UVic hosts Trans history conference during Transgender Day of Visibility
The University of Victoria is playing host to the "Moving Trans History Forward" conference, which launched on March 30 and will run until April 2, coinciding with International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31.
The fifth bi-annual conference will bring to together more that 400 people from 20 countries to discuss the past, present and future of Trans+ people.
Open to the public by donation, the conference is both in-person and online to allow international Trans+ activists, academics, students, artists and allies to attend.
"The conference is about bringing people together," said Aaron Devor, Transgender Studies chair at the University of Victoria.
"The majority of the people who attend our conference are Trans+ people," he said.
"It’s a very rare occasion when Trans+ people get to be in a space for that many days and hours where they are in the majority."
Devor, who is the world’s first and only chair in Transgender Studies, says this allows for freer speech and for ideas to be explored more widely.
He says the conference and International Transgender Day of Visibility are significant for empowering Trans+ people and their allies.
"Trans+ people are able to stand up with their allies and make themselves known and feel good about who they are," said Devor over the lunchbreak of the conference on Friday.
"It’s important for Trans+ people to find each other and to be able to explore across a vast array of topics and ideas."
"UVic is home to the world’s largest Transgender Archives, which represents 17 countries on six continents, more than 130 years of research and over 60 years of activism," the conference said in a release.
"In January 2016, the university also established the world’s first and only chair in Transgender Studies."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Don't expect any deals:' Expert says stores may not offer steep discounts on post-Easter chocolate
Those looking to snap up cheap treats at their local grocery store next week following the Easter long weekend could be in for a bit of a surprise as the rising cost of cocoa continues to drive up the price of chocolate, one expert says.