Oct. 31, 2018: Students organize in support of transgender rights

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The Independent Student Newspaper at Williams College Since 1887 VOL. CXXXIII, NO. 7

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018

Students organize in support of transgender rights

By REBECCA PARK STAFF WRITER Last Friday, students, faculty, staff and community members held a rally in front of the Williams Inn in support of the rights of transgender people – a response to the Trump administration’s recently leaked proposal to narrowly define gender as a biological, immutable condition.

The rally especially advocated for voting “yes” on Question 3 on the Massachusetts ballot this coming Election Day. Question 3 on the ballot asks about approving or repealing a 2016 law that added gender identity to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination in public places. A “yes” vote would support the current law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity, whereas a “no” vote would repeal this provision.

The rally was organized by a group of students from Visiting Assistant Professor of American Studies Andrew Cornell’s class, “Social Justice Traditions: 1960s to #Black Lives Matter.” The class was discussing the Trump administration’s recently leaked memo to redefine gender last Monday. “In a class largely focused on direct action and social justice movements, we noticed a shared sentiment of disillusionment regarding the difficulty of staying involved in the relatively remote location that is Williamstown,” Rose Houglet ’22, a member of the class and core organizer of the rally, said.

Inspired by their discussions of political activism and demonstrations in class, a group of students decided to act. “I think activism happens on this campus for sure, but it

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIA CASSELL. The rally for transgender rights featured references to Massachusetts ballot Question 3, which could roll back transgender protection if rejected. sort of happens through slower channels,” Leah Nadell ’22, another organizer, said.

“We just wanted to organize around this [issue] in a more immediately visible way.”

The organizers, including Houglet, Nadell, Emily Marquis ’22 and Julia Cassell ’21,

contacted leaders and members of clubs including the Queer Student Union, Feminist Collective and Bread & Roses to help plan the event.

Throughout the week before the rally, they advertised by sending emails, posting on social media, tabling during

lunch at Paresky and holding a poster-making session. “We were grateful for our collaboration with Andrew Cornell, who so generously provided both poster-making supplies and encouragement, the Davis Center, the Communications office and so many

other members of the community,” the organizers said.

Present at the rally were students and faculty from the College, as well as children and adults from the Williamstown community. A number of parents visiting for Family Days also joined. “In light of

intolerance and increasing hostility, it’s important for all of us to raise our voices and make sure that those who lack a voice or whose voices are being shut down can be heard,” commented parent Peter Olsen.

Those participating in the rally held posters and signs with phrases such as “Trans Rights are Human Rights” and “Vote Yes On 3.” Some cars that were passing by honked in support of the rally, eliciting cheers from demonstrators.

The rally also featured speeches made by transidentifying students and faculty members. One student shared a spoken word poem about the significance of the rally for those in the transgender community. The group of students from Cornell’s class who organized the rally were also signing up those interested in canvassing to support similar issues in the future. “I’ve done some canvassing in the past, and I’m trying to help people get involved in other kinds of [political] involvement,” Claudia Inglessis ’22 said.

The organizers of this event hope to continue political activism at the College and increase conversations about political issues.

“Hopefully this will be a catalyst for other movements to jump off of on campus,” Marquis said. “We are very aware that important questions will keep being raised as we engage in political activism, and we are looking forward to exploring those with members of the community.”

Nadell also stressed the importance of continuing action. “It’s necessary that this doesn’t just end here,” she said.

Community rally protests climate change Student forum discusses

By SHAHEEN CURRIMJEE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

In 1988, Dr. James E. Hansen testified before Congress that the southeastern and midwestern sections of the United States would be subjected to high temperatures and drought in the near future. Thirty years later, climate change is still a major problem, and citizens are still using the legal system to advocate against the issue.

Last weekend, College and community members took action in support of recent developments.

Twenty-one young individuals aging from 11 to 22 are suing the federal government for causing and ignoring climate change. These individuals, who are represented by the Oregonbased non-profit organization Our Children’s Trust, filed their constitutional climate lawsuit Juliana v. United States in 2015. The plaintiffs have asked the government to “prepare and implement an enforceable national remedial plan to phase out fossil fuel emissions and draw down excess atmospheric CO2,” according to their web-

site. After three years of protesting, the trial was set to begin on Oct. 29 at the U.S. District Court in Eugene, Ore. However, the case was temporarily halted by the U.S. Supreme Court.

While the older generation might perceive the catastrophic effects of climate change as abstract, today’s children will be faced with the disastrous consequences well within their lifetimes. All of the plaintiffs in the case will be in their 30s or 40s in 2040, the year in which the United Nations expects the biggest climate change catastrophes to begin. Partners and supporters from around the country and beyond rallied their communities as a show of support for the 21 Juliana plaintiffs and the science-based national climate recovery plan they seek.

Last Saturday, students and community members from Williamstown gathered outside the First Congregational Church to demonstrate solidarity with the young people pursuing the case. The crowd marched onto the sidewalk of Route 2, waving signs bearing the words “Protect our youth” and “Denial is not a

policy.” This rally was co-organized by Williamstown resident Bridget Spann, Assistant Director of the Zilkha Center Mike Evans and Williamstown Select Board Chair Anne O’Connor ’86, as well as College students Olivia Goodheart ’19, Mohammed Memfis ’21, Phacelia Cramer ’19, Amber Lee ’21 and Mount Greylock student Cammi Macuch. A few attendees spoke on the importance of preventing climate change, commenting on the day’s terrible weather, and the benefits of implementing a climate recovery plan. They stressed that the future depends on a climate system that will sustain human life.

Goodheart and Cramer are from Eugene, Oregon, and are acquainted with some of the plaintiffs. “Showing up in solidarity with the plaintiffs demonstrates the power that these youth have in affecting change over a huge geographic area,” Goodheart said. “As a co-chair of the Feminist Collective who calls rural Oregon my home, climate change has always been a deeply personal and political issue.”

SHAHEEN CURRIMJEE/EXECUTIVE EDITOR. On Saturday, students and community members rallied against climate change and in support of a climate lawsuit.

Those rallying made clear that despite the isolated location of the College and Williamstown, it is important to consider how education can be used to advocate for climate change. They argued that it is up to college students, as the academics and the privileged, to fight against self-interest, capitalist ideologies and mass corporate influences. Goodheart explained how she commits herself to educating herself and her family and friends. “I donate money to on-the-ground organizers, organize rallies and engage in civil disobedience, while first and foremost centering black and Indigenous voices in the fight for climate justice,” she said.

Memfis echoed Goodheart’s thoughts, especially in how environmental justice must be all-inclusive. “Financial means, race, gender, nationality and education levels [should] not exclude anyone as we move toward solutions of sustainability, resilience and prevention,” he said. “So, when we move forward and reshape our policies, attitudes and practices, our only choice should be to do it together.”

Lee explained how the rally demonstrated the cooperation between the College and the town. “As representatives of the College, the church and the town, we are working to recognize our position within national conversations on climate change,” she said.

Having interned with an environmental non-profit organization based in Boston, Mass., Lee noticed the differences between a city affected by sea level rise and flooding and Williamstown. She is currently working on a panel targeting the “tension between current flood risks that disproportionately affect low-income folks and the College’s notorious wealth of resources.”

The Juliana plaintiffs and the rallies around the country, including the one in Williamstown, demonstrate that environmental activists are persevering in the face of Supreme Court resistance.

long-term planning

By SAMUEL WOLF NEWS EDITOR

On Monday, President Maud Mandel hosted a forum dedicated to discussing longterm planning at the College.

In an email sent to the student body on Oct. 2, one of the few pieces of publicity for the event, Mandel described the gathering as an opportunity to ask, “what are our goals for the college in the coming decades, and what programs and initiatives do we think will help us get there?” The forum took place from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m., during class hours, in Paresky Auditorium and was attended by approximately 10 students.

Mandel began the forum by presenting the goals of longterm planning. In her presentation, she described the planning process as “a way to define priorities and focus investments” and “a chance for us all to work together toward a shared future.” Mandel credited the beginning of planning efforts to the recently completed accreditation process and Teach It Forward campaign, as well as the start of her presidency.

The presentation emphasized an ideal planning process as “inclusive,” “effective,” “connected to ambitious but achievable goals” and “specific, but also adaptable.”

Mandel also laid out eight broad, guiding questions that she hoped would inform the planning process. The questions included concerns over promoting student readiness for life off-campus, supporting faculty and staff, making the College an inclusive space and maintaining involvement with local communities. At first, Mandel explained that the planning process will deal with broader concerns, which she called “strategic planning at its first level.” Over time, however, the process is designed to

lead to specific recommendations that could even be applied to other institutions of higher education. “Williams can use its platform as a model for other schools,” Mandel said.

Despite low attendance, the forum featured a lively discussion between Mandel and students who were present on specific perceived issues at the College.

Benton Leary ’20 criticized the vagueness of the College’s operating budget, which makes it difficult for students to understand the financial costs of proposed

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