hello!
thank you so much for signing our petition. we are so grateful for the overwhelming support from folks at home and around the world!
we're so close to 5000 signatures - help us get there before the end of today!
Coalition Against Trans Antagonism will be presenting this petition and speaking at the Vancouver Public Library Board meeting tonight (Wednesday, February 26th) to call for the cancellation of Meaghan Moophy's talk, as well as for policies that prevent fascists from accessing public platforms. (this petition will keep on going afterward.)
the VPL is currently deliberating whether to eliminate "public facing rentals" altogether and to only pursue space use through partnerships vetted through the Library's values.
CATA members and supporters will also be speaking at City Hall today to support a city report that recommends to NOT fund Vancouver Rape Relief Society, an organization who has historically excluded trans women, sex workers, and women who are drug users from their core service. (view the report here, pages 89 - 93: https://council.vancouver.ca/20200226/documents/cfsc2.pdf.)
VRR and Moophy have both sat alongside each other in Ottawa speaking out against Bill C-16, legislation that has since passed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression. their former Executive Director also sat beside Moophy at the last talk at VPL in January 2019.
if you are in the Vancouver area and are able to attend either meetings (between 3pm - 7pm) for support, please contact us: noterfsnoswerfs@pm.me !
watch the livestream here: https://csg001-harmony.sliq.net/00317/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20200226/-1/13472.
TW: transmisogyny, trans antagonism, TERF/SWERF dogwhistles
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did you know: in 2017, the Ottawa Public Library cancelled a film screening that was promoting hatred and fear toward Muslims and immigrants? they were sued for doing so, and in 2019 the Library won.
"The library cancelled Weld’s reservation after public complaints that the film was Islamophobic and, in the words of human rights lawyer Richard Warman, who was one of the complainants, “in clear violation of the library’s own rental policy prohibiting the use of space for discriminatory purposes.”"
...
"“The Ottawa Public Library has no obligation to make its extraneous space available or to enter into a contract with any particular person,” the judgment said. “Publicizing the availability of rooms for the community and the general public does not imply any legal obligation on the board or confer any right on the applicants or any other members of the public.”"
if the OPL can do it, the VPL can do the same!
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CATA is also currently fundraising for general organizing supplies for community events. this includes ASL interpretation, rental fees, bus tickets, and art supplies. if you have means, please consider donating today: https://www.noterfsnoswerfs.com/donate
THANK YOU!