An Open Letter to Morton Weinfeld, Chair in Canadian Ethnic and Racial Studies

We would like to share our deep concerns about the event titled “Blackface, Ethnic Comedy and the Tension Between Free Expression and Racism,” presented on March 28th, 2013 by the Minor Program in Canadian Ethnic and Racial Studies at McGill University, in conjunction with The UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Despite important contributions and critical presentations by Anthony Morgan, Dr. Charmaine Nelson and Fo Niemi, we were disturbed by the “ethnic comedy” of Franco Taddeo, who performed a stand up routine that included jokes with underlying heteronormative and misogynist tones.  More so, we were outraged by the presentation made by Julius Grey, who from the start set out to counter claims made by previous panelists Dr. Nelson and Fo Niemi.  He opened his presentation by asserting, “I taught here for 27 years and I started every single one of my classes with the words ‘I reserve the right to be totally politically incorrect. Anybody who can’t take it should take another course.’  I kept my word, I was totally politically incorrect; I will be politically incorrect here.”

“Political correctness” for Grey, is a form of “presentism” that attempts to “fashion other people’s thought” and jeopardizes the right to free speech.  He observed, for example, that “We now all agree, that it [homosexuality] is something that is inherent, that the person has no choice, that there’s nothing wrong with it, that there’s nothing morally wrong with it in the sense that it’s just the way the person is. There is an unfortunate, an unfortunate parallel with another thing which we have come down on like a ton of bricks—pedophilia.  There’s plenty of evidence that a person cannot change, that that’s just simply how he’s wired. You can tell me pedophilia causes great harm, but of course wasn’t that argument used on homosexuality, where for years and years [the claim] that it involves child abuse was spread in order to repress it?” He added that in his view “it is not true that all forms of pedophilia cause harm.”[i]

Grey’s presentation centered on an argument in favour of the right to “free speech” and emphatically against collective rights for minority groups.  He went on to argue that racialized/ ethnocultural groups should assimilate rather than organize and assert themselves collectively.  “Yes, I am opposed to collective rights,” he asserted, “…I think groups have no right to survive.  I think it’s a bad thing that they survive. My solution for Black rights is assimilation. My solution for Jews is assimilation. I hope to see an America or a Canada…in which there’s no such thing as a Black man, no such thing as a white man, no such thing as an Asian man.”  Certainly the eugenicist tone of these statements is deeply troubling.  And he acknowledged, “It is obvious that neither Black community activists, nor the Jewish community, nor the Greek community is going to be happy to hear what I’m saying. It means taking away their privileges or influence and everything else.”

Grey disputed the notion that our society is “nice” and the value in attempts at “legislating niceness.”  He pointed to the manner in which society in his opinion disproportionately punishes those who break our current value-based rules. “What is the fairness, for instance,” he asked, “of prosecuting criminally an 18 year old kid, who gets drunk at a party and paws some girl and then you say ‘ahhh, no means no; it’s a criminal offence’ and that will be…on his record forever…”

Grey’s entire presentation was underscored by the fact that in delivering it, he asserted his own individual right to “free speech” over the collective rights of those present to be protected from his psychological violence.  The power that he wielded in this situation as a renowned, older white male attorney and former professor at McGill–such that fellow panelists and audience members did not interrupt his 20 minute presentation despite experiencing it as oppressive and hurtful—exemplifies how freedom of speech certainly does not extend to all equally; it is governed by existing power relations and can indeed be used to maintain them.

Grey concluded by stating “So if we’re going to have a society which can change, which can evolve, which can have true equality…  we should say not only that minorities should be protected but also, as I say, that minorities should disappear; safe to say without any form of racism whatsoever.”  Dr. Weinfeld, attaching an “ought” statement to the sentiment of minorities disappearing is racism! This needs to be acknowledged.

When confronted by several members of the audience, we found Grey’s responses to be dismissive and argumentative.  As tensions rose, Dr Weinfeld, you attempted to return matters to “business as usual” (as observed by a member of the audience), calling for academic rules of decorum.  Given the racism and identities-based marginalization that many people experience at McGill on a daily basis, the event attracted a number of students in search of an inclusive space in which these issues might be addressed and discussed.  Instead, many of those present found themselves in yet another situation at this University where racism was present and permitted to flourish; where white privilege and patriarchal power were asserted and used to try to silence the voices of those who expressed their objections to what was happening.

It is our position Dr. Weinfeld, that you had a responsibility to use your power as the moderator of the event and as the Chair of Canadian Ethnic and Racial Studies to interrupt Mr. Grey’s presentation which clearly was inappropriate (if ironic) at an event organized in recognition of the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Rather than an issue of Me. Grey’s “right to free speech,” we understand this situation as being about the choice to give him a platform for that speech at our University.

