Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies - University College

Centre for Sexual Diversity StudiesYear-End Report to the SDS Communityfrom David RaysideJune 2006I am presenting here an overview of developments related to the continued growth of the Centrefor Sexual Diversity Studies and its undergraduate program, covering the year from the summerof 2005 until now.Program GrowthWe now have about 150 students registered in our undergraduate major and minor programs,about evenly divided between the two. This represents amazing growth, more than double theenrolment two years earlier, and triple what it was in 2001-02. In addition, many more studentstake our core courses – filling up our two second-year introductory courses each year.This year we offered eight semester courses of our own, with two other courses in thedepartments of English and Political Science acting as core courses for our students.In 2006-07, we are offering more than ever, across an exciting range of topics:UNI255F History and Perspectives in Sexual Diversity Scott RayterUNI256S Sexualities: Social, Legal, and Organizational Contexts Adam GreenUNI354F Theories of Sexual Diversity - the Foundations Fadi Abou-RihanUNI355S Theories of Sexual Diversity - Contemporary Perspectives Fadi Abou-RihanUNI365F Sexuality and Law Meredith CartwrightUNI375S Topics: Queerly Canadian Scott RayterUNI375F Topics: Queer Citizens, Queer Citizenship Zoe NewmanUNI455S Topics: Sexual Performance - Case Studies in S/M Leslie KatzUNI455F Topics: Trans Theory & Politics Dan IrvingUNI475S The New Queer Visibility Rinaldo WalcottIn addition, University College offers two first year seminars each year, and in 2006-07 bothoare on topics that relate to sexuality:HUM 199Y Sexuality and Religion Meredith Cartwright.HUM 199Y The Fictions of Sexuality Fadi Abou-RihanProgram Director1

Mariana Valverde has been appointed as SDS Program Director for a three year term beginningin July, responsible for our two undergraduate programs (Major and Minor) and workingalongside me in the overall direction of the Centre. She has been an active participant in SDSgrowth from the very first informal discussions held about the need for such a program, in themid-1990s. She brings to the role a broad interest in sexuality issues, a distinguished researchrecord, and a commitment to increasing broad public awareness.Mariana is a professor in the Centre of Criminology, and teaches in the undergraduateCriminology program at Woodsworth College at the U of T. Her prolific publishing recordstarted with Sex, Power & Pleasure (Toronto’s Women’s Press, 1985). Her second (The Age ofLight, Soap and Water, 1991) was a history of moral regulation movements in Canada. Sincethen, she has explored alcohol regulation, the role of law in exercising moral control (Law’sDream of a Common Knowledge, by Princeton University Press, 2003), and the regulatory roleof local authorities.Mariana takes office at the end of Maureen FitzGerald’s extraordinary term as Program Director,overseeing expansion in course offerings and growth in student numbers that would have beenunimaginable at SDS’s inception. She brought warmth and great wisdom to the role, andthroughout her term retained close and supportive relations with many SDS students, at the sametime continuing her work with the Transitional Year Program. For part of her term, Maureenbenefitted from the assistance of SDS veteran Scott Rayter, who served as Acting Directorduring a term when she was on leave. Both deserve our heartfelt thanks.The Principal of University College, Sylvia Bashevkin, chaired the search committee, under newguidelines for program director appointment created by the Dean of Arts and Science.Bonham DonationThis March brought the formal announcement of Mark Bonham’s $1 million donation to theCentre (all of which is to be endowed to support Centre initiatives indefinitely).Mark has been a strong supporter of the U of T in other ways, and in 1999 was awarded the U ofT’s Arbor Award for volunteer service. He has donated $2.5 million to Casey House, and hasbeen a strong community supporter, sitting on the Advisory Board of the Inside/Out FilmFestival. He is a wine enthusiast, an avid promoter of Ontario wine, and CEO of Stoney RidgeEstate Winery in the Niagara peninsula.Mark’s support for SDS goes back to the early years in the growth of the minor program, whenhe established a $200,000 endowment support undergraduate course instruction. Thisrepresented a terrific boost, and one that was unusually sensitive to our need for help insustaining our core curriculum. He has since then been a regular participant in SDS events, andmember of the SDS Advisory Committee, and a consistent enthusiast. An official eventrecognizing Mark and ceremonially opening room 253 will be held on Monday, October 16 th (4-2

6pm).Administrative Assistant PositionPaul Morrison has served as the SDS administrative assistant since late June 2005. He has set upthe office in room 251, he has created systematic records-keeping and filing systems, and he hasdramatically expanded and improved the web site. All the while, he has helped students,instructors, and we on the administrative team at every stage in this period of dramatic growth.Paul is now taking up a new position as Computing Services Coordinator here at UniversityCollege. So while he’ll still be nearby, he will have more than us to assist! Applications for theposition he has held will be solicited, and interviews begun, in the near future, with a view tostarting the permanent position around August 1 st . In the meantime Paul will serve SDS parttime, assisted by Eddie Tam (a life sciences UC student) in the SDS office. Paul has beenserving us well, and it will be hard to find his equal!Faculty Appointments with SDS Linksa) Women and Gender Studies / HistoryAshwini Tambe has been offered an appointment following a search for a position in theWomen’s and Gender Studies Institute and the History Department, and has enthusiasticallyaccepted. She has completed distinguished work on brothels in colonial Bombay, and has asparkling teaching record. Her work in South Asia will probably move on to examine questionsrelated to the age of consent, and as in the past she will bring to that an impressive knowledge ofsexuality in other regions of the world. She will do half of her teaching in History, and that halfwill be in areas related to sexuality – in courses that will either be cross listed in SDS, or fullyavailable to our students.b) SociologyEarlier in the year, Adam Green was appointed to a position in Sociology, with a teaching link toSDS. His work lies at the intersection of sexuality and medical sociology, with a particularinterest in the relationship of power and social status in modern erotic worlds. In work supportedby the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, he is in the process of exploring links betweensocial status structures and sexual decision-making among Toronto gay and bisexual men. He isalso interested in researching questions related to same-sex marriage. Adam will be teaching oneof our second-year core courses (UNI 256S), on social science approaches to sexuality.Following Through on the Stepping Up PlanThis has been a year of securing concrete agreements on SDS funding with the Faculty of Artsand Science, following on the supportive reception given to the five year plan that was submittedby us in 2004. The Faculty gave formal approval to the creation of the Centre for SexualDiversity Studies in the spring of 2005, signalling its support of a plan that sought to expand ouractivities while still keeping a strong undergraduate program at the core of what we do. TheCentre is intended to encourage links among faculty across all three U of T campuses, and to3

ing them into closer contact with students interested in sexuality. It is also intended to enhancethe visibility of research on sexuality by students and faculty at the U of T, and to inviteresearchers and teachers from elsewhere to our campuses.What was most important to accomplish in the first half of this academic year was to solidifycommitments made by the Faculty of Arts and Science in support for teaching stipends, teachingassistants, administrative support, and the allocation of space for the Centre. All of this wasaccomplished by early 2006, with the support of University College’s Principal (SylviaBashevkin), Vice-Principal (Jill Matus), and Chief Administrative Officer (Jim Linley), the Deanof Arts and Science, and several others in the Dean’s office and elsewhere on campus. For therest of the current plan period, about half of the total expenses required for SDS growth will becovered by Arts and Science funding, and about half will come from other sources (including,most importantly, private funds).Centre SpaceA year ago, we were able to move our administrative operations into room 251, at the top ofUniversity College’s “dragon” staircase. Our plan was to secure the room next door (andconnected to it) for an informal student lounge and meeting place. Room 253 was to serve as aclassroom until April this year, and then we would be able to move our re-designing plans intohigh gear. With the help of Roundabout Studio, a design committee has now worked out anexciting design for the two-room suite, with work scheduled for completion by the beginning ofthe fall term.In the meantime, we have used the room-booking privileges given to programs administeredthrough University College to locate most of our courses for next year along the corridor close tothe SDS hub. These are attractive rooms, and will bring our students into close contact with oneanother, and the Centre itself. Mariana Valverde, new program director, will also have a facultyoffice right next door to the hub.Undergraduate Program DevelopmentAt some point next year, SDS will be considering the development of a Specialist program.Students would obviously be interested, and the coursework foundation may well be largely inplace. One suggestion that has already arisen within the Steering Committee that would dovetailperfectly with a Specialist program is a form of internship or placement opportunity, as part of acapstone to the four-year program. This would require developing relationships with a variety ofinstitutions outside the University, including community groups, arts organizations, publicopinion and policy companies, and employers with equity or human resources departmentsengaged with sexual diversity issues. To begin the process of developing such links, theAdvisory Committee will be asked to help in a meeting to be held in September. A fewmembers have been approached informally about this suggestion, and have respondedenthusiastically.4

The SDS Student UnionThe SDSSU has had an active year, led by Kirstin Casperson, Carlos Danies, Romana King,Dave Lau, and Robbie Morgan-Dursi. They secured funding for this year, and anticipate fullrecognition by the Arts and Science Student Union next year (a coup). They organized theDecember end-of-term party, have set up an office in room A302, have represented studentinterests on SDS committees.The SDSSU has also launched an on-line student journal, bringing together articles on sexualitywritten by students. This was the brainchild of Robbie Morgan-Dursi. You may see the fantasticresults at: http://ujsds.sa.utoronto.ca/.Student AwardsThe recipients of awards for SDS students were announced in at the end-of-term party in earlyApril. The Student Award Committee refined its application and selection procedures, and had achallenging time choosing from among very talented students. We all have reason to be proud ofthese recipients:Patricia and Douglas Dadson ScholarshipKirstin Caspersen & Alison CarsonRainbow Triangle Alumni Association AwardDavid LauEmperor I Sergio Apolloni ScholarshipColin ChamberlainMark S. Bonham Award for Study of Issues in Sexual DiversityRobbie Morgan-DursiSexual Diversity Studies ScholarshipErika KatzmanLGBTOUT AwardFor the first time, two U of T students were honoured by LGBTOUT Awards, announced at aspecial gala event in early April. SDS is responsible for administering the award, and for itsselection augmented its Student Awards Committee by two LGBTOUT alumni. The 2006winners were Suzy Yim & Matthew StrangGraduate StudentsOur long term plan envisages SDS acting as an interdisciplinary hub for graduate studentsinterested in sexuality. Part of that plan entails developing a collaborative M.A., which is beingconsidered by an SDS sub-committee. We also want to build links to students from the fullrange of departments and programs across the University, introducing them to one another aswell as to faculty associated with SDS itself. An informal meeting of several graduate students5

from across campus decided in April to establish a colloquium in which they could discuss theirresearch before their colleagues and SDS-related faculty.EventsWe have hosted a number of successful events this past year, on a wide range of topics:Oct 18, 2005 Sissies and Tomboys: Children with Gender Variant Behaviour- featuring Dr. Richard R. Pleak, Director of the Sexual Identity Serviceand Long Island Lambda Clinic and Dr. Edgardo Menvielle, Medical Director ofthe Gender Development Program at George Washington University- co-sponsored by the Southern Ontario Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors(SOGLAD), The Lesbiand Bi, Gay Youth Line, The Lesbian and Gay Child andAdolescent Psychiatrists Association (LAGCAPA), and Pride & Prejudice ofCentral Toronto Youth Services.Nov 4, 2005Gay Liberation in France during the 1950s- with Professor Julian Jackson, University of LondonNov 17, 2005 Homophobia & Machismo in Mexico- with Marina Castaneda, Mexican author and cultural theoristNov 18, 2005 Pink Blood: Homophobic Violence in Canada- with Douglas Janoff, author of Pink Blood: Homophobic Violence in CanadaJan 25, 2006 Watching Captivity: A Visual Culture Reading of Sexuality, Gender and Race inAbu Ghraib- with Michael Dartnell, Visiting Professor, York UniversityFeb 6, 2006Apr 4, 2006The End Of Second Class and Politics of the Heart: screening of segments fromtwo new films on relationship recognition in Canada and same-sex parenting- with film-maker Nancy Nicol, York UniversityMy Father's Keeper: The Story of a Gay Son and his Aging Parents- with author Jonathan SilinApr 28, 2006 Flesh & Blood: A Journey Between East and West- premier screening of film about East European sexualities by MarusyaBociurkiwIn addition, the SDS Student Union organized a very successful end-of-term party in December,and along with the Office of LGBTQ Resources and Programs, the Centre held its April end-oftermparty. At the April event, student awards were given out, a presentation was made toMaureen FitzGerald on the near-completion of her term as program director, and Mark Bonhamwas thanked for his great generosity.6

Web Site and NewsletterOur web site continues to grow, with more fleshed-out listings of faculty research interests,graduate students working on sexuality, short biographies of Steering Committee and AdvisoryCommittee members, information about programs elsewhere in Canada, and links to otherrelevant sites (www.utoronto.ca/sexualdiversity). We will soon be building up a list ofresearchers across Canada (including graduate students) interested in sexuality.We will also soon be launching a semi-annual newsletter, prepared in hard copy and electronicforms. Anna Gutmanis, a graduate of our program, a member of the Advisory Committee, andnow on the Steering Committee, has agreed to be editor, and will need widespread cooperationfrom other Steering Committee members, the SDSSU, and the Advisory Committee. Thenewsletter will be a vehicle for informing a wider population about SDS developments, and forprofiling particularly interesting faculty, students, staff, and supporters, courses, research, andevents.Schooling, Youth, and Sexuality Research ProjectSDS has been the lynchpin for the development of a research team submitting a major proposalon “Building School Inclusiveness” to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council,and specifically to their Community-University Research Alliance program. The formal “letterof intent” was sent off on May 5 th – the proposal included the names of collaborators fromMcMaster, Ryerson, Trent, Windsor, Alberta, Regina, and of course the U of T. If we are askedto submit a full proposal, there will be additional collaborators from York and McGill at least.There are also a number of community/institutional partners, including the Toronto DistrictSchool Board, SOY, the Youth Line, TEACH, The 519, Egale. If we go to the next round, therewill undoubtedly be additional partners.Conference on Religion, Politics and Sexuality in Canada and the U.S.SDS is spearheading, alongside the Centre for the Study of the United States, and theDepartment of Political Science, a conference on religion, politics, and sexuality, to be held inJanuary 2007. Funding is still being sought (we need $20,000 more), but a number of prominentacademics have agreed in principle to participate. The conference will be open to the public, andone possible outcome will be a published volume containing the most accomplished of thepapers presented at the conference.Other Cooperative VenturesWe have been asked to participate in, associate ourselves with, several ventures over the year –guest speakers, conferences, film festivals. On the horizon is an international conference ofsociologists interested in families, hosted by UC’s Health Studies Program in May 2007. Theremay be an opportunity for us to organize or participate in a panel dealing with sexuality and7

families, and help showcase the Centre.Discussions are underway to co-sponsor (with the Come As You Are collective) a public talk ondisability and sexuality in the fall. CAYA would be bringing in the speaker, and if this turns outto be successful, we may be open to an annual event. The SDSSU may also take advantage ofthe link to CAYA.A highly successful public forum to mark the 25 th anniversary of the Toronto bathraids wasorganized by Xtra! Magazine, with three panelists (David Rayside, Mariana Valverde, andRinaldo Walcott) drawn from SDS instructors. Xtra is interested in organizing similar venturesin the future.Homo Night in CanadaThe year is ending with a special Pride week-end event on June 24 th benefitting SDS. “HomoNight in Canada,” the annual hit comedy show hosted by the B-Girlz at Buddies in Bad TimeTheatre will benefit SDS and Buddies. Preceding the performance will be a reception hosted byus, also at Buddies, to re-connect with old friends, and introduce us to new ones. A great end tothe year, which would not have been possible without the help of University College’s newDirector of Alumni and Development affairs, Ken Aucoin!8