U of T Scarborough celebrates Pride Month

To celebrate Pride month, we once again raise the More Colour, More Pride Flag and the Trans Pride flag on the U of T Scarborough campus as an affirmation of our commitment to being intentionally inclusive and representing more voices and experiences in the 2SLGBTQ+ community.  

Pride month serves as a time of commemoration and celebration. It is a time to recognize, honour and learn more about the histories of struggle and marginalization of 2-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (2SLGBTQ+) people and communities. It is also a time to celebrate the resilience, diversity, and human rights achievements fought and won by queer communities within a society where these rights were, and in some cases, continue to be denied.  

This Pride month, we are excited to share with you the following upcoming events at the UTSC campus and tri-campus.  

The Pride flag serves as a symbol of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. It is a visual reminder of the struggles and oppression that people in the community have faced and continue to face, but it is also a sign of resilience and joy. The widespread use of the Pride flags signals an institutional commitment to a safe and welcoming campus for 2SLGBTQ+ UTSC community members. 

The ‘More Colour, More Pride’ flag originated in Philadelphia in 2017 and the purpose was to address issues of racism and exclusion in Philadelphia’s gay neighbourhood. This new symbol raised the attention of communities of colour globally, and has helped with important conversations about intersectionality, address forms of exclusion and barriers to full participation within the community. It includes the addition of a brown and black stripe, highlighting the inclusion of queer, trans, Black, Indigenous and people of colour (QTBIPOC). 

Join us at the campus flagpole outside the Arts & Administration building to celebrate the raising of the Pride flags with opening remarks by Acting Principal Linda Johnston, and Cherilyn Scobie Edwards, Director Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. 

In the case of inclement weather, festivities will be moved inside to the AA atrium (AA112 Foyer). 

(Do you have an event you would like to add to this list? Please e-mail the event info to marie.bedard@utoronto.ca) 

Looking for safe transport to U of T Community Pride Friday, June 7 (formerly known as U of T Pride Pub)? Join us for a FREE round-trip bus ride! The bus is family-friendly AND wheelchair accessible. 

Start YOUR Pride month celebrations surrounded by friends and colleagues in the beautiful outdoor Hart House Quad at the U of T Community Pride. Students, faculty, staff, and librarians from UTSC are welcome to join us for FREE round-trip transportation from UTSC to Pride Pub.  

It's the season for Display Your Pride - but this year, we're doing things a little differently!

The University of Toronto Positive Space Committees, in collaboration with the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office, are excited to announce an exciting change for this year's Display Your Pride event.

This year, instead of posting photos to social media, we will be holding a fun and friendly contest and asking for photos to be submit to us by email (positivespace@utoronto.ca) or by using the form found on the Display Your Pride 2024 page. Submit your Display Your Pride (DYP) photos of your department, office, team, colleagues, or group for a chance to WIN!

Staff, students, faculty, librarians, and alumni are all invited to join in on the fun. Work with your peers and colleagues to show off your creativity and decorate your office or student space (at home or on campus) in support of Pride! There are no limitations – show us what YOUR pride looks like. Ways to get involved can include anything from decorating your desk, to dressing up, to creating a piece of artwork, showing off a virtual background – anything goes! 

Visit the Display Your Pride 2024 page for all the details!