Brock University will join people from around the world to celebrate Pride Month throughout June.

In addition to the University’s Pride Week, which took place at the end of March, Pride Month will host online activities to help educate, inform and entertain Brock’s two-spirit, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (2S&LGBTQ+) communities and their allies.

With more than a dozen virtual events organized by the University’s Student Justice Centre (SJC), Office of Human Rights and Equity (HRE), Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU), Brock Pride and others, the month-long celebration will kick off with the raising of the all-inclusive flag on Tuesday, June 1. With a large in-person gathering not possible due to ongoing public health restrictions, the flag raising will be recorded and shared through Brock’s social media channels.

Brock Pride President Rabia Choudhary said having virtual events throughout an entire month means that all members of the Brock community and beyond can participate in the celebration.

“This Pride Month is extra special, and jam packed with events to provide a chance for new students and community members to join in all the fun,” she said. “We have programs running every week so that if you miss one, you can still participate on days you are free or in events you are more interested in. Each event has been specially curated and planned by an amazing team of Brock Pride, SJC, HRE and BUSU members. We welcome anyone and everyone to join our events, workshops and meetings to experience what Pride really means to 2SLGBTQ+ folks.”

Brock President Gervan Fearon said the Pride celebration is one of many ways Brock strives to be a welcoming place for everyone.

“Fostering a culture of inclusivity is a key priority for Brock University,” said Fearon. “Celebrating Pride Month represents an important act in how we demonstrate and uphold our values of an inclusive university community here at Brock.”

Along with welcoming and educating the entire Brock community, Brock Pride member Mitch Kogan said the month also serves as a form of protection and catalyst for the 2S&LGBTQ+ community.

“Pride Month basically allows me and all the other community members to be themselves without fear of homophobia, transphobia, etc.,” they said. “The fight to end this isn’t even close to over, but having a month dedicated to our community is a testament to how far we’ve come.”

Though all of this year’s events are virtual, Brock Pride member Cassie Humphries said it’s still a time to celebrate and reflect.

“Pride month is a time to be with like-minded members of my community and experience whatever the month has to offer together,” she said. “This Pride Month specifically I’m excited to be in a safe house with my partner for the first time in years and be able to experience Pride events that I’ve always wanted to but haven’t necessarily had the chance to before.”

As the month draws the Brock community together for events, including a virtual concert, Pride bingo and the launch of a new drop-in group, Student Justice Educator Michelle Mudge said the partner organizations that host Pride will continue to support the 2S&LGBTQ+ community throughout the year with initiatives such as providing free chest binders and breast forms.

“We are excited to welcome the Brock community to join us in celebrating together and honouring the political roots of Pride this month, while also providing support and honouring the rich diversity of our 2S&LGBTQ+ communities throughout the year,” she said.

Brock’s Pride Month activities include:

Tuesday, June 1 at 4:15 p.m.: Pride Niagara Annual Pride Flag Raising

Members of Pride Niagara will join Brock University in raising the inclusive Pride flag as a kick-off to Pride Month in the Niagara region. President Gervan Fearon will give remarks for a video that will later be posted on Brock social media channels. The flag will be flown for the month of June as Brock Pride celebrates with 2S&LGBTQ+ community members at the University and across the continent.

Tuesday, June 1 from 5 to 7 p.m.: Pride Kick Off Talent Show and Show and Tell

Join the Pride Month Kick Off with live open mic music performances, dances, poetry and much more. Folks will be given a chance to show and tell their Pride by sharing their favourite Pride objects, such as flags, clothing, stickers and more. Sign up for the talent show, whether showcasing music, poetry, dance or other skills. The event is open to everyone. Register here. 

Thursday, June 3 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Brock Pride General Meeting — Coming Out Stories

Brock Pride presents weekly opportunities for the 2SLGBTQ+ students of Brock to come together, foster community, discuss and enact change on prominent issues, and create a support network within a safe and inclusive environment. Brock Pride wants the community to know that whoever they are and whoever they love, they are loved and they are welcome. The topic of this meeting will be Coming Out Stories to allow folks to share their experiences, fears, questions and advice. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Discord
Register here.

Sunday, June 6 from 5 to 7 p.m.: 2SLGBTQ+ Movie Night

HRE and Brock Pride present a 2SLGBTQ+ Movie Night event. The movie will be screened online via Netflix or Prime Watch Party. The movie is to be determined so anyone who would like to vote on the movie to watch is invited to follow @brockpride on Instagram and vote in their stories. This event is open to everyone. Register here.

Tuesday, June 8 from 5 to 7 p.m.: Pride Paint Night

Participants are invited to get their paint and paint brushes ready for Pride Paint Night. During this event, students will be painting their very own pride flags. Afterwards, students will follow a Bob Ross video to create a queer landscape painting. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Zoom
Register here.

Thursday, June 10 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Brock Pride General Meeting — Trans Pride

Brock Pride presents weekly opportunities for the 2SLGBTQ+ students of Brock to come together, foster community, discuss and enact change on prominent issues, and create a support network within a safe and inclusive environment. Brock Pride wants the community to know that whoever they are and whoever they love, they are loved and they are welcome. The topic of this meeting will be about Trans Pride to allow folks to share their experiences with transitioning, fears, questions and advice for other trans folks. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Discord
Register here.

Friday, June 11 at noon: Brock Pride Merch Drop

Check out @brockpride on Instagram for the new merch drop.

Tuesday, June 15 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Music Bingo – Pride Edition

Tune in to the live, virtual Music Bingo – Pride Edition for a chance to win one of many gift cards. This event is open to Brock University students only.
Platform: Zoom
Register here.

Thursday, June 17 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Brock Pride General Meeting — Lesbian Pride Brock Pride Brock Pride presents weekly opportunities for the 2SLGBTQ+ students of Brock to come together, foster community, discuss and enact change on prominent issues, and create a support network within a safe and inclusive environment. Brock Pride wants the community to know that whoever they are and whoever they love, they are loved and they are welcome. The topic of this meeting will be Lesbian Pride to allow folks to share their experiences, fears, questions and advice. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Discord
Register here. 

Saturday, June 19 from 5 to 7 p.m.: Pride Game Night

Community members are invited to come online and join their LGBTQ+ peers for an eventful night of games and fun. Participants will play online games such as Skribblio, Jack Box, Among Us, Cards Against Humanity and more. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Zoom
Register here.

Sunday, June 20 from 2 to 4 p.m.: Anti-Oppression 101 Workshop

Facilitated by Rabia Choudhary (she/her/they/them) and Nana-yaa Owusu (she/her), this workshop is geared at exploring what anti-oppression means and looks like in our everyday lives. This session will define oppression in its many forms, positionality, intersectionality and more, while providing participants with an anti-oppression tool kit to adapt however they would like in different settings such as academia, work and home. Participants are invited to challenge their own biases, beliefs and experiences to further understand anti-oppression as a guiding framework for their lives and a tool to help liberate themselves and others. This workshop is open to everyone.
Platform: Zoom
Register here.

Tuesday, June 22 from 7 to 9 pm: 2SLGBTQ+ Trivia Night

Participants are invited to come online and test their knowledge of 2SLGBTQ+ celebrities, memes, music, shows and more. Join an eventful night of trivia and fun for a chance to win some amazing prizes. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Zoom
Register here.

Thursday, June 24 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Brock Pride General Meeting — Bi+ Pride  

Brock Pride presents weekly opportunities for the 2SLGBTQ+ students of Brock to come together, foster community, discuss and enact change on prominent issues, and create a support network within a safe and inclusive environment. Brock Pride wants the community to know that whoever they are and whoever they love, they are loved and they are welcome. The topic of this meeting will be about Bi+ Pride to allow folks to share their experiences, fears, questions and advice. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Discord
Register here.

Saturday, June 26 from 6 to 9 p.m.: Pride Minecraft Tournament

Come join the Pride Minecraft server for the very first Minecraft tournament. Participants can challenge themselves and their 2SLGBTQ+ peers to win prizes and have fun while playing games such as Minecraft parkour, scavenger hunts, wrestling and more. This event is open to Brock Pride members only.
Platform: Minecraft + Discord
Register here.

Monday, June 28 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Adult 2SLGBTQ+ Drop-in Group

Participants can join in for informal chats and games over Zoom. The event is open to folks of all sexual and gender diverse identities aged 19+ and is hosted by Niagara Falls Community Health Centre, Brock Student Justice Centre, and Quest Community Health Centre.
Platform: Zoom
Register here. 

Tuesday, June 29 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Pride Concert

Join a virtual concert to celebrate the end of Pride Month. Performances include singing, rap, poetry, and spoken word by local community artists, with appearances from Brock Pride and local community leaders. There will also be three Kahoot! trivia quizzes during the concert to test participants’ knowledge on 2S&LGBTQ+ and BIPOC rights history, with prizes totalling more than $300 in value. This event is open to everyone.
Platform: Zoom
Register here.

Chest binders and breast forms program In addition to Pride Month events, Brock students can receive free chest binders and breast forms from the Student Justice Centre. Students who fill out this form will receive a chest binder or set of breast forms that meet their needs, and have it mailed to their address of choice.

Any questions about the chest binder and breast form program or any of the Pride Month events can be sent to Mudge at mmudge@brocku.ca