Diversity and inclusion at USask
Take time to connect, commemorate and celebrate Pride, and join us as we continue to work to make our campus community a safe and supportive place for all students, staff, faculty, alumni and visitors.
As our University Plan 2025 states, our ambition is to be the university the world needs, and the world needs safe and welcoming spaces for everyone.
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Events and initiatives
Saskatchewan Pride Weeks
Saskatoon Pride
June 14-23, 2024
Pride Parade: June 22 at 12 PM
Regina Queen City Pride
June 7-16, 2024
Pride Parade: June 15 at 12 PM
Prince Albert Pride Week
May 28-June 4, 2024
Pride Parade: June 1 at 12 PM
Show your pride
USask Pride items are available for purchase at the Shop USask Bookstore in-person or online.
A portion of the proceeds will go towards the university's queer housing initiative, an opportunity open to all queer students to live in a queer-specific community within USask Residence, allowing for a safe, inclusive and supportive space for students. You can also donate directly to the queer housing initiative using the link below by specifying where you would like your gift directed.
Select USask Pride swag - including buttons from the University Library Neil Richards Collection of Sexual and Gender Diversity - will be given away at some USask Pride events. Attend an event and stay tuned!
Neil Richards Collection
The Neil Richards Collection of Sexual and Gender Diversity at the USask University Library is a collection of published materials including books (both fiction and non-fiction), periodicals, and videos that cover many aspects of the history and literature of sexual and gender diversity.
Established in 2010, the collection aims to be distinctive to the University of Saskatchewan. Material connected to queer life in Saskatchewan is especially prized. The collection preserves many items representing the popular culture of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities including lifestyle and physique magazines, comic and cartoon books, posters, film memorabilia, postcards and buttons, and sound recordings. This special collection is named in honor of Neil Richards who dedicated his life to the collection and preservation of 2SLGBTQIA+ history.
These materials can be viewed in the University Archives and Special Collections on the third floor of the Murray Library by appointment, or found online at the links below.
Pride on the Prairies: Queer History in Saskatchewan
The Diefenbaker Canada Centre in partnership with the USSU Pride Centre has curated an online exhibit that explores the activism that took place in Saskatchewan from the late 1960s through the summer of 2020. Journey through the stories of lesbian and gay activists and groups of the 1960-1980s that fought for their basic human rights and the ability to celebrate their sexuality and gender identity openly and freely in annual Pride festivals, as well as the continued activism and celebrations of queer groups from 1990-2020.
Accompanied by excerpts from interviews with individuals in the Saskatchewan queer community, experience the decades of hard work and dedication of the queer community that brought Pride to being the major summer festival it is today.
Learning and resources
Academic opportunities
USask Certificate in Queer Theory, Gender Diversity, and Sexualities Studies
Students in Queer Theory, Gender Diversity, and Sexualities Studies will learn to use mixed qualitative, quantitative, community engaged, and creative methods. They will be trained critically to engage with the ways sexism, racism, ableism, queerphobia and colonialism enable Queer, Trans and Two-Spirit erasures in mainstream environments, and will acquire transferable skills that enhance their capacities to contribute to professional roles committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization.
The College of Arts and Science has a curated list of educational podcasts available to listen to on Spotify, focusing on various topics including Pride history in the Prairies and an overview of available campus resources for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at USask.
Community resources
Saskatoon Pride
A number of Pride YXE events are ongoing throughout the month of June. Explore additional community resources and learn how to get involved.
OUTSaskatoon
A curated list of resources covering a range of topics, challenges and experiences.
Saskatoon Sexual Health
Explore services and how to get involved.
A support and resource network for trans-identified, genderqueer, intersex and gender non-conforming individuals, their spouses, family, friends, and allies.
2SLGBTQIA+ History Month: October
2SLGBTQIA+ History Month is recognized internationally, and is observed in Canada every October. The month-long celebration recognizes the achievements and accomplishments of members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Various events and learning resources are available to the USask community throughout the month to commemorate and learn about the history of the queer community in Saskatchewan, Canada and throughout the world.
Hello faculty, staff, and students. Bonjour. tānisi. hãn. ëdƚanet’e? taanishi. aniin[English. French. Cree. Dakota/Lakota/Nakota. Dene. Michif. Saulteaux]
I am writing today to encourage members of the University of Saskatchewan (USask) community to show their support for 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month, which is observed in October in Canada and is also recognized internationally. This month-long celebration honours the achievements, contributions, and diverse identities of Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) peoples, and offers an important opportunity to learn more about the histories of queer people and queer communities at home and around the world.
Various events and learning resources will be available to the USask community throughout this month, including a book club, movie nights, a museum exhibit, and an evening focused on the history of the art of drag. On our campus, these events began with the advertised panel discussion on Oct. 3 moderated by faculty members Dr. Rachel Loewen Walker (PhD) and Dr. Alessio Ponzio (PhD), a key organizer of 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month. Thank you to Dr. Ponzio for his many contributions, and to all those who have worked so hard to make these events possible. In 2023, USask has for the first time taken the initiative to recognize and support 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month Canada. It is our hope that we will see many more universities in Canada creating a series of scheduled events.
At USask, we embrace equity, diversity, and inclusion, as reflected in our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy that was approved by the Board of Governors and University Council. As a university we continue to work together to ensure our campuses are fair, respectful, and inclusive for all community members. This includes respect for, and affirmation of, gender identity and gender expression. To advance this important work, the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic is elevating the Provost’s Advisory Committee on Gender and Sexual Diversity (PAC-GSD). A working group of faculty, staff, and students will undertake to renew the mandate and terms of reference for the PAC-GSD, and its initiatives and advisory role. Deputy Provost Dr. Patti McDougall and I are so grateful for the commitment of the working group members.
As we recognize 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month, we reflect on discrimination that members of the queer community have experienced and continue to face today. In recent months, the attention and debate across Canada related to gender identity and gender expression has been challenging for many. In my role as provost and vice-president academic, I have heard how important it is when so many across our university stand in support and solidarity with members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We do this when checking bias, in our use of language, through research, scholarly and artistic works, through curriculum, and community engagement. At USask, we work together to ensure our campuses are safe and accountable spaces for all. This remains a top priority and is how we become the university the world needs.
This month reminds us that the world, and our part of the world here at USask, needs safe, accountable, and welcoming spaces for everyone. In this spirit of respect and inclusivity, let’s show our support for 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month by attending events on our campus and by accessing the many resources available at the University Library. This includes the Neil Richards Collection of Gender and Sexual Diversity, which will be showcased through an exhibit in the Murray Library later this month. More information about how we can participate in 2SLGBTQIA+ History Month is available on the Spotlight website.
Sincerely,
Prof. AiriniProvost and Vice-President Academic