Pride at York U kicks off June 20 with flag drop

The pride flag
The Pride Flag will fly at York University during Pride month, the flag drop will take place June 20 at 3:30pm

York University community members are invited to stand proudly with the LGBTQ2+* communities this week during PRIDE Toronto festivities.

York@Pride events are organized by The Art Gallery of York University (AGYU), The Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (REI), York Federation of Students (YFS), Trans, Bi, Lesbian & Gay Allies at York (TBLGAY), Glendon Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (GLgbt*), and the SexGen York committee.

Pride festivities at York University officially kick off on the Keele campus with a Flag Drop Opening Ceremony and Reception on June 20, from 3:30 to 4:30pm, in the Student Centre. All are welcome.

Events continue on June 21 with a Summer Jam Pride Barbeque, from 4:30 to 8:30pm in the Catalpa Court located behind the Student Centre. Also on Wednesday, the Trans Bisexual Lesbian Gay Asexual at York (TBLGAY), a student-run organization, is hosting a Pride potluck dinner and movie night at the TBLGAY Office, Room 449a, Student Centre.

York University community members are invited to join the Trans* Pride Rally and March on June 23 at the North Stage Intersection of Church and Isabella in downtown Toronto. The rally begins at 7pm and the march starts at 8pm.

On June 24, the festivities continue with the Pride Community Street Fair on Church Street. The fair starts at 10am and continues until 6pm. As part of PRIDE Toronto events, University community members are invited to the Dyke March on Saturday at 2pm. The march begins at Church and Bloor.

PRIDE Toronto events wrap with the Pride Parade on June 25 at 2pm. The parade starts at the intersection of Yonge and Bloor at 2pm and continues to Dundas Square.

Want to be part of the festivities? Join York@Pride at the Trans* Pride Rally and March, the Dyke March, and Pride Parade or volunteer at the Streetfair booth. Contact YFS Campaigns & Equity, campaigns@yfs.ca for more information on how you can march with York University in the parade. Bring your re-usable water bottles as it is going to be hot.

York@Pride is supported by the Office of the Vice-Provost Students, AGYU, REI, YFS, TBLGAY and the SexGen Committee. For more information on the events, contact Suzanne Carte, assistant curator, AGYU, at 416-736-5169 or by email to scarte@yorku.ca.

* LGBTQ2+ is an abbreviation used to represent a broad array of identities such as, but not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirited, pansexual, asexual, gender and sexual minorities and allies.

Trans* refers to a person whose gender identity is not the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Community members who may self-identify as trans can be transgender, transsexual, intersex, third gender, genderqueer, genderfluid, non-binary, bigender, or any other identity that is not cisgender (cisgender people are those whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth).