{"id":4544,"date":"2020-06-18T15:07:03","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T19:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/innovationhub\/?p=4544"},"modified":"2024-06-20T15:58:26","modified_gmt":"2024-06-20T19:58:26","slug":"displayyourpride-2020-celebrating-pride-and-intersectionality-at-the-innovation-hub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/innovationhub\/displayyourpride-2020-celebrating-pride-and-intersectionality-at-the-innovation-hub\/","title":{"rendered":"#DisplayYourPride 2020: Celebrating Pride and Intersectionality at the Innovation Hub"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Terri-Lynn Langdon and Kaitlyn Corlett<\/em><\/p>\n

\"#DisplayYourPride<\/a>
Celebrate this year’s #DisplayYourPride! Image provided by the University of Toronto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Happy Pride Month, 2020!<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>From\u00a0<\/span><\/span>all of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>us at the Innovation Hub, l<\/span><\/span>et\u2019s<\/span><\/span>\u00a0celebrate love and affirmation for everybody<\/span><\/span>. This<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>is especially important\u00a0<\/span><\/span>in a time where many of us may feel disconnected from\u00a0<\/span><\/span>our\u00a0<\/span><\/span>communities<\/span><\/span>, spaces<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and activities\u00a0<\/span><\/span>that\u00a0<\/span><\/span>ground us for<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>celebrating\u00a0<\/span><\/span>this important time of year<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>At\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the Innovation H<\/span><\/span>ub<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>we often<\/span><\/span>\u00a0celebrate #DisplayYourPride<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in a collaborative activi<\/span><\/span>t<\/span><\/span>y to connect with one another\u00a0<\/span><\/span>and express how we are celebrating<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Since we can\u2019t<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>c<\/span><\/span>onnect<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in-person this year,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>we are celebrating<\/span><\/span>\u00a0by\u00a0<\/span><\/span>acknowledging<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the important history<\/span><\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Pride and<\/span><\/span>\u00a0inviting\u00a0<\/span><\/span>readers to think about how to celebrate in<\/span><\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span><\/span>commitment to anti-<\/span><\/span>racism<\/span><\/span>\u00a0and intersectionality.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0We are<\/span><\/span>\u00a0centering\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the lives of Black<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>LGBTQ<\/span><\/span>2SI<\/span><\/span>A<\/span><\/span>+1<\/sup><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>folx2<\/sup><\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0who\u00a0<\/span><\/span>continue to be\u00a0<\/span><\/span>catalysts for significant change in the LGBTQ<\/span><\/span>2SIA<\/span><\/span>+ movement<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

We wish to show our pride\u00a0as a part of the\u00a0University of Toronto Community\u00a0by\u00a0centering the\u00a0history\u00a0of\u00a0Black queer3<\/sup> and trans-identified\u00a0folx\u00a0who catalyzed\u00a0LGBTQ2SIA+\u00a0movements in the 1969 Stonewall\u00a0Uprising, from which Pride Parades in the\u00a0United States and Canada\u00a0grew.4<\/sup>\u00a0It\u2019s also important to\u00a0acknowledge that less than fifty years ago, LGBTQ2SIA+\u00a0activists\u00a0in Canada\u00a0were focused\u00a0on the\u00a0decriminalization\u00a0of the everyday lives of queer\u00a0folx. While\u00a0incredible steps have been made, there are still many spaces and existing systemic constructs that\u00a0significantly impact LGBTQ2SIA+\u00a0lives, and\u00a0BIPOC5<\/sup>\u00a0individuals and communities.<\/p>\n

In the years since\u00a0the\u00a0Stonewall\u00a0Uprising\u00a0and many other\u00a0movements,\u00a0research still shows that\u00a0Black LGBTQ2SIA+ communities and Transgender\u00a0folx\u00a0experience more barriers to inclusion in political, social,\u00a0economic\u00a0and\u00a0LGBTQ2SIA+ spaces\u00a0and\u00a0movements. It\u2019s integral that we continue to acknowledge this and work\u00a0towards intersectional spaces\u00a0that truly allow\u00a0for full recognition and celebration of these communities.<\/p>\n

Due to\u00a0COVID-19\u00a0and physical distancing,\u00a0there\u00a0are\u00a0also\u00a0many barriers\u00a0to navigate\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0meaningful\u00a0connection\u00a0and\u00a0support.\u00a0These conditions can make it challenging for LGBTQ2SIA+\u00a0students to connect, whether\u00a0it be\u00a0individuals\u2019\u00a0living\u00a0environments\u00a0or resources\u00a0that are available. In these precarious times,\u00a0it\u2019s more important than ever to understand\u00a0how\u00a0privacy and acceptance are not\u00a0always\u00a0within reach,\u00a0even in an online\u00a0context. Also, not all are accepting of LGBTQ2SIA+ identities and cultures.\u00a0As we celebrate Pride, we must\u00a0engage in resources, connect with one another, and find ways\u00a0to\u00a0support\u00a0LGBTQ2SIA+ communities and individuals. We\u00a0must\u00a0center\u00a0this further by\u00a0supporting Black spaces and anti-racist resources\u00a0and practices, so that\u00a0celebrating Pride means truly celebrating intersectional identities, lives, and individuals<\/p>\n

Here are<\/b>\u00a0some of the things our team members are doing this Pride Month!\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

\u201cI have been inspired by the original purpose of Pride as a movement to push for acceptance and have been posting a lot of anti-racist resources on social media and helping my friends find educational resources and places to donate.<\/em>\u00a0 Oppression is intersectional and anyone with any sort of voice has the power to make a difference.\u201d
\n–\u00a0Sharon Allman,\u00a0iSchool\u00a0Practicum Team Member, The Students with Disabilities Project<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m going to celebrate Pride month by focusing on educating myself to know the history of Pride, a movement\u00a0enriched\u00a0by the Stonewall\u00a0uprising\u00a0in 1969 in New York.<\/em>\u00a0As a UX designer, I would like to educate myself to design better and more inclusive experiences.\u00a0Many\u00a0people rarely\u00a0identify with the images or illustrations on various mobile apps, websites and social media.\u00a0I believe that\u00a0this needs to change.\u00a0This is how I plan to contribute to the creation of\u00a0an\u00a0LGBTQ2SIA+\u00a0inclusive digital environment, not only this month but for the rest of my life.\u201d
\n–\u00a0<\/em>Vatsal\u00a0Bushan, Stories\u00a0from\u00a0a Distance Project Member<\/p>\n

These are some of the many ways our team has been inspired\u00a0to\u00a0celebrate Pride and\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0history this month, and\u00a0beyond! As\u00a0we celebrate\u00a0this,\u00a0please know that our\u00a0webspace\u2019s\u00a0and projects\u00a0aim to be safer and braver spaces for LGBTQ2SIA+,\u00a0Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and\u00a0Queer students. We have a vision\u00a0for\u00a0every\u00a0student in the U of T community to feel safe,\u00a0accepted,\u00a0and heard. Please come as you are and reach out to these community resources if you need\u00a0to connect.<\/p>\n

Resources available:<\/h2>\n

These are some of the many resources we invite you to connect with to see how the University of Toronto community is celebrating.<\/p>\n