QCampus Newsletter [September 15, 2010]

Hi QCampus members!

Welcome (back) to school! We're very excited for the new year and are
gearing up for another events and opportunity-filled year for queer
students and the campus/greater queer community.

Excitingly, over the summer, the Students' Union Volunteer Services has
developed and are opening a sexuality & gender resource centre on campus:
Qmunity! The centre will be opening up soon and is currently looking for
volunteers. More information can be found here:
http://su.ucalgary.ca/qmunity (qmunity@ucalgary.ca), and the volunteer
application is here:http://su.ucalgary.ca/forms/vs/volunteer.php

We look forward to seeing you at our clubs' week table, our fall mixer,
our weekly coffee night, or anywhere else in our event schedule and on
campus.

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Upcoming Events:

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CLUBS' WEEK
September 20 - 24, Daily, Mac Hall

Clubs' Week is happening again and we will be out in force amongst the
various clubs' tables and displays. Come find us, say hi, and take a look
at who we are and what you can get up to as a part of our club.

We will be selling memberships for $5, which comes with benefits like a
discount at Stor and access to all our events!

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FALL MIXER
Friday, September 24, 6:00-10:00, Bianca Room -- Mac Hall Conference Centre

Come mingle and mix with fellow QCampus members both new and old. Grab
some food, some (non-alcoholic) drinks, and chat and have fun. This
beginning of semester tradition is a great way to meet new people and see
what QCampus is like! Stick around and we may informally transition our
way to The Den afterward.

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WEEKLY COFFEE NIGHT
Tuesdays, Starting 7pm, Second Cup Kensington (338 - 10 St. NW)

If you want to get to meet new people, get involved in the community, and
just have an informal, relaxed night out with some fun queer people, come
out to our weekly coffee night!

Each Tuesday we meet at the Second Cup in Kensington (right off the train
line at Sunnyside Station -- 338 10 St NW). It's an informal meeting of a
growing collective of fun people who just like to get together, chat, and
have a good time.

We often transition at approximately 9:30pm to Original Joe's in
Kensington (1220 Kensington Road NW) for food and drinks if you'd like to
come later, or just want to join some members who drift off in that
direction.

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FREE "CURE FOR LOVE" FILM SCREENING WITH DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE
Saturday, October 2, 7:30, Science Theatres 148 (ST 148)

Reels On Wheels [ROW], an initiative of the Fairy Tales Film Festival, is
proud to present a free screening of CURE FOR LOVE, in partnership with
Queers On Campus. The filmmaker, Christina Willings, will be in attendance
and will host a Q & A after the film!

Synopsis:
There's a bride, a groom and the usual happy crowd of well-wishers. But
this is no ordinary wedding. Ana and Brian are ex-gays - adherents to a
controversial evangelical movement that purports to convert gay people
into heterosexuals.

Cure for Love goes inside the unusual Christian subculture and follows the
lives of several young people whose homosexuality is at odds with their
religious beliefs to fashion a nuanced critique of 21st century
fundamentalism through their moving testimony.

Jonathan, a soft-spoken young Texan, was driven into an ex-gay 'ministry'
by crippling self-loathing - but now embraces a Christianity that leaves
room for a loving gay relationship. Darren, another refugee, looks back at
the ex-gay experience with mixed feelings and wry humour - 'Oh I've been
saved several times!' Ana and Brian remain within the flock, carving out a
progressive Canadian position within the movement.

Keenly tuned to shifts within contemporary Christianity and the broader
culture, Cure for Love makes a big-hearted contribution to the ongoing
dialogue on difference and tolerance.

For more information on this event, or to inquire about partnering with
Reels On Wheels for a screening, contact ROW Project Coordinator Pam
Rocker at: row@fairytalesfilmfest.com

Visit our website for information on upcoming free public screenings with
ROW: http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com/reels-on-wheels/

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Community Notices

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QMUNITY CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Qmunity is a centre designed to provide a safe, comfortable environment
for the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) community
on campus, both through the physical space it occupies and its mandate.
Whether a student is looking for a place to study, read up on
GLBTQ-related issues, talk to a peer-support volunteer, take part in group
activities, or just hangout—the door is open to everyone.

For more information, please visithttp://su.ucalgary.ca/qmunity or e-mail
qmunity@ucalgary.ca ; Also feel free to stop by Students' Union Volunteer
Services in Mac Hall, or fill out a volunteer application form:
http://www.su.ucalgary.ca/forms/vs/volunteer.php

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We're looking forward to a very busy and exciting year and can't wait to
see you out and about!

An Extra Special Spring Newsletter!

Hello everyone!  Welcome to the spring version of Queers on Campus. 

This is the first time we are continuing throughout the spring and summer, and we hope you'll help us make it a success!  

This newsletter has treats for everyone:  

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FAIRYTALES INTERNATIONAL DIVERSITY QUEER FILM FESTIVAL http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com/2009/ May 28 - June 6, 2009 -- Plaza Theatre & Other Venues  Calgary's queer film festival is back and with a vengeance! 10 days of queer film with an exciting lineup for everyone.  This year, Fairytales has generously given us a sponsorship place for one of their films:  The Lost Coast - http://www.fairytalesfilmfest.com/2009/details.php?id=7 Plaza Theatre, 4:00PM Saturday, May 30, 2009  This is a very exciting opportunity and we will be presenting the film as a community sponsor. We also have a small number of free tickets. There will also be a youth Mixer at the Sungate Cafe down the street in Kensington after the film we are also invited to. We hope to see you there!!  

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COFFEE NIGHTS Every Tuesday, 7PM, Kensington Second Cup Table with the stuffed animal. Typically near back.  Our coffee nights have been extremely successful, especially continuing now into the spring/summer. We have had great turn out and welcome everyone to join us weekly!  

---***---  

QCampus Calgary Pride Float  The idea has been bantered around of Queers on Campus producing a float for Calgary Pride in September. We have some ideas together and are seeking volunteer support, enthusiasm, and special skills in parade float building.  If you're interested at all, please contact us!  

---***---  

Alberta Bill 44 Petition  The Alberta NDP are taking a petition against the proposed Bill 44 which although includes sexuality in the list of categories protected against discrimination (a protection already enshrined by the Supreme Court of Canada -- never written in, but is effective in Alberta), but with the caveat that parents be allowed to make a human rights complaint against teachers who teach any subject relating to sex, sexuality, and religion without first explicitly seeking parental approval.  This bill is highly contested by many groups including teachers, lawyers, human rights groups, and the queer community. The petition is for anyone who disagrees with this exceptionally contentious and offensive bill.  We will have the petition to sign at coffee nights, and if you would like to add your name, please visit us there, or contact us by e-mail.  For more information about the bill itself, see the Government of Alberta website: http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=bills_status&selectbill=044  

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The Dallas Principles http://www.thedallasprinciples.org/  On May 15-17, 2009 in Dallas, Texas twenty-four thinkers, activists, and donors gathered to discuss the immediate need for full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender people in the United States.  They have published a series of principles to achieve equality for LGBT people in the US, and are also seeking endorsement by people everywhere.  Please take a look at this, and we urge support in support of the queer community in the States.  

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That's about it for now. Hopefully see you all next week for Coffee Night AND Fairytales!!

AGM Tonight!!

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to our Gender Bender Friday night and made it such a success. It was a great party, we had some fun, and we had some excellent turnout. Exciting!

Tonight is our Annual General Meeting! You can find us in the Escalus Room in the MacEwan Hall Conference Centre at 6PM. We'll be going over the year and taking a look at what's to come in the upcoming year. We will decide on a new exec and it's your opportunity to take a look at how it all works and how to get involved. Come out, throw your hat in for an exec position, whatever you want to do we're cool with it. If you can't make it, do e-mail us (qcampus@ucalgary.ca) so that we know what you'd like to do.

And come out after the meeting to the Den to celebrate a successful and exciting year for us all. See you tonight kids!

Gender Bender & AGM!

Heyo!

So the coffee night this week was amazing, we filled up even more than usual and overflowed into multiple sections. Go us!

Coming up this Friday at 9PM at The Den on campus will be out annual Gender Bender cab! Do you have your tickets yet? They're $5 in advance from any exec (e-mail if you can't find us), or $7 at the door. It's a crazy party and will be a total blast so make sure to come out and bring your friends! Everyone welcome for the crazy fun times! :D

On a more serious, still fun though, note, QCampus's annual general meeting (AGM) will be on Monday, April 6, 2009 in the MacEwan Conference Centre's Excalus Room. We're voting on next year's exec and doing administrative junk. Come out, volunteer to be on the exec, or just come watch and vote. The most the merrier, there's no better time to scope out getting involved. If you can't make it e-mail qcampus@ucalgary.ca if you'd still like to be on the executive.

So there we go. As always check out our events page for upcoming activities and fun times.

GENDER BENDER FRIDAY. See you there!!

Mucho love.

Dancing to success!

Our "Gay For A Day" parade and dance party yesterday as a part of Sexual Awareness week on campus was a great success. This is one of our first major public events and marks a distinct change in the way in which we approach our visibility and presence on campus and otherwise. It was a smashing success!

We invited queer students and allies alike to parade across the campus holding the hand of a same-gendered friend to illustrate support for love of all kinds and expressions of affection. Afterwards we had a dance party in the centre of Mac Hall complete with drag king show (thanks to Fake Moustache) and dance contest.

It was a successful display and a lot of fun to boot. We will definitely be trying to incorporate similar types of events again in the future.

Tonight we will be hosting queer speed dating as an end to our series of sexual awareness week events. It's been a good week and a groundbreaking one as far as QCampus is concerned.

Also, don't forget the next Friday, April 3 is our Gender Bender at 9:00pm at The Den on campus a UofC. It's our largest party of the year and an event not to be missed! Tickets can be purchased for $5 in advance from any exec member (e-mail us if you would like to come by to purchase -- WE WILL ALSO HAVE TABLE IN MAC HALL NEXT WEEK TO SELL TICKETS!!) or $7 at the door. Dancing, drag, debauchery, and fun. I couldn't think of another "d"-word. Oh well. Hope to see you all at coffee next week and then at the Gender Bender.

XOXO.

Posters ahoy!

We have just completed campus postering round two. This time you may notice our posters come on lovely coloured paper. Seeing them up around the school, especially in time for sexual awareness week, and in such a visible way goes toward making the UofC more welcoming. So thank you to everyone who came out to lend a hand, you guys rock!

Speaking of sexual awareness week, the SU has selected all of next week (March 23-27, 2009) to be filled with events centering around sexual awareness. As such, QCampus has planned to make it a week to remember. We will have events every single day (sometimes two or more per day!) and will include:

- "Gay For A Day" - Parade to MacEwan Hall. Come out and make a poster and march with us, hold the hand of a same-sex friend to support love of all kinds!

- Gay Dance Party - Parade will end in Mac Hall in a giant public dance party. Let's dance it up and just have some fun!

- A panel discussion

- Queer speed dating

- And plenty, plenty more.

For event details and to learn about all our events, please visit our EVENTS PAGE. We hope to see a ton of people out. Let's make it a fun week to remember, ok? :D

Our New Webspace!

Hey kiddoes,

Our new website is finally up (with me getting off my lazy ass) at its new and appropriate address: http://www.ucalgary.ca/~qcampus , yay!

It's full of goodness and has an updated events page, a spot for exec bios, and a link to our fabulous new store! So go my queer little minions and frolick in our cemented web mastery. The world shall soon be ours!

Ahem.

At any rate, I'll be seeing the execs at our meeting tonight, and for everyone else, I will see you tomorrow at our coffee night, 7PM at the Kensington Second Cup, attendance has been phenomenal, let's go for the record!

If you have any questions/comments/ideas about the website, please, please, please, keep it to yourself. Kidding! Tell me right away, it's a place for all of us! It'll be epic.

Well then, Queerio! (See what I did? I changed "cheerio" to "queerio" to be more topical and potentially funny, and... ah, shut up.)