Who is TFAC?
The Trans Feminist Action Caucus (TFAC) is an autonomous body of CUPE 3903 that consists of all women, trans, gender queer and gender variant members of the Local.
We welcome and strongly encourage involvement of persons with one or more disabilities, lesbian, bisexual, two-spirited, queer and trans persons, persons from racialized groups, and Indigenous persons.
What does TFAC do?
We have a long history of activism to try and make changes in the union to address traditional and oppositional sexism, cissexism, transmisogyny, ableism, racism, and other forms of oppression that we’ve had to deal with.
TFAC works in coalition with other relevant critical feminist organizations on campus in an effort to improve the position of all women, trans, gender queer and gender variant people at York University and within the labour movement. To this end, TFAC defines ‘sexism’ to include any type of gender or sex based discrimination or oppression. With this we also recognize that other factors such as race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status and/or ability, may exacerbate discrimination on the basis of sex.
We’re a member-driven group. Our agenda is largely based on the needs of those who attend. With two new coordinators serving this year, we have different agendas from previous years. We want a space to talk about the issues we’re facing at York and work to address them.
TFAC also administers two funds: the Sexual Assault Survivor Support Fund and the Trans Fund.
*Please note: Due to COVID-19, all applications need to be submitted online so that they can be adjudicated, as no one is in the office currently and all disbursements will be via e-mail transfer. If this poses a challenge, please reach out to the committee or the TFAC co-chairs.
Sexual Assault Survivor Support Fund
The Sexual Assault Survivor Fund Committee understands that sexual assault can impact many areas of your life. The fund supports survivors offset costs such as counselling, legal support and lost wages. Members can draw on this fund to an annual maximum of $2000 and a lifetime maximum of $5000. The Committee recognizes that legal support can be very expensive and will consider adjusting the yearly maximum based on need.
The SASSF application can be found here: SASSF Application.
Trans Fund
The Trans Fund is meant to support the everyday life necessities, as well as for surgeries, of members who identify as trans. The Committee understands ‘trans’ to be a broad and inclusive term that includes gender queer, transgender, transsexual, and gender variant among others.
This is a fund of $30,000 administered three times a year (except in emergency situations where members can apply to the committee on an on-going basis). Members can draw on this fund to an annual maximum of $7,500 and a lifetime maximum of $22 000; with a lifetime clothing maximum of $1,000.
The Trans Fund application can be found here: Trans Fund Application.
Get Involved
To join the TFAC Listserv, email us at tfac.cupe3903@gmail.com
We hold monthly meetings over Zoom which are advertised on the TFAC listserv and on the CUPE list-serv.
We would like to encourage our TFAC membership to attend our meeting in the various ways that you may be interacting with the online interface. You are invited to attend and engage with whatever medium feels most comfortable, including voice, video or chat. We also understand that many members will be taking care of loved ones (human and non-human) and there may be interruptions to your participation. All members are encouraged to edit your name in our Zoom meetings to include your pronouns.