End 519's Role in Police Violence and TTA's Co-optation at TDoR

End 519's Role in Police Violence and TTA's Co-optation at TDoR

Two trans people were violently arrested at a TDoR (Trans Day of Remembrance) flag-raising event in Toronto, which was held at Queen's Park. The two trans people were members of QTCASE (a radical queer and trans group that prioritizes the issues of IBPOC, lower class and homeless trans people), and they were protesting the flag-raising organized by a right-leaning organization TTA (Toronto Trans Alliance). The TTA has been co-opting the flag-raising to push a right-wing and racist agenda that erases the history and politics of IBPOC, lower class, and homeless trans people.

The 519 Community Center (a grassroots community center that is now converted to a neo-liberal LGBT organization) is one of the sponsors of this event. QTCASE is now building a campaign to strip TTA of its sponsors and support, and hold its core organizers and supporters accountable. We are engaging in a dialogue with the 519. These are the political positions that we are asking community members to support, and demand that the 519 act on these political positions:

1) Condemn the police violence that took place at TDoR
2) Withdraw support from the TTA
3) Outline a process for supporting future representation of trans people

Elaborating the last point:
We are asking that the 519 take a neutral position when it comes to divisions and conflicts in the trans community (which is what has happened historically), and not support organizations when asked for individualized support. Instead, the 519 (and other organizations) should co-operate with the broader trans community in creating representation. Representation of trans people should be lead by the broader trans community, it should be well-resourced by organizations, and it should be an extensive process based on a community-wide consensus-based decision-making process. This is how the trans community has functioned for most of our history.

We recognize that there are many other issues that need to be addressed at the 519. This petition is focused on violence that happened at TDoR by the TTA. We intend to address issues of abuse, accountability, and the co-optation and breakdown of decision-making, support and educational resources at the 519 and other organizations at future actions, petitions, events, etc.

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