UVic to preserve largest archival collection on transgender history

UVic is taking on the task of digitizing the world’s largest collection of original materials chronicling the history and activism of transgender people. Earlier this month, UVic Libraries announced that it received a $400K+ grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) to digitize film archives of video and audio interviews with prominent activists, educators, and physicians.

The project will digitize, preserve, describe, and make accessible 521 at-risk items within the school’s Rikki Swin Collection, ensuring the footage won’t be lost as media technology evolves.

“The reality for Trans+ people during most of the 20th century was one of profound isolation, secrecy, silence, and shame,” said Aaron Devor, chair of transgender studies at UVic . “Due to media fragility and hardware obsolescence these items are completely inaccessible in their current state, and at risk if not digitized.”

The majority of the footage was captured from the 1970s to 1990s. The archives include queer community events from this time, such as the Fantasia Fair, an annual conference for people who cross-dress—many attendees were trans women. UVic’s application for funding was one of 18 selected out of 133 submissions.

Archives to be digitized. Photo: UVic

Education on trans people and their history has been at risk in BC, with the BC Conservatives running on an election promise to repeal the SOGI 123 program, which includes lessons on sexual orientation and gender within standard sexual health education in the province.

Canada’s Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poillievre has also made disparaging comments about trans women and adolescents, drawing condemnation from human rights organizations like Amnesty International. Multiple queer activists have warned that a Poillievre government could be harmful to 2SLGBTQ+ people. For those living south of the border, the recent US election has left many 2SLGBTQ+ people in fear of US President-Elect Donald Trump’s second term, with trans rights in particular at risk.

The rise in discrimination against queer and trans people has created urgency for UVic to preserve this history.

“With proper care, we can preserve this collection and make it available to the originating communities, to researchers, to Trans+ people everywhere, and to others who support social justice and equity,” Devor said.