My Gender Student Research Club

Our history

My Gender Research Club was established in 2017. We organized an antidiscrimination workshop led by Sandra Frydrysiak, Ph.D., lecturer of gender studies at SWPS University and co-founder of our Research Club. Since then, we have been working on new research and community-focused projects.

My Gender brings together students of cultural studies and psychology, graduates of SWPS University, doctoral students, and people who are not formally associated with our University, but who share our research interests.

For us, our research activities provide excellent opportunities for meeting the “Others”, the “Different”. Therefore, despite the fact that we are united in enthusiastic activism and desire for dialogue, sometimes we differ in our opinions and we like to disagree.

Goals

• To promote and protect human rights, civic liberties and activities conducive to the development of democracy
• To prevent discrimination based on nationality, race, age, psychosexual identity, economic factors, religion, and beliefs
• To carry out research aimed at igniting social sensitivity, and promote attitudes of civic engagement
• To develop a network of contacts and cooperation with other entities, communities, societies, and nations
• To enable exchange of knowledge and experience
• To unite our student community in undertaking antidiscriminatory initiatives.

Antidiscrimination workshop addressed to students and academics of SWPS University

The workshops for the members of My Gender Research Club, which are a great opportunity for cultural self-reflection. Sexism, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia are also present in academic environment, which actually should lead the way in tolerance, cross-cultural integration, and respecting the right of people to be different.

Our antidiscrimination workshop meets these needs, increases awareness and sensitivity concerning diversity, and fosters the attitudes of openness and equality.

Open Mic – take the stage for your story

“Open Mic - Take the Stage to Tell Your Story” was a side event of the 2017 ILGA-Europe Annual Conference, co-organized by IGLA-Europe and Kampania Przeciw Homofobii [Campaign Against Homophobia] (KPH), an organization that supports LGBTQ+ individuals in Poland. The main goal of the event was to provide a platform conducive to self-expression for non-heteronormative individuals.

"Open Mic" was a competition, where participants told, sang or danced their stories on stage, and the audience chose best performances. Meloe Gennal, a spoken word poet and lawyer who represents transgender people, was a special guest at the event.

Debate series: “University from different perspectives”

The series is an attempt to include voices of persons excluded from the discussion about the role of higher education institutions and their social responsibility. Debate participants include lecturers and students. Each debate focuses on the university from a different perspective, for example the women’s view, persons’ with special needs perspective, non-heteronormative view and the perspective of foreigners.

During our the debates, the concept of “university” undergoes a cultural analysis. We strive to sensitize participants to problems of persons who are discriminated against at the university, and we search for solutions conducive to better inclusivity.