Activate Wits - LGBQTIA Student Solidarity Society of the University of Witwatersrand
ACTIVATE is the LGBQTIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgendered, intersex, asexual and allies) social support group for students at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.
Our operational framework is a two-pronged approach, split into three programs:
1) SOCIAL PROGRAM: socials, clubbing, Out In Africa Gay & Lesbian Film Festival outings, Cinema Nouveau outings, and house parties (from the raucous to the sedate). We thus hope that all Activate members will find their kind of social scene and social activities via the variety we make available.
2) PUBLIC EDUCATION & ADVOCACY PROGRAM: public talks, group discussions, group debates, documentary screenings, poster campaigns, public exhibitions, and our very own annual Campus Pride March/Parade. This is where we put the ACTIVism in Activate! It's about boldly asserting that, 'we're here, we're queer, we're gonna face down homo prejudice and discrimination, promote understanding, and embrace diversity!'
3) OUTREACH & SUPPORT PROGRAM: We know that out-the-closet students are only the tip of the iceberg of the LGBQTIA population in our university. With this program, we seek to tap into the closeted student population on campus, which, at over 10% of our 30 000 students, we know, is huge, and facilitate whatever support we can for them. Closeted students are encouraged to contact Group Admin who will offer support. Another key mechanism in this regard is our Narnia Network blog where students can post comments and questions anonymously and at least have some sense of community and receiving support:
www.narnia-network.blogspot.com
________________________________________
Come by our clubroom - watch the group to see when it is open -
Room29
DJ Duplessis Building
West Campus
Wits University
*DJ Duplessis is the building above the Law Lawns Dam and waterfall, just up from the Law Clinic. Find the map on our official site.
*Activate Wits is disability friendly in terms of accessibility. Please contact us via the group if you would like basic SASL interpretation on the day you visit us.
_________________________________________
Visit our FB page at www.facebook.com/activatewits
or our official site www.activatewits.weebly.com
watch our tweets @activatewits
email us [email protected]
watch the site, group and page for the BBM group
___________________________________________
ACTIVATE WITS is a PROUD partner in Wits Pride 2011 (It's for all of us)
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_236092329740266
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Although our organization is LGBQTIA-focused, membership is open to all students, regardless of sexual orientation. And each year, we consistently find ourselves with a few cisgendered heterosexual members (allies). We love this trend, and welcome allies at Activate.
ACTIVATE has three main aims:
1) To build a sense of community, friendship, and solidarity among LGBQTIA students through social activities and events,
2) To counter and oppose manifestations of homophobia, prejudice, and discrimination on campus,
3) To foster tolerance, understanding, and acceptance of LGBQTIA students and our issues in the wider Wits community.
Our ultimate vision as an LGBQTIA society is to see our university become a place where LGBQTIA students experience no prejudice or discrimination, are free to express themselves without fear of hostility, and where the broader community at large is well-informed about LGBQTIA issues, and accepting of LGBQTIA people.
Our operational framework is a two-pronged approach, split into three programs:
1) SOCIAL PROGRAM: socials, clubbing, Out In Africa Gay & Lesbian Film Festival outings, Cinema Nouveau outings, and house parties (from the raucous to the sedate). We thus hope that all Activate members will find their kind of social scene and social activities via the variety we make available.
2) PUBLIC EDUCATION & ADVOCACY PROGRAM: public talks, group discussions, group debates, documentary screenings, poster campaigns, public exhibitions, and our very own annual Campus Pride March/Parade. This is where we put the ACTIVism in Activate! It's about boldly asserting that, 'we're here, we're queer, we're gonna face down homo prejudice and discrimination, promote understanding, and embrace diversity!'
3) OUTREACH & SUPPORT PROGRAM: We know that out-the-closet students are only the tip of the iceberg of the LGBQTIA population in our university. With this program, we seek to tap into the closeted student population on campus, which, at over 10% of our 30 000 students, we know, is huge, and facilitate whatever support we can for them. Closeted students are encouraged to contact Group Admin who will offer support. Another key mechanism in this regard is our Narnia Network blog where students can post comments and questions anonymously and at least have some sense of community and receiving support:
www.narnia-network.blogspot.com
________________________________________
Come by our clubroom - watch the group to see when it is open -
Room29
DJ Duplessis Building
West Campus
Wits University
*DJ Duplessis is the building above the Law Lawns Dam and waterfall, just up from the Law Clinic. Find the map on our official site.
*Activate Wits is disability friendly in terms of accessibility. Please contact us via the group if you would like basic SASL interpretation on the day you visit us.
_________________________________________
Visit our FB page at www.facebook.com/activatewits
or our official site www.activatewits.weebly.com
watch our tweets @activatewits
email us [email protected]
watch the site, group and page for the BBM group
___________________________________________
ACTIVATE WITS is a PROUD partner in Wits Pride 2011 (It's for all of us)
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_236092329740266
-------------------------------------------------------------
Although our organization is LGBQTIA-focused, membership is open to all students, regardless of sexual orientation. And each year, we consistently find ourselves with a few cisgendered heterosexual members (allies). We love this trend, and welcome allies at Activate.
ACTIVATE has three main aims:
1) To build a sense of community, friendship, and solidarity among LGBQTIA students through social activities and events,
2) To counter and oppose manifestations of homophobia, prejudice, and discrimination on campus,
3) To foster tolerance, understanding, and acceptance of LGBQTIA students and our issues in the wider Wits community.
Our ultimate vision as an LGBQTIA society is to see our university become a place where LGBQTIA students experience no prejudice or discrimination, are free to express themselves without fear of hostility, and where the broader community at large is well-informed about LGBQTIA issues, and accepting of LGBQTIA people.