GenderBloc History
In May 2006 a small group of students came together at the University of Cincinnati to discuss the creation of a group that would focus on transgender and queer activism. GenderBloc was granted status as an official UC student group in winter 2007.
During GenderBloc's first year, the 2006-2007 school year, we focused on goal setting and member recruitment. After developing a small group of core members we outlined GenderBloc's goals of working for trasngender and genderqueer inclusion at UC and in the Cincinnati community through policy change, education and awareness. GenderBloc would also work toward developing the queer community at UC and creating a safe space for transgender and genderqueer individuals in Cincinnati.
Since its creation, GenderBloc has been involved in a variety of events and changes at UC. Most notably GenderBloc brought writer, Kate Bornstein to speak on campus in Spring 2008. Other performers and speakers we have brought to campus include Matilda Berstein, Scott Turner Schofield, Tranny Roadshow, Good Asian Drivers, Athens Boys Choir and Katastrophe. GenderBloc has also continued to work for policy changes at the University of Cincinnati to make it a more inclusive and safe space for queer and transgender individual. In Winter 2009 "gender identity and expression" was added to the UC Non-Discrimination policy. Since then the Housing Department has created and Transgender/Genderqueer policy found here under FAQs. The UC Office of the Registrar has created a policy for transgender students to officially change their gender marker with the university, and a preferred name policy is underway. By fall 2010 all single-user restrooms on UC's campus will have a signage change to make them all gender neutral and a policy has been passed stating that any new building at UC must have at least one single-user gender neutral restroom in it, thanks to GenderBloc's hard work.
GenderBloc continues to work for education, awareness, support and inclusion of transgender, genderqueer and queer studenst at UC. We now have a Trans 101 program that was presented at the UC Diversity conference in Spring 2010 and will be used in classrooms and for other education requests. GenderBloc puts on quarterly drag shows where we push the limits of gender through performance while also bringing awareness to LGBTQ issues. Each year GenderBloc also participates in Queer History Month, Transgender Awareness Day and UC LGBTQ Pride week.
During GenderBloc's first year, the 2006-2007 school year, we focused on goal setting and member recruitment. After developing a small group of core members we outlined GenderBloc's goals of working for trasngender and genderqueer inclusion at UC and in the Cincinnati community through policy change, education and awareness. GenderBloc would also work toward developing the queer community at UC and creating a safe space for transgender and genderqueer individuals in Cincinnati.
Since its creation, GenderBloc has been involved in a variety of events and changes at UC. Most notably GenderBloc brought writer, Kate Bornstein to speak on campus in Spring 2008. Other performers and speakers we have brought to campus include Matilda Berstein, Scott Turner Schofield, Tranny Roadshow, Good Asian Drivers, Athens Boys Choir and Katastrophe. GenderBloc has also continued to work for policy changes at the University of Cincinnati to make it a more inclusive and safe space for queer and transgender individual. In Winter 2009 "gender identity and expression" was added to the UC Non-Discrimination policy. Since then the Housing Department has created and Transgender/Genderqueer policy found here under FAQs. The UC Office of the Registrar has created a policy for transgender students to officially change their gender marker with the university, and a preferred name policy is underway. By fall 2010 all single-user restrooms on UC's campus will have a signage change to make them all gender neutral and a policy has been passed stating that any new building at UC must have at least one single-user gender neutral restroom in it, thanks to GenderBloc's hard work.
GenderBloc continues to work for education, awareness, support and inclusion of transgender, genderqueer and queer studenst at UC. We now have a Trans 101 program that was presented at the UC Diversity conference in Spring 2010 and will be used in classrooms and for other education requests. GenderBloc puts on quarterly drag shows where we push the limits of gender through performance while also bringing awareness to LGBTQ issues. Each year GenderBloc also participates in Queer History Month, Transgender Awareness Day and UC LGBTQ Pride week.
What do we mean by radical?
Many people have different associations with the word radical, especially when it is used to identify a group of people. The members of Genderbloc generally agree that when we say we are a radical group, that means a few things. One, that there is no formal hierarchy in the group and decisions are based solely on group consensus. All members and their input are valued equally and no one has a position of greater power than anyone else. Two, we often work outside of the mainstream system with grassroots action. Three, we advocate for a change from the current oppressive gender binary system.
