Out Week 2012 at UBC

I pride myself in supporting my GLBT students at UBC, and I am very proud to teach at a university where diversity is encouraged and so much work and effort has been put forth to ensure that queer faculty, staff and students feel safe and at home. One of those actions on the part of the university always makes my eyes well: the rising of the rainbow flag at the UBC Flag Pole.

Each February, to mark the start of Outweek, UBC raises the Rainbow Flag in support of our LGBQTTI students, faculty, and staff. UBC is the only university in Western Canada that flies the Rainbow Flag, and only one of two in all of Canada. Access & Diversity is proud to partner with Pride UBC, Alumni Affairs, and the VP Students Office to support UBC Outweek.

Out Week 2012 is organized by Pride UBC and takes place from February 6th through February 15th, 2012. You can read the full program here.

Pride UBC is an AMS resource group that offers educational and social services dealing with sexual and gender diversity to the UBC community, including but not limited to students, staff, and faculty. Pride UBC provides support and information to those who self identify gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirit, asexual, queer, questioning, intersex, those who do not identify and allies; assists people who are coming out; supplies a forum for dialogue about sexuality and gender identity; holds social events, and educates the wider UBC community about the variation in human sexuality and gender identity. Members of the group come from diverse backgrounds and everyone is welcome regardless of sexuality or gender. Come find us in the SUB, room 245C in the Resource Groups Area.

I’m very proud of my GLBT students and always look for ways to support their efforts and try hard to be a role model to them as well. This year’s Out Week 2012 features a full day event discussing queer issues (Queer U) hosted by the Liu Institute for Global Issues. Should be a lot of fun.