With Pride Month Canada 2021 in full swing, the University of Lethbridge raised its Pride Flag today to celebrate a culture of inclusivity and acceptance, which it strives to create on its campuses every day of the year.
The flag raising serves as a visual reminder of the University’s commitment to fostering an atmosphere that is welcoming and supportive of diversity amongst its students, faculty, staff and community members alike. It is also a complement to a wide array of ongoing campus initiatives for 2SLGBTQ+ persons, including a recent project, the creation of the new 2SLGBTQ+ Resources website (uleth.ca/lgbtq).
“This was really a student-driven initiative and something our students felt was needed not only as a valuable resource for the 2SLGBTQ+ community but for our campus community as a whole,” says Kathleen Massey, the University’s associate vice-president (students), whose team worked closely with student groups to help develop the website.
“The webpage was developed to create accessible 2SLGBTQ+ resources on campus and was driven by the need for greater visibility and inclusion,” says Kathryn DeLucia, a fourth-year women and gender studies student who was on the working group that helped create the site. “It is vital the U of L continues this work to affirm we are a campus that values queer and trans students and their experiences.”
The site brings together a number of resources the University had already developed into one location, including policies, procedures and support services. As well, it introduces a suite of new information, such as how to execute a legal name change or preferred name change on university documents and platforms, guidelines for the use of pronouns and links to various research projects happening throughout the University, including about gender and sexuality.
“We consulted with a number of groups on campus before soft launching it in December 2020,” adds Massey. “After that, we gathered additional feedback from students, researchers on campus and colleagues at other universities and incorporated many of their suggestions into what we have today. It’s a site we know will continue to evolve as further conversations around inclusivity and diversity take place.”
The community, both at the University and beyond, is invited to visit the site to learn more about the U of L’s commitment toward creating a learning and working environment free of homophobia and transphobia, where 2SLGBTQ+ people (students, staff, faculty) can thrive.
Holly Kletke, president of the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union, says the project continues to advance a culture of inclusivity on campus and throughout society.
“The website page and the resources found within it are a meaningful step forward in affirming our pride, acceptance and support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community on all corners of our campus.”