Submitted by: Pride and Solidarity Committee
June is Pride month: a time to recognize the progress made in advancing the human rights of people who identify as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer or intersex (2SLGBTQI+). Pride is an annual celebration of the decades of work, activism, and activists that have come before us, and a reminder that our work is not done.
For those who seek to be allies to 2SLGBTQI+ people, it is important to remember that allyship is a verb - it is the continuous practice of doing the work of standing up for marginalized groups. This pride month in particular, we have been reflecting on how we can be better allies to Black people within and outside the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Pride as we know it exists because of the activism of queer and trans people of colour, and we know there is much more to be done to fight for the rights of those members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community.
Two of the Pride and Solidarity Committee’s main goals are to:
- Provide Society members education on the issues that 2SLGBTQI+ people face in the workplace; and
- Provide tools to workplace allies so they will have the confidence to speak up and support their colleagues.
We believe that education will lead to more supportive working environments for our members, and will empower allies to address discrimination when they see it.
Our committee has been working with our union’s Education Staff Officer, Renee Frost, to develop a training course we plan to release soon. Here’s a sneak peak you can access today: https://rise.articulate.com/share/CYt4PapvEzXdWu_DdXn04DtuHUPs1Yvt
If you identify as 2SLGBTQI+ or are an ally and are interested in joining the Pride & Solidarity Committee or email list, please send an email to [email protected].
Happy Pride Month everyone from your Pride & Solidarity Committee! May your celebrations always be fabulous and your pride always political!