In a March 30th debriefing about the event among several people who had attended, comments were shared about the ways in which Julius Grey’s speech and behaviour had caused attendees physical and psychological symptoms of stress in the 24 hours following the event, such as feelings of anxiety, insomnia, and tension related bodily pain.   People questioned the event’s putative association with the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the precise point of the event, and whether its objectives had been met in the opinions of the organizers. Questions were raised about the ordering of panelists, such that Julius Grey was the final presenter and indeed given the final word of the event.

We hereby call on you, Dr. Weinfeld, to address these concerns and to issue a public apology to the attendees of the event for your failure to moderate the panel in a manner in keeping with a commitment to working toward the elimination of racial discrimination and indeed all forms of discrimination.  For, despite Mr. Grey’s assertion that the damage done by “mere speech” “doesn’t matter,” we expect that you recognize that speech, particularly in the context of unequal power relations, can be assaultive; that words can and are (and always have been) used as part of the matrix of domination to “ambush, terrorize, wound, humiliate, and degrade” particular groups of people.[ii]

Finally, and looking forward, we call on the University community to consider the following questions:

●      How do we ensure that events organized for the University community to engage in constructive dialogue about important issues of marginalization and systemic inequalities are as safe as possible for our University community, particularly those members who most directly experience said marginalization and inequality?

●      How can we respond to individual and collective actions criticizing, confronting, and challenging discrimination at the University in ways that understand and legitimize talking back in such situations, and recognize the unequal power dynamics that frame our interactions?

The details and concerns surrounding the nature and outcomes of this event have been shared with the University Ombudsperson, and we encourage anyone at McGill who experiences oppression to consult with the Ombudsperson (ombudsperson@mcgill.ca), an Assessor for cases of Harassment and Discrimination (http://www.mcgill.ca/harass/contact), the Sexual Assault Centre of the SSMU (http://sacomss.org/contact.html), the SSMU Equity Commissioner (equity.com@ssmu.mcgil.ca), the PGSS Equity Commissioner (equity@pgss.mail.mcgill.ca), or the VP Diversity and Equity of your departmental student association.

Supervising professor harasses Muslim student, utters death threats

We got this submitted a couple times!

This is FAR more than a microaggression: a Muslim grad student from Egypt was taunted, harassed, and verbally assaulted by his supervising professor for months last semester. The taunting was centred around his faith, making fun of the rules he followed as a Muslim person, and using homophobic insults because the student did not date. Finally, when he decided to switch supervisors, the professor in question uttered a death threat against him. The student moved back to Egypt almost right away afterwards, and says he still does not feel comfortable coming back. The professor is still employed at McGill. Islamophobia cannot be condoned at this school, especially by professors - but death threats are far more than that. They are illegal and utterly unacceptable, and this professor needs to not only be fired, but to face criminal charges for his threats.

The article discussing the incident:
http://globalnews.ca/news/470398/exclusive-alleged-death-threats-uttered-by-mcgill-professor-drives-student-back-to-egypt/

What about when you get to all the Wangs and Wongs?

A library and information studies lecturer was explaining random sampling and phone book usage to our class.

A White student raised her hand and asked, “What about when you get to like, the letter W and it’s all Chinese people?”

Lecturer’s response, “Well it would still be random sampling because they’re still all different people, aren’t they?”

I am Asian American and thrilled to have witnessed this anti-racist teaching moment. 

Faking Anxiety

A student in my French class presented an article about the increased usage of mental health services at McGill. She ended a presentation with an anecdote about how many of her friends fake depression to get longer time to study. The class all laughed and shared stories about who they know that fakes it.The prof went on a tirade about how overmedicated students are and depression is just a fake illness. I raised my hand and pointed out that Quebec has the highest suicide rate and that ¼ people are suffering from a form of mental illness. He rolled his eyes, the class laughed, and he went in a tirade about how students need to buck up and stop being loners (aka, don’t use the Internet).

I suffer from acute anxiety and depression and have been struggling with these for 10 years. I had a bad anxiety attack after class and missed the next couple of his classes. I never explained my absences because I felt unsafe.

Do you ride camels to school?

I’m an Arab woman, and I’d just like to share some of the things I’ve heard from other students at McGill that made me feel angry or uncomfortable. You’d think that going to the best school in the country would mean people you talk to are a little more educated about other cultures. 

-  Oh, so you’re Arab? Do you ride camels to school? It must be really hot there. (my country doesn’t have a desert….or camels…)

- Oh you’re Arab. Is your dad one of those rich people who sells oil?

- How is it like going to school in your country? are women really oppressed there? Do you have to wear a burqa?

- Why are Muslims always so angry all the time, I don’t understand why they just had to protest and start killing people because someone in the US threatened to burn a Qoran (FYI, I’m not even a Muslim, the person assumed I was after I said my nationality)

- Arabic is such an ugly language, it sounds like you’re yelling all the time.

On today’s McGill’s Psychology Student Association Listserv:

All kidding aside, we all know the psychology faculty is a diverse group and we here at the MPSA strive to represent each and every one of you. You may have seen the McGill Microaggressions tumblr posts being passed around regarding incidences that occurred in McGill psychology classes. We, the MPSA, feel deeply sorry that these intensely hurtful experiences transpired, and that the respective professors were not held accountable for their actions. We recognize that these incidences were not the first microaggressions to have happened in psychology classes, nor will they, realistically and unfortunately, be the last.

If any microaggressions occur in your psychology classes in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us (anonymously or otherwise) and inform us of the situation. We will do our best to work with the faculty and staff to create a safer, more inclusive space for all students. Furthermore, both the AUS and SSMU have a commitment to Equity (the AUS recently passed a new Equity policy, attached to this email), and we will work with them in our mission to represent all students.

Once again, please feel free to send me questions about other resources.

In sol,

McGill Microaggressions

must be in the wrong class…

I walk into my computer science class at the same time as several other students. Our professor’s PhD student is teaching that day, and he looks up as we all sit down. Turning away from the other (all male) students and looking straight at me (a woman) he says, “You know this is (class name), right?”. I say yes, and he raises his eyebrows and looks back down. 

They’re called spices - a lot of people use them.

My first boss at McGill was from Cambodia.  He was actually a survivor of “The Killing Fields” and after losing his entire family, began a new and successful life at McGill.  He usually brought his lunch to the office, and one day, a co-worker stormed around the area where he worked and complained that his food - a dish native to his culture -“smelled like garbage.”  To her credit, I called her out on it year’s later and she apologized, but the hurt was registered, as he would often tell co-workers, “Watch out, I’m eating garbage again.”  It played to a form of self-deprecation that always made me squirm, as I have been guilty of doing the same thing with comments about my own ethnicity.

In an initial class, a prof was reading names of students from a class list and was trying to identify them based on the photo that is on the beside the names on the list. After he misidentified a student, in an effort to cover up his mistake, he went on to laugh and say, “oh you know, all orientals look the same”. 

Creation of a ressource for the trans* and gendervariant community

http://cissexist-watch.wikia.com/

Come help populate, share stories, and raise awareness so that students can make informed decisions about whether or not to approach professors about trans* issues.

Because THAT voice could never have come from MY body.

I was entering the elevators in Stewart Biology when one of my Psych professors entered making it just her and I. Even though I didn’t particularly enjoy her teaching style, I spoke to her out of politeness, telling her how much I enjoyed the material she was doing this semester. She refused to look my direction and only spoke one sentence as the elevators opened on the floor she wanted: “Well I wasn’t expecting THAT voice out of THAT body.”

I stood there pretty much stunned into silence as she left the elevator. My voice seemed quite normal to me. But as a POC I had to wonder what she meant. I happen to think my voice and my body suit me just fine, but I guess she was expecting something different. She could have said a number of things like maybe thank you, or spoken to me briefly about what I had mentioned but instead she had to bring my body into it. What did she think would happen when I spoke? Ugh.

Poor People Are Just Like Us!

When talking about poverty, my sociology prof felt the need to mention that often people living below the Low-Income Cut Off in Canadian cities still have cars or homes, and are in fact “like us.” As though there’s no possibility that any of the students in the class are from low-income backgrounds, AND as though having a car or a roof over your head means you’re not “really” poor.

verolynne asked: I don't know if everyone got it, but I just received an email in the past week about a "discrimination at McGill" survey. I deleted it after I completed the survey, so I can't remember the details of the email, but check your inboxes! I hope that everyone who's had experiences like this will have the time to fill out that survey so that they'll get the complete picture.

honeycaller-deactivated20140715 asked: Why do you protect the identities of the people/profs mentioned in submissions?

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

The purpose of this tumblr is to serve as a centralised place to gather people’s shitty experiences.

To be frank, the Internet can be a nasty place. If the person who submits a microaggression wishes to pursue any form of recourse, I recommend them to do so. I do not believe that it is the place of this Tumblr to go into the identities of the people who did those shitty things. Yes, they should be held accountable but not on Tumblr, and beyond everything, it should be at the discretion of the person who submitted the microaggression to pursue action or not.

Please note, that since your message, I have added a resource list. 

Thank you once again for your question, and please let me know if you have any further questions.

In sol!

Submit & Feedback!

Hey all!

Thank you for following this Tumblr! I really appreciate. Please submit your experiences.

Also, if you have ideas for tags to include on the submission page, send them my way.

<3