (see below)
Raquel Willis, activist, writer, and organizer
Schuyler Bailar, first trans D1 athlete, speaker, and advocate
Wednesday Holmes, illustrator and writer
Ericka Hart, sex educator and writer
Intransitive was founded by two Trans people in response to the gap of intersectional Trans spaces in Northwest Arkansas. From its inception, Intransitive took on shutting down TERF recruitment events by organizing local and regional Trans people in the state.
FORGE reduces the impact of trauma on trans/non-binary survivors and communities by empowering service providers, advocating for systems reform, and connecting survivors to healing possibilities. FORGE strives to create a world where ALL voices, people and bodies are valued, respected, honored, and celebrated; where every individual feels safe, supported, respected, and empowered.
TransAthlete is a resource for students, athletes, coaches, and administrators to find information about trans inclusion in athletics at various levels of play. This site pulls together existing information in one central location, and breaks down information into easy-to-reference areas to help you find what you need.
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." The ACLU works at the national level and has affiliate locations throughout the U.S.
Trans Women in Women’s Spaces: A Reflection of the Transition of Privilege and Belonging
By Autumn Cook, March 26, 2020
Genderqueer & Trans Fashion Zine
By Scout Hertl, Spring 2019
By Dan Willey and Amelia Meman, 2017
How Many Trans Kids Will Die While We Await This Mythic Trans Sports Takeover? by Chase Strangio
Transgender Week of Visibility and Action (Google Doc with information and resources for activism)
Trans Athletes Bills Explained by Katelyn Burns
Myths About Trans Athletes Debunked by Chase Strangio and Gabriel Arkles
Trans History You Never Learned in School by Thomas Page McBee
Visibility Alone Will Not Keep Transgender Youth Safe by Chase Strangio and Raquel Willis
Youth Activists Lead the Fight Against Anti-Trans Bills by Jo Yurcaba
As we gain more information and folks share resources, we are updating a Google Doc with this information. You can check that out here.
Check out what's to come in April with i3b and our partnered events.
RSVP to any events HERE
An Open Processing Space on Anti-Asian Violence
A supportive brave space for students
Friday, April 2, 2021 | 3:00pm - 4:00 p.m. | Online via Google Meet
myUMBC Event Post: Link | Google Meet: Link
Workshop Wednesdays: Tools for Navigating Difficult Dialogues
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | 10am - 12p.m. | myUMBC Post: Link | Webex Session: Link
DreamZone Development Lunch & Learn Session
Help us develop one of our newest initiatives!
Friday, April 16, 2021 | 12pm - 1:15 p.m. | myUMBC Post: Link | Webex Session: Link
OCA Mocha Mondays with i3b: Interfaith Dialogues
Monday, April 19, 2021 | 6pm - 7:30 p.m. | myUMBC Post: Link | Webex Session: RSVP Required
Retriever Immigrants United: Equity for all? **
Advocating for our most underserved
Friday, April 23, 2021 | 12pm - 1:15 p.m. | myUMBC Post: Link | CANCELED
SistaCare: Equity for all? **
Advocating for our most underserved
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 | 1pm - 2p.m. | myUMBC Post: Link | Webex Session: Link
LGBTQ+ Networking Event
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 | 4pm - 5:30 p.m. | myUMBC Post: Link | Webex Session: Link
The Women’s Center Advisory Board is a collective of faculty, staff, and affiliate students with an interest in supporting and cultivating the work of the Women’s Center at UMBC and advancing gender equity and social justice on UMBC’s campus.
Board members participate in monthly board meetings, scheduled for the first Friday of each month during the academic year. This forum allows Women’s Center staff to share information about the Center and similarly allows the board members to share their knowledge, wisdom and unique perspectives to advance the mission of the Women’s Center.
In addition to advising the professional staff of the Women’s Center, Board members and affiliates help and give support in the planning, programming, and advocacy of the Women’s Center. Board members and affiliates are encouraged to attend Women’s Center events when possible and volunteer at larger events such as Critical Social Justice, Take Back the Night, or the Returning Women Students networking event. These responsibilities may occasionally entail additional hours of commitment outside of the monthly board meetings.
Board members are appointed for two-year terms, with the possibility of renewal. Student Affiliates serve a one-year term, with possibility of renewal.
Students are invited to join the Board via an affiliate position and can do so by completing the same application process as faculty and staff.
The Women’s Center seeks
to serve a diverse community of people interested in women’s, gender, and
social justice issues. We seek a diverse
board to assure that varying needs and interests are represented.
For more on the Women’s Center mission, guiding principles, and priorities,
visit womenscenter.umbc.edu
DEADLINE: Friday, April 30, 2021.
Complete your application through this google form.
For additional information, please call the Women’s Center at x52714 or email womenscenter@umbc.edu.
All Are Welcome So Long As They Respect Women’s Experiences, Stories & Potential
]]>We see you. We believe you. You matter.
Over the past year, the violence against the Asian/Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has significantly increased. This anti-Asian climate cultivated an environment that allowed a brutal mass murder last week that targeted Asian-owned businesses and resulted in eight people shot, six of whom were Asian American women.
We say their names:
Soon C. Park, age 74
Hyun J. Grant, age 51
Suncha Kim, age 69
Yong A. Yue, age 63
Delaina Ashley Yaun, age 33
Paul Andre Michels, age 54
Xiaojie Tan, age 49
Daoyou Feng, age 44
We send our deepest sympathies to their loved ones and their extended communities. The Women’s Center supports our AAPI students, faculty, and staff and we commit to showing up in solidarity with the AAPI community as continued anti-Asian racism and xenophobia persist in the U.S and transnationally.
According to research from Stop AAPI Hate, there were nearly 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents in the past year, including shunning, slurs, and physical attacks. It is of considerable concern that 68% of these attacks have been directed at women. Last week’s violence was not an "isolated event," nor was it because of a "bad day" or a "sexual addiction.” It is the direct result of a growing escalation of violence, harassment, and xenophobia against Asians, Asian-Americans, and Pacific Islanders and stems from a long history of white supremacist oppression directed against all people of color.
Grace Lee Boggs reminds us that, "The only way to survive is by taking care of one another."
We believe this so firmly that we put this quote on our Women’s Center t-shirts. One of the ways we can take care of each other is by digging in deep, learning with open hearts, unpacking our biases and misunderstandings, and committing to doing better. While we know many places have been sharing resources for support and further learning, we’re offering our own (non-exhaustive!!) list we curated from an intersectional feminist and critical social justice lens. You can also access additional resources here and here.
The Long History Of Sexual And Physical Violence Asian Women Face In The U.S.
How the history of spas and sex work fits into the conversation about the Atlanta shootings
Fetishized, sexualized and marginalized, Asian women are uniquely vulnerable to violence
A specific kind of racism': Atlanta shootings fuel fears over anti-sex-work ideology
NPR's Code Switch: Screams And Silence
Black and Asian American Solidarities: A Reading List
Red Canary Song: A Grassroots Collective of Asian and Migrant Sex Workers, Organizing Transnationally
AAPI Women Lead
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Asian American Feminist Collective
Asian Americans Advancing Justice: As the national voice advocating for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across a range of issue areas
Hollaback’s Bystander Intervention Trainings to Stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment.
Learn more and register here via their website.
VietRISE: VietRISE advances social justice and builds power with working-class Vietnamese and immigrant communities in Orange County
Calista Ogburn (Writer, Podcaster, UMBC Class of 2021; she/her pronouns): This summer Ogburn published “this is it.” This poetry book brings to light the rising anti-Asian racism as the spread of COVID-19 has increased. It captures Ogburn’s experience of loneliness, heightened anxiety, and feeling lost during a global pandemic. Ogburn also just launched a podcast called Morning Glory.
Jenny Yang (Comic, Writer, Activist; she/her pronouns): Yang is the co-founder and co-producer of Dis/orient/ed Comedy, a nationally touring comedy showcase of Asian-American women. Before comedy, Yang was a labor organizer working with over 85,000 people for equity.
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Chanel Miller (Artist, Activist, Writer, Survivor; she/her pronouns): Miller is a writer and artist who received her BA in Literature from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her critically acclaimed memoir, KNOW MY NAME, was a New York Times bestseller and received numerous awards as one of the best books of 2019. Her Instagram features comics and illustrations that explore themes of identity, healing, and politics.
Quyen Nguyen-Le(Filmmaker, Writer; they/them pronouns): Nguyen-Le is a queer Vietnamese American filmmaker whose films examine the intersections of identity.
Laura Chow Reeve/radicalroadmaps (Illustrator, Designer, Organizer; she/her pronouns): Radical Roadmaps is a graphic recording and illustration practice, where Reeve aims to create accessible and visual political education tools. Particularly focused on working with BIPOC led organizations and organizers, Reeve has created graphics on topics such as base building, mental health stigma, sex work decriminalization, reproductive justice, prison abolition & more.
Instagram | Website | Alt-Text for Instagram
Survivorship Looks Different in the Asian American Community
Posted on November 1, 2018 by Samiksha Manjani
Across Worlds and Identities: The Spaces in Between
Posted on October 6, 2016 by Prachi Kochar
Wish I could be [seen] in your world
Posted on April 8, 2015 by Yoo-Jin Kang
Invisible, often liminal- Growing up as an Asian-American Immigrant Woman in the United States
Posted on October 23, 2014 by Yoo-Jin Kang
Women of Color: Telling Our Stories, Our Way. A Portrait Series by Yoo-Jin Kang
Posted May 5, 2015.
Access the full category archive here.
During the spring 2015 semester, the Women’s Center and Women of Color Coalition was awarded a Campus Action Project grant from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in order to fund student led projects that fight stereotypes and biases. Our project, called “Telling Our Stories: I’m Not/I Am,” aimed to (1) raise awareness and reject stereotypes about women of color and (2) create space for women of color voices and counternarratives. We launched our project with the “I’m Not” poster campaign, with hopes to disrupt the misguided assumption that racialized gender stereotyping is not a problem for our campus community.
To view some of the “I’m Not” posters featuring Asian community members’ experiences, click here.
You can also view images from the project’s events and all the Telling Our Stories posters here.
To our AAPI community members, and especially those who identify as women - We see you. We believe you. You matter.
This is a repost on behalf of the Asian & Asian American Faculty & Staff Council. Original event post here.
Please join other members of the Asian & Asian American Faculty & Staff Council for an open conversation on the recent tragedy in Atlanta and anti-Asian racism. We'll hold a space to reflect and to discuss ideas for how to best support our Asian American student, faculty, and staff community.
TODAY, Monday, March 22nd from 5-6pm
ID: 1205902736
Password: JSRRJYmG
(US) +1 202-860-2110 (toll)
Access code: 120 590 2736
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