Post-secondary schools emphasize importance of Pride Week in March

Students at MacEwan University at the University of Alberta are celebrating Pride Week.

Four Edmonton post-secondary institutions started annual celebrations of Pride Week on Monday.

The University of Alberta, MacEwan University, NorQuest College and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) marked the start of the week-long celebration of the diversity of 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

The schools hosted kick-off events: an opening ceremony and parade starting at the U of A’s Students’ Union Building; MacEwan’s students’ association hosted a Pride Lounge afternoon drop-in gathering featuring a DJ; a morning pride march started at NorQuest and ended at nearby MacEwan with a closing ceremony; and a virtual session exploring inclusive strategies for NAIT students.

Jessica Scalzo, MacEwan’s program manager for the Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity, said the schools recognize Pride Week in March instead of the traditional Pride Month that’s recognized in June because most students aren’t in classes in the summer.

“We do this so that the maximum number of students can participate,” Scalzo told CTV News Edmonton on Monday. “Pride Week on campus is very important, because visibility is very powerful and can be inspirational to the people participating and also to those who are not yet confident in being out in the world.”

The U of A, MacEwan, NorQuest and NAIT all have details of several different events over the week on their websites.

MacEwan arts student Dean Rasmussen said the show of support during Pride Week events “is a big deal, especially right now, living in Alberta.”

“You never know who’s going to show up,” Rasmussen, a queer trans man who’s part of the students’ queer leadership team, told CTV News Edmonton. “It’s always good for students to be able to see those familiar faces on campus later on who have shown up and participated.”

He said being a part of Monday’s parade “feels really important to just be a part of it, and to be out myself, and to be letting folks know that we’re here and that we’re queer and that we’re trans and that we’re not going anywhere.

“I think, especially for myself as an older, queer trans person, it’s important for younger folks to be able to just see us and know that they have support,” Rasmussen said.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Sean McClune