QTCASE Pandemic Reboot (2022):
Welcome to our new website. Like many other groups, we've been at a standstill during the pandemic, trying to survive as individuals and supporting the community around us. However, we are now slowly getting back to working on QTCASE projects.
Our last action was in November 2019, the protest against TTA's flag-raising on TDoR. Due to this and other actions, we've received some support and recognition that a fringe group like QTCASE is not used to. It's a significant change for us moving forward, as the recognition and legitimacy after years of fringe organizing opens more doors. However minor, it does allow us to do a reboot, i.e., reshape the work to be more effective.
QTCASE was started by a homeless trans woman of color, and we hope that it will be supported by more people to increase its support base and capacity. Due to the nature of homeless, transient, and precariously housed people organizing, much of the history has been lost or went undocumented. We are slowly documenting some of our past community work and direct actions, which spans approximately 20 years. We will try to fill in as much as we can over time.
- Pictures of protests against Pride Toronto, The 519, and other non-profits, and representation/messaging in the World Naked Bike Ride general protests
- Protest series against the Toronto Trans Alliance (TTA) tta protests
- Community gatherings for mutual support and education, building analysis and organizing protests gatherings
Protests were organized under various labels/groups, including Queer Diversity, Transroots Toronto, Grassroots Trans Toronto, etc. Due to the nature of homeless people organizing, much of the history and documentation has been lost. These pictures are from more recent years (approx. 2015 onwards). Some are protests against the 519, others are protests against Pride, and some are from Toronto's version of the World Naked Bike Ride, mixing politics and messaging surrounding anti-violence, anti-war, co-optation, body freedom, sex work, trans issues, etc.
TTA Protest Series
Our protests against the TDoR flag-raisings organized by the TTA (Toronto Trans Alliance) happened every year of the flag-raisings from 2015 to 2019. This series of protests were key to destroying TTA's political capital and legitimacy with politicians and in the community, and raising awareness about the harm done to racialized and homeless trans people by organizations vying for power.
The 4th item on the list below is effectively ticked off, as politicians have backed off of supporting any one group. There are no official statements or indication of support for either side, however we do have an offer to speak with our local MPP. Our next challenge really is to push for a community-wide consensus-based process. We had productive conversations with the 519 before the pandemic and intend to start following up in September 2022.
Separate Flag-raisings From TDoR Proclamation
Government officials are responsible for the TDoR Proclamation. The flag-raisings are done by TTA. This letter demands that politicians separate the two events, and attend only the Proclamation that they're responsible for, but not the flag-raisings done by TTA (so as to remain nuetral in inter-community conflict). We expect that this should strip the TTA of political capital, further delegitimizing it, its racist ideas, and its preposterous claims of umbrella representation of the trans community. Sign Letter
Block TTA's Sponsorship
Demand that the Sherbourne Health Centre (SHC) and the 519 Community Centre:- Condemn the police violence at TDoR
- Drop sponsorship of the TTA
- Outline a process for future trans representation
Update: The 519 has dropped sponsorship for TTA, will release statement addressing police violence... we still haven't heard from SHC
Update: SHC has also dropped sponsorship!
Block TTA's Sponsorship
Demand that the Sherbourne Health Centre (SHC) and the 519 Community Centre:- Condemn the police violence at TDoR
- Drop sponsorship of the TTA
- Outline a process for future trans representation
Update: SHC has also dropped sponsorship!
Sign Petition
Protest the Flag-Raising on TDoR
Trans Community Building, Creative Resistance, History, Protests
These were low key gatherings, primarily for sharing space and talking about community issues, mostly just trans people, but sometimes cis allies (when we were organizing around a protest).