Each June, Pride Month recognizes the experiences and history of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) communities and celebrates their positive impacts around the world.
May 27, 2024
Wilfrid Laurier University aims to create safe and equitable campuses for all 2SLGBTQQIA+ members of its community. The university is celebrating Pride Month with a series of educational and inclusive events, some of which are highlighted below.
Flying the Progress Pride flag represents Laurier's commitment to honouring the identities, experiences and contributions of 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples and their continuing struggle for social, political and economic equality, as well as the university’s commitment to the inclusion of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Black and racialized voices in 2SLGBTQQIA+ and other equity initiatives.
The Progress Pride flag, designed by American non-binary artist Daniel Quasar in 2018, is an evolution of the original Rainbow flag created by artist Gilbert Baker in 1987. The Progress Pride flag includes black and brown chevrons to represent marginalized and racialized communities, individuals living with HIV and those lost to AIDS, while the pink, light blue and white chevrons represent the colours of the Transgender Pride flag.
The team behind the Thriving on Campus study will present new research and campus initiatives aimed at enhancing the inclusion, well-being and academic success of 2SLGBTQQIA+ students. Over three sessions, presentations will focus on often-overlooked groups such as non-binary and asexual students, as well as those who are also marginalized because of racism or ableism; trans inclusion and equity in health services and housing; 2SLGBTQQIA+ students in STEM fields; and resilience and mental health.
During Pride Month, corporations and institutions are often eager to show their support for 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks through advertising campaigns and by changing logos on social media. But is that enough? How can corporations and institutions ensure that their support for queer lives goes beyond performative gestures and brings about meaningful change? Author and activist Samra Habib will propose possibilities shaped by many intersectionalities and lived experiences that inform their perspective as a queer Muslim immigrant.
Laurier and Luther students, staff and faculty are invited to visit the Pride DIY Fair for all things crafty, colourful and rainbow! Stations include T-shirt tie-dying, button making, face paint and temporary tattoos.
From the Fruit Machine to the ban on conversion therapy, learn more about 2SLGBTQQIA+ history in Canada. With a focus on Waterloo Region and Ontario, gain knowledge about how certain legislation and organizations came to be and some of the activism behind it all. This event is hosted by Laurier’s Equity and Accessibility team in Human Resources and presented by Spectrum, in partnership with the Grand River Historical Society.
So, you're part of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community but parades and parties seem too overstimulating? Join the Laurier Students Public Interest Research Group to walk the Wilkes Dam Trail at the Brant Conervation Area. It's a short, one-hour hike that's flat and easy, even for novice nature enthusiasts. Wear your rainbow swag and prepare to socialize... quietly!
Winter’s a Drag has become an annual favourite on Laurier’s Brantford campus. The community event is a colourful, vibrant celebration of self-expression and inclusion featuring performances by professional drag artists, artist meet-and-greets and prize giveaways.
Associate Professor, Sociology
Why do young people typically make it sound like bad news when they come out of the closet? Aguinaldo is analyzing real-life recordings of “coming out” conversations to understand what we convey when we say, “I’m gay.” Learn more.
Lecturer, Indigenous Field of Study
When it comes to Indigenous sovereignty, Dias says members of the Indigenous queer, Indigiqueer and Two-Spirit communities are often left out of the conversation. That is something she wants to change through her doctoral studies in the Indigenous Field of Study program. Learn more.
Research Assistant, Faculty of Social Work
In 2023, the Queer Liberation Theory team, including Longmire and Assistant Professor Cameron McKenzie, hosted a Queer Activist Symposium to discuss how to move the queer movement beyond acceptance into liberation. Read about their findings and goals.
Research shows that a significant number of young people with autism identify as 2SLGBTQQIA+. Laurier alumna Brianna Comeau (MSW ’23) interviewed six Ontario youth about their experiences with bullying and shared her results in the 2023 Three-Minute Thesis competition.
Watch an Inspiring Conversation with Laurier faculty member Percy Lezard and PhD candidate Charlie Davis (BA '13, MA '15) about topics ranging from pronoun use to gender-inclusive policies, all grounded in scholarship and lived experiences. This event was recorded on June 20, 2023.
The Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CSEDI) works to cultivate a campus culture that respects and promotes equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice in all aspects of Laurier – from classrooms to residence communities. Through CSEDI, Laurier students have access to resources related to gender and sexuality, and its student services offer safer spaces for students and their allies who identify with 2SLGBTQQIA+, women-centred, Indigequeer and gender-inclusive communities.
A gift to CSEDI helps the centre continue growing to better meet the needs of Laurier's increasingly diverse student population and deliver educational programming across both campuses.
The Career Centre and CSEDI work closely to provide services for 2SLGBTQQIA+ students and alumni at Laurier. As a member of a distinct community, you may have specific concerns while making career decisions or finding a job such as when and if to disclose to an employer, how to research inclusive organizations and what to include when writing a resumé. Browse career resources or book an appointment for individual support.
In this video resource, conversations between 2SLGBTQQIA+ students, staff and faculty at Laurier aim to bridge the generational gap within the queer community through discussion about their experiences and learnings.
Download a free copy of Consent is Golden’s “Tales of Truth” colouring book, dedicated to and made for two-spirt, trans and non-binary folks, and those who care for them. The colouring book is brought to you by Laurier’s Sexual Violence Response Team, and the art was created by three young, gender-diverse artists from across Ontario. Stop by the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management to pick up a printed copy.
In celebration of Pride Month, the Laurier Library has curated book displays that celebrate 2SLGBTQQIA+ writers, researchers, artists and storytellers. The works featured include stories about coming out and tragedy, but also work to de-centre the predominance of these themes within 2SLGBTQQIAA+ literature. These stories also celebrate and discuss everyday life, romance, dating and navigating queerness alongside experiences of racialization, disability, gender diversity and class.
