https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/62030/archive/files/dbb913492310aec0d637d440416c069d.pdf?Expires=1782345600&Signature=aGLCAxwmFhEsZmCFvQwH6OfGc9-KrhWg4kLNQZ6ec5HnpiOLWE4PINfI%7EiR3bwaWh8T6obNVke%7EHOPt52gWPtLSkmsWSHY-lYMtclaRXoOa2ftWh7UdlD5Z0qZi9Ktd7O4%7EABBeUTJLwXBpGrmSIAAQtfibxN8-KupfmBeNMz7QGXq-Rd-LUsTJ6JQDfYkUGNQq9UpyxcWMPykB%7Et77Sgxq%7ELtCTv9tTiOtKuEQ47x9gbubhAvxtZaah1BInKf522GtyjhiP6qHe9UUXgxsTJuuXeHub2%7EAWVEDte814y8jaUhcQ42BkQiG7V9KuyLvHuvke1wHTjNvgG3iC6bOtdA__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM f24d02ba0e9796541c4a32eede1a5a2c PDF Text Text 4 October 29, 2018 mcgilldaily.com | The McGill Daily A Call for the McGill Administration to Change the Varsity Teams’ Name D Through use of the Redmen name McGill continues to promote ear Principal Suzanne Fortier, Provost Christopher Manfredi, Interim Deputy Provost (Student Life & Learning) Fabrice Labeau, stereotypical and hyper-masculine depiction of Indigenous peoples. This has actively contributed to a University that historically Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation Marc Gélinas, has been, and often continues to be, hostile to the presence of My name is Tomas Jirousek, and I am a member of the Kainai Indigenous students. The usage of the Indian, Squaw, and Redmen Nation, a nation of the Blackfoot Confederacy, and a McGill varsity names have contributed to feelings of anxiety, discomfort, and athlete. I, with the support of the undersigned, am writing this isolation amongst Indigenous peoples at McGill for many years. It has also led to the institutionalized ignorance of the lived reality letter to call for the immediate renaming of the McGill Redmen. With this letter, I wish to express concerns over the continued usage of Indigenous peoples at McGill. No individual, or even team, of such an offensive name for the mens’ varsity teams. Indigenous ‘reclaiming’ the name can undo both the historic and ongoing students, staff, and community members for years have clearly damages inflicted by the Redmen name. Competing for McGill as an Indigenous varsity athlete has been conveyed the desire to change the Redmen name. This was reiterated most recently in the Provost’s Task Force on Indigenous Studies and one of the most difficult experiences of my life. In addition to Indigenous Education, which was part of McGill’s reaction to the having to struggle with the added everyday stress that we student athletes all go through, I have to constantly deal with the internal Truth and Reconciliation Commission released in 2015. As noted in Call to Action 21, the Indigenous community has struggle between competing for a team I love, and my own disgust openly questioned “the credibility of the University’s efforts in at the continued usage of the Redmen name. I have faced increased relation to Indigeneity given the pejorative connotation of our isolation since starting a call to change the name, and speaking out mens’ varsity team name.” It is impossible for the University to in support and inclusion of Indigenous people competing at McGill. position itself as a leader in affirming the Calls to Action in the I did not choose to go to McGill to be degraded in such a manner. I choose to compete for the McGill that my team represents. My TRC, while also continuing to brand itself under the Redmen name. By remaining silent, the University continues to condone teammates and coaches have never failed to support my inclusion as and perpetuate the psychologically and socially damaging effects a varsity rower. I have been made to feel supported and valued in my the Redmen name inflicts on Indigenous students and athletes like work towards a more inclusive McGill. That is the reason why I call on McGill to change the name. I myself and others on this campus. The Provost’s Task Force notes the past use of the name “Indians” know that athletics can play an incredibly positive role in a student’s to refer to McGill’s mens’ teams, and “Squaws” or “Super Squaws” experience at McGill, and every Indigenous student should have to refer to its womens’ athletics teams, as well as the appearance of access to that same support. Every Indigenous student should be phrases such as “Indians on a Warpath” and “Redman Scalped” in made to feel included, welcome, and supported at McGill, and changing the Redmen name ensures that more Indigenous students McGill media. Stereotyped images of Indigenous persons were used on McGill will benefit from the same experience I have had on the rowing team. jerseys and helmets until a 1992 decision of the McGill Athletics Board ended the usage of the offensive logo. But in a decision that #ChangetheName. It’s the only respectful and appropriate course whitewashed and actively sought to rewrite the racist and violent of action. history of the Redmen, they chose to not change the name. Former McGill professor of history, Allan Downey, writes “whether Signed, the ‘Indian’ portrayals are ‘positive’ or ‘negative,’ they have adverse psychological consequences for Indigenous youth and for relations Tomas Jirousek, SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner, between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.” Professor Downey Indigenous Varsity Athlete offers that the “individual reclamation [does not] negate the larger societal impact that these images had. The intent [does not] negate With the support of the effects.” I, and many others, argue that an ‘endorsement’ by any Carlee Loft, SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner, 2017-18 singular Indigenous individual, group, or team, does not negate the Christian Quequish, SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner, 2016-17 larger societal effects that the Redmen name continues to reproduce Leslie Anne St. Amour, SSMU Indigenous Affairs Commissioner, 2015-16 for Indigenous athletes, students, and community members. The University’s tokenization of Indigenous people and initiatives to In addition to “Indigenize” in order to defend the continued usage of the Redmen SSMU Indigenous Affairs Committee Indigenous Students Alliance name is morally reprehensible at best. Letter � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Coverage from The McGill Daily Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Paper Volume 108 Issue 8 Page Number(s) 4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Call for the McGill Administration to Change the Varsity Teams’ Name Description An account of the resource A letter addressed to several university administrators urging them to change the name of the Men's Varsity athletics teams. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Tomas Jirousek Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The McGill Daily Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018/10/29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF anti-Indigenous racism athletics Change the Name colonialism Indigeneity