Meet & Greet!

Come meet other GGFS members, old and new, at our annual meet & greet:

When: Wednesday, September 24th, 12-1pm
Where: Thompson House in room 405 (upstairs, fourth floor).
Who: Any graduate student with an interest in gender/sexuality/queer/feminist/race-critical and women's studies. People of all genders are welcome.

A light lunch will be served.

Please note: Thomson House is located at 3650 McTavish, just above Dr-Penfield. It is wheelchair accessible. For more information about the venue call 514-398-3756.

Working for Consensus: GGFS Organizational Structure

As the new academic year begins, new members may be curious, and old members may need a refresher about the organizational structure of GGFS, and about how we make decisions. These were both collectively decided in 2004 by then-GGFS members (after hours and hours of discussion). Curious about feminism, consensus decision-making, and organizational structure? Check out Jo Freeman's essay The Tyranny of Structurelessness. A classic.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the annual GGFS Meet & Greet to kick off 2008-2009.

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GGFS Organizational Structure

Membership:
Membership is for any graduate student interested and/or engaged in feminist research. Members on the list serve will be considered members for the purposes of meetings.

Consensus Model:
The purpose of the consensus model is that at each meeting, the members present will work towards building a consensus before decisions are taken. When an issue is being discussed, all members have the right to voice their opinion at the meeting. (If they are not present, there opinion can be sent via email, but they will not formally be considered as a present member). Members have the right to ask for a speakers list. At any time a member feels like the group is approaching agreement, a member can test for consensus.

Testing for consensus:
When a member tests for consensus, all present members have four options:
1) Agree: means that the member agrees with the proposition for which consensus is being tested. No explanation is given in the case of agreement.
2) Dissent with objection: means that member disagrees with proposition. Member explains dissent and discussion continues to find consensus.
3) Dissent with abstention: means that member disagrees with proposition, but is okay with the decision being taken by the group. Explanation is allowed.
4) Block: Means that member is strongly against the proposition and this acts as a veto. Explanation is required for a member to block a decision. Any new proposition must incorporate the reasons for the block for it to be considered.

Consensus, consensus with abstentions, and blocked decisions (with brief explanation) should be included in the minutes.

What goes to consensus:
1) Structural changes
2) Creation of working groups
3) Working group proposals that request support of GGFS as a whole
4) Endorsements
5) Projects

Working Groups:
GGFS creates working groups through consensus. GGFS members have the right to participate in any working group. Within working groups, consensus models will be used. Propositions from working groups are represented of the working group, not GGFS as a whole. Working groups have the option to ask GGFS for full support (i.e. ask GGFS as a whole to reach consensus on a proposition proposed by the working group.)

Queer Feminism as History Making - Keynote Address

As part of the Queer Feminisms Symposium, we invite you to attend our keynote address by Professor M. Jacqui Alexander

Friday 6 June 2008
5pm
Thomson House Ballroom, 3650 McTavish (2nd floor)

Queer Feminism as History Making
Professor M. Jacqui Alexander's keynote address explores contemporary politics and what it means to have a transnational feminist and queer politics at this moment in history.

M. Jacqui Alexander is Professor of Women's Studies and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto, and is one of the most important theorists of transnational feminism working today. She is the author of Pedagogies of Crossing: Feminism, Sexual Politics and The Sacred, The Third Wave: Feminist Perspectives on Racism, and a coeditor of Sing, Whisper, Shout, Pray! Feminist Visions for a Just World and Feminist Genealogies, Colonial Legacies, Democratic Futures.

Note: This event is open to the public and free of charge.

Look OUT for It...Queer Feminisms Poster!