On the 18th of April, four weeks into their eight week strike mandate, AGSEM members voted by 75% to ratify the tentative agreement with McGill. They reached this agreement by, among other things, removing demands related to trans issues.

Transphobia is on the rise throughout Canada with trans activist research identifying Quebec as a place of “imminent risk of further anti-trans movement”. While there are many examples (e.g. here and here) within the last year a transphobic mob amassed at McGill’s Rodrick Gates to attack LGBT education, and McGill University itself faced controversy and protest for an invited transphobic talk, and when Provost Manfredi was caught liking a transphobia supporting post on X.

Throughout our time at McGill, we have been misgendered repeatedly, had our identities explained to us (wrongly), our deadnames released to our students, listened to professors brag about friendships with people holding famously transphobic views, and been publicly deadnamed and misgendered on official McGill documents, to give just a few examples. As with most things, these issues tend to fall even harder on intersectionally marginalized trans TAs.  This is why so many trans teaching assistants (TAs) were excited to be forefront in the demands of the increasingly activist teaching assistant union AGSEM. It seemed to us that we needed wins now, not later, as the climate continues to mudslide towards disaster for trans people. 

Going into the negotiations we believed the union was a place we were more equally valued; that shared solidarity with trans TAs and grad students. That it was a Union that wasn’t going to give up the fight for us. They had announced their bargaining goals with trans issues front and center, each one listed as a “high priority” item. 

On Trans Day of Visibility, March 31st, AGSEM was proudly posting about its commitment to trans healthcare. In front of the image of a large trans flag AGSEM proudly posted “Trans rights are workers’ rights/Trans healthcare for teaching assistants NOW”. On April 2nd, two days after Trans Day of Visibility, in AGSEM’s Bargaining Newsletter #16 they reported “a deal is within reach” along with the news that “At present, we are not demanding separate funds for [trans] healthcare. This has been a difficult choice informed by the priorities of our members and what the bargaining committee sees as a realistic path forward.” They also informed us that “On article 6, the employer [McGill] has indicated that they are not interested in adding language in the Collective Agreement (CA) which is not included in McGill’s Policy Against Sexual Violence and/or Policy on Harassment and Discrimination.” This news hung heavy as a few paragraphs later the newsletter informed its readership that “McGill expressed discomfort or even disagreement with our claim that transphobia is on the rise around the world, stating that it was a “big” one which would require “evidence” and/or “data” to back up. McGill also questioned whether the CA was the right place to address the issues of any one specific group. In sum, McGill had “no appetite” for any LoA [letter of agreement] protecting the rights of transgender TAs, and expressed skepticism that transphobia is indeed on the rise globally”. Yes, a deal was within reach, but it seemed AGSEM had lost its appetite to fight to protect its trans membership.

At the end of the day, all that AGSEM could report positively was this: “‘To protect the rights of transgender TAs, we also agreed that the Employer would consider adding language explicitly prohibiting deadnaming and misgendering in the upcoming (2024-2025) review of the Policy on Harassment and Discrimination’ 

Consider

McGill is only willing to consider, in the future, enshrining something concrete about misgendering and deadnaming. This was the bare-bones, minimum, of our anti-trans discrimination demands. And yet, it is also what AGSEM accepted.

AGSEM insists that the fight is not over. Yet, for us, this is clearly a huge blow, that damages trust and leaves us wary that our basic rights and needs are repeatedly framed as, in the end, impossible. McGill needs to do better, but so does AGSEM. 

AGSEM had stated their goals to make sure grad students did not have to choose between continuing their education and financing their medical transitions, and to ensure trans protections in discrimination and harassment policies.  Internally the union congratulates itself for high levels of queer membership and engagement. It runs a “Queer Working Group” and organizes queer themed events, their logo is often posted in pride flag colours. Going into bargaining and the strike, we were led to believe there was steadfast queer solidarity. For once, we thought, we would be protected.

As exam season moved closer, McGill’s strength began to diminish - TA work was urgent, professors were publicly critiquing McGill’s prolongation of the strike and urging them to negotiate in good faith, and we were just halfway through our strike mandate. Why give in now?

We are grateful to those who spoke up for us, and grateful for those who continue to do so. We’re grateful to the students who respect and value us, not just in spite of being trans TAs, but for the perspective that brings. To our own trans students: we’re here for you, and we’re fighting for McGill to be a better space for you too. 

We urge all employees, students, alumni and financial supporters of McGill to sign this open letter, demanding McGill immediately take equivalent policy measures to those they refused AGSEM in bargaining. Trans workers rights are not, and should never be considered, too much of an ask.

Signed, 

Collateral Damage and Allies

(Editor's Note: Signatories accurate as of publication)

Daniel Seggie, TA & PhD Student

Ana Neocleous, Undergrad student involved in queer initiatives on campus 

April Desy, Undergraduate 

Celeste Trianon, unrelated, but in solidarity

Sam Garnett, Alumni

Chris East , 

Mika Cressaty, former undergraduate student

Kieran Heffernan, 

Riley Lewicki , AGSEM Philosophy Delegate and PhD Candidate 

Danielle Rae, Alumna, former TA

Kieran Geiger, 

Negin Firouzian, PhD candidate, TA

Clara Griffin, undergrad

Amir Dinari, Undergraduate

Vertika, PhD Candidate, Political Science

Juno Garrah, M.Sc., B.Sc. alumna 

Grace Pawliw-Fry, Community member and member of CUPE 3903

Theo Fox, TA at York University, Toronto

Helena Villa Cardona, Ph.D. student in Sociology, and TA

Jules Espejo, N/A; undergraduate at UofT

Erdem Kaya, PhD Candidate, York University

Fatemeh Gharibi, TA and PhD candidate in Gender, Feminist and Women's Studies

Jay De Santi, alumni

Kris Belben, TA, York University

Siobhan Saravanamuttu, PhD Candidate and Teaching Assistant, York University

Rachel Monahan, Course instructor, University of Toronto

Sheema Khawar (she/her), CUPE3903 member, solidarity from Yorku

Hannah Leichnitz, TA at Concordia University

Esteban Sabbatasso, PhD Candidate and TA, York University

Blake Shirman, 

Charles Garand, Alumnus (B. Education)

Bassem Doss, Graduate student, TA

Amanda bateman, community member 

Emma Myhre, MA Political Science, TA 

Matthias Hoenisch, MA Political Science, TA

Anwyn Li, Undergrad

juno adams, undergrad, queer mcgill resource coordinator (2024-25)

Harry Ainscough, TA

Rupinder Liddar, PhD Candidate, TA

Jasper Cobb, in solidarity, Concordia undergrad

Yasmin Aydemir, TA and PhD student

Madeleine Morris, TA, PhD student

Minji Jeong, 

Alex Van Sant, undergrad music student

Michelle Jacques, 

Madi Albert, Undergraduate

Charles Humell, Undergrad

Molly Swain, B.A. Hon. Women’s Studies 2015

Brandon Smith, Grad Student

Zoé de Boucherville-Dickson, undergrad 

Audrey Beaudoin , 

kimberley eady, prospective

Alexander Griffin, McGill alumnus

Silka Adelle Tandoc, Undergrad

Alia Nyx Tremblay, Undergraduate at Mcgill

Nathalie Imbeau, Undergraduate at McGill

Eric Wilkinson, PhD Candidate, TA

Casey Broughton, Research Assistant and 3L, BCL/JD program, Faculty of Law

Katerina McMullen, MA student and TA

Isabella Cuminato, Alum (BMus)

Zoey Lavallee, Postdoctoral researcher

Cleo Huang, Science undergrad

Nick Clanchy, Postdoc

James Iafigliola, McGill alumni

Shi Tao Zhang , 3L student at the Faculty of Law

Kai Turanski, Arts Undergrad

Jean-Philippe Poirier, Friends that goes to McGill

Emma Kasper, in solidarity

Sign This Open Letter: https://forms.gle/cuxdQKvwhGHUovF89