Dear WIFTV Members and Community,
We’re excited to announce that we are making some changes, including to our name!
We believe that everybody who has faced historical exclusion and marginalization due to patriarchy and sexism is deserving of our organisation’s support. However, we have received ongoing feedback from our community members that WIFTV’s current name does not welcome or include them, which goes against our values and mission as an organization.
Since 1989, WIFT Vancouver has been on the forefront of advocacy for gender equity in screen-based media. A lot has changed in 33 years, including our collective understanding about gender and the language we use to talk about it. It’s vital that WIFTV’s language evolves with the times so that we can continue our mission of advancing and celebrating gender equity in screen-based media.
Over the coming months we will be revising our language, including changing our organisation’s and festival’s names and logos to make sure everybody impacted by gender inequity is included in our shared mission. In the meantime, we will be going by our current acronym, WIFTV or WIFT Vancouver. We will also be reaching out to our trans and non-binary community members, to gather information about their experiences with WIFTV and to help inform our process.
If you have any questions and comments, please email communications@womeninfilm.ca. We have also included some FAQs and additional resources below.
Thank you for supporting us as we work to make a meaningful impact on inclusion and equity!
Eli Morris (they/them) Executive Director, WIFTV
FAQ / Resources
Why are you making this change?
There are many people who experience gender-based discrimination in film and television. The current name of our organization speaks to the identities and experiences of some but not all of our members, and does not reflect our long-standing goal of eradicating gender-based discrimination and fostering gender-equity for all people in the film and television industry.
Will WIFTV’s events and programs continue to serve women?
Absolutely! Our programming will continue to serve women, and we will continue to work at ensuring that women are valued in their film and television work. For a long time, our programming has also been open to other people who are impacted by gender inequities in the industry. We are updating our name to be in alignment with the diversity of our membership, and to ensure that we can work effectively at ensuring gender-equity for all of our members.
Will your programs change?
We don’t expect any major changes to our programming, but we are looking forward to making our programs more inclusive and welcoming to our diverse membership.
Where can I learn more about trans stories and representation in media?
- Watch: Disclosure, streaming on Netflix and read accompanying Toolkits and Discussion Guides
- Watch: Framing Agnes
- Watch: No Ordinary Man, Streaming free on CBC Gem.
- Listen: Gender Reveal, Podcast – Look for the “TV & media representation” section on their Starter Packs page.
- Watch: Safety in Numbers: A Trans History
- Read: Tips for Allies of Transgender People
- Read: Understanding Trans and Non-Binary Casting with Gendered Intelligence
- Read: Victims or Villains: Examining Ten Years of Transgender Images on Television
- Read: Four Ways To Be A Better Trans Ally in your Documentary Filmmaking