OUT@UTM executive director resigns Unsafe working conditions, invalidation, and heavy workload cited for Zara Rizwan’s resignation NICOLE DANESI NEWS EDITOR OUT@UTM’s executive director, Zara Rizwan, has resigned following claims of an unsafe working environment and an intense workload, among other claims. In Rizwan’s resignation letter posted on the OUT@UTM Facebook group last Tuesday and also sent to The Medium by email, Rizwan cited a “variety of reasons” such as “the ways [she has] been treated by others, an overwhelming […] workload, and repeated instances of invalidation” as the basis for her resignation. “I no longer feel safe in this environment,” said Rizwan in the letter. “I understand fully that no space can be entirely safe but I hope that OUT@UTM will become a safer environment in the future.” In an interview with The Medium, Rizwan mentioned issues such as shadism and discrimination directed at her, specifically when Rizwan would make suggestions or contributions to other executives.
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Zara Rizwan resigned as OUT@UTM’s executive director on November 24. “If another exec who was whitepassing was to say the exact same thing, suddenly everyone was on board,” said Rizwan about her contributions to the group. “This happened numerous times and I spoke with that exec and they were aware of it as well but there was this very
strange shadism that was going on because I am the darkest skinned member.” According to Rizwan, a “nonSouth Asian” executive member told her she was not allowed to host a yoga session as part of club activities due to fears of cultural appropria-
tion. Rizwan, however, claimed yoga “is [part of her] own culture”. Rizwan declined to disclose the names of specific executive members involved in any of her claims. In a statement issued by OUT@ UTM to The Medium on Saturday, the executive team addressed the
claims from Rizwan’s resignation letter. “We want to acknowledge that our executive director has left due to multiple issues; there are a multitude of factors not limited to shadism, workloads, accessibility, and so on,” reads the statement. “These have been largely exacerbated by a lack of communication within our team.” According to the statement, OUT@UTM has faced many discrimination issues within the group. “OUT@UTM has within its membership and executive team presently and historically a number of issues including but not limited to shadism, classism, transmisogyny, fatphobia, disableism, racism, sexism, cissexism and all forms of oppression,” it says. “This is something we have been working on since the start of our year, and past executives have been trying to address these issues.” According both OUT@UTM and Rizwan, both parties have agreed to meet and discuss the issues raised by Rizwan.
After Paris attacks, “Where do we go?” Students and faculty gather to discuss the Paris attacks and Canada’s response AMANDA BORTHWICK
Following the terrorist attacks in Paris earlier this month, the Political Science and Pre-law Association collaborated with the political science department to ask, “Where do we go from here?” The panel, held last Wednesday, discussed the acts of terrorism and their effects on Canada. Political science professor Spyridon Kotsovilis provided a brief overview of the Syrian conflict, the various actors involved, and the complex and conflicting agendas fueling allegiances for and against the Assad regime in the Syrian government. “The configuration of this kind of conflict is unlike what we have seen before,” said Kotsovilis. “The overall level of complexity here makes it even more important to thoroughly
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Common misconceptions The panel discussion was hosted last Wednesday. discuss the series of events that have led us to our current state of affairs.” Kotsovilis spoke about the Syrian conflict as a “chaotic mess” that began when anti-governmental dem-
onstrations in 2011, part of the Arab Spring uprising, violently escalated when protestors were met with brutal government retaliation. Divisions between secular and Islamic rebels
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and between ethnic groups further complicated the fight against the regime. Paris continued on page 2
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