The International Council on Archives Announces the Formation of the SAGDAA Working Group

The International Council on Archives (ICA) is pleased to announce the creation of a new Working Group on Sex-Affective and Gender Diversity* Archives & Archivists (SAGDAA-WG). This group is dedicated to addressing the archival needs and challenges faced by individuals who do not conform to dominant heteronormativity and gender norms. 

To initiate this important conversation, we invite you to join us next Thursday, 27 June, for a virtual session where professionals working on LGBTQI+ Archives will discuss sex-affective and gender diversity in archives and the creation of this new ICA Working Group. 

If you would like to learn more about SAGDAA-WG’s focus areas, main objectives, projects, and how you can join this group, please read on. 

(*) SAGD 

Focus Areas 

• Archives and Documents: Pertaining to individuals who diverge from dominant heteronormative and gender norms. 
• Organizations: Records related to SAGD associations and organizations. 
• SAGD Archives Professionals. 

Main Objectives 

1. Guidelines and Procedures: Establish policies and procedures for the recovery and archiving of archives, documents, collections and data related to SAGD individuals, associations, organisations and communities around the world. 
2. Activities and Tools: Propose and promote activities, tools and practices to address the specificities of SAGD documentation in terms of acquisition, appraisal, classification, description, outreach and all other archival activities. 
3. Online Hub: Create and maintain an online hub for communication and resource sharing for SAGD archives and archival professionals. 
4. Awareness: Raise awareness within the archival community of the importance of the challenges, responsibilities and opportunities associated with managing SAGD records and collections, particularly the high risk of loss and destruction of these records and collections due to their specific subject matter. 
5. Collaboration: Promote communication and collaboration between SAGD community archives and institutional archives. 
6. Intersectional Dialogue: Promote intersectional dialogue with other groups working on gender, women, social class, migrant people, racialized people, people with special needs, indigenous people, and any other group traditionally ignored by institutional archives and archival science and practice.  
7. Research: Encourage exploration and academic research on the subject. 

Projects 

The SAGDAA-WG will undertake various projects to support archivists in engaging with Sex-Affective and Gender Diversity (SAGD) communities. These activities may be related to, but are not limited to:   

1. Archival Descriptions: Consideration and inclusion of the specificities of SAGD individuals and communities in archival descriptions.   
2. UN Resolutions: Implementation of United Nations resolutions against discrimination of SAGD individuals and communities.   
3. Oral History: The impact of oral history on the history and traditions of SAGD individuals and communities for the preservation and transmission of knowledge.   
4. Calls to Action: Implementation of various calls to action and processes for archives and collecting institutions related to SAGD individuals and communities.   
5. Community Support: Communicating the role of archives and collections in supporting community reparations initiatives.    
6. Methodologies: Exploring SAGD communities’ methodologies for creating, sharing, using and protecting expressions of their knowledge. 

Participation 

The group is open to all individuals and organizations interested in SAGD archival matters, including but not limited to SAGD members.  

Questions?   

If you have questions about this initiative or wish to join the working group, please email us at ica@ica.org  

Don’t miss the opportunity to contribute!