Purpose:
The purpose of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Committee (GSDC) shall be to identify, support, and celebrate gender and sexually diverse members in their workplaces.
Composition:
The committee shall be composed of up to eight SEIU-West Members in good standing. Preference will be given to those who identify as members of the Gender and Sexually Diverse Community, with up to two members that identify as Allies. Motion to appoint members will be approved by the Executive Board.
The committee will be tabled by two co-chairs that identify as Gender or Sexually Diverse; one of whom does not identify as a man, and one of whom does not identify as a woman. There will be an elected recording secretary, nominated by the committee members.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- To assist the SEIU-West Executive Board in achieving its targets and priorities
- Increasing the visibility of gender and sexually diverse members in the workplace
- Creating a visible SEIU-West presence within the gender and sexually diverse community
- Educating SEIU-West Members, Staff, and Leadership about gender and sexually diverse issues
- Educating the gender and sexually diverse community about labor issues, and supporting workers’ rights within that community
- Networking with other labor and community groups to build a strong visible coalition of Gender and Sexually Diverse allies and activists
- To work in collaboration with other organizations supporting Gender and Sexually Diverse community members
- Organizing against all discrimination, specifically discrimination based on sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or perceived orientation, and or marital status
- Promoting gender and sexually diverse active participation and leadership, to work for union democracy and rank and file development.
- Lobby government at all levels in order to accomplish our mandate.
Members:
Committee Co-Chairs
Jae Blakley - They/them
Recording Secretary
Melanie Sadler - She/her
Members at Large
Penny Anderson - She/her
Chris Epp - He/him
Carter Shaw
Top Officer
Barbara Cape She/her – 306.693.7922 ext. 8730
Staff Representative
Angie Kells She/her – 306.652.1011 ext. 2225
Contact this committee
Resources
Gender Transition Guidelines (by Public Service Commission of Saskatchewan)
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Older Adults and Residential Care Environments - Final Report (by Saskatoon Council on Aging and OUT Saskatoon)
Saskatchewan 2SLGBTQ+ Elders, Seniors, and Older Persons Issues of Concern – Overview Document
Executive Summary: Survey: Still Every Class in Every School (by Egale.ca. Read the full report here.)
Proud, Prepared, and Protected is a suite of online resources (by Canadian Virtual Hospice in collaboration with 40 Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations and more than 100 members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities)
Creating Authentic Spaces: A Gender Identity and Gender Expression Toolkit - Pride At Work Canada (by the 519)
LGBT Rights in Saskatchewan (by Equaldex)
Gender and Sexual Diversity Glossary (by Government of Canada)
A Statistical Portrait of Canada's Diverse LGTQ+ Communities (by Statistics Canada)
LGBTQ2 Action Plan Survey - Demographic Portrait of the Respondents by Government of Canada)
Be Part of the LGBTQ2 Action Plan (by Government of Canada)
2SLGBTQI+ Federal Action Plan (by Government of Canada)
OUT Saskatoon Q List OUT Saskatoon referral list or places that aims to be inclusive of 2SLGBTQIA+) people
Notable 2SLGBTQ+ Awareness Dates | QueerEvents.ca List of awareness dates with descriptions
Videos
*Trigger warning: Ignorance and fear of the beauty of diversity. There is nothing wrong with you. There's something wrong in the village. Let's make better villages where everyone can be accepted, loved, and safe.
Terminology
Click here for a printable PDF containing 2SLGBTQIA+ Glossary of Terms.