Pride Month has officially kicked off at the University of Toronto, with flags raised across its three campuses to mark the occasion.
On Wednesday, a crowd gathered at Varsity Stadium on the St. George campus for the Progress Pride Flag Raising, an annual event hosted by the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) and the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office.
Similar ceremonies were held at U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga.
“In raising the Progress Pride flag, we acknowledge the work that is still to be done and our Faculty’s continued support for 2SLGBTQ+ communities,” said Gretchen Kerr, dean of KPE, at the Varsity Stadium event.
“Not only does it signify the beginning of Pride month, it also demonstrates our ongoing dedication to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do.”
Kerr also noted that June is also National Indigenous History Month and reminded attendees that advocating for 2SLGBTQ+ rights also means standing against all forms of oppression.
“There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives,” she said, quoting the American poet, lesbian feminist and civil rights activist Audre Lorde, who died in 1992.
In his remarks, U of T President Meric Gertler highlighted the university’s long history of advocacy and allyship, with the first gay and lesbian group of any Canadian post-secondary institution established at the university in 1969.
“You should also know that our commitment today is stronger than ever,” said President Gertler. “These programs and initiatives have made U of T a better place – even as they serve to remind us of the struggle for genuine inclusiveness and respect that continues to this day.”
Read the full article covering all three flag raising events on U of T News