Pushing Boundaries Through Activism— Benny Skinner (BA 2019, MA 2023)
If there’s anyone who likes breaking down barriers and seeing what’s on the other side, it’s Benny Skinner (BA 2019, MA 2023). They are a human rights advocate, award-winning rugby player on an inclusivity-driven Premier League team, and Indigenous Research Advisor who positively affects the world through activism. Benny’s commitment to social justice was enhanced by Conrad Grebel University College’s Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) program, the place where they learned how to challenge and change a society where injustice runs deep.
As an Indigenous, Two-Spirit, transgender, and queer person who has been “invested in trying to make the world a better place, even from a young age,” Benny knew PACS was where they were meant to be. “I’ve always had an orientation towards speaking up and fighting for what's right. Everyone in my life knows that if you’re going to have me in the room, be prepared for me to make the room better,” they said.
Benny shared two important lessons learned in PACS: “One, you’re not going to make world peace happen because it’s impossible, but we can make the world better. Two, conflict is essential to growth and change.” They added, “Having this mindset, especially as a person who looks like me and walks through life the way I do, changed my world. It was for survival, not just for a career, and that’s one of the reasons my degree is so valuable to me.”
“As a child, I was pipelined into the computer science, math, and robotics area of education because I enjoyed building, problem-solving, computer science, and competing in robotics and programming competitions,” they explained. Most people in Benny's life encouraged them to pursue a profession in STEM, and so their post-secondary education began in 2014 in the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering. Everything was going well – until Benny’s interest in math and science calculations faltered a few weeks into their first year.
While Benny reconsidered their career path, they discovered PACS, the program that led to their vocation. They finished their undergraduate degree with a PACS major, plus minors in English, Political Science, and Sociology. Next, Benny completed a Master of Arts in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs and was appointed to a fellowship in the institution.
“My academic pursuit consisted of building a structure of specialized skills that I use confidently because there is always going to be conflict, and there is always going to be a desire for peace. The way I arranged my academic career set me up to take these different paradigms and apply them in all areas of my life,” said Benny.
After completing their Master of Arts, they became an Indigenous Research Advisor at the University of Waterloo, where they work today. Benny teaches INDG390: Decolonizing
Families at St. Jerome’s University while also working on their “primary area of activism, which is trans and gender equity and inclusion in sports space.”
As the first openly trans varsity athlete at UWaterloo to bear a varsity crest and the first openly trans head coach of an Ontario University Athletics team, Benny is undeniably a trailblazer, paving the path for others like them to feel comfortable in sports. From 2017-2022, their involvement on the UWaterloo Varsity Women’s Rugby team led to them receiving eight athletic awards and scholarships, including the Inaugural Judy McCrae Warrior Impact Award for athletic, academic, and community service excellence.
“Rugby ties into PACS and my career because it is a key source of my access to activism on behalf of trans people and Indigenous people. We’re working toward not only inclusion in the binary sense of sport, but in a lot of areas that work toward decolonizing sport itself,” said Benny. “It’s very interesting how all of my worlds overlap, even though they're vastly different worlds at the same time,” they added.
Despite Benny’s significant academic, career, and athletic accomplishments, they did not achieve them without also facing obstacles in their personal life.
“I had a bad problem with substances in high school and in my undergraduate studies. It’s still something I’m working on and probably will for the rest of my life,” they shared. Benny’s decision to openly share their addiction is rooted in the importance of recognizing both life’s greatest blessings and most challenging difficulties. They also put a lot of effort into reconnecting with their Indigenous identity and cultures, which were disrupted by colonialism.
“I've been trying to settle into my transness and being Two-Spirit while healing the trauma that comes along with it. That’s why a big part of my academic career is a love letter to my ancestors who have been suppressed, who I'm trying to revitalize and hold onto,” they reflected.
Grebel’s supportive and encouraging PACS professors played a significant role in guiding Benny’s professional advancement. “I took PACS201: Roots in Conflict with Dr. Nathan Funk. He was a kind professor who was pivotal in me selecting my major,” shared Benny.
“At Grebel, you have a building full of people who care about trying to make the world a better place, and that is so special,” said Benny. “I love the energy there; the Music Department downstairs is beautiful because you can hear people singing and playing pianos, the sweet people who work in the kitchen, and then Project Ploughshares, where I worked for four years, and the Centre for Peace Advancement with a gallery space that accepts and integrates art into peace work and community building.”
Benny offered advice for not just Grebel or PACS students, but everyone walking through life: “No matter what you do, remember your humanity. Nothing else matters if you don’t have that at
your foundation. You can always make positive change and impact by how you speak to people, care for yourself, and others around you.”
By Zoey Pearce
Benny playing for the Ospreys in their match against the Broncos in 2024 (photo taken by Colin Watson).
Benny’s story is part of Grebel's 60 Stories for 60 Years project. Check out our 60 Stories page for more articles in this series.