This is why I love Twitter.

Twitter is truly the best. I posted this Open Letter to Councillor Minnan-Wong and Councillor Holyday today and I also posted it on Twitter--or, rather, tweeted it. The letter decries the sexist and bullying behaviour of Councillor Minnan Wong, Councillor Holyday, Councillor Mammoliti, and Mayor Rob Ford during the Deputation of Toronto Women's City Alliance representative Jennifer Arango.

Not too long after it was sent off by the little blue bird we got some responses, specifically responses about the author. Apparently @Sattva01 thinks the author is a nutcase.

There isn't really any mention of the content of the letter, namely the completely sexist behaviour of some Toronto City Councillors, just a lot of talk about the author not being able to teach at York University-- which was once true.


Tasia Alexopoulos, the author of the letter, was indeed banned from teaching at York University. We've written about it and reproduced a talk Tasia gave at York University, with two tenured Professors, about her experience of being fired. You can read that HERE.

The case was also written about here, in Steel Bananas Art Collective Magazine, by the talented Devon Wong who is now off doing his Masters in English.

Tasia also spoke about her experience being fired at a York University Human Rights Centre Conference with colleague Hans Rollman where they workshopped on "Diversity vs. Normativity: Systematic Barriers to Classroom Dialogue and Inclusivity."

Tasia has an(under construction) profile on Academicfreedom.ca and glowing Teacher's Evaluations from the students she was allowed to instruct before being summarily fired, wrongly, by York University.

And finally, on April 1st, the ban on Tasia's teaching was lifted when her grievance against the University was settled after almost two years. You can read about that here on Activist Teacher.

So, to answer your question @Sattva01, Tasia Alexopoulos is truly a nutcase. Thank you for pointing that out to us.

An Open Letter to Councillor Minnan-Wong and Councillor Doug Holyday

UPDATE: The TWCA has issued a letter demanding a public apology, which you can read HERE. As well, not mentioned in the letter below was Councillor Mammoliti who also interjected with a Point of Order, deeming Jennifer's point "disrespectful and irrelevant." You may recall Councillor Mammoliti from his recent brush with fame: creepily videotaping this year's Dyke March during Pride Week. I think we can all safely say that what is really disrespectful and irrelevant is Mammoliti himself. Mammoliti can be reached at his email: councillor_mammoliti@toronto.ca


An open letter sent to Toronto City Councillors Minnan-Wong and Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday regarding their completely unacceptable behaviour during the July 28th Special Executive Committee meeting about proposed Service cuts in the City. During her deputation as a representative for Toronto Women's City Alliance, Jennifer Arango was interrupted repeatedly by both Councillors, some of which was caught on tape:

http://www.globaltoronto.com/Video+City+council+meeting+night+July/5178580/story.html?releasePID=DwsKA1cvBwTta2LzagZKI72OaYcdH5C9

What's the point of "allowing" citizens to express their opinions if City Councillors are just going to treat them with disdain and try to shut them up? This kind of behaviour isn't acceptable and both of these men should be held accountable for being complete jerks to Jennifer.

You can email Holyday and Minnan-Wong as well: councillor_holyday@toronto.ca, councillor_minnan-wong@toronto.ca

The letter was also CC-ed to Mayor Rob Ford.

We can whine all we want that the city is going down the tubes, but this is a concrete example of a specific tube-- sexist behaviour like this has no place in our City Council and we all have a responsibility to stand up to it.

An Open Letter to Councillor Minnan-Wong and Councillor Holyday